15 Examples of Civil War Propaganda Illustrations & Political SatireRuiz McPherson Media
The American Civil War began April 12, 1861 and ended on May 9, 1865. That’s 4 years, 27 days -- or 1,488 days -- in which our nation was embroiled in controversy over the usage of slavery. The controversy was no ordinary dispute or disagreement. Instead, it was an all out war where 620,000 soldiers reportedly died from combat, accident, starvation, and disease during the Civil War.
This regretful period of our nation’s history, despite its atrocities and harrowing bloodbaths, gave rise to a new era of illustrators and political satirists who used their talents to either inform the masses or help sway public opinion.
This presentation, which showcases 15 Civil War-era illustrations worth noting, was researched, assembled, and written by MFA of Illustration graduate student Mayra Ruiz-McPherson.
This document provides a critical interpretation of the John Green novel "Paper Towns". It summarizes the plot of the novel, in which the shy protagonist Quentin helps the popular Margo play pranks, but then she disappears. Quentin then embarks on an obsessive mission to find her, with clues she left behind. It also provides biographical information on author John Green and identifies three themes in the novel: 1) Adolescence struggles to find its real personality, 2) Perceptions can distort reality, and 3) Revenge will never make you happy. Various literary theories are used to analyze these themes, including historical-biographical, moral-philosophical, structuralism, deconstruction, psychoanalysis
Kelly Cogswell helped found the Lesbian Avengers activist group in the 1990s in New York City, growing its membership to over 20,000 supporters. Through creative protests and touring her experiences over 20 years of activism, Cogswell actively advocated for lesbian rights and challenged opposition to the lesbian community. Her memoir "Eating Fire: My Life As A Lesbian Avenger" recounts her journey from small-town Kentucky to becoming a pioneering lesbian activist on the gritty streets of New York, utilizing confrontational but intelligent tactics to push for equality.
Why virginia woolf is so important.pptx sem 2.pptx sem 2NanditabaChudasama
This document provides a summary of the play "Long Day's Journey into Night" by Eugene O'Neill. It describes the play as a shattering and shocking journey into the human soul. It introduces the main characters - the Tyrone family, including the father, mother, and two sons. It discusses how the family meets and argues, with each member angry at the others. It leaves the characters without hope by the end of the play, capturing the disappointment and pessimism of human desires. The play is considered a tragedy and largely autobiographical account that depicts the breakdown of communication within a family.
This document provides a summary of the play "Long Day's Journey into Night" by Eugene O'Neill. It describes the play as a shattering and shocking journey into the human soul. It introduces the main characters - the Tyrone family, including the father, mother, and two sons. It discusses how the family meets and argues, with each member angry at the others. It leaves the characters without hope by the end of the play, capturing the disappointment and pessimism of human desires. The play is considered a tragedy and largely autobiographical account that depicts the breakdown of communication within a family.
The document provides information about the sitcom Friends, including that it aired from 1994 to 2004 and followed the lives of six friends in New York City. It discusses each of the main characters - Ross, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Joey, and Chandler - and includes quotes related to friendship. The show was hugely popular in the US and abroad and won numerous Emmy awards.
The document summarizes winners and honor books of the Michael L. Printz Award from 2006 and 2016. In 2006, Looking for Alaska by John Green won for young adult fiction. Honor books included Black Juice, I Am the Messenger, John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth, and A Wreath for Emmett Till. In 2016, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby won for young adult fiction/fantasy. Honor books were The Ghosts of Heaven and Out of Darkness. Each entry includes the book title, author, genre, and brief description.
Heavy is a 2018 memoir by Kiese Laymon that won several awards including the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. In the memoir, Laymon explores growing up as a hard-headed black son to a brilliant but complicated black mother in Jackson, Mississippi. He writes eloquently about his experiences with sexual violence as a child, his suspension from college, and his move to New York as a young professor. By attempting to name family secrets and lies, Laymon asks himself, his mother, and the nation to confront how few people know how to responsibly love and how to reckon with the past.
