An Examination of Rubyfruit Jungle and Her Critics Essay -- Rubyfruit

An Examination of Rubyfruit Jungle and Her Critics  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Rita Mae Brown's first novel, Rubyfruit Jungle made waves when it was first released in 1973. Its influence has not gone away over the years and is in its seventh printing. While mainstream critics failed to acknowledge Rubyfruit Jungle in their papers, magazines and discussions on contemporary literature, there are plenty of non-mainstream voices to fill the void. While these lesser-known sources are not always credible, and certainly not always accurate they have created a word-of-mouth reputation of the novel and have facilitated its continuous success. The problem in researching such a novel is that there is very little criticism. One cannot rely on book reviews from unknown magazines and personal websites in order to properly examine secondary sources. Knowing that there is virtually no critical analysis on Rubyfruit Jungle changes the questions that the novel itself raises, and forces one to examine why this novel was not worthy of discussion. There could be several answers to this mystery, the most obvious being that it was written by and is about a lesbian. America has never fully allowed people to "come out" without reprimand and up until the time of this novel, the only fiction that focused on lesbians emphasized their shame and grief over their sexual identity. The idea that Rubyfruit Jungle has not been looked at in academic circles simply because it is a novel about a lesbian who feels no shame or guilt about her sexuality is only part of the problem, it is not the only reason why Brown's first novel is not discussed. While Molly Bolt is a lesbian and proud of it, other lesbians are not so proud of her and what she stands for. Rubyfruit ... ...unity that is still often ignored in literature. Could it be that one must wait until the next millennium in order to find voices in literature that accurately represent the society in which it is portraying?    Works Cited    Brown, Rita Mae. "Book Reviews." Rita Mae Brown Homepage. 2 December   1999.<http://www.ritamaebrown.com/books/rmb.html>.    Brown, Rita Mae. Rubyfruit Jungle. New York: Daughters Publishing Company,   1973.    Fishbein, Leslie. "Rubyfruit Jungle: Lesbianism, Feminism, and Narcissism." International Journal of Women's Studies 7.2 (1984): 155-159.    Innes, Charlotte. "Rita Meter Maid." Los Angeles Times 30 Nov. 1997: 3.    Ward, Carol. Rita Mae Brown. New York: Twain Publishers, 1993.    Webb, Marilyn. "Daughters, Inc.: A Publishing House is Born." Ms. Magazine   2:6 (1974): 37.   

Low birth weight & Preterm Essay

Low birth weight is considered to be less than 5.5 pounds when a baby is born. Low birth weight is one of the major leading causes of infant death in the United States. Through education and awareness, the United States has dropped infant mortality rates dramatically. In 1980, infant death averaged twelve percent due to low birth weight (Reichman, 2005). Infant mortality dropped to seven percent in the early new millennium (Reichman, 2005). So what factors influence a baby to be born with low birth weight? – Mothers who are young and under the age of seventeen – Mothers who are at the age of 30 or greater – If the family and mother are uneducated – African Americans – Poverty or low income – Pregnant mothers who smoke and/or drink alcohol – Babies being born prematurely Reichman stated in her article, Low Birth Weight and School Readiness, â€Å"In 2000, thirteen percent of babies born to black mothers were low birth weight, compared to six and a half percent of those born to white mothers† (2005). What is even more interesting is women of Hispanic origin have the same status of white women when it comes to low birth rates. Women who move to America from other countries have better birth outcomes, rather than women from different origins who were born and raised in America. On a positive note, infant mortality due to low birth weight has dropped significantly over the past twenty-five years. Babies who are born prematurely or born with low birth weight can place a  huge financial burden to the family. Hospital stays are much longer for these children. Not only does the family acquire a much larger hospital bill, they obtain travel expenses to and from the hospital. Taking time off from work to be at the hospital is just another expense that the family has taken. Children are at greater risk for school performance problems when born with low birth weight. They have a higher risk of performing poorly on tasks that engage in reading, spelling, and math compared to their peers. Children who are born premature typically tend to be aggressive and hyperactive. Mothers with premature or low birth weight children experience a high amount of stress because of the child’s behavioral problems. It is vital for expecting mothers to start prenatal care as soon as possible. A nurse can assist an expecting mother through education and developing a personalized care plan. According to the March of Dimes (2014), there are several healthy steps that a female can take when expecting or planning a pregnancy: Have a preconception checkup Make sure that vaccinations are up to date Take the daily recommended dose of folic acid Do not consume alcohol and stay away or stop smoking Reduce mental and physical stresses Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program is very effective in improving the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and their infants (2013). It is federally owned and provides grants to all States in order to provide adequate nutrition for low-income families. Not only does WIC provide nutritional education, it also provides health screening and referrals to health care providers. WIC services are provided in your county health departments, hospitals, and many local community centers. There are many mothers who depend on WIC to provide for their household. March Of Dimes (2014). Low birthweight. Retrieved from http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/low-birthweight.aspx# Reichman, N. E. (2005). Low birth weight and school readiness. The Future of Children, 15. Retrieved from http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?jounralid=38&articleid=118 §ionid=774 United States Department Of Agriculture Food And Nutrition Service (2013). Women, infants and children (WIC); About WIC-WIC at a glance. Retrieved from http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/about-wic-wic-glance

Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Essay - 1163 Words

Discuss the ways in which Charles Dickens presents the character of Ebenezer Scrooge as being central to the moral message of A Christmas Carol. In the text ‘A Christmas Carol’, the author Charles Dickens presents the character of Ebenezer Scrooge as central to the moral message in a number of different ways. To identify this, a number of different aspects within the text shall be looked at. These include the morals of the story and the affects of this. The way Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed as well as what the character he represents. All of these aspects are important in order to deliver the moral messages contained in the text. Some people’s perspective is that looking at the message of the story is key in being able to†¦show more content†¦The Cratchit family for example, who live on almost nothing at all. The mood of the story at the start is very cold, and in this way the author presents Scrooge as central to the moral message. As well as the surface meaning, that money doesn’t make people happy, and those with it, should use it to help people that don’t have that luxury. Moreover, Charles Dickens portrays the character of Ebenezer Scrooge as someone who originally lives life in contrast to this moral message, in order to highlight the importance of it in the text. Scrooge is portrayed as an old, grouchy, selfish man, who cares for nothing but himself and his ever amounting riches. He is someone who has changed as years have gone by, due to the success of his business, and his greed has consumed him as a reason, making him into a very cold person. Charles Dickens does not hint that Ebenezer Scrooge is like this, but he says it at the start of the book: ‘Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as a flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire.’ (Stave 1, pg 2) Dickens’ portrayal of Scrooge makes the reader dislike him almost immediately. However, as the book goes on, the reader starts to feel sympathetically towards the character. In Stave three the reader becomes aware of a chance of salvation for Scrooge as he expressesShow MoreRelatedThe Metamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens A Christmas Carol1476 Words   |  6 PagesMetamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge learned a great deal about himself during the visitations of the three ghosts in A Christmas Carol. He learned things that not only changed his life, but also the lives of others such as Tiny Tim and his family. At first these changes came gradually, probably because they where not really fuelled by fear of what might be, but instead by remorse for things he had already done. 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But he was tight-fisted man at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze hisRead MoreAlthough It Is a Ghost Story, a Christmas Carol Is an Uplifting Tale.745 Words   |  3 PagesAlthough it is a ghost story, A Christmas Carol is an uplifting tale. To what extent do you agree? A Christmas carol by Charles Dickens is a significant novella written in the Victorian era. The protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge is used to demonstrate the upper class society and their attitude towards the poor. Throughout this redemption story, Dickens combines a descriptions of hardships faced by the poor with a heart-felt sentimental celebration of the Christmas season. 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