The events that produced the modern Civil Rights Movement Essay

The events that produced the modern Civil Rights Movement - Essay Example The case has never been perfectly clear, but it seems that Till had told several of his African-American friends in Mississippi that back home in Chicago he had a white girlfriend - they did not believe him and so dared him to speak to a white woman while out in public. Whether Till actually spoke, or whether he whistled at a married white woman while in a grocery store in unclear, but the repercussions are unambiguous (Ownby 151). The boy was murdered because of his apparent audacity in addressing a white woman, and the death shocked people all over the country. Mere months later, Rosa Parks found lasting fame and reverence because of her refusal to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. At this time, segregation existed on buses and an African-American was not allowed to take the front seat of a bus, particularly if there was a white passenger who needed to sit down. Parks' civil disobedience led to the formation of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for months and ultimately culminated in the 1956 decision of Alabama courts to rule that bus segregation is unconstitutional. Parks was always the first to downplay her role in the modern civil rights movement, but the truth is that her disregard for discriminatory practices influenced the entire African-American population to rethink their own attitudes towards segregation and low social standing (Burns 87-90). Following the murder of Emmitt Till, African-Americans were, on the whole, very angry, frightened and confused about what steps needed to be taken to ensure their f uture safety and success in the nation. Rosa Parks unwittingly gave all these disenfranchised people a look at how simple individual protest could be used to really make a difference where it mattered the most. The Montgomery Bus Boycott not only influenced a nation, but it specifically had a great effect on someone who would prove to be an invaluable member of the modern civil rights movement: Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr. took a leadership role in the Bus Boycott and from this starting point became an omnipresent figure in most aspects of the African-American civil rights movement in America. His most famed contribution to the movement was his "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered in 1963 during the March on Washington. King envisioned a time when society would welcome its diverse people together as one, treat every person as both an individual and an equal, and put an end to discrimination and segregation laws in America and worldwide (Ralph Jr. 29-36). The ideals and actions of Martin Luther King Jr. were essentially fundamental to the modern civil rights movement and because of this, African-Americans were ultimately inspired to take up the causes he fought for after he was murdered in Tennessee in 1968. The death of this great leader of the civil rights movement was a great shock to the entire country, but it was in many ways the final catalyst that African-Americans needed to realize that enough was enough in terms of discrimination and

Civil Right Act of 1964 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Civil Right Act of 1964 - Essay Example The country has literally shed blood of innocent civilians to fight for few basic rights that are God-given. Racism and prejudice are clearly present through Terkel’s narration of Ellis as he projects his emotional level of prejudice, his self-justification, and his displaced aggression. In order to combat this racism, the Civil Rights act has become a hallmark to combat this disease and to propagate for reform. The Civil War serves as a crucial testament towards the self-proclaimed status of America, a nation in which freedom and liberty can be celebrated. Nonetheless, the nation has struggled to grant the idea of equality throughout history. What was ironic was the fact that the efforts of black soldiers during the World War II is taken for granted. All enlisted men ninety-first division were Negroes and that became controversial for many factors. First and foremost was the fact that all the men enlisted in this division were poor black individuals, who were illiterate and l abor workers. They possessed no official military training and were up against an army which had prior experience. The division possessed around 600 military black officers, most of them which came from the Southern states. The 92nd Division comprised of 12,000 officers, in which 200 of them were white and 600 black officers. A major flaw that plagued this division