Britains Collective Memory of Churchill

Britains Collective Memory of Churchill How has Britains physical heritage shaped the collective memory of Churchill? This chapter will discuss the concept of collective memory, why people remember certain aspects of history and how changing interpretations of the past shape the meanings and functions of heritage. Therefore, by assessing these features we can assess the purpose of the invention of the image of Churchill. By addressing these factors, this chapter will answer the questions: Why is a particular interpretation of heritage being promoted? Whose interests are being advanced or held back? In what kind of milieu was that interpretation communicated? Historians have frequently discussed which characteristics of the past make it beneficial to people. For example, first, history is essentially depicted as progressive in terms of evolutionary social development. Secondly, societies attempt to connect the present to the past in an unbroken trajectory through the use of various types of heritage, such as monuments or museums. Thirdly, the past provides a sense of termination in the sense that what happened in it has ended, while, finally, it offers a sequence, allowing us to locate our lives in linear narratives that connect past, present and future it gives a full and completed story, without any uncertainty which is why it is often reassuring. Once these traits are translated into heritage, in terms of identity, it provides familiarity and guidance, enrichment and escape. More compellingly, it provides a point of validation or legitimation for the present in which actions and policies are justified by continuing references to repr esentations and narratives of the past that are, at least in part, encapsulated through manifestations of tangible and intangible heritage. Heritage is most commonly, used to promote the burdens of history, the atrocities, errors and crimes of the past is not the past that are called upon to legitimate not only the atrocities but also the everyday politics of the present.[1] Heritage Heritage is a highly political process, it is malleable to the needs of power and therefore, is often subject to contestation and manipulation. Shared interpretations of the past, are used to construct and develop narratives of both inclusion, and exclusion.[2] Heritage is constructionist, therefore concerned with the selected meanings of the past in the present. This suggests that the past in general, and its interpretation as history or heritage, discusses social benefits as well as potential costs in the construction and reproduction of identities.[3]   Which is precisely why the way in which the image of Churchill is conveyed matters. If Churchill is being presented to the public as a flawless leader it can vastly affect how communities define themselves and their principles. Heritage is the selective use of the past as a resource for the present (and future), memory and commemoration are inexorably connected to the heritage process.[4] It is either a personal or instituti onal interpretation of history, therefore, the fact that institutions are picking the way in which Churchill is presented on a heritage level suggests that they have an agenda for this particular portrayal. Heritage is a highly politicised process that is subject to contestation and bound up in the construction, reconstruction and deconstruction of memory and identity. Memory always represents a struggle over power and is thus implicated in the who decides? questions about the future.[5] Thus, the image of Churchill is being used to legitimate the politics of the present. By giving the image of Churchill an iconic status the politicians of the present are attempting to build what could be considered as a broken trajectory i.e. to develop a cohesive identity amongst the public that will support the institution that is in power. This aspect of course is harmful, because by using the figure of Churchill, a white upper-class male, known for using offensive (racist) terms for minorities (to say the very least) and glorifying him as a national hero projects a very bad image and encourages people to believe that this behaviour ought to be revered as in the case of right-wing nationalists. The conception of heritage originated at a national scale and it still remains very much defined at this level. Nationalism and national heritage were both developed in nineteenth-century Europe. The idea of a national heritage was fundamental to the idea of the nation-state as it required national heritage to consolidate national identification, absorb or neutralise potentially competing heritages of social-cultural groups or regions, combat the claims of other nations upon its territory or people, while furthering claims upon nationals in territories elsewhere.[6] [Heritage is] [t]he promotion of a consensus version of history by state-sanctioned cultural institutions and elites to regulate cultural and social tensions in the present. On the other hand, Heritage may also be a resource that is used to challenge and redefine received values and identities by a range of subaltern groups.[7] Notions of power are central to the construction of heritage, and consequently identity, giving weight to the argument that heritage is not given; it is made.[8] Those who wield the greatest power, therefore, dictate or define what is remembered and consequently what is forgotten.   Memorial icons of identity such as monuments, memorials, and buildings that have been invested with meaning, carry conscious and subconscious messages and are subject to competing interests. Their very public visual presence translates powerful ideological messages that are never politically neutral, and ensures that the messages they convey are open to contested interpretations.