Chaucer and Religion Essay -- essays papers

Chaucer and Religion It is very rare that a book is written without the opinions of the author being clearly expressed somewhere within that book. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is one such book. In the General Prologue alone, by viewing Chaucer’s description of the Knight, the Prioress, and the Friar, the reader is able to pick up on Chaucer’s satirical humor toward the church of the 14th century. The first male traveler mentioned is the chivalrous Knight. It is interesting that Chaucer chooses to introduce The Knight as the first character. He possibly does this because during the era, Knights were strong, truthful and were to fight the good fight. This tactic would fit in to Chaucer’s goal of relaying the overall message that nothing of the time was as enchanting as it were to appear. Chaucer describes his Knight as a man so honored due to his loyalty in battle. He states, â€Å"And evere honoured for his worthyness †¦ No Cristen man so ofte of his degree (2).† This whole statement is hypocritical because the Knight is being viewed as Christian when he kills men and p...

The Effect of Divorce on Children Essay examples -- Sociology Parentin

The Effect of Divorce on Children Works Cited Missing Divorce is always a traumatic experience in a person's life, especially a child's. When parents divorce, children are not always considered during the settlement. This omission can lead to problems with the child's perception of daily life. The impact divorce has on a family is more prominent to the children of the family than the parents. As a child, there are many situations that affect a view, memory, opinion, or attitude. Children have many of their own daily struggles to cope with, such as peer pressure. Adults sometimes forget what it is like to be a child dealing with some of the childhood pressures. Many parents do not realize how something like divorce could possibly affect their children as much as it does themselves. As the case may be, children are strongly affected by divorce. Some react differently than others, but all experience some kind of emotional change. Parents who are going through a divorce sometimes try to shield their children from the situation. But regardless of their parents good intentions, children often find themselves in an emotional catastrophe. Instead of protection from the situation, children need support and reassurance during this hard time. Parents feel like it is their job to protect their children from the same kinds of anguish and stress that they feel during the divorce. But ignoring this only leads to more unwanted stress. Parents should help their children better understand what changes will be taking place in the future, such as new places to live, new ways of communicating with their parents, and new schedules of daily life. There are many factors that affect a child's reaction to divorce. Their rea... ...ince fathers usually make more money and have more economic resources, if they were to get remarried, children in the new family would be better off because getting remarried usually results in higher incomes. It may not be possible to make every marriage a happy one or to always avoid divorce. Some spouses even have no choice when their mates leave them. But it's time to change all of this and lead these children to better adult lives. These children are the future and without them functioning correctly, the generations to come may also be affected in great ways. With a little more encouragement from our society, many of the same parents who would literally run in front of a speeding car to save their child from death might consider working harder at creating a better marriage to help our future generations (Betsy Hart: Time to Change the 'Divorce Debate').

Music - The Hip-hop Movement Essay examples -- Exploratory Essays Rese

Music - The Hip-hop Movement Hip-hop has become a new cultural phenomenon in North America and has become quite popular all over the world. Hip-hop began in the 1970's in New York City where it has its origins in the African-American community. However, because of music videos, Hip-hop culture has become accessible to everyone in society and has merged into mainstream pop culture. Hip-hop culture may not have been as popular if it was not for the accessibility of this new media. The Hip-hop movement began in the 1970's in the Southern Bronx of New York City. There are endless controversies surrounding the beginning of hip-hop, as no one is really quite sure what was the defining point. However, what is evident from every critique on this movement is that hip-hop began as a reaction to the economic and social situation in New York City. Jeff Chan, the senior editor and director of a hip-hop culture website, believes that the first incidence of this new social movement occurred during the summer fires in July, 1975 when "40 fires were set in a three-hour period" ("Born"). He further notes "slumlords were employing young thugs to systematically burn the devalued buildings to chase out the poor tenants and collect millions in insurance. Hip-hop, it could be said, was born in fire" ("Born"). As people in the Bronx began to respond to the situation they found themselves in, other signs of cultural change emerged. For example, in 1972, the residents of the Bronx st arted to post graffiti on walls or other surfaces where the public would view them. They were defying public standards and "tagging" private buildings as a way of taking ownership of their own environment, if not literally, at least figuratively (Tate). A few years la... ... Rivers Press, 1998. Ogg, Alex, et al. The Hip-hop Years: A History of Rap. Trans-Atlantic Publications. Amazon.com. 4 Mar. 2001. pp. 5. 10 Mar. 2001. http://www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/0752217801/ref%3Dase%5Fbboyscomhiphopcu/107-7732669- 9666131. "Soul Train Awards Roll Into 15 Years - Black Musicians Honored in Saturday Telecast." Toronto Star 2 Mar. 2001. 4 Mar. 2001 http://www.thestar.com/apps /AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article &cid=983550557972&call_page=968867505297&call_pageid=968867505297&ca ll_pagepath=Entertainment,Life/Fashion. Tate, Greg. "Hip-hop." Britannica Online. 16 Feb. 2001 http://www.britannica.com/bco m/eb/article/5/0,5716,128675+1+117537,00.html?query+hip%20hop%20dancing The Mind Squad. "Who is Killing the Spirits of Hip-hop?" The Source

Louisa May Alcott-Term Paper Essay

Many authors use experiences from their life as a guide to their writing. It’s a way to express their feelings and emotions, and it’s something in which they can be passionate. Writers and authors think on a different level than anyone else. They are constantly thinking of different ideas for novels, poems or stories. The best writing comes from those who use their own lives as a basis for their writing. They know what to write about and how to describe it perfectly. The best thing about writing from experience, I think, is that, since it’s still a fictional story, you can have an idea about what you want to write about, but you’re still able to add the interesting and fun details you want to. I believe that Louisa May Alcott has written from her own life experiences. In Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell’s father passed away and she went to live with two of her aunts and her uncle, closely surrounded by her seven male cousins, as well as their mothers. She was a sickly girl and the only cure her uncle could think of was to get active, whether it was considered ladylike or not. When the two first met, he immediately got her to be outside more and to spend a little less time thinking about her health. Alcott was perceived as a tomboy and would often play outside, climbing trees or running around. She had a boy neighbor, about her age, with whom she would often play. The two were almost inseparable for a while, and he was described by Alcott as the brother she always wanted. Continuing in Eight Cousins, Rose befriended the maid of the household, Phebe, and eventually adopted her as her own sister. Rose believed in a good education, as did Alcott, and would teach Phebe all sorts of different school subjects on her own time. Rose was well educated in Latin and loved to read. She very much enjoyed school, and was extremely smart, though most of the young women in her time weren’t educated. Both Rose and Phebe looked forward to the times when they would get to study together. Phebe was never educated before, though she wished to be, and really appreciated Rose for teaching her. â€Å"For women such as Alcott, the world in which they live included women who needed to move beyond the traditional domestic ideal.†(â€Å"Unsexed†) Rose was part of the family living in a house with a maid. She was expected to clean up after herself, as was everyone else, but she went beyond that, offering to cook or clean, even when the help wasn’t asked of her. She made sure she was educated and healthy, yet still humble at the same time. Rose always wanted to help. In Eight Cousins, it was prominently noted that once Rose went to live with her aunts, uncles, and cousins, there was a major improvement in her. â€Å"In an era when women had few options for earning money, Alcott determined to overcome her family’s poverty through her prolific writing.† (â€Å"Louisa† 3) Alcott’s family struggled when it came to money, but after moving several times, things got a little easier, especially when Alcott herself started making money on h er works. â€Å"In the later juvenile novel Rose in Bloom, the theme of women’s rights is interwoven throughout the lives of its characters.†(â€Å"Louisa† 3) Alcott never married, and part of the reason was that she didn’t want to give up her independence. This was an era where women weren’t given as much respect as men, and hardly had any freedom for themselves. Alcott was very much a pro-women’s rights advocate. She did everything she could to try and get a say in society. She joined clubs and groups, and protested against the treatment women were given. â€Å"Alcott was always a strong advocate for social reforms including abolition, prison reform, and temperance, but her primary efforts were directed towards the cause of women’s suffrage.† (â€Å"Louisa† 3) In Rose in Bloom, Rose returned from a two year voyage overseas and decided that she was going to leave her mark in this world. She was a wealthy girl, so she used a lot of her money to open up homes for women and children in need. Rose too believed that women deserved an equal say in this world. â€Å"Her juvenile stories emphasize self-sacrifice and devotion to duty.†(â€Å"Louisa† 2) â€Å"Such novels have remained extremely popular for over a century† (â€Å"Louisa† 1) Alcott was a classic writer and she used her writing as a way to speak up for herself. Both Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom can be considered almost auto-biographical, but her main story that related to her own life was Little Women, for which Alcott is most famous. Little Women was about four girls who went through their life experiencing different events along the way. When Alcott was writing, she received a request from her publisher to write a novel about a typical American girl. She was skeptical at first, but then agreed. Alcott used herself, as well as her three sisters, as her inspiration for the four main characters. â€Å"The heroine of Little Women, for example, is a rebellious young woman who strives for independence and personal achievement as a writer, but ultimately modifies her dreams when she gets married- a fact that has caused this novel to be regarded as antifeminist by some critics.†(â€Å"Louisa† 1) Although not all of the things that happened in the book happened to her, many of the events did occur in her own life. â€Å"A prominent theme in much of Alcott’s fiction is the conflict experienced by women who must choose between individuality and the bonds of family responsibilities and social traditions.†(â€Å"Louisa† 1) Alcott went beyond what was expected of her and chose to be an individual. She didn’t appreciate how women were treated, so she stood up for herself and used her books and writings to tell about it. â€Å"Her subversive sensational stories not only defied 19th-century values of womanhood, but also rebelled against the teachings of her father, Bronson Alcott, who believed in traditional ‘femininity’ and sentimentalism, in a search for human perfectionism.†(â€Å"Louisa† 2) Alcott truly used her life and feelings as her basis for writing, which is evident in her books. I believe that is why she turned out to be such a great writer. She wrote from her heart and wasn’t afraid to let people know who she really was. WORKS CITED Alexander, Lynn. â€Å"Unsexed by labor: middle-class women and the need to work.† bNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2011. . Ditchfield, Christin. Louisa May Alcott: Author of Little Women. Scholastic Inc., 2005. Print.

Ethan Frome and Feminism Essay

Ethan Frome is the main subject of the book Ethan Frome. Ethan’s wife Zeena from Ethan Frome represents middle class women. For a long time, social roles of women in the society and within the family were limited by gender stereotypes and social norms dominated since prehistory in a myriad of cultures. These norms were closely connected and influenced by class location of women and their social status. The following paper will focus on the main characters Zeena, Mattie and Ethan of Ethan Frome and their presentation as literary characters and their attributes of the real world struggle for feminism. It is with Zeena and Mattie that the story hinges upon an idea of the lifestyle of women during this time period and the needs which they staunched through patriarchy. The paper will focus on how the values of this time period did not leave room for independent women and the reaction of women to this societal assignment will also be analyzed. In the work, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton the author explores questions concerning the role of social class and social position in life of ordinary people especially in reference to the gap between women and men in reference to equality. The female characters are influenced by false social values and traditions accepted by society’s mores, but their ‘awakening’ is caused by different events and life circumstances, so they choose different methods to resist social oppression and tyranny. The dissection of women’s social roles and their ability to traverse these roles will be examined through character analysis of the literature mentioned. Ethan’s story is told, or discovered by the reader when the narrator becomes fascinated by the history of this lone man who comes into town to pick up mail. Interest sparks greater when the silent ride to Corbury Flats is bridged by a hint or two of what Ethan lived, or had done in his life. There are elements of feminism in this book as they relate to the strength of the women of the story, such as Mattie. The main focus of this paper will explore the dual role of feminism and strength of the women through love. A snow storm comes which permits the narrator to spend the night at the Frome farm. Here the reader is shown the complete past of Ethan Frome as told by Mattie in the kitchen. Mattie and Ethan had a forbidden love because Ethan was married at the time of their tryst. Ethan was married to a woman named Zeena and Ethan was logical with himself and thought that it would be better to run away with , and as Lawson states, The warmth of the evening is brought to an apprehensive end by the accidental breaking of one of Zeena’s sacred, never-used pickle-dishes. That the pickle-dish, a wedding gift, has never been used makes it a strong symbol of Zeena herself, who prefers not to take part in life. The depth of Zeena’s reaction to its being broken is revealed by her angrily twitching lips and by â€Å"two small tears†¦ on her lashless lids. † (Lawson 30). And their love could flourish outside of the watchful eye of his wife. Their fate together however was doomed. One winter night when the moon was high in the sky, in desperation for fear of dying slowly without eachother Ethan and Mattie decided a double suicide would be a better fate and symbol of their love. Here certain feminism elements in the story can be examined such as the lack of strength in the character Mattie, but as critic R.  Baird Shuman states, â€Å"there is probably no more pervasive single element in Ethan Frome than the symbolism. † Although Mattie loves Ethan, she does not attempt to ask Ethan for a divorce from his wife, but her ‘logical’ thought pattern suggests to there that suicide is the answer for both of them. There is a definite emasculation in this action as it does not allow the lovers to actually be together in a life, but rather to die dramatically and when this type of death is decided upon it is purely an act of attention to say to the world, or to Zeena that they are better off dead than with her in their lives. Thus, the act of suicide is not a strong feminist action but merely a cowards way out of a live neither of them want, without each other nor understand. The suicide attempt is done by sleigh riding into a tree together. The plan ultimately and tragically fails and they live with Zeena where the narrator finds them. It seems that the true feminist in the novel is Zeena. Despite the fact that she was abandoned by her husband for his new lover, and in the fact that she takes both of them back in, her strength as a character comes through. Ethan Frome was a strong young man doing what he thought was right. It was a sad thing that he married Zeena but then he wouldn’t have met Mattie. Ethan is an upright man with enough loyalty to love to end life with love and enough honor toward marriage to not run off like he was going to do. Ethan was a man with few woes but the ones he did have were seemingly too large to bear. How could he live without his love, but in living at all live being changed by guilt to his wife. He was a sad man that life couldn’t do without because it made him live through the torment of having a faithful wife, this is what Kenneth Bernard speaks of when he mentions ‘true dimensions’. These true dimensions center around the revelation of character through landscape; such as the snow as a symbol of things being dormant between Frome and his wife. Although Ethan was an honorable man there does seem to be a striking difference between Zeena’s honor and Ethan’s honor; could both of them be considered feminist? Feminism is not an theory based primarily on the injustices done to women, but is in fact a statement that women have had injustices done to them, and there is finally action and unification among women and men to stop such actions. So, the question becomes how is Wharton’s book about feminism. The concept of feminism in Ethan Frome is arranged around how the characters react with one another. Zeena is a strong willed woman who does not cheat on her husband and thus is an upright and outstanding wife, except for the fact that Ethan is not in love with her. Zeena does not appear to have any character flaws, but she does seem to be overbearing in parts, unless that is the impression the other characters want to give of her. However, it does seem that the characters only exhibit qualities of feminism during parts of the book. It may safely be surmised that Zeena was only a faithful wife out of spite. She used her faithfulness as a weapon to shove into Ethan’s face to keep him chained to her. Zeena was a typical wanna be invalid: Complaining about anything for attention and if someone found something to be good at she despised that thing and that person. She wanted to be the perfect Christian girl and be good to Ethan and Mattie just so that the town would feel sorry for her and say what a splendid woman she was to be kid to such a vile husband. She wanted that glory, thus although she was a strong woman in her own character this strength was a curse to those around her. The debate then is, is Zeena feminist or just a spiteful woman. Her husband cheats on her, tries to kill himself with his lover, and she takes him back and nurses Mattie. This may seem like a genuinely good woman according to this unbiased facts, however, it is in Zeena’s reaction wherein lies the true character. This type of characterization does not have to be with patriarchy or developing an equality among women and men but facing the fact of Zeena’s deplorable character in the reasons that she allows Ethan and Mattie back in the home. Therefore, although Zeena is a very strong female character there is no reason except a selfish reason of propriety to allow her husband back in the home, and this is not a feminist woman. Mattie’s character can best be described as sweet, loving, and at least trying to do something nice. She puts up with Zeena silently which is more than what most of the women in the novel could have done. She did what love, or what she love wanted her to do and be, a silent woman. A simple country girl looing for a life to live with someone she cares about. Thus, here is the counter to Zeena’s character. Mattie is not a strong character, so love for her does not prove that she is strong but rather weak since her escape is suicide. She does not stand up to Zeena in any way in the beginning or middle of the novel and thus her character is even further away from being considered a feminist than Zeena. In view of this comparison Mattie is not a feminist but Zeena would be considered one, only in comparison with one another. Mattie is a silent woman, she does not challenge what Ethan says to her, she does not voice her own opinion, and she goes along with Ethan’s suicide attempt without a word of complaint or counteraction. Almost the entire story is told in the kitchen, which in a patriarchal society is considered the woman’s part of the house. Although most people attribute women’s liberation to Betty Friedan’s wakening book Feminine Mystique the dates of women’s freedoms go as far back as 1848. During the freedom’s ferment era, women were contributing their time and ideas to many movements. One such movement included greater power for women. During the late 19th century women were not well accepted or permitted to hold positions of power in any political regime. Their daily duties consisted of housework, and motherly duties not to say that women were not including themselves in political venture, but the common belief of women’s place being in the home was widespread. Thus, it seems that the focus of the book should not be on Ethan Frome but these two female characters. The emotional entanglement of Edith Wharton’s characters to their situations of love, sex and death, the reality for the story is one, is the complete circle of the other, and for Wharton this circle represents the emotions of the characters themselves in their unique situation, as Kuribayashi writes, â€Å"†¦erotic impulses are often born of close encounters with death, either one’s own or that of a loved one, though contact with death may also quench one’s sexual urges†. In addressing these topics the subject of writing style isn’t elusive to its relevance in feminism. It is in postmodern feminism style that Wharton writes. This style of writing begets the transcendence of female writers and characters into a world where not necessarily control but freedom from man exists. This is how Wharton writes, with patches of reality mixed with cerebral counterparts. Wharton’s writing style does not reflect a precise example of postmodernism but a hybrid form of it with feminism. She doesn’t write disjointedly but when looked at as a whole, her story comes together to reveal Ethan Frome as a patriarch of the story despite his honor and Mattie as the typical silent woman and Zeena as the witch of the story, and their story is quilted together with a basis of shared experiences coupled with various reactions. Wharton’s style of writing is one that isn’t intrusive as most postmodern writing reflects but is inclusive allowing the reader to form a cohesive viewpoint once each side of the story is known. Wharton doesn’t focus on the complete picture but the experience and emotional narration of the character’s experiences. For these issues the inclusion of Wharton in a literary canon involves this narrative style which is very avant-garde and deserves recognition in her ingenuity and preference for that state of emotional landscaping (for it is through the details of the lives and events of these women and Ethan that the quilting effect or common thread is revealed). This is the new literary canon as derived from Munro; feminist postmodernism. This metaphoric approach to writing ensures that her craft delivers reference to feminism for each of these three characters. In this the narrative gives space to the character’s desires. For Wharton, these desires aren’t about love necessarily but about being touched and gaining experience and not being lonely as Ethan seems to be. The true genius in Wharton’s new literary canon is that of upsetting the normal devices of narrative. As Nunes states, â€Å"As a metaphor for narrative, quilting/piecing destabilizes notions of unity, coherence, and balance; it becomes a source of disruption for patriarchal narrative structure† (1997). The style of piecing together a story becomes in this new tradition of a canon a feminine aspect. Wharton works her writing style in metaphor. In Ethan Frome each character circles around to the next until they complete eachother, despite this circle having a negative connotation. Her writing style doesn’t necessitate an attachement between the characters but does give concord to their actions. The capacity Edith Wharton has to deliver a unique and persistent narrative exudes her place in the literary canon and the new definitions she lends to it. Her style of writing, at once reflecting her life and at once giving the reader clear identities to the characters and their emotional attachments to each other or to their own experiences makes Edith Wharton a literary genius. It is her writing wit, intelligence, eroticism and her complexities in dealing with these issues through characters and personal development that contribute to the changing face of feminist postmodernism. The association the main characters have with each other and their identities is what makes this story intriguing in a feminist way, and their identities seem to be lost with one another as the story progresses is definitely felt. Through lack of communication between the genders, the characters find themselves imprisoned with one another.

How Science and Technology Is Going to Change the Future

how the science and technology is going to change the future ! Introduction Science and technology is a systematic representation which helps to build or organize one's knowledge and to acquire intelligence with some experiments and explanations. The words â€Å"science and technology† are derived from the latin and greek words ‘SCIENTIA and TECHNOLOGIA'. This topic is explained with some details below. History of Science and technologyThe history of science and technology is indentified as a field of history which examines how HUMANITY understands the natural world which is called science and their ability to manipulate it which is termed as technology. Before the word scientist was invented in 1833 , scientists were known as Natural Philosophers. Greatest achievements and inventions The first and foremost invention of mankind is nothing but a â€Å"WHEEL† which further passed down in the inventions of screws , levers etc.By the mid 20th century humans had achiev ed a mastery in technology by making mankind sufficient to leave the atmosphere of the earth and explore space , another important invention is satellite. The first artificial satellite SPUTNIK-1 was built by SOVIET UNION which was launched on 4th OCT 1957 after revolving around the earth 1440 times which is equal to 60 million miles for 3 months burnt to ground on 4th JAN 1988 which is one of the greatest achievement in human history.Harzadous Developments The growth and development of the harzadous side of science and technology began at the start of the world wars , the invention of ZEPPELIN, a type of rigid airship and other warcrafts such as TANKS, SUBMARINES and BATTLESHIPS caused unestimatable loss to humanity around the world . To tackle the enemies new research and inventions were brought in which resultd in the harzadous poison ‘POLLUTION' that caused damage to our earth and us at present. Welcome to the FUTURE !!!Technology developments tends to make the life for hu mans ‘STRESSLESS'. Technology upgrade concept such as flying cars , bullet trains , cloud computing enables humanity to reach their destinations swiftly and complete the works fastly thereby saving time and energy . Therefore Technology development helps the future generations fulfilling their needs. Greener IDEAS! Pollution in the world can be controlled by some of the following methods like RECYCLING , REUSING and preventing the methods and inventions that cause Pollution.Technology deveolpments are profitable to future generations when it combines with the greener ideas! , for example in 2008 the world's first bio degradable computers â€Å"the IAMECO† was built from the waste products of lumber and pulp industry in Ireland. Conclusion From these things we can conclude that technology development