The Search for Identity in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man...

The Search for Identity in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man It is through the prologue and epilogue, that we understand the deeper meanings of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. The prologue is essential, laying down a foundation that allows us to understand the meaning and reason behind the symbolism and relevance of events the that follow. The prologue allows us to understand the extent and level of intensity the novel is trying to achieve. Acting in the same way, the epilogue further illustrates the importance of different parts of the novel allowing us to truly see what the Invisible Man wants us to notice and take from the telling of his life. In the prologue the narrator introduces himself as the Invisible Man, simultaneously†¦show more content†¦His free electricity and rent-free existence prove the power of his invisibility. By not being visible the Invisible Man learns he does not have to live by the rules of visible people, showing us the deeper meaning of his invisibility. The narrator also reveals his current living situation in the prologue. He emphasizes the 1,369 lights he has in his abandoned basement; speaking metaphorically of how the light represents truth; more importantly the truth of his existence. He needs the light to confirm his own being, showing how the inability of society to see him affects him and makes the Invisible Man blind as well. This idea of how the blindness of the world causes him to be blind as well, is constantly referred to in the book, and it is only thought the prologue we understand the full meaning. The most important thing that we can take from the prologue is his symbolic ‘hibernation’, the Invisible Man’s life in his hole or basement. His hole represents imprisonment, for he feels he is held prisoner by his lack of identity and by the society that refuses to see him. Keeping this ending of his life in mind, we are able to look into the events in the book and see that they all lead to him trying to escape the hole by being noticed as a person in the world. Even the point of him writing and retelling his life is an escape route, giving him hard evidence that heShow MoreRelatedEssay on Search for Identity in Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man2669 Words   |  11 Pageshumanity and identity. Ralph Ellison, a prominent author fascinated by man’s search for identity, thought that blacks were invisible primarily because whites refused to see them. He believed that true identity could be revealed by experiencing certain endeavors and overcoming them (Parr an d Savery 86). Ellison explores this theme in Invisible Man, which depicts the title character struggling to find his identity despite facing obstacles created by both white men and his fellow blacks. In Ralph Ellison’sRead More Invisible Man Essay: Searching for Black Identity in a White World1229 Words   |  5 PagesInvisible Man: Searching for Black Identity in a White World      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man was published at a time when America was racially divided.   The novel presents the theme of the lack of black identity – a theme supported by the fact that the protagonist, Invisible Man, has no name.   The reader knows the names of Dr. Bledsoe, Ras-the-Exhorter, Brother Jack and others - but the reader does not know the name of the main character.   Ellisons leaves it to the reader to decide whoRead MoreJazz in Invisible Man1464 Words   |  6 Pagespeople each day. It is an art that has continued through decades and can be seen in many different ways. That is why Ellison chooses to illustrate his novel with jazz. Jazz music in Invisible Man gives feelings that Ellison could never explain in words. In Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the narrator’s search for his identity can be compared to the structure of a jazz composition. In order to see the parallel between the novel and jazz, one must first see how Ellison incorporates jazz music in the prologueRead MoreCritical Analysis: Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man Essay1651 Words   |  7 PagesIn Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, we are presented with an unnamed narrator whose values and potentials are invisible to the world around him. Throughout the entirety of the novel, we see the unnamed narrator, also known as the Invisible Man, struggle in an attempt to uncover his identity buried beneath African American oppression and an aggregation of deception. Ellison shows us how lies and deceit may serve as a grave but invaluable obstacle to one’s journey to find their identity. Through theRead More Invisible Man Essay: Values of the Invisible Man1267 Words   |  6 PagesValues of the Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man is the story of an educated black man who has been oppressed and