[9] Those with the most at stake in political terms, and those with the greatest ability to exercise power, have a vested interest in the production of sites of cultural heritage and bring the past into focus to legitimise a present social order. It is an implicit rule that participants in any social order must presuppose a shared memory which is integral for a group or communal solidarity. The meaning of any individual or group identity, namely a sense of sameness over time and space, is sustained by recalling the past; and what is remembered is defined by the assumed identity.[10]   Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Churchill is a prime example of this. He has a vested interest in the maintained reputation of his grandfather and therefore seeks to bury any that attempt to besmirch Churchills reputation. Leaders use the past for a variety of political purposes. The nations heritage is therefore brought to the fore to calm anxiety about change or political events, eliminate citizen indifference toward official concerns, promote exemplary patterns of citizen behaviour, and stress citizen duties over rights.[11] Buckley supports this view: the question as to which symbols will define any given situation, will largely be determined by the practical question of which people and whose interests predominate. The selection process is carefully tailored and manipulated by individual members of a community or group with power or influence.[12] As sites of civic construction, they instruct citizens what to value concerning their national heritage and public responsibilities.[13] Such sites represent and embody power, greatness, resistance, memory and loss.[14] [Churchill is useful as to the public he possesses all these attributes] Monuments, for example: [m]ark the great pinnacles of human achievement selected from the past, they give an edifying sense that greatness was once possible, and it is still possible. They provide present generations with inspiration. Citizens re-enact and repeat the past in fixed locales as suggested by their national governments.[15] So for anyone to suggest that Churchill was not as brilliant as stated leaves the public lacking a role model to aspire to be. Heritage, not only serves to reinforce narratives of national identity but often works to supress the identity of minority or less powerful groups.[16] [As Churchills legacy does, he is a figure of war] Heritage inevitably reflects the governing assumptions of its time and context. It is always inflected by the power and authority of those who have colonised the past, whose versions of history matter.[17] There are many problematic positions within Heritage, the most relevant in this case being Uncritical Imperialism. There is a sizeable body of opinion that does not see any serious problem with the legacies of imperialism and race in heritage, and acts to validate it; a formation we might crudely label as uncritical imperialism. This can take various forms. For example, it can appear through simply ignoring, or airbrushing, imperialism from the heritage narrative in question. [This is precisely the type of people that subscribe to the reputation of Churchill]. Uncritical imperialism can also take the form of being outraged at any attempt even to raise difficult issues over heritage and race.[18] If these imperialist legacies are not dealt with i.e. they are overwhelmingly denied, repeated and acted out, rather than worked through it legitimises nationalism and is harmful.[19] In domesticating the past we enlist [heritage] for present causesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [it] clarifies pasts so as to infuse them with present purposes [20] heritage is often used as a form of collective memory, a social construct shaped by the political, economic and social concerns of the present.[21] Heritages are present-centred and are created, shaped and managed by, and in response to, the demands of the present and, in turn, bequeathed to an imagined future.[22]. As such, they are open to constant revision and change and are also both sources and results of social conflict.[23] Heritage may comprise no more than empty shells of dubious authenticity but derive their importance from the ideas and values that are projected on or through them.[24] Heritage is a cultural product and a political resource.[25] Heritages primary purpose is to invoke a sense of identity and continuity. Heritage as communication (Modernity attempted to fix space through the creation of rigidly territorial nation-states, promulgating ideologies which attempted to subsume differences through representations of homogeneity. But all too often, the grail of universal conformity has produced atrocity and genocide as those who do not fit have been driven out or eradicated. Heritage is heavily implicated in these processes as a medium of communication of prevailing myths and counter-claims.[26] Consumption of Heritage Heritage is used or consumed, what is consumed within heritage is its representation in the form of a historical narrative. Agents spend time, money or other resources on the production or reproduction of such historical narratives, in order to have them consumed as heritage. As the spending of resources is involved, it is logical that participating agents will have a specific purpose heritage narratives are not produced for nothing or for fun, but in order to, for example, preserve cultural values, attract tourists and tourist spending, or to reinforce specific place identities. The narratives convey the meanings of the heritage commodity, and as such take part in the processes of deliberately (or accidentally) creating place identities: [A] major outcome of conserving and interpreting heritage, whether intended or not, is to provide identityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ There may be other purposes as well, such as legitimation, cultural capital and sheer monetary value, but the common purpose is to make some people feel better, more rooted and more secure.