Compare And Contrast The Impossibles And The Scottsboro Boys

Improved Essays
Creating dreams and ambitions are a key part in life and human implementation. Whether one’s objective in life is to get married, be a professional actor, or discover a new scientific theory, one must fabricate those wishes and joys in order to achieve them. The poem “The Impossibles” by Patrick Lewis is a metaphorical piece about how one must “plant” their aspirations and plan what they want to achieve. Later on, they can follow their hearts and minds and make their lives feel complete. It also brings up the fact that one must live in the present and not in the future. One should never give up on what they want to accomplish in life. The article "The Scottsboro Boys" by Jessica McBirney is about a true event that happened in the 1900’s. A …show more content…
They were stationed on trial immediately and all of them, except for one, were sentenced to a death penalty. Each of the boys never gave up and continued to go on trial to argue for equality and their rights. The poem “The Impossibles” and the article "The Scottsboro Boys" are similar in the fact that they both have alike themes and central ideas; however, they are divergent because the poem is metaphorical and more influential, while the article is literal and more serious.
In other words, in the poem “The Impossibles” and the article "The Scottsboro Boys" are similar because they both have corresponding themes and central ideas. The theme of the poem is to never give up on one’s delight and to fight for what one believes in. The poem is exceedingly powerful and reveals that a person must make their own wishes and ambitions in life so they are able to attain and accomplish them. If a person wants something specific in their life, they must work for it. With a hopeful tone the author states that “you cannot seed a garden/with wheelbarrows of dreams./Unless you first plant wishes, how cucumbersome it seems” (Lewis 1). The central idea of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    MacLeod’s Finding’s: Norms, Values and Ideologies in Ain’t No Makin’ It In the study, Ain’t No Makin’ It, Jay MacLeod introduces us to two extremely distinct groups of male youth, the Hallway Hangers and the Brothers. The Hallway Hangers are a dominant group of teenagers who constantly rebel and openly resist the American ideology of education.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nine young African American men, later known as the Scottsboro boys, by names of Haywood Patterson, Clarence Norris, Andy Wright, Roy Wright, Ozzie Powell, Willie Roberson, Charles Weems, Eugene Williams, and Olen Montgomery jumped aboard a empty freight train that was going through Alabama. Seven white young men along with two white women, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, have also jumped aboard on the train for transport throughout Alabama. A fight has happened between the two groups and six of the white men have been thrown off the train. The white men were furious so they decided to send a message ahead to the town of Scottsboro to report what happened. The local sheriff and a group of citizens stopped the train before it could reach Scottsboro and the two white woman have declared that they have been raped by the African American men.…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Larry Watson’s Montana 1948 and Reginald Rose’s Twelve Angry Men both view society in a negative light that is full of prejudice and injustice. By placing both of these texts in a pessimistic view, readers are able to see that all humans are flawed. Both authors are able show that character’s varied ideologies, mistakes, and traits are a part of human nature. Watson displays these ideas through Wes and Julian whilst Rose mainly shows this through Jurors 3 and 10. Equally, Watson and Rose showcase in these texts that prejudice and injustice are prevalent and damaging to society.…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When introducing the essay “Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream”, Joan Didion describes the story of Lucille Miller, a main character in search for a dangerous illusion known as the American Dream. Didion’s essay might be viewed as a commentary on the social issue of Hollywood manufacturing the American Dream. Throughout the introduction, she sets the tone and describes the background to support her argument. Within the first paragraph itself, the time the story takes place, October, is told to be the season of “suicide and divorce” (3). In addition, when Didion vividly describes the location and captures imagery, she states that the location of Banyard is close to Hollywood.…

    • 335 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Can a person truly reach his full potential as long as he dedicates himself to working hard and pursuing happiness? The American Dream – a term first defined in The Epic of America by James Truslow Adams– promises such, but does it follow through? The answer is no, simply because some groups of people are not allotted the same opportunities as others. Jay Gatsby – protagonist of the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – and Troy Maxson – protagonist of the play Fences by August Wilson – wish to achieve their dreams and advance in life; however, they are unable to do so because of society’s unjust exclusion of those who are not born both white and rich. From the time Jay Gatsby was known as James Gatz, he had always dreamt of one…

    • 1377 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and No Country for Old Men deals with the concept of good versus evil very uniquely and different from each other. Sheriff Bell and the Father are trying their very best to maintain peace and balance in their chaotic environments. The idea of good versus evil is introduced in both these novels from the beginning, gradually this battle becomes clear cut both Sheriff Bell and the Father have to face it head on. In Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men, Sheriff Bell experiences pure evil from the very beginning of the novel and that is when his testimony lands a nineteen-year-old boy in jail for killing his fourteen-year-old girlfriend; the boy is also making a clear admission that he has no soul. The lines between…