controlled by white men throughout his life. As the narrator, he is nameless throughout the novel as he journeys from the South, where he studies at an all-black college, to Harlem where he joins a Communist-like party known as the Brotherhood. Throughout the novel, the narrator is on a search for his true identity. Several letters are given to him by outsiders thatRead More Use of Symbolism In Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man Essay766 Words   |  4 PagesRalph Ellison uses several symbols to emphasize the narrator’s attempt to escape from stereotypes and his theme of racial inequalities in his novel, Invisible Man. In particular, the symbolism of the cast-iron is one that haunts the narrator throughout the book. Ellison’s character discovers a small, cast-iron bank that implies the derogatory stereotypes of a black man in society at the time. From its â€Å"wide-mo uthed, red-lipped, and very black† features, to its suggestion of a black man entertainingRead More Racism and Identity in Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man Essay2209 Words   |  9 PagesIn Ralph Ellison’s novel The Invisible man, the unknown narrator states â€Å"All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was†¦I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself the question which I, and only I, could answer†¦my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man!† (13). throughout the novel, the search forRead MoreThemes and Styles of Ralph Ellison3336 Words   |  14 PagesEnglish IV 16 November 2005 The Themes and Styles of Ralph Ellison Ralph Ellison has proven himself through his novel The Invisible Man to be the leading black author of the twentieth century. Although he had written many short stories and essays collected in the book Shadow and Act, The Invisible Man is his only novel. With this one novel, Ellison earned himself the 1953 National Book Award and acclaim by the African American community for so accurately portraying the struggles a black AmericanRead MoreHamlet Invisible Man1412 Words   |  6 Pagessubdivisions implements the need to search for . In Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† and Ellison’s Invisible Man, the feminine character traits of the protagonists are alluded to as the cause of their failures, which supports the idea that the inward battle between masculinity and femininity exist as the characters journey closer to their identity. â€Å"It has been generally believed that males stand as opposed to females physically, intellectually, and emotionally. Man is supposed to be strong, courageousRead More The Distinguished Works of the Preeminent Black Author, Ralph Ellison2059 Words   |  9 PagesThe Distinguished Works of the Preeminent Black Author, Ralph Ellison Ralph Ellison is one of the most lauded yet misunderstood writers of the twentieth century. Ellison is considered a short-story writer and an essayist at heart, but his most distinguished work is the novel, Invisible Man. Ellison has been called everything from the greatest black American author (Brennan) to unnecessarily excessive in his writing style (Ralph Ellison: 1914-1994). For the most part, Ellison is held in

Book that has had the most influence Free Essays

What Is the book that has had the most Influence on you and how has It Influenced you? Author Nowadays, in century of information technologies people don’t pay much attention to books, especially to fiction. This is a big issue, since some literature stories can be more useful, than TV programs or social network conversations. People of any age and any nationality can find some new sense in well known, but undeservedly forgotten novels and who knows how it could change their future. We will write a custom essay sample on Book that has had the most influence or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many years ago, hen I was a little curious child, I found in our family library Arthur Cowan Doyle novel collection, and began to read his famous detective stories about Sherlock Holmes. It’s hard to imagine, but being 10 years old ordinary pupil, I stopped playing football with my neighborhood friends and watch animated cartoons for few weeks. All my free time was devoted to these knotty stories. Moreover, I tried to solve some problems by myself and forecast next Sherlock steps with great elation. With great egret I finished last adventure and understood that current logical task was really final. Everyone can ask me, how detective stories, without some hidden philosophical sense and educational thoughts could make great influence on little child. And I should give an unexpected answer. From that time I became interested in mathematics and in other exact sciences. I was very successful in different logical tasks and considered to dedicate my life to IT and math. And who knows, maybe that old fall evening, when I first found Sherlock Holmes story – was crucial point in my life. Looking back through years, I understand that it is never too late to discover world, get new knowledge, and as result change yourself. Generally speaking – reading Is a perfect Instrument to rich all these alms. People shouldn’t forget about books because with every new read sentence reader becomes more Intelligent and erudite. So don’t waste your time for unimportant things, do your best to make this world more beautiful. How to cite Book that has had the most influence, Papers