[27] The general public lacks background heritage knowledge such as the fact that these emblems of heritage that are being shown are only specific interpretations of history. Monuments, museums, and other memorials they inscribe ideological messages about the past into the many practices and texts of everyday life, making certain versions of history appear as the natural order of things.[28] A monument is a structure, edifice or erection intended to commemorate a person, action or event.[29] In contrast, definitions of memorial focus on the preservation of specific memory and on their iconographic role in evoking remembrance. While the monument has often been built to promote specific ideals and aspirations e.g. statue of liberty etc. The memorial is essentially a retrospective form, idealising a past event, historic figure or deified place.[30] Monuments and memorials reassure non-combatants and relatives that the dead had died for a greater cause, one linked to abstract values of nationhood, camaraderie or Christian citizenship. Honouring the placeless dead is this what Churchill is? An icon for the placeless dead anchoring. The ideas are always solidified in the discourse of big words heroism, gallantry, glory, victory, and very sparingly peace.[31] Military memorialisation has become rationalised, routinized, standardised. The dead are no longer allowed to pass unnoticed back into the private world of their families. They were official property to be accorded appropriate civic commemoration in solemn monuments of official remembrance. Equality of sacrifice.[32] Churchills legacy is tied to war so if he becomes disgraced it disgraces families. Identity A major factor behind the decisions on how heritage related to Churchill is presented is identity. Therefore, to assess why particular aspects of Churchill are presented to the public, we must also understand why the concept of identity is the driving factor behind the presentation of heritage and then from that information, assess what the message is behind the portrayal of Churchill through heritage and what institutions would like you to feel from their portrayal of Churchill (What feelings and emotions are they trying to evoke? Who is it that decides what is displayed and why are they trying to make you feel this way? What do they gain?). Tosh argued that for any social grouping to have a collective identity, it has to have a shared interpretation of the events and experiences which have formed the group over time: as in the case of many nation states, emphasis may be on vivid turning points and symbolic moments which confirm the self-image and aspirations of the group.[33] Which is what the image of Churchill is a prime candidate for. These collective beliefs play a fundamental role in securing a sense of togetherness and cultural solidarity which is vital in the formation and legitimisation of any national identity.[34] National cohesion, in other words, requires a sense of collective awareness and identity endorsed through common historical experience. Unofficial memory is often seen as a binary opposite to national or official memory.[35] The popularised image of Churchill fits the message that the institution is trying to get across to the nation very well. During the 1990s, it was fashionable for theoreticians to argue that identities were becoming disembedded from bounded localities and the traditional frameworks of nation, ethnicity, class and kinship. At the core of such ideas lay the key assertion that global networks have diminished the importance of place and traditions, ruptured boundaries and created hybrid, in between spaces. In a sense, this is encapsulated in the idea that national heritage can be reconstructed as world heritage because certain sites and practices are of universal significance. the effect of Brexit reverses this. Hybridity and transnational identities may, for example, counter and complicate nationalist ideologies.[36] The resurgence of Churchills image to the fore-front of the media may be a result of the effects of Brexit. After approximately 40 years of developments in a globalised identity amongst those in what is now called the EU is disintegrating, the emphasis on characters that were seen as typicall y British heroes is on the rise hence Churchill. In a world in which identity is fundamental to politics and contestation at a global scale, understanding the means of articulating often vague feelings and senses of belonging becomes quite crucial. Heritage in its broadest sense is among the most important of those means, even more so because identity can no longer be framed primarily within the national context that has so defined it since the European Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. Not only do heritages have many uses but they also have multiple producers. These may be public /private sector, official/non-official and insider/outsider, each stakeholder having varied and multiple objectives in the creation and management of heritage.[37] Sites of memory and power are often constructed in public spaces, where they can operate as dichotomous sites of unification and sites of division.[38] Territoriality and its relation to identity Churchill is also used to justify a sense of territoriality. Also inherent in the production of sites of cultural heritage is the concept of territoriality. Memory is intimately bound up in efforts to construct territory and place.[39] Territoriality is synonymous with notions of a demarcated geographic space (a territory) which usually contains some kind of homogeneous, collectivised community sharing a collective identity or heritage.