I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou) Essay Example for Free

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou) Essay In I know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou shows us a dark side of American history and how racism and discrimination can affect people, but she also shows us the power of the human spirit in our ability to overcome negativity and succeed in spite of great difficulties in life. One of the earliest examples of race relations in the book symbolizes the major separation of opportunity for black and white children. On the second page of the book, Marguerite explains how she wished that she would â€Å"wake up in a white world, with blond hair, blue eyes, and she would shudder from the nightmare of being black. † Thus, from the beginning of the book, race relations were one of the major themes. The way that Marguerite was thinking at this point, was the same way that other young black children were thinking during this time. They were so use to the white children being praised, they felt that if they looked that way, they would be praised and have the finer things in life as well. According to Valà ©rie Baisnà © (1994), â€Å"Angelous autobiographies in the midst of literature, were written during and about the American Civil Rights movement. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African Lupton states that Caged Bird captures the vulgarity of white Southern attitudes toward African Americans. Angelou demonstrates, through her involvement with the black community of Stamps, her developing understanding of the rules for surviving in a racist society, something she is not able to articulate for many years, when she finally writes the book. Angelou also vividly presents racist characters so real one can feel their presence.† Maya Angelou’s early experiences with racism are so powerful, that in 1982, during an interview with Bill Moyers in Stamps, she is unable to cross some railroad tracks into the white part of town. Bill Moyers was an American Journalist and public commentator. Critic Pierre A. Walker (1995), characterizes Angelous book as political; he stresses that the â€Å"unity of her autobiographies serves to underscore one of Angelous central themes: the injustice of racism and how to fight it.† Walker (1995) also states that Angelous biographies’, beginning with Caged Bird, consists of a sequence of lessons about resisting racist oppression. This sequence leads Angelou, as the protagonist, from helpless rage and indignation to forms of subtle resistance, and finally to outright and active protest throughout all six of her autobiographies. Maya Angelou used all that she has been through to write her stories. Her childhood was not really a child hood because she had to accept what had happened to her and move on which caused her to grow up faster than normal. The events that took place in her life made her the strong woman that she is today. She decided not to let her situation define her, instead, she decided to define her situation. Far too many times there are individuals who allow things that happen to them tear them down and they never seem to recover, but not Maya Angelou. She was determined. During the time that this book was written, there were a lot of things going on in the country. One major event was the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement was a time in American History where Blacks were protesting and fighting to be able to have the same rights as a those of non-blacks. Bibliography Angelou, Maya (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Random House. Random House Inc is the worlds largest English-language general trade book publisher Baisnà ©e, Valà ©rie (1994). Gendered resistance: The autobiographies of Simone de Beauvoir, Maya Angelou, Janet Frame and Marguerite Duras. Amsterdam Walker, Pierre A. Racial protest, identity, words and form in Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.. College Literature 22.3 (1995): 91+. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Aug. 2012.