15 Examples of Civil War Propaganda Illustrations & Political SatireRuiz McPherson Media
The American Civil War began April 12, 1861 and ended on May 9, 1865. That’s 4 years, 27 days -- or 1,488 days -- in which our nation was embroiled in controversy over the usage of slavery. The controversy was no ordinary dispute or disagreement. Instead, it was an all out war where 620,000 soldiers reportedly died from combat, accident, starvation, and disease during the Civil War.
This regretful period of our nation’s history, despite its atrocities and harrowing bloodbaths, gave rise to a new era of illustrators and political satirists who used their talents to either inform the masses or help sway public opinion.
This presentation, which showcases 15 Civil War-era illustrations worth noting, was researched, assembled, and written by MFA of Illustration graduate student Mayra Ruiz-McPherson.
This document provides a critical interpretation of the John Green novel "Paper Towns". It summarizes the plot of the novel, in which the shy protagonist Quentin helps the popular Margo play pranks, but then she disappears. Quentin then embarks on an obsessive mission to find her, with clues she left behind. It also provides biographical information on author John Green and identifies three themes in the novel: 1) Adolescence struggles to find its real personality, 2) Perceptions can distort reality, and 3) Revenge will never make you happy. Various literary theories are used to analyze these themes, including historical-biographical, moral-philosophical, structuralism, deconstruction, psychoanalysis
Kelly Cogswell helped found the Lesbian Avengers activist group in the 1990s in New York City, growing its membership to over 20,000 supporters. Through creative protests and touring her experiences over 20 years of activism, Cogswell actively advocated for lesbian rights and challenged opposition to the lesbian community. Her memoir "Eating Fire: My Life As A Lesbian Avenger" recounts her journey from small-town Kentucky to becoming a pioneering lesbian activist on the gritty streets of New York, utilizing confrontational but intelligent tactics to push for equality.
Why virginia woolf is so important.pptx sem 2.pptx sem 2NanditabaChudasama
This document provides a summary of the play "Long Day's Journey into Night" by Eugene O'Neill. It describes the play as a shattering and shocking journey into the human soul. It introduces the main characters - the Tyrone family, including the father, mother, and two sons. It discusses how the family meets and argues, with each member angry at the others. It leaves the characters without hope by the end of the play, capturing the disappointment and pessimism of human desires. The play is considered a tragedy and largely autobiographical account that depicts the breakdown of communication within a family.
This document provides a summary of the play "Long Day's Journey into Night" by Eugene O'Neill. It describes the play as a shattering and shocking journey into the human soul. It introduces the main characters - the Tyrone family, including the father, mother, and two sons. It discusses how the family meets and argues, with each member angry at the others. It leaves the characters without hope by the end of the play, capturing the disappointment and pessimism of human desires. The play is considered a tragedy and largely autobiographical account that depicts the breakdown of communication within a family.
The document provides information about the sitcom Friends, including that it aired from 1994 to 2004 and followed the lives of six friends in New York City. It discusses each of the main characters - Ross, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Joey, and Chandler - and includes quotes related to friendship. The show was hugely popular in the US and abroad and won numerous Emmy awards.
The document summarizes winners and honor books of the Michael L. Printz Award from 2006 and 2016. In 2006, Looking for Alaska by John Green won for young adult fiction. Honor books included Black Juice, I Am the Messenger, John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth, and A Wreath for Emmett Till. In 2016, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby won for young adult fiction/fantasy. Honor books were The Ghosts of Heaven and Out of Darkness. Each entry includes the book title, author, genre, and brief description.
Heavy is a 2018 memoir by Kiese Laymon that won several awards including the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. In the memoir, Laymon explores growing up as a hard-headed black son to a brilliant but complicated black mother in Jackson, Mississippi. He writes eloquently about his experiences with sexual violence as a child, his suspension from college, and his move to New York as a young professor. By attempting to name family secrets and lies, Laymon asks himself, his mother, and the nation to confront how few people know how to responsibly love and how to reckon with the past.