[40] Territoriality is often needed to stabilise and mobilise groups or individuals and their resources inside demarcated boundaries. Within societies then, various groups insert symbols into the cultural landscapes which resonate with their sense of heritage and identity, and which simultaneously incite remembering and mark territory. For territoriality to work, the group often places visual warning symbols around the agreed territory further to deny others access into the home area which is precisely why using the image of Churchill is harmful, particularly after Brexit as it only justifies his racist stance and therefore validates neo-fascists ideals. Not only does territoriality demarcate boundaries which are ultimately intended to exclude outsiders, but it is dichotomously aimed at seizing a shared public space and thus controlling those inside the territory. Flags, for example, which often reflect the heritage of a particular group or nation, are good examples of territorial signifiers. They tell outsiders that the territory they are about to enter or pass is not theirs. Rather it belongs to those who live within the demarcated boundary or to those who empathise with what the flag represents.[41] The purpose of using Churchill is to help encourage nationalism, and therefore an us and them attitude. Spatial practices which bolster and sustain the power of the dominant group are essential components for that groups control over the hegemonic values that it represents or imposes.[42] That dominant group is often the nation-state. Tilly, for example, argues that secure territorial boundaries and a monopoly of violence are the two defining characteristics of the present day state. Territorial boundaries are the foundations for institutions such as national sovereignty, citizenship, the modern welfare state and democracy.[43] The interlinked concepts of nationhood and statehood share a dependence on the notion of exclusivity concerning sovereign rights over access to territory. The notion that landscapes embody discourse of inclusion and exclusion is closely linked to the idea that manipulated geographies also function as symbols of identity, validity and legitimisation.)[44] The continuing importance of territoriality and its seemingly intractable relationship with the nation-state at the turn of the century has been questioned. globalisation embodying transnational economics, politics and cultures, the melting of borders, particularly in Europe, and an increasing sense of belonging to a global unit, has led to a distinct lack of engagement with the unitary nation-state.[45] [However, this will be reversed with the effect of Brexit and nationalism will rise]. Histories that are white-washed are streamlined by the rise of nationalism and its cultural solidification through what Hobsbawn and Ranger termed the invention of tradition.[46] It also impoverishes our collective understanding of the past, of the rich and complex mix of the multiple travels and flows of people that have worked in a multitude of ways to shape us all.[47] it gives rise to a sense of superiority and nationalism. The reason that identity is important when assessing heritage is because identity is about sameness and group membership and central to its conceptualisation. Which is a relevant concept when discussing the reasoning for the specific portrayal of Churchill. Douglas argues that identity is expressed and experienced through communal membership, awareness will develop of the Otherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Recognition of Otherness will help reinforce self-identity, but may also lead to distrust, avoidance and distancing from groups so defined. Public and National memory Memorialisation was a way to stake ones claim to visible presence in culture.[48] Places that constitute significant sites which have been invested with meaning. They are locations with which people connect, either physically or emotionally and are bound up in notions of belonging, ownership and consequently identity. Part of how you define yourself is symbolised by certain qualities of that place.[49]   This idea is taken forward with both Chartwell house (Churchills estate) and the Churchill war museum. These buildings linked with Churchill are designed to prompt these particular emotions *Insert findings* National memory is frequently thought of in conjunction with official memory that, in most societies, emanates from the state and its institutions, often representing the hegemonic needs and values of the general public. The state is usually the official arbitrator of public commemoration and, therefore, of nation heritage, and as such, it assumes responsibility over planning, maintaining and funding memorial monuments, programmes and events.[50] [Which is precisely what Churchill is used for, he is not just an icon- he himself is also a symbol to the families whom lost kin in ww2 which is why very few criticise him (or are even allowed to) as to insult Churchill is to insult the nations kins and suggest that their sacrifice was wasteful and not justified, the hagiography of Churchill gives credence to this sacrifice   therefore he is undefeated but this is possibly why there is an increasing amount of criticism building about him as family members related to soldiers who died become fewer there is less emotional attachment to the character of Churchill as **** says maybe once those with living memory of Churchill have passed we can finally have a genuine reassessment of Churchill the man rather than tackling a god]. In post-memory, memories are passed down through generations to be represented by people who have no personal attachment to the memory. Subsequently, they seek to re-use, re-enact and e-represent those memories in order to feel closer to their ancestors.