The Progressive Era Essay example -- essays research papers

Industrialization led to the rise of big businesses at the expense of the worker. Factory laborers faced long hours, low wages, and unsanitary conditions. The large corporations protected themselves by allying with political parties. The parties, in turn, were controlled by party leaders, rather than by the members. Many people felt that all power rested with the politicians and businessmen. Reformers known as Progressives attempted to undo the problems caused by industrialization. The Progressive movement sought to end the influence of large corporations, provide more rights and benefits to workers, and end the control possessed by party leaders. At the national level, Progressivism centered on defeating the power of large businesses. The Progressive Era was a period in American history in which improving working conditions, exposing corruption, improving the way of life, expanding democracy, and making reforms were the objectives at hand. With the emergence of the Progressive Era two important figures gradually emerged as well. One of the mentioned figures, President Theodore Roosevelt, succeeded to the Presidency when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, helped the Progressive movement greatly. Another figure, although a Democrat is Woodrow Wilson who much like Roosevelt still pushed for progressive reforms. Each of the mentioned figures did their share in re-establishing a â€Å"fair† government that would work for the people and not for the large corporations and mon...

Art Interpretation

An artist’s personal history can be a visual roadmap into their past, subconscious, and their personal reality. The purpose of this paper is to explore these idioms in the work of Gerard Ter Borch and its historical relevance to art. Gerard Ter Borch had an established rapport with his uncle Robert van Voerst, a relationship that enabled the artist to claim his niche as one of Europe’s leading court portraitists. Robert van Voerst’s ties with Charles I began Borch’s career and launched him into his fame and status.With royal backing it is no wonder that Borch kept much of his subject matter dealing with the rich and wealthy instead of the typical Dutch preclusion to the drab or mundane of human life. It is this significant turn of events that lead this discussion to Borch’s sophisticated representation of contemporary life (62). Such representations into modernity of Dutch life can be witnessed in Borch’s painting Curiosity (c. 1660). Since B orch’s family was so closely tied to an aristocratic lifestyle, it is no wonder that the artist’s work would reflect what he so intimately knew.Although the composition of the work is best seen through the use of rich fabrics (as is most of Borch’s work) what should be taken note of is his use of diagonals to illustrate the inner psychology of the characters in his work. The moment of a letter arriving has each woman in the painting ‘curious’ as to its contents, but this curiosity is best exemplified by the woman on the left leaning over the other young woman’s shoulder in order to gain a better view of the letter’s contents. This leaning of the young woman gives the painting an enigmatic feel that is not present in other of Borch’s work.A high profile woman that is a woman of so obvious a rich birth (as can be seen by her clothing) indulges in a dalliance of childish movement making the moment both entertaining and whimsical. T his whimsical nature is given further emphasis by the vast background surrounding the young ladies. That this one woman would allow herself the indulgence of something so trivial as a childish leaning forward among all that tradition and overbearing space (notice the columns in the background as well as the ornate fixture of the diagonally placed mirror) is what is so appealing about this piece of work.The reason for the letter writing with this trio of women is that Borch had a very close relationship with his half sisters, â€Å"[which] surely contributed to his affectionate sensitivity to how young women might behave on such an occasion† (76). With Borch’s obvious eye for the smallest detail a closer examination of the painting must be given, including symbolism for such objects. Of note in such objects is the watch key which precariously dangles over the edge of the table.The symbolism of such a state for a watch winding key could mean for the viewer to take specia l note of temperance which would make sense with Borch having been raised in the Eastern Netherlands and privy to that regions Protestant upbringing. Since the objects on the table are of such small stature, from the candlestick to the watch winding key to even the letter itself, the viewer may imagine that the symbolism of such objects do not have equal weight as the characters themselves; therefore, motive for the letter takes precedence over any idea of temperance.However, with Borch’s style leaning toward developing and understanding human behavior it may be worthwhile to ask Why did the artist choose to include a moral lesson in such small objects if not to make a point? Indeed, this curiosity of The Curiosity is the reason why the painting is known as a conversatiestuk or conversation piece. With such small detail making an impact on critiques and viewers alike what becomes predominately clear in studying Borch is that he continually uses small objects to emphasize his study of human behavior.Upon first looking at The Curiosity a viewer is not completely aware of all of the objects in the composition. The element of light is what makes these objects more noticeable; such as the winding key on the table’s ledge that gives off a golden hue and is further emphasized by the spaniel’s body language pointing to the key. If the element of light is to be discussed in The Curiosity then most notably the woman on the right shimmers with luminescence – her costume as well as her countenance.With such brilliance transposing the portrait it is a wonder that the woman stands at such a distance from the main action of the painting. This distance is only emphasized by Borch’s use of light on her. This leads the viewer to wonder the cause of the distance and to become enraptured by the back story of the moment of the painting and the relationship among these three women. Thus, by the use of light, Borch has made the viewer not only appr eciate a fine painting but to become engrossed in the psychology of the characters and their reasons for standing the way he has painted them.In this psychological history of the women, the viewer becomes aware of something else; a voyeuristic tone to the painting. The intimate moment of a woman opening a letter that may (by the stance of the women surrounding her) be from a lover or gentleman caller makes the viewer realize that the painter is a man, and that the interest of all of the women is of a man. Thus, the painter through these psychological stances becomes the object of the viewer’s scrutiny (76).Upon revisiting the painter as the background object of the painting, the viewer must once again re-examine the objects on the table and their significance to the painter’s life. The time piece once again must be examined not as an abstract composition of temperance but as a revelation to the viewer of the artist’s own timeframe. Time is often associated with death, thereby; the death of the painter’s uncle during this time is significant. It is the uncle who allowed him his introduction to Charles I and which thereby gained him his entrance into the art world.It seems that Borch is writing his own life history in the small objects on the table. The death of Borch’s mother Anna Bufkens would perhaps be also realistically attached to the significance to the time piece. The complex nature of the painting is revealed; the women gathering around the letter are anxious to find out the lover’s intentions but the objects on the table tell of lives and lovers past. Love quickly follows death for the viewers in Borch’s painting.With so much psychology behind the small objects involved in Borch’s painting The Curiosity it cannot be said that the painting is for mere visual enjoyment that is most definitely not a conversatiestuk –it is far more than just a simple conversation piece. Without the use of light , of lines, and of composition such nuisances of Borch’s style would be lost on the viewer. Thus, the importance of these artistic styles is what ultimately makes the painter so interesting to the art world. If Borch desired to make a moralizing message it would be to enjoy the love letters when they are coming and in time to allow for the moments of death.

