User:NNoble07/sandbox

2/20/23

Original text from Drew's wiki page: "As a result of his work and his connection to Drew, the Theological School's matriculating class includes many students from South Korea. "

Quote from text: "According to Appenzeller, the warmth of fellowship in worship with the Drew Community made the most lasting impression on him, creating bonds between faculty and students that lasted until his death” (p. 197)

New/created text (including citation): Following his graduation from Drew in 1885, Appenzeller maintained relationships following his departure for the Ministry in Korea. 3/13/23

OG: "One of the defining changes that occurred at the end of the Middle Ages was the end of the dominance of Aristotelian philosophy, and its replacement by a new approach to the study of nature, including human nature.[citation needed] In this approach, all attempts at conjecture about formal and final causes were rejected as useless speculation.[citation needed] "

NEW: With Medieval Philosophy coming to a close, so does the dominance of Aristotelian philosophy, giving rise to the era of Renaissance philosophy, followed by Modern philosophy. It is here that the topic of Human Nature branched, finding ways to define Human Nature in the absence of Aristotle's formal and final causes.

3/15/23

OG: Also, the term "law of nature" now applied to any regular and predictable pattern in nature, not literally a law made by a divine lawmaker, and, in the same way, "human nature" became not a special metaphysical cause, but simply whatever can be said to be typical tendencies of humans.[citation needed]

NEW (1): Also, the term "law of nature" now applied to any regular and predictable pattern in nature, not literally a law made by a divine lawmaker, and, in the same way, "human nature" became not a special metaphysical cause, but simply whatever can be said to be typical tendencies of humans.

NEW (2): The term, "law of nature" refers to the "principles" in which the natural world is governed, rather than meaning laws made by the divine. In contrast, "human nature" refers to the human condition.

3/16/23

"Man of All Work"
Written in the spring of 1959 and found in the post-death published work, Eight Men (1961)--a collection of lectures, haikus, television broadcasts, and radio plays--Richard Wright's radio play "Man of all Work" explores a different side of masculinity, as the main character, Carl Owens, a former army cook must now find a new job in order to pay off his home and provide for his ill wife and their children.

Attempting to find jobs in his area of expertise and finding no luck, Carl takes his wife's clothes, along with her name (Lucy), and attempts to find domestic work. As the story takes place in the 1960s, a time period in which domestic work was dominated by women--ninety percent being black women--, the unemployed father saw no other choice but to assume the identity of his wife in hopes of obtaining a job.

Now working for David and Anne Fairchild, a white family who requested a "colored" cook and housekeeper in the newspaper, Carl must now maintain his secret identity. Confident that he won't get caught, Carl states to his concerned and unsupportive wife about her husband's idea, "I’ve got on a dress and I look just like a million black woman cooks. Who looks that close at us colored people anyhow? We all look alike to white people" (Eight Men, 124).

As Carl's job entails, he must now care for and meet the Fairchilds' six-year-old daughter, Lily. The two develop a closeness, resulting in Lily expressing to her father her fondness for the "big and strong" caregiver--later on describing Carl's manly characteristics to him, as she has some suspicion that he is not who he says he is.

The play takes a turn when Anne requests that "Lucy" assist her in bathing. This frightens Carl, as he is aware of the villainization of black men as well as white retaliation in the era of Jim Crow. Though her intentions were pure, simply requesting "Lucy" do this in hopes of relieving the tension between the two--not knowing why it exists. As he shakes and sweats with fear, Anne attempts to comfort her, stating, she is a woman just as she (Lucy) is.

Assuming that the tension is somewhat relieved, Anne confides in Lucy, confessing the reason why the last maid was fired, saying it was due to her husband and the former maid, Bertha, having a relationship--as the two would share a drink or two, resulting in sexual relations. Seemingly knowing that her husband's relationship with Bertha was not as equal as implied in the story, Anne tells Lucy that insofar as she does not drink, he will not bother her, but if it comes to it, she can certainly defend herself.

After Anne's bath, Mr. Fairchild returns, revealing that his sexual relations with previous maids are not as mutual as Anne implied. Whilst Lucy is cooking in the kitchen, David invites Lucy to assist him in finishing a bottle of gin, fondling her whilst showering her with compliments--in regards to her cooking. After rejecting his affections and he not listening, Lucy makes good on her threat and grabs him, prompting him to exclaim, "Goddamn, you're a strong bitch... Goddamn you're, as strong as a man. Well, we'll see who's the stronger" (Eight Men, 145). As David would not stop, Lucy had no choice but to finally hit him, though this does not stop Mr. Fairchild, rather motivates him more.

Finally, after a long altercation--in which Lily was there to witness--, Anne finally comes in. It is here where David lies to save face, stating Lucy is the drunk one who made advancements on him.

Having had enough of David's lies and actions with each maid they hire, Anne refuses to hear another word of David, as well as Lucy, as she feels betrayed by the very woman she thought she could trust. Having no patience for any of these antics anymore, Anne walks away from the scene, returning shortly with a gun.

Now wrestling with his wife, David aims to retrieve the gun from Anne. But amidst this chaos, Lucy is accidentally shot, causing Lily to assume her death.

With all of the Fairchilds assuming the worst, David offers to take the blame for Anne's mistake, as he believes if anyone is to go to jail, it should be him as Anne should be the one to take care of Lily. As they wait for Anne's brother, Burt, to come--as they believe he can bail them out of this situation--, David states they must get their story straight. David creates the lie that he found her stealing, causing him to shoot her as she attempted to run rather than coming to a halt. Rather than going along with his lies, Anne refuses, telling him that she's been going along with his lies for many years and it is here where it stops.

With Burt finally arriving, the two finally get an answer to whether Lucy has been killed or not. Finding out that she is not dead, the two feel relief--though it only lasts temporarily, as Burt has shocking news for the Fairchilds. Revealing that Lucy is in fact a man, the family now in disbelief, David once again takes this an opportunity to lie in hopes of saving face, stating that Carl's disguise was a ploy to assault Anne--which once again, Anne refuses to do.

With Carl now up from his injury, the Fairchilds must now find out the best way to settle this. With Burt as the mediator, he reveals that all Carl wishes in order to keep this madness quiet is to have the Fairchilds not only pay his medical bills but to pay him $200--a request David is willing to pay.

THEMES & TROPES
The Mammy figure: Coined during American slavery, being carried onto the era of Jim Crow, the mammy figure possessed the intent of ridiculing black women. The mammy figure, portrayed as asexual as well as possessing physical strength and (large) size, being stated to be occasionally outspoken and emasculating, the mammy figure is often portrayed as sweet and nurturing (Critical Insights: Richard Wright). Her caring nature comes with a wide smile, “hearty laughter”, and loyalty, providing evidence that the (black) female slave was content in her position. Due to her contentment, the mammy’s maternal instincts and great love for her white family results in her desire to put her life on the line to protect the white family under her care. 

The Black Brute: Too coined during American slavery, the black brute portrays black men as innately savage, possessing animalistic and destructive tendencies. Furthermore, the black brute is a sociopath and predatory towards white women—seemingly lurking in the shadows awaiting an opportunity to prey on the white woman. This perception of black men is what white men used as justification for why black men deserved cruel and unusual punishment, including death. 

Once found out to be a man, Carl’s intention of simply desiring to provide for his family was then twisted into David’s inherent racism, as he only sees the black man as a brute, preying on his wife, lying in wait hoping to pounce.