http://www.hells-angels.com/ i have looked at Biker culture in America. particularly that of the Hell's angelshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r38OCWEeFnYthe hells angels are a well established motor cycle gang. First founded in 1948 the hells angels have become a recognised part of American life. under the motto "When we do right, nobody remembers. When we do wrong, nobody forgets" the hells angels are perceived under a certain light. The Hells angels do a great number of charity events, yet they are under constant surveillance of law enforcement as they have a huge past of crime. The club is known as a 99% meaning that only 1% of the club is dedicated to crime. The club wears the title of "MC" motor cycle club to show that they are not a gang.
in April 2002 the hells angels had a gunfight in a vegas casino with another motorcycle club "the Mongols" this resulted in 2 hells angels dead and a mongol dead. Members of the cub are truly dedicated to the cause and extensive initiation takes place in order to approve new members, it can take years.
The hells angels are seen as part of the American culture despite the fact that they are seen all over the world in different chapters, they define freedom for many people. Another motto of theirs is ride hard and play hard. they are seen as a group of people having fun and a strong community of brothers. This said they do have a shadier side and crime is a daily occurrence for them to get by. Biker culture is a culture seen as the modern day cowboy's, a modern take on a proud time for America gone by
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Women In America
The topic I have chosen to discuss this week, is that of women in America.
Even though the right for women to vote were first seriously proposed in July, 1848 in America, it was in the 1920's when women finally wont the right to vote throughout the nation.
Being published in 1925, Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" paints a portrait of the women of that day and age, and shows throughout multiple characters, different ways in which the women grew into their freedom and liberties.
Jordan Baker, a secondary/supporting character in the novel is a prime example of how women are motioning toward the new age of being able to do more. The name "Jordan Baker" that Fitzgerald lent to his sassy, golf playing character actually contributes to this point also; Jordan, also usually a man's name, and Baker were both big car manufacturers in the 1920's. It can be seen that Fitzgerald was layering on the masculinity to Jordan's character to create a new breed of woman, not only a flapper girl, but a woman of the future.
1950's America saw Marilyn Monroe star in no less than six motion pictures, usually film noir that dwelled on her seductiveness. This shows us that women have shot up in respectability, and are now even being admired for their work and their beauty.
In the 1960's women's rights and liberties has come on leaps and bounds. In 1963 the famed "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan was published; giving women in the US more movement, and ammunition to move forward and progress.
Women in the 60's also had beautiful, powerful, attractive women in the medias eye, to look up to. Audrey Hepburn's most famous movies "My Fair Lady" and "Breakast At Tiffany's" were released in the 1960's.
1970's see's women rising to absolute power. In the early 1970's little league baseball was opened up to young girls, and during the second half of the 70's rock band "The Runaways" wrote, toured and recorded six full length albums.
Not only was this a female revolution of women standing on stage, in leather trousers and holding guitars, this was also the first time the world had seen music like this coming from women. Initially, when founding band member Joan Jett approached her future management Kim Fowley, he was apprehensive to launch the first all girl rock band in America to make it big, but as history tells us, he got in on it, and it went big. Songs shocking the airwaves included; "Cherrybomb" "Do You Wanna Touch Me?" "I Wanna Be Your Dog" "I Love Rock n Roll" and "Queens Of Noise".
This kind of female empowerment has travelled through time, as music from this era and the aspects are still popular today. Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning both starred in a 2010 movie "The Runaways" portraying the band, and their rise to fame, and Joan Jett herself still tours to this day.
In conclusion, my point is that Fitzgerald's characters are on the brink of Women's rights, which soar through time, and become rockstars standing on stage today. It just shows that women can go from being, as Daisy Buchanan quotes "Pretty little fools" to in 1997 Madeline Albright, being the first women secretary of state in the US.
Fitzgerald's Ideas Today
The idea of the correlation between the acquisition of money and general fulfillment is one key to The Great Gatsby. In the novel, Fitzgerald challenges the idea that by attaining the American Dream, you become completely fulfilled, emotionally as well as matierially. Despite the popularity of Fitzgerald's publication however, even today in the 21st Century, the idea of the American Dream as something fullproof and unshaking still resonates with many Americans. I have, on the other hand, found an article which specifically targets whether money can buy happiness in America. The article interestingly explains how although in extreme scenarios statistics show that the more affluent a nation is, they are often happier, in agreement with Fitzgerald, individual wealth doesn't necessarily result in happiness.
The article, written by Arthur C Brooks in 2008 entitled 'Can Money Buy Happiness', begins with a story about how a man, Mack Metclif, a 42 year old working class forklift driver won $65 million on the lottery one day. He had a history of problems, and winning the money didn't seem to help him, to a point where he resorted to alcaholism, primarily as a result of paranoia, leading to his death aged just 45. Brooks uses this story as a representation, in an extreme scenario, of how the effects of money can in fact reduce happiness and increase things like paranoia and depression. To substanciate his argument, Brooks goes on to talk about how, in the wider scale of things, his theory is true. He expalains how although 'Americans have on average gotten much richer over the past several decades', 'there has been no meaningful rise in the average level of happiness'. In addition, he explains how 'In 1972, 30 percent of Americans said they were very happy' whilst earning an average annual wage of $25,000, but 'by 2004, the percentage of very happy Americans stayed virtually unchanged at 31 percent, while the share of national income skyrocketed to $38,000'.
Although these examples are very general, they still clearly identify the same ideas that Fitzgerald implies in The Great Gatsby. In the novel, Fitzgerald goes for a far more personal approach, using Jay Gatsby's situation as a microcosm of his interpretation of the American Dream. Gatsby's vast wealth coincides with his inability to win over the love of his life, Daisy. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, Gatsby's mood is depicted by Fitzgerald as 'unutterable depression' after another failed attempt to win her over by inviting her to one of his lavish parties. This is one example of how Fitzgerald gives us a direct idea of the lack of fulfillment money gives you without love and happiness, as Gatsby's wonderful house and parties mean nothing to him and leave him in a state of 'depression' as a result of the one he loves having a bad time.
Brooks' use of statistics and facts to support his interpretation of the American Dream and the disassociation of money and happiness continues throughout the article. In order to illustrate how across America, state happiness 'depends very little on their comparative prosperity', he explains how in 'Eastern Tennessee... [people] are 25 percent likelier than people living in tony San Francisco to say they are very happy, despite earning a third less money on average.' This shocking statistic opposes the idea that rural Americans are less fulfilled as a result of a generally less finacially supported lifestyle. Interestingly, this idea, in a sense, resontes in The Great Gatsby. Gatsby made much of his money working in the city, and grew up in a wealthy family in an affluent area of San Francisco, as well as living in arguably the richest area of New York, Long Island North Shore. His fulfillment and happiness however doesn't correlate with his upbringing and his location in later life. This agrees with the idea presented by Brooks in his article.