Fate and Pessimism in Far from the Madding Crowd Essay -- Madding

Fate and Pessimism in Far from the Madding Crowd      Ã‚  Ã‚   Fate plays a major role in many of Hardy's novels; both Tess of the D'Urbervilles and The Mayor of Casterbridge contain various instances where its effects are readily apparent. Moreover, Hardy's novels reflect a pessimistic view where fate, or chance, is responsible for a character's ruin. Far from the Madding Crowd is one of his earliest fiction; here, although it is much more subdued, fate and pessimism are still visible. It is shown throughout the book; Bathsheba Everdene sends a valentine to Farmer Boldwood as the result of her divination by Bible-and-key, Fanny Robin arrives at the wrong church for her wedding with Sergeant Troy, and a wave sweeps Troy out to sea so that he is assumed dead, only for him to return and be shot by Boldwood. Two of the characters, Troy and Fanny, along with her stillborn child, is left dead, and Boldwood is sent to confinement, labeled as being insane.    Nonetheless, fate and pessimism are much more subdued in Crowd than Hardy's later, grimmer works; whereas Tess is put to death, Bathsheba marries Gabriel Oak, the most obvious choice out of the three suitors. Indeed, Crowd is the happiest of Hardy's major novels. As for the more unfortunate characters, it can be said that they were not without fault, especially Troy. In short, Hardy has written a novel with a happy ending, where the protagonists are rewarded and the antagonists are punished.    At least, it would seem so. However, one must wonder if the "punishments" are truly just. And what about Fanny? It would be impossible to mark her as an antagonist. She is young and naà ¯ve, and her fate is unavoidable from the moment she falls in love with Tr... ...was possible. This optimism, balanced with traces of Hardy's early pessimism, makes Far from the Madding Crowd not a failed tragedy but "a significant novel in its own right-a kind of golden mean among the major works" (Carpenter 81).    Works Cited:    Beegel, Susan. "Male Sexuality in Far from the Madding Crowd." Thomas Hardy. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 207-226.    Carpenter, Richard. Thomas Hardy. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1964.    Flynn, Paul. "Sergeant Troy: A `Wicked Soldier Hero' in the Victorian Military." Hardy Miscellany 2 (September 16, 1998). May 12, 2000    Guerard, Albert J. "The Woman of the Novels." Hardy. Ed. Albert J. Guerard. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1963.    Hardy, Thomas. Far from the Madding Crowd. New York: New American Library, Inc., 1960.

Europe between the Wars: Fascism Essay

According to Stanley Payne, the term fascism rooted from the Latin word fasces which delineate â€Å"bundle† or â€Å"union†. Yet, these words cannot fully encapsulate nor even define what fascism; more specifically â€Å"Italian Fascism† is all about. It had been commonly misused as to refer to â€Å"violence, repression, dictatorship and brutality† removing any difference from the concept that were commonly associated with Communism. (p. 3) Seemingly, a clear cut definition of fascism is hard to come up with because it does not have any â€Å"seminal text† that should have defined its political, social and economic pursuit in contrast with other ideologies. Since this is the case, knowing the history of how the so-called â€Å"fascist† acts and the things they try to emphasize in the words they said, were substantial for anyone to have a more relevant understanding of the term or the word â€Å"fascism†. As an ideology, fascism considers the concerns of the individual along with those of the society as secondary or inferior to those of the whole state. Primarily, it views the state as an organic living thing that is mythical in a sense due to its belief in a â€Å"national rebirth† in the process of : nti-ideological’ and pragmatic ideology that proclaims itself