How the Other Half Lives is a book written by Jacob Riis that tells readers about the living conditions and vocational options to distinct ethnic groups in the late 1800s. The Jewish, African-Americans, and Chinese all lived in New York City but all faced different problems and seemed as if they lived in different parts of the world. Chasing the “American Dream” was a different experience for all of these ethnic groups. Life in the 1800s was without a doubt very complicated, but in my opinion, these three ethnic groups had it the worst. In the 10th Ward, or “Jewtown”, you will find either the most beautiful of women or the most horrendous. “Men with queer skull-caps, venerable beard, and the outlandish long-skirted kaftan of the Russian …show more content…
“The Czar of all the Russias is not more absolute upon his own soil than the New York landlord in his dealings with colored tenants. Where he permits them to live, they go; where he shuts the door, stay out.” (Riis 148). By saying that, Riis said that the landlord has complete control over where the blacks live. The average African-American paid $10 to every white man’s $7.50. Although paying more, the tenements of African-Americans were rundown or abandoned. The African-Americans were known to keep their living space neater and cleaner than European Immigrants, even though they were dealt rundown tenements. “The colored man takes in New York without a struggle, the lower level of menial service for which past traditions and natural love of ease perhaps as yet fit him best” (Riis 149). Riis is saying because of the history of the African-Americans, heavy lifting jobs fit them best. The downfall of the African-American community seemed to be gambling. “ Between the fortune-teller and the policy shop, closely allied frauds always, the wages of many a hard day’s work are wasted by the negro; but the loss causes him few regrets” (Riis 155). This quote tells me that the African-American man gambles his days fortune and loses it but does not regret what he did. Instead of using the days salary towards his rent, which is already higher than average, he gambles it away. Small …show more content…
Isolation is very important in Chinatown, they do not like to associate themselves with people of the outside. It is said that the residents do not trust people outside of Chinatown. “"Trust not him who trusts no one, is as safe a rule in Chinatown as out of it." (Riis 94). With this statement, Riis explains that the people of Chinatown simply do not trust people from the outside. The distrust of the Chinese comes from bad doings in what seem to be the small and clean businesses of Chinatown. Chinamen tend to associate themselves with drugs and gambling and will sometimes pick one of the two over food and shelter. In order to fit in, Chinamen adopted white women as their wives. From the perspective of an outsider, it appears that the wives have power in the relationship but taking a closer look you will see that they do not. Often times, wives would be beaten by the Chinamen if they were out of place. Riis shows this with the quote "Her tyrant knows well that she will come, and patiently bides his time."(Riis 98). The image of Chinatown from the outside appears to be a very clean community, but upon further look you will see that the chinaman often associate themselves in illegal
The landowners took advantage of their tenants by overcharging for land and underpaying for the crops. The tenants began falling deeper into debt. They could not leave until they paid off their debt, which was nearly impossible. Although former slaves had been freed, they were still facing many struggles in free life. America’s plan for reconstruction had good intent, but did not give African Americans the equality they deserved.
In Racial Fault Lines: The Historical Origins of White Supremacy in California, Tomas Almaguer (2009) describes how race and racism coincides to facilitate the birth of white supremacy in California during the late nineteenth century. The idea of racial formation allowed groups to establish their power and privilege over defined racial lines. For each of the three racialized groups presented Chapter one combines the historical and sociological framework to describe the transformation of Mexican California. Through highlighting the historical accounts of racialized groups, fear of potential threats to white workers creates white supremacy. He continues by describing the peopling of Anglo-CA from 1848-1900 with the immigration of Irish, German,
How the Other Half Lives Jacob Riis, photojournalist and author of How the Other Half Lives depicts the unbearable living conditions of the New York City tenement taken place during the era of the Progression. How the Other Half Lives was written in first person, therefore, Riis’s research and writings came from events he experienced himself living in the tenements. Jacob Riis made photojournalism popular. He was a Danish immigrant along with being a social reformer and pioneer. Migration was one of the main causes to the overcrowding living situations of in New York City.
Ngoc Le Nagel ENGL 99 - Paper 1 Jan 18, 2017 True Charity According to America Now (2015), the eleventh edition, composed by Robert Atwan, Jacob Riis was a Danish immigrant; he later became a reporter and a pioneering photographer who focused on social issues, primarily poverty. Riis has also written many influential books based on this topic. One of these books’ short introduction was made into the essay “From How the Other Half Lives” featured in America Now (2015), which explains the reasons behind the increase in poverty and crime. Jacob Riis believed that the underlying cause was the neglect and ignorance of the rich towards the poor.
