Stoker’s Dracula also has many scenes whereupon the critical lens of Feminism may be used to describe situations. Mina is a woman in the Victorian Era who could be considered at the time to be your normal Victorian woman or at least the ideal Victorian woman. In chapter 6 of Dracula, it can be seen that she maintains this ideal version of the Victorian when she says “No news from Jonathan, I’m getting quite worried about him” (Stoker 62) along with the context that Jonathan has been missing for a month she could have with ease left the house and went to find a new man to be with during the time but instead stays loyal to Jonathan and also shows that she is worried about him. This right here confirms the traditional values and how women were back then as it shows that women are to be loyal with no exceptions.
We also see throughout the book that mina is a very intelligent and loyal woman who did only traditional women things which even proves how women or at least how society expected them to be and it’s to be more like Mina.With all this information we can compare it to the three daughters of Dracula that are seen as evil and impure by society’s expectations.These women are looked down upon for being so drastically less prudent. When the book says “I felt in my heart a burning wicked desire, that they would kiss me with those red lips” (Stoker 33) in the book it makes it look intended that these women that are challenging the norm for the normal Victorian era women that they are evil because they were tempting Harker into betraying his wife.Stoker confirms his beliefs in that women should always be following the traditional value by connecting evil to super sexualized women and we can see him making this connection with this quote because these women have the power to make men turn against their wives and destroy their families which is evil and only sexual women could do this.With the use of the feminist lens, we can see how women are portrayed during this time with the two scenes used and also Stoker’s belief on women and how confirms the traditional women and along this we can compare the two to see and find out how society treated and thought of women.
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Awareness: Educations The Path To Inclusion
Moral compass is what guides one’s actions. Socioeconomic and political events hinder groups’ advancement as a community. Distribution of power in America is seen amongst different ethnicity groups causing disadvantages for certain social classes. When people accumulate power through generations, it is nearly impossible for those excluded to become involved in political affairs. Throughout history, African Americans have been targeted and discriminated in America. In Calvin Warren’s “Ontological Terror,” he describes the social and political status of African Americans in the United States of America. Warren presents philosophical ideas on identity, oppression, and awareness. Warren’s tone in the introduction is seen as aggressive to some. One might find the author brave and admirable. Warren also writes on the black awareness of black communities. Emotions may be an effective way of impacting different social classes. Another intellectual is Martin Luther King Jr. He was a civil right leader during the mid-1900s. Being a scholar and growing up in times of extreme racism, King was well versed in an array of skills. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King’s focus is spreading thoughts on injustice, racial inequality, and segregation in America. Dealing with these with sensitive topics with nonviolent actions. Although both scholars are working towards freedom and equality, King and Warren have different methods to combat inequality. If African Americans are not educated then they will lack social and political awareness. Therefore, not being able to advance in America.
During the 20th century, Dr. King was very outspoken in religion. Having no supported King was conflicted with Americans view on African Americans even those who were a clergyman. In “Letter of Birmingham Jail” King proposes his “nonviolent campaign” into steps to four different steps, “injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action” (pg 255). These four steps might sound simple to your average African American, but when you begin to break even one step to its core it becomes very complicates. He goes on about injustices which black people can come across. King needs to be sure African Americans know the pain being inflicted towards black people. Recognizing the problems as being unjust African American may realize they do not need to live through racial inequalities. Action that was being taken on African Americans were Lynching and racial profiling. Americans may only be influenced by black communities only if white people feel emotional pain by black people. King references his religious background on “just” and “unjust” laws (pg. 259). Just laws coming from an entity with high moral standards. An unjust law being a man-made law which “degrades certain groups of people (King 259).
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King is baffled because many Americans will follow something imperfect or unjust. Even though lynchings, bombings, and terrorism towards African Americans, desegregation was inevitable. During King’s time, African Americans did not have the privilege to have a proper education. This led to the lack of what can or cannot be done. Black people could not justify which laws benefitted them if any. Black people had to rely on scholars like King to help build awareness and education on wrongdoings in America. King also talks about black scholars who tried to negotiate with white American locals with power. Everyone did not want to partake in dialogue of African American issues. This shows the lack of communication America had when it comes to delicate topics. When it comes to political or social problems, white Americans tend to stay away from the discussion because of their sense of superiority in socio-economics. Respect is not given to the black community, so no progress is made due to not being acknowledged. In Zenub Kakli’s, “Doing the Work: A Portrait of African American Mother as an Education Activist” talks of the opportunities and inequalities education can put on a race. She states, “African Americans…pursue educational equity because of the lack of promising opportunities (pg 4). Education not only breaks barriers but builds a stable foundation so black societies can even on par with those who are privileged. If black people do not take their schooling serious then African Americans will remain oppressed because they will arsenal to fight with.
Calvin Warren also believes in direct action and the self-purification steps, but in a slightly different approach than Dr. King. Warren is upfront without censoring his tone. In “Ontological Terror” the author speaks of not “being” in a “metaphysical” world (pg. 1-2). Many problems arise with the socioeconomic disadvantages African Americans deal with. When black communities have less capital to work with, their areas of living do not advance. Warren then talks about racial profiling occurring towards African Americans, which involves the systemic racism in courts across America. Meaning if a white or black individual commits the same crime, the black individual is given a longer sentence or even the death penalty. Warren explains in his lecture and talks to young citizens, the white American population disregards black people as a population. The faster black people realize they are only seen as “tools,” then actions may be taken for acknowledgement as an ethnic group (Warren 4). Currently, there are many African Americans who do not finish high school and are working blue collar jobs.
Labor workers often do not make much money annually. This forces African Americans to live an unhealthy lifestyle and forced into areas of high-violence. When people are completely clueless about their social and political awareness, it leads people to be taken advantage of without even noticing. Therefore, it is important for a good education system to be available to all Americans. It will often even out the playing field in politics. The more intellectual people are, the more opportunities they receive, allowing them to climb in the capitalistic state they live in. However, Warren states there is “no solution to the problem of antiblackness; it will continue without end, as long as the world exists” (pg. 3). This is true to a certain degree because even in a future with good education people will always be in an imbalance world in terms of the workforce. The corporate latter despite education, difficulty leaving community to help parents. The reason being there are people that will always be better than you at something. This is also why not everyone can be a professional sports player. Being also Emotional resistance optionally resistant can help one lead however, not everyone knows how. The author brings up, “re-ensalvement of an entire generation” for the current “black youth” in various setting. The reality brings people are enslaved in private prisons and in low-end jobs, legally. Companies paying the least amount possible and making a larger profit and paying the minimum to their employees.
In, “Phenomenological Experiences of African American Men in the Aftermath of the Zimmerman Trial,” both Jennifer J. Matthews and Matthew L. Lyons spoke with African American participants. Leon one of seven participants is a Christian man from the South with a bachelor’s degrees claims, “We’ve got to be determined…to get an education… to be productive citizens” (pg. 12). The reason many black people are in these low-end jobs is due to education. When one is not able to develop proper skills, it is harder to find well paying jobs in any area field. Jobs with low wages usually are repetitive and do not require people to think. Repetitive jobs only require following instructions and managers expect these workers to work in a fast timely manner to produce better profits. This also can lead injuries and many African Americans cannot afford medical treatments which will reduce a family’s longevity in society. However, when education is implemented into the lives of black people then you may begin to venture into different occupation. Whether a black individual wants to a social worker, doctor, or a financer, the pay gap from minimum wage to someone with a degree is large. With more money, African Americans will be able to relocate from areas of low socioeconomic status and give their children a better future if they plan to do so. Although living situations may improve with education it still will not alleviate issues of racism and inequality in America. Having knowledge is only the beginning for black society. It is up for the black community to use their education to impact the lives of those who oppose them.
Whether African Americans are not aware socially and politically, Calvin Warren & Dr. King argue the struggles most black communities face will not end. Although very little has changed, it is important for African Americans to be aware of their social surrounding and people’s political views. Even though Dr. King was assassinated doing something noble for his people. If he were to live today, his agenda would have not change. African Americans today must live in fear because of the lack of government change. Black people carry themselves differently in day to day living to not set off law-enforcement. The more educated people are, the easier it is to fight back re-enslavement and systemic racism. People are only taken advantage of when they are blind to the world. This leads to questioning the Black Lives Matter movement. Even though it has been a small movement, what changes must be implemented so the movement succeeds and has a bigger impact not only in America but internationally? The 21st century will be very important to our youth with more problems occurring in our day to day life, in identity politics, technology, and environmental/political issues. Who can say one problem is more important than the other? Communicating amongst each other is very important because protesting is very dangerous. If people are fighting and dying for nothing, then what is the point of risking one’s life. It is important to have the self-purification phase of Dr. King’s plan or to hear a scholar speak like Warren. The more united, aware, and open people are toward these problems, they may make a greater impact in their continuing struggle to equality.
Work Cited
- Jacobus, Lee A. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Tenth Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2017. pp. 254-269. Print
- MATTHEWS, JENNIFER J., and MATTHEW L. LYONS. “Phenomenological Experiences of African American Men in the Aftermath of the Zimmerman Trial.” Journal of Counselor Practice, vol. 6, no. 2, October. 2015, pp 76-93.Web. EBSCOhost, search ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=110744649&scope=site.
- CALVIN L. WARREN. “Ontological Terror: Blackness, Nihilism, and Emancipation.”Durham: Duke university press book, 2018. pp. 1-25. Print
- Kakli, Zenub. “Doing the Work: A Portrait of an African American Mother as an Education Activists.” Urban Review, vol. 43, no. 2, June 2011. Web. 28 April. 2019. pp. 175-195