antimaterialist, antiindividualist, antiliberal, antidemocratic, anti-Marxist, is populist and anticapitalist in tendency, expresses itself aesthetically more than theoretically by means of a new political style and by myths, rites, and symbols as a lay religion designed to acculturate, socialize, and integrate the faith of the masses with the goal of creating a ‘new man’ (Payne, p. 4) It was believed to be founded by Benito Mussolini as a political movement that espouses authoritarian dictatorship. It does not promote the concept of â€Å"class struggle† which makes it different from Marxism; it is a revolutionary ideology which seeks to promote the Italian race as part of aggressive nationalism programs which was associated or was said to have influenced German’s Nazism. (p. 225) It was believed to have started as an anti-communist group in the leadership of Mussolini, in addition with the anti-socialist sentiments that had flood Italy during the 1920’s as a result of the worker’s upheaval. Mussolini’s power doesn’t actually come from his own cunningness but was derived from the ineffectiveness of the government and the miscalculation made by the Socialist party. (p. 23-35) As the government of his time side with him in order to combat the socialism and the problems that it brought to the government and as the Socialist party remained confident that they would reign Italy, Mussolini have managed to gradually gain popularity, trust and power. (p. 27) Domestically, Mussolini’s actions were directed towards the restoration of Italy. He favored militarism and internationalism. He calls for the separation of the church and the state. There was also a movement which replaced the labor unions with co-operatives that works ideally with the government in able to look create plans that would benefit both the workers and the state. (p. 55-67) He legislate laws which were in favor of private ownership and capitalization. His foreign policies include the invasion of Ethiopia and the recognition of Roman Catholicism as the only religion in the state. (p. 55) This had resulted to the Anti-Semitic laws resulting to several other actions that were now being referred as racial discrimination. Seeing that his goals paralleled with those of the Nazi German’s, he had establish an alliance with them. His economic policies involve public works and the imposition of a state police under his party. (p. 25-317) Mussolini started the promotion of imperialism by directing a war with Ethiopia in view that this would redirect the attention and sympathy of the citizens. He had also aided fascist movement in Spain and accepted alliance with Germany. It is during these years that he started to decline in his prominence. (p. 225-317) Violence are viewed by Mussolini as liberating, deaths as a necessary sacrifice and wars as trials that must be overcome in reverence of the state. This is quite different from the Marxist Communism which according to Payne (p. 355) have â€Å"qualified violence as an indispensable means to an end—while gratuitously employing it en masse—and almost always preached peace as ideal and goal, while massively militarizing their systems in practice†. Italian Fascism might not have a core value system or an organized history, yet it had managed to influence other nations and it had been successful in eradicating or at least minimizing the Socialist movement that have dominated in the 1920’s. It promotes cultural liberalism by promoting capitalism under authoritarianism and nationalism. Although the ideal desire for hegemony and false judgment have led to the downfall of Mussolini, his actions, practices and ideology as whole have prompted several leaders into developing strands of political movements that resembles fascist vision and methods. The idea of focusing and putting the needs of the state above any personal needs indeed capture the hearts and minds of most citizens and has so far work even in the expense of many lives. (p. 355-358)