I think that the source I have chosen to represent how the themes of The Great Gatsby still resonate today is totally justifiable. The article gave us a rare example of someone questioning the American Dream and the fulfillment that comes from American consumerism with clear influence from figures such as F. Scott Fitzgerald. The article's factual nature could be well compared to the more opinionated fictional interpretation of the novel. This comparison has shown me how Fitzgerald's view of the matierialistic nature of the American Dream is still somewhat shared today.
Is the only real way to achieve the American Dream through crime or inheritance?
The Great Gatsby is a novel about how the American dream is fast becoming the American nightmare due to its misguidance and people trying to achieve it through any means possible. The hard work ethic and honesty we saw in Ragged Dick no longer exists and Fitzgerald suggests to his readers that the only way to achieve the American Dream in the 1920s is through crime or inheritance.
Gatsby is only able to buy all of the material items he owns because he inherited $25 000 from a man who saw potential in him. He then continues to be make money only through criminal activities such as bootlegging.
Although this idea of crime/inheritance making you rich was dominant in the 1920s there is still evidence that some of the richest people in the U.S today made their money through criminal activity or inheritance. For example social networking Facebook which was valued at approximately $84 billion earlier this year, was an idea stolen by “founder” Mark Zuckerberg who is reportedly worth $13.5 billion. The whole site was created by Zuckerberg based on an idea that came from someone else, surely this is stealing and makes it criminal? Apparently this criminality does not matter and Zuckerberg at age 27 ranks 52nd Forbes World’s Billionaires list.
Inheritance is still another way people become rich and supposedly achieve the American dream. Just like criminality this is still evident in contemporary U.S society, maybe even more so than in the 1920s. The worlds richest women, Christy Walton inherited her husbands money when he died in a plane crash in 2005. Her husband's family were the founders of Wal-Mart and today Christy is worth $26.5 billion thanks to this. She repeatedly appears on rich lists despite none of the money actually being earned by her.
From these examples we can see that inheritance and more commonly criminality still dominant American society and the people who achieve wealth through these means are said to have achieved the American dream. Which raises the question, what is the American dream? Is it just about being rich as these examples and The Great Gatsby suggest it should be? Or is it more individualised than that? Despite Gatsby obtaining wealth he still is not happy, his American dream is evidently Daisy and being rich did not help him achieve his dream. If anything it was the downfall of his dream. I believe that there is not one collective American dream. It depends on who you are and where you came from. As Fitzgerald suggests through The Great Gatsby the American dream became misguided and people forgot its actual meaning resulting, in what is now for a lot of Americans, the American Nightmare.
Monday, 5 December 2011
mustang
i have chosen this mustang ad
as it is a car add it has to do all it can to promote the cars image and to make it seem as cool as possible. This advert does this through a fantasy story line,
it starts with
"if you build it, he will come" being whispered to generic looking man, who then goes on to build a racetrack in a corn field, which then is joined by the ghost of Steve McQueen. The first inter textual reference is a nod to the film "field of dreams" staring Kevin Costner. In the film Costner's character hears a voice that tells him to build a baseball pitch to which he is then joined by his favourite dead baseball players, a strange concept, but considering its success at the box office of $64,431,625 the synopsis was appealing to an American audience. Those who have seen field of dreams would make the link between the advert and the film
The second intertextual reference is the fact that Steve McQueen drives the Mustang. Steve McQueen is well known for driving a later model of the Ford Mustang in the film "the getaway". The way in which the ghost of Steve is seen climbing into this mans newer version of the Mustang says to the audience that - if Steve McQueen were alive he would be dying to drive this car. Steve helps sell the car through idolisation as many men would dream of having a Mustang with the thought that they might become like Steve by buying it, or that they aspire or fancy themselves to be Steve McQueen. American adverts often use idolisation and companys pay big money to use stars in their advert.
The advert is clever as it uses old footage of Steve McQueen from films. the add shows Steve interacting with the man and then climbing into the car, this is achieved through special effects and clever editing
this advert works well as it uses other media texts and references to sell the product. The films it nods towards are helpful and confirm The Mustang as a classic and established car. The film the getaway is more or less a add for the Ford mustang anyway and by making an add that incorporates the film, makes the brand more desirable.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Have your people call my people.
Beyonce and Ellen De Generes: Have your people call my people.
This week, I have decided to look at the American Express adverts. American Express (Or AmEx) is a financial services corporation founded in 1850. It's also now, in 2011, the biggest card in America.
I looked at this first advert, and the most attention drawing thing about it, was of course that it had Beyonce and Ellen in it. Beyonce is a world known, international recording star and Ellen is the host of incredibly popular chat show "Ellen" on American TV.
This advert is comical, as most things with Ellen in are, and shows Ellen looking around her studio for her "people", after Beyonce has suggested Ellen come to a concert - "Have your people call my people". Ellen can't find her people, but eventually makes it to the show - American Express was there for her, symbolizing that American Express are your people, and will catch you if you need saving.
This second advert starring Kate Winslet, is definitely my favorite. I personally think it's been done so cleverly particularly with the script.
Kate: At 17 I went to prison for murder, by 19, I was penniless and heartbroken, I almost drowned at 20. My mind started to go at 24. Then I had my memory erased at 28. And by 29...I was in Neverland. My real life doesn't need any extra drama, that's why my card is American Express. My life. My card.
It's not until after you've seen the advert a couple of times that you realise it's not just Kate Winslet playing a part, walking through Camden Market. Each little sentence and where she is, what she is doing at that point of the commercial relates cleverly to a film she's made.
For example:
At 17, I went to prison for murder - Heavenly Creatures, 1994
(The camera pans through wrought iron bars)
By 19, I was penniless and heartbroken - Sense & Sensibility, 1995
(In Camden, Kate picks up a worn copy of Sense & Sensibility)
I almost drowned at 20 - Titanic, 1997
(Kate is seen on a bridge, looking over a wide river)
My mind started to go at 24 - Iris, 2001
(Kate leaves the bridge, but forgets her coffee that she has set down on the side. She returns for it.)
And I had my memory erased at 28 - Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, 2004
(Kate is seen walking down the street, she disappears as a car passes her.)
And by 29, I was in Neverland - Neverland, 2004.
(Kate stops at a stall still in Camden Market, and picks up some childrens toys. One in particular, a Peter Pan hat, and also one other; a childs pirate hook.)
The music is a simple background piano piece that lets the script and action on the screen do all of the work; this works perfectly as there is a lot of information an audience would miss if there was a heavy background accompaniment.
This advert is very affective, and works well for it's purpose because it is attempting to give the impression that AmEx is a simple, no strings, no drama card that you can use in any situation without any hassle; what every card user wants.
The subtlety of this advert will make people talk about it, because I know when I first saw it, I thought it was going to be an advert for a movie, or a documentary on Kate Winslet because everything was so tailor made to her during the commercial; however, once I realized that the advert was actually for AmEx Cards, I couldn't help but think it was a really clever advert that made me think.
Which is basically AmEx's attempt, to get their product into people's minds, because then they are more likely to take up an AmEx account.