Mauna Loa Volcano Essay Example For Students

Mauna Loa Volcano Essay The Mauna Loa Volcano Essay is located in Hawaii and means Long Mountain in Hawaiian. It is a giant, basaltic shield volcano. It is one of the largest volcanoes and mountains in the world and has been called the monarch of mountains. It has an estimated volume of 9,600 cubic miles and takes up half the land of Hawaii. It extends about 120 km starting from the southern tip of the island to the northern region. It is 97 km (60 miles) long, 48 km (30 miles) wide, and is 8,742 km (28,680 miles) high from the base on the sea floor to the top. The slopes are steeper than 12 degrees and about 4 degrees at the top of the volcano. Mauna Loa formed about half a million years ago and in the middle stages of forming into a shield volcano where lava flows to form a sloped and broad flat domed volcanic cone. Along with Mauna Kea, the Mauna Loa volcano is responsible for the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. Mauna Loa has erupted thirty-three times since 1843 and is known as one of the most active volcanoes in the world today. The last eruption was 1984 and lava flowed within 4 miles of the city of Hilo. This shows that it is dangerous to live anywhere near Mauna Loa and that it poses as a threat to anyone living near it because it has a very high possibility of erupting within a very short span of time. Below is a picture of Mauna Loa taken from a birds eye view. Volcanoes can cause damage by spewing lava, but earthquakes before the eruption can also cause damage. These earthquakes open fissures and let magma out to the surface. When the magma exits these fissures, streams of lava up to hundreds of feet can shoot into the air. The picture below shows the lava erupting from the fissures created by the earthquakes in the northeast rift zone on the morning of March 25th, 1984. These eruptions can be of the violent sort and some can be relatively calm. They can last from a couple days or as long as ten months and may be followed by flank eruptions. The lava flows from Mauna Loa are frequent and high-volume. The long lengths of these flows and the fluidity results in the high velocities of the lava flow on steep slopes. This makes Mauna Loa much more potentially dangerous than other volcanoes. Below is a picture of the 1984 eruption in the northeast rift zone. Construction of new homes near any active volcano is dangerous and is a major risk to those living there. The lava from the volcano can flow rapidly down the slope and destroy anything in its path; this includes any housing or buildings. With that said, $2.3 billion dollars since 1984 have been invested in building new homes on the slopes of Mauna Loa. There are about 75,000 people living near Mauna Loa, but the tourist industry has prompt the major investments in construction of housing and other tourist attractions. The major city of Hilo has been an example of the potential risk that living near a volcano can produce pose. During an eruption in 1984 lava flowed within 4 miles of the city. Precautions have been made to reduce these risks. Ultra sensitive strainmeters and seismometers have been placed in three sites on Mauna Loa. This helps geologists in detecting any volcanic activities early and help in predicting any future eruptions. This allows the people living near Mauna Loa to have warnings regarding any possible eruptions. There are many things that can be done to reduce or eliminate the risks created by volcanoes. .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .postImageUrl , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:hover , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:visited , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:active { border:0!important; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:active , .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud75bd6376ecfe83cbc2e128b7cb0585e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Jim Thorpe Essay The obvious solution would be to not construct any housing on or near the slopes of Mauna Loa. This would eliminate all threats, but it would also be unlikely. The instruments and equipment that have been installed is an effective way of detecting eruptions and providing possible warnings of those living near the volcano. On the other hand, these are not 100% accurate and the damage would be inevitable. People living near Mauna Loa and any other volcano should be aware of the risks .

