Heterosexuality And Sexuality In Lucy, By Jamaica Kincaid

In this coming of age novel Lucy, by Jamaica Kincaid, a story is told of a young girl named Lucy as her life in America changes from what it was in the West Indies. Lucy struggles throughout the novel to find what exactly she desires. Drifting further and further from being similar to her mother. Lucy and her development throughout the novel are shown through her virginity, heterosexuality, and love as Kincaid forces questioning upon what is sexual normality. How one can feel trapped under sexual norms and feels lost. One of the norms Kincaid questions is virginity, whether sex is actually meaningful, that it could be enjoyable without the feeling of love. As a nineteen-year-old girl, Lucy is new to what a sexual relationship could have†¦show more content†¦She left with him before even learning his name and spent the night as she says, â€Å"I left Roland’s bed only because I had promised Paul I would see him later that night.† This is another case where Lucy shows that sex does not mean much to her. That she has pleasure without attachment. This is not the first time that Lucy has gone from one man to the next. It is another sexual norm that Kincaid inputs on the story. Lucy wanted to separate herself from being similar to her mother, she did not want to be like her any longer because she had felt trapped by the way she was raised. At one point in the novel that ties both virginity and monogamy is where she introduces herself to Paul saying, â€Å"How are you?’ in a small, proper voice, the voice of the girl my mother hoped I would be: clean, virginal, beyond reproach. But I felt the opposite of that.† (97) This is Kincaid showing how Lucy has such a rebellious desire to not be like her mother. Making her want to lose her virginity more and be with more men. This does not stop here, as monogamy and the value of sex is a reoccurring theme throughout the novel and it is not only with men. Another norm, although it is not tou ched upon much throughout the novel, is heterosexuality. Lucy and her friend Peggy who are very close, experiment with each other. But after meeting a boy they did not think to fondly of Lucy says, â€Å"We were so disappointed that we

Harlem A Dream Deferred Analysis - 762 Words

Throughout most peoples life, they have this idea or goal that they want to achieve. This idea then becomes their dream, but people do not always fulfill these dreams. There are obstacles that come in the way of people being able to fulfill their dreams. In â€Å"Harlem [A Dream Deferred]† Langston Hughes uses imagery and rhetorical questions in order to demonstrate what happens to a dream. The theme that appears through Langston Hughes poem is the theme of not pursuing a dream. Through Hughes poem, this theme is demonstrated and the imagery helps in conveying the idea of having a dream postponed. The speaker of â€Å"Harlem [A Dream Deferred]† asks what happens to a dream that has been put off. The speaker offers some answers to this†¦show more content†¦This is able to create an image of defeat. The speaker describes more and more what ends up happening to the dream. It makes one question whether the dream just sits there like something one would have to take care of. The dream becomes a burden because one won’t forget about it since it is just sitting there waiting for ones action. In the meantime, it will sit till it is acknowledged, but it will become heavier over time the more it is ignored. Lastly, the speaker also says, â€Å"Or does it explode?† (11). This last line makes one think that in the end, you dont pay attention to the dream it would just be non-existent. This line is able to describe that if one is not able to fulfill the dream it will no longer be available. The dream will be gone and one cannot return to it. It gives a sense of hopelessness and how if in the end it just explodes you cannot put it back together again and chase after it, that dream is gone. Although in this poem the speaker speaks about what happens to when a dream is abandoned there is a deeper meaning. The title â€Å"Harlem: A Dream Deferred† gives one a sense that this poem would be black people who had come to Harlem. By the title one can assume that by the word deferred these African Americans coming into Harlem had challenges. These challenges had then led them to postpone their dreams. Langston Hughes writes this poem in the time period when black people were considered inferior and their dreams were moreShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Harlem (A Dream Deferred) and A Raisin in the Sun855 Words   |  4 PagesIn Langston Hughes’ poem, the author gives us vivid examples of how dreams get lost in the weariness of everyday life. The author uses words like dry, fester, rot, and stink, to give us a picture of how something that was originally intended for good, could end up in defeat. Throughout the play, I was able to feel how each character seemed to have their dreams that fell apart as the story went on. I believe the central theme of the play has everything to do with the pain each character goes thruRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Langston Hughess A Dream Deferred1028 Words   |  4 Pagescirculated, analysis of the poem must take place. It unveils and discusses the themes, figures of speech, word placement, and flow of the piece, and A Dream Deferred, is no exception. In Langston Hughess poem, A Dream Deferred, the theme is that no really kn ows to dreams if they are not reached, and very realistic figures of speech help convey this idea; the poem can be surprisingly related to Mr. Hughess life through the subtitle and quotes from Langston himself. The meaning of, A Dream DeferredRead More Harlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem Essay1405 Words   |  6 PagesHarlem, An Analysis of a Langston Hughes Poem The short but inspirational poem Harlem by Langston Hughes addresses what happens to aspirations that are postponed or lost. The brief, mind provoking questions posed throughout the poem allow the readers to reflect--on the effects of delaying our dreams. In addition, the questions give indications about Hughes views on deferred dreams. Harlem is an open form poem. The poem consists of three stanzas that do not have a regularRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Harlem 1303 Words   |  6 Pagesthe 1930s - 1960s. He is often credited as the leader of the Harlem Renaissance, and â€Å"famously wrote about the period that ‘the negro was in vogue.’† (Langston). Throughout his body of work, Hughes spoke eloquently to the full spectrum of dreams - both their inspirational power and their heavy burden, if not fully realized. His famed poem, â€Å"Harlem (Dream Deferred)† uses heavy symbolism, falling into three definitive categories: 1. Dreams; 2. Food and Domestic Life and 3. Violence and Oppression(Shmoop)Read MoreHarlem: a Dream Deferred1043 Words   |  5 PagesHarlem: A Dream Deferred Langston Hughes Literally Analysis Dreams are aspirations that we hope to reach on our lifetime. They are the day that gives us the drive to live our lives and accomplish our goals. When reaching our goals, we will do anything to get to our destination. But what happens when your dreams deferred and put on hold due to unseen circumstances? Or what do you so when someone tells you that you can not so the things you want to so because of the pigmentation of your skinRead MoreLangston Hughes ´ Memories in His Poems Essay834 Words   |  4 Pagescontributor to the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes was an inspirational poet who highlighted many aspects of the urban life of African-Americans through reflections of his own life and experiences. As a writer, a poet and a prominent activist of the civil rights movement, Langston Hughes was a man that was not only inspired by the world around him but used such inspiration to motivate others. Being that he was also one of the most influential writers during the Harlem Renaissance, HughesRead MoreAnalysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes602 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Harlem by Langston Hughes Through the turbulent decades of the 1920s through the 1960s many of the black Americans went through difficult hardships and found comfort only in dreaming. Those especially who lived in the ghettos of Harlem would dream about a better place for them, their families, and their futures. Langston Hughes discusses dreams and what they could do in one of his poems, Harlem. Hughes poem begins: What happens to a dream deferred... Hughes is askingRead MoreThe Poetry Of Langston Hughes1498 Words   |  6 Pagespoet Langston Hughes, whom by expressing his feelings of oppression in a racist environment, motivated many blacks to learn how to read, play music, and revolutionize civil rights. As a result, this paper will critique how Langston Hughes’ works of Harlem and I Too encouraged Black independence, and how they were used as frameworks for revolutionary concepts such as the achievement of civil rights and social equality. Langston Hughes was an African American poet in the 20th century who had significantRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dream By Langston Hughes1909 Words   |  8 Pagesunique way as well. The two pomes are about dreams, the first poem, Dream is about what could possibly happen if we let go of our dreams and don t purse them. The second poem, Harlem is about the possibilities of what could happen when we postpone our dreams. Both poems do not exactly end with a happy ending, for they show the regret that we will be left with, possibly even death. The poem Dream by Langston Hughes is about following your dreams, because we never know what our near futureRead MoreThe Poetry Of Harlem And Women Have Loved Before As I Love Now925 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"What happens to a dream deferred?† is the opening statement of Harlem that grabs the attention of everyone who is reading this phenomenal poem. Of the two poems listed in this essay, this opening statement is more attention-grabbing and is a fantastic hook to being with. Harlem and Women Have Loved Before As I Love Now, are ideally comparable and contrastable. The meanings of the poems and the authors of the poems are some topics that are different in these poems. The style of the poems and length