Friday, 2 December 2011
American Consumerism - Chrysler
The advert I have opted to look at is the 2011 Chrysler advert featuring Eminem. Following the references to Henry Ford and his legecy, which was established in Detroit, Michigan, in the last lecture, I thought this advert would be a perfect example to analyse. Although it makes no direct reference to Ford himself, his influence and legacy is clear in the speech that accompanies the commercial.
Ford represents and embodies many of the USAs traditional ideas and characteristics. The advert talks about how although the Detriot "has been to hell and back", "hard work, conviction and a know-how that runs generations deep" enables the city to flourish. This makes direct reference to the 'American dream' theory, which states that by working hard and showing determination you can see yourself through hard times. By applying traditional American values to the commercial, the company makes their product seem very American, in turn making the consumer believe that buying the car is in a sense an act of patriotism.
The commercial, as well as seemingly representing America as a whole, also promotes the idea of Detroit itself. The narrator explains how "We're from America, but we're no New York City or the Windy City or Sin City, and we're certainly no-ones Emerald City", making the car an exclusively 'Detroit' product. On one hand this commercial decision might limit the products popularity as it is only appealing to people from one small area of the country, particularly for people from the places that the advert specifically disassociates itself from. On the other hand however, when we look closely at how these places are all large corporation run cities, it could be suggested that the product reflects the small-town side of America which is something which still appeals to many.
Another key feature of the advertisment is the inclusion of the Detroit native and world famous rapper Eminem. His song 'Lose yourself' accompanies the commercial, building up gradually throughout, and he himself features at the end. On the surface this is seen simply as an advertising tool to give the product greater appeal, but beneath the surface his appearance represents far more. He represents the 'Rags to Riches' story of a boy born into tough circumstances who overcomes disadvantage to become successful. This accompanies the general theme of the advert, therefore perfectly concluding the advert.
The final line, spoken by Eminem, "This is the Motor City, and this is what we do" again reflects the idea of continuity that can be associated with Chrysler and the Detriot motor industry. The company, through this final line in particular, allows the consumer to feel like they can rely on the car and the company and that they will see results. The traditional American characteristic of efficiency and simplicity is identifiable through this.
American Consumer Culture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PFwNAJmCdw
I have chosen to look at the 2011 Ray-Ban Sunglasses commercial which is entitled "Never Hide". Initially I was drawn to the commercial because of its title. The commercial is based around a water fight where none of the participants hide, they all come forth and fight this battle. I think the title of the commercial is interesting because it is a sunglasses advert, if you put sunglasses on, your eyes are hidden. Yet Ray-Ban decided to call this commercial Never Hide.
The background music and no dialogue is something I found interesting in this commercial as it is almost a modern, western movie theme. I think this suggests what Ray-Ban were trying to connote to their viewers. The use of guns, western movie music, the sun placement covering people's faces in some shots and the slow motion shots but quick cuts all imply that Ray-Ban were trying to create a modern Western in this commercial. This is a common feature of American advertising as the cowboy/western was seen as a hero, this links back to the title of the commercial "Never Hide" saying that, the heroes of westerns never hid, if you wear Ray-Bans neither will you hide and you can become hero. Therefore dismissing the fact that if you're wearing sunglasses your eyes are hidden, if you wear Ray-Bans they are not and neither are you.
The use of the water guns in the commercial itself is interesting. Although they are water guns the actions that are portrayed by the characters in the commercial are very gun like. For example we see the woman that was running at the beginning of the commercial pull two guns out from the side of her shorts much like a real gun. Then, again at the end of the commercial you see three men drive past in a car, two of these men are pointing the water guns out of the window. Again like we see with real guns in TV shows and movies. By using water guns as a way in which to advertise their product, I think Ray-Ban have tried to target an American audience as they know this pseudo gun set up will appeal to many Americans, as we found out in previous weeks.
To conclude, I think it is intriguing that Ray-Ban have reverted back to using Western ideas and connotations in their commercial. These ideas were popular from the 1950s-1970s but have since lost impact so it is interesting that Ray-Ban would decide to use this concept as a way to sell their product in 2011. I believe that the reason they have used this idea is because originally cowboys were cool and rebellious but in a positive and heroic way. As Ray-Ban are trying to promote the tag line "Never Hide" this iconic concept allows them do so. I feel that they have used this idea and made it contemporary and urbanised it, as the setting is a typical American street. This therefore, still allows their audience to relate to the commercial and think, that could be me and thus by the product.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth Today
When looking for contemporary uses of the phrase 'The Horatio Alger myth', I stumbled across this website, http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/10/3199260/whats-wrong-in-america-is-not.html. Although this site doesn't glorify the idea of the myth and doesn't strictly 'use' the phrase, it certainly comments on it, and gives us an insight into the true state of American hope and opportuinty in the 21st Century.
We are used to hearing the 'Horatio Alger myth' used in such positive circumstances in America. Although it's now known more conventionally as the American Dream, 'the myth' lives on to this day and is no doubt a source of inspiration and hope to many Americans. However, the article I have chosen to analyse illustrates the misuse and the misunderstanding of Alger's 'myth'. Mary Sanchez, the writer of the article is very explicit in her dissection of 'the myth'. She even goes as far as completely reversing its principles, explaining how 'young people today do not lack initiative; they lack opportunity'. If we compare this to Alger's novel Ragged Dick we see clearly dissimilarity.
We are used to hearing the 'Horatio Alger myth' used in such positive circumstances in America. Although it's now known more conventionally as the American Dream, 'the myth' lives on to this day and is no doubt a source of inspiration and hope to many Americans. However, the article I have chosen to analyse illustrates the misuse and the misunderstanding of Alger's 'myth'. Mary Sanchez, the writer of the article is very explicit in her dissection of 'the myth'. She even goes as far as completely reversing its principles, explaining how 'young people today do not lack initiative; they lack opportunity'. If we compare this to Alger's novel Ragged Dick we see clearly dissimilarity.
Although Dick is born into poverty he, like in the typical depiction of the American Dream today, is able to escape this life and become successful as a result of hard work. The opportunities Dick recieves are so frequent and seemingly orchestrated that 'the Horatio Alger myth' or 'the American Dream' appears to be in reach for everyone willing to work hard. Sanchez uses the example of the current Occupy Wall Street demonstrations to support her opposition to the portrayel of Alger's 'myth'. She identifies that 'many of the protesters are young people from middle-class backgrounds and with college educations'; the people who are struggling to support themselves in America today. This directly shows how we can suggest that the hard workers often don't succeed in the USA, and the Alger's 'myth' is in fact very over exaggerated and whimsical.
Throughout her article, Mary Sanchez makes direct criticism towards Herman Cain, a 2012 Republican candidate, who, according to Sanchez, 'just doesn't get it'. She goes on to explain that Cain doesn't understand how 'Young people today are no less entrepreneurial or driven than previous generations. The problem is that times have changed'. This outlines the main extended argument of the article; the idea that many Americans, particularly Republican politicians and the older generation, don't take into consideration the way in which the nation is changing, in relation to 'the Horatio Alger's myth'. There is little understanding that perhaps it doesn't carry the same meaning today as it did in the 19th Century.
