Essay Analyzing Benjamin Banneker's Argument Against Slavery

Link to my essay

Key Points of "Politics and the English Language"

     The thesis of George Orwell's essay, "Politics and the English Language" is undeniably that the use of English as a whole is going downhill as a result of cultural influences. He goes on to support this by providing five examples which he believes exemplify this decaying of language that later support his major claims in the essay. Additionally, Orwell goes on to note various common writing errors and discusses methods to produce work of better quality. Overall, in my opinion, here are the key pieces of advice Orwell presents...

     The main point that struck me in reading this essay is the emphasis Orwell places on keeping all writing concise. Basically, he argues that long words, if possible, should be excluded and replaced by more straightforward ones. He argues that lengthy words and their repeated usage, work to make the writer sound egotistic rather than intelligent. Similarly, Orwell states that phrases and sentences should be kept short as well. He expresses that if unnecessary words can be found in any work of writing, they should be eliminated, as they only add unimportant clutter. Furthermore, going on the apparently key theme of the essay, he insists that the less there is of excess, the better, as a simplistic writing style proves the most effective.

     Another interesting aspect of this essay is Orwell's insistence on the elimination of foreign, scientific, and jargon words from the English vocabulary. He states that there is "no real need for any of the hundreds of foreign phrases now in current English" and criticizes the words for adding both vagueness and pretentiousness to the language. Orwell believes that the sole reason these words are so commonly used is because poor writers use them to conceal their incompetence when it comes to writing.

     Lastly, Orwell places high emphasis on originality. He criticizes the over usage of commonplace phrases that only add generic blandness to writing, citing many metaphors as examples. The detriments of these phrases are great, he argues, as they foster laziness in writers who settle for a preconceived label rather than taking the time to engineer one themselves.

Research Paper Topic

The topic I will be covering for my research paper is immigration, and more specifically the shift in American attitudes from their prior state regarding the heated subject. I will investigate the reasons behind the newfound opposition to today’s immigrants and research possible solutions to the problem.

The controversy surrounding my topic spawns from the fact that immigration is a touchy issue in our society today. It is undeniably clear that there has been a new influx of immigrants in recent times, particularly from Mexico. Furthermore, this new section of the American population is changing society is very visible ways-- socially, economically, and culturally.  Many individuals have strong opinions on the subject, but choose not to voice them to avoid any awkward confrontation. For my paper, I am going to attempt to uncover these unexpressed feelings through previously conducted surveys and studies in an effort to determine possible solution to end the unfair prejudices that have subsequently arisen.

Emotionally, I think I represent a somewhat neutral standpoint. I myself am not an immigrant, nor are my parents, and as an obviously Caucasian individual, I feel as if I can speak of the topic without too much of a personal bias affecting my claims. Having immigrant grandparents though and growing up in America, a country which has always been a sort of melting pot, founded by immigrants fleeing their homelands, I can definitely relate to the influences of immigrants on the nature of our nation.

In order to make my paper unique, I am going to conduct interviews with immigrants that I know, both legal and illegal, injecting realistic perspective into my writing. Moreover, I will consult people of various ages regarding the subject to discover if opinion on immigration is related to time frames.

Cupcakes and Cashmere Blog

     A great blog that I've been familiar with for a while is Cupcakes and Cashmere. It is definitely geared towards women, as it includes posts on fashion trends, as well as guides on how to do different hair and makeup styles. An aspect that definitely sets this blog apart however, is the section devoted to tasty recipes (hence the "cupcakes" noted in the title). The recipes range from scones to pizza and always feature step-by-step pictures of the yummy food.

     Nonetheless, the reason I first became accquainted with this blog was through a fashion magazine that noted blogger Emily Shuman's exquisite fashion sense. The photos she posts of her various outfits are always perfectly put together, with an excellent mix of high and low labels (that is, designer and more affordable brands). This makes the blog appealing to a younger set of women who can't necessarily relate to bloggers who constantly post outfits that would cost thousands to recreate.

      I also love this blog because Schuman includes regular entries that aren't necessarily related to fashion, design, or food, but simply to things she likes or that inspire her. This is enjoyable becase it makes the blog as a whole more relatable, and thus each time I visit the site it's like chatting with an old friend rather than just randomly surfing the internet.

     Overall, Cupcakes and Cashmere is a fabulous blog for girls looking for outfit inspiration, some fresh recipes, or general charming insight on life and style.

Steve Madden Shoes

     In America, there is one brand of shoes that reigns supreme by simultaneously meeting the needs of comfort, style, and affordability-- Steve Madden. Steve Madden himself is considered a major fashion footwear mogul of the 21st century, a title he has earned as the leader and namesake of the company. As the primary creative force, has been responsible for the design and marketing of the company's trendsetting shoes for the past two decades. The brand of Steve Madden has grown to manufacture more than just a specific type of shoe, or even just shoes in general-- today the line includes their bestselling boots and heels, in addition to accessories, apparel, and much more.

