Barnum

P. T. Barnum was a man well known for his use of hoaxes, promotions, and his work in the Circus. Throughout his life, Barnum did what he could to attract the masses and earn a profit. Such attractions as his “Feejee Mermaid”; the torso of an ape sewn to the back half of a fish; and “General Tom Thumb”; a 4-year-old boy named Charles Sherwood Stratton standing only 25 inches tall and weighing only 15 pounds whom Barnum trained to sing and dance; attracted attention from people all around the…

Reflection #1: Financial Gain over Honesty This week's readings about P. T. Barnum and the rise of popular culture in the United States highlights how certain individuals have the ability to recognize that times are changing and as a result they attempted to be the first to capitalize on the new era. The readings showed how Barnum became very popular and started the phenomenon which would become known as popular culture, yet they also highlighted some of his negative traits such as greed and…

a man named P.T Barnum who helped Jenny Lindt break the barrier of the separate spheres in the public eye. Barnum was a successful producer who aimed to bring Jenny Lindt over to America to perform in the public. Barnum knew that he must be careful to bring a woman into the public because he explains that their success “ would depend on the manner in which she would be brought before the public, as the circumstances might occur which would make the enterprise disastrous”. Barnum understands…

Stratton P. T. Barnum discovered Charles Stratton in 1842 at the age of four. Soon after, Barnum transformed Stratton into General Tom Thumb, one of the most significant freak show performers of all time. At an early age Stratton was trained to sing, dance, and imitate famous celebrities worldwide. As discussed in the lecture, under the guidance of Barnum, Tom Thumb performed around the world as well as at the American Museum, becoming the most famous dwarf of all time. P. T. Barnum was known…

If told that “There is a way to be good again” (Hosseini 2004 pg.2), how far would one go to redeem their past and start anew? Amir and P.T. Barnum have to answer this question and try to redeem their mistakes and hopefully save their future. Aristotle's Literary Theory will help prove that redemption can be hard and some may appear impossible, but with the right mindset and great support, anything is possible. To have needed redemption the characters must have had to fall from grace. In the…

this suggests that he was for slavery. However, since Barnum was a master in humbugging, he was a master at finding what people wanted to see and believe. During the time period that he showcased the old lady, patriotism was alive, abolitionist ideas were spreading, religion was universal, but prejudice/racism was still an apparent reality. This is why…

Miniature sized madonnas of their era gracefully parade down the stage as their names are called, covered in full glam from head to toe in extensions galore. The authenticity of these young girls wears thin as their costumes exhibit a mature look while their bodies have yet a long way to develop. As pure and glamourous the art of pageantry might seem, behind the curtains lie a different show. Karen Kataline, President of The Center for Leadership Communication and author of award-winning…

thousand dollars per week. (Cook, p.82) Although the actual specimen, small and gruesome, looked nothing like the creatures advertised, the mystery of the beast kept people fascinated. Barnum himself described it as an "ugly, dried up, black-looking, and diminutive specimen" (Loxton, p.3) It is unclear whether Barnum believed the Fiji Mermaid was real, but 30 years after the he first showed it he did admit that “Dr.Griffin” was a hoax designed to bring in more…

clouds lay low and flat above the white prairie.” The last page that I thought Laura really made a good connection was on page two hundred and five. In this quote, Almanzo unhitches Barnum and he begins to run away and Laura is on the buggie attached to Barnum and now she has to stop him and bring him back! “Barnum was racing on the open prairie beyond the church.” I could really feel the panic she must have felt and how her heart must have been…

the participants in the early Barnum studies, individuals may reinterpret an offender profile to fit various, distinct suspects. Participants for this study were recruited at a police agency. The participants were assigned to two groups, and they all received the same profile, and they rated the profile on a 10-point scale. It is hypothesized that the police officers will also reinterpret the offender profile to fit various suspects, like the participants of the Barnum Studies. Even though…