How the Other Half Lives is a point by point portrayal on poor people and the penniless in the internal domains of New York City. Riis tries to depict the living conditions through the 'eyes' of his camera. He sneaks up on the general population flashes a photo and afterward tells whatever remains of the city how the 'other half' is living. As stunning as the fact of the matter was without seeing such neediness and awful conditions with their own particular eyes or taking in the involvement with every one of their faculties regardless it appeared like a million miles away or even only a fable. The truth of this book hit the general population of New York directly between the
The two stories illustrate that African-Americans are not given an equal chance in terms of gaining opportunities for a successful life. However, it may be possible that one key factor among all can develop a whole problematic image on success and why White Americans think of the African-American society as to not having the capability for a chance towards success. At the time, the economy could have been at a huge disadvantage for the African-Americans because majority of them did not have the chance to rise up from it in terms of creating revenue for themselves. The whole world around them built this image and it is hard to come out of when no one can give opportunities for them to improve and grow. Harlon L. Dalton expresses how unfair the
Everyone in Seattle might be familiar with a place called Chinatown. It is a place where you can feel a Chinese-like atmosphere. It was also constructed as the International District station (Thumbnail History). The Chinatown – International District has been the historical, cultural, and political center for Seattle’s Asian American communities. For the first generation immigrants, it was their first home in Seattle.
It is truly evident that the fundamental focal point of the whole motion picture is bigotry. Bigotry is characterized as the conviction that all individuals from each race forces attributes or capacities particular to that race, particularly to recognize it as substandard compared to another race, which prompts preference and oppression somebody of an alternate race. The film determines its attention on bigotry in the unified states. As we clearly all know, prejudice has been one of the greatest issues that american culture has looked since its establishing and even previously.
“Nothing but the most exemplary morals can give dignity to a man of small fortune.” (Adam Smith) In the essay prompt, the anonymous writer suggests that the Youngers, (a poor African American family from the South side of Chicago in the 1950s) should not take the money from the owners association instead of moving into their new home they purchased with insurance money due to the death of the main character, Walters’ Father Mr.Younger. The house that they purchased with the insurance money is located in a white community, where they are obviously unwanted. With no insurance money left and their dream home on the line, the writer believes it is better to refuse the money because it “undermines their own pride and dignity as human beings.”
Tally’s Corner is the sociological interpretation of the culture of Negro streetcorner men. Elliot Liebow sets out to expose the hypocrisies that lead black men in this circumstance. The study is carried out in Washington D.C. The key argument posed by Liebow is that black males are incapable of attaining jobs because they lack education. He also argues that this is a cycle that inevitably results in a trans-generational marginalization of the black race.
Throughout Stephen Steinberg’s book the Ethnic Myth, multiple examples of how different ethnicities achieved economic ability and how others did not is discussed. He analysis a variety of different immigrant groups and how more than their cultural values played into whether or not they were successful in America. The following information in this paper will provide an example using black Americans as part of the “culture-of-poverty”. “The wronged are always wrong…” (New Republic, June 24, 1916) is the opening statement to chapter four and is associated with why the Negro is blamed for their own misfortune.
Racial Equality: A Raisin in the Sun In the 1950’s racial discrimination was a huge factor in the lives of African Americans. Lorraine Hansberry’s book, “A Raisin in the Sun,” helps people imagine the struggles that a standard African American family would have to endure. In the novel, the Younger family has poor housing conditions, badly paying jobs, and have given up hope of ever escaping their circumstances.
Chinese Immigrants in Northern California Throughout its history the United States has seen a great ebb and flow in the amount of immigrants entering the country. For a country that was founded by immigrants many of its policies in the 19th and 20th centuries sought to exclude and limit the amount of immigrants coming from many continents, including Asia and Africa. Chinese Immigrants increasingly started showing up in Northern California at the start of the gold rush in 1849 and would establish a large enclave known as China Town in San Francisco. Immigrants from China were particularly targeted with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, that made illegal, the influx of Chinese laborers that had been migrating to the US just a few years prior.
These old fashion traditions and values are visible throughout the short story “Yin Chin,” written by Lee Maracle. This story follows the oppression of the Chinese and First Nations communities in early Vancouver and the internal and external conflicts they faced due to racism. From the very beginning of the story, we get a sample of what went on through the heads of individuals of different ethnicities and the old fashion values they possess. At the beginning of the story “Yin Chin,” the narrator walks into a restaurant filled with Chinese and explains “It is my reflexive action on my part to assume that any company that isn’t Indian company is generally unacceptable,” showcasing the reflexive thought process that went through people’s minds if they weren’t the same skin pigment (156). They found the restaurant full and that there were no places to sit because “there aren’t any Indians in the room” (156).
Thesis statement: The two great leaders in the black community debating about the issues that face the Negro race and Du Bois gave a compelling argument by using pathos, logos and ethos to create an essay that will appear to all readers. Outline: This essay will showcase the contradicting philosophies between W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Also, paying close attention to the different types of leadership between the two historic leaders in the black community. Both W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington contributed to and helped shape the future of African Americans.