Rousseau Analysis free essay sample

The Social Contract In ancient times all men lived in a state of nature until hardships and the necessity to form a civil society between one another became eminent. Jean Jacques Rousseau’s â€Å"The Social Contract,† analyses the steps and reasoning behind this transition. In Rousseau’s work he focuses on several key terms in order to define this transition clearly, they include: state of nature, social contract, civil society, general will, and the sovereign. It would be impossible to define the latter terms without first analyzing Rousseau’s definition of state of nature. This has to do with the fact that none of the terms have relevance without the existence of the state of nature. According to Rousseau, the state of nature is when there is no outside force influencing an individual’s decisions. It is here that a person can truly be called an individual. A good example of this definition is when a caveman lives alone and does what he pleases, when he pleases. We will write a custom essay sample on Rousseau Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He is in no way tied down to any social restrictions. A civil society is the contrasting state of being where two or more individuals unite for the betterment of themselves and the group. This is done so by implementing rules, laws and regulations, and social restrictions. Because of this, a justice system is implemented to regulate the accepted norms of the society. To build upon the cavemen reference, a civil society is when the aforementioned cavemen have developed to the point where they rely on each other through a basis of civil norms and laws As Rousseau describes it, â€Å"‘Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and, in our corporate capacity, we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole. † To establish movement between the state of civil society and the state of nature, individuals must form an understanding between each other. This understanding can be based on an array of different arrangements that can be considered a social contract which involve the gain and loss of ones own primal desire. To refer back to the cavemen example, a civil society is when two cavemen f orm an agreement to assist each other in previously unsociable activities, such as a verbal agreement to fight off a common threat or an economic agreement of trade, but in turn, losing a part of their individuality by leaving the state of nature. These social contracts between individuals are the foundations of our modern societies which include the general will and the sovereign. Though the civil society and social contract do exist in today’s society, Rousseau’s state of nature could never be in existence. In reality, it is impossible to have ever been in a state of nature. This is supported by Rousseau’s idea that at birth, one is born into a society called â€Å"family. † This society is eventually dissolved but children eventually build a social contract with individuals as they grow up and mature. Furthermore, this supports the fact that social contracts and civil societies do exist, even when the state of nature never did. Each day, this is immanent when one forms social bounds with the people around them. Rousseau’s ideas developed from his time period and his life. He was writing this essay during the French Revolution which is in itself a perfect example of the destruction of a social contract between a society and its king and turning into a social contract of the general will of the population to form a new society. Though our time period may be different then those of Rousseau’s, his message will still have a lasting impression on today’s society. Rousseau’s lasting message in, â€Å"The Social Contract,† is not to wane away from social contracts, but rather to analyze what you lose as an individual with each contract you sign. Rousseau firmly states this when he says: â€Å"Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave then they. †

4 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job

4 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job You know you’re the best person for the job. So what is the most efficient and effective way to let hiring managers know you’d be an asset to their team? Before you apply for a job, take a good hard look at how you’re presenting yourself. Keep these 4 tips in mind when preparing your professional documents and yourself for the job application process. 1. Tailor Your Resume  for the Specific Job PostingIn the old days, people kept a master  resume with a job history and then dusted it off to update it when it was time to apply for jobs. With so much competition in the workplace, it’s now expected that you will  tailor your resume so that the hiring manager can see right away how  your qualifications match the job description.Use specific language in your resume and put your job history in an order that gears your qualifications toward a specific job. For example, if you’re applying for  an office manager job, purposefully highlight times in the past where you utilized your organization and people management skills.2. Edit your Resume and Cover Letter  Tired Old ClichesAfter a potential employer sees the terms â€Å"team player,† â€Å"transformational leader† and â€Å"responsible for† countless times, it becomes stale and really doesn’t say much about your previous job history.Instead of saying â€Å"responsible for,† use your resume to say what you actually accomplished, in specific numbers, which  benefited the company in your previous job. Don’t call yourself an â€Å"expert.† Let your resume show precisely what your strong points are, and stay away from cliches.3. Skip the ReferencesHere’s another way you can streamline your resume. Years ago, it was expected that your resume would include several references at the bottom  that a hiring manager could call for more information about you as an employee. Now, it’s assumed that  any  potential e mployee can supply references if asked.Some hiring managers even find a resume containing the words, â€Å"references supplied upon request† an annoyance- it’s a given that doesn’t have to be stated.4. Practice Before Your Live InterviewEven though you know you’re a perfect fit for the job, your nerves can betray you in interview day. Getting in some practice of your â€Å"self pitch† in front of a mirror might be a good idea.Your potential employer will surely want to know what assets you can bring to the company, so think about your answer to that question beforehand. Go over your pitch until you feel comfortable so  you will not go suddenly blank when the interview starts. Believe it or not, a statement that has been repeated often enough can appear practiced.