Why College Sports should be Eliminated in College Essay Example

Why College Sports should be Eliminated in College Essay The image of college athletes has become heavily stereotyped. And more often than not, these stereotypes are presented through jokes especially in movies. We see college athletes (more commonly known as â€Å"jocks†) exhibits exceptional physical capabilities but below average intelligence. Even though these kind of jokes exist, people very rarely question why sports and college are so interconnected. College and sports appear to be inseparable twin brothers inside the psyche of the public. This paper recognizes the lack of skepticism in the relationship of college and sports. Sports should be eliminated in college and academic institutions should focus more on academics nonetheless. Setting up this argument is indeed a difficult task. Since the time of ancient learning, academics and sports find their way to intersect each other. If we would review history, Greek intellectuals and Greek sports (like in the early olympics) was just as popular as each other. However, the balance was somehow became lopsided over the centuries. Championships in college sports became the object of glory of universities. In the colleges of today, a high-scoring baller would have an exponentially larger admirers than a scholar who propose a new theory of the origin of the universe. This lopsidedness also adds to the reasons why the existence of sports in the academic community should be challenged. We will write a custom essay sample on Why College Sports should be Eliminated in College specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why College Sports should be Eliminated in College specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why College Sports should be Eliminated in College specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer But of course, college sports is not all negative aspects. Actually, there are many strong positive points to college sports that made it indispensable in the academe: Good health and an active lifestyle is of course on the side of maintaining college, Winning championships of course will give pride to the students and the school gets a positive reputation, The virtues attributed to sports like sportsmanship, perseverance, determination, etc are of course good for building one’s character, Exceptional ballers gets the coveted chance to play on the professional level, The list go on and on. But what most people do not see in these items is that these things are not all positive. Moreover, it should be noted that these items are not and should not be the priority of a learning institution. College Sports as a Distraction to the Academics It is common in universities that they require their college athletes to maintain a certain grade point average. Failing to meet these requirements would often result to the prohibition for the college athlete to join the athletics team. That is with the thinking that the failing college athlete would focus more on his or her studies. This is what the public knows about the system. This arrange is like one big open secret in the world of college sports. Of course there are exceptional athletes but hopeless in their studies. Would coaches let their best players off the team just because of a failing grade point average? That is very unlikely and uncharacteristic of coaches. People would not think its impossible if â€Å"under the table† arrangements are practiced among coaches and teachers. However it may sound offensive, it is just not that convincing that every college athlete maintains the required grade point average, especially the top scorers for the time. One often overlooked issue is the time that college athletics require. And the large amount of time that college sports demand does not only apply to the student, but also to the other constituents of the school like the cheerleaders, student audiences, even the teachers when their team is about to play a game. College athletes would have to practice a lot, or else their coaches would tell them that they would be unable to win a game. This kind of thinking would undeniably take away a considerable amount of time from the student athlete. And as we know of student life, the time spent in practicing could have been the very precious time spent reviewing a lesson. One of the most distracting cons of college sports would be injuries. If a player got physically injured in a game, his or her physical condition would not be a hundred percent in the classroom (that is if an injured player manages to walk to his or her classroom). A discussion on college athletics would perhaps give us a deeper look in the issue. The speakers were Bill Thierfelder and Murray Sperber. Both of the speakers were college athletes, coaches, and currently educators themselves. Thierfelder had come up with a helpful description of college athletics as a distraction to academics. He described college athletics as an â€Å"artificial environment† (Schalin 2008). He added that within this â€Å"artificial environment† either good or bad could be inculcated in the minds of the college athletes, depending on the the character of who is directing that particular environment. The directors of the said environment would be of course the coaches, the athletic department, administrators, and even teachers. The issue that was surfaced in Thierfelder’s view is that most of the time, the directors of the said environment are fixated on the thought of winning. These directors are like to go by all means to achieve victory, reg ardless of its ethical repercussions or the well-being of the college students. Thierfelder added that the directors should be held accountable for the consequences of their methods just as they are savoring the glory of winning with those who actually participate in sports, the student players. On the other hand, in line with Thierfelder, Sperber argued that college sports has detached from its former purity and integrity. He argued that college sports is becoming more and more corrupted and commercialized in the present era. To support his point, he used the first intercollegiate contest to be ever held. The said contest was a rowing contest between Harvard and Yale during the 1830’s. Sperber pointed out that the early intercollegiate sports were not designed to advertise branded shoes. The interesting part is when he shared that corruption in college athletic was ever present since it was originated.   