The United States and the Post WWII Decolonization of West Africa: Senegal and The Gambia

The United States and the Post WWII Decolonization of West Africa:

Senegal and The Gambia

Wars are often used as a means of revolution (examples include the Revolutionary War and the Civil war in America). For West Africa, World War II served as just that, a way to revolution by ending European colonialism in Africa. At the end of the war, the United States and the Soviet Union had risen to be the two main super-powers, and both were opposed to colonialism. Because of this, the United States played a key role in the decolonization of West Africa after WWII, both in large scale ways via the government (especially pertaining to the interpretation of the Atlantic Charter), and on a smaller scale during its own civil rights movement by means of figureheads such as W.E.B. DuBois and Martin Luther King Jr..
The Gambia is a small country bordered on three sides (north, east, and south) by Senegal, another West African Country. Both countries have borders on the Atlantic Ocean.  During the 17th and 18th centuries, France and England struggled for political control over the regions during the “Scramble for Africa,” a period during which European powers fought over the rule of territories in Africa. Eventually, England gained control of The Gambia, while Senegal went to the French.
The United States had a history with The Gambia long before WWII took place. During the slave trade, ships would stop at Juffureh, a village in The Gambia, and bring slaves over to North America. This is where the famous slave, Kunta Kinteh, was held. Kunta Kinteh’s story is most well known due to Alex Haley’s Roots: The Saga of an American Family, a book about Kunta Kinteh and the six generations that came after him. Remnants of the site are now a common tourist attraction in The Gambia.
The United States, being strongly opposed to colonialism, (given its history of being a colony under British rule) pushed colonial powers (mainly France and Great Britain) to “liquidate their positions” in West Africa. Pressure was particularly strong during WWII and continued when the war ended (Pedler 267).
World War II acted as a means for the stimulation of the political consciousness of Africans, giving emphasis to “more representative and liberal institutions of government,” (Hargreaves 27).
America’s entry into WWII following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and an unclear interpretation of the Atlantic Charter, only added to the stimulation of political consciousness.
The Atlantic Charter, an agreement between the United States and Great Britain, was signed on August 14, 1941, four months before the United States entered the war. The charter sought to outline the U.S. president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill’s vision for a post WWII world. This vision can be summed up in eight points.
First, the United States and Great Britain agreed to seek no territorial gains resulting in the outcome of the war. Second, peoples affected by territorial adjustments would have their wishes taken into consideration. Third, self-determination was a right of all people. Fourth, there would be a collaborative effort to lower trade barriers. Fifth, advancement of social welfare and economic cooperation on a global scale were deemed as decidedly important. Sixth, the United States and Great Britain would make an effort to establish freedom from fear and want. Seventh, they stated the importance of freedom of the seas. And finally, eighth, they would work toward post-war disarmament of aggressor nations.
It is, in particular, the third and sixth parts of the Atlantic Charter that had a significant impact on West African decolonization. The second part of the charter also had a significant impact on the United States’ role in the decolonization (which will be discussed later).
Part three states that self-determination is a right of all people. Self-determination is the freedom of the people of a territory or national group to decide their political status and governing ways without the influence of other countries. Because Africa was largely colonized by European countries, it seemed to be in direct violation of the Atlantic Charter.
Part six of the Charter states that they would establish freedom from fear and want. It would then seem logical to incorporate this into Africa’s struggle for independence because the colonies “want” to be free of colonial rule.
Later, Winston Churchill stated that he did not intend to include the British Colonies of Africa in the Charter (especially in regards to self-determination.) United States President Roosevelt, however, was adamant that the post-war goals drawn up in the charter should include the colonies (Meredith 35).
Being president of a country that was once a colony under British rule, a nation “bred in the tradition of anti-imperialism,” Roosevelt believed in any venture to end colonial exploitation and to dismember the world’s empires. Roosevelt’s feelings were only intensified when he stopped in The Gambia briefly in 1943 on his way to the Casablanca Conference. There, he witnessed the disease, poverty, and poor living conditions there. “He wrote to Churchill describing the place as a ‘hell-hole,’” (Meredith 35). Roosevelt is quoted as saying to his son, Elliot, “…and I looked it up, with a little study, and I got to the point of view that for every dollar that the British, who have been there for two hundred years, have put into Gambia, they have taken out ten. It’s just plain exploitation of those people…. they’re given a half-cup of rice. Dirt. Disease. Very high mortality rate…. Life expectancy – you’d never guess what it is. Twenty-six years. These people are treated worse than livestock. Their cattle live longer!”
In addition, Roosevelt was displeased with the barriers of trade the French and British maintained around the colonies. Such barriers prevented outsiders, the United States included, from having access to the raw materials of the colonies. Such barriers seemed to be another direct violation of the Atlantic Charter (part two). For this reason, the decolonization of West Africa was of particular importance to the United States (Meredith 36).
Because America took such a strong stand in the defense of decolonizing West Africa, colonial rulers were forced to take a closer look at how they handled colonial affairs. It also encouraged humanitarianists and socialists to press for social reform. Largely due to America’s strong opinion on the matter, (because America was a vital ally to the British,) Oliver Stanley, British Colonial Secretary, announced in 1943 that Britain was committed to self-government as a goal, (Meredith 36-37).
In 1948, the United States enacted the Marshall Plan, a program whose goal was to rebuild and create a stronger economic foundation for the Western European countries. In 1949, president Truman added that it would “make money available to the poorest countries of the world to save them from ‘hunger, misery, and despair.’” America gave a total of 94.7 million dollars to West Africa, including 2.1 million to Senegal in 1963 (Pedler 96).
The 1950’s were a time of embracing African cultures and languages in the United States, and in 1958, the U.S. State Department began an independent Bureau of African Affairs.
In 1955, The U.S. House of Representatives stated “that the United States should administer its foreign policies and programs and exercise its influence so as to support other peoples in their efforts to achieve self-government or independence,” (Pedler 267).
British Parliament passed The Colonial Development and Welfare acts, largely as a response to America’s criticism of colonial practice. The acts signaled the commitment of Britain to the development of the empire. After the war, they tried to expand agriculture and promote technology (Duignan 284). The war had depleted West Africa’s resources considerably because their mother countries were using the resources in the war.
U.S. president John F. Kennedy viewed anti-colonialism as a weapon in the Cold War. He even went so far as to say that Africa could be an influence that would “’undermine the great communist colonial empire,’” (Duignan 288). The Cold War was a period of time after WWII ended during which the Soviet Union and the United States were in political conflict and economic competition. The U.S. feared Communism, which the Soviet Union practiced. Communism is a social system in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a dystopian state.
The United States’ foreign policy toward the decolonization of Africa, especially under president Kennedy, is often seen as a an “extension of America’s traditional support of self-determination.” It is believed that, if the United States did not vehemently express their disapproval, Europe would have dragged the decolonization out, making it last for the entire century (Metz).
It was not only the United States government that played a role in the decolonization of West Africa. The Civil Rights Movement in America also had an influence on West African People and prompted them to push for a faster decolonization process. Following WWII, many of the more educated West Africans began seeking higher education. Studying at Universities in Europe and the United States introduced the ideas of people such as W.E.B. DuBois. Such exposure provided effective training and grounds for African Nationalism (Mendonsa 378-379).
William Edward Burghart DuBois, more commonly known as W.E.B. DuBois, was a civil rights activist in the United States and a Pan-Africanist. He was the first African American graduate of Harvard University in Boston, where he earned a Ph. D in History in 1895. He became the leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.
Pan-Africanism refers to various movements in Africa with the intention to unite Africans and eradicate colonialism and white supremacy. The main catalyst for this movement was the European colonization of the continent. It has been made clear that the United States government was opposed to such colonization, but leaders of the civil rights movement such as DuBois, were also opposed. As a Pan-Africanist, DuBois organized Pan-African congresses around the world, which included people from Africa, the West Indies, and the United States. In 1961, he became the director of the Encyclopedia Africana per the request of Kwame Nkrumah, the president of Ghana. DuBois remained in Africa until his death on August 27, 1963, one day before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the civil rights march in Washington D.C..
Martin Luther King Jr., another civil rights leader in America, also spoke out against the treatment of blacks in Africa. He stated that “the struggle for freedom forms one long front crossing oceans and peoples,” (Reddy). King worked for independence through non-violent protest in America and gave speeches about gaining independence for people in Africa as well. He was assassinated in 1968.
Through the social and political pressure the United States put on the colonial leaders, and the influence that figureheads such as DuBois and King had on the citizens of these African colonies, an eventual decolonization took place, and it is believed that it occurred much sooner than it would have, had the United States not been involved.
In 1960, universal adult suffrage was introduced to The Gambia. During this time, a ministerial form of government was also established consisting of four British departmental heads, the governor, and six African ministers. Elections in 1962 brought David Jawara into office as Chief Minister. He conducted discussions with Britain and, through his influence, the Gambia became an independent country in 1965 (Pedler 43-45).
Senegal elected an assembly using universal suffrage for the first time in 1957. Senegal and the French Sudan merged in 1959 to form the Mali Federation, marking Senegal’s full independence from France on June 20, 1960. The Mali Federation, however, broke up in August of 1960 due to internal political differences, at which time Senegal and the French Sudan proclaimed independence (Pedler 171-177).
The efforts of The United States Government, combined with the influence of American civil rights activists and Africans who desired independence from their colonial rulers, led to the eventual decolonization of West Africa.

