The representation of groups of people in the media has constantly changed over time. “Still I Rise” and “The Necklace” are two forms of writing that were written in contrasting periods and by two contrasting people. “The Necklace was written during the 'Belle Époque,' which in France was an era of art, economic optimism, and regional peace, fueled in part by France's many colonial ventures. It was a time when the need for jobs was increasing, which meant that a large portion of the population was given low-paying jobs and remained crowded together. This created large class disparities between the rich and the poor. This topic is mainly mentioned in "The Necklace". "Still I Rise" was written in 1979, a time of poverty and racism in America - primarily directed against the African-American community - despite bills like Affirmative Action as well as the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 , 64 and 68. Blacks remain rejected by the majority and do not benefit from equal opportunities. However, in these two works, they show that people do not shy away from the difficulties that await them. They demonstrate the wonder of the human spirit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The main message of “Still I Rise” concerns the prejudice of outsiders against the African American community, particularly African American women . The poet uses phrases like “Does my impertinence bother you? and “Does my height offend you?”. Sassyness and haughtiness were considered essentially feminine qualities at the time. Maya Angelou uses them to say that she is unapologetic and unafraid of her femininity. The main message of this quote is that “you should feel good about yourself.” Don't apologize for your bold, unique laugh or your opinionated personality. This gives the reader the understanding of a sense of pride and inner strength. This allows everyone to identify with the message. The writer sheds a positive light on the hatred to which she is the subject. She uses sarcasm and writes in a determined manner to express her strength to always fight back, no matter the obstacle. The phrase “Still I Rise” is constantly written in the poem. This line is used to indicate that despite all the difficulties African American women faced during this time, they will rise above the hatred. This gives the public the courage to stand up against people who oppress them or send hatred towards them. This feeling that this poem gives to the audience is why it was so successful. It gave hope to a group that needed it most. One thing you notice when you read Maya Angelou's poem is the repetition of the phrase "I Rise." The phrase is used three times before the last two stanzas, which helps present a theme in the piece as well as a rhythm. It also gives the poem a sense of order. All the different topics intertwine through the phrase "I Rise", meaning the audience can easily understand the theme. In the last two paragraphs, the word is used much more widely, often to separate different statements. The poem finally ends with a trio of “I Rise.” This quick use of the word makes this phrase “I Rise” stand out. This sums up the main moral of the story for the reader. The moral that African American women will not be pushed around despite the difficulties they face. The poem “Still I Rise” and the short story “The Necklace” are both linked by a similar struggle. That is to say, both characters fought through adversity, Maya Angelou did so by not listening to hatred and animosity. Mathilde Loisel achieves this by putting her head down, working hard and repaying her debts. In the past, these two elements were essential for women to even want to be able to climb the social ladder. This helps give a reader from the past an example and a call to action for people to emulate. “The Necklace” is set in 19th century France, where the population was divided into different sects. At this time, women had much less power than men and generally relied on men. They were unlikely to marry above their own class and even less likely to marry below it. During this period, women did not work and relied on men to provide for the family. This story is about a woman named Madame Loisel who is tired of being middle class and dreams of being part of the upper echelon of society. Madame Loisel speaks of “the large salons decorated with old silks, with their delicate furniture, supporting precious bric-a-brac, and the pretty little perfumed rooms, prepared for the five-hour chat with the most intimate friends, good men known and sought after, whose attentions all women envied and desired. » This shows that she doesn't like how she was born into a certain group because of her gender. She believes that because of her beauty, she deserves to have all the riches in the world and that is why she is wrong. This sends the character into a spiral of desire that leads to self-loathing. This ends up being his downfall in the story. When she goes to the ball, she is so upset about being treated like upper class that she forgets her necklace and ends up losing it. This leads to 10 years of hard work that ends up being a wake-up call to her that she needs to accept her place in society. The worst part is that Madame Loisel always dreamed of the luxury that comes with being high class, but never managed to achieve it. trying to get the kind of money needed for that kind of lifestyle. But when the need for money arises, she and her husband manage to earn enough. This teaches the audience that there is no point in dreaming about something without doing anything about it. If you try, your goals seem more achievable. The writer manages to make the reader understand Mathilde's character from the first paragraphs. Although the bulk of the story concerns the events surrounding the ball, the narrator recounts Madame Loisel's birth into a humble family and her marriage. born, as if by an error of fate, into a family of clerks. “She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of making herself known, understood, loved or married by a rich and distinguished man; and that’s how she allowed herself to be married to a minor civil servant in the Ministry of Education.” The fact that the writer wrote this at the beginning of the story shows how much he wanted to get this fact across to the main character. The reason the reader feels like this character might be real is because of how the writer describes the plight of the middle class. The lack of demand for money but the desire to obtain it was perfectly described in the opening paragraphs in which the narrator of the story talks about how Mathilde dreams of being part of high society. The story ends with Mathilde, after settling her debts, approaching Madame Forestier and confessing to her how she had lost her necklace. Madame Forestier returns with this verse “Oh, my poor thing.