This document discusses changing views of women in mainstream entertainment by comparing HBO's Sex and the City from 1998-2004 to the more recent show Girls from 2012. It notes that while the women in Sex and the City commoditized men and enjoyed sex, the women in Girls view sex with contempt and endure it, finding men pitiable and grotesque. The author argues that feminine contempt of men has emerged as a new defining gesture in gender relations as portrayed in popular television shows and culture.
The Power of Watching: The Everyday Voyeur in Popular Cultureguestabfd6e
1) Voyeurism, the gratification from seeing others unobserved, is a central aspect of popular culture through reality television, photography, literature and the internet.
2) During the Cold War era, lesbian pulp novels exploited American anxieties about communists and homosexuals, satisfying voyeuristic desires through a distanced perspective.
3) Reality television provides a god-like voyeuristic perspective, though participants know they are observed, and it can objectify people's lives for entertainment. Wide acceptance of voyeurism in culture risks manipulation and sadism.
The document summarizes winners and honor books of the Michael L. Printz Award from 2006 and 2016. In 2006, Looking for Alaska by John Green won for young adult fiction. Honor books included Black Juice, I am the Messenger, John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth, and A Wreath for Emmett Till. In 2016, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby won for young adult fiction/fantasy. Honor books were The Ghosts of Heaven and Out of Darkness. Each entry includes the book title, author, genre, and brief description.
The document discusses a recent Saturday Night Live sketch titled "Winter Formal" that portrayed a character with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in a derisive manner. The author, as a parent, shares the hurt that those with FASD will feel upon viewing the sketch. They question the knowledge and motivations of those involved in its production, as well as the positions of NBC and its parent company Comcast regarding prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD given advertising revenue from the alcohol industry. The production was seen as contributing to further marginalization of those with FASD rather than comedy or satire.
The Paperboy follows Jack as he helps his journalist brother Ward try to save death row inmate Van Wetter from execution. They are accompanied by Yardley, Ward's black colleague whose sarcasm challenges the racist town. Charlotte Bless, an emotionally damaged woman who writes letters to Van Wetter, becomes infatuated with Jack. The film probes issues of family, sex, and racism in 1960s Florida in a darkly comic and gritty style that demands an emotional reaction from viewers. Kidman's performance as Charlotte is convincing as she portrays the character's vulnerability and unique morality. The Paperboy provides a raw and provocative look at human relationships through its sweat-soaked portrayal of the swamp lands that grips
The film "The Great Debaters" tells the true story of the first black debate team at Wiley College in Texas in the 1930s. It illustrates the journey of their coach Melvin Tolson to build the confidence of his debaters that the power of words can overcome all obstacles. Though it takes some creative liberties with facts, the film delivers inspiring performances that strike emotional chords in the audience and educate viewers about literature and the social challenges of the time period. While not a completely historically accurate retelling, the buoyant story and performances make it worthwhile viewing.
The documentary Freedom Riders by Stanley Nelson documents the 1961 freedom rides in the American South to challenge laws enforcing segregation on public transportation. Groups of black and white riders faced violent mobs yet continued their rides to bring national attention to the injustices and ultimately advance the civil rights movement. Nelson's film aimed to honor the bravery of the freedom riders and ensure their contributions to overturning segregation are not forgotten.
The director is adapting a bestselling novel into a political love story film set during the Cold War. The novel was based on a newspaper article by the director that linked more to political truths than the fictional story elements. Filming will take place at a major European studio to independently finance the production, as Hollywood does not work with independents before completion. The director is seeking participation to fund the independent production.
I CAME ACROSS THESE IMAGES WHILE BROWSING---I THOUGHT WIM MIGHT LIKE THESE PICTURES...SO, THIS SHOW IS FOR HIM...HOPE U LIKE IT WIM.......IF U WANT TO DOWNLOAD THE SHOW WIM, LET ME KNOW.
Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. In the absence of adult authority, the boys split into factions led by Ralph and Jack. Jack's faction grows increasingly violent as they hunt pigs and rumors spread of a beast. Their descent into savagery culminates with the death of Piggy and a ritualistic murder of Simon. Just as Ralph is about to be killed, a naval officer spots the boys' signal fire and rescues them, leaving many questions about human nature and civilization unanswered. The novel examines concepts of good and evil, innocence, and the fragility of social order.