Biography of Elie Wiesel Essay - 1354 Words

Elie Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928 in the town of Sighet in Transylvania, which is located in Romania. His parents, Shlomo Wiesel and Sarah Feig had three other children not including Elie. The three other siblings were his sisters Hilda, Bea, Tsiporah. Wiesel and his family primarily were an Orthodox Jewish family. When he was very young he started to study Hebrew and the Bible. He mostly focused on his religious studies. According to the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, â€Å"He was fifteen years old when he and his family were deported by the Nazis to Auschwitz.† During the time they spent at Auschwitz, Elie’s mother and younger sister didn’t make it, but his two older sisters were fortunate enough to survive. â€Å"Elie and his†¦show more content†¦Elie Wiesel fought against indifferences mainly which lead to him and his wife creating an organization most reputably as The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. He called attention mostly to when the Holocaust happened and what they endured while being in there and he also would travel to various countries speaking out on his beliefs and why it wasnt right to have done that to humans. The Holocaust simply just ignored human rights completely without any consideration at all for the people affected by it. According to Humanitarians and Reformers, no one has more vividly conveyed the horrors of the Holocaust or gone more deeply into its implications. Even though he wrote mostly about Jewish suffering that isnt his only concern all of human suffering is. This has taken him not only to the Soviet Union to give moral support to Soviet Jews and to work for their right of emigration but to African and Latin American countries to intercede for victims of injustice and brutality (Humanitarians and Reformers). The Western Jews were the Jews who did not wish to speak out, but to remain silent. While as the Soviet Jews were the ones who didnt remain silent they spoke out on the hardships they endured and let the world know what truly happened. Elie Wiesel took fighting indifference and the results the Holocaust had left to the sufferers, and made them into books and he also would speak on theShow MoreRelatedA Brief Biography of Elie Wiesel636 Words   |  2 Pagesâ€Å"Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes†. Elie Wiesel was born September 30, 1928, in Sighet, Romania; immigrated to the United States, 1956 naturalized U.S. citizen, 1963. Attended Sorbonne, University of Paris, 1948-51. He was a Jewish journalist and academic. In the spring of 1944, the Nazis entered the Transylvanian village of Sighet, Romania, until then a relvatively safe and peaceful enclave in the middle of a war- torn continent. TheyRead MoreThe Holocaust: Night by Elie Wiesel1635 Words   |  7 PagesSix million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. The Jews were persecuted, tortured and slaughtered in concentratio n camps (â€Å"The Holocaust† 1). Night by Elie Wiesel is the powerful memoir of his experiences during the Holocaust. Night shows the tragedy of the Holocaust through the use literary devices, including the themes of loss of faith and cruelty toward other human beings, night as a symbol of suffering and fear, and the use of first person narrative. Night allows the reader to emotionallyRead MoreEliezer Wiesels Relationships1270 Words   |  6 Pages Elie Wiesel was a young boy, when his life changed drastically. He was born in Sighet, Transylvania, which is now Romania. He was born to Shlomo and Sarah, which they had four children, Hilda, Bea, Tsiporah, and Eliezer. Wiesel and his family practiced the Jewish religion, before he was forced into the concentration camps. In the novel Night, Elie Wiesel had a strong belief in God. When Elie and his family were sent off to the concentration camps, he tested his belief in God. In the novel NightRead More Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivor Essay2497 Words   |  10 PagesElie Wiesel