Analysis Of David Harveys The Condition Of Postmodernism

In David Harvey’s book, The Condition of Postmodernity, he writes â€Å"value and meaning are not inherent in any spatial order, but must be invoked† and that domination of space â€Å"reflects how individuals or powerful groups dominate the organization and production of space through legal and extralegal means† in order to â€Å"exercise a greater degree of control†. â€Å"Powerful groups† use these powers through various institutions, but perhaps none is as influential as the state s central bank, which plays a significant role in: setting credit rates and monetary policy; deciding on and implementing exchange rate policies; surveying and collecting data on citizens and corporations; assuring the robustness of the payment infrastructure; protecting the†¦show more content†¦Bitcoins are anonymous only insofar as not knowing the name of the holder of any given digital wallet. However, the activities of all wallets are completely public. In formation in a blockchain can be used to ascertain certain spatial and temporal information about any bitcoin transaction. That s a built-in feature of the protocol. Bitcoin’s ledger is public and always accurate, because of said system. Most broadly, the blockchain is a growing element of the ‘cyberspace’, which has already been referred to as a form of heterotopia. This framework poses a threat to dominant markets and financial services in its ability to drain them of their hegemonic power. This new world is structured in a way that’s completely incongruous to the hegemonic structures society propagates. The horror of a free floating, digital economy based around a decentralized currency that uses encrypted transactions, and an anonymous, public ledger of said transactions outside the politics of forceful government banking - borders and boundaries would dissolve. Lo and behold, a blocked process of telematic motion: â€Å"In three years, the online drug market Silk Road grew from a small peer-to-peer drug-trading network into a multi-billion dollar darknetShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesthe case with the present book. This is a book that deserves to achieve a wide readership. Professor Stephen Ackroyd, Lancaster University, UK This new textbook usefully situates organization theory within the scholarly debates on modernism and postmodernism, and provides an advanced introduction to the heterogeneous study of organizations, including chapters on phenomenology, critical theory and psychoanalysis. Like all good textbooks, the book is accessible, well researched and readers are encouraged