This document provides a historical analysis of Orson Welles' 1941 film Citizen Kane. It summarizes the plot, which follows newspaper publisher Charles Foster Kane from poverty in childhood to a life of corruption, deception, and isolation. Kane's relationships deteriorate as he becomes more selfish and power-hungry. The film uses Kane's life to explore themes of class, gender, and age in early 20th century America. It leaves the audience questioning what ultimately drove Kane to die alone in his empty mansion.
This summary provides the key details from the theatre review document in 3 sentences:
The document reviews several London theatre productions, providing details on the venue, dates, plot summaries and critiques for each show. Several of the productions focus on real-world issues like genocide, war commemoration and the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. The reviews provide commentary on the performances, writing and themes explored in each play.
The novel by Toni Morrison explores segregation between races in the 1920s as well as issues with young girls' sexuality. It describes the tense racial dynamics of the time period through quotations, showing that black people were treated poorly by white people. It also depicts the separate business districts and the harassment black people faced. The author examines these topics through the story of Dorcas, who lives in Harlem during the Renaissance, a time of liberation but that still had remnants of segregation. The society is portrayed as scandalous yet progressive looking toward the future. Additionally, the author addresses the relationship between older men and young girls, implying it was accepted in the community.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager who has been expelled from boarding school. He spends three days in New York City, feeling alienated and disillusioned by the adult world. Holden wants to protect children's innocence but also experiments with adult behaviors. By the end, he realizes he cannot shield kids forever and must accept reality. Critics debate whether his maturation is positive or a sign of society's oppression. Like Huck Finn, Holden struggles to understand the world while seeking stability and independence in this influential coming-of-age novel.
With specific reference to the mainstream news media in the UKJon Davies
- The document discusses Jean Chalaby's argument that journalists prioritize entertaining readers over informing them about important social issues. It analyzes how the rise of celebrity culture in news media has led readers to disengage from news and seek information elsewhere.
- Reality television shows like Big Brother and The X Factor are discussed as platforms that launch "talentless celebrities" to fame. Jade Goody is used as a case study of someone who became famous from Big Brother despite having no talents, and how her life story came to dominate news coverage.
- The document argues this shows how journalists ignore their duty to society and prioritize entertaining readers with sensational celebrity stories over important issues, as Chalaby claimed.
Unduh Buku Sedhih A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American ...ShijoTsubasa
This document provides excerpts from and information about the book "A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II". It describes Virginia Hall, an American woman who became a spy for Britain in France during World War 2 despite being rejected from foreign service due to her gender and prosthetic leg. Hall was very successful and became known as the "Madonna of the Resistance". The document encourages the reader to download or read the book to learn more about this heroic yet overlooked female spy from American history. It provides several buttons and links to access the full book.
The document provides a summary of a multimedia project comparing themes in modern media and ancient texts. It discusses three comparisons: [1] Steve Jobs and Sir Gawain facing mortality, [2] Heidi Montag and Meursault lacking a strong moral system, and [3] Harry Potter and Brian Turner facing a game with deathly risks. The author argues that analyzing timeless themes across media helps readers understand life's lessons.
This poem critiques modern society's desensitization to human suffering through entertainment and media. It describes a family watching the film "The Good Earth" while distracted by advertisements. They remain indifferent to the suffering portrayed on screen. The narrator comments on the film without empathy, parodying viewers who fail to connect the depicted hardship to real human experiences. The poem suggests that media promotes this detachment by treating tragedy as entertainment rather than real issues. It mocks the notion that suffering can be rewarding if its reality is not acknowledged.
This document discusses changing views of women in mainstream entertainment by comparing HBO's Sex and the City from 1998-2004 to the more recent show Girls from 2012. It notes that while the women in Sex and the City commoditized men and enjoyed sex, the women in Girls view sex with contempt and endure it, finding men pitiable and grotesque. The author argues that feminine contempt of men has emerged as a new defining gesture in gender relations as portrayed in popular television shows and culture.
