America is a nation of progress, freedom, and equality, or it is now in modern times. Back in the 1950's though, the tune of the entire was vastly different. The country had gotten out of WWII as a world power and in stern competition with its rival, the USSR, but the country was wholly together on its progress and there came radical views, inequality, and social schisms within the society. The readings such as, The Yellow Wallpaper, Black Power, and The Things They Carried, provide an idea of some of the views and actions of the time.

To begin examining the historical views of this period, we need to start farther back into the 1920's and the Women's Rights movement, and to do that an examination of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is needed. This text not only gives the reader some input into the medical science of the times, but is mostly a narrative of the "role of women" during that frame of time. Women set within that period were expected to do many things without question. They were to be the proper housewife, take care of the children, and most of all, listen to their husbands without question. This text highlights on this through the journal kept by the narrator and her interactions with her husband. Her husband simply plays her off as a person who doesn't know any better, even though this women is the person her supposedly loved and is married too. The narrator tells the reader of her time in a place where she is strictly meant to take up her duties as a housewife and avoid any and all interactions with others but her husband. In the begin it is explained that she believe she is sick, even though none of the educated men in her life choose to believe her. They do nothing but suggest rest and isolation to "fix her" but the method they use to treat her is incredibly wrong and only goes to exacerbate her problem. The narrator suffered a stress disorder, and the method used, by professional medical scientist at the time, on women had been proved ineffective on their male counterparts. This method was used on women anyway in an attempt to make them more docile and coincide with society's views at the time. This led to many women, like the narrator, to suffer at the hands of faulty science and blatant sexism. This blatant sexism would stoke the fires for the women's rights movement in the 1920's and would begin to bring about an era of change in the people, policies, and future of the United States of America.

Fast forward a couple of decades and another rights movement would appear, but this time for the rights of every non white citizen in America. The term "separate but equal" would be coined by the American society pre WWII and be a highly controversial term throughout the post WWII 1950's and 60's. This term was laid out in attempt to withhold the status quo of separation of whites and blacks and other ethnicities. Separate was never equal though. Blacks who had served their country just as any other man during the last great war, would return home looked down upon. They wouldn't be looked as the hero's of the war as their white brothers where but instead just seen as just common blacks at the time. They were seen as lesser people, even though they gave as much as their fellow man, they were nothing  but kicked and spat on by the people and country that they worked hard to protect.

Enough was enough though, things weren't changing for the better fast enough so affirmative action was needed to get the ball rolling faster, so came about the Civil Rights Movement. In 1954 the movement would begin down the path for the unsegregated freedom of all the people of the United States. There would be protest, there would be aggression, and there would be violence. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and many others would head these changes to come to America. Many works would appear with controversy and views of this time and views would change in some over time.

"I have a dream " Those words alone are some the most famous ever spoken when it comes to the fact of Civil Rights. These words came from a man of patience, virtue, and determination, Martin Luther King jr.. This man, born in the southern city of Atlanta Georgia, became the renowned leader of long, argues, but successful, group of people who seeked their freedom without violence. The great man would then be gunned down in 1968 while at a strike in Tennessee. Before his untimely demise, King would release a book entitled Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? In this book a chapter titled "The World House" was written by King discussing the need for poverty to be wiped from the world. The entirety of the text shows influences from a myriad of outside sources, hoping to ensure a greater effect on its audience. 

While MLK jr. was the peaceful route of the times Malcolm X was his stark foil. The racism he faced and harsh conditions all throughout his life but he would overcome these but come to detest all forms of the white man. He even disregarded the whites that supported Civil Rights. For him a complete reversal of roles was needed and he would not settle for less. They varying leaders seeked to bring about change to a country in need of it.

This brings us to the second reading, Stokely Carmichael's speech "Black Power" 

Black Power was a termed coined by Carmichael for the progression of black people through more radical and violent means, without the help of white people. In his speech Black Power speaks of his transition between the peaceful ways of King to the more active ways of Malcolm X. This idea of black power would spread throughout parts of the movement and spark a sensation  of violent movements and the term would be used by groups like the Black Panthers for a time.

The Civil Rights movement is a key time in American History with many avid figures and charismatic leaders. Through this reading we got a peak of two of the more prominent speakers of the time, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. These men both wanted what they believed was best for their people, but went on different routes to achieve their goals. Carmichael went to better understand the convictions of these men and why they spoke the way they spoke and acted the way they acted. This allowed him a fuller ability to speak and give a better understanding of the time at hand. The times were hard, fellow citizens were at each other's throat but through people like this and their tireless work and charismatic speeches the country would eventually change for the better. 

Simultaneously during the Civil Rights the Vietnam war would break out as the Soviet Vietcong would overthrow the government. America would send troops and supplies over as part of its war on communism, but this would be a very costly decision, not only for all the soldiers who would lose their lives and all the supplies wasted, but the decision would cause even further protest to spring up in the American youth, as resistance to the draft would be held and an overall negative feel would be held towards the war.

The book The Things They Carried is a collection of short stories set in different time periods of before, during, and after, the Vietnam war. O'Brien's work gave an insight to thoughts and feelings of the soldiers during the fight, the fear held by the civilian during the draft, and the post war trauma left behind. The first chapter is a strong capture for the tone of the stories and the tone of the war, uncertain and grim.

The narrator in the first chapter is Tim O'Brien himself, as he describes the things all the men of his company are carry. They're practical things like mosquito repellent, toiletries, pocket knives and gum. Then the things they carry  begin to become less practical and more dependent on the men's own beliefs and practices. The machine gunner Henry Dobbins carried extra rations due to being a larger man but, carries his girlfriend's pantyhose due to being superstitious. Nervous and a bit scrawny Ted Lavender carries marijuana and tranquilizers to calm himself down, and the religious Kiowa carries an illustrated version of the New Testament. Then beyond the physical carries, all the men carry some regret or burden on their minds with them into battle. This open gives the readers an understanding and general makes them ask, what would they bring, what good luck charms and what fears and worries.

Overall these works all produce a strong statement for the times there written and provide insight into how people acted and thought during those times. There will undoubtedly be more works like them though as time goes on and america continues to evolve and change. Wars will continue to be fought, people will still drive for better tomorrows, and men and women will still write of these events in stories to come.