was the fact that racial and prejudice haunted the infantry. The whole experience for these black men was bitter sweet as no chance of error was given to these men. Any training mistakes would be overblown by the media as the reports went back across the nation initiating a scream of hatred and racism. In essence, there was no respect for these brave warriors who were putting their lives in the front lines for their country. Without a doubt, it was unfortunate that these same men were living under the Jim Crow laws. One of the main concepts of prejudice and racism that is outlined in Ellis’s narration is his level of prejudice that is prevalent throughout his life. Vincent Parillo, author of Causes of Prejudices questions the whole essence of social categories of racism, which is then depicted in Terkel’s work. When people are nurtured in an environment where they are biased culturally against a group of individuals; they naturally assume that those views are correct. This can be no doubt detrimental as these perspectives are embraced and become the foundation for hatred. Prejudicial attitudes are prevalent amongst many groups and are a key catalyst towards conducing hatred. The Jim Crow laws that plagued the United States of America during the 1890’s was the clear illustration of the unfortunate reality that degraded the citizenship rights of African Americans. The racial segregation that was dominant in southern states was due to factual legislation that the state government imposed. The Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, which clearly gave a mandate of â€Å"separ ate but equal facilities† added more gasoline to the fire. It undoubtedly hindered growth for adequate economic opportunity and give rise to hatred groups such as the KKK. Without a doubt, legislative achievements

Rabbit Proof Fence Film Analysis

Rabbit Proof Fence Film Analysis Mahealani Subad When watching films that are based on true stories, the storyline is more sentimental to the audience as they realise that an individuals life is being presented to them. The movie, Rabbit-Proof Fence (Noyce et al. 2003), is based upon the lives of three mixed-race Australian Indigenous girls who were taken from their families and placed in a camp called the Moore River Native Settlement in 1931. Knowing that the interpretation from non-Indigenous people may lead towards the misrepresentations of Indigenous culture, Rabbit-Proof Fence captures the realities of the mistreatment Indigenous people throughout history. The film also captures the identity of indigenous people as the filmmakers took careful consideration into producing the film, such as casting Australian Indigenous actors and being mindful of the storyline they are telling throughout the film. In the beginning of the film, the filmmakers presented brief information about an act made in Australia called the Aborigines Act of 1905 (Noyce et al. 2003). The Aborigines Act 1905 allowed for the government to authorize forcible removal of aboriginal or half-caste children for beneficial reasons such as to provide protection and/or care (Aborigines Act 1905). As the film continues, the three young female protagonists Molly, Daisy, and Gracie are seen interacting with their family speaking in their native language, Marduwangka (Quin 2002). However, the government has authorized for the removal of the girls and are to be placed in Moore River Native Settlement. In the scene where the girls are taken away by their mother and grandmother had a very emotional impact, especially on myself. The emotions on the mother and grandmothers face is heart breaking as they plead for the officer not to take them. However, what made it emotional for myself is seeing the mother trying to run after t he girls when they are driven away from their home, mourning the loss of their children as they lay on the ground crying, while the grandmother shows emotion of remorse and blame as she is seen hitting herself on the head with a rock. The impact of witnessing the government forcibly removing Indigenous children being taken away taken away from their family, it creates a new perspective for an audience to view Indigenous culture as it brought attention to viewers of the realities of the treatment Indigenous people struggled through during this time period. Addition to capturing the realities of the mistreatment Indigenous people experienced, the production of the film made an impression that allowed Indigenous identity to be shown. The films storyline was inspired and based on the novel, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, written by Doris Pilkington, in which, was based on Pilkingtons mother, Molly Kelly, who