[51] hence why those who do not possess living memories of Churchill will still feel so strongly about the condemnation of his character. Emotional memory has also been used to describe the transgenerational remembering of the traumatic events.[52] Yet what all of these typologies of memory have in common is the fact that they are attached inexorably to certain places. Sites of cultural heritage, therefore, such as buildings, monuments, plaques, museums and gardens of remembrance, incite our memories and reinforce our attachment to particular places.[53] Remembering and commemorating the past is an essential part of the present and is important for a number of reasons. Without memory, a sense of self, identity, culture and heritage is lost. Through remembering, identities are validated as well as contested, and the adoption and cultivation of an aspect of the past serves to reinforce a sense of natural belonging, purpose and place.[54] Identities and memories, like heritage, are inevitably selective in that they serve particular interests and political ideologies in the present.[55] Americans and Europeans are compulsive consumers of the past shopping for what best suits their particular sense of self at that time.[56]   This idea fits very well in the post-Brexit world as there seems to be a lot of cherry picking in terms of Anglo-historical figures in order to gain a cohesive outlook after the Brexit result and to provide people with a sense of purpose in a time of relative uncertainty. Histories are consequently bought to conform to the latest fashion. Memories are seen as selective and partial and used to fulfil individual, group or communal requirements of identity at a particular time and in a particular space: Times change, and as they do, people look back on the past and reinterpret events and ideas. They look for patterns, for order, and for coherence in past events to support changing social, economic, and cultural values.[57] Subsequently new, more appropriate, histories are invented: Invented traditions are normally governed by overtly or tacitly accepted rules and of a ritual or symbolic nature, which seek to inoculate certain values and norms of behaviour by repetition, which automatically implies continuity with the past. In fact, they normally attempt to establish continuity with a suitable historic past.[58] [Churchill was from a period in which the public last felt relevant on the public stage]. Tosh suggests that social groupings require a narrative of the past which serves to explain or justify the present, often at the cost of historical accuracy. He states: memories are modified to suit particular situations or circumstances and do not always correlate with historical truths.[59] Histories can become distorted and permeated (often deliberately) with inaccuracies and myths during the selection process, making the act of forgetting in memory construction just as crucial for the cultivation of identity.[60] Interpretation is predetermined by the social, economic, political and/or local context. Societies justify current attitudes and future aspirations by linking them to past traditions which helps bond and unify factionalism.[61] temporal representations as part and parcel of their drive to implant and reinforce their hold on society.[62] Heritage statue of Churchill, Westminster. House of Commons mid stride, hands on hips old. Oscar Nemon Statue of Churchill in Parliament square old big coat, walking stick- him as was at Yalta where my statue will go its grade II listed. Churchill in terms of heritage and masculinity Heritage predominantly tells male-centred story, which seeks to promote a masculine, and in particular an elite-Anglo-masculine, vision of the past and present. The links between heritage and identity are often taken for granted we protect, manage, interpret for visitors, and visit heritage sites because they are, in some way, symbolic of our identities. Material heritage and in

College Acceptance Essay

Education is one of the most important activities that we have to go through in our life. It is the reason why the world is where it is today. All of these progresses and inventions would have never been achieved if it was not for educated people. It helped the society to make smarter and better choices. Almost all of the inventions that make our life easier today are the outcome of education. Scientists, politicians, teachers, etc. are all first educated before they go out to the real world to practice what they have learned. Universities and colleges are the places where people go seeking for higher education. Students will do whatever they can to make sure they end up in one of these places. Unfortunately, not everybody is accepted. Every institution has its own requirements for students have to match in order to be accepted. Not long ago, minorities used to face a very challenging situation if they wanted to get into a higher education institute. These things don’t seem to be that big of a problem right now. Students get accepted to different kinds of schools depending on how good they perform during their high school year and on their SAT test scores. The controversial issue now is whether students’ academic background should be the only factor considered in admission. Even though universities and colleges are home for knowledge and students should be accepted according to their ability to learn, other factors should also be considered to give students a second chance at a higher education institute. Academic eligibility is a major obstacle one has to meet in order to be able to attend a higher education institution. Some people have outstanding performance that allow them to attend the college of their dreams. Others, however, may not be as smart and may lack the eligibility required to attend a college. Universities are places where students face challenging lessons and are excepted to try to the best of their ability to succeed. Those who have a