Violence Among Youths - 2563 Words

Recently, an increasing number of North American youth are committing violent crimes. Although the consequences of these violent crimes are easily apparent, the causes behind them are often abstract and obscure, making it difficult to pin blame on a single source. Moreover, this deviant behaviour among young people can be attributed to a combination of several generalized factors. Leading contributing factors of youth violence include the media, the influence of family life, widespread abuse of drugs and alcohol, the ease of access to weapons and a lack of strong punishment that exists for juvenile offenders. If this rise in aggressive acts is to be stemmed, the causes youth violence must be determined and analyzed to determine which†¦show more content†¦Parents are usually legally responsible for their children until they reach the age of 18. A parents legal accountability for a child implies much more than this law states. Specifically, in the context of this subject, a parent is responsible for teaching their child right from wrong in both moral and legal senses (Lerner and Spanier 50). For all intents and purposes, this implicit onus on parents ensures that they will instruct their children not to commit illegal offenses, including violent ones, which are detrimental to society. In the absence of this parental instruction, be it due to neglect, or for other reasons such as single parenthood, children tend to become involved in delinquent acts, which can and often involve violence. This failure to instill proper values upon a child recently became headline news when a six year-old boy from Michigan fatally shot a young girl during class. Debbie Howlett reported that that this boy, who suffered from neglect and who was being raised by a single mother, shot the girl in anger over a quarrel that had occurred the previous day (A3). This incidence of violence is indicative of a parental failure to show the child proper values, and consequently t he child knew no better than resort to violence to settle his emotions. In North America, stories of misguided children behaving violently such as this one are not at all uncommon, and they have been occurring unexpectedly. Both Canada and the United States areShow MoreRelatedViolence Among Youth3553 Words   |  15 Pagesgreat nation. In India, 480 million are less than 19 years old. India has 20% of the world’s children. [1] The recent years have seen an unprecedented increase in youth violence, often lethal violence, all around the nation. Anecdotal evidence of increase in violence by young people against women and old people, of road rage, of violence in schools, and other violent actions to get whatever they want is alarming. This epidemic, as many social analysts called it, caused serious concern to both parentsRead MoreThe Effects Of Violence On Youth Violence Essay959 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: Violence is everywhere and due to this notion people find ways to accept it. Violence is part of the national mythology. Meaning violence is a social construction. Violent acts cannot be wholly understood unless we examine them as but one â€Å"one link in the chain of a long process of events† (Schmidt Schrà ¶der 2001, 7). Violence and the responses to it are socially constructed, they are phenomena viewed and interpreted in many different ways. For example, individuals become a productRea d MoreViolence in Youth1171 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Youth violence is defined as violent behaviour that begins early in life and continues throughout subsequent stages of life. Youth violence may include physical and emotional harm, and minor crimes, escalating to murder (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Youth are recognized as being between the ages of twelve and twenty-four however, teens are the most affected by violence than any other group of youths as they are habitually perceived as the most violent age groupRead MoreLife Of A Gang : Youth853 Words   |  4 PagesLife in a Gang Youth are exposed to gang life at an early age, sometimes as early as 10 or 11 years old. Observing older and respected gang members can often lead to impressions among youth that lead them to believe gang life is the way to gain access to things such as status, money and prestige. Research states that older more established gang members will utilize youth to their advantage by having them steal for the gang, buy and sell drugs, carry weapons and commit other crimes in hopes to evadeRead MoreYouth Violence And Its Effect On Children1637 Words   |  7 PagesSince the year 2000, youth violence has been one of the biggest concerns in almost every community. In my research I decided to evaluate the study of youth violence. Youth violence is said to start since the early days of childhood and lead onto the teenage years of a child. When talking about youth violence, the child may not only be an offender but they can be a victim of violence as well. Bullying, punching, slapping, kickin g, teasing, and verbal abuse are all behaviors and forms of mistreatmentRead MoreProblems and Solutions to Violence in Schools Essay1239 Words   |  5 PagesViolence is a very important issue that is coming to the front in todays school systems. School violence is a `complex social policy problem and is considered very complicated and hard to define. My paper is on school violence and the methods in which the government and schools can provide support and/or programs to help stem the recent rash of incidents. These steps include: use of `less violent materials, peer mediation interventions, police presence and action, individualizing of the troublemaker(s)Read MoreMedia Influences our Children1181 Words   |  5 PagesMedia Effect on Today’s Youth Media plays a strong hand in the development of a child in society. Youth are easily influenced and could think actions of unsavory morals are appropriate because it was in media. This is a major problem today as the news make reports of children intentionally committing crimes as big as murder. Children are experimenting with drugs and alcohol at an earlier age and there is even a show dedicated to teen moms on MTV. Of course, media is not the only force at fault hereRead MoreA Study On The Theory Of Teen Dating Abuse By Using A Phenomenological Inquiry942 Words   |  4 Pagesexperience of youth that has experienced dating violence. To grasp the essence of their experiences I will conduct interviews with adolescent survivors of dating violence, allowing them to tell their story and explain their experiences from their personal point of view. The statements and descriptions of those experiences will define the essence of the phenomenon. (Taken from Tranell Steward Initial discussio n wk 3). Problem Recent literature suggests there is little known about dating violence among youthRead MoreMedia Violence and Its Effect on Children Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pages There is a strong agreement among American society that violence in the country is on the rise. It is easy to see why this is a strong argument among the American people, especially because of the rising popularity of violent video games and television programs. However, as these violent video games and television shows are creating their own place in our society, the reports of violence among children are escalating. This correlation has been studied extensively in the scientific community inRead MoreThe Rate For Youth Committing Extremely Violent Crime1140 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough the rate for youth committing extremely violent crimes have been low, it is still a disturbing deed that happens in Canada. Violent crimes are described by the Province of Ontario as: â€Å"...a composite measure that includes homicid e, attempted homicide, assaults, sexual assaults and robbery.† (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2013). There are many different reasons why these type of crimes could occur before adulthood. Some factors that could cause this type of behaviour are:

Marijuana Should Not Be Considered as a Lethal Drug

Marijuana Should Not be Considered As a Lethal Drug In out society drugs are considered to be addictive and lethal. People tend to abuse drugs regardless of their side effects. In many cases government agencies regulate their use. Also there are drugs that are illegal to use, produce and sale. One of those illegal drugs is marijuana. For thousands of years, marijuana has been used to treat a wide variety of sickness. It became illegal in 1937 under The Marijuana Stamp Tax Act. This act prohibits the use, sale and growing of marijuana. It was made illegal because no one understood why smoking marijuana made people feel the way they did and because appropriate researches had not been conducted about it. Though marijuana remains illegal†¦show more content†¦Alcohol is also a popular drug among young people especially college students. Alcohol is the reason why have a high number of college dropouts. Tobacco is responsible for many deaths ever year from cancers, lung, heart and other vascular diseases, Tobacco is proved to be add ictive and many people agree that it is one of the hardest drugs for addicts to quit using. Why would the United States government let such a bad drug on the market and refuse to use marijuana for medical purposes? Because the tobacco lobby group is a powerful, well-financed and aggressive group that has successfully fought efforts to regulate, tax or otherwise control it. Also tobacco companies continually floods the media and public with misinformation suggesting that tobacco smoking is really good for you because it relaxes the body, or there is no connection between cigarette smoking and addiction, which are lies. Many lawsuits came in state and federal courts against the tobacco companies for not reveling the truth about nicotine and other dangerous additive that are found in cigarettes and many have been awarded a large amount of money. This proves that cigarettes are very dangerous and need to ban from selling it in the supermarkets. Drugs and alcohol are in fact dangerous an d should not be compared with marijuana. People have been led to believe that marijuana is very lethal and dangerous drug to use because it is illegal. In addition marijuanaShow MoreRelated†¢Legalizing Marijuana Is Beneficial For A Person’S Mental717 Words   |  3 Pages†¢ Legalizing marijuana is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health Marijuana should be legalized because it is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health. Marijuana is beneficial for a person’s mental and emotional health because it helps decrease anxiety, relieve stress and it provides a mental break from pain for those who are suffering physically. Firstly, marijuana is beneficial to one’s mental and emotional health because it helps decrease anxiety. Anxiety affects 12%Read More The Argumentr Regardingf The Decriminalization Of Cannabis Essay1705 Words   |  7 Pagesamong these one will see â€Å"drugs† as a major concern of most Americans. There is speculation that this is due to a perceived association between drugs and crime (Inciardi 1). A good deal of the argument over government policy towards drugs centers on the least unhealthy and most socially accepted of the illegal drugs, marijuana. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Marijuana, scientifically known as Tetrahydrocannabinol, belongs to its own group among other legal and illegal drugs. It is neither a narcoticRead MoreLegalization of marijuana789 Words   |  4 PagesAnnotated Bibliography The topic I chose is the legalization of marijuana. My research was enjoyable because I love reading on a topic that I fully support and agree with. The four sources I found are very persuading and contain strong points. I used the web for research but as I found sources, I made sure they were credible sources since this is such a debatable issue. Jacques, Renee. This Is Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Oct. 2013Read MoreEssay about Pro Legalization of Marijuana906 Words   |  4 Pages Cannabis has been illegal since the Marijuana Tax act of 1934. Yet out of a population of 284 million American citizens, 70 million Americans claim to have smoked cannabis at some point in their lives. Prohibition of cannabis is therefore apparently ineffective at changing the habits of a population, just as prohibition of alcohol was ineffective in 1919-1933. Making otherwise law-abiding citizens fugitives does nothing more than fill the prisons and alienate the populace fromRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe cannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, economic benefits, and crimin al benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreDo The Benefits Of Medical Marijuana Justify Its Legality?890 Words   |  4 PagesDo the Benefits of Medical Marijuana Justify its Legality? According to article, â€Å"Recent Research on Medical Marijuana,† written by Paul Armentano, and published on NORML.org in 2015, he mentions in the United States, federal prohibitions outlawing cannabis recreational, industrial, and therapeutic use were first imposed by Congress under the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. In the article, â€Å"23 Health Benefits Of Marijuana,† by Jennifer Welsh and Kevin Loria, published on Business Insider.com in 2014Read MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?951 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is the mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves that comes from the hemp plant. It was brought over from Europe to North America around the 1600s. American production of hemp was encouraged by the government in the 17th century for the production of rope, sails, and clothing. Everyone thinks that marijuana is a harmful drug, but it has not been fully researched, we are still discovering new things from it every day. In the United States and around t he world, scientists extract chemicalsRead MoreDr. Hart As A Guest854 Words   |  4 Pagesprofessor of psychology and psychiatry at Columbia University. His field of interest is that of drug abuse and addiction, he recently wrote a book about these topics titled â€Å"High Price†. Dr. Hart has a very interesting point of view when it comes to drugs in society, for example one of his beliefs is that all drugs should be decriminalized in America, another one of his controversial opinions is that drug users can be fully functioning members of society as opposed to how they are regularly viewedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1049 Words   |  5 Pagespeople think that marijuana is dangerous should be considered as illegal drug, I firmly believe that marijuana should be legalized medically and recreationally. Marijuana provides its user relaxation and peacefulness which indicates that the drug does not influence bad or criminal actions. However, marijuana is still illegal in some areas where dangerous products like alcohol are legal. In the field of medicine, marijuana is one of the safest drugs among all medications nowadays. Marijuana is a very uniqueRead MoreArgumentive Essay1121 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Argumentative Essay Legalization of Marijuana Ashley Bassett Eng. 1301 Instructor: Pam Hesser pg.1 The recreational use of Marijuana should be legalized. According to the New York Times The social costs of the marijuana laws are vast. There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to F.B.I. Figures compared with 256,000 for cocaine, heroin and their derivatives. Even worse, the result is racist, falling disproportionately on young