Works Cited
“The Avalon Project : THE ATLANTIC CHARTER.” Avalon Project – Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/atlantic.asp>.
Duignan, Peter, and Lewis Henry Gann. The United States and Africa a History. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1984. Print.
“Facts about Colonial Development and Welfare Act.” Encyclopedia – Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/479843/Colonial-Development-and-Welfare-Act-as-discussed-in-Southern-Africa>.
Falola, Toyin. Africa. Nationalism and Decolonization. Vol. 4. Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic, 2002. Print.
“Featured Document: The Marshall Plan.” National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 24 Apr. 2010. <http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/marshall_plan/>.
Hargreaves, John D. The End of Colonial Rule in West Africa: Essays in Contemporary History. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1979. Print.
Mazrui, Ali A., and Michael Tidy. Nationalism and New States in Africa: From about 1935 to the Present. Nairobi: Heinemann, 1984. Print.
Mendonsa, Eugene L. West Africa: an Introduction to Its History, Civilization and Contemporary Situation. Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic, 2002. Print.
Meredith, Martin. The First Dance of Freedom: Black Africa in the Postwar Era. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. Print.
Metz, Steven. “American Attitudes Toward Decolonization in Africa.” JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://www.jstor.org/pss/2149946>.
“NAACP – W.E.B. DuBois.” NAACP | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.naacp.org/about/history/dubois/index.htm>.
“Northern People’s Congress (NPC) – Oxford Islamic Studies Online.” Oxford Islamic Studies Online – Oxford Islamic Studies Online. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e1773?_hi=0&_pos=5>.
“Pan-Africanism.” Encyclopedia.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2010. <http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Pan-Africanism.aspx>.
Pedler, Frederick. Main Currents of West African History, 1940-1978. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1979. Print.
Reddy, E.S. “MARTIN LUTHER KING.” African National Congress Home Page. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/solidarity/mlking01.html>
Sullivan, Michael J. American Adventurism Abroad: Invasions, Interventions, and Regime Changes since World War II. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2008. Print.
“William Edward Burghardt Du Bois.” Africa Within. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.
<http://www.africawithin.com/bios/web_dubois.htm>.

Cracking the “man” code…?

So I was perusing the Newsweek website this morning, and decided to hit their “Book Club” again. (See [Shut up, Ladies] for my first visit)

My choice for the day? The Male Brain: A Breakthrough Understanding of How Men and Boys Think by Louann Brizedine, M.D.

Okay so right away the M.D. kind of make it seem legit, right? Don’t let it fool you.

There’s virtually no science backing up any of the stuff she says (and what little science there is isn’t explained, so you’ll either have to take her word for it, or go look it up elsewhere…[and let's be realistic, we're a pretty lazy bunch of people... who's going to go look it up?]).

The book talks about “why men cheat, pass out after sex, and tune women out.” Fascinating stuff, right? I don’t think so, but that’s not the point.