better background in studying habits are more likely to succeed in school. The education we get at an early age will affect us on our journey to success. That is why universities should consider academic performance in their admission requirements. Students with satisfying SAT score and a good GPA should not be worried about getting accepted or not; They deserve it. As long as school is a place for education, those who prove they have been committed to their lessons should be the only ones given the chance to progress in their education. One of the other reasons why academic achievement should be the only factor considered for college admission is for fair treatment and morality. If a person has done a good job through out his/her educational process in high school, he/she deserves to be accepted to their dream college. It would not be fair if he/she is turned down by his/her dream college while a careless classmate gets his acceptance letter. It would not be fair. The student’s moral will be crushed. Not being able to make his/her dream come true after dedicating all their time on their education, will, without a doubt, leave a student hopeless. Therefore, the admission board needs to respect the concept of education and those hard working students and consider only academic eligibility. Admissions should only concentrate on how the student can reply to his/her educational challenges not on how they can run across the field. Athletes can not perform as well as those accepted for their academic eligibility, â€Å"they also regularly finish their college carries in the bottom of their class† (editorial 371). Another reason for the necessity of the sole consideration of academic eligibility for college admission is the future. People in universities are the leaders of tomorrow. They need to have a diverse view of the world supported by their education. They should understand any issue that may come from any part of the world so that they can help solve it. These leaders of tomorrow also need to have a good background in education starting from preschool. They need to understand the importance of education for life. In order to appreciate education, they need to know the rewards that come from it. The future leaders, are those who take school seriously. Those who take it seriously are more likely to get satisfying grades that allow them to enter a higher education institute. If we care about our future, we should consider it in all our decisions. The college admission office should consider only academic eligibility because those who think of the future are those who get the satisfying grades and those should be rewarded the acceptance letter. On the other hand, the benefit that colleges get from the athletic students is beyond anyone‘s imagination. Especially small universities need these athletes to compete with other schools and keep their reputation. These small, highly selective liberal universities such as Harvard have a wide selection of sports, but they also need a strong team. The problem these schools are facing is the size of the student body. The schools can not make strong teams if there is not much to choose from. Athletes make up 32% of the male student body at schools like Harvard and Williams, as opposed to only 5% at a school like the University of Michigan. (Editorial 370). If we taking look at the professional sport field, like the NBA, NFL, MLS, and others, we can see that many star players rose from universities and colleges. These pro athletes became stars by playing sports in their universities. These colleges are the reason why we now enjoy our favorite sport every week. Students come from all over the world with great potentials. Students who enter the United States after finishing high school or on the erg of finishing high school, will have a difficult time getting into highly selective universities. America is the home for many immigrant scientists and engineers, and these high school or college students from other countries could be the next scientists or engineers. Other countries have a very difficult grading system than the U. S. A. When the grade conversions are made in the U. S, what was the highest score in the class back home will now be nothing more than the average. This average grade wont take immigrant students to one of these best universities or colleges. Their background is the only chance they have to get accepted. Most colleges embrace diversity and try to accept people of all races. The more universities and colleges accept these type of students, the more diverse the schools can be. They can bring a cultural diversity among students which can be used in the future to solve problems outside of the U.S. therefore, these foreigners depend on another factor other than academic eligibility to be accepted into a college. For most of our population, education is the only way out of poverty or any other problem. people put their faith on it and hope to get the best it can offer. They will do anything to go anywhere it leads them. Before they taste the fruits of education, they have to pass through tests and other obstacles. Getting to college is one of those obstacles. To get accepted into one of the finest schools is a major issue. Students wish to enroll into a school they desire and progress in their education to help themselves, their family, and their country. In order to do this, they need to keep a satisfying score while they are in school. As students, teens have more to offer than their brain. Not one but many of them can make the institute they represent best at what these students do besides learning, benefiting themselves and their schools. Therefore, it is important for universities and colleges to take a good look at the students’ ability to learn, without forgetting but respecting what they can do when they are not in a class room.