had escaped Moore River Native Settlement, along with her sister Daisy and cousin Gracie, who had walked over 40 miles to return home (Quin 2002). As Pilkington published her mothers story and production for the film had began, the screenwriter, Christine Olsen, and director, Phillip Noyce, had done intensive research and work to produce the story of properly. The screen writing process became a collaboration between Olsen and Pilkington, as Olsen traveled to Jigalong with Pilkington who introduced her to Molly and Daisy in attempt to perfect the script in order to tell their story correctly (Quin 2002). As for directing, Olsen wanted Noyce to direct her screenplay as one film in particular that Noyce directed called, Backroads, caught her attention, in which, she stated, [H]e treated the Aboriginal people as people, nothing more, nothing less (Quin 2002). This quote and Olsens research into attempting to perfect the script stood out in my opinion as they took into consideration of how the community of Indigenous people felt when producing this film. Unlike film production such as The Ridiculous Six, in which, insulted Indigenous actors from the misinterpretations of Apache culture (Shilling 20115). Although the film was to be a satirical comedy, the filmmakers ignored the actors concerns for the offensive jokes stating, If you guys are so sensitive, you should leave (Shilling 2015). In producing a film that presents a culture, whether if it is Indigenous culture or not, there must be a collaboration between the filmmakers and a representative of someone from that culture to gain an accurate presentation of the culture. Misrepresentations of cultures can lead into stereotyping the culture as that is what is being portrayed to audiences who have no prior knowledge of the culture being portrayed to them. With the film facing the realities of the mistreatment Indigenous people experienced to collaborating with the Indigenous community to present this film, Rabbit-Proof Fence, I believe was a well represented film that brought up an issue within history that many people did not know of. In comparison to Canadian Indigenous people, the Aborigine Act 1905 resembled a law in Canada that allowed the Canadian government to establish the Indian Residential School System to force Indigenous families to send their children to these schools in order to civilize the children into Canadian society (Elias et al. 2012). Although Rabbit-Proof Fence depicted a successful escape made by Molly and her sister from Moore River Settlement, the realities of removing Indigenous children from their families had a traumatic experience. For those who were residential school survivors, they had formed a legacy of alcohol and drug abuse problems, feelings of hopelessness, dependency, isolation, low self-esteem, suicide behaviours, prostitution, gambling, homelessness, sexual abuse, and violence (Elias et al. 2012). Knowledge of the residential schools in Canada are not taught or exposed as it is apart of history that the Canadian government is trying to diminish. For which, in my opinion, the government should require the school curriculum to teach about indigenous studies and the history about them to have future generation know of the real representations of Indigenous people and their culture, instead of learning from stereotypes through different forms of media. Bibliography Aborigines Act 1905 (1906 1964). Aborigines Act 1905 Legislation Find Connect Western Australia. Accessed January 25, 2017. https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00406b.htm. Elias, Mignone, Hall, Hong, Hart, and Sareen. Trauma and Suicide Behaviour Histories among a Canadian Indigenous Population: An Empirical Exploration of the Potential Role of Canadas Residential School System. Social Science Medicine 74, no. 10 (2012): 1560-569. Noyce, Phillip, Christine Olsen, John Winter, Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Laura Monaghan, Gulpilil, et al. 2003. Rabbit-Proof Fence. [United States]: Miramax Home Entertainment. Pilkington, Doris. Follow the rabbit-proof fence. St. Lucia, Qld.: University of Queensland Press, 1996. Quin, Karl. Mollys Story. The Koori History Project. February 17, 2002. Accessed January 25, 2017. http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/resources/film/sunage17feb02.html. Schilling, Vincent. Native Actors Walk Off Set of Adam Sandler Movie After Insults to Women, Elders. Indian Country Media Network. April 23, 2015. Accessed January 29, 2017. https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/culture/arts-entertainment/native-actors-walk-off-set-of-adam-sandler-movie-after-insults-to-women-elders/.

