Trinity by Leon Uris Essay Example for Free

Trinity by Leon Uris Essay Over a career spanning five decades, Leon Uris has enjoyed phenomenal popularity, with five of his twelve novels classified as number-one best-sellers by the New York Times. While the shortcomings in his prose, characterization, and political outlook have been well noted, Uris certainly ranks among the more important multicultural writers since World War II. His books explore a number of the defining cultural conflicts of the twentieth century: the Nazis’ attempted extermination of the Jews, the volatile clash between Arabs and Israelis in the Middle East, and the long-running battle between the British and Irish in Ireland, most notably. Millions of readers have learned the history behind these major intercultural conflicts from Uris’s fiction. At its annual dinner in 1978, at which the benediction was given by a Baptist minister from Belfast, the Gold Medal was awarded to Leon Uris, author of Trinity, a best-selling novel on the troubles in Ireland. The imperialist British have drawn Uris’s frequent ire. He levels harsh criticism against the British in Trinity for their self-interested administration and their failure to support Ireland in its infancy. In this book, Uris condemns the British for demeaning and subjugating Irish Catholics. He describes the British presence in Ireland as four centuries of tortured foreign occupation. In Uris’s version of Irish history, Ulster, now the nation of Northern Ireland, was established as a British plantation, a fortress outpost of colonial exploitation peopled with British-descended Ulstermen whose hatred of Irish Catholics smells strangely of Aryan supremacy of Nazi ideology. Trinity is a romantic, sentimental fiction about Irelands fight for independence. It feeds the myth of heroic opposition in the face of impossible odds. It is a paean to blood sacrifice, to the idea that the chosen few who are prepared to take upon themselves the burden of history can themselves make history, that blood sacrifice is a noble and a cleansing thing, that a glorious defeat is a prerequisite to prevailing, that in death there is victory. The novels heroes plan revolution in the face of hopeless odds; they gladly lay down their lives, eager to embrace a defeat that may somehow â€Å"stir the ashes of [the] people into a series of even more glorious defeats† so that â€Å"over the land long dead stirrings† will at last be heard (731). Trinity is bad history but powerful propaganda. It became more powerful still in the stench-ridden wings, where for nights on end the heroic exploits of Long Dan Sweeney and Conor Larkin and Brendan Sean Barrett, who, in their epic pursuit of Irish freedom, had been incarcerated and abused in captivity, who had endured hunger striking itself – â€Å"a silent defiance† became for the prisoners fictional role models with whom they could identify, in- vesting their protest with a political leitmotif that mirrored their own lives. â€Å"No crime a man commits on behalf of his freedom can be as great as the crime committed by those who deny him freedom,† Long Dan Sweeney declares. â€Å"We engage in a fight vulnerable to scathing propaganda, unloved by most of our own people, but God and God alone will eventually decide which side was just in its aspirations and which side was evil.† â€Å"Remember,† he exhorts his fellow revolutionaries, â€Å"the British have nothing in their entire arsenal of imperial might to counter a single man who refuses to be broken. Irish words, Irish self-sacrifice, and ultimately Irish martyrdom are our weapons. We must have the ability to endure pain to such an extent that they lose the ability to inflict it. This and this alone will break them in the end† (466). Fact and fiction reinforced each other. Trinity had its historical counterpoint in 1916, the H-block protest its fictional counterpoint in Trinity. The primitive, repelling circumstances of the H-blocks were often more unimaginable and less real than the imagined circumstances in Trinity. Fantasy fed the heart, and there grew among a number of the blanketmen a belief that a hunger strike would provide the catalytic momentum that would make 1916 come again. This theme of British cultural bigotry is central in Trinity. In the latter, British prejudice extends outward to include the Australians and New Zealanders sacrificed in Ireland has had a troubled history for over 800 years. Leon Uris’ Trinity deals with various aspects of Irish history. Find out about the main events in the history of Ireland and you will understand the present political troubles in modern Ireland. Works Cited Uris, Leon. Trinity. New York: Doubleday, 1976.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Fellow graduates, honored guests, faculty, administration: Minna-san, Konbanwa Dobri Vecher Buenos Noches Bon Soir Good evening. We, of Cedar Community College, are many nations. We are men and women, husbands and wives, parents. We are young and not-so-young. Behind the face of every graduate, and just as distinct, is a different story, a different reason, and a different use for the education for which we have assembled this evening to recognize. We serve to enrich the campus community, as we are not just a cross-section of this nation, but of the world. Displayed in the Brier Hall cafeteria are 50 national flags to signify our cultural heritage here at Cedar. Yet regardless of our diverse origins, we come here bound by a common thread: to acknowledge to ourselves and to others that we met and overcame the challenges needed to achieve this milestone. This great gift of education we entitle ourselves better prepares us for challenges yet ahead. There isn't one among us who hasn't made sacrifices, or know of someone who made them on our behalf, so we could be here thi...

