Comparing Of The Main Heroes Of Driving Miss Daisy Essay

Comparing Of The Main Heroes Of Driving Miss Daisy - Essay Example Colburn comes to the light as Daisy’s chauffeur following a driving mishap that renders her an inadmissible client to insurance companies as noted by Hoke: â€Å"The truth is, you just cost the insurance company $2,700. You're a terrible risk. Nobody's gonna issue you a policy after this† (Backrags par 6; Uhry 3). Although hesitant to get herself driven by a chauffeur, Daisy gradually accepts Boogie in his capacity as a chauffeur. The story of Daisy, her small family, and her chauffeur is punctuated with a lot of similarities and contrast in so far as the characters and their traits are concerned. The two main characters in the plot Daisy and Colburn, particularly display a lot of contrast and similarities. The paper will focus on the two characters considering the central role that they play in the development of the plot. Character Backgrounds Mrs. Daisy Werthan is presented as a retired schoolteacher â€Å"I taught some of the stupidest children God ever put on the face of this earth, and all of them could read well enough to find a name on a tombstone† (BookRags par 13). Having been a school teacher, Daisy is presented as a knowledgeable woman -someone who ought to be respectable in society. Hoke Colburn, on the other hand, comes to the scene as an African American who is illiterate deserving of a lowly life after his career as a driver for a local judge ends. After meeting Daisy, Hoke gets to learn from the old Widow how to read at the age of 60. While Daisy is an old Jewish widow as can be seen from Hoke’s statement â€Å"Yassum. Mist’ Sig’s grave mighty well tended. I believe you the best window in the state of Georgia† (Fulton Theatre 4), Hoke is of African antecedent and no so less of an old man. The story presents, therefore, two characters from different worlds in terms of cultural backgrounds although having a common point in that they are both old. Being non-whites at a time when racial segregation i s rife in the setting, the two characters witness a lot of discrimination as they go about their activities. This is practically seen at the point in the plot where highway patrolmen comment loudly referring to them as Old Jew Woman (for Daisy) and old Nigger (for Hoke) â€Å"[watching Daisy and Hoke leave after checking them out] An old nigger and an old Jew woman takin' off down the road together... that is one sorry sight!† (BookRags par 3). Perceptions In a society dominated by whites, Daisy and Hoke are presented as outsiders in the society. Hoke cannot understand why her employer is so backward as not to understand the changes that are sweeping the social setting at the time. Mrs. Daisy, on the other hand, fails to appreciate the reason why Hoke’s people are so resentful. Only when they are separated by circumstances do the two characters truly appreciate that they are pals and longtime kindred spirits. In particular, this is seen when Daisy finds herself confine d to a home for the old while Hoke retires from his work. Hoke is a person who is patient, caring, dignified and tolerant as can be seen from the way he treats his employer, Daisy. He does not fear to air out his views respectfully and in a calm way whenever he has a point to state. Furthermore, He stands for his rights whenever he feels that his rights are at stake. On the other hand, Daisy is clearly prejudicial, although this comes to change with time as she continues to interact with Hoke.

Has no topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Has no topic - Essay Example ntrastingly, people who depend on employment have no choice but to work as the job regulations demand and since they do not have other alternatives to earn a living. People having immense wealth can get easy access to the lawmakers through their efforts of campaigning and thus protecting their assets. Alexis argues that America has been an egalitarian society. Egalitarian society is one that takes into consideration little power, status, wealth and prestige differences among individuals. According to Alexis (Brueggemann, 2010), there has not been prevention of individuals amassing resources to extreme extents thus ensuring fair resource distribution. In contrast to this view, Gabriel Kolko argues that, despite year-to-year fluctuations since 1910, there has been unequal income distribution. Gabriel asserts that America has a characteristic concentration of wealth that is wealth is on the hands of only a few individuals in the society. The top 1% of the American rich own 33 percent of wealth in the United States. There are also another top 10% of the people possessing 69 percent of the assets. This means that the remaining 90% majority of the people only own about 31% of the assets. From Table 7.2, we note that 27 percent of the wealth falls to the percentiles 50 to 90% and the bottom about half of the total population possess only around 3 percent of the assets. Thus, it is evident from Table 7.2 that there is a large margin of inequality since the bottom 90 percent of the population is far poor compared to 1% of the population. Figure 7.1 gives the trend of wealth owned by the richest 1% of the population right from 1774 to the year 2005. It shows the share to have hit the highest percentage in 1830s reaching 44 percent. The period between 1774 and 1860 saw wealth concentration rising with 1820s and the late 1840s experiencing steep increases (Brueggemann, 2010). This trend conforms to Kuznets hypothesis. Figure 7.2 shows the top bracket (groupings for taxation