Comparison of Ellis Island and Angels Island Essay

Comparison of Ellis Island and Angels Island - Essay Example Similarly, for an immigrant, it becomes difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, new customs and a new habitat altogether. Although both the parties mutually adjust and co-exist in the future, the initial phase would always be remembered.History of Ellis Island and Angel Island needs to be understood bearing this in mind. Both these points were recognized as entry points to America. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay just off New Jersey coast, within the shadow of a statue of Liberty. Today approximately 40% of America’s population can trace their origins back to Ellis Island and that is because the island has a history of processing twelve million immigration applications. Ellis Island got its name after its owners Samuel Ellis and was also known as Oyster Island earlier. Federal Government after procuring the island from Samuel Ellis primarily for the defense purpose. The immigration was processed at Castle Garden in New York which was later shifted to Ellis Island . The initial influx was of northern and western Europeans and much later southern and eastern Europeans also made their way to America through Ellis Island. Europe was mainly becoming stifling in terms of religion and socio-economic constraints. To escape from these conditions people migrated to a new land altogether. The quarantine ships examined the passengers while they were still in the waters and identified and separated people who were having contagious disease, disorders and were the potential threat to society. The passengers were then preceded to the island where rest of the formalities was carried out. Although it acquired a reputation of â€Å"island of tears† the usual proceedings did not take more than a few short hours to start a new life in America.

ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

ART - Essay Example Foster, Krauss, Bois, and Buchloh focuses on a crucial event—how the seminal work is created, how the artistic manifesto is published and the opening of a major exhibition; this crucial event tells us the story of enchanting diversity of practice and interpretation that characterizes the art of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, they made a point to explain in detail all the turning points and breakthroughs of modernism and postmodernism. 1. Modernism is generally an artistic approach, which dominated the European and American art and literature in the Twentieth Century. The key features of modernism are thought to be the principles of formalism and the autonomy of art. 3. The third aspect is the concept of the avant-garde, which challenges the dominant artistic culture. Often referred to as "inner logic of modernism", this critical force makes the art move forward towards Postmodernism. Characterized as a critique of Modernism and the project of modernity, Postmodernism is best understood as a part of a cultural shift which has been felt in science, philosophy, and the arts. Culture is seen by others (e.g. Jean Baudrillard) as an endless play of imitation (simulation) which signals the end of authenticity and reality and the emergence of "hyperreality" (Baudrillard 1049-50) 2. Interventionist is when the artist becomes a manipulator of signs rather than a producer of Art. The viewer becomes "an active reader of messages rather than a passive contemplator of the aesthetic"(Foster 1066). This form of Art is described as "a social sign entangled with other signs in systems productive of value, power and prestige" (Foster 1066) This critique of Modernity often takes the form of a challenge to the norms and values of western culture as a whole. But this critique is losing its popularity. If we still don’t have an answer to Hal Foster’s 1996 question, â€Å"Whatever Happened to