Sperber said that there were â€Å"ringers† in both teams. The term â€Å"ringer† simply means a good athlete who has no direct connection to the schools. The ringers were not students but rather some good player they asked to play for them. In much simpler terms Sperber just wanted to say that cheating was already present ever since the first interco llegiate games was played. Ethical Issues Ethical issues were already touched by the previous segment, but this particular part of the paper will throw the harder punches. As stated earlier commercialization had became a blemish in the image of college sports. Dishonesty is also becoming more and more prevalent. The main problem is that these issues are rarely addressed. Cheating is also becoming more and more inseparable with the mention of college sports. There have been many instances wherein point-shaving of college players were committed. â€Å"Point-shaving† is a term used in the sports community to pertain to the act when players consciously underperform to make the opponent win the game. These kinds of games are known to sport enthusiasts â€Å"fixed-games.† The NABC or National Association of Basketball Coaches admits that game fixing is becoming prevalent in college basketball games. The NABC points the blame to the gambling market that the popularity of college basketball creates (NABC). The number of students who bet on games is ever considerable and still growing. The number of student â€Å"bookies† is also gaining numbers. â€Å"Bookies† are the ones who collects the bets from the gamblers who are usually the constituents of those concerned with the games, who else but the constituents of the universities themselves. Being a bookie is an ethically alarming job, especially for the students. Students should realize that their minds and character are being reared in the university. If gambling would become more and more of a problem, then immediate action is deemed necessary. Another issue that should be taken into consideration is the violence during college games. Both the college players and the fans had become entangled in the reports of violence in college sports. Even the coaches are sometimes initiator of the riots. In Myriam Miedzian’s book â€Å"Boys Will Be Boys: Breaking the Link between Masculinity and Violence†, she tackled this issue of college sports violence. She attributed the violent actions of college players to the thinking that was embedded in their heads (Miedzian 77). College players are taught (mostly by being shouted at) to think that winning is everything and losing is never an option. When college players accept this thinking as the only way to view reality, when they lose a game, they also seem to lose their temper. Moreover , some sports would always require physical contact. Sometimes a player gets hurt, but that’s normal. The problem that arises is when the hurt player takes it as a personal offense or when the players are intentionally hurting each other. The violent behavior is at times not done by the players but by the fans on the stands. And there are times when college sports violence escalate to a more alarming rate. Just this January, a UCLA basketball player named Kevin Love of Oregon received death threats through his cell phone. The death threat indicated killing the basketball player along with his family. But the violence did not stop there. Love did not attend the game because of the threats to him, instead his family watched the game. Dissapointed, Love’s own fans threw thrash at the player’s parents and sister. (sportsillustrated.com) Controversies NCAA players are not being paid and does not recieve any sort of payment has always been a circulating argument in college basketball. The NCAA argues that scholarship is enough compensation (ncaa.org). The problem with this is that the NCAA and the university profit from the college players through advertising. Murray Sperber also revealed that at a state university a certain basketball coach recieved two-hundred gran as a reward for recruiting a freshmen who was creating a buzz in high-school basketball. Conclusion College and sports are two very different entities, therefore should be separated. Both means well for the students. But purpose should always be kept in mind. Universities exist to mold the minds of future leaders. If these futures leaders would busy themselves excelling in sports, or gambling in sports, we could just imagine the future this might bring. The main source of the problem could just be over-prioritizing. Learning institutions should set clear lines to contain the issue. As for the problems with college sports laid out in this paper, we are already aware of these things. The problem is that these issues are rarely addressed. College sports is entering an era wherein glory is achieved in ill methods. Those concerned should learn how to act upon these issues as quick as possible.