The looks and trends of the 70’s and the 90’s Venice Beach 1970’s

If the 1960’s popularized the vintage look, characterized by heavy makeup, the onset of the 1970’s brought with it a penchant for a more natural look. Unlike the heavily made-up look that was very typical of the previous decades, the emphasis on one particular part of the face such as the eyes or the lips was replaced by trying to achieve a more natural look.   (freebeautytips) Very minimal eye makeup replaced thick eye makeup and heavily-lined eyes. Black kohl-lined eyes soon became dated. Eye shadow shades were worn much lighter to achieve a more natural effect. There was very little to no usage of mascara. Eyeliner and mascara were used not to achieve a certain look but just to lengthen lashes and open up the eyes a bit.   Blue eye makeup became so last season. These tools were used to enhance the features and no longer layered to pull off a certain type of appearance.   Natural looking lips replaced the pale, nude and bright lipstick colors of the past.   Cheeks heavily tinted with blush became a thing of the past, with most of the women, and even men, opting for a more natural, tanned look. The blush of this decade was more of a golden all over glow.   (freebeautytips) During the 1970’s, the â€Å"surfer† look became popular. The beach culture became very predominant. The perfect tan became the most sought-after fashion accessory. The baked look was achieved either by spending hours in the sun to get bronzed or by faking it using tanning beds. It was also during this period skin bronzers became popular. Tanning lotions flew off the shelves. The vibe of this decade was more of a natural, â€Å"fresh off the beach† appearance, although a lot would look a bit â€Å"orange† from the improper application of tanning lotions.   The people of this decade wanted to give the impression that they baked under the sun for hours to get the glow they exuded.   (freebeautytips) Women wore less foundation. Those who did use foundation did not follow it up with powder like they did during the past. To dust loose powder after using foundation would lend a more matte texture. Not dusting the face after applying foundation would result in a shinier face, which was more natural looking. The face of this decade was that of a dewy, more natural look.   (freebeautytips) Individualistic, polished, sophisticated 1990’s The decades that came before the 1990s had people very conscious about fashion. During the 1990’s it seemed that people we’re to â€Å"tired† to pay too much attention to trends as they did in the recent years.   (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The 1980’s was about exaggerated glamour.   The 1990’s was very casual and laid-back. Emphasis was on comfort, simplicity and less on flamboyance. People wore more jeans and everyone favored easy to manage, wash-and-wear hair.   There is a bit of parallelism between the makeup trends of the 1970’s and 1990’s because both decades were reminiscent of the no-natural looking no-makeup look. The prevailing look was always paired with matte makeup. The foundation was matte and matched the skin tone. As opposed to the soft dewy look of the 1970’s, 1990’s makeup was strong, clean and polished. Strong, earthy lip colors reminiscent of grunge to gothic were the more favored shades for lipstick. During the 90’s the grunge was popular. Matte makeup was back, strong, rich earth tones were in vogue as far as makeup was concerned. There was very minimal to no eye makeup. Colors for eye makeup were neutral and usually coordinated with the lip color. Popular lip colors included strong earthy reds that were more towards the browns. Unlike the previous decades where there was a distinct style where hair and makeup are concerned, the 90’s look was simple, manageable, and polished. The look was designed for the career woman who had to look good and was always on the go.   With more women who chose to pursue their careers, the world of fashion and beauty followed to suit the needs of the modern, empowered women.   Women learned how to quickly apply makeup in a few minutes. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The preceding years or decades saw women of all ages pile on makeup and beauty products. The women of the 1990’s were more concerned about real beauty and not fashion. The women of the past decades would layer on the makeup, go about their daily business in heavy makeup. This was a far cry in the 1990s. Consumers of this era would opt for enhancing their natural appearance through the use of products that were much lighter and kinder to the skin. This era gave the rise to makeup formulas that promised to cover imperfections without having to use too much products. Cosmetic formulas not only gave the desired coverage but also guaranteed to make one’s skin look more radiant and lighter. Some brands would even claim to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and other flaws. Most of the makeup lines that were created by the top makeup artists and beauty icons of that time and are still very big in the present were launched during this period. Fashion and beauty experts would remember Bobbi Brown and Iman among the names that became big hits during the 90’s fashion era. (Channel 4) Women also paid more attention to the looks of celebrities and would often request hair stylists and makeup artists cut their hair and to make them look like the stars that they admire. The 1990’s was the time when the television comedy sitcom â€Å"Friends† became a hit. The more popular looks during this time included those of Jennifer Aniston and her co-stars Courtney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. During that time, Aniston sported the now famous â€Å"Rachel† cut. Hair was either worn straight with some bangs or cut with layers. The 90’s wouldn’t be the 90’s without the Spice Girls. With the all-female English pop group entering the entertainment scene in the mid 90’s, the looks of each of the girls in the group became popular. Women would want to look sweetly sexy like Emma Bunton as â€Å"Baby Spice†, polished and sophisticated like Victoria Beckham or â€Å"Posh Spice†, sporty and fresh like Melanie Chisholm or â€Å"Sporty Spice† , and dark and exotic like Melanie Brown, also known as â€Å"Scary Spice†   (Wikipedia) The different looks that each of the Spice Girls made popular also gave rise to individualism or developing own’s one style when it comes to fashion and makeup.   (Wikipedia) More than being stars in the big and small screen, actors and actresses increasingly became the more popular and more watched fashion icons. Whatever they wore and however they looked became the prevalent trend of the era. Hollywood actors and actresses became fashion and beauty icons alongside the supermodels of the runway. Actresses started to grace the covers of fashion magazines more during the 1990s. This observable fact still continues until the present time (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Works Cited Channel 4. 1990s. 2007. 18 June 2007 freebeautytips. 1970s Style Disco Makeup and Era Fashions that have a Vintage Flair. 2007. 17 June 2007 . Wikipedia. Spice Girls . 2007. 18 June 2007 . Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 1990s in fashion. 2007. 17 June 2007 .      