                                                    

Heels

     With various styles modeled and crafted with the artistry of more expensive brands, the brand's high-heeled shoes have become a stylish alternative to paying sky-high prices for designer labels. In fact, Madden's breakout hit as a designer was with the Mary Lou, a patent-leather Mary Jane complete with a large bump toe that gained immense popularity with teenagers. "I started getting calls from mothers all over the tri-state area," Madden quotes. "Fifteen calls a day. The kids had nothing to wear to the bat mitzvahs, to the confirmations. This was something." Today, Madden's line includes pumps and platforms that range in style from lady-like to wild, a quality that enables the brand to appeal to a wide and growing audience looking to polish up their outfits.

                                

                                                               

Boots

     In the relatively short time since their inception into the shoe market, Steve Madden boots have easily grown to become a focal point of the company as a whole. Today, the line includes more boots than any other type of footwear and their boots excel as popular sellers at large chain stores, such as Macy's. Within the boots category, there are varying styles designed by the line to meet different fashion needs. On the brand's website, for example, the boots are segregated into five different groups: Studded, Lace-Up, Western, Wedge, and Dress. This plethora of options allows consumers to easily decide which trends they wish to follow regarding their current footwear, while being ensured that they will receive the high quality leather and materials signature of Steve Madden.

Apparel and Accessories

      It was in 1997 that Steve Madden signed its first licensing agreements for handbags, sunglasses, hosiery, outerwear, and jewelry. Steve Madden's movement out of the shoe industry, however, was a difficult process, as Winer Industries was chosen as the licensee for Steven Madden sportswear and jeans, but then the license subsequently lapsed. By the end of 1999, things finally came together and Steve Madden's own roster of licensed products included not only general women's clothing, but also belts, hair accessory products, and intimate apparel. The brand's clothing and accessories line has continued to prosper and is featured today at fine retailers such as Nordstrom and Dillard's.

      The brand of Steve Madden as a fashion powerhouse continues to evolve creatively as trends and the market progress. Nonetheless, the founding principle of the company, that is, to create unique, on trend products suitable for all price points and lifestyles, remains true. Madden states that his mission and the inspiration behind it is simple, explaining, "What inspires me is what I see people wearing on the streets of the world from New York to London and beyond. I get my ideas and inspiration from pounding the pavement all over the world. Today, fashion is dictated by individual style. To me, the fashion of the future is anything that a young guy or girl feels good wearing as long as it's put together in the right way."

"Girl" Imitation Essay

Link to Essay

I Want a Husband

Even in today’s constantly evolving world, with near equality between the sexes, a husband seems a crucial component to any woman’s societal success. I too wish to adapt to that mold by procuring a husband. The question remains, why do I want a husband? Let me explain…

 I want a husband mainly to provide for me financially. Upon completion of my schooling, it will still be vital for me to secure a husband to pay the bills because I must tend to the children. While I am dealing with the duties of diapers and daycare, he will inevitably be shut away in an office characterized by a professional atmosphere.

 I want a husband so that the immense amount of money that he earns at his important, influential job can go towards my clothes, hair, and makeup, allowing me to look my absolute best when I am on his arm at events. I want a husband so he can obsess over these details of my appearance, perhaps selecting appropriate outfits and elegant hairstyles in order to impress his high-ranking male friends.

 I want a husband so that when he arrives home at night, he can enthrall me with every minute detail of his day. At five o’ clock, I want a husband to be sitting at the kitchen table, readily expecting a cooked meal. I want a husband so that while he enjoys this meal, he can entertain me by loudly belching or emitting other unpleasant sounds and odors.

 I want a husband who is ridiculously obsessed with televised sports. Most importantly, I want a husband so he can prioritize these sports programs before all else. I want a husband that will invite his male friends over for some “bonding” consisting of beer and a football game, for which I can readily supply snacks, but otherwise remain invisible.

 I want a husband so that I can constantly clean up the haphazard messes he believes are necessary to leave scattered throughout the house. Dirty clothes and used dishes left in random places, waiting for me to pick them up is exactly what I have always desired from a partner. Furthermore, I want a husband so that when I instruct him to dispose of the mess, he will readily ignore me, opting to tune out my voice, but insisting later on that I never made such a request.

 I want a husband so he can be assertive and take on the role of the “man of the house’’, avoiding vulnerability in ways unknown to me. If I need someone to properly discipline the children, I want a husband so he can get up from his recliner (when his program is on a commercial break of course) and assertively lay down some ground rules. When speaking to me, I want a husband that will shy away from talking about all emotions or sensitive subjects whatsoever and never reveal how he truly feels. This way, aligned accordingly with his preferences, tough issues will remained unresolved. However, in any case of doubt, his judgment will unyieldingly reign supreme.

 

Overall, at the end of the day, I want to go to bed knowing I have a husband who is superbly masculine, dominant in all situations, and will proceed to keep me up all night with his deafeningly loud snores.