3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers

3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers 3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers 3 Types of Awkward References to Numbers By Mark Nichol This post describes various usage pitfalls that can interfere with clarity when numbers are involved. Take care when using the word over before a sequence of numbers that might be confused for a figure, as in â€Å"The Ohio city will settle a lawsuit over 911 calls,† which might mistakenly suggest to readers that one or more verbs have erroneously been omitted before a reference to more than a given number of calls, rather than that 911 refers to the phone number for reporting an emergency. The sentence is easily revised to â€Å"The Ohio city will settle a lawsuit regarding 911 calls.† Also, two numbers in numeral form should not appear in sequence, as in this example in which an age is followed by a count: â€Å"The day the slain woman was to turn 28, 3,000 people gathered at a church to recall her life.† The proximity of 28 and 3,000 with an intervening comma suggests that the number 283,000, or a similarly appearing figure, has been incorrectly rendered. (Readers will not make that assumption, but the initial confusion is distracting.) If a publication’s style requires ages to be given in numerals, spell out the attendance count, an acceptable treatment of a large round number. If that figure is exact, change it to an estimate styled as a spelled-out round number, or recast the sentence: â€Å"On the day the slain woman should have been celebrating her 28th birthday, 3,000 people gathered at a church to recall her life.† Finally, do not use forces or troops to refer to individual military service members, as in â€Å"Forty-four US forces were hurt in a rocket-propelled grenade attack yesterday† or â€Å"Three troops were found guilty in the black market scheme.† Use soldiers, sailors, marines, or â€Å"service members† (marines, not soldiers, should be used to refer to members of the US Marine Corps): â€Å"Forty-four US marines were hurt in a rocket-propelled grenade attack yesterday†; â€Å"Three soldiers were found guilty in the black market scheme.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Acronym vs. InitialismHow often is "bimonthly"?

Memory Game maths GCSE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Memory Game maths GCSE - Essay Example Most theoretical models of memory distinguish three main systems or types: sensory memory, short-term or working memory, and long-term memory. Within each of these categories are further divisions. Sensory memory refers to the initial, momentary recording of information in our sensory systems. When sensations strike our eyes, they linger briefly in the visual system. This kind of sensory memory is called iconic memory and refers to the usually brief visual persistence of information as it is being interpreted by the visual system. Echoic memory is the name applied to the same phenomenon in the auditory domain: the brief mental echo that persists after information has been heard. Similar systems are assumed to exist for other sensory systems (touch, taste, and smell), although researchers have studied these senses less thoroughly.(Encarta reference library 2003) We can keep information circulating in working memory by rehearsing it. Several experiments can be performed to test this. The experiment can be performed on the assumption that is the person is able to recall more he/she can be said to have more observation power. It can also be assumed that the things that are recalled are ore familiar to the person. We can recall events,things and also facts that are more familiar to us quickly than those that are unfamiliar. For example in a 1966 experiment, subjects were shown a series of 15 words, then tested for their recall of the words immediately or after 30 seconds. When tested immediately, people remembered items at the beginning and end of the series better than those in the middle, a phenomenon called the serial position effect. Memory for words at the end of the list faded when the test was delayed 30 seconds. The experiment The experiment is simple. The players are given a series of 10 words . These words would appear on the computer screen for a brief period of 30 seconds and the players would observe what they see. After 30 seconds the words would disappear and the players would write them on papers provided to them. This process would continue several times with different words each time. The words may be meaningful or meaningless. The experiment is performed in the following phases Phase 1 The following ten words are taken. Since it is the first phase the words are simple and easy to remember: Bun,tea,biscuit,plane,ink,pen,pencil,earth,bat,ball The outcome: All the five members could recall successfully all the words. The number of words are taken in the y-axis and the persons are taken in the x-axis i.e. 1 indicates person 1 and so on. From the above observation it can be inferred that recalling words depends upon the ease of words. Phase 2 In this phase the following words are taken: Abberant,adjourn ,ablong,abound,abrasive,abort,abstract,affiliate,aliterate,astounding The outcome: Person 1 2 3 4 5 Number of words 10 8 5 4 6 From the table it can be inferred that the first person recalled 10 words, the second person recalled 8 words, the third person recalled 5 words, the fourth person