Holocaust Survivor As war broke out in Europe during 1939, no one could either imagine or believe the terror that Adolf Hitler would soon bring to the lives of Jewish people. Drawing from his paranoia and a drive for a world Nazi power, Hitler singled out the Jews as the cause for problems in Germany and began to carry out his plan for the destruction of a part of humanity. Hitler not only persecuted the Jews of Germany, but he also targeted the Jews in Poland and other parts ofRead MoreElie Wiesel as a Survivor of the Holocaust2000 Words   |  8 Pagespoint of view, they can see the good side of human nature, especially if someone looks at it from Elie Wiesel’s perspective. Elie Wiesel and his family were Romanian Jews who were, unfortunately, swept into the Holocaust’s horrors. Elie managed to escape the Holocaust using tools of survival, including love for family and impassivity. He did not let being a victim of the Holocaust define him, so Elie moved on to become an inspirational figure that represented and spoke out for all of those who constantlyRead MoreEssay on Holocaust: The Unforgettable1569 Words   |  7 Pagesshowers. If they were doing nothing wrong, then nothing should have been disguised as a shower. As for the crematoria, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel talks of them in his auto-biography Night, â€Å"Do you see that chimney over there? See it? Do you see those flames? Over there – that’s where you’re going to be taken. That’s your grave, over there.† (28). When Wiesel first arrived at Auschwitz his group was split up in to two groups, going to the left or going to the right. Going right meant work and goingRead MoreA Vivid View Into the Holocaust Essay1416 Words   |  6 Pagesgenocides around the world. Many exhibits in the museum show what occurred before, during and after the Holocaust and the everlasting effects it left upon us today. When visitors first enter the museum they are given an identity card th at has a biography and photo of someone who was killed or of someone who had survived the Holocaust. (4) As visitors keep traveling through the museum they will come across a vast amount of exhibits that show many artifacts, such as; a cattle car that was actuallyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Night By Elie Wiesel1017 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book Night by Elie Wiesel it says â€Å"human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere.† This shows that the world’s problems are everyone’s problems. Everyone has their own responsibilities and when war occurs people tend to take on more responsibility than ever before. The United States is a prime example of making the world’s problems their own. When problems arise people step up and take responsibility. Like in the quote from Elie Wiesel, human suffering really is everyone’s problemRead MoreAmeric The Land Of The Free1707 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieve made an impact on America is Elie Wiesel. In 1944, during World War II, Ellie Wiesel, his family, and other Jews in the area were deported to German concentration and extermination camps in Poland. Elie Wiesel was deported by Nazis to Auschwitz, where he had to endure the hardships of the concentration camp. Elie was separated from his mother and younger sister. January 1945, Wiesel’s father died because of starvation and dysentery. April 1945, Wiesel was placed in a French orphanage afterRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Night By Elie Wiesel945 Words   |  4 PagesElie Wiesel was born in 1928. In his book, Night, which was published in 1955, Wiesel depicts his personal journey through the German concentration camps by the use of his character Eliezer (Sparknotes ). At the age of 15, he lives with his family in Sighet, Transylvania (Biography). His father Shlomo is very involved with the community there. Eliezer is deeply engaged in religious studies, being taught by Moshe, an older man in his community who is considered a lunatic by many (Sparknotes). In