Despite this, however, the article doesn't completely discount 'the Horatio Alger myth'. It doesn't say that hard work and determination are bad traits to have in America today, but it does almost plead for Americans to stop the insensitive side of 'the myth' and 'the dream. Sanchez uses a direct quote from Cain, '“If you don’t have a job and you are not rich, blame yourself"', as evidence of this. Despite this, I still believe that 'the Horatio Alger myth' does still have importance today, carrying many of the USAs contemporary values. The inspiring rags to rich story of Dick gave children and teenagers, particuarly street arabs, the chance to have hope and drive for the future. The instructional nature of Alger's text made the ambitions seem more achievable and realistic. Although in 21st America the reality is that, as stated frequently by Sanchez, Alger's 'myth' doesn't always work out, I still believe that it does exist and can have influence on the life of Americans.
Friday, 25 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth; Contemporary Use
The Horatio Alger myth, is an idea that exceptional children rise from poor beginnings to great success, which coincides with his rags to riches story "Ragged Dick." The actuality of this myth in relation to the story, is that regular children (boys in particular, in case of Ragged Dick) can rise from poor beginnings to respectability.
I feel this is transformed into a contemporary use, by The Horatio Alger Scholarship of Distinguished Americans inc.
"The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. " which in essence, is the orignal HA myth.
"The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. bears the name of the renowned author
Horatio Alger, Jr., whose tales of overcoming adversity through unyielding perseverance and basic moral principles captivated the public in the late 19th century. The Association, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit educational organization, was established in 1947 to dispel the mounting belief among the nation's youth that the American Dream was no longer attainable."
Even though you must be a US citizen with a grade point average of 2.0 to apply, The Horatio Alger Association almost has scholarship programs in every state in the US, giving every person that they can, a chance to better themselves, better than their original upbringing, location or financial situation may have them set for.
Some states, for example Texas, have more than one location for the scholarship. Texas has four institutions using this program.
Given that the program pride themselves on being an "investment in America's future" I believe that they are a very positive organisation, and are very beneficial to many young people across the US.
" The Horatio Alger myth "
when people refer to the horatio alger myth they mean more or less the phrase rags to riches. Its easy for us to say that times have changed. but that is not neccarcerrily true. ragged dick was a story written and published in extreme times of poverty in america and was about child homelessness. The series was a survival guide aswell as much as it was a source of entertainment. it can be seen as part of his statement that if you work hard you can become something much better. this gives allot of people hope and is not disimular to what De Crevcoer said about how people can become very wealthy in america if they have a good work ethic and morals.
here is a website with some statistics that say the horatio Alger Myth is alive today.
It shows some statistics of people who have been poor and have had their incommes dramatically improve due to political changes.
the site is not happy by the statistics and seems to be sueded more towards the capitolist view.
despite all this there is a comment at the bottom that claims that a kid dreaming to be a baseball pro has the same chance as winning the "lotto" showing a very pesimistic veiw and disagreeing with the horatio alger myth.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
The Horatio Alger Myth is Alive and Well in American Culture
This is an article I found on associated content which is a site run by Yahoo. It allows anybody to post their views on any topic. This article is written by an American lady called Sara Bilodeau and gives her view on the Horatio Alger myth and the American dream.
In the second sentence of the article Bilodeau states that the "Horatio Alger myth is known country wide as being a proud national symbol". This quote interested me from my initial reading as it is something I am not sure I totally agree with. I think the notion of the American Dream is something that is recognised country wide but not everybody would necessarily associate this idea with Alger. Also I do not believe that every American sees the Horatio Alger myth as being a "proud national symbol", for example the Native Americans and other minorities in America probably do not see this idea as a positive nor one that suitably defines the country they live in. The author does go on to talk about minorities in American society and their inability to obtain what Alger suggests but she implies that this is through fault of their own, not America as a country.
In the article Bilodeau places particular focus on the importance of good education. One sentence that particularly stood out to me was "in order to go to college all you basically have to do is finish high school with relatively good grades." This is something that seems quite obvious to her but she seemingly ignores the fact that some people find this harder than others. However this idea of education is the key to success is echoed in Ragged Dick. Both Frank and Mr Greyson suggest to Dick that he should gain a basic education in order to succeed.
In relation to Ragged Dick the article has both its differences and similarities. As I have mentioned, the focus on education throughout Bilodeau's article can be seen in Ragged Dick. As well as this Bilodeau suggests that all it takes to "make it" in America "All that is needed is the drive to succeed and an education." Again this idea of the drive to succeed is mirrored by Alger in Ragged Dick, we can see this through the repeated phrase "I want to grow up 'spectable." This phrase implicates to the reader that Dick wants to succeed and do well and thus when he does, it is suggested to us that it was because of his want to do so. Although the majority of the article very much looks at the ways in which the Horatio Alger myth still dominates American society, Bilodeau does state some differences. For example she doesn't believe that the "dream" can be obtained in only one generation as Alger suggests. "It is much more common for this goal to be obtained after several generations of hard work" shows that she feels that it is with the hard work of families and generations that this dream can come into being not just the hard work of an individual.
Overall the Bilodeau article is very much in favour of the Horatio Alger myth and therefore tries to put across as many arguments as possible to show that myth is still dominant in contemporary America. It echoes the thoughts and ideas that are evident in Ragged Dick especially the focus on education and hard work. From this article you would believe that Horatio Alger myth is still alive in American culture. However I believe that this article is very much based on middle/upper class Americans, which would suggest that the myth is only alive for a proportion of American society.
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Week 9 - Tutorial.....
Does this overstate the case? - John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQo-orO8UHU
What was the NRA's response?
For background information on gun law read this website debate:
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Concealed_carry_vs_open_carry_gun_laws
And, what does the map tell us about gun use?
John
PS - So pleased to see that everyone had posted promptly! Well done - full marks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQo-orO8UHU
What was the NRA's response?
For background information on gun law read this website debate:
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Concealed_carry_vs_open_carry_gun_laws
And, what does the map tell us about gun use?
John
PS - So pleased to see that everyone had posted promptly! Well done - full marks.
Guns in America
The first website is a pro gun website. The National Rifle Association
The NRA is one of the biggest gun memberships, it provides gun insurance and updates the members with gun related news. The site itself is carefully constructed to be completely pro gun. Currently the sites Main feature is a trailer for a documentary about a soldier turned cop. In the trailer the depiction of guns is that they are very cool. this is achieved through flattering camera angles, the cop (Joseph Collins) is portrayed as a modern hero and at the same time an everyday guy. in the trailer it goes onto state that Jo realised that "war is every were" when a certain life changing experience happened to him. This trailers affect on a passive audience member would tell them that guns are good and that you NEED to protect your family, and that owning a gun is the solution. Jo in the trailer emphasises the fact that guns are essential due to war being everywhere. This instills fear in the audience and is very controlling especially in America, as the Mass media creates fear everyday in the states that people listen to ,often without question.