Credit Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Credit Report - Essay Example Fair Credit Reporting Act was amended by adding the following new subsections:Fair Credit Reporting Act was amended by adding the following new subsections:†¢ RESELLER.—the term ‘reseller’ means a consumer reporting agency that assembles and merges information contained in the database of another consumer reporting agency or multiple consumer reporting agencies concerning two or any consumers for purposes of furnishing such information to any third party, to the extent of such activities; and does not maintain a database of the assembled or merged information from which new consumer reports are produced.†¢ Identity theft prevention; to identify theft, means a fraud committed using another person’sIdentifying information, subject to such further definition as the commission and the board may prescribe, jointly, by regulation. Have different sections that it represents and includes the following: a] Investigating changes of address and inactive acco unts this is done by the federal banking agencies and the national credit union administration] Fraud alerts.Include a fraud alert in the file of that consumer for a period of not less than 90 days beginning on the date of such request, unless the consumer specifically requests that such fraud alert be removed before the end of such periodc] Truncation of credit card and debit card account numbers d] Summary of rights of identity theft victims e] Establishment of procedures for depository institutions to identify possible Instances of identity theft f] Study on the use of technology to combat identity theft.

The Great Gatsby | The American Dream

The Great Gatsby | The American Dream Compare and Contrast The Great Gatsby with the American Dream. Discuss how Gatsbys extravagances compare to the American Dreams ideals. There is no strict definition of the American Dream though early in the twentieth century and in many ways still today it has become the term which describes an inherent faith in the promise of the new world. As a country, America has no far stretching history to forge and enrich its culture. Instead a nations character was flavoured with hopes and anticipation of the future, of a better life of more opportunity and purpose. People fledged to the Americas to start afresh, to experience modern luxuries and new technology. To become a part of the rat race and exploit the age of capitalism and materialism overall to become rich through ones own means. To realise the great American Dream therefore was an extension of Benjamin Franklins maxim of the perfectibility of man. Franklin was a great emblem of American ideology and a founder of much of its deepest held attitudes and beliefs. Franklin was one of the first self-confessed entrepreneurs and his many written works became great incentives for Americans to become pro-active and to try and be the best one could be. He founded his ideas on the prevailing optimism that with the right motivation and activity anyone could become a solvent, well-respected individual. Perhaps no time in Americas history quite demonstrated the peoples obsessive preoccupation with the American dream than the 1920s. In the post-war period, it became an incredibly affluent country, rapidly industrialising and developing the quality of life. It became a time when gross extravagances were commonplace. The American president Herbert Hoover said in 1925 We will root out poverty and put two cars in every garage. On the surface of it, the nation was thriving with its own successes. People were elated by the possibility of continued happiness through material wealth. However, this atmosphere of striving relentlessly towards the future in the promise of rewards had a bitter flipside. Many authors found the new attitude of American people overly conceited. This idea in particular is explored in metaphor in many of Herman Melvilles works together with Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, but demonstrably so in the novels of Evelyn Waugh, J.D. Salinger and of course, F. Scott Fitzgerald. These authors tried to show that the people of America were changing becoming superficial and self-consumed and misconstruing happiness as wealth and materialism. On the face of it, Fitzgeralds wonderful creation of Jay Gatsby appears a champion of the then climate of profligacy and carefree living. He has as many beautiful shirts to make Daisy swoon and not two motor cars as Hoover would advise, but five. From his mansion in West Egg he holds wild parties every night mixing in the highest social circles. But the grand irony is that of all the characters in the book, Gatsby is perhaps the least inspired or objectively absorbed by the lifestyle he defines. And it is also perhaps precisely this reason that Gatsby is also the most likely to win our affections. As Nick points out he has an exceptional quality that separates him from typical Americans much less than exemplifies them: If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life,an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. Gatsbys gift for hope which Nick talks about certainly seems true of Franklins vision but there is a crucial contrast with the American dreams personality of hopefulness and Gatsbys personality and it is this: while Franklin advocated the importance of the individual, the hopefulness that one might successfully improve ones own self and ones own means, Gatsbys greatest hope is to find Daisy and rekindle her love for him. We are endeared to Gatsby because he is the only character who quite clearly values human affection above wealth and recreation. He unlike any of the other characters has a firm belief in the good of humanity. In this way he is set in stark contrast with the narrator Nick who seems a born cynic, passive, sardonic and judgemental of other people though he claims otherwise. Jordans half-baked advances fail to woo him; indeed he seems genuinely disenchanted by the possibility of a loving relationship and finds friendship only in Gatsby. For Nick, Gatsby must seem the only warm, good hearted human being in New York and yet even so, the previous quote shows he is quick to qualify this questioning whether personality is a true reflection of a person or indeed an unbroken series of successful gestures a comment which suggests Nick is hung up by the idea that all human interaction is a faade or an act rather than a true reflection of real feelings. Nick has a