critical review
Introduction
This paper shaped critical review of the article with the title “Speaking Truth to Power with Books” written by Howard Zinn and
published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-405-18920-0 in December
2005.
The
dark door
opener seems
appropriate aimed at for the big American historian on this one. More
precisely, a writer, historian, social activist and philanthropist namely
Howard Zinn. Zinn became known after his book with the title “A People’s History of the United States”
was published. The bitterness of war that ever he experienced before which
caused him to write a piece of phenomenal history, which speak from the point
of view of the losers. In addition to the name of the books “A People’s History of the United States”, what
is the thinking through his article with the title “Speaking Truth to Power with Books”, Zinn reveals a precious
article in which there are interesting expression that may be never unthinkable
by readers previously.
Summary
In his
article “Speaking Truth to Power with
Books”, Zinn reveals his thoughts through precious article in which there
are a few important points. First, Zinn aware of the importance of the book. He
is also aware that not only the
readings, but from experience he had experienced himself. In his article, Zinn stated
that the truth or
something real through writing is something that
can change a
person's point
of view, awareness
and of course can
change the world. Second, Zinn also write how writing activity can
electrify even change the world. The writings were written by the author and
then read by the readers and the text can influence and change the readers,
from the attitudes, characters, habits, and even able to change ideology readers. Third, awareness of reading. When the
sound was produced, it will be a prevailing breeze and if it not accompanied by
something that is immortalize, for example, by recording it and write down the
points on the paper. Finally, the interesting thing in the first paragraph is
what in the world does it do? What effect does it have? Does it help change the
world? After all, the first decision a writer has to make is like the first
decision a teacher has to make: why am I doing this? In what way is it going to
help people, or am I doing it just to advance myself professionally or just to get a book
published? And how to
book can help
us? Because
basically we do not know how the books works is to change our point of view and
awareness. The real examples is at the time, Zinn's parents do not have a book at home, but when Zinn 14 year old, Zinn found
the book on the road. And then the parents know that Zinn interested with the book even though they do not have anything. And the most amazing and shocking the world is about
Christopher Columbus statements contained in his book "A People's History of the United States". Zinn
reveals that when my book, A People's History of the United States "came out, I began to get
mail from around the
country. I found that
the most of the email has the same core that revealed their aggravation about
the first chapter (for those who were born and live in America). They have been
getting a lesson about Christopher Columbus who is a deserving hero, a great
discoverer and the reader book that eloquent and virtuous. Then suddenly
confronted with the statement that Christopher Columbus is a rapist, murderer,
butcher, and rebbers.
Main Body
(Critique)
There are five points about Christopher Columbus is ignored in the article "Speaking Truth to Power with Books". First, Howard Zinn is not included and presented facts
about who the first person that found the America continent. Though it is the
most important thing that should be described by Zinn as the author of the
article. Zinn only said that Christopher Colombus was a murderer, rapist, hypocrite,
butcher, robbers, and a genocidal maniac who sparked what may be the worst
problem of genocide commited the human race against to one another. And if it
was not Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the America who are the real? In some records, the facts show 70 years before
Christopher Columbus sailed to the America, first Muslim Chinese admiral named Cheng Ho who set
foot in the America, The New Land. If Zinn wrote about the fact that the real discoverer of the American continent, it will make the reader
more and more convinced of the truth of what Zinn wrote in his article. Second, there is no clarity about what he said. For example, when Zinn
said that Christopher Columbus was a hypocrite, he did not explain of what form
the hypocrisy of Christopher Columnus. Though the explanation is clearly needed
so that readers are increasingly convinced about the facts that have been
presented by Zinn. Third,
Zinn just saw
Christopher Columbus from the negative side. In his article "Speaking Truth to Power with Books",
Zinn just say
that Columbus was
a murderer, rapist, robber, butcher, hypocrisy
and genocidal maniacs.
But on the other hand, Zinn did not see the positive side of
Columbus.
This is different with Morisa. Morisa does not deny that it has occured the
massacre to arawaks tribal, but Morisa did not underestimate the kindness of
Christopher Columbus. The little fact was not comparable with the service and
heroism Columbus for us. Zinn wrote the different version of history; history
from the point of view of the losers. So he told the story of the discovery of
America the perspective of the Indians Arawaks, of the Civil war as experienced
by the Irish in New York, about the first world War seen from the socialist and
of the conquest of the Philippines by black soldiers in Luzon. But this is not
be a big problem, because every writer has a different point of view on what their
wrote. Fourth, Zinn does not write the main purpose of Columbus. Zinn only
includes the arrival of Columbus in America without wrote the main purpose of
voyage Colombus. initially, Columbus traveled to the west in order to find the
Indian island because at that time India is a famous for its technological,
wealth and gold field. So at the first time Columbus came to the America, he
called the natives America is Indian people. And the first thing he did was to
ask the indian people “where is the gold?”. And the last, Howard Zinn does not
write the reference that can help the readers to learn more about what Zinn
wrote.
On the
other hand, there is interesting things that can be used as one advantages of
his article “Speaking Truth to Power with
Books”,it is honesty about his partiality to history. His partiality is
about ideology to write history. Howard Zinn did not like the violence and
reject whatever is the reason for going to war.
Conclusion
In Howard
Zinn’s
article, there are two points that
can be deduced, the first
of the non-disclosure of a positive side of Columbus. When
we see, Christopher
Columbus, the Spanish explorer who sailed the oceans to
India turned out to stray into
America. From the
failure, this
is precisely of
Europe to know the
new continent and created a new history
whose influence we feel today. Zinn
seem forgot it.
On each side there
are always positive side
though it was only
1%. And secondly the
courage to uncover the facts which had
been hidden. Although the cause
of serious controversy, Zinn is Zinn as the dark door opener.
Reference
http://sanskertaonline.blogspot.com/2013/03/keberpihakan-sejarah-howard-zinn.html accessed in
March, 24 at 5.15
p.m
http://yoshinocherry17.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/selalu-ada-sisi-postif-dari-kegagalan/ accessed
in March, 24 at 8.40 p.m
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