Critical Analysis on Fools Crow by James Welch Essay

Critical Analysis on Fools Crow by James Welch - Essay Example It is, moreover, the poetry f "singers" like Ray Anthony Young Bear, Simon J. Ortiz, Joy Harjo, Wendy Rose, the late William Oandasan, Geary Hobson, Linda Hogan, and, again, Welch--especially in Riding the Earthboy Forty ( 1971; rev. ed., 1975)--that brings into greater focus the reason for this noticeable recurrence f seemingly antiheroic, alienated, and benumbed protagonists, singers, and speakers at odds with their pasts and the times and places in which they find themselves. It is the simultaneous impetus f atavism and modernism--the need, as Young Bear phrases it, "to be there, standing beside our grandfathers, being ourselves" and by meeting that need, to bring meaning to the twentieth-century predicament. (McCoy 110-112) An exorcism first: this is not "just another Custer book," nor is it unbalanced in any way by James Welch's aboriginal heritage. It is, in fact, a valuably enhanced examination f "the most depicted event in our [American] history" (p. 22). It incorporates the results f recent, innovative research methodology, using topographical and time-motion studies. It benefits, too, from an opportune archeological investigation by a young Canadian archeologist, Richard Fox f the University f Calgary, who conducted a timely dig following a 1983 grassfire which revealingly denuded the Little Bighorn battlefield. Welch had access to his family's oral-tradition accounts (his great-grandmother, Red Paint Woman, survived the Baker Massacre f 1870, about which more later); and by Welch's stylistic gifts (he is an acclaimed poet, novelist, and screenwriter). The book, solidly documented, also bears some well-controlled, reader-friendly hallmarks f "the nonfiction novel." It evolved quite naturally from a year and a half f research which was distilled into a twenty-two page scenario for a PBS documentary film (Last Stand at Little Bighorn, directed by Paul Stekler and aired in late 1992). Welch recapitulates, succinctly and clearly, the context and circumstances f the Little Bighorn disaster, focusing consistently and persuasively on the broad complex f cultural, economic, and philosophical factors which, conjoined, made that event inevitable. He does not indulge himself in Custer-bashing, so irresistibly tempting to so many recent non-Native investigators. Nor does he romanticize the often unsophisticated -- and, at times, hapless -- late nineteenth century Blackfeet; he is, on occasion, bluntly condemnatory, even though he clearly understands the almost irresistible pressures which undermined effectual Native solidarity then and now. (G ish 309-11) He is unblinking in his assessment f the basic motives f both sides: the whites wanted the vast northwestern hunting grounds f the Natives; the Natives, eager for the material trade goods which would make their hard lives easier, were willing to cede some f their land. There was, unfortunately, never any chance that a just exchange was possible. Welch points out, sardonically but without much rancor, that western Plains aboriginals lost their holistic lifestyle when the buffalo were transmuted by planned, systematic slaughter into fur coats, industrial belting, and bonemeal for the eastern industries f the whites; they were also degraded by

Negative Effects of Advertising on American Youth Essay

Negative Effects of Advertising on American Youth - Essay Example One of the ways through which companies use technology is through advertising and marketing. Through this, companies communicate with consumers, mainly creating awareness about their new products, or promoting their companies, for increased profitability. Marketing and advertising benefits the company the most, since this promotes company products, hence more sales for the company. On the other hand, consumers too benefit from marketing and advertising, as this makes them aware of the products in the market by different companies, thus are able to make their purchasing decision, after comparing various products in the market. However, advertising and marketing is also known to have negative influences on the target population for which the adverts are aimed. Marketing and advertising has negative effects on the youth in America, and these include eating disorders and obesity, body dissatisfaction, violence, and consumerism. Commercial broadcasting is highly used by different companie s today. The television is the most known for airing most commercials advertisements today. This is probably because more people have access to the television; therefore, companies can reach a larger number of people through the television. On the other hand, print magazines are also a channel for advertisements, which is used by different companies. Most youth, especially the females, are highly attracted to fashion magazines, which are available and produced by various companies. Similarly, outdoor advertising, which involves different outdoor activities planned by a company, are mainly aimed at promoting the company and its products. Other forms of outdoor advertising include transit posters, bus adverts, bench advertising, and highway billboards, which communicate various messages from a company to the public. Nonetheless, apart from promoting and boosting company sales, these different forms of advertising have negative effects on the youth in America. Advertisements and the ap proach used therein are considered to brainwash most people and affect the perspective of people on morals and self-image (Harper, Brit and Tiggemann 645). In the United States, there is the right to freedom of speech for advertisers, and this could probably be the reason why these sometimes ignore the negative implications of most of their advertisements. With regard to body dissatisfaction, most youth in America are influenced by the body images in various advertisements, and therefore, think of those as the ideal body images (Hargreaves and Tiggemann 469). In television advertisements for beauty products for both male and females, model women and men are used. In the past, women models were portrayed as plumb and healthy, however, today, models are portrayed as skinny (Sparks 217). On the other hand, male models on television advertisements today are portrayed as men with steroidal masses, with muscles, and great strength. According to Hargreaves and Tiggemann, the exposure to th e model body images in television advertisements has a negative impact on the perceptions of the youth about their bodies (470). These might therefore, look for ways of attaining the â€Å"ideal† body, as portrayed in television advertisements. The second negative effect of advertisements to the youth in America is obesity and eating disorders. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States today. This problem affects the youth also, and this is highly attributed to the massive advertisements shown on the television and other advertising platforms, promoting fast food. Obesity is lethal, since this could lead to type 2 diabetes. The main factor promoting this in the United Sta