The Power of Watching: The Everyday Voyeur in Popular Cultureguestabfd6e
1) Voyeurism, the gratification from seeing others unobserved, is a central aspect of popular culture through reality television, photography, literature and the internet.
2) During the Cold War era, lesbian pulp novels exploited American anxieties about communists and homosexuals, satisfying voyeuristic desires through a distanced perspective.
3) Reality television provides a god-like voyeuristic perspective, though participants know they are observed, and it can objectify people's lives for entertainment. Wide acceptance of voyeurism in culture risks manipulation and sadism.
The document summarizes winners and honor books of the Michael L. Printz Award from 2006 and 2016. In 2006, Looking for Alaska by John Green won for young adult fiction. Honor books included Black Juice, I am the Messenger, John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth, and A Wreath for Emmett Till. In 2016, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby won for young adult fiction/fantasy. Honor books were The Ghosts of Heaven and Out of Darkness. Each entry includes the book title, author, genre, and brief description.
The document discusses a recent Saturday Night Live sketch titled "Winter Formal" that portrayed a character with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in a derisive manner. The author, as a parent, shares the hurt that those with FASD will feel upon viewing the sketch. They question the knowledge and motivations of those involved in its production, as well as the positions of NBC and its parent company Comcast regarding prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD given advertising revenue from the alcohol industry. The production was seen as contributing to further marginalization of those with FASD rather than comedy or satire.
The Paperboy follows Jack as he helps his journalist brother Ward try to save death row inmate Van Wetter from execution. They are accompanied by Yardley, Ward's black colleague whose sarcasm challenges the racist town. Charlotte Bless, an emotionally damaged woman who writes letters to Van Wetter, becomes infatuated with Jack. The film probes issues of family, sex, and racism in 1960s Florida in a darkly comic and gritty style that demands an emotional reaction from viewers. Kidman's performance as Charlotte is convincing as she portrays the character's vulnerability and unique morality. The Paperboy provides a raw and provocative look at human relationships through its sweat-soaked portrayal of the swamp lands that grips
The film "The Great Debaters" tells the true story of the first black debate team at Wiley College in Texas in the 1930s. It illustrates the journey of their coach Melvin Tolson to build the confidence of his debaters that the power of words can overcome all obstacles. Though it takes some creative liberties with facts, the film delivers inspiring performances that strike emotional chords in the audience and educate viewers about literature and the social challenges of the time period. While not a completely historically accurate retelling, the buoyant story and performances make it worthwhile viewing.
The documentary Freedom Riders by Stanley Nelson documents the 1961 freedom rides in the American South to challenge laws enforcing segregation on public transportation. Groups of black and white riders faced violent mobs yet continued their rides to bring national attention to the injustices and ultimately advance the civil rights movement. Nelson's film aimed to honor the bravery of the freedom riders and ensure their contributions to overturning segregation are not forgotten.
The director is adapting a bestselling novel into a political love story film set during the Cold War. The novel was based on a newspaper article by the director that linked more to political truths than the fictional story elements. Filming will take place at a major European studio to independently finance the production, as Hollywood does not work with independents before completion. The director is seeking participation to fund the independent production.
I CAME ACROSS THESE IMAGES WHILE BROWSING---I THOUGHT WIM MIGHT LIKE THESE PICTURES...SO, THIS SHOW IS FOR HIM...HOPE U LIKE IT WIM.......IF U WANT TO DOWNLOAD THE SHOW WIM, LET ME KNOW.
Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. In the absence of adult authority, the boys split into factions led by Ralph and Jack. Jack's faction grows increasingly violent as they hunt pigs and rumors spread of a beast. Their descent into savagery culminates with the death of Piggy and a ritualistic murder of Simon. Just as Ralph is about to be killed, a naval officer spots the boys' signal fire and rescues them, leaving many questions about human nature and civilization unanswered. The novel examines concepts of good and evil, innocence, and the fragility of social order.