    • 1837 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy and ‘Children of Men’ by Alfanso Cuaron are two texts which are set in an apocalyptic scenario with a prominent threat to the overall existence of the human race. In ‘Children of Men’ the threat of global infertility impends towards the extermination of humans whilst in ‘The Road’ the lack of resources and widespread cannibalism leaves everyone’s life at risk. Breaking the trend of infertility, “Children of Men’ tells of story of a ‘saviour child’ which becomes the first baby born in 18 years whilst ‘The Road’ follows the story of a man with his ‘son’ depicted as the one who will continue the civilisation. In both texts, the overall reaction to social breakdown and impending extinction is carried out in similar…

    • 1312 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    F. Scott Fitzgerald shows many weakening points in the idea of the American Dream using the book The Great Gatsby through the topics of American being a land of bounty and beauty, the belief in progress and optimism, and triumph of an individual. He disproves the idea of America being a beautiful land with unlimited opportunities by showing the reader the hardships of the people living in the Valley of Ashes. Fitzgerald denies the belief of progress and that everything eventually getting better and easier, by showing the separation of the people who are working hard and trying to accomplish the American Dream, compared to the people who have already attained wealth through their family. There is a lot of optimism contained in the concept…

    • 1635 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dreams: The Purpose of Life People’s hopes and dreams are able to keep life focused on achieving a desired outcome; however, many people fail to reach their lifelong goals for various reasons. Dreams have a significant part in the novel “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, especially for the main characters George and Lennie. These characters have a dream to quit their job as migrant workers and own a farm. Unfortunately by the end of the story George and Lennie fail to reach the dream they have been striving for many years. The book takes place in the 1930’s, during the massive economic downfall of the Great Depression.…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As a little boy growing up in Newark, New Jersey wasn’t easy especially when you are surrounded by other boys your age getting in to trouble. Sampson Davis was one of seven children in his home, and growing up with divorced parents and his mother always finding a way to make ends meet. After being persuaded by his sixth grade teacher and mother to take a test that would allow him into a magnet high school; this would be the beginning to his future. Rameck Hunt grew up with a drug addict for a mother and a father who was mostly absent. Raised by his grandmother (ma), Rameck would often get into trouble; this caused him to transfer high schools where he met George and Sampson.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Before discussing the topic of freedom, we must ask ourselves: Are we really free? From early decades, the concept of freedom goes hand in hand with reaching success. Many Americans work restlessly to transform their dreams into realities. However, the evident disappointment and the lack of progress allude to the fact that, in the end, it all depends on the opportunities one is given. Langston Hughes makes this concept one of the main themes behind his literary works, especially in the poems Let America Be America Again and Dreams Deferred.…

    • 1156 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    This poem became popular for it told human beings to not pursue their dreams and goals on Earth for they will all be taken away upon death. Instead of focusing their efforts on the world around them they should focus on the world to come. This is a different view than the modern worldview which would tell individuals to appreciate their time on Earth and constantly strive to become everything they can. The poet writes, “Call not your own what one day ye may lose; The world will take back all it give you to use. Let your hearts be in heaven, your thoughts in the skies; Happy is he who the world can despise.”…

    • 1595 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The American Dream is based on the principles of endless opportunity and second chances for all in a new world. The hope of possible success and progress along with the possible freedom from their past mistakes lures the disheartened to a place where no one might know their name. However, in actuality, second chances and rags-to-riches stories are a rare find. Reputations are difficult to escape, and temptations can cause old mistakes to reemerge.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Langston Hughes poem Harlem, it states “What happens to a dream deferred?”(1), this illustrates an image that a dreams that have not been achieved, they are change to something similar from the original dream. In the play written by August Wilson, Fences,the play talks about three main characters who have all failed to achieve their original dream but manage to achieve an alternative dream. Three main character are troy Maxson, Cory Maxson, and Troy’s wife, Rose. Troy had a dream to became a professional Baseball player but was shattered by age. Cory had a dream to be better than his father ,financially wise, and hope to achieve big for his family and his future.…

    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    People striving to achieve the impossible will always be appreciated and needed in the world. Therefore I agree with the quote “we need more people who specialize in the impossible.” Whenever someone achieves the impossible, it gives other people hope and inspiration. Achieving the impossible is also favourable for both the person who achieves the impossible and for the people who are influenced by it. Sometimes, accomplishing the impossible can be beneficial for all of humanity.…

    • 1654 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays