Voodoo Essay -- Voudun Hoodoo Voo doo Religion

Voodoo Throughout history people have feared that which they do not understand. This is even more evident with the topic of witchcraft. With such events, as the Salem witch trials and the inquisition-like attacks on religions, not socially accepted by the majority, demonstrates what happens when intolerance and fear of beliefs not like any other take hold in a culture. Even in the 20th century, a religion exists in the southern United States that intimidates people through prayer, ceremonies, gris-gris, and superstition. This religion is known by names such as Voudun, Hoodoo, and most popular Voodoo The word Voodoo is an intimidating word to many because of the images it brings to the mind of black magic, evil, and death that are associated with it. Voodoo is a religion that is very unique and interesting to examine. The roots of Voodoo are traced back to West Africa, continues on to Haiti and other islands via the slaves and then brought to New Orleans also through slavery. There is a difference in the Voodoo of each of these locations due to peoples' influence on it and according to its need at each location. In West Africa, the people took the view that all things lived and died but when something did die its spirit would linger close to the loved ones to help them in this world. They believed in a spirit world that was ruled by a supreme God just as Catholicism believes in God and Heaven. The Voodoo culture took the view that the supreme God was busy doing the most important work and this resulted in the followers asking sub-deities (loas) to carry their message to God for them. Loas, similar to saints or angels, had unique powers but they also were associated with specific physical traits, favorite ... ... others not even within the rat it is no different from the major religions of the world. By looking more in depth at Voodoo, the ability to determine whether to use the religion for good or evil is a test in itself. Unless one has faith in the beliefs of a given religion, will be seen as a negative belief of evil by those who do not understand. As humans, a bias naturally exists for our own personal beliefs and traditions. Explore and understand what is against your own belief and what could be found may be a surprise. Bibliography and Footnotes: 4. Bodin, Ron, Voodoo: Past and Present.( Lafayette: University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1990.) pp.39 3. Haskins, Jim, Voodoo and Hoodoo. (Lanham: Scarborough House, 1990.) pp.128 and 191 1 and 2. Hurbon, Laennec, Voodoo: Search for the Spirit. (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1995.) pp. 38-39

What do you find particularly memorable in the language the poet uses in Caged Bird?

In the poem, Caged Bird, by Maya Angelou, the language has been employed effectively. She has defined her own structure, so as to find the sound, tempo and rhythm that are most suitable for this poem. The imagery, as well as the sounds, with which the poet uses to aid in the conveyance of her message and ideals, has been executed effectively. Furthermore, the use of contrast and comparison is central to the poem and is presented in a powerful, albeit straightforward manner. Angelou has chosen to shape the structure of a poem to benefit her own ideals, and has achieved this remarkably. This is apparent as, even though each line has a different number of beats, the first line only having four, the second, having six and the fourth having five, the poem in its entirety is still lyrical and musical, and this lyrical style ties in with the poem's image, that of a caged bird, which â€Å"sings with a fearful trill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By opting not to constrain her poem through the use of rigid meters, rhythm and general structure, each stanza, or rather, each line contributes to the poem's overall idea. Whilst the structure is integral to the poem, so is the use of enjambment. In the first stanza, the structure is smooth and the words flow continuously. The poet has employed enjambment to help make the verse sound more free and boundless, in accordance with the image of a free bird, which â€Å"leaps on the back of the wind†. The structure of the stanzas do not inhibit the meaning of them, but instead, helps to develop them, and it is this skill with which Angelou writes that makes the poem as a whole, effective and memorable. Moreover, Angelou has employed imagery to her advantage in this poem. By using strong, connotative words, she has created a stronger image for the reader to imagine. Her use of effective and clear adjectives, as well as strong, effective metaphors, create a compelling picture which helps the reader to visualize the â€Å"dawn-bright lawn† and â€Å"sighing trees†, thereby enabling the reader to clearly understand the image. The metaphors allow the reader to comprehend the poet's vision, and this is used again when she writes â€Å"the caged bird stands on the grave of dreams† as well as the lines, â€Å"dips his wing in the orange sun's rays†. This use of strong adjectives and stronger metaphors help to clearly impress upon the reader the image which the poet has intended for us to envision. Additionally, Angelou has utilized sound to its greatest effect in each of the poem's stanzas. This has been done to help set the overall tone of the verse and the entire poem. The reader can see this in the first stanza, where Angelou has used softer, longer vowel and consonant sounds to help add to the soft, carefree atmosphere of the stanza. This can be seen with words like â€Å"free†, â€Å"leaps†, and â€Å"floats†. This is again seen in the fourth stanza, through the use of sounds that accentuate the softness of the ambience, which is apparent in the words, â€Å"breeze†, â€Å"soft†, and â€Å"sighing†. In contrast to this, harder, shorter vowel and consonant sounds help to illustrate the bleak, wretched atmosphere of the cage in stanzas two and five. These sounds are used in â€Å"stalks†, â€Å"clipped†, and â€Å"scream†. This use of sound throughout the poem helps the reader to understand the contrasting atmos pheres and the overall tone of the poem. Angelou has centred her poem on the contrast and comparison of the free bird and the caged bird. This contrast portrays the differences between the lives of these two birds. In the first stanza, the free bird â€Å"floats downstream† and â€Å"dips his wings in the orange sun's rays†. This helps the reader to understand the carefree nature of the free bird. In contrast, in the second stanza, the caged bird â€Å"stalks down his narrow cage† and his â€Å"wings are clipped and his feet are tied†. This contrast between the free bird and the caged bird is an effective method, which Angelou enlists, to convey her beliefs and to ensure that the reader can understand her intentions, as well as making the poem memorable and appealing. Angelou has effectively written her poem, and in the process has made it memorable. Her choice not to follow a standard structure has proven fulfilling, as her structure has successfully expressed her message. In addition, the imagery with which she portrays her visualization has helped to impress an image upon the reader, which is helped by the use of different sounds through the poem that enables the reader to fully grasp the mood of the stanzas. This, in turn, helps the contrast and comparisons in the poem to be made more prominent, which ultimately allows Angelou to successfully convey her message, that of the luxuries of freedom, and, in comparison, the bonds of an oppressive society.

Diversity in Groups - 959 Words

Module Five: Diversity in Groups Eli Neff ITT Technical Institute The modern day business model depends on many different factors in order to be successful. One of the most important factors in both internal and external business affairs is the ability to effectively communicate within different cultures, also known as intercultural communication. Intercultural communication happens when two groups or individuals from different backgrounds come together to communicate (Lanqua Team). With the growing amount of diversity in the workplace, intercultural communication is becoming more and more important when leading a business. Globalization With the invention of the internet, businesses across the globe are finding it easier and†¦show more content†¦Celebrating what makes us different, be it cultural values, beliefs, or even skills makes for better teamwork. Seeing how someone is different from you rather than the same forces you to look at them as an individual and understand why they hold the beliefs they do. Becoming more tolerant of others in the workplace is simple but for some people can be very difficult. We must constantly evaluate our own behavior and beliefs in order to treat people fairly. Our prejudices can lead to discrimination, which leads to poor team communication and an unfriendly or even unsafe work environment. Some ways of dealing with the challenges a diverse workplace provides are identifying and eliminating barriers to the utilization of diversity, creating a structure for dealing with personal conflicts, fostering relationships between people in the workplace with different cultural or personal backgrounds, and identifying when miscommunications between members happen so they can be clarified and avoided later. (Johnson amp; Johnson, 2013) Conclusion Embracing each other’s cultural and personal background and beliefs is the key to a healthy and functional diverse workplace. Diversity is unavoidable in today’s business model since globalization is at its zenith, and making sure that we are tolerant of others is the best way to keep it there. One of the many challenges that businessShow MoreRelatedGenerational Diversity Groups : A Generational Group Essay1074 Words   |  5 PagesThere are four generational diversity groups. In this paper I will discuss the four groups, including each group’s name, timeframe, and the characteristics of each group. Then, I will discuss the group in which I belong and the characteristics of the group that I possess. Lastly, I will choose a different group than my own and describe how each group can learn from th e other. Overview of Four Generations There are four generational groups. The first I will discuss is the Veterans (1925-1945). 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