Janis Joplin Essay

Perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson was right and may as well have referred to Janis Joplin as he was saying this quotation had he lived during Joplin’s time. With her death at a young age of 27, it had been a short-lived life the musical genius Janis Joplin had. We may not know whether or not her cousins can tell nothing about her but her life deserves to be relived and I am here to write about it. A look into the context in which she lived will help give a better understanding of how the course of her life was influenced and came to be the way it was. Janis Joplin is one of the most prominent individuals in the 1960s, an era considered to be a revolution of sorts. Beginnings On the morning of January 19, 1943, Janis Lyn was born to be the eldest child of Seth and Dorothy Joplin. It was years later that she would have younger siblings Michael and Laura making them a middle-class family composing of five members. Growing up in an industrial town called Port Arthur in Texas crowded with oil refineries, chemical plants, factories, and rows of oil-storage tanks with fumes hanging in the air, it wasn’t the best place to satisfy the brilliant and inquisitive little Janis as there wasn’t much room for activities and recreations. Although that was the case, she did well in school, having a great interest and aptitude for reading and painting. As a child, she already had a reputation for singing as one of the soloists in their church choir. According to one of her friends, she had been popular in Port Arthur as a talented and cute little girl. Janis considered her childhood as relatively pleasant. It was only at the age of fourteen, as confessed in many of her various interviews, that she felt like the world turned on her. That was the time she gained weight and had acne problems, problems which meant most than anything for teenagers. The eventual lost of her looks coincided badly with her entry to the highschool world where the popular girls were the ones with good looks and Janis just fell behind (Echols, 2000). While at the Thomas Jefferson highschool, Janis took rejection by heart (Amburn, 1993). Used to having attention on her, she started acting out and whilst she began to receive attention, she even emphasized her being different. She was determined to keep the attention on her even if it was a negative one. She became a beatnik girl who would flaunt her eccentric clothes ranging from above-the-knee skirts, black or purple tights coupled with liking unconventional and ‘different’ liberal arts and music. As Echols put it, â€Å"she was bent on becoming an eyesore, an affront to everything the townspeople believed in. Indeed, Janis was eager to defy as many social conventions as she could. This made her parents unhappy- â€Å"she just changed totally, overnight† quoting her mother Dorothy. As an underage girl, her defiant attitude was too much that one incident happened involving the police after she took a ride with her male friends who were overage. This made her even more the topic of talks and gossips around their Pleasantville of a town. She was much into music and drinking, acting as if these two things are wedded. And this always gets her into trouble. She was often sent to the counselor’s office for misbehavior and drinking (Echols, 2000). Her parents were baffled and felt helpless. Joplin’s rebellious proclivity was unwavering, she just wanted to be different and be free to express herself. Little did they know that Janis’ rebellious actions symbolize the beginning of an inevitable social revolution and an â€Å"emerging generation gap† that was about to come(Echols, 2000). The fact was: it wasn’t just Joplin; it was going to be a collective movement. The Sixties was well on its way. The Sixties†, as it is often used in popular culture by some journalists, historians and other academes, has seen many varied influential and transforming trends in culture and ideologies which can be described as nothing less than exciting, powerful, radical and even rebellious. It was a time when people are trying to break free from the rigid and conformist social norms and social constraints in search for individual freedom (Booker, 1970). It could be said that this period of history has a great impact on Janis Joplin and further influenced not only her genius but how her entire life turned out. Musical Inclination Music would eventually become a passion for Joplin. Aside from singing in their local church choir, Janis developed her musical interest further after befriending a group of outsiders as a teenager. She and this gang would listen and idolize African-American Blues artists such as Leadbelly whose album was the first she claimed she ever purchased (Echols, 2000). During highschool she continued listening to blues music and listened to other blues artists like Bessie Smith, Big Mama Thornton and Odetta. And even later on, she will begin singing blues and folks songs together with some friends, imitating the artists’ husky yet soulful voices. Amburn, 1993). She always had a gut feel about her singing ability but it wasn’t until she imitated Odetta and performed one of her songs which stunned her friends that she she confirmed, she indeed â€Å"has a voice. † Her early efforts included playing in coffee houses in their small town. Talent, Notoriety and Fame In 1963, she left for San Francisco and found herself residing in North Beach. She also ventured to other places like Venice, the Village, New York and Haight-Ashbury acquiring further experiences and experimenting on her music and creativity. It wasn’t just a year ago that she started taping her first song at a friend’s house and a year after she would record more songs with her friends Jorma Kaukonen and Martha Kaukonen providing her accompaniments. An album called Typewriter tape will be released containing seven tracks including â€Å"Long Black Train Blues,† â€Å"Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,† â€Å"Typewriter Talk,† Kansas City Blues,† â€Å"Trouble In Mind,† â€Å" Hesitation Blues,† and â€Å"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy† . As the Sixties progress, various movements are emerging from the left and right. The counterculture and social revolution was spreading. A popular term emerged as the hippies, a youth movement characterized strongly by a shift towards a more liberated society. It includes the questioning groups created a movement toward liberation in society, including sexual revolution, questioning of authority and government, fighting for the freedom and rights of the marginalized groups including Negroes, women, homosexuals, and minorities. The use of marijuana, heroine, LSD and various others drugs and listening to psychedelic music were also rampant. Janis would not be left behind and took part in these movements. Joplin’s waywardness continued well