... nature and "tough as nails" attitude helped set the tone for the entire book. The author of this book, Ernest Gaines, was born in 1933 on River Lake Plantation in Louisiana. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman was published in 1972 and was written during the prime of his writing career because his first short story ... was published in 1956. The fact that this story was written in the 70s by a man who was born on a plantation speaks highly of his credibility. He is also ... race is the driving force in this book. Symbolism is also present in Gaines" novel. The river discussed at the...

• Word Count: 1101
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... lies something called the id. Our id allows us to act on our carnality and true animalistic nature. It lies within everyone. It is part of our composition and nature and is included in all of human personality. This can sometimes be considered horrific and can come out at anytime. In Toni Morrison's ... they fear. In doing so the result is the full emergence of their own animalistic and savage qualities. This jungle is not only relevant within the story Beloved, but relevant in all the history of slavery, in the literature surrounding slavery, and racism in general. The "jungle" that Sta...

• Word Count: 762
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... nation, certainly quite unlike anything today's citizens have ever experienced. The most obvious difference in the nation at that time was that the ability to buy and sell human beings was widely practiced and was considered to be extremely important to aspects of the American way of life. Our constitution states that all men are created equal. ... southern slaveholders saw themselves as being completely justified in their actions and looked in the mirror with clear consciences. "Slavery was sanctioned alike by the Bible, the Laws of Nature, and the Constitution of the United States - (p...

• Word Count: 1213
• Approx Pages: 5

"Desiree's "Baby" is a short story of love, prejudice and rejection, a story with a gracious beginning that slowly turns to reveal an uglier side of human relations. The social ideology in "Desiree's Baby" is powerful and dangerous and holds no escape for any character. Armand, Desiree, and their child hold a degree of power based on race, ... deal of inner controversy. The significance of Armand's situation is what makes us focus on the many tragic and ironic decisions made by him throughout the story. One of the major aspects of Armand in this story is his unpredictability. First, he fell ...

• Word Count: 1021
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School