Short Story :: essays research papers

...the names of those involved have been changed to protect the innocent... March 1, 2001 5:39 p.m. - Nerves, nerves, nerves†¦how can one letter enclosed inside of an envelope determine so much? Michael Livingston had plenty to lose. Try four years of undergraduate school at Morehouse University, two years of Notre Dame graduate school, and Harvard Law. Yes he had plenty to lose. Walking into the door of his closed-space apartment, he sits down with the letter in plain view. Thump, Thump, Thump! His heart races like greyhounds at a race track. The time is here. The time is now. Michael opens the letter to find his results of the BAR exam he had taken†¦ â€Å"Dear Mr. Livingston, It gives us great pleasure to inform you that you are in the ninetieth percentile upon completion of the Virginia State BAR Examination. Congratulations on your success.† Experiencing a seventh heaven elation, Michael throws the life-saving letter up in the air, and yells to the top of his lungs. He sits down on the couch with a sudden thrust as if he were lightheaded. He picks up the letter again and reads it a few more times before disregarding it for the last time. As he catches his breath, the tight brown belt from his khaki trousers digs into his stomach making for an even more uncomfortable pose. Pulling his white Geoffrey Beane button-up shirt out of his trousers, Michael then gets up and walks into his room as if he were in a drunken stoop. The excitement he was experiencing tired him more than the 9 to 5 internship at the courthouse. While his heavy head sunk into the pillow, Mike hears a mysterious knock at his apartment door. â€Å"Who in the hell†¦?† he says emphatically. Mumbling words that would turn his mother in her grave, Michael looks out the peep hole he normally uses to look a Cynthia’s ass.(Cynthia is the 24 yea r old film student that lives in front of Michael.) He then notices three gentlemen; all dressed in fine tailored suites with matching hats and coughing handkerchiefs. Michael shouts, â€Å"Who is it and what do you want?† â€Å"Mr. Livingston,† one gentleman replies. â€Å"We are representatives from Sampson, Heath, Jacks, and associates. May we have a word with you Sir?† Michael tells the gentlemen to hold for a moment while he puts on a shirt. He comes back and opens the creaking door.

Implicit and Explicit Learning: Two Different Systems?

Implicit and explicit learning: Two different systems? Implicit and explicit learning methods have been empirically tested over many years and the debate still goes on, are they connected to one another or are they two separate systems? This essay aims to evaluate studies on both sides and come to a conclusion based on current research. Implicit learning was first defined as, how one develops intuitive knowledge about the underlying structure of a complex stimulus environment, without a conscious effort (Reber, 1967).This in Lehman’s terms is essentially unconscious learning, meaning that certain things are learned without our brain being actively used to learn them. Explicit learning on the other hand is defined by Mathers et al (1989) as being very similar to the conscious problem solving processes, this is because our brain attempts to form a mental representation of the task and searches memory for previous knowledge before testing mental models of task performance. Grant & Berg (1948) showed just how clear implicit learning is when they created the Wisconsin card-sorting test (WCST).The participants had to categorize cards but were not told how to categorize them, but only if it was right or wrong. After a few tries the participants were able to successfully match the cards to the right categories however when asked why they could not explain why they matched the card to that category, showing that this learning was done implicitly and is hard to explain how they came to that conclusion. A clear example of explicit learning is when a child is learning their math timetables because they are consciously participating in a new learning exercise.Cleeremans & Jimenez (2002) describes implicit-explicit learning as a continuum whereas Aizenstein et al (2004) suggests that different areas of the brain are active during different types of learning. As there are different types of learning, there are also different types of memory and learning and memory are inextricably linked with one another. Therefore neurologists and psychologists have argued that if there are 2 separate systems of memory then surely, as memory and learning are so closely interlinked, learning must also have a similar system (Kihlstrom, Dorfman & Park, 2007).Grammar learning has being at the centre of the majority of research as the human brain deciphers grammar through both memory and learning. This was shown in Reber (1967) study or artificial grammar learning, where he presented participants with a string of artificial sentences that have been created by using a complex set of grammatical rules. Reber concluded that while all the sentences across both groups technically made no sense, participants identified that there was a set of grammatical rules behind the sentences.When the sentences changed and some were grammatically correct and some were not, participants knew that there was something wrong about the sentence however they could not explain what this was. This is because the participants were unconsciously learning the set of rules while reading the sentence. During different types of learning, different areas of the brain become active and have increased blood flow, this presents a solid platform