Research Papers / Research paper about the life of a jazz musician in the 1920s [2]

Assignment: Was the life of a jazz musician during the 1920s good, bad, or a mixed bag? Write a research paper that argues one of these points of view.

Paper:

The Life of a Musician in the 1920s

Following World War I, many African American musicians moved from New Orleans to Chicago because of racial tensions in New Orleans ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"). They were"fleeing... [the] oppressive caste system [in the South] in order to find a place where they could freely express their talents". ("The Rise And Fall Of Jim Crow . Jim Crow Stories . The Harlem Renaissance | PBS"). They "migrated from New Orleans to major northern cities such as Chicago and New York, leading to a wider dispersal of jazz" ("The Jazz Age."). The 1920s was an incredibly exciting time for musicians of color. In New York City, this time period was known as the Harlem Renaissance, "... a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity ." (Rowen and Brunner). During this time, society experienced many social changes, including women winning the right to vote, Prohibition, and of course the emergence of jazz music. Once jazz musicians moved, they found job opportunities to be more plentiful. Some even found fame. New technology, such as the radio, helped them increase their fanbase by making music more available to the general public at a wide variety of income levels. Many musicians, such as Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, Louis Armstrong, Lt. James Reese Europe, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton accomplished their dreams of performing and being famous. However, life for musicians was not always easy. Despite their newfound success, black musicians still faced prejudice and exploitation. Moreover, they were not immune to alcohol, which was easily available at the speakeasies in which they performed. Furthermore, even though women had just won the right to vote, life could often be difficult for female musicians. "Largely credited to African Americans employing new musical techniques along with traditional African traditions, jazz soon expanded to America's white middle class." ("The Jazz Age.") The job opportunities were also plentiful. Fame was one of the best parts of being a musician. Bix Beiderbecke, a cornetist, died at age 28 due to his alcoholism (Johnson). 1920s jazz musicians lived a life that was difficult, yet also rewarding as a result of the fame associated with their careers, the job opportunities, and the emergence of new technology. They were often seen as objects that were put in bands just for show.

The Prohibition Era started when alcohol officially became illegal in America on January 16th, 1920. While the point of Prohibition was to reduce poverty and crime, the opposite happened. People drank even more than before, and alcohol-related deaths increased among musicians as well as others. However, there was one good thing that came out of Prohibition: jazz music. Prohibition turned saloons into speakeasies. Speakeasies were clubs that required a password to get in. These clubs created a lot of jobs for jazz musicians.

Being a musician in the 1920s was great, seeing as there were a multitude of job opportunities available for both performers and those who wanted to work behind-the-scenes. Speakeasies became popular and started popping up all over the place due to Prohibition. This was great news for musicians, as various opportunities in dance halls, ballrooms, and small cabarets were created for them (Tyle). A few musicians even toured the world.

One of the best aspects of being a musician in the 1920s was the fame involved. Perhaps the most well known is Louis Armstrong, who sang "What a Wonderful World." Armstrong, who was discovered by King Oliver, another famous musician of the time, became "the greatest jazz musician of his era and eventually one of the biggest stars in the world" (Alexander). Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, who was his second wife, was also very famous and successful at the time. She worked as a Swing vocalist and appeared in several Broadway shows. Artists were also often praised highly by their fans. Lt. James Reese Europe was referred to by many as "The Jazz King" ("Jazz Roots"). In addition, many famous musicians such as Bessie Smith, were looked up to as role models and inspirations ("The Jazz Age"). Fame was something that many people desired because they wanted to live a high-class lifestyle. In conclusion, one of the main reasons why life was so excellent for musicians in the 1920s was that there was a great deal of fame involved.

In addition to the countless job opportunities, musicians also became successful as a result of the increasing popularity of new recording and broadcasting technology. Due to the fact that Americans were now "more urbanized, affluent, and entertainment-oriented than ever before" ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"), more people bought radios. Therefore, radios became a major source of entertainment in the U.S. "Between 1923 and 1930, 60 percent of American families purchased radios. Families gathered around their radios for night-time entertainment. As radio ownership increased, so did the number of radio stations." ("Radio In The 1920s") This made it much easier for musicians to become well known. Now, they could increase their audience and fanbase. It also helped them to sell and advertise their music. Plus, since many musicians were black and experienced racism, the radio made it easier for them because it was impossible to see skin color through the radio. In addition to the radio becoming popular, movie soundtracks also helped musicians to further advance their careers. By the late 1920s, sound was added to movies, creating a new way to sell sheet music and phonograph records. It also gave songwriters more job opportunities. In conclusion, life was good for a jazz musician in the 1920s since the new technology helped them to increase their fan base, sell their music, and find a job.