Boys like trucks and girls like dolls and the color pink. Um, no. I hated dolls. Hated them. I much preferred playing in the woods and going fishing with my dad. I also hated (and still do…) the color pink. My favorite color was always blue. Does that make me a boy? Hold on, let me check. Nope, female… 100%.  I also know tons of boys who liked playing with dolls when they were kids.

Men are more likely to cheat. Nah, I think it’s pretty 50/50 actually. I think we hear about men cheating more, so we believe that they’re the ones who do it. Have any of you seen Maury or Jerry Springer? How many crazy chicks are on there confessing to their husbands that their “child” may not really be theirs? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Boys are hard-wired to break rules. The book claims that by age 2, boys will go out of their way to break rules while a girl will stop dead in her tracks if she sees even a slight hint of fear or anger on her mother’s face. Again, don’t think so. I’ve taken care of a lot of young kids… and most of the time, the boys are much much much more well behaved than the girls. I can give the “don’t even think about it” look to a boy and most of the time, he’ll stop what he’s doing.

The bottom line? This book is a pile of garbage, and it is definitely not a “breakthrough” by any means. For centuries women have tried to understand men, and vice versa. But come on, folks, let’s be realistic. It’s not that complicated.

There is no “code” to crack. Not all men are the same. Some are going to cheat and some aren’t. Some are going to break the rules and some aren’t. It’s the same for women.

Check out Newsweek’s review of the book [Here] — They pretty much bashed it, too.

Click [Here] to buy the book on Amazon.

Coca-Cola: The Most Recognizable Brand on the Planet

This is a paper I wrote for my Advertising class. I put about 3% of effort into it, and got a 100. I assume that means it was a good paper… or that my professor was feeling very generous that day. Either way, Coke is something everyone is familiar with, and I figured I’d share.(Don’t be too hard on me, it’s definitely not my best work!)

This paper is based on a One-Hour television special on CNBC called “Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing”

You can watch the special (for a limited time) by clicking [Here]

Introduction:
On CNBC’s “Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing,” they go deep inside the world’s most recognizable brand. This one-hour special focused on the history of Coca-Cola, how it became the words most recognizable brand, its ups, downs, successes and failures. It was the first time television cameras were allowed in the company’s hidden corporate testing facility, where they study the psychology of consumer buying patterns.
The psychological studies of their customers are only a small part of the marketing phenomenon that is Coca-Cola. The company is considered the “planet’s most recognizable brand,” and the CNBC special takes a look at all the aspects that have made it such. (Dauble 1).
Key Learning Points:
A very big part of Coca-Cola’s status as the most recognizable brand on the planet is their study of the psychology of their customers. They believe that part of their success is the fact that they aren’t just selling a product, they’re selling positive feelings and memories.
In addition to selling memories and positive feelings, they have also created a specific shape for their bottle, further evoking memories. Feeling a regular bottle evokes no specific memories, but feeling a distinctly shaped bottle that you’ve been feeling for years, every time you have a family gathering, etc, reminds you of the memories created at those gatherings. Coke said in the special that they’re bringing that specific shape and feeling back.
Coke changed their formula when Pepsi started outselling them. They figured they would do what it took to be successful. Such a move, though, was actually a negative decision on Coke’s part. People were outraged by the change in formula. One woman even claimed that by changing the formula, they had “taken away” her “youth.” Coke eventually brought their original formula back as “Coke Classic,” and actually began outselling Pepsi.
Another big way Coke started selling positive feelings was during World War II. They made it a point to get their product to the soldiers fighting in the war. It was a small pleasure to the soldiers, like getting a letter from home, only it was soda.
Application of Key Learning Points:
Packaging is a big reason why Coke has had such immense success. In the very beginning, they were so popular, other companies started copying them, and it was difficult to tell them apart. To rectify the situation, Coke designed a unique bottle, so the consumer could know they were holding a bottle of Coke, even in the dark.  “Packaging is another potent means of providing product identification… the Coca-Cola bottle is recognizable both by shape and by touch,” (Jamieson 201).
“When one product evokes more positive associations than competing products, the intended audience will tell surveyors that a brand name is an important factor in determining which product to buy,” (Jamieson 205). This is a big part of Coca-Cola’s selling factor. Their secret lab is proof that they understand this. They specifically say in the special that they are selling positive associations. The one example of getting Coke to the soldiers in the war was a huge factor in positive association for Coke.

Referencing BPSF:
This special specifically addresses the Economic aspect of BPSF, which is “relating to or based on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, having practical or industrial significance or uses; affecting material resources; the business cycle that fluctuates among four stages.”
Coca-Cola is hugely involved in the economics of not only the United States, but countries all over the world. It has a huge market in South Africa. For some people, it is their main source of income.
When I was in West Africa this past January, Coca-Cola was the main drink available in restaurants, and it was sold at all the local markets at stands run by people whose main source of income was whatever they were able to sell that day. Cases of Coke were brought over on the Ferry each morning and sold throughout the day. It was amazing to see something I’m so familiar with as someone’s main source of income in a country in Africa.
The special also addressed the Quality aspect of BPSF, which is “peculiar and essential character; a degree of excellence; superiority; distinctive properties or character.” As stated several times prior, Coke is the most distinguishable brand on the planet. It’s bottle shape and feel is universally recognizable.
When Coke changed their product to compete with Pepsi, they got millions of complaints because people felt they were taking away what made Coke so special in the first place. “The new formula is as forgettable as Pepsi,” was a line in a complaint letter when Coke introduced their new product to compete with Pepsi.
Conclusion:
Coca-Cola has been around for hundreds of years, and even in these harsh economic times, it proves to be a market that will not die. It serves as the livelihood for people all over the world, and remains the most recognizable brand on the planet.
They continue to find new ways to reach their customers and never stop striving to better themselves. This is a company who’s got it figured out. Even if they struggle sometimes, one thing is quite clear: Coca-Cola isn’t going away.

Sources

Dauble, Jennifer “CNBC Presents Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing”
<http://www.cnbc.com/id/33507487/CNBC_PRESENTS_COCA_COLA_THE_REAL_STORY_BEHIND_THE_REAL_THING >

Jamieson, Kathleen and Karlyn Campbell. The Interplay of Influence: News,
Advertising, Politics, and the Internet. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing, 2005.

iPad — The Apple Tablet

Okay, so the newest thing from Apple is the iPad, which is essentially a hybrid iPhone/iPod touch and MacBook.

Starting at just $500, I’m sure it’s going to be the next Cash Cow for Apple.

I WANT one… but I’m definitely going to hold out, because currently it’s new new new technology and there are always tons of glitches to work out. Also, it does not currently have a camera, and I can only assume they will come out with a new model which will have one camera, possibly two. (One on the back like an iPhone, and one on the front like a MacBook). That way, people can use it as a regular camera and also use it to video chat via iChat and possibly Skype, which they won’t be able to do in the model they’ve got now.

Either way, this is incredible technology and something I’ve been waiting for basically since I was old enough to understand what technology was. And Apple is smart, they’re going to hear all the complaints about everything the current design of the iPad is lacking, and fix it. And then I’m going to buy one.

Anyway, here is the video about what it’s like currently. I’d LOVE to know what everyone thinks about this.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

–William Ernest Henley

I saw Invictus last night. I’ve been anticipating the premier and with good reason. It was a phenomenal film. I’ve posted links before to things regarding Nelson Mandela that are just truly inspiring. This post is no different.

I can’t help but find parallels in the history of South Africa, president Mandela helping his nation overcome their predjudices, being so forgiving of the people who put him in jail for 30 years… and the United States currently.

I don’t understand how ANYONE who knows that history, or has seen that movie… can maintain their ignorance and predjudice. Let Nelson Mandela be your inspiration to let it go.

See this movie, because Morgan Freeman did an outstanding job portraying Mandela, and Clint Eastwood has delivered, yet again, a masterpiece which cannot be ignored.

I know, I know people, that I say this every time I see an inspiring film… but PLEASE open your eyes, your ears, your hearts… to the message contained within this film. You’ll be a better person for it. And if you’re not touched… if you still hold on to your racist thoughts and your ignorant ways… I urge you to see my most recent poem, Humanity, because you’re the reason I wrote it.

A Poem, Misinterpreted.

The poem below is by T.S. Elliot. It is called “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”.

I literally got into an argument with one of my college English professors regarding the meaning of this poem. Mainly because she told me I was wrong in my interpretation. Forgive me, but poetry is to each what they make of it.

She told me that this poem is about a “dirty old man” who thinks of “sex” and things of the like.

See, I don’t get that. To me, it is about a man who is struggling with the decision of whether to go on living, or to die. I’ll bold the sections that make me believe this.

I’d love your interpretations as well.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

S’io credesse che mia risposta fosse
A persona che mai tornasse al mondo,
Questa fiamma staria senza piu scosse.
Ma perciocche giammai di questo fondo
Non torno vivo alcun, s’i’odo il vero,
Senza tema d’infamia ti rispondo.

LET us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats            5
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question …            10
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,            15
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,            20
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;            25
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;            30
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

In the room the women come and go            35
Talking of Michelangelo.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair— 40
[They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—
[They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]
Do I dare            45
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

For I have known them all already, known them all:—
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,            50
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?

And I have known the eyes already, known them all—            55
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?            60
And how should I presume?

And I have known the arms already, known them all—
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare
[But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!]
It is perfume from a dress            65
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And should I then presume?
And how should I begin?
.      .      .      .      .
Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets            70
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?…

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.
.      .      .      .      .
And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!            75
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep … tired … or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?            80
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,            85
And in short, I was afraid.

And would it have been worth it, after all,
After the cups, the marmalade, the tea,
Among the porcelain, among some talk of you and me,
Would it have been worth while,            90
To have bitten off the matter with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe into a ball
To roll it toward some overwhelming question,
To say: “I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all”—            95
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: “That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all.”

And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,            100
After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—
And this, and so much more?—
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:            105
Would it have been worth while
If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl,
And turning toward the window, should say:
“That is not it at all,
That is not what I meant, at all.”
.      .      .      .      .            110
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,            115
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.

I grow old … I grow old …            120
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me. 125

I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.

We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown            130
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

Boobs, Blood, and Bad Acting

The Final Destination… the fourth installment of the series of films about people who ultimately cheated Death and then were the victims of it’s revenge, falls short of its counterparts.

While the addition of 3D makes this film more visually interesting, it doesn’t make up for the lack of story and terrible acting.

In the first three films there was blood, guts, and a STORY.

The first Final Destination was obviously the most original and had an actual story line to follow. The second one included a cast member from the first film to tie the two together. Not bad as far as sequels go. The third was an attempt to keep the story alive, they made up for their “three-quel” attempt by at least having decent acting and original causes of death.

The Final Destination was clearly stretching to maintain it’s image. It is by far the most blood and guts film in the family. This is amplified by the film being in 3D. The acting was horrendous.The story line was virtually non-existent. We’re all going to die! Oh no, let’s try to save the next person! Oh no, they died. And so on… until everyone died.

To its credit, there were a few humorous moments and a few edge of your seat moments. I also found it interesting that in the opening credits they showed the ways the people in the previous films were killed. A nice touch, but it doesn’t make up for everything the film is lacking.

It is not lacking sexual references and boobs, however. It seems that horror/gore films are putting more and more naked girls in their films… to draw an audience? I’m not sure. I could definitely do without seeing a random chicks boobs, though, especially when they have literally NO place in the story.. not that there was much of a story in the first place.

This is NOT a film for those with weak stomachs or young children.

**.5 because they did do a good job with the special effects.

Nora Helmer – Character Analysis

Nora Helmer
“A Doll’s House”

Click here For the Sparknotes breakdown of the play

Nora Helmer, the protagonist in the play “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Isben, is essentially a doll living the life of luxury. She is initially spoiled by her father as a child, and later, spoiled by her husband, Torvald Helmer. Torvald refers to Nora as things such as “…my little [twittering] lark…”(424), and “…poor little girl”(427). This is the initial image pained of Nora as the play opens.
There are other key clues to who Nora truly is right from the opening of the play as well. “She is laughing to herself, as she takes off her hat and coat. She takes a pocket of macaroons from her pocket and eats one or two; then goes cautiously to her husband’s door and listens” (424). This implies that she is willing to do things displeasing to her husband (behind his back) in order to gratify her own pleasure.
It is also clearly revealed in the opening of the play that Nora took out a loan of “two hundred and fifty pounds” (429) in order to pay for a “wonderfully beautiful journey” to Italy that “saved Torvald’s life” (429). This further illustrates Nora’s willingness to do things displeasing to her husband, for he made if starkly clear that he does not approve of frivolous spending or borrowing money. In this particular instance however, Nora does not do so in order to gratify herself, but rather to save the life of her husband.
Before act one is over it is already clear that Nora is sly, and even somewhat manipulative, but she also seems to be vastly dependant on her husband (or at least his approval). When Mrs. Linde asks if Nora has told Torvald about the loan she replies “Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now” (432). This implies that she is willing to go to great lengths to keep her husband in good health, but she also is not willing to tell him the truth, lest it disrupt their perfect dollhouse.
Nora cannot be thought of as ignorant to her situation of being just a doll in Torvald’s house. On page 432 after Mrs. Linde asks if Nora will ever tell Torvald of the loan, Nora says “Yes—some day perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now. Don’t laugh at me! I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him; then it may be a good thing to have something in reserve…” This clearly indicates that Nora is aware that Torvald thinks of her as merely a trophy, a toy, a doll, for the purpose of nothing more than his amusement. He does not think of Nora as his wife, and she knows this. “[I]t may be good to have something in reserve..” indicates that when she is no longer attractive, she will still have some sort of a hold over Torvald, further illustrating her sly and devious nature.
It is also clear in act one that Nora is more of a playmate (doll) to her children than she is a mother. “Come, let us have a game! What shall we play at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we’ll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first. Must I hide? Very well, I’ll hide first (She and the children laugh and shout, and romp in and out of the room; at last Nora hides under the table, the children rush in and look for her, but do not see her; they hear her smother laughter, run to the table, lift up the cloth and find her. Shouts of laughter. She crawls forward and pretends to frighten them)”(437). It is apparent the children don’t view her as a mother, more of an interactive toy.
During act two, Nora’s “perfect life” is disrupted by her anxiety over the loan she took out. Krogstad tells her she committed a crime by forging her father’s signature on the loan and essentially uses this information to blackmail her. Nora, being so anxiety ridden, tries to plead Krogstad’s case to Torvald, who wants nothing to do with Krogstad or Nora’s pleas on his behalf.
Torvald does not take Nora seriously at all. On page 443 after Nora’s confrontation with Krogstad, Torvald says “Didn’t you tell me no one had been here? (Shakes his finger at her.) My little song-bird must never do that again. A song-bird must have a clean beak to chirp with—no false notes!” By referring to Nora as animal names, it becomes clear that Torvald does not even view Nora as a human being.
During act three, the culmination of each seeming small detail in the previous acts finally causes Nora to identify with who she really is; a strong willed woman buried under the shadow of men who don’t take her seriously.  Nora’s decision to leave Torvald and her children might initially seem selfish, however once each aspect of her life is examined, it becomes clear that she is doing only what is necessary for her survival. Nora is no more a mother to her children than she is a wife to Torvald. To each she is merely a toy serving as nothing more than cheap entertainment.
Nora’s decision to leave was not selfish; it was completely justified. Nora finally found herself after years of being buried. It was clear from the beginning that she knew who she was, and what people had turned her into. In the end, she did only what she felt was necessary and should not be looked down upon for it.

The Naked and the Nude – analysis

The Naked and the Nude

My personal analysis

Refer to the Poem “The Naked and the Nude” by Robert Graves

According to Graves, Naked is for love, for medicine, for truth. Nude is for sex, for art, for lies. The differences between the two are immense. Why then, are the two used interchangeably? Graves, in his poem, points out the innocence of those who use the two as one, and offers his own experience to express the true differences.
Graves presents his points in a clear and succinct way. The poem flows allowing the reader to transition from stanza to stanza with ease. His use of simple words such as “love from lies, or truth from art” evoke a powerful response from the reader. While the words are simple and well known, they are also personal enough to convey the powerful message he is trying to send.
Naked is honesty, for each individual is born naked. Doctors look upon naked bodies as nothing more than naked bodies. Naked is for those in love. It does not evoke powerful sexual thrills from strangers, only from the one love. Naked is history. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were created naked, and it was natural and honest.
Nude is a lie, for one is not born nude. Nude is a flagrant display of the body to evoke sexual thrills from any eyes, not solely from they eyes of one lover. Nude is something created from sin. When Eve commits the first sin, she and Adam become Nude.
Graves does not paint a powerful picture through his poem, but he does send a powerful message through his artist construction of words. He offers insight on a subject most tend to accept as common. The differences between the meaning of Naked and Nude are not often contemplated in the way Graves contemplates them, and causes his readers to contemplate them.

The Starbucks Experience – Review

The Starbucks Experience

Book Review

(Focusing specifically on the Five Ways of Being)

They call themselves the “litter picker-uppers”; they greet us with smiles and help us get a jump-start on our mornings. They are clad in green or black aprons and they don’t just sell us coffee. The Starbucks partners (we know them as employees) pride themselves on selling us not just coffee, but also a lifestyle, an experience unique to any other.
“Leaders at Starbucks have provided a structure that allows partners to infuse themselves into their work, so that they can inspire customers in legendary ways.” These legendary ways are known to these leaders as the “Five Ways of Being”. These five ways are “Be welcoming, Be genuine, Be considerate, Be knowledgeable, and Be involved”. These five ways, along with a management development pamphlet better known as the Green Apron Book “’Truly encapsulates the core philosophies of Starbucks. Cover to cover, it may take five minutes to read…Think about it. In essence, the company is marketing to its employees how important the principles and philosophies contained in this book are.” Says David M. Martin, and industry leader in retail banking solutions worldwide. (20-21).
These concepts seem relatively simple on a basic level, but they are lacking in many areas of customer service in other companies. Starbucks, in this way, is unique, which is why the experience they are selling is so unique. One of the simplest ways they do this is their first way of being “be welcoming”. Barista Joy Wilson, a Starbucks partner, shares just how simple it is to “be welcoming”. “I’m the drive-though queen at my store” Barista say. “I always set out to do the best job I possibly can. One of the ways I do that is I learn people’s names and drinks and the name of their dog and where their kids go to school and whatever else I can find out about them.” (23)
Did you know in order to wear a black apron, a Starbucks employee must “complete a significant number or hours of paid training, pass a series of content-based tests with high proficiency and lead a number of coffee tastings.” These black apron clad partners are knows as “Coffee Masters”. They are the partners with a true passion to be coffee experts (35). This takes their fourth “way of being” to a whole new level. How many people at Dunkin Donuts do you think have gone to such extensive lengths just to help serve you better? Odds are, few to none.
Their fifth way of being, “Be involved” means be involved “in the store, in the company, and in the community.” “Starbucks leaders capture the passion and vitality of their people by encouraging the 100,00-plus partners to take an active role at the store, business, and community levels.” Howard Schultz says “ People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be a part of something that touches their hearts.” By being so involved in everything ranging from their specific store, to their community and those surrounding, Starbucks partners have a multitude of opportunities to be a part of something that touches their hearts.
These ways of being are all part of something much larger, they are part of the first of five principles that Starbucks uses to be successful in selling a lifestyle. This first principle is “Make It Your Own”. The other four principles include “Everything matters, Surprise and delight, Embrace resistance, and finally, Leave your mark.” Each one of these alone is powerful in and of them self, but together they create a force that has propelled Starbucks into a whole new range of business. Starbucks is not JUST a coffee shop. It is a place to go to get away from the monotony of every day life. It is a place to meet with friends and catch up on each other’s lives. It is a place where employees become friends and can turn a bad day into a great one using any to all of the five principles that have made them what they are.
In the book “The Starbucks Experience” customers from Starbucks, as well as Starbucks partners share their stories of positive experiences and pleasant surprises they’ve encountered while at Starbucks, be it working or ordering a drink. From first time customers to seasoned regulars, the book is peppered with inspirational stories that will have you eagerly turning pages until the very end. The book itself is an experience, just as is going to Starbucks.