severely disillusioned view of 1920s socialite America yet his pessimism is invariably astute proving to be sound by the end of the novel. It is by contrast Gatsbys irrepressible optimism and his rose-tinted sentimental view of the world that is revealed to be mistaken. So The Great Gatsby is a novel which sees a character try and exploit the American Dream to win the love of a woman. Fitzgerald tells us that Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many clothes and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor it is this misconstrued impression of wealth as a timeless vessel of hope, as the preserver rather than the destroyer of mystery, which brings about his downfall. In this sense Gatsbys end is not reflective of his means his real end is finding love, his means is to buy it with displays of grandeur and extreme wealth. But such affection by definition cannot be real love and Daisy subsequently cannot give herself over to him with the intensity of feeling he had hoped for. Fitzgeralds novel is saturated in themes of illusion, and deception. The great swathes of noveau riche self-made Americans, success stories of the great American dream, are undermined by a superficiality and emptiness. The characters have founded their wealthy, though vacuously glamorous life-styles by capitalising on an identity which is bereft of morals. Mr. Gatsby himself has become incredibly rich in a short space of time because he absolves himself of moral responsibility and trades in the trafficking of alcohol. And yet his wealth breeds distrust and intolerance, his magnificent parties attract only insincere people who exploit his generosity. Similarly Tom Buchanan cannot count on the fidelity of his wife Daisy because he makes no effort to make sure of his own. In a climate of greed, relationships are no longer based on trust or affection but self-interest. The false, self-fulfilling nature of the relationships forged in the novel is made painfully clear for Nick who notices that only three people turn up to Gatsbys funeral a genuine surprise given his perceived popularity. It is this sense of hypocrisy and discovery of relationships which are feigned through mutual advantage rather than real emotion that brings about Nicks gloomy disillusionment with 1920s society and his realisation that he will never meet anyone who shares Gatsbys sentimentality. Gatsby, the iconic hero of the American Dream, uses it simply as a means to a very different end. He avoids social interaction at his parties, skulking in the inner chambers of his house and his great displays of wealth give him no more pleasure than in their perceived potential to bring Daisy back to him. Gatsby is only dubiously Great. He is flawed because he tries to find belonging in a society bereft of the most fundamental human morals like trust and fidelity. In an idealistic society governed by a striving impetus towards the acquisition of wealth and power, moral fibre begins to break down The impact of the great American dream has only a physical, external effect on Gatsby whereas it has shaped the very consciousnesses of the other characters Tom and Daisy Buchanan, Jordan, Myrtle and Gatsbys corrupt work colleagues all display a fickle self-serving hedonism that echoes the then climate of quick-living, profligacy much more than Gatsbys meticulously planned, romantic endeavour to win back Daisys heart and his nostalgia upon reflections of the past. Gatsby is in reality then, far removed from 1920s American lifestyle, he has simply become extremely good at mimicking its symptoms. It seems then that Gatsby is both the champion and the antithesis of the American Dream. Gatsby invites the glowing optimism of the American Dream to appease his anxiety to earn the love of Daisy. By surrendering to the ideals of a forward-looking, hopeful American life he somehow convinces himself that the unlikely is a very real possibility. However, Gatsbys grand scheme is doomed because wealth and social standing are not qualities which he cares to evince they will not earn him a membership in Americas great society. Gatsby is quite clearly inspired by Franklins autobiography. In chapter 9 Nick discovers a treasured old book of Gatsbys which shares the same assiduous attention to routine and self-discipline in the form of daily schedules. Gatsby buys into Franklins ideals of self-improvement, resolving to practice elocution, poise and how to attain it; read one improving book or magazine per week; and be better to parents.  Such an empty list of instructions towards self-help are listed here with comical irony. What indeed can such qualities give Gatsby that will make him any more accomplished in finding love? Gatsbys great delusion and one of Fitzgeralds most important messages is that the acquisition of material successes does not naturally enrich a person or society spiritually or emotionally. This is played out in Gatsbys attempts at courting Daisy he tries to woo her with his shirts rather than more heartfelt displays of real affection and yet surprisingly the scrolls and plaids in coral and apple green and lavender and faint orange win him just the response he hopes for it makes me sad because Ive never seen such beautiful shirts before. Again the moment is half comical. Throughout the novel Fitzgeralds characters are most genuinely stirred to emotion or touched by the mundane, by materials, extravagances or assortments of fancy shirts. Fitzgeralds America often appears so superficial as to be funny. For instance, characters like Tom and Myrtle are two-dimensional and self-motivated to point of seeming unrealistic, but it is such cartoon-like, narrative extremes that allows Fitzgerald to make his most crucial point which is the severe loss of what are perhaps the real, spiritual qualities of human life in all the excesses of self-seeking capitalism. In the relentless race towards modernisation, traditions, heartfelt beliefs and the spiritual side of human culture is lost in a dead expanse; a valley of ashes. All the while Fitzgerald uses symbolism to represent this decay, like T.S. Eliot in The Wastelands, old fashioned values are lost in an atmosphere of moral corruption , of the tacky and kitsch. Quite wonderfully even God himself has become redundant in Fitzgeralds America, replaced by the watchful eyes of Dr. Eckleburg a huge billboard and the pinnacle of commercialism and spiritual dissemblance. An even more prevalent symbolic theme in the novel is the intensity of