Understanding Sense of Belongingness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Understanding Sense of Belongingness - Essay Example Using this article, I will be discussing the author’s structure of the source and his project as well as the contents of the article regarding belongingness. Firstly, the author tries to make a relationship with his readers through his writing approach. Strayhorn sounds professional which he maintains throughout the article but he also made his tone very personal so as to communicate well with his readers. This is reflected not only with the choice of the words used but also in the manner the statements are crafted. For instance, the writer refers to studies of various researchers such as Baumeister and Leary. This shows how objective the writer is regarding his topic. However, there are also times when the author refers to his own research that he uses the personal pronoun â€Å"I† as he tries to relate with his audience but he still maintains a serious tone. To make his discussion more interesting, Strayhorn presents his argument in an organized manner, letting the readers well-guided as they continue with their reading. Strayhorn’s project aims at using the present literature to explain â€Å"sense of belonging†. This means that the author uses earlier published studies as references in attempting to explain what the topic really means. From this foundation, the writer wants to show the importance of the topic, approaching it with the use of examples and referencing other studies. Lastly, he intends to go over the implication of the study, especially in education. Therefore, this study is focused more on the students and how they are able to relate to their environment. As promised, the author first defines the term â€Å"sense of belongingness†. For example, he quotes Anant’s definition saying, â€Å"Sense of belonging characterizes a person’s perceived belief of indispensability within a system†.

Biography on Harlem Renaissance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biography on Harlem Renaissance - Research Paper Example The most peculiar aspect of the Harlem Renaissance was that it was ushered in by African American thinkers, artists, writers and musicians who evinced a prominent predilection towards the quintessential African American culture and heritage (Kramer & Russ 10). Harlem Reniassance was particularly marked by a distinct shift towards a self confident and strongly embracing notion of the racial pride and ethnic identity, which metamorphosed into remarkable cultural, artistic and literary achievements (Kramer & Russ 47). Harlem Renaissance evinced an effervescent and zealous interest in the black history and cultural moorings amongst the African American middle class. One of the salient objectives of the Harlem Renaissance was an honest portrayal of the African American talent and heritage through art, literature, music and thought. The objective of the central ideals eschewed by the Harlem Renaissance was to attempt a serious portrayal of the overall African American experience in its tot ality. The aim was to resuscitate and rescue a deliberately impaired collective psychology and to remould and revive a social perspective that got utterly warped over decades (Kramer & Russ 47). Harlem Renaissance had a marked influence on the African American musical heritage and the jazz music of the era flouted the conventional notions to voluntarily opt for improvisation and syncopated rhythms. Harlem Renaissance and Music It goes without saying that no one single aspect of the Harlem Renaissance played such an important role in influencing and shaping the American and world cultural landscape as the Jazz music (Wintz 183). Strongly favouring improvised solos and syncopated rhythms, the Jazz music of those times tended to be strongly averse to the many established musical conventions (Wintz 183). The composer of those times commanded such a strong following that people thronged in on a continual basis to listen to and appreciate their compositions. Yet, the remarkable thing abou t these compositions was that owing to a strong bend towards improvisation, no two performances of a single composition tended to be same. The musicians and singers of the era not only revived and invigorated the jazz music, but played a pivotal role in shaping and consolidating many new musical traditions. The musicians of those days played a major role in transforming the African American music and culture. The breath taking and engrossing pouring of the remarkable jazz compositions rendered by the musicians and singers of the Renaissance, happened to be a direct and emphatic expression of the hardships and travails faced by the African Americans in a racially divided South and an utterly severe urban North (Wintz 183). Harlem Renaissance attracted the public attention towards a musical tradition that would have utterly been lost or never contrived. In that context the Harlem Renaissance popularized the musical style of the African Americans amongst diverse cultures and racial gro ups. The salient composer of the era blended the poetry contrived by the African