into those years. Around that time, she increased her drug use and took on a reputation as a frequent heroine user and a thrill-freak (Amburn, 1993). She was also heavy on alcohol and other intoxicants and even engaged in sexual high. In 1965, she was described as skeletal, even emaciated due to the effects of her amphetamine use (Amburn, 1993). For some time, she was convinced by her friends to become sober and to refrain from drug use. An old friend and then manager Chet Helms of a group called Big Brother was attracted by Joplin’s bluesy voice. On June 4, 1966, Joplin officially joined the band. Their first public performance was in San Francisco at the Avalon Ballroom. Her drug use was kept at bay with the help of her friends who she lived within a communal apartment (Friedman, 1992). They signed a deal with Mainstream Records on the 23rd of August of 1966. A year after, the band released their debut album by Columbia Records. Joplin and her band gradually gained fame after several follow-up performances including those in Monterey Pop Festival, appearances in television such as The Dick Cavett Show. She received positive reviews from various magazines labelling her as a powerful singer and a staggering woman of rock and roll. Eventually, she would leave the Big Brother band and went for a solo career and would later form a band called the Kozmic Blues and another group, which she would call her as her own called the Full Tilt Boogie Band. After breaking up again with the band, she recorded several songs which would be released after her death and would become the highest-selling album of her career. It included the best hit single †Me and Bobby McGee†, a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s who had been her ex-lover. Janis Joplin died on October 4, 1970 at the age of 27 years. Legacy Janis Joplin can be considered as the Queen of Rock and Roll in the late 1960s. She was a music icon which would influence the music scene in the years to come. She was an established female star who had success in a male-dominant music scene. Fans and musical experts alike would consider her songs as immortal and contiunes to influence modern day music and artists. She also made contributions to the fashion industry. The way she dressed herself had been another avenue for her self-expression. In interview after interviews, she would update the media of her latest fashion statement from her clothes, to her hair styles, hair accessories, body decorations, and body accessories. She would also affect the movie industry influencing and inspiring movie directors, actors and actresses such as Better Midler especially in the 1979 film entitled The Rose which would garner her an academy nomination for her performance as Janis Joplin. Other films were also produced based on her life including Gospel According to Janis. A musical play was composed in the 1990s, which will then win a praise and be lauded together with the outstanding performances of the artists who would play Janis. She would also receive posthumous awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievment and the induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the arts, some of her personal artifacts including the Porsche she owned were displayed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Musuem Exhibition which will serve as a testimony to the psychedelic era dubbed as â€Å"The Summer of Love- Art of the Psychedelic Era†. This made people reminisce to that nostalgic and definitely not-forgotten era of the human history. Truly, Janis Joplin was a genius not only of her time but her genius continues to live and influence various industried today.

Essay on DBQ declaration of independence - 665 Words

Declaration of Independence In the mist of 1776-1877, did the United States carry out all the goals that were stated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? The Declaration of Independence and Constitution had many different goals and ideas in mind for the United States at the time. The United States partially realized the some of the values stated in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, but also did accomplish some the goals mentioned in the documents. The principles in the Declaration of Independence were applied to some, and the major goals in the Constitution were not wholly realized. Some of the goals that were partially realized were equality and women’s rights, some might say that these†¦show more content†¦For example in the letter Abigail Adams wrote to John Adam she stated that â€Å"I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous to them then your ancestors.† (Doc B). This document explains how Abigail Adams wrote a letter to the President, her husband john Adams explaining her view on how women should have rights. It’s important because they had an idea that the women should have rights to get an education so that they can educate the children (men) to become better citizens. From the Declaration of Seneca falls women’s rights convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton was quoted saying â€Å"The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward women.†(Doc J). This means that the ideas of equality, liberty, and inalienable rights were battling in American civilization with common laws and religious traditions of the agreement of husband and wife. It is important because this goal was not realized until after this time. Women wanted rights as same as everyone else. In the court case Dred Scott v. Sanford the US Supreme Court chief justice Roger Taney was quoted saying â€Å"[blacks] had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery.† (Doc L). This quotes means that even though blacks had no rights, the whites should still have respect for them, they are people too. It’s important because it’s another goal that the declarationShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration of Independence and the Struggle for Equality DBQ1000 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Declaration of Independence and the Struggle for Equality DBQ† â€Å"In what way and to what extent does the Declaration of Independence serve as a benchmark for the actions of disenfranchised or otherwise oppressed citizens of the United States of America?† The Declaration of Independence, since July 4th, 1776, has continued to always become a guideline to protect those who are oppressed. â€Å"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, â€Å"that all Men are created equal,† that they are endowed by theirRead MoreMath Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesInformation on the DBQ The required DBQ differs from the standard essays in its emphasis on your ability to analyze and synthesize historical data and assess verbal, quantitative, or pictorial materials as historical evidence. 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