The NRA site is a business and it is in their best interests to sell memberships. The NRA can afford marketing other than what is on the website , such as TV adds, Billboards and other forms of advertising, this spreads their exposure allowing Americans to be constantly exposed to this pro gun image and making it more likely for them to think its normal.
The second website is a small web page just listing some facts about guns. The statistics include anotations from the Author giving further information and explaining the cause of some of the statistics
"Every 10 seconds a gun is made in America.
That's 3,153,600 guns per
year, of all types for those of you without a calculator.That probably
includes arms made for the military. "
year, of all types for those of you without a calculator.That probably
includes arms made for the military. "
As the Anti gun people have a self entitlement and moral high ground it is in their best interest to read between the lines and not rely on just a statistic. What the author has done here is express his/her knowledge by adding an educated opinion to the statistics. this would appeal to anti gun people as they consider themselves to be active audiences with their own opinions, and not like the people who are brainwashed by sites like the NRA
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Gun Control
The websites I have chosen to look at are http://www.kc3.com/index-2.html and http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zj5j-gttl/guns.htm. The first being a anti-gun control website and the second being a pro-gun control website.
The first website is called KC3 which stands for Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed. This in itself immediately tells us where the owners of the website stand in the gun control debate and indicate what message the website is trying to get across. What first struck me about this website is the use of the phrase "Because the right to protect yourself shouldn't stop at your front door." The phrase is situated right in the middle of the websites homepage and immediately your focus is drawn there. It is also a link to the websites main page so is a way to make the audience look at more information on the website. Once you click on this link the main page gives you a little more information about the groups stand in the gun control debate. You are also given the chance to join the group just by clicking on one link "click HERE to JOIN KC3". The words here and join being in capital letters is a way of the owner trying to grab the audiences attention and entice them join. Another part of the main page that caught my attention was the Thomas Jefferson quote "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." which can be found on the right hand side of the page. This seems to be a common feature of most anti-gun control websites as it is a way of echoing the views that anti gun-control groups with an important historical/political figure. When looking around the website further I found that on each page there was a different quotes from people such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and even reference to the 2nd Amendment. Although this website does not contain many images it is not heavily text based either, each sections is split up into small paragraphs which makes the website more appealing. The small paragraphs just give you an over view and the tone of the website is polite and seems as if the people behind it know and are passionate about the issue.
My second website has the title "A case for Gun Control" which again, immediately shows where the author stands in the gun control debate. Much like the anti-gun control website this site refers to the second amendment. However the author goes on to discuss why the second amendment is not absolute, looking at both the moral and legal reasons as to why this is so. In their argument, the author references many other sources and cases making their point stronger. Under a section titled the problem with guns this quote is used "they make it easy to kill or injure a person." The use of the word kill in particular is interesting as although this is a very true statement, kill is a powerful word. However I believe this is the effect the author wanted the word to have on the audience, kill is a powerful word, a gun is a powerful weapon with powerful consequences. In the final section of the website the author proposes their own plans for gun control as they state that "Although I would personally like to see as many civilian-owned guns eliminated from mainstream society as possible, I realize that this is not a politically realistic goal." This negative view point suggests that the view of the majority of Americans is conflicting to that of the author the website and he is happy to meet some where in the middle on this issue. This is not true of the anti-gun control website thus suggesting that maybe they have a stronger case than that of pro-gun control groups.
Initially I was more convinced by the pro-gun control website, although I think that this could be because of preconceived ideas that I already held. However the final part of the pro-gun control website implied that this is not a strong argument and one that will never be seen in put into action in American law. I think that if Americans were looking at the two websites they would probably be more convinced by the anti-gun control website as it reinforces the rights and freedoms you have as an American and that you should stand up for those. Therefore I feel the anti-gun control website is more convincing as it sticks to what it stands for and thus makes a better argument, however it did not change my views on gun control.
Friday, 18 November 2011
Gun Control in America
The site I have chosen to analyse supporting increased gun control is http://www.bradycampaign.org/. Opposition to the ideas expressed on this site can be found on http://gunowners.org/, in which gun control is heavily opposed.
The Brady Campaign website is a rare example of American pro-gun control representation on the internet. The vast majority of pages giving opinions on the inclusion of guns in American society are strongly anti gun control. This doesn't mean to say that this example of pro gun control is in any way less reliable or correct than the other sites. In fact, through its focus on facts and figures, the Brady Campaign page makes the idea of increased gun control seem desirable.
On the home page, the campaign talks of how it wants to 'prevent gun violence', and uses the stories of celebrities and well-known people affected by guns, allowing the readers to relate to the examples. The siter takes a very tough stance with the topic. It talks about how the campaign 'Helps Save Lives' and exists to 'protect you, you family and your community.' This is an attempt to win over the largely sceptical pulbic, making it personal to them and showing the seriousness of gun crime in the USA.
One way in which the site really draws your attention to the problems caused by gun ownership in America is through the 'Facts' section. Sub-sections entitled 'Facts', 'Gun Violence', 'Public Opinion', 'Studies and Reports' and 'Resources'. Of these catagories, 'Gun Violence', in my opinion, has particular strength. A link can be found to a list of every case of 'major school shootings in the United States since 1997'. The number of shooting is astounding, and its hard to imagine an American not being shocked by the statistics. Approximately 150 cases have occured in schools since 1997, and using the effects of guns with children, you would imagine, will have more of an effect on Americans. However, the idea of fighting fire with fire in this context is very strong in America, and is something that resonates in the other website I am analysing.
As soon as you look at its home page, the Gun Owners site appears to have far less written information than the previous page. Instead of the using facts and figures, like in the campaign site, this site is far more opinion based, with reactions to news stories and events concerning the use of guns. It could be suggested that this is as a result of, on one hand, the danger of guns and not wanting to admit the facts about the deaths caused by them, and also because perhaps many of the American public already believe that there should be very little gun control . The fact that there are several quotes taken from esteemed Congressman supporting the Gun Owners further supports this idea.
On the other hand, there is no denying the argument put forward by the Gun Owners movement, which in a way makes it more convincing than the pro control website. They explain how they aim to 'preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue.' By associating their work with the nation's 'freedom' and directly relating it to the constitution and traditional American values, it shows a clear sense of direction and understanding of where they can target gun control.
Despite this, I still believe that the pro gun control website, the Brady Campaign, is more convincing and carries more strength than the Gun Owners site. The main reason for this is that the Brady Campaign site attacks gun control head on, looking at the facts and the statistics behind gun control, instead of hiding behind opinions. This in my view creates a far more substancial argument. I believe that America needs to increase gun control, as the idea that to stop gun violence you need to further arm people is illogical and dangerous.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Gun Control in America
The first website I have chosen to analyze today is a website that is Pro-Gun Control, called Pro-Gun Forums, this website also has a post on it, posted in the public forum which contains Dr. Suzanna Hupp's explanation of the second amendment.
Most posts are signed off with a signature quote, usually similar to this:
""Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." ― Thomas Jefferson"
The posts on this web page are all pro-guns and the page introduces itself as a page and forum attempting to "Promote, Support & Defend" the second amendment.
