Matt Briggs AP English

7/27/2011 Essays

Narration and Description Shooting an Elephant Process Analysis Scrubbing in Maine A woman was new to a corporate cleaning company which she soon discovered was a lot different than the stereotypical maid job. The company profited almost four times the amount that the workers were being paid. The job training was a four video series with a model maid working in a characterless and pristine home that explained where and how to clean things. She notices how in the training there is almost no water being used, only visible things being cleaned and scrubbed, everything else simply wiped. When on the job, the workers run for everything since they are only given a certain amount of minutes for every house. Instead of the promised thirty minute lunch break, the workers have maybe five minutes on the run, if that. Because of their lack of money, some of the workers eat leftovers from the breakfast or not at all. In this passage the author is trying to show the lack of care that companies have for their workers. The maids received minimum wage and arent given training from a person who can explain the true inside of the job or give advice. The cleaning company does not clean efficiently, only making things look good from the outside. I think that this realization is supposed to represent the company as a whole too. As a whole, the company may seem efficient and good, but on the inside things are done cheaply and cheating, and the workers have poor working treatments. Later the narrator goes on to say that the workers have little down time. They arent paid a whole lot and survive off of leftovers or nothing. The company cared more about how much profit it was gaining rather than the fact that a young girl survived the nine-hour day on half a bag of Doritos and would find herself getting dizzy. The author analyzed how things were done within the company and figured out how people were treated because of it.

Comparison and Contrast Cowboys v. Mounties Division and Classification Shades of Black The author is a what she calls a black black woman. She talks about how in schooling and society, even though they are all African-American blood, there were differences between the lighter tones of black and the black black people. Lighter toned people always were assumed to be smarter and prettier so black black people struggled through their lives. In order to be accepted, the narrator talk about girls attaching themselves to lighter toned skin girls, becoming sexually available, teaching in schools, or getting involved in religious affairs. But soon with the changing times, black became beautiful and more accepted but the author found herself still remembering the old times and still remaining wary of people of that time period.

I think that it is kind of ridiculous to divide an already segregated and discriminated group of people up into groups that are even more segregated and discriminated. The fact that a girl finds herself forcing herself upon another person so that she can be friends with them to be more socially accepted? Basically prostituting your body so that you can find a mate? If you are black, you are black; there is no changing that. It doesnt make the lighter toned ones any smarter or prettier or nicer than the ones with a darker pigment in their skin. And the fact that it was the people of the same African-American background that were going along with this absolutely amazes me. In this piece the author divides the darker toned girls from the lighter toned and then classifies how the darker people tried to become accepted by society.

Definition Doorways: a visual essay Cause and Effect Examined life Persuasion and Argument A Debate About Racism I Have a Dream In the beginning of the speech, MLK Jr. starts off by talking about how Abraham Lincoln in the Emancipation Proclamation helped bring hope to the enslaved but still one hundred years later, the black man is still not free. He says that though technically they may be free, the discrimination, segregation, and poverty does not make them free. He says that the way that African Americans are treated goes against the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Martin Luther King Jr. said that people needed to act now rather than letting this go on any further. He instructs the people to struggle with no violence, but with a dignity and discipline. King said that he had a dream that people would live up to their creed and that all people will be created equal and white men and black men can become brothers to one another. Martin Luther King Jr.s speech has been considered one of the most effective and heartwrenching speeches in the United States. Throughout his address he quickly establishes the existing racism that lasted in the country. He talks about the discrimination and treatment of the African Americans. In his speech he tries to encourage fellow black men and women to stand up to the treatment they had been receiving. During his I have a dream part, King truly paints a picture for the listener of what the black population had to go through and what could exist if that racism and hatred wasnt there. Martin Luther Kings speech is a great example of persuading the audience to join together with oneself and to argue against those who resist the end of black discrimination and segregation. A Chinamans Chance: Reflections on the American Dream Liu said that he thinks that the American Dream still exists. For him it was the sense of opportunity and perseverance. There will be setbacks and sacrifices but America is a nation of second chances. He also said not to take progress for granted and to take responsibility to uphold that progress. But he says that a minority should not lose their identity and culture in order to

be American, because what is American? He also goes on to say basically no matter what ethnic group or minority one may be, or how one may look or act, many are simply American at heart and Liu said that everyone should have an equal chance or opportunity to achieve the American Dream. I think that Lius argument and point of view was different but effective in convincing one to think along with him. He convinced me that it is true that everyone should be able to achieve their dreams in America, because thats what America is for. People shouldnt feel like they have to be accepted and cooked into what is considered American. The different and unique groups of people make the United States the country that it is and helps provide the freedoms and privileges that we all seem to take for granted.