In conclusion, the life of a jazz musician in the 1920s was excellent. There was tons of fame involved, a plethora of new technology that helped them to become famous, and a bunch of job opportunities for them. The 1920s was a truly enjoyable period of time, especially for musicians. Being famous was enjoyable. The new technology was extremely helpful. Also, there was a great deal of job opportunities. The 1920s was great for musicians!

Book Reports / Essay about the book All Souls [2]

Any feedback is welcome!

Assignment: Read the article Six Clues to Character by Hara Estroff Marano. Choose a main character from All Souls to consider as you read. Explain whether your character possesses each trait and has positive experiences as a result. You may choose Michael Patrick, his mother, one of his siblings, or the people of Southie as a whole. Once you have read about all of the traits, decide on two traits that best apply to your character. Write an essay explaining how those two traits helped this character. You may consider that your main character possessed this trait and had positive experiences as a result... or he/she may have LACKED this trait, leading him or her to experience difficulties.

Essay:
According to an article by Hara Estroff Marano, a psychologist writing for Psychology Today, there are 6 traits that determine one's future. These traits are intelligence, drive, happiness, goodness, friendship and capacity for intimacy. All of these traits help the person who has them to succeed in life. In the book All Souls, by Michael Patrick MacDonald, it is clear that MacDonald possesses both goodness and the capacity for intimacy, both of which help him to make the neighborhood that he loves a better place to live, and to bring justice to his family. By helping out the two things that he loves the most- his family and Southie- MacDonald gains a sense of purpose and is happier.

In Marano's article, psychologist Susan Engel suggests that goodness is a combination of the willingness to help others and the ability to empathize. When Michael becomes an adult, he starts a gun buyback program and decides to dedicate his life to helping those who live in poor communities. Because he grew up in Southie, he was exposed to a lot of of gun violence and can empathize with others who live in communities that are greatly affected by gun violence. His ability to empathize demonstrates his goodness. This quality gives him a sense of purpose and also makes the neighborhood that he himself lives in safer and more secure

In addition to having goodness, Michael also has the capacity for intimacy. According to the article, intimacy is the willingness to be vulnerable and to tolerate day to day human errors. When Michael's brother, Steven, is accused of murder, but pleads innocent, Michael believes him. This shows that he can tolerate the police's false accusation. Michael's trust helps Steven not to give up hope, and eventually contributes to his release from juvenile detention. Michael's capacity for intimacy helps to keep his family together.

In conclusion, Michael's goodness and intimacy help him to improve not only the lives of others around him, but also his personal life. In Michael's case, over a thousand guns are returned to his buyback program, making communities such as Dorchester and Mattapan a lot safer. Michael's intimacy also helps in Stevie's trial, and after being in juvenile prison for a while, it is finally determined that he is actually innocent. Perhaps it is not the things that we do, but the qualities that we do them with, that define our lives.

Book Reports / Lady Macbeth character analysis - how does she change? [2]

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is very central to the development of the plot of the story. Lady Macbeth changes from Macbeth's ambitious, power hungry wife into a contrite, guilt-ridden deranged person.

At the beginning of the story, Lady Macbeth seems like a pretty average, mentally stable wife of a noble. However, it is important to remember that looks can be deceiving. When Macbeth returns from speaking with the three witches and tells Lady Macbeth about their prophecy that he will be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis and King of Scotland, Lady Macbeth is elated. She immediately starts imagining her life as Queen of Scotland and starts plotting to kill anyone who gets in her husband's way.

As the story goes on, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth act out Lady Macbeth's plan to kill Duncan and seize his throne. They kill Malcolm and Macduff in order to bring Macbeth closer to kingship, but Lady Macbeth still shows no remorse for her horrible doings. They then kill Duncan and become king and queen of Scotland. It seems as though the witches' prophecies have been fulfilled. Lady Macbeth now has the royalty that she has always wanted. However, people are seldom happy with what they wish for.

Ultimately, Lady Macbeth's attitude towards her actions changes. She becomes so guilt ridden and contrite that she begins to hallucinate and slowly goes insane. In Act 5, Scene 1, she retells the story of Duncan's murder. She says, " Out, damned spot! Out, I say!-One, two. Why, then, 'tis time to do 't. Hell is murky!-Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?-Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him" (5.1.25-29). When she says "damned spot", she is not just talking about the imaginary bloodstain on her hand; she is also using it as a metaphor for the fact that she has guilt in her heart that will not go away.

In conclusion, Lady Macbeth's personality and ambitions change throughout Macbeth. This is because she acts on instincts rather than logically thinking through possible choices when she decides to kill a handful of other characters in order to become queen. She takes advice from the witches, who may not even have been telling the truth. The fact that Macbeth is a tragedy may be largely attributed to her actions, her schemes, and that she succumbed to these very actions and schemes.