heat. Fitzgeralds emphasis on the sun and dazzling brightness is exceptional. It makes up a huge contingent of the narration setting scenes and on many occasions dictating the flow of events. Heat is used much as Camus uses glaring light to imply the burden of truth in Letranger or Shakespeare uses a storm to echo the madness and moral corruption of Lears world. In The Great Gatsby it intensifies the growing discomfort of the characters landscapes. The falseness of the world they inhabit becomes a harsh and oppressive glasshouse, melting well-meaning facades. Heat and sunlight become more and more an aspect of the storyline in the novel climaxing on the day of Gatsbys denouement; the next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest day of the summer. At the characters final group meeting in the restaurant, the sweltering heat amplifies the feelings of resent and bitterness behind their interactions. Sunlight might then be seen as Fitzgeralds way of projecting natures grip on a humans actions and the impossibility of defying the spirit of the world around you. Perhaps the most crucial distinction between Gatsby and the ideal of the American dream is a temporal one. The American Dream is built upon the anticipation of a more modern, more advanced future. Gatsby does await the future with baited breath but only in the futile expectation that it will one day recreate his memory of the past. Indeed Gatsby lives entirely in the past clinging to the nostalgia of his youth. That he might relive an exquisite moment of love which he still cherishes between himself and Daisy becomes his one motivating objective. But as Nick astutely points out, human elation is invariably short-lived and cannot be recaptured and critically Gatsby misconceives what is possible in Franklins vision of the present. Franklin did not embrace the wonder of the past, or treasure the history of human emotion life was rather a progression continually in flux. It is no surprise that Gatsby is piqued by Nicks refutation of his dream Cant repeat the past? he cried incredulously. Why of course you can! Gatsby clings to the traditions of history. It is implied by his position in West Egg as opposed to East as indeed the Eastern fringe of America was then considered to be the seat of its prosperity and the Western frontier the links to its older heritage. Real evidence of Gatsbys devotion to a dissolving past is his well stocked library, filled with books, which surprise his guests at being Absolutely real have real pages and everything and not made from nice durable cardboard. Books have become empty non-durable objects to the guests at Gatsbys parties, just like themselves who are soulless, lacking content of character, or the oranges and lemons which leave Gatsbys parties via the backdoor in a pyramid of pulpless halves. But Gatsbys reminiscent, uniquely mysterious disposition is best expressed in Nicks fleeting impressions of him: Through all he said, even through his appalling sentimentality, I was reminded of something an elusive rhythm, a fragment of lost words, that I had heard somewhere a long time ago. Nicks language is characteristically vague and whimsically unsure of itself an elusive rhythm, a fragment of lost words, what part of Gatsbys appalling sentimentality he is referring to is an intangible and incomprehensible thing. And that is the point, Gatsbys sentimentality has no solid meaning in the mundane rational of the present he is mysterious and abstract memory of something that is no more. The story of Gatsby is ultimately a tragic one because he cannot bend the careless frivolity of the society around him to the romantic solemnity of his intentions. Affection is an impotent virtue in a fickle misunderstanding world. And the past cannot be brought home to the characters of a social climate which cares only for the future: Oh, you want too much! she cried to Gatsby, I love you nowisnt that enough? I cant help whats past. I did love him oncebut I loved you too. Daisy cannot reconcile Gatsbys need to recapture what is gone. The love Daisys confesses she bears for Gatsby is different forged in the present in her awe of his wealth. Unlike Gatsby, she severs the experiences of the past as moments which are lost forever and have no tangible bearing on the future. Daisy and Toms dilution of guilt, and thoughtless fleeing at the end of the novel is the true psyche of the American dream the self-centred belief that one lives in the present and what has happened in the past is irrelevant They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. Gatsby is great because he is unlike the dirty pretty things of modern America. He is simply doomed in the world he finds himself upon because his great longing for real human feeling cannot be reconciled with the real social longing for wealth and status. The Great Gatsby does explore the effect of the American dream upon a national consciousness but with the implication that it is rather a pipe-dream or an empty sentiment. Gatsbys obsession with the green lantern glowing promisingly at the bottom of Daisys garden inspires him with hopes of acquiring her love. But the green light plainly represents the great torch of the Statue of Liberty that greets voyagers off the ships In Manhattans harbour filled with hope and inspired by the promises of America. And the Stature of Liberty in turn is an emblem of freedom and truth the once treasured principles of an American identity. Fitzgeralds novel discounts these principles with this rather touching metaphor: Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further And one fine morning And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. The language is fragmentary because new optimism inspires another thought before the futility of the present becomes a reality. And this language, jumping interminably ahead of itself is indeed Fitzgeralds view of the American character: in the rush to produce a rich and extensive character and history for itself, America lost a lot of the clarity which comes from a slower progression. It became in many respects a nation based entirely on ideologies of hope and optimism and the promise of self-development. But while a nation was wrapped up in these exciting prospects writers such as Fitzgerald pealed back the veil and revealed the inconsistencies in an outlook of liberty tainted by the constraints of greed, capitalism and materialism. Bibliography Fitzgerald, F, Scott, The Great Gatsby, 1989, Penguin, London.