Human Rights and Police Brutality free essay sample

Composition 1 Argumentative Research Essay Final Draft. Police Brutality Police work is dangerous. Sometimes police put in situations that excessive force is needed. But, because some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not, police brutality occurs. I believe PoPremium 1383 Words 6 Pages Police Brutality Analyzing an Argument This argument is directed to two different types of people: the police and the public. This addresses two different types of an audience. It addresses a hostile audience and it addresses a sympathetic audience. You can who the audience is because the author tells you in the Premium 528 Words 3 Pages Police Brutality Report Proposal for: Police Brutality Introductory Statement: Police brutality is one of the biggest human rights violations in the United States. The reason why I choose this topic is because I (amongst others) believe that police brutality happens all the time all of over the United States and sPremium 356 Words 2 Pages Argumentative Essay the Right to Bear Arms UNIVERSIDAD DEL TURABO NAGUABO, PUERTO RICO ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY FINAL HOMEWORK LURDES M. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Rights and Police Brutality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page PEREZ S00604108 PROF. RAMOS/ENGLISH 153 Right To Bear Arms Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to a complete stranger who is in your house, threatening to harm you, and your family,Premium 1158 Words 5 Pages Police Brutality Amber Kyle Fourth Essay Bundza Due: April 11, 2012 Police Brutality Police work is dangerous. Sometimes police are put into situations that excessive force is necessary; but, because some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not completely necessary, police brutality sPremium 631 Words 3 Pages Argumentative Essay: Opposing Capital Punishment English Composition EN101S-6LC October 12, 2011 Argumentative Essay: Opposing Capital Punishment According to the Death Penalty Information Center, a brief overview of capital punishment throughout history would go like this: Back in the eighteenth century B. C. death penalty laws were firstPremium 2343 Words 10 Pages The Function of an Argumentative Essay Argumentative Essay The function of an argumentative essay is to show that your assertion (opinion, theory, hypothesis) about some phenomenon or phenomena is correct or more truthful than others. The art of argumentation is not an easy skill to acquire. Many people might think that if one simply hPremium 5434 Words 22 Pages Police Brutality The Price of Police Brutality Chris Lawton Union Institute and University Applied Ethics in Criminal Justice Management CJM 303 Professor Toni Bland October 19, 2012 Abstract This paper will differentiate between reasonable force and excessive force. I will describe when excessive force Premium 3484 Words 14 Pages