for a multiple system view of learning in humans.This debate has been discussed in the context of memory as well as learning systems. Goschke (1998) provides evidence for this when he studied the implicit learning of motor sequences. Goschke discovered, through brain imaging, that different domain-specific areas of the brain became active during motor sequence learning, areas that suggest the different areas of the brain become active through one learning task. Consequently proposing the theory for independent learning systems.This theory was reinforced when Aizenstein (2004) used modern technology in the form of fMRI scans to measure regional brain activity during concurrent implicit and explicit sequence learning, this study found that b rain activity was very similar in both types of learning. With the visual cortex and the striatum showing activity in both conditions, however the main difference between the conditions was direction of activation change in the visual cortex. In the implicit condition the visual particle had a negative ? indicating a reduced response related with the learning trials. The prefrontal cortex was also activated more in the explicit condition. Although Aizenstein found a difference in the regional brain activity, there was also an overlap in activity in the two conditions, replicating the findings of Willingham, Salidis & Gabrieli (2002) and Schendan, Searl, Melrose & Stern (2003). There has been evidence found in studies on amnesia patients that strongly suggests that implicit and explicit memory is two very distinct systems.Levy, Stark & Squire (2004) discovered that, through a series of experiments on memory-impaired patients, implicit priming (the identification of an item is improve d from an earlier encounter) is still intact in the patients. However new priming proves to be difficult for them. This is due to damage to the hippocampus and other related structures in the medial temporal lobe consequently amnesiacs find a task difficult if it depends on the linking of unrelated items.As there are many models of multiple learning systems that have being empirically tested over the years, this has become the most commonly accepted model of learning. This is also due to modern technology such as fMRI also reinforcing certain factors that suggest a multiple system view, as Aizenstein (2004) showed. Consequently not many researchers take it on themselves to go against the majority and opt to research a singular system view of learning. However, despite a small amount of valid research on this topic, there is still substantial evidence that prolongs this debate.Cleermans & Jimenez (2002) present research that indicates the learning process is not two separate systems of implicit and explicit learning, but that it is a continuum. This continuum runs from weak learning, implicit learning, along to strong learning, explicit learning, therefore proposing learning not as two separate systems but as a single loop of learning. Perruchet & Amorim (1992) ran a series of experiments on sequence learning and the effect of conscious knowledge on changes in performance.Through these experiments they concluded that, although many claims have being made for dissociations between learning systems, Perruchet & Amorim regarded these as groundless. Meaning that although there might have been experiments created to thoroughly test the hypotheses, Perruchet & Amorim argued that these tests failed to provide reliable empirical support for dissociation. Stanton & Nosofsky (2007) also provided evidence against the multiple learning systems hypothesis.In this study, Stanton & Nosofsky aimed to reverse the dissociations already established by Reber (1967) and Goshke (199 8). He aimed to do this to demonstrate how the earlier studies failed to provide solid evidence for a dissociation, by reversing the dissociation Stanton & Nosofsky showed just how invalid the previous results were. They concluded that a better research strategy would be to create more fully specified versions of both multiple and single system models of learning therefore being able to evaluate them more wholly.Another key point raised by Willingham & Goedert-Eschmann (1999) is that despite learning being a multiple system, there is evidence for a single system connection. They provide evidence that connects the two systems by parallel learning. When a participant is explicitly learning a sequence, their implicit knowledge of the task is improving alongside explicit learning, consequently signifying a connection between the two systems.Willingham & Goedert-Eschmann focused this research on the parallelism of the two structures as little research had been done on this theory because of the amount of researchers focusing their resources on the separability of the two systems. In evaluation, the literature reviewed in this essay has being quite compelling, with the majority of research on a multiple system view of learning it seems to be the most widely accepted theory despite no concluding evidence. As there has been a vast amount of research on a multiple system view, there is little on a single system view thus making it hard to evaluate both systems fairly.Despite this, using the literature I have discovered, a conclusion can be made that there is more evidence for a multiple system of learning. Especially in neurophysiology shown by Aizenstein’s (2004) results from the fMRI scans did show some slight differences in brain activity when different tasks were presented that required implicit and explicit knowledge/learning. On the other hand Cleermans & Jimenez (2002) suggest that