Individualism as an American Cultural Value - 823 Words

Individualism as an American Cultural Value Individualism is often viewed as a positive trait in America, suggesting a certain level of personal confidence. American society tends to reward independent thinkers and those who decide autonomously. To this end, individuality has become a value in many American homes. Although individualism is widely received and respected in American culture, it is not as well respected in other cultures. One culture in particular which frowns on individualism is the Asian culture. Thai family values are very different from American family values. In Asian cultures the family unit is highly valued and emphasized, whereas, in American culture, the focus is on individuality. Values derived from the American†¦show more content†¦This training and rearing of children in individuality projects a great air of importance, however, it places many Americans in a position of being lonely. The connotation of individuality in America is that of being strong and confident yet many Americans struggle with loneliness because they have been taught to do for themselves, think for themselves, and to stand on their own two feet. While I believe that some of the intents of individualism can be respected and do contribute to many positive aspects of American life, I do not believe that we as Americans should rely so much on the value of individuality. It has been said, it takes a village to raise a child, and Asian culture has grasped this concept of community. I must say that I agree with Dr. Sponsel, â€Å"individualism as one of the dominant values in American culture is expressed in many ways† (425). If you asked most Americans what the cultural values in the U.S. are, you might get some blank stares, or a statement of some basic beliefs. The question may seem simple, but the answer is quite complex. In a society as highly diverse as the United States, individualism towers over everything else. Works Cited Natadecha-Sponsel, Poranee. â€Å"Individualism as an American Cultural Value.† One World Many Cultures. 7th ed. Eds. Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009.Show MoreRelatedrhetorical analysis draft 1.11095 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 1301-54123 September 19, 2013 Draft 1.1 Rhetorical Analysis Individualism is a habit of being self- reliant. A cultural value is a persons desired and preferred way of acting. Every culture has their own cultural values and individualism but whether individualism is their cultural value is up to the person entirely. This could pose a conflict when persuading the wrong culture especially a culture as diverse as the American culture. 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These codes of ethics can be used as a way to demonstrate differences in perception of ethics from one country to another, but are only guidelines rather than exhaustive rules or regulat ions. However, these are American institutions, which may be helpful for TMI in understandingRead MoreWestern Mindset Vs. Eastern Mentality937 Words   |  4 Pagestoday has a lot of cultural differences, mainly from the different cultures that are housed within the United States. Core values is the first segment under cultural differences. Some of America’s core values includes: liberty, self-government, equality, diversity and unity. The United States tendencies or characteristics is the second segment, examples include health, religion, and mobile phone revolution. The last segment is the Western Mindset vs. Eastern Mindset. Individualism is the main aspect