Summarise and Analysis the article option ethnicities Essay

Summarise and Analysis the article option ethnicities - Essay Example Nevertheless, the tendency of the white remaining as â€Å"hyphenated Americans† is very strong and it is present in a number of political as well as social institutions. She describes â€Å"Symbolic ethnicity† of the white ethnic group from later generations as an American phenomenon that is quintessential (Waters 141). Waters further argues that people have retained ethnicity in their lives just because it permits them to bring together the contradicting values of individuality, community and choice in America. In addition to Waters exploring the symbolic ethnicity of the white middle-class from later generations, she addresses what they cost the society. She compares white middle-class with non-white Americans, who do not have many options. These identities are individualistic. However, there is a huge difference between racial identities that are self-imposed or socially enforced and the individualistic symbolic ones (Waters 143). Waters concludes the article by giving the readers invaluable information about the contemporary American life. Young people in colleges and campuses live together, regardless of their background and still respec t and appreciate each other. This is something that most people cannot do. The present discrimination based on race must stop (Waters 144). The assignment is about summarizing the article â€Å"Optional Ethnicities† by Mary Waters. The purpose of the article is to bring out ethnicity as what it really is and how it plays a very big role when it comes to categorizing and treating people, especially focusing on the privileges of a white person. The article does not target a specific audience as Waters wrote the book so that every American who cares to read it gets enlightened about ethnicity. Ethnicity not being a biological phenomenon, but a social one, is the thesis of this

Literacy narrative in context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literacy narrative in context - Essay Example In his narrative text, Baca recalls that â€Å"From the time I was seven; teachers had been punishing me for not knowing my lessons† (Baca, 3). Nevertheless, that limitation did not stop him from becoming a high caliber writer, despite Baca’s recollection that â€Å"Ashamed of not understanding and fearful of asking questions, I dropped out of school in the ninth grade† p4. Therefore, my essay, â€Å"Growing Up and How I Did It† can be written better, through the extensive application of personal experiences, explained into details to form a complete life narration that can then comprise a narrative. Jimmy Baca’s text presents the elaborate way through which personal experiences and the components of a person’s life can be transformed into an inspiring and motivational content, which then can be applied by others to gain insights on how to make accomplishments in life, even without having sufficient resources at an individual’s disposal (Baca, 4). However, it is the text, â€Å"A Rationale of Textual Criticism† by Tanselle, which introduces new insights on how constructive criticism can be applied to make a written work of literature better, through applying either the positive or the negative approach to improve a written piece of work (Tanselle 20). Therefore, through the application of positive criticism, my essay c an be improved into an interesting story, considering that my writing experiences are unique in the sense that I learnt writing early while still in the kindergarten, which is not a requirement for children in this class. Through positive criticism as discussed by Tanselle, the early writing desire can be a basis of developing a narrative that revolves around many other unique or extraordinary experiences and characteristics, which then can form a basis of a motivational and inspiring text, like the one developed through Jimmy Baca’s personal life experiences, but only when combined with further constructive imagination (Tanselle, 33).. Tanselle has reduced this whole concept by stating that â€Å"those most emphatic in holding that the meaning of literature emerges from a knowledge of its historical context†¦are in fact hindering their progress toward their goal† p34. Writers are destined to fail in developing some influential piece of written literature, â€Å" if they do not recognize that artifacts may be less reliable witnesses to the past than their own imaginative reconstructions† (Tanselle 34). Additionally, negative criticism can also be applied to improve my essay and develop it into a reasonable and inspiring narrative text, considering the much resources and opportunities I have at my disposal, yet there is nothing to show for it. Through placing the wasted opportunities into perspective, such as the time wasted during my childhood playing tag with my friends and the access to valuable resources that I have heard in the course of my school life for sharpening my writing skills, the experiences can be drawn to form a narrative that advises others against misusing or underutilizing the valuable resources at their disposal. This would then form an impressive narrative, which will change the notion that I do not have adequate writing skills, as portrayed in my essay, â€Å"Growing Up and How I Did It†. Tanselle rightly p uts it that â€Å"the act of reading or listening to receive a message from the past entails the effort to discover, through the text (or texts) one is presented with†, p18. This is an indication that through the application of sufficient effort towards discovering the content of the past, there is the