there are slight differences, similar to Aizenstein (2004), however this i s due to a singular system in the form of a continuum.As memory and learning are closely connected and there has being different types of memory established, short-term memory and long term memory, there has been many researchers looking for a link between memories and learning processes. As learning is defined as the process of laying down some sort of memory trace, there is no reason to suspect that different memory systems will be able to identify certain categories of learning (Ashby & Maddox, 2005). Despite all of the research up to date, no single piece of research has been able to show that different types of memory and learning are directly linked to one another.However Ashby and Maddox did conclude that different memory types (for example sensory and primary memory, short term and long term memory) could identify different categories of learning consequently suggesting that more research needs doing into this phenomenon. Willingham & Goedert-Eschmann (1999) provided an inte resting explanation of the learning system, they hinted at two separate systems of learning, an implicit system and a completely separate explicit system, that were connected. This was through parallel learning.For example as we explicitly learn a sequence, our implicit system is learning concurrently with our explicit system. Providing evidence for a new theory that, although they are two separate systems, they still work together. Finally, judging from the research that has being done, a conclusion can be made that although the majority of literature out there is focusing on trying to separate the two systems and support the multiple system theory of learning, there are still unanswered questions that have arisen from research.Cleermans & Jimenez (2002) provide a very interesting approach to these theories and propose an idea of a learning continuum, this question is still unanswered 10 years after the theory was proposed. Willingham & Goedert-Eschmann (1999) also have an input in to this debate, they suggest that while explicit and implicit learning systems are separate, they are still constantly synchronized because whilst we are explicitly learning something, our implicit system is working to store the knowledge so we do not need to consciously engage our brains next time we come across the same or similar problem.The final question that is still unanswered is a debate that has gone on for decades, is learning and memory connected? The final answer to that question is yes, yes it is however researchers are still looking into whether certain types of learning go to certain areas of the brain to be stored as memory or whether memory types cannot distinguish category learning. In conclusion, from current research, the most widely accepted theory is that there are multiple learning systems and that it is not a singular system for both explicit and implicit learning.References Aizenstein, H. J. , Stenger, V. A. , Cochran, J. , Clark, K. , Johnson, M. , Nebes, R . D. , & Carter, C. S. (2004). Regional Brain Activation during Concurrent Implicit and Explicit Sequence Learning. Oxford Journals: Life Sciences & Medicines, Cerebral Cortex, 14(2), 199-208 Ashby, F. G. , & Maddox, W. T. (2005). Human Category Learning. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 149-178. Cleeremans, A. , & Jimenez, L. (2002). Implicit Learning and consciousness: A graded, dynamic perspective. In R. M. French & A.Cleeremans (Eds. ), Implicit Learning and Consciousness (p1-40) Hove UK: Psychology Press. Goschke, T. (1998) Implicit learning of perceptual and motor sequences: Evidence for independent systems, in Handbook of Implicit Learning (Stadler, M. A. and Frensch, P. , eds), pp. 401–444, Sage Publications. Grant, D. A. , & Berg, E. (1948). A behavioral analysis of degree of reinforcement and ease of shifting to new responses in Weigl-type card-sorting problem. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 404–411. Levy, D. , Stark, C. & Squire, L. 2004). Intact Co nceptual Priming in the Absence of Declarative Memory. Psychological Science, 15(10), 680-686 Kihlstrom, J. , Dorfman, J. , & Park, L. (2007). Implicit and Explicit Memory and Learning. Retrieved November 6th, 2012, from http://ist-socrates. berkeley. edu/~kihlstrm/IandMLandM. htm Mathers, R. C. , Buss, B. B. , Stanley, W. B. , Blanchard-Fields, F. , Cho, J. R. , & Druhan, B. (1989). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 15(6), 1083-1100. Perruchet, P. , & Amorim, M. (1992). Conscious knowledge and changes in performance in sequence learning: evidence against dissociation. Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition, 18, 785-800. Reber, A. S. (1967). Implicit learning of artificial grammars. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, 77, 312-327. Schendan, H. E. , Searl, M. M. , Melrose, R. J. , & Stern, C. E. (2003). An fMRI study of the role of the medial temporal lobe in implicit and explicit sequence learning. Neuron 37(6) ,1013–1025. Stanton, R. , & Nosofsky, R. (2007).Feedback interference and dissociations of classification: Evidence against the multiple-learning-systems hypothesis. Journal of Memory & Cognition, 35(7), 1747-1758. Willingham, D. B. , & Goedert-Eschmann, K. (1999). The Relation Between Implicit and Explicit Learning: Evidence for Parallel Development. Psychological Science, 10(6), 531-534. Willingham, D. B. , Salidis, J. , & Gabrieli, J. D. (2002). Direct comparison of neural systems mediating conscious and unconscious skill learning. Journal of Neurophysiology, 88(3), 1451–1460.