This document provides a historical analysis of Orson Welles' 1941 film Citizen Kane. It summarizes the plot, which follows newspaper publisher Charles Foster Kane from poverty in childhood to a life of corruption, deception, and isolation. Kane's relationships deteriorate as he becomes more selfish and power-hungry. The film uses Kane's life to explore themes of class, gender, and age in early 20th century America. It leaves the audience questioning what ultimately drove Kane to die alone in his empty mansion.
This summary provides the key details from the theatre review document in 3 sentences:
The document reviews several London theatre productions, providing details on the venue, dates, plot summaries and critiques for each show. Several of the productions focus on real-world issues like genocide, war commemoration and the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. The reviews provide commentary on the performances, writing and themes explored in each play.
The novel by Toni Morrison explores segregation between races in the 1920s as well as issues with young girls' sexuality. It describes the tense racial dynamics of the time period through quotations, showing that black people were treated poorly by white people. It also depicts the separate business districts and the harassment black people faced. The author examines these topics through the story of Dorcas, who lives in Harlem during the Renaissance, a time of liberation but that still had remnants of segregation. The society is portrayed as scandalous yet progressive looking toward the future. Additionally, the author addresses the relationship between older men and young girls, implying it was accepted in the community.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager who has been expelled from boarding school. He spends three days in New York City, feeling alienated and disillusioned by the adult world. Holden wants to protect children's innocence but also experiments with adult behaviors. By the end, he realizes he cannot shield kids forever and must accept reality. Critics debate whether his maturation is positive or a sign of society's oppression. Like Huck Finn, Holden struggles to understand the world while seeking stability and independence in this influential coming-of-age novel.
With specific reference to the mainstream news media in the UKJon Davies
- The document discusses Jean Chalaby's argument that journalists prioritize entertaining readers over informing them about important social issues. It analyzes how the rise of celebrity culture in news media has led readers to disengage from news and seek information elsewhere.
- Reality television shows like Big Brother and The X Factor are discussed as platforms that launch "talentless celebrities" to fame. Jade Goody is used as a case study of someone who became famous from Big Brother despite having no talents, and how her life story came to dominate news coverage.
- The document argues this shows how journalists ignore their duty to society and prioritize entertaining readers with sensational celebrity stories over important issues, as Chalaby claimed.
Unduh Buku Sedhih A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American ...ShijoTsubasa
This document provides excerpts from and information about the book "A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II". It describes Virginia Hall, an American woman who became a spy for Britain in France during World War 2 despite being rejected from foreign service due to her gender and prosthetic leg. Hall was very successful and became known as the "Madonna of the Resistance". The document encourages the reader to download or read the book to learn more about this heroic yet overlooked female spy from American history. It provides several buttons and links to access the full book.
The document provides a summary of a multimedia project comparing themes in modern media and ancient texts. It discusses three comparisons: [1] Steve Jobs and Sir Gawain facing mortality, [2] Heidi Montag and Meursault lacking a strong moral system, and [3] Harry Potter and Brian Turner facing a game with deathly risks. The author argues that analyzing timeless themes across media helps readers understand life's lessons.
This poem critiques modern society's desensitization to human suffering through entertainment and media. It describes a family watching the film "The Good Earth" while distracted by advertisements. They remain indifferent to the suffering portrayed on screen. The narrator comments on the film without empathy, parodying viewers who fail to connect the depicted hardship to real human experiences. The poem suggests that media promotes this detachment by treating tragedy as entertainment rather than real issues. It mocks the notion that suffering can be rewarding if its reality is not acknowledged.
1. Breazu 1
Robert Breazu
Julia Maher
ENGL 2400
26 April 2014
Question 3
Art’s power to induce change rests mainly in the technique of perspective: changing our
way of thinking by making us look at things in a brand new way or from a different angle. If Dali,
Picasso, and Van Gogh were all tasked to paint the same scene, each artist would offer a very
different perspective with certain elements emphasized or exaggerated above others, each
painting eliciting different thoughts and feelings from the viewers. In Giovanni’s Room, James
Baldwin chooses to tackle the social issue of homosexuality by zooming in on one man’s
internal battleground—a war between societal expectations and one’s own love and desire—
and showing us the effects of a one-sided war where society dominates, calling us to lend
power to the challenger.