Nathaniel Alexander, Inventor of a Folding Chair

Nathaniel Alexander, Inventor of a Folding Chair On July 7, 1911, an African-American man named Nathaniel Alexander of Lynchburg, Virginia patented a folding chair. According to his patent, Nathaniel Alexander designed his chair to be used in schools, churches, and other auditoriums. His design included a book rest that was usable for the person sitting in the seat behind and was ideal for church or choir use.​ Fast Facts: Nathaniel Alexander Known For: African-American patent holder for a folding chairBorn: UnknownParents: UnknownDied: UnknownPublished Works: Patent 997,108, filed March 10, 1911, and granted July 4 the same year Little Biographical Data Alexanders invention is found on many lists for black American inventors. However, he has escaped having much biographical information known about him. What can be found confuses him with an early governor of the state of North Carolina, who was not a black American. One says he was born in the early 1800s in North Carolina and died several decades before the date of the patent of the folding chair. Another one, which is written as satire, says he was born the same year as the patent was issued. These seem obviously erroneous. Patent 997108 is the only invention on record for Nathaniel Alexander, but on March 10, 1911, his application was witnessed by two people: James R.L. Diggs and C.A. Lindsay. James R.L. Diggs was a Baptist minister from Baltimore (born in 1865), who was a member of the Niagara Movement, and holder of an MA from Bucknell University and a PhD in Sociology from Illinois Wasleyan in 1906- in fact, Diggs was the first African-American to hold a Sociology Ph.D. in the United States. The Niagara Movement was a black civil rights movement led by W.E.B. DuBois and William Monroe Trotter, who assembled in Niagara Falls, Ontario (American hotels barred blacks), to discuss Jim Crow laws following the Reconstruction. They met annually between 1905 and 1910: in between 1909 and 1918, Diggs corresponded with DuBois about a possible history of the movement, among other things. There may have only been a passing connection between Alexander and Diggs. Foldable Chairs for Churches and Choirs Alexanders folding chair is not the first folding chair patent in the United States. His innovation was that it included a book rest, making it suitable for use in places where the back of one chair could be used as a desk or shelf by the person seated behind. This would certainly be convenient when setting up rows of chairs for choirs, so they could rest music on the chair ahead of each singer, or for churches where a prayer book, hymnal, or Bible could be placed on the reading shelf during the service. Folding chairs allow the space to be used for other purposes when there is not a class or church service. Today, many congregations meet in spaces that used to be large big box stores, supermarkets, or other large, cavernous rooms, Using folding chairs set up only during services, they are able to quickly turn the space into a church. In the early part of the 20th century, congregations likewise might have met outdoors, in warehouses, barns, or other spaces that didnt have fixed seating or pews. Earlier Folding Chair Patents Folding chairs have been in use for thousands of years in many cultures, including ancient Egypt and Rome. They were even commonly used in churches as liturgical furniture in the Middle Ages. Here are some other patents for folding chairs that were granted prior to that of Nathaniel Alexander: M.S. Beach of Brooklyn, New York patented a folding chair for pews, U.S. Patent No. 18377 on October 13, 1857. However, this design appears to be a drop-down seat such as an airplane jump seat rather than a chair you can fold, stack, and store away.J.P.A.  Spaet, W.F. Berry and J.T. Snoddy of Mount Pleasant, Iowa were granted U.S. Patent No. 383255 on May 22,  1888, for a folding chair designed to look much like a regular chair when in use. It could be folded up to be stored away and save space.C. F. Batt patented a folding chair for steamers on June 4, 1889, U.S. Patent No. 404,589. Batts patent notes that he was seeking improvements on longstanding folding chair designs, especially avoiding having a hinge at the side arms that can pinch your fingers when folding or unfolding the chair. Sources Alexander, Nathaniel. Chair. Patent 997108. 1911.Batt, C.F. Folding Chair. Patent 383255. 1888.Beach, M.S. Char. Patent 18377. 1857.Pipkin, James Jefferson. James R.L. Diggs. The Negro in Revelation, in History and in Citizenship: What the Race has Done and is Doing. St. Louis: N.D. Thompson Publishing Company, 1902Spaet, J.P.A., W. F. Berry and J.T. Snoddy. Folding Chair for Steamers. Patent 404,589. 1889.WEB DuBois Correspondence with J.R.L. Diggs, Special Collections, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Autobiographical Sketch Layout

My name is Courtney Marie Bukovitz. I wasn’t named after anyone else as far as I know. I’m 15 years old and was born on July 23, 1996 in Akron, Ohio. I have a few times but never out of Ohio. I don’t have many aunts, uncles or cousins, but the ones I do have live in a different state. My mom has 4 siblings and my dad has 1. Me on the other hand, I have 3 half siblings and 3 step siblings, I’m the youngest child. I honestly despise watching sports but I love to play them. What I usually do is hang out with my friends and doodle random pictures. The last time I went on vacation was in November, 2012 to Florida to visit family. Anytime I’ve went on vacation I’ve always stayed at my aunt or grandma’s house, so I never really stayed in a Hotel. My favorite kind of music is mainly old rock like Nirvana or alternative such as A Day To Remember. Their music is about real life situations and ideas, rather than fake love stories, lust and drugs. If I could describe myself in 3 words it’d be creative, spontaneous and independent. The high school I have attended is North High School. I don’t really have a favorite subject, but my weakness class is Biology. My strength class is History and anything that has to do with the visual arts. The class I dislike the most would be study hall, I don’t like study hall just because I find it useless. It may provide a child with the time to study but to me it’s a waste of time. My plan is to graduate from North High School in 2014 and then go to college to study to be a private investigator. I’m into the discovery of truth and justice and I’m someone who won’t stop until I achieve the truth.