The Byronic Hero

While popular culture is usually regarded as something trite, meaningless, and superficial, careful and insightful analysis of certain aspects of popular culture reveals a lot about culture as a whole. For the purposes of this essay, I decided to concentrate on one of the pop idols of the 20th century, namely Jim Morrison. The rationale behind my choice is that this figure produced a powerful impact on popular culture, and the cult of Jim Morrison is still appealing to many generations of American.As for the theoretical perspective to be employed in this essay, I will show how the cult of Jim Morrison is a reincarnation of the image of the Byronic Hero that has always been present in world culture. The Byronic Hero is an extraordinary and talented young man. Tremendous success of Jim Morrison leaves no doubt in his enormous talent, charisma, and energy. I dare call him a genius for the ample reason that speaking about the overall history of contemporary music, people remember only tw o names, the Beatles and the Doors, and the Doors in the first place.Secondly, the Byronic Hero is a rebel who opposes almost all social norms and regulations; he deliberately distances himself from conventional social institutions. This feature was characteristic of Jim Morrison from the early childhood: he used to question the authority, and for that he was dismissed from a scout club. At night, he used to sneak out from his parents’ house and hang out at overcrowded and disreputable bars. His juvenile misbehaving soon evolved into a consistent social protest expressed trough music and show.‘Philosophies of Protest’ used to be his favorite course at Florida State University (Davis, 2004). He denounced traditional social patterns; the evidence for that is the fact that he never got married. Instead, he ‘married’ Patricia Kennealy in a Celtic pagan ceremony. The Byronic Hero is never impressed by rank and privilege, though he may possess it. Jim Morr ison might have become a representative of the elite circles with good education, stable job, and decent social status. Yet he made a choice in favor of a flamboyant bohemian lifestyle. Another feature of the Byronic Hero is intelligence.The conventional Byronic Hero is well-read and possibly well-bread. Jim Morrison took a keen interest in self-education; he devoted a lot of time to reading Nietzsche, Jung, Ginsberg, Joyce, and Balzac. He derived inspiration in the literary heritage of French symbolists, especially Rimbaud. It is worth noting that Arthur Rimbaud himself was an exemplary Byronic Hero, with his dark passions and impressive talents. By the age of fifteen, Jim established himself as a gifted poet and painter; some sources argue that Jim Morrison had an IQ of 149 (Davis, 2004).He received solid education and traveled the world. These facts prove that Jim Morrison possessed the majority of features typical for the Byronic Hero. Another characteristic of the Byronic Hero is the exile, usually self-imposed. Exile to Paris is an essential part of Jim Morrison’s biography. Morrison escaped to Paris with Pamela Courson; he did so because he disliked being a celebrity. He was deeply dissatisfied with the absence of serious attitude to him as an American poet. Paris seemed to provide an asylum.The conventional Byronic Hero is distressed by a terrible thing he committed in the past, like a hidden curse or crime; this burden forces him into a voluntary exile. When Morrison escaped to Paris, he faced a tragic dilemma in his life. His two women, Pamela Courson and Patricia Kennealy, both demanded his love. Some researchers believe that his love for Patricia Kennealy was greater, but Pamela let him continue his experiments with alcohol and drugs (Davis, 2004). He may have always felt guilt and regret for leaving Patricia. The Byronic Hero is constantly depressed and melancholic.It is reported that in Paris Morrison searched for a sense of living as well as for inspiration to write