This paper defines and investigates the concept of ‘classic’ with regards to history and the way in which history repeats itself over and over again, despite our knowledge of its existence.
The following paper defines “classic” as of enduring interest, quality or style; traditional or typical; a traditional or typical event. This applies when considering historical events and writing that can be compared and contrasted to what has happened since and currently. The writer makes reference to a well-known cliche that people are doomed to repeat history they do not understand. This is based on the fact that in the human condition, certain situations are recurring themes. The latter is the focus of this paper. The writer contends that an understanding of the past is integral to improving and furthering society of the future. Simply, we can review events, literature and opinions of the past, compare them with what has happened recently or what is happening now, say “This is like that”, and learn from those who have gone before. This paper makes reference to both blacks and women who have experienced exclusion and discounting of their sociological positions based solely on either their color or gender, regardless of the “rationality” of their arguments, which carries on until today. Thus the well-known cliche that people are doomed to repeat history is well-supported in this writer’s argument.
In readings of the oppressors and the oppressed, a recurring theme can be noted: it is integral that the oppressed be seen as something other, or outside the same rights and protections that are afforded to those in power. Those in power attempt to make a rationale for denying oppressed people equal rights by assumption or argument that they are less than people. If we take this concept and apply it to the United States prior to the Civil War, we can see that there were two large groups of people who were seen as the other: slaves and women.The founding documents of the United States were phrased in terms that were very familiar to the people of the time; there was no doubt that the equality promised was to be equality amongst white, male landowners. Although the revolution in the United States was groundbreaking and socially shocking for its time something like colonists revolting against their mother country because of the lack of representation and denial of personal and property rights had never been done before it also contained a perpetuation of certain social rights and economic benefits assumed to be only due to white males in the world at the time.