Cricket in Australia in the 1920s Essay Example For Students

Cricket in Australia in the 1920s Essay Cricket is a game now played all over the world. Back in the 1920s there were two main teams, Australia and England. The Ashes are a series of cricket test matches between Australia and England. The first Ashes test ever played was on March 15th 1877 in Australia. Since then Ashes tests between Australia and England have flourished numbering a series approximately every three years. The overall Ashes results are in favor of Australia, while since 1989 the Ashes series have all been won by Australia. The 1920s Ashes saw a more even event with England winning two series, Australia three. Although Australia won 13 tests to Englands six with six draws all in England. The first Ashes series in Australia was in 1920-21. This series was dominated by Australia winning all five tests. This was the first English team to tour Australia since the war, but it was delayed by an outbreak of typhus on the passenger ship carrying the English team. Australia placed seven test debutants under the captaincy of Warwick Armstrong, and yet they seemed too experienced and too good for England. The team was; W. Armstrong, W. Bardsley, H. Collins, J Gregory, C. Kelleway, A. Mailey, G. McDonald, W. Oldfield, C. Pellew, J. Ryder and J. Taylor. The first test in Sydney never from the outlook looked like a two teamed race, rather a spectacle to see how much Australia could win by. Armstrong won his first of many tosses and decided to bat first, Australia making 267 on a pitch favoring the bowlers. England, on the second day crumbled being spun out for a feeble 190 and in reply Australia made 581, with centuries to Collins the opener and Armstrong the captain. This meant E ngland needed 658 on the last two days. Australias superior bowling attack dismissed England for 281, 377 short. The second test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was no closer. Australia batted first and made 499 with centuries to Pellew and Gregory. Australia then bowled England out for 251 with inspirational Gregory taking 7/69. Enforcing the follow on, Australias bowlers took advantage of the mental state of England and bundled them out for 157 winning by an innings and 91 runs. The third test in Adelaide beginning on January 14 was by far the closest test. Australia winning the toss decided to bat for the third time in a row. On a road like pitch Australia hit a comparatively feeble 354. England for the first time in the series played with some confidence making 447, a lead of 93. However it was not to last. Australia got their act together and piled on 582, Kelleway, Armstrong and Pellew all scoring hundreds. England had no reply to this falling short by 119 runs. So the two teams moved onto Melbourne, the home of Australian cricket. England batted first and reached 284, a feeble total for the Australians who managed 389. In the second innings Mailey dominated taking an amazing 9/121 off 47, and single handedly dismissed England for 315. Australia got the required 211 only two wickets down. By the fifth test came around it was a matter of whether Australia could rewrite the record books and become the first of the two teams to win all test matches in a series. Inevitably it happened with a win of 9 wickets dismissing England for 204 and 280, and getting 392 and surpassing them at 1/92. Australia had won the Ashes in a whitewash 5-0. Australias dominance in the results clearly represented the difference in the standards of cricket between the two nations. England had a lot to learn before they returned in 1924. Hades EssayThis was not to be in the first test where England batting first made 521 and bowled Australia out for 122. England batted again and declared at 8/342 with Grimmett taking 6. With only ten men batting Australia were 8/66 handing England an comprehensive win. The second test at the SCG lasted six days, six painful days for Australian supporters. Batting first Australia was bundled out for 9/253 with Ponsford retiring hurt and taking no further part in the game. England replied politely with 636 due to a marvelous 251 to WR Hammond. Australia were already beaten making 9/397, England polished off the runs going two up in the series. The third test at the MCG went for seven days and saw England prevail in a close contest. Australia amassed 397 due to centuries from Kippax and Ryder, and England in reply scored 417, with yet another double century to Hammond. In the second innings Woodfull and Bradman set about the task of a challenging total, but without help from the rest of the team, the batsmen making 107 and 112 and the team 351. England needed 332 for victory, and Australias arch nemesis Sutcliffe guided the team to their third win with 135. There was no way Australia could regain the Ashes, but some dignity wouldve been nice. However it was not to be losing another close seven-dayer at Adelaide. Man-of-the-series Hammond made a century in both innings showing England to 334 and 383. The Australian first innings was both positive and dominating scoring 369. Although chasing 348 White destroyed Australian hopes with 8 for 126, Australia falling 12 runs short. Finally in the fifth test there was some consolation for the Australians. England won the toss and batted and made 519. The Australians, although beaten in the series replied with 419, their highest score yet, Bradman and Woodfull making 102 and 132 each. Then Tim Wall, on debut took 5/66 on his way to dismissing England for 257. Australia passed their total with five wickets in hand, and at long last Australia had won the test after eight consecutive days or 34 hours. England had retained the Ashes with a 4-1 series win over the gallant Australia. BIBLIOGRAPHY:Pollard, Jack, Australian Cricket 1918-1948 The Bradman years200 seasons of Australian cricketa href=http://www.baggygreen.com.au/archiveshttp://www.baggygreen.com.au/archivesauthor unknown, Test Match Cricket, Australia and England 1877-1977