more powerful poetry (Davis, 2004). But even in the city of great poets Morrison was spiritually void and suffered from depression. The Byronic Hero is unusually handsome and inextricably attractive, often to both sexes. I dare label Jim Morrison as the most prominent male sex-symbol of the 20th century. The Byronic Hero is larger than life in his feelings, talents, ambitions, and pride. This type is also self-destructive in the longer run.That is one of the most substantial arguments that prove Jim Morrison’s connection with the discussed image. His progressing addiction to alcohol and drugs was his curse. Thus, Morrison can be regarded as an example of the Byronic Hero that has been present in world culture from its creation in early Greek theatre through classical English literature and 19th-Century Russian literature to the modern times. It is evident that the classical Byronic Heroes is Byron’s Childe Harold. The Canto I from the Child e Harold's Pilgrimage provides an excessive proof for all the abovementioned images of a Byronic Hero.The following lines can be interpreted as the example of rebellious nature of the Byronic Hero: ‘Who ne in virtue's ways did take delight/But spent his days in riot most uncouth†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Canto I, 2, lines 1-2). Precursors of this typical hero of English Romanticism can be traced back to Greek theatre. The notion of hamartia, or tragic flaw, is intrinsically linked to the early development of the Byronic Hero. The Byronic Hero is also present in literary Gothicism as one of the literary trends within the tradition of Romanticism.In the Romantic literature, two different types of heroes can be found, namely Satanic Hero and Byronic Hero. In fact, Satan is also believed to be an early version of the Byronic Hero. Despite some apparent differences, these two literary types have much in common: ‘Like Satan, the Byronic hero is an outsider and an overreacher, though the divine Law that he violates is not the First Commandment but the Seventh, a sin often involving not only adultery but incest’ (Polidori, Le Fanu & Stoker, 2002, p. 6). As for the classical period in literature, Heathcliff from ‘Wuthering Heights’ is another example of Byronic hero.Captain Ahab from ‘Moby Dick’ is sometimes also cited as a Byronic Hero, although there no broad consensus among critics: ‘Captain Ahab's rebellious nature and attitude towards existing norms illustrates his Byronic qualities, as well as the overall dark nature of his humanity’ (Hospelhorn & Nicolson, 2003, ‘Moby Dick’). Byronic Hero found new incarnation in classic Russian literature. Such notable writers as Alexander Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, Alexander Pushkin, and Mikhail Lermontov all contributed to the emergence of the phenomenon later referred to as ‘the Russified Byronic Hero. ’In the modern time, the recreation of the Byronic Hero is often attributed to Albert Camus in his novel ‘The Rebel’: ‘But it was Camus's recreation, in modern terms, of the solitary Byronic hero, who resists fate and an alien world by defiant acts, which brought the cult so vividly to life and gave it actual meaning to youth on both sides of the Rhine’ (Johnson, 2001, p. 575). Therefore, it is possible to conclude that Jim Morrison as an incarnation of the Byronic Hero exemplifies the pervasiveness of archetypes that have been present in world art and literature since ancient times.References Davis, S. Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend. New York: Gotham Books, 2004. Hospelhorn, S. , & Nicolson, A. ‘Byronic Heroes in Russian Literature. ’ 2003. October 8, 2007. Johnson, P. M. Modern Times Revised Edition: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties, Revised ed. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2001. Polidori, J. W. , Le Fanu, J. , & Stoker, B. Three Vampire Tales: Dracula, Carmilla, and The Vampyre. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.