MGM grand Fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MGM grand Fire - Research Paper Example What could occur if a Second annual computer conference COMDEX’80 would not be held in Las Vegas when the blaze started? I woke up to screams of â€Å"fire†. I got dressed immediately, but by the time I went to the hallway, I could not get out because the smoke was so thick †¦ I did not break my window because there was so much smoke outside. (Canon, M. p.17) The MGM Grand Hotel was constructed during 1972-1973 as a 23-floor building with 2100 rooms that was on top of the great ground-floor entertainment center that accommodated a casino, showrooms, get-together room, and sell space. When the MGM Grand was finished in 1972, it was the biggest hotel on the planet. Though similar to all other Vegas gambling places where slots and table games gather the profit, the stress was on getting it up and running so the returns would begin running in to reimburse for high costs prior to the expected earnings. Having that a main purpose, MGM Grand was allowed to open with almos t no fire protection at all, to the point that minor precautions, like fire doors, were installed only after insurers were about to list the place as â€Å"unprotected†. Later, after the fire, an investigation confirmed that the fire spread so rapidly due to many installations and design flaws. Sometime early in the morning of November 21, 1980, something caused an electrical ground fault. The electrical wiring, which was powering the refrigeration unit for a food cabinet display, sparkled inside the soffit. Hotel’s restaurant Deli was closed for the night so the fire burned for a while, undetected. When the hotel originally opened, the Deli was working around the clock. On that ground, MGM Grand also got an exception on installing sprinkler system. However, open hours have changed. Had the Deli be open, the fire would likely be detected and easily contained. As it was closed for the night, hours passed before the fire found fresh oxygen, and burst into a fireball cros sway the catwalk in the casino. Within only six minutes after the fire was discovered, the whole casino area was ablaze, and the fire was spreading very rapidly. The Clark County Fire Department Unit was alarmed at 7:15 AM, and firefighters from the station straight across the road came in just 4 minutes, in time to witness the fire burst. During the five minutes, fire destroyed plastic and other inflammable materials, and spread through the casino at a speed of nineteen feet per second. The fire burnt the manual alarm amplifiers prior to the manual alarm was activated, so the majority of visitors became aware of the fire only at the time when they noticed or felt smoke, saw fire unit apparatus, or were informed by other visitors. Because the construction was equipped with sprinklers only in some parts, there were not any sprinklers in the major casino area. No automatic smoke recognition or fire alarm system was installed, with only manual pull devices set up throughout the hotel. The area protected by sprinklers at the east and south sides of the casino aided in extinguishing the fire. Force from the fireball raged out the front doors of the hotel all the way down to the northwest side. Blaze ran into the roofed entrance and valet part, wounding several passers-by and destroying a number of parked vehicles. Because of the upright gaps with insufficient protection and the non-stop working heating, and air-conditioning system, smoke spread all the way through the building.