Sylvia Plaths poetry

Sylvia Plath’s poetry, as many researchers have pointed out, is strewn with pictures of the holocaust. The influence of her personal life on her poems is self-evident as many of her works are semi-autobiographical in nature.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sylvia Plath’s poetry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The influence of her father, Otto Plath, in her poetry is unmistakably clear (Butscher 3). Otto’s life and especially his death right before Sylvia’s eighth birthday left a profound imprint on her imagination and nurtured her style as a poet. The presentation and the poetics of torture so evident in Plath’s poetry, I believe, has stemmed from her personal life and her ancestry. The connection between the private and the public that Plath so subtly made in her poetry has been critiqued handsomely in poetics research. Plath used her private live as a medium to make it a publ ic show, where the personal dissolves completely, to form a ludicrous public show of the body (Butscher 11). Therefore, in this essay I will discuss Plath’s poems, Daddy and Lady Lazarus, where she uses death to recreate the self. Both the poems are of confessional nature, are semi autobiographical, and meddle in the private life of the poet. The paper is arranged in three sections. First, it discusses the life and philosophy of Sylvia Plath. Second, the essay discusses the style of Plath’s works. Thirdly, it will discuss two of her poems that demonstrate a public show of the private life. The first aim of the essay is to understand life of Sylvia Plath. She was an American born writer and poet of German origin. She was educated in America and then married the British poet Ted Hughes in 1956 and had two children. Her adult life was strewn with bouts of depression and her inclination to commit suicide. She finally committed suicide in 1963. Plath gave birth to a new gen re of poetry, which has been termed as confessional poetry. Both the poems discussed in the essay are confessional in nature with distinct features of the personal life of Plath being projected in the text. The political and worldview of Plath must be mentioned in order to understand her poetry. Plath worldview was mostly influenced by postmodern philosophers like Nietzschean (Peel 42). Her political and worldview are intermingled not only her direct usage of political stance in her poems especially in Ariel but also demonstrates her fight with the â€Å"Other† in order to establish self-identity.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many critics have viewed this fight as a personal and political battle that is distinctly her political view. The influence of the existentialist philosophy is also apparent in her search for self-identity through nullification of the other. O ne of the biggest influences on Sylvia Plath’s poetry was Otto Plath, her father whose life must also be brought under the microscope to understand how far the influence of her father on her poems was, or were they actually a misinterpretation of too casual reading. Otto Plath was a German born in Polish Corridor. He then migrated to America in 1901 and settled in Boston with a teaching position at the Boston University (Butscher 6). Plath’s mother, Aurelia, was an American of Austrian origin. Both of Plath’s parents grew up speaking German until the First World War when the surge of the patriotic Americans ended this (Travis 278). Both of Plath’s parents lived their adult life in America, especially during the rise of Nazism and the Second World War. He died of a gangrenous toe, and during the process of amputation, he died. These facts of Otto Plath’s life are distinctly suggested in the poem Daddy written in 1962: Ghastly statue with one gray to e Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blueAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sylvia Plath’s poetry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the waters off beautiful Nauset. (Plath Line: 9-13) Plath compares her father’s toe with that of a â€Å"Frisco seal† and describes it to be grey in color directly indicating to her own father’s gangrenous leg as well as to his German origin. Therefore, in a strict play of the private incidents such as the death of her father with gangrene and his German lineage are presented in the poem to actually demonstrate Plath’s abhorrence for her ancestry and therefore making a public show of it. There are other distinct references of her father’s German origin in the poem as in stanza eight of the poem we find mention of manifestly Austrian particulars: â€Å"The snows of the Tyrol, the clear bee r of Vienna / Are not very pure or true† (Line 36-37). Germany and Austria are two nations that share a common language, but are distinct. More importantly, Otto Plath does not seem to have any connection with Austria and the relevance of the lines in Otto’s life becomes unclear, as they are not explained further in the poem. Images of oppression and the holocaust are replete in the poem as Plath uses words and phrases to describe the destruction in Nazi Germany: swastikas, barbed wire, fascists, brutes, devils, and vampires. Though apparent reading of the poem with little thought into its inner meaning would suggest that Plath’s poem is a â€Å"runaway train barreling through one psychic nightmare after the other† (Platizky). Plath’s forceful vindictiveness against the father relates as a paradoxical need to return to him: â€Å"get back, back, back to you† (Line 59). However, on closer reading proves to be a conscious attempt to recreate a space for self, creating an identity that breaks away from the psychological imprint the father has on the poet. Clearly, the poet wants to disassociate herself from the memories of her father whom she still loves and misses. This can be seen as a process of creating a self-identity through repeated emphasis of the pronouns such as â€Å"I† or â€Å"my†. In a way Plath clearly demarcates the demonic imagery of the patriarchy through the description of the holocaust and creating an identity of self where the self is the victim – â€Å"I think I may well be a Jew† (Line 40) – of the autocratic patriarchy.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, according to Roger Platizky, the poem can be read as a â€Å"psychological victory of the self over the other† (106). In the end, by metaphorically killing the father, Plath successfully kills the memory of him and creates her independent self. The poem demonstrates the recreation of the self through the death of the father figure. Lady Lazarus too is a holocaust poem. Death again forms an integral part of the poem as has been observed in Daddy. Death in Lady Lazarus is projected like an art that her torturer, Herr Doktor prevents. The poem tells the story of a woman on whom the Nazi doctor was performing experimental medication to resurrect her from death. The image of the doctor is that of the Nazi dictator. Here too we get significant reference to â€Å"foot† and â€Å"Jew†. In a way, Plath identifies with art as a means of prostitution – a means of earning – and death as the way of reviving the self. Theresa Collins points out that P lath uses the holocaust imagery to present the â€Å"controller’/controlled† relationship (156). Mathew Boswell studies both the poems and writes that in both these poems Plath uses the imagery of the holocaust to describe the torture being inflicted on the narrators and it was through death (55). Lady Lazarus is a means of representation of the cannibalistic attitude of the Nazis thorough the strip shows that Lady Lazarus performs and her suicide in the end is a victory over the patriarchal control over the female flesh. The speaker of Daddy internalizes the process of being a victim while externalizing her heritage. The speaker assumes a Jewish identity though there is mention of the mother in the poem. The poem initially sets to show the narrator as the victim of the torturous nature of the father figure and metaphorically compares him to the Nazis. The imagery of the holocaust sets the clear image of a torturous father in the mind of the readers. The narrator takes the position of the victim in this poem, as was seen in case of Lady Lazarus, and talks of the overbearing figure of her father whose presence was crushing her identity. Therefore, there is a clear attempt to segregate the torturer from the victim with persistent repetition of the ‘you’ that recurs in the rhyme scheme of the poem. The narrator addresses Daddy, as the narrator calls to him, while she emphasizes on their separateness (Travis 278). There is no â€Å"we† in the poem it deals in only â€Å"you† and â€Å"I†. Creation of a separate identity, of the self in the two poems is clearly demonstrated through the metaphor of death. Plath wrote both the poems just a few months before she committed suicide, and therefore, the idea of death was used a trope to show that the independent self can only be created by killing either the self or the other. Death becomes the main theme in both these poem through which one realizes the true self-identity. Bibliography Boswell, Matthew. â€Å"‘Black Phones’: Postmodern Poetics in the Holocaust Poetry of Sylvia Plath.† Critical Survey, vol. 20 no 2 (2008): 53-64. Print. Butscher, Edward. Sylvia Plath: Method and Madness. Tuscan, AZ: Schaffner Press, 2003. Print. Collins, Theresa. â€Å"Plath’s Lady Lazarus.† Explicator vol. 56 no. 3 (1998): 156-158. Print. Plath, Sylvia. Daddy. 12 October 1962. Web. https://www.internal.org/Sylvia_Plath/Daddy. Platizky, Roger. â€Å"Plath’s Daddy.† Explicator (1997): 105-107. Print. Travis, Isabella. â€Å"‘I have always been scared of You’: Sylvia Plath, perpetrator trauma and threatening victims.† European Journal of American Culture, vol. 28 no. 3 (2009): 277-293. Print. This essay on Sylvia Plath’s poetry was written and submitted by user Jonathon Mays to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Apollo 13

Description Apollo 13 was intended to be the third mission to carry humans to the surface of the Moon, but an explosion of one of the oxygen tanks and resulting damage to other systems resulted in the mission being aborted before the planned lunar landing could take place. The crew, commander James A. Lovell, Jr., command module pilot John L. Swigert, Jr., and lunar module pilot Fred W. Haise Jr., were returned safely to Earth on 17 April 1970. Mission Profile Apollo 13 was launched on Saturn V SA-508 on 11 April 1970 at 19:13:00 UT (02:13:00 p.m. EST) from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. During second stage boost the center engine of the S-II stage cut off 132 seconds early, causing the remaining four engines to burn 34 seconds longer than normal. The velocity after S-II burn was still lower than planned by 68 m/sec, so the S-IVB orbital insertion burn at 19:25:40 was 9 seconds longer than planned. Translunar injection took place at 21:54:47 UT, CSM/S-IVB separation at 22:19:39 UT, and CSM-LM docking at 22:32:09 UT. The S-IVB auxilliary propulsive system burned at 01:13 UT on 12 April for 217 seconds to put the S-IVB into a lunar impact trajectory. (It impacted the lunar surface on 14 April at 01:09:41.0 at 2.75 S, 27.86 W with a velocity of 2.58 km/s at a 76 degrees angle from horizontal.) A 3.4 second mid-course correction was made at 01:27 UT on 13 April. A television broadcast was made from Apollo 13 from 02:24 UT to 02:59 UT on 14 April and a few minutes later, at 03:06:18 UT Jack Swigert turned the fans on to stir oxygen tanks 1 and 2 in the service module. The Accident Review Board concluded that wires which had been damaged during pre-flight testing in oxygen tank no. 2 shorted and the teflon insulation caught fire. The fire spread within the tank, raising the pressure until at 3:07:53 UT on 14 April (10:07:53 EST 13 April; 55:54:53 mission elapsed time) oxygen tank no. 2 exploded, damaging oxygen tank no. 1 and the... Free Essays on Apollo 13 Free Essays on Apollo 13 Description Apollo 13 was intended to be the third mission to carry humans to the surface of the Moon, but an explosion of one of the oxygen tanks and resulting damage to other systems resulted in the mission being aborted before the planned lunar landing could take place. The crew, commander James A. Lovell, Jr., command module pilot John L. Swigert, Jr., and lunar module pilot Fred W. Haise Jr., were returned safely to Earth on 17 April 1970. Mission Profile Apollo 13 was launched on Saturn V SA-508 on 11 April 1970 at 19:13:00 UT (02:13:00 p.m. EST) from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. During second stage boost the center engine of the S-II stage cut off 132 seconds early, causing the remaining four engines to burn 34 seconds longer than normal. The velocity after S-II burn was still lower than planned by 68 m/sec, so the S-IVB orbital insertion burn at 19:25:40 was 9 seconds longer than planned. Translunar injection took place at 21:54:47 UT, CSM/S-IVB separation at 22:19:39 UT, and CSM-LM docking at 22:32:09 UT. The S-IVB auxilliary propulsive system burned at 01:13 UT on 12 April for 217 seconds to put the S-IVB into a lunar impact trajectory. (It impacted the lunar surface on 14 April at 01:09:41.0 at 2.75 S, 27.86 W with a velocity of 2.58 km/s at a 76 degrees angle from horizontal.) A 3.4 second mid-course correction was made at 01:27 UT on 13 April. A television broadcast was made from Apollo 13 from 02:24 UT to 02:59 UT on 14 April and a few minutes later, at 03:06:18 UT Jack Swigert turned the fans on to stir oxygen tanks 1 and 2 in the service module. The Accident Review Board concluded that wires which had been damaged during pre-flight testing in oxygen tank no. 2 shorted and the teflon insulation caught fire. The fire spread within the tank, raising the pressure until at 3:07:53 UT on 14 April (10:07:53 EST 13 April; 55:54:53 mission elapsed time) oxygen tank no. 2 exploded, damaging oxygen tank no. 1 and the...

Venezuela’s Declaration of Independence in 1810

Venezuela’s Declaration of Independence in 1810 The republic of Venezuela celebrates its independence from Spain on two different dates: April 19, when an initial declaration of semi-independence from Spain was signed in 1810, and July 5, when a more definitive break was signed in 1811. April 19 is known as â€Å"Firma Acta de la Independencia† or â€Å"Signing of the Act of Independence.† Napoleon Invades Spain The first years of the nineteenth century were turbulent ones in Europe, particularly in Spain. In 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and put his brother Joseph on the throne, throwing Spain and its colonies into chaos. Many Spanish colonies, still loyal to the deposed King Ferdinand, did not know how to react to the new ruler. Some cities and regions opted for a limited independence: they would take care of their own affairs until such time as Ferdinand was restored. Venezuela: Ready for Independence Venezuela was ripe for Independence long before other South American regions. Venezuelan Patriot Francisco de Miranda, a former general in the French Revolution, led a failed attempt to start a revolution in Venezuela in 1806, but many approved of his actions. Young firebrand leaders like Simà ³n Bolà ­var and Josà © Fà ©lix Ribas were actively speaking of making a clean break from Spain. The example of the American Revolution was fresh in the minds of these young patriots, who wanted freedom and their own republic. Napoleonic Spain and the Colonies In January of 1809, a representative of the Joseph Bonaparte government arrived in Caracas and demanded that taxes continue to be paid and that the colony recognize Joseph as their monarch. Caracas, predictably, exploded: people took to the streets declaring loyalty to Ferdinand. A ruling junta was proclaimed and Juan de Las Casas, the Captain-General of Venezuela, was deposed. When news reached Caracas that a loyalist Spanish government had been set up in Seville in defiance of Napoleon, things cooled down for a while and Las Casas was able to re-establish control. April 19, 1810 On April 17, 1810, however, news reached Caracas that the government loyal to Ferdinand had been crushed by Napoleon. The city erupted into chaos once more. Patriots who favored full independence and royalists loyal to Ferdinand could agree on one thing: they would not tolerate French rule. On April 19, Creole patriots confronted the new Captain-General Vicente Emparn and demanded self-rule. Emparn was stripped of authority and sent back to Spain. Josà © Fà ©lix Ribas, a wealthy young patriot, rode through Caracas, exhorting Creole leaders to come to the meeting taking place in the council chambers. Provisional Independence The elite of Caracas agreed on a provisional independence from Spain: they were rebelling against Joseph Bonaparte, not the Spanish crown, and would mind their own affairs until Ferdinand VII was restored. Still, they made some quick decisions: they outlawed slavery, exempted Indians from paying tribute, reduced or removed trade barriers, and decided to send envoys to the United States and Britain. Wealthy young nobleman Simà ³n Bolà ­var financed the mission to London. Legacy of the April 19 Movement The result of the Act of Independence was immediate. All over Venezuela, cities and towns decided either to follow Caracas lead or not: many cities chose to remain under Spanish rule. This led to fighting and a de facto Civil War in Venezuela. A Congress was called in early 1811 to solve the bitter fighting among Venezuelans. Although it was nominally loyal to Ferdinand - the official name of the ruling junta was Junta of conservation of the rights of Ferdinand VII - the government of Caracas was, in fact, quite independent. It refused to recognize the Spanish shadow government that was loyal to Ferdinand, and many Spanish officers, bureaucrats, and judges were sent back to Spain along with Emparn. Meanwhile, exiled patriot leader Francisco de Miranda returned, and young radicals such as Simà ³n Bolà ­var, who favored unconditional independence, gained influence. On July 5, 1811, the ruling junta voted in favor of complete Independence from Spain - their self-rule was no longer dependent on the state of the Spanish king. Thus was born the ​First Venezuelan Republic, doomed to die in 1812 after a disastrous earthquake and relentless military pressure from royalist forces. The April 19 pronouncement was not the first of its kind in Latin America: the city of Quito had made a similar pronouncement in August of 1809. Still, the independence of Caracas had much longer lasting effects than that of Quito, which was quickly put down. It allowed the return of the charismatic Francisco de Miranda, vaulted Simà ³n Bolà ­var, Josà © Fà ©lix Ribas and other patriot leaders to fame, and set the stage for the true independence that followed. It also inadvertently caused the death of Simà ³n Bolà ­vars brother Juan Vicente, who died in a shipwreck while returning from a diplomatic mission to the USA in 1811. Sources: Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence Woodstock: The Overlook Press, 2000. Lynch, John. The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826 New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1986. Lynch, John. Simon Bolivar: A Life. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2006.

NSW Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Essay

NSW Personal Development, Health and Physical Education - Essay Example This program promotes the general well-being of the child as they will tend to live a balanced lifestyle, healthy sense of recreation and develop skills necessary for an active lifestyle (Anon., 2006). Sport also develops each student’s competence and confidence in a broad range of games, sports and physical activities. Students develop fundamental movement skills (FMS), progressing to more games and sports-specific skills in non-competitive and competitive environments that foster positive feelings of success and enjoyment. They will be able to understand dynamics, spatial awareness, relationships, timing and rhythm of movement (Anon., 2006). Kids who engage in sport have† greater anaerobic and aerobic ?tness than non-athlete in accord with their sport and its demands† (Armstrong & Welsman, 2005 pg. 545). Their sense of fair play is typically learned in sports. Values such as perseverance, observance of the rules and honesty can be learned in sports. II. Convincin g the child to participate in sport Normally, children are interested in sport. There are instances however that the child does not show interest in sport. It is however important for the child to be encouraged to participate in sport not only to promote an active lifestyle but also to develop the child’s social capabilities through sport. ... The concept of ‘serious leisure’ originates with Stebbins (1992 qtd in MacPhail & Kirk, 2006 pg. 58) and denotes a participant’s strong sense of social identity, level of investment and persistence in a particular activity, namely the commitment to long-term leisure forms† (Raisborough, 1999 qtd in MacPhail & Kirk, 2006 pg. 58 ). â€Å"The commonly cited definition of serious leisure is the ‘systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer activity that participants find so substantial and interesting that, in the typical case, they launch themselves on a career centered on acquiring and expressing its special skills, knowledge and experience† (Stebbins, 1992: p. 3 qtd in MacPhail, Ann; Kirk, David, 2006 pg. 64). In short, the child has to view the sport as leisure for him or her to engage voluntarily. To encourage a child in sport, it is important to know what interests him or her. Maybe the type of sport that was presented to the child was not particularly interesting to him or her which is why the child is not interested. One of the best ways of making a child interested is by arousing his or her curiosity. Once the child’s curiosity is aroused, it will naturally follow that the child will try the sport. Friends that a child trust also plays an important factor for a child to consider a particular sport (MacPhail, Ann; Kirk, David 2006). It may not be the sport itself that may interest the child at first but rather the companionship of his or her friends. But if the sport itself will prove to be fun for the kid, then the interest for the sport will naturally grow and the participation will just naturally follow. It is just important at this stage for the

Law of Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law of Contract - Essay Example Acceptance: This refers to an expression of unconditional agreement that all the terms and conditions in the offer will be adhered to. The acceptance in this case can either be written or oral form and it should reflect the original offer made. Competent persons: In a contract the parties involved should have knowledgeable individuals who are able to handle every issue and agree to all terms and conditions having understood what all of them mean and what they require. Mutuality of obligation: This is a term used in a contract meaning that each individual involved should be ready to show commitment since it is an agreement and the duties assigned if any, should be performed as expected. These are the four main elements of a contract. Law on the other hand, refers to a system of guidelines and rules enforced in social institutions, meant to govern behaviour. Laws are usually made by legislatures in which their formation can be influenced by rights defined therein and constitution which can be written or unwritten. This essay seeks to give more information on contract law and how it applies to real life. Contract law therefore, refers to the set of terms and conditions that ought to be followed b individuals who have participated in making an agreement. Contract is based on the principle that agreements ought to be kept. Contract law is classified as habitual contract under the civil law systems. It is also known to be part of general obligation law along with unjust enrichment, tort and restitution. In this case, the essay will discuss on a condition where the contract law is applied. This essay seeks to make an accurate analysis of the problems raised by the case, identify the legal principles relevant to the case as well as the implication for the contract law and the outcome of the case. There are various sources of contract law which are: Common law Restatement Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) United Nations Convention on Contrasts for the international Sale of Goods (CISG) UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contrasts. Uniform Computer Transactions Act (UCITA) Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign) The case here involves two main participants who are Alan and Dona. Alan is an individual who owns a restaurant that specializes in Italian food. He has recently secures a lucrative booking for a large wedding. One of the participants of the agreement is Donna who is in this case, the bride. She agrees to pay $ 30,000 for the event. This amount is enough to cater for everything to make certain that the event is successful. She goes ahead and pays $ 20,000 where it is agreed that the remaining $10,000 will be paid on the wedding day. This gives a clear impression that Donna as the bride is hiring Alan’s restaurant for the event. Charles turns out to be the chef in Alan’s restaurant. Sometime ago, he designed a beautiful Italian themed menu which will be used at the wedding. Alan is pleased wi th this menu and believes it will work best for the occasion. Alan goes ahead and tells Charles that he will offer him $50 for his effort. Alan goes right ahead and hires Charles Your Dream Builder to carry out some alteration including installing a fountain in the courtyard. Allan sees that the progress is slow and decides to offer an additional $ 1,000 for the progress to be sped up. It is agreed and the refurbishment is finished just at the right time. The wedding day comes and Donna has a wonderful

Discuss the training requirements for Higher Level Teaching Assistants Essay Example for Free

Discuss the training requirements for Higher Level Teaching Assistants Essay Higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) have an increased level of responsibility. They usually undertake more complex tasks and tend to work more independently than other classroom-based staff. Under the direction of a teacher, they often plan, prepare and deliver learning activities to individual pupils, groups and (in the short term) whole classes. They also assess, record and report on pupils progress. They act as a special assistant for a specific subject (f.e. literacy, ICT, sign language), group (young children, teenagers, special needs, gifted and talented) or department and help develop support materials. In order to do this effectively, the HLTA must understand the aims, content, teaching strategies and intended outcomes. They likewise need to have a solid knowledge of the curriculum to make sure they teach to a high standard as well as a diverse portfolio of learning strategies and styles to enable each pupil to fulfil their potential. HLTAs should always have high expectations of all their pupils and respect them whatever their background (be it cultural, social, religious, linguistic or ethnic). It is expected that they support the inclusion of all pupils in the learning activities in which they are involved. HLTAs should also be able to work collaboratively with their colleagues and to liaise sensitively with parents and carers, acknowledging their role in pupils’ learning. HLTAs should be aware of the legal framework underpinning teaching and learning and although not required to have a detailed knowledge of it, HLTAs should be aware of their statutory responsibilities and where to gain information, support and assistance when and if they need it.  They should be familiar with their school policies and procedures, f.e. equal opportunities policy or procedures for health and safety. They should know the legal definition of Special Educational Needs and be familiar with the guidance about meeting SEN given in the SEN Code of Practice. HLTA are also required to achieve a nationally recognised qualification at level 2 or above in English / literacy and maths / numeracy to demonstrate that they are confident in these subjects and in teaching them to others. It is also required that HLTAs have a sound knowledge of ICT to advance their pupils’ learning and to be able to use ICT tools for their own as well as the pupils’ benefit. The term ICT i s wide-ranging and includes internet, interactive whiteboards, cameras, printers, scanners, video and DVD. HLTAs should be familiar with age-related expectations of students, including being able to discuss development stages form birth to teenager including speech and language stages. To become an HLTA, the candidate must demonstrate that he / she has the skills, knowledge and experience to take on the role and that he / she is familiar and understands all 33 nationally agreed professional standards. Furthermore, he / she should also have previous experience of working with children of a relevant age. Last but not least, each candidate needs to have a recent enhanced DBS check done to comply with the UK legal requirements.

What It Is To Be Human :: essays research papers

What It Is To Be Human The body is socially constructed; and in this paper we explore the various and ever-changing constructions of the body, and thus of the embodied self......The one word, body, may therefore signify very different realities and perceptions of reality.....(Synnot 1992, 43) It has been said that in order to understand life and society, we as people must first understand ourselves. Who are we as a people? Who are we as individuals? Who are we as humans? These questions all present themselves when discussing a topic such as this. I believe that it is indeed important to ask questions such as these, and also as important to answer them. All of this assuming of course, that there is one specific answer. My problem begins here, in that I do not believe that there is one defined answer to these questions. As you will see, many "great philosophic minds" have different views and beliefs relating to these questions, and it is my job to sort through these different beliefs and discover...... What it is to be human It seems that for ages the human body has been studied and inspected. However, literal "inspection" only takes us so far. As humans, we all know that there are parts of our "being" that are intangible. Take thoughts, dreams, and things of the like. We know they exist, yet they are unable to be inspected scientifically (to any valuable degree at least). The distinction between beliefs begins here. How one views this intangible side of life with respect to the tangible, is the factor that defines one's beliefs. There are several ways in which one may view the body. A dualist is one who views the body and mind, or tangible and intangible, as two separate intities existing together to form one being. The principle of "Cogito, ergo sum," or in english, "I think, therefore I am." The "I" meaning the mind, and "I am" meaning the body. (Synnott 1992, 92) The tangible side of the person being bound of course, by the laws of biomechanics and gravity, and the intangible being bound by nothing but the laws of reasoning. ".....the body, from its nature, is always divisible and the mind is completely indivisible." (Descartes 1995, 70) Like anything, dualism comes with its pro's and con's. Many people choose to believe in the idea of dualism because of its truths. Obviously, we can all see that indeed, the body is real and tangible, and that the mind on the other hand is the intangible, although it too is real. Likewise, as evidence of dualism we have undoubtedly felt the physical as well as the non-physical.

A Social Activity That Brings the Best or, and the Worst of an Individual

There are many social activities these days that tend to show us that part of a person's character that has remained hidden from public view for so long.Activities such as company picnics, sports festivals seem to do the trick. But none of those activities can beat one of the most popular social activities that always bring out the competitive streak in an individual. I am talking about a class reunion.A class reunion is a social activity wherein classmates and friends from past eras get together years later and try to catch up on each other's lives and activities. During a class reunion, it seems that people have permission to revert to their old ways while in high school or college.It is a social situation where old wounds are reopened but not necessarily healed by time or apologies. It is an event where people gossip about who is was voted the most successful and yet seems to be the biggest failure in life. It is a time for life comparisons and reflection. None of which helps a pe rson's self esteem or sense of importance about life and other things.Class reunions are supposed to be a time of reminiscing and healing. Instead, it serves as a reminder to others regarding how they have not achieved the peak of success in their lives, or failed to achieve that which they bragged about in high school or college.It brings out the worst in an individual because of the way the person is treated for not being able to achieve his classmates ideal of him. It can also be a social activity that brings out the best in an individual when he can brag about his successes in life and hold his classmates in his own personal court where he feels he can help those whom he deems as less fortunate than he is.Think about. Ask your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, I am sure they will more than willing to tell you about the horror story that their class reunion turned out to be.That is because after the pleasantries are exchanged, all that is left is to try to find the failure s of each other. Just like when they were in regular school. Let's face it, class reunions are their passport to acting like their immature counterparts in high school even if only for one night. Â  

Never Judge a Book by It’s Cover Speech

Good Morning, fellow students and Teachers, Today I will be talking about the topic â€Å"Never Judge a book by its cover†. Never judge a book by its cover is a saying the meaning is never Judge someone or something by what they look like. If you didn’t play with a person when they Asked because you think they don’t look Pleasant you may be wrong they might Be really nice on the inside and very Fun. Also it’s not what they look on the Outside it’s what’s on the inside thatCounts the most. I may not have eaten the sushi at The party because it looked yucky, Well maybe I’m wrong maybe it Tastes yummy. That’s another Don’t judge a book by its cover but it is a don’t judge the food on how it looks. It’s also like if I didn’t eat the passion Fruit because it looks yuck well I Have already eaten the passion Fruit so it’s not about me it’s about You. Every time I have passion fruit For fruit br eak I have people come Up to me and say uhh†¦ nd all Of those people who do this haven’t Even tried it. That’s another don’t judge food on What it looks like. So I think I’ve made my point so Next time you something that Looks unpleasant try it! You Never know when it comes To food, fashion, furniture And many more things. Next time you see someone Who looks unpleasant ask them To play because the chances Of you having a new best friend is possible! Thank you for listening to my Speech topic!

Beatrices words Essays

Beatrices words Essays Beatrices words Essay Beatrices words Essay Task: Then we all belong in the garbage. You, and me too whatever happened we all done it, and dont you ever forget it, Catherine. (Page 61)  Explore the implications of Beatrices words and say to what extent you agree with her assessment of what has happened.  There are many relationships within the Carbone family, one being between Eddie and Beatrice, husband and wife. At the beginning of the play you can tell that Eddie and Beatrices relationship is not warm and affectionate at the moment. There is a sense of love between them but they seem distant in some respect. They argue over Catherines job opportunity, where at first Eddie disagrees about her having the job and is concerned about her and Beatrice encourages Catherine to take the job because it is a new experience for her. Beatrice gets annoyed with Eddies actions easily as evident in this exchange: BEATRICE: Listen, if nothin happened to her in this neighbourhood it aint gonna happen noplace else. (She turns his face to her.) Look, you gotta get used to it, (He turns his head away.) You hear me? (She is angering.) I dont understand you; shes seventeen years old, you gonna keep her in the house all her life?  Here you can see that Beatrice is getting annoyed with Eddie and tries to make him see that he cant protect her all her life, he has to let her go. You can see that there is more than what meets the eye in this situation from how Eddie and Beatrice react to each other, yet Catherine doesnt have a clue about whats going on except for the fact that they are talking about her job. As we read on there are more signs of trouble in the relationship between Eddie and Beatrice quoting, She hurries out. There is a slight pause, and EDDIE turns to BEATRICE, who has been avoiding his gaze.  EDDIE: What are you mad at me lately?  BEATRICE: Whos mad? (She gets up, clearing the dishes.) Im not mad. (She picks up the dishes and turns to him.) Youre the one is mad. (She turns and goes into the kitchen as CATHERINE enters from the bedroom with a cigar and a pack of matches.)  The second relationship within the Carbone family is between Eddie and Catherine, uncle and niece. This relationship is one that exists on more than one level, many surfaces and the way that they behave towards each other is often intamate:  CATHERINE: Here! Ill light it for you! (She strikes a match and holds it to his cigar. He puffs. Quietly) Dont worry about me, Eddie, heh? EDDIE: Dont burn yourself. (Just in time she blows out the match.)  You better go in help her with the dishes.  CATHETINE: (turns quickly to the table, and, seeing the table cleared, she says, almost guiltily) Oh! (She hurries into the kitchen, and as she exits there) Ill do the dishes, B.!  Alone, EDDIE stands looking towards the kitchen for a moment  Here there is a sort of flirting going on, when a girl lights the cigarette, or a cigar in this case, for the guy there is a bit of sexual seductiveness to it. The two are uncle and niece and Eddie is more of a father figure to Catherine yet there are also hints of a sexual tension between them. He is very protective over her and doesnt want her to work:  Its not wonderful. Youll never get nowheres unless you finish school. You cant take no job. Why didnt you ask me before you take a job? He gives several reasons but eventually gives in to the idea to make Catherine happy.  Lastly there is the relationship between Catherine and Beatrice, the aunty and the niece. At the beginning of the play Beatrice stands up for Catherine a lot; when Eddie says she cant have a job she argues with him for Catherines sake:  (with sympathy but insistent force) Well, I dont understand when it ends. First it was gonna be when she graduated high school, so she graduated high school. The it was when she learned stenographer, so she learned stenographer. So whatre we gonna wait for now? I mean it, Eddie, sometimes I dont understand you; they picked her out of the whole class, its an honour for her.  Even though Catherine isnt present right then Beatrice is sticking up for her so that she can do what she wants to do; work. Also Beatrice is aware of the sexual tension between her husband, Eddie, and her niece, Catherine, and gradually her loyalty shifts to her husband when she realises that he is becoming isolated. Once her cousins arrive Catherine is more interested in Rodolfo so Eddie is feeling left out, unwanted and isolated.

Billie Holiday Biography

African American jazz singer and songwriter. Her singing style, strongly inspired by Jazz musicians, lead too new way of using word choice and rhythm. A critic named John Bush once wrote that Holiday changed the art of American pop vocals forever. She only co-wrote a few songs, but a number of them have become Jazz standards that many musicians strive to live up to. Some of these standards were set by songs of hers such as God Bless he Child, Dont Explain, Fine and Mellow, and Lady Sings the Blues.She also became famous for singing Easy Living, Good Morning Heartache, and Strange Fruit, a protest song which became one of her standards and was made famous with her 1 939 recording. In Harlem she started slang In various night clubs. Holiday Hammond arranged for Holiday to make her recording debut, at age 18, In November 1933 with Benny Goodman, singing two songs: Your Mothers Son-Len-Law and Riffing; the Scotch. The latter being her first big hit.Son-in-Lawn sold 300 records, but Riffle the Scotch, sold 5,000 records. Hammond was very impressed by Holidays visualization style. He said of Holiday that, Her singing almost changed my music tastes and my musical life; because she was the first girl singer Id come across who actually sang like an improvising Jazz genius. Hammond compared Holiday positively to Armstrong and said she had a good sense of lyrics at her young age. In early 1 959 Holiday found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver.The doctor told her to stop drinking, which she did for a short time, but soon returned to heavy drinking. Some of her friends tried to get her to check into a hospital, but she did not go. On May 31, 1959, Holiday was forcibly taken to Metropolitan Hospital in New York suffering from liver and heart disease. She was arrested for having drugs with her as she lay dying, and her hospital room was invaded by the police. Police officers were stationed at the door to her room because of her drugs.Holiday remained under Alice guard at the hospital until she died from pulmonary edema and heart failure caused by cirrhosis of the liver on July 17, 1959. In the final years of her life, she had been gradually tricked out of her earnings because of her drug and alcohol addictions. She died with seventy cents in the bank and seven-hundred fifty dollar tabloid fee. Billie Holiday Biography By Congregant 1 Billie Holiday (born Eleanor Harris (1915-1959) was an African American Jazz singer her 1939 recording.In Harlem she started singing in various night clubs. Holiday took her professional pen name from Billie Dove, an actress she admired, and the musician Clarence Holiday, thus was born Billie Holiday. The producer John Hammond arranged for Holiday to make her recording debut, at age 18, in November Riffing the Scotch. The latter being her first big hit. Son-in-Law sold 300 records, but Riffing the Scotch, sold 5,000 records. Hammond was very impressed by early 1959 Holiday found out that she had cirrhosis of the liver.

Teenagers' cool culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teenagers' cool culture - Essay Example Rushkoff describes in vivid detail this loop, as the media studies the kids in order to acquire popular images and then sells them the images of themselves. The youth and teens are instantly drawn to these images thereby desiring them. Following this replication, the media observes the interaction among the adolescents and then create new images to fit with the latest trend, and so on. The important question here is the authenticity of the images of the prevalent teen culture ardently pursued by the youth, which is shaped by the advertisement conglomerates, whose sole purpose is the sale and profits of their businesses, regardless of the protection and protection of the true teen American culture and identity. The ‘cool’ youth culture is actually known to have been initiated in the 1980s when parents began to spend more and more on the needs and desires of their children, as a result of the onset of the nuclear family systems coupled with the double income from both working parents. This also happens to be the period when conglomerates began their cold wars with each other in order to hook the teens into buying their brands and maintain loyalty towards their brands. Marketing and selling acquired a major role in the process, where marketing companies began to hire spies, to inculcate the ‘cool’ teen behavior into their advertisements, in order to lure the youth into buying their products. The impressionable adolescents were obviously drawn towards these images of themselves like a pierced nose or eyebrow, or cuffed leg or sleeve. The cycle of pursuit of ‘cool hunting’ was a vicious and never-ending one because the moment a ‘cool’ behavio r was identified and adopted it ceased to be â€Å"cool†! The intelligent kids obviously became aware of this cycle and the 1990s saw an absolutely new defensive to this mechanism, a rebellious defensive by the youth culture. The smart teens refused to accept or adopt anything that was publicized as