In the United States population, the overwhelming majority of people are heterosexual,
and while support for freedom of sexual orientation has greatly increased over time along with
the accessibility of the issue, the playing field of Giovanni’s Room is set in a time before these
advancements, the 1950s. Unlike today’s youth, David, the main character of Giovanni’s Room,
does not have Ellen DeGeneres, the masses of the Internet, and specially trained counselors to
offer their support; he only has the conservative beliefs of his small social sphere. So when
David has his first sexual encounter with another boy, he is torn in two halves by fear and
desire. He is first engrossed by euphoria and a feeling that “a lifetime would not be long
2. Breazu 2
enough…to act with Joey the act of love” (Baldwin 8), but this soon gives way to an intense fear,
seeing the experience as “the black opening of a cavern in which [he] would be tortured till
madness came…full of rumor…full of dirty words” (Baldwin 9). In this first battle, fear wins out
over love, sending David on a path away from the boy and scarring him for the rest of his life.
By constructing this rigid dichotomy between societal desires and personal desires with
joyfulness set beside imagery of dark, frightening caverns, Baldwin gives us an insight into the
experience of homosexuals and the divide they must struggle with.
Through David’s relationships and direct testimony from Jacques, a man who fills a
father figure sort of role in David’s life, Baldwin also shows the result of the war if the
frightening caverns surrounding the social image of homosexuality are successful in continually
stifling the efforts of love and desire. Baldwin uses Jacques to capture this devastating result,
one of dirty and shameful relationships with “no affection in them, and no joy…like putting an
electric plug in a dead socket” (Baldwin 56). Jacques warns David to not allow fear overtake
him, but instead to instill joy into his relationships and accept them, lest he risk becoming just
like Jacques himself, “trapped in [his] own dirty body, forever and forever and forever”(Baldwin
57) with no hope of escape.
In a war, the losing side has a number of options. They can give up early on and submit
to command from the winning side, but for homosexuals, giving up is not an option—it would
be impossible, akin to tearing out one’s own heart and expecting to live afterwards, one’s
sexual orientation being something irremovable. The other, even more heart-wrenching
options are total annihilation—suicide—or a crushing defeat with a severely depleted
population left behind to suffer. By not heeding Jacques’ advice and not putting up a real fight,
3. Breazu 3
David falls within the third option—crushing defeat, his “heart growing cold with the death of
love” (Baldwin 158). Even trying to go along with the expectations of society and attempting to
keep hold on his fiancé, Hella, he is unsuccessful, unable to maintain any link to her,
“[watching] [his] body in a stranger’s arms” (Baldwin 162) on his penultimate night with Hella.
By letting his fears control him, David is left with nothing and is left feeling nothing, his fears
leading him to a place worse than what he thought he was avoiding. With Jacques’ warnings
and David’s downfall, Baldwin paints a fate that is ultimately darker, emptier, and more
frightening than the caverns of dearth and depravity that the majority of society portrays
homosexuality as.
With Baldwin’s personal history closely matching David’s—he too left the US for Paris in
an attempt to find himself, though he was successful where David failed—we can draw his
message to the readers, the viewers of his art piece, directly from the characters in the novel.
To the homosexual viewers, Baldwin’s message is along the lines of Jacques’ warning: do not be
afraid. For those who might be going through what David goes through, he encourages them to
embrace their sexuality, painting the dark depths that one reaches through avoidance as the
only alternative. For the rest of us, he paints a scene that inspires a tempestuous sadness;
telling us through the story, “look upon the destruction ye have wrought.” His call is for us to
relieve the pressure, to remove these societal expectations of sexuality and allow people to
embrace their sexuality without fear of ostracism, prejudice, and aggression. Fortunately, we
have made much progress today, but with people still out there resisting, the message still
resounds, hoping to one day change everybody’s view on the issue of sexual orientation and
transform it into a non-issue.