Every Picture Tells A Story Essay

This picture shows a number of African-Americans queuing. Their line extends from one edge of the photograph to the other suggesting a long queue. The men and women are wearing coats suggestive of the fashion during the early part of the 20th century. It must also have been a cold day in autumn or early spring in that they have to put their hands inside their pockets to keep warm. In the background is a giant billboard depicting an American family comprising of a mother, father, two children and a dog. They are inside a car driving through the countryside. On top of the billboard are the words â€Å"World’s Highest Standards of Living† and on the right in cursive, â€Å"There’s No Way Like the American Way†. These words suggest to the viewer the affluence of an American lifestyle, specifically the average American family. To belong to an American family is the best place to be in the world. The photographer is trying to point out the irony between the two elements in the picture. The whole image suggests a pictorial commentary about inequality in American society and the illusion that the billboard advertises. The â€Å"highest standards of living† that the billboard ascribes is only applicable to the white American. The traditional, smiling, healthy, nuclear family contrasts sharply with the pensive expressions on the faces of the people in the queue. The bright billboard and the dark colors in the people’s clothing further emphasize this point. The viewer does not know what they were falling in line for but from the fact that some of them are carrying bags and buckets, they are probably queuing for food rations. The situation regarding racial divisions is not as bad today as it was decades before or the time when the photograph was taken. There are still some poor people who fall in line in soup kitchens, for food stamps, and temporary shelters, but they would be comprised of black and white Americans. Billboard ads though, have not changed. They still promote the good way of life to entice customers; still pretending that American life only offers good things.