It could be said that the people who run this site are not only rallying their support for guns in America, but also defending their rights. Users of the site are digraced that the government could have the right to take away the source of their enjoyment (Hunting, shooting ranges) especially seeing as it was written down so many years ago, that it was fully legal.
Given the current political stance on guns in America, a "current events" page was added to the site, for users to discuss the goings on, and how Obama was going to "take our guns" - but, no one wanted to use it, and the majority of posts remained solely related to guns and the surrounding topics.
Overall, this web page is formally set out, with many forum posts but the conversational tone and sarcasm used in posts littered with smiley faces an emoticons give it a relaxed feel for people who genuinely just enoy using guns for hobbies.
My anti-gun web page, is one that is advertising the Brady Campaign.
This webpage has a clock in the corner which reads;
People shot in America this year so far; 86,557
People shot in America today; 157 (7.00pm)
These are shocking figures, but considering how large America is, when the public think about how those numbers are spread over the states who still have the Concealed Carry or even Open Carry law in position, the numbers seem more realistic.
This webpage is actively trying to get people involved in their movement, by having quite a few brighter tabs, linked as "LEARN MORE" "YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY" "DONATE TO SAVE LIVES TODAY" This can be seen as a determination from the Brady Campaign who are really striving on getting their ideas struck into the public. The Brady Campaign pride themselves on being "...devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities."
After examining both sides of the argument, I would personally say I am pro-guns. Only because I believe in what pro-gun websites say when people should be able to protect themselves, in particular cases like Dr.Suzanna Hupp's mentioned in my first paragraph.
(Dr.Suzanna Hupp is a noted survivor of the Luby's Massacre Oct.16, 1991, who later went on to become a Texan Politician in favor of the CC law, or the OC law.)
Most posts are signed off with a signature quote, usually similar to this:
""Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." ― Thomas Jefferson"
The posts on this web page are all pro-guns and the page introduces itself as a page and forum attempting to "Promote, Support & Defend" the second amendment.
It could be said that the people who run this site are not only rallying their support for guns in America, but also defending their rights. Users of the site are digraced that the government could have the right to take away the source of their enjoyment (Hunting, shooting ranges) especially seeing as it was written down so many years ago, that it was fully legal.
Given the current political stance on guns in America, a "current events" page was added to the site, for users to discuss the goings on, and how Obama was going to "take our guns" - but, no one wanted to use it, and the majority of posts remained solely related to guns and the surrounding topics.
Overall, this web page is formally set out, with many forum posts but the conversational tone and sarcasm used in posts littered with smiley faces an emoticons give it a relaxed feel for people who genuinely just enoy using guns for hobbies.
My anti-gun web page, is one that is advertising the Brady Campaign.
This webpage has a clock in the corner which reads;
People shot in America this year so far; 86,557
People shot in America today; 157 (7.00pm)
These are shocking figures, but considering how large America is, when the public think about how those numbers are spread over the states who still have the Concealed Carry or even Open Carry law in position, the numbers seem more realistic.
This webpage is actively trying to get people involved in their movement, by having quite a few brighter tabs, linked as "LEARN MORE" "YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY" "DONATE TO SAVE LIVES TODAY" This can be seen as a determination from the Brady Campaign who are really striving on getting their ideas struck into the public. The Brady Campaign pride themselves on being "...devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities."
After examining both sides of the argument, I would personally say I am pro-guns. Only because I believe in what pro-gun websites say when people should be able to protect themselves, in particular cases like Dr.Suzanna Hupp's mentioned in my first paragraph.
(Dr.Suzanna Hupp is a noted survivor of the Luby's Massacre Oct.16, 1991, who later went on to become a Texan Politician in favor of the CC law, or the OC law.)
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Look out point
i have chosen a photograph by Soloman D Butcher. It is a famous spot were horse thieves would hide their stolen herds. Soloman D butcher was a photographer that took pictures around c.1900 to try and capture and preserve the time of the settlers as he saw it would be over soon. In his lifetime he was never commended for his work, but now his work is appreciated, as it captures the early stages of American life all thanks to his perception of history unfolding before him and his dedication to capture it in photo form.
This immediately stood out to me as the trees looked really out of place. I later found out that Soloman drew the trees onto the negative. This is because timber merchants had cut them down before he got there. Soloman must have heard of this iconic location because of its links to the horse rustling and set out to get a picture of the place, only to find it had changed massively. This is a perfect example of the vastness of America and the rate in which it was changing around the 1900s.
i like how soloman has edited the picture to make the landscape look like he thought it did as it shows him trying to slow down or hold on to exactly what he was passionate about.
The Wish Bone: Winslow Homer (1864)
Oridnarily, with pictures of this time and place, we see illustrations of death, despair and fear during the harsh days of the Civil War, but at the end of 1864 Winslow Homer created the above image.
This depiction became an image of hope, bringing joy to the troops, and hopefully reminding them of the little things in life that make the days a little bit easier to endure.
In this image, we can see soldiers pulling on a wish bone, after presumably finishing their Thanksgiving Meal.
It can be said that they look peaceful, the soldier in the middle has a serene look about him - calm and determinate. The soldiers are enjoying a small moment of happiness in a time when happiness was hard to find; "it's almost as if they know that while the war is not yet over, it soon will be and they will be able to return to their families."
[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/winslow_Homer_Wishbone.htm accessed: 13.11.11]
Relaxed, smoking, and with their empty plates surrounding them these soldiers seem repleat after dinner whilst the two pulling on the wishbone are enjoying the game, the other is watching on, refereeing.
I chose this image, because it symbolises that even in the dark times (The Civil War) even the smallest of things (The wish bone) can make the day a little bit brighter.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Native American School Picture
The picture I decided to analyse was of 10 Native American youngsters in a school picture, taken in 1880 by J. N. Choate. The image was taken from the site http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/pictures/select-list-153.html.
There were a variety of 19th Century pictures of America available on the archives website, but I chose to pick this image of Native Americans as it stood out from the other pictures on the site. Instead of presenting the Native Americans as very primative and old-fashioned, this picture does otherwise. It captures the boys from the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania dressed smartly and looking healthy and well-groomed. This immediately warps the image that we have of the typical Native American, as we tend to imagine them as unkept and rough, as a result of their outdoor lifestyle.
The part of the photograph which draws my attention more than any other however, is the way the boys are dressed and their posture. These two things are very distinctive when we consider the stereotypical view of a Native American. We tend to associate the natives with extravagant clothing and a relaxed, natural stance/posture. This picture, however, captures them in smart, seemingly carefully designed shirts, trousers and jackets whilst obtaining a very rigid, upright posture. These componants would typically be considered 'European'. This suggests that even as early as 1880, the Europeans had began to influence the indigenous people even in ways as subtle as posture.
A deeper look into the hidden representations of the picture reveals a great deal to us as well. Firstly, it is evident that at least four of the boys are looking away from the camera, suggesting that they aren't used to being photographed; in turn showing how this in fact wasn't a usual occurance and this sort of practice wasn't a typical scenario for Native American boys. On the other hand, the fact that every boy has short hair suggests that their aparent distinction from the typical depiction of Native Americans is genuine. Long hair is seen as something very Native American, so their short hair could suggest that the European influence on these people was becoming substantial.
In his book 'Letters from an American Farmer', De Crevecoeur notably refers to the natives as 'savage'. This illustration has been very common since the European settlement in the US, but pictures like the one I have analysed strongly suggest that the indigenous people were far from savage; adopting some of the same customs and formats as the European settlers themselves.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Indian Ball Game- George Catlin
I chose this image by George Catlin called "Indian Ball Game" to analyse as it was the one that stood out to me most when looking through the website http://www.georgecatlin.org. The first thing I noticed when looking at this painting was the wooden posts that stand in the left hand side of the paining. These automatically made me think of modern day American football goal posts. This suggests that the idea of American football may have originally come from a game which the settlers first saw the Native Americans play. As it is suggested that football was first played in the late 1800s this could be likely. Another aspect of this image that implies that this could be where American football comes from is the actions of the Natives. The poses that Catlin's painting suggests the players of the ball game are in are very much recognisable as those of tackles made in contemporary American football. This can be seen mainly in the centre of painting.
It is easy to be drawn to the centre of this painting as it is where all the action and life of the painting is, however I think the bottom left hand corner is an interesting part of the painting to look at. Firstly, you can see the Chief of the Native Americans standing and watching from the side line along with what looks like a group of women. Therefore suggesting that the ball game was a male dominated game. Also the fact that the Chief is watching rather than playing shows that it was a game for the average male, not one of a certain status. In addition to the Chief and Native American women there are settlers also observing the game on their horses which, again can be seen in the bottom left hand corner. This once more reinforces the idea that maybe this is where the concept for American Football came from, it was the settlers who saw this game being played and adapted it to fit a European audience.
One detail within the painting that is intriguing is the use of weaponry in the ball game. All the players, especially the ones around the outside of the field seem to have a spear of some sort. This suggests that the game was quite violent which could be the reason why it appears to be only men that participate. The amount of people that are involved in the game is also an interesting part of the painting. It appears that there is hundreds of people playing this ball game which almost makes it look like a battle rather than just a game that you would play for fun. The use of weaponry also backs up the idea of violence and the game being like a battle.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Tea Party
Patriots Tea Party
I have chosen this Tea party site because it is very right wing. It enthuses the republican view by using emotive language that any American can relate to. Along with this, it bombards the viewer with information that is pro republican ,and other segments that use convincing statistics that state the current government system is damaging for America
"The Debt clock" at the top of the page is a powerful visual aid that shows the debt of America climbing at a fast pace. This screams at the viewer that the electoral decision for Obama to be president has caused this, and makes them feel completely helpless, making them more likely to vote against him in the next election.
The site plays off of the religious views of the republicans to get them on its side having a mast head that states "God bless America" and by having featured articles about the relationship between Americans and God and how Americans should have certain rights based on both religious sources and the constitution.
When talking about the current Tea party movement in general it doesn't really echo the historic values it claims to be based on. The original Boston Tea party was refusal of imports from the current government (the English). The modern Tea party movement doesn't really hold the same values, as now America has been formed and it is now divided Republican and Democrat and what the movement is claiming is that it dosent want the decisions of the domocratic rule to apply such as with the Medi care and the more Socialist style of governing.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
The Tea Party Patriots
This is the website I chose.
This is the website I chose, the Official Page for the Tea Party Movement.
I chose this website because of its pushing boundaries between formality and informality. The crossover between public and "Patriots" blends well, to bring outsiders as such, into the movement.
This website uses a group forum style conversation page, similar to the one on our own Winchester site, but on the TP Movement page, users can become "Patriots" creating user names and profiles for themselves, whilst as "Patriots" completing missions and having the choice to utilize the pages media outlets.
The page uses both photo upload centers, and a space for users to watch and upload videos for the movement.
Why is it important to become a "Tea Party Patriot?" Well this is stated in multiple ways all over the page, but this one quote sums it up effortlessly;
"A community committed to standing together, shoulder to shoulder, to protect our country and the Constitution upon which we were founded!"
Now although, I am English, and this is a very American statement, I find it very motivating and enthusiastic toward the cause. This, to me, creates a positive webpage that people are enthusiastic about using.
This is the website I chose, the Official Page for the Tea Party Movement.
I chose this website because of its pushing boundaries between formality and informality. The crossover between public and "Patriots" blends well, to bring outsiders as such, into the movement.
This website uses a group forum style conversation page, similar to the one on our own Winchester site, but on the TP Movement page, users can become "Patriots" creating user names and profiles for themselves, whilst as "Patriots" completing missions and having the choice to utilize the pages media outlets.
The page uses both photo upload centers, and a space for users to watch and upload videos for the movement.
Why is it important to become a "Tea Party Patriot?" Well this is stated in multiple ways all over the page, but this one quote sums it up effortlessly;
"A community committed to standing together, shoulder to shoulder, to protect our country and the Constitution upon which we were founded!"
Now although, I am English, and this is a very American statement, I find it very motivating and enthusiastic toward the cause. This, to me, creates a positive webpage that people are enthusiastic about using.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Tea Party of America
The Tea Party is a movement that has played a key part in the politics of America for many years. Its embodyment of traditional American values plays a vital part in the struture of the party, so I wanted the page I chose to show this. After viewing several Tea Party websites I decided that, for me, http://www.teapartyofamerica.org/ best portrayed the idea of the American Tea Party.
The first thing to strike me about the webpage was its excessive use of images, and the lack of words incorporated. In many circumstances a heavy use of words is important in a Political webpage in order to express the party's policies and beliefs, but by using pictures that we deem typically American such as the bald eagle, the American outline and a mountain range; this site visually illustrates all that it needs to express.
The first thing to strike me about the webpage was its excessive use of images, and the lack of words incorporated. In many circumstances a heavy use of words is important in a Political webpage in order to express the party's policies and beliefs, but by using pictures that we deem typically American such as the bald eagle, the American outline and a mountain range; this site visually illustrates all that it needs to express.
The fact that all of the images are sitting in front of a large Republican flag gives us a look at the bigger picture, exposing the Tea Party as more of a minor group within the Republican Party. It could be suggested that this brings the website's reader back down to earth, showing the limitations of the Tea Party. On the other hand, the fact that the outline of America contains the American flag and the words 'Tea Party of America' inside it, reveals the movement's confidence in their ability to influence the USA and play a major role in its politics.
Another part of the Home Page that caught my attention was the sites tagline, entitled "Restoring America from the Ground Up!" The use of the word "restoring" suggests that the Tea Party have found something wrong with America and are looking to fix it. However, stating that they want to do so from the "Ground Up" is far more optimistic, as it shows how they want to work with America and mould it, as opposed to changing it completely.
As well as the Home Page, the website has several other sections, ranging from 'media' to 'Patriot's Blog'. The traditional, communal nature of the Tea Party is established through links like 'events', 'contact/join us' and the 'blog'. They are designed for members of the movement to feel closer to the people involved at the top of the Tea Party structure, and seem to succeed at this. This is something that sets this webpage apart from many other Tea Party sites, and particularly from exclusively Republican pages. I can imagine the page makes Americans feel wanted and trully part of their nation's political system, and allows them to feel like they know the people directly involved in the party.
It can be suggested that the Tea Party, despite the way it appears through this site, is in fact a very aggressive, manipulative and false movement. The ideas expressed by the party itself such as equality and justice seem to often mysteriously discount several areas of American community. However, it is clear that through this web based example, that the Tea Party, through a strong use of images, limited use of text and a relaxed, non-political approach, are able to make their movement seem very desirable to an American.
Another part of the Home Page that caught my attention was the sites tagline, entitled "Restoring America from the Ground Up!" The use of the word "restoring" suggests that the Tea Party have found something wrong with America and are looking to fix it. However, stating that they want to do so from the "Ground Up" is far more optimistic, as it shows how they want to work with America and mould it, as opposed to changing it completely.
As well as the Home Page, the website has several other sections, ranging from 'media' to 'Patriot's Blog'. The traditional, communal nature of the Tea Party is established through links like 'events', 'contact/join us' and the 'blog'. They are designed for members of the movement to feel closer to the people involved at the top of the Tea Party structure, and seem to succeed at this. This is something that sets this webpage apart from many other Tea Party sites, and particularly from exclusively Republican pages. I can imagine the page makes Americans feel wanted and trully part of their nation's political system, and allows them to feel like they know the people directly involved in the party.
It can be suggested that the Tea Party, despite the way it appears through this site, is in fact a very aggressive, manipulative and false movement. The ideas expressed by the party itself such as equality and justice seem to often mysteriously discount several areas of American community. However, it is clear that through this web based example, that the Tea Party, through a strong use of images, limited use of text and a relaxed, non-political approach, are able to make their movement seem very desirable to an American.
Friday, 4 November 2011
The Tea Party
After looking at a variety of different Tea Party websites I decided to look at this one in more depth because it was the one that interested me most. From my initial reading of the website's introductory piece "What is the Tea Party?", one thing stood out to me, patriotism. In the first sentence the phrase "beloved nation" is used to try and draw Americans in, it is used repeatedly throughout the introduction after this, as a device to reinforce to American readers what they should feel. Another phrase in the introduction that stood out was "WE THE PEOPLE", it is not only interesting that these particular words have been included but that the website creator has decided these words need to be in capital letters. This choice suggests that they themselves deem this phrase important and that this is the Tea Party's main message. Again it is used as a device to persuade the American public that this is what they want to think. Overall the introduction on this website is used as a tool to entice people in and persuade them that this is the way forward and the way to think and this shown through many persuasive techniques such as repetition "beloved nation", emotive language "brave", "greatest", "courage" and the use of personal pronouns to address the reader "By joining the Tea Party, you are taking for our nation".
The section of this website I found most interesting was the "15 Non-negotiable core beliefs" which I have included below.
1. Illegal aliens are here illegally.
3. A strong military is essential.
4. Special interests must be eliminated.
5. Gun ownership is sacred.
6. Government must be downsized.
7. The national budget must be balanced.
8. Deficit spending must end.
9. Bailout and stimulus plans are illegal.
10. Reducing personal income taxes is a must.
11. Reducing business income taxes is mandatory.
12. Political offices must be available to average citizens.
13. Intrusive government must be stopped.
14. English as our core language is required.
15. Traditional family values are encouraged.
From these we can see that the Tea Party clearly hold traditional values in order to keep America, American and try to do the best for the American. Out of the fifteen beliefs there is one that stood out for me in particular and that is number fourteen "English as our core language is required". As a nation built on immigrants there are so many different languages that are spoken in the United States and this seems to single out people who have English as a first language as the only people who are truly American. What about the Cajuns who have been living in Southern Louisiana since the 18th Century? English is not their first language but they have been settled in the United States as long as other settlers.
The website also has a variety of options in order for you to join or support the Tea Party. For example there is an image that says "JOIN THE PARTY, click to join" making it sound like with one click you can better your country. They also have a range of fax images down the left hand side of the website and with one click you can fax all 100 Senators, all 435 members of the house and send a hard copy of the image to the White House. These images express the views of the Tea Party and are a way to get these views heard. What surprised me the most is that the tag line that the website uses in order to entice people to send these faxes, "OUCH!- Let them feel your pain!" This again is another persuasive device used by the website creator not only to sell the fax images but to reinforce to the American public that they are being denied quality of life and happiness because of government plans and actions. It is almost trying to tell Americans that they are in pain because of their government but they can do something about it if they send this fax.
In the section "A word from the Tea Party" a lot of what is said is seemingly echoed from The Declaration of Independence. For example in the Declaration "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is mentioned and in this paragraph from TeaParty.org this idea is paralleled in the quote "we believe it is not foolish to pledge our lives, liberty and sacred honor to the greatest nation that ever was or ever will be." Another concept that is found in the two documents is that America is a country for the people. TeaParty.org states "The nation of the people, by the people and for the people" and the declaration states "Right of the people" again the Tea Party reiterating what the first settlers had hoped for from America.
In conclusion I feel that the main purpose of this website is to try and persuade the American public into believing what the Tea Party believes. It is a tool to get people onside and make people aware of the rights and freedoms they are being denied of by their present government. However, I do not think this is how the creators and organisers of this website would describe its main purpose. They would believe that the main purpose of their website is to free the American public of the burdens of their everyday lives caused by the government and make America a better place to live for the American.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Save The Peak
In the introduction (introduction page8) American identity is described as "...the largeness and fertility of the land are celebrated, as is personal determination and freedom from institutional oppression."
I am choosing to focus on the "celebration" of the lands, which De Crevecoeur again demonstrates in chapters four and six with the description of Nantucket and The Island of Martha's Vineyard.
I believe that this enthusiasm for surroundings in an aesthetically pleasing way as well as a historical way, is still prevalent in America.
For example...http://www.hollywoodsign.org/savethepeak.html is a website, on which people are protesting against the land around the famed Los Angelino landmark being used to build housing on. This would result in the famed sign being torn down.
However, in 2010 Hugh Hefner (the famed playboy) along with Tiffany & Co, Aileen Getty and other contributors including Hollywood leaders, and fans around the world, the view that people flock to the Hollwood Hills to see, will now be classed as a cultural landmark and is therefore protected.
Govenor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke at the celebrity-attended press conference held on the Cahuenga Peak, and thanked Hugh Hefner and all other contributors for their help to "carry our efforts across the finish line".
According to www.hollywoodsign.com/savethepeak ;
The Sign now stands at:
| H | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. 6 inches wide |
| O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
| L | 45 ft. high by 31 ft. wide |
| L | 45 ft. high by 31 ft. wide |
| Y | 45 ft. high by 35 ft. wide |
| W | 45 ft. high by 39 ft. 9 inches wide |
| O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
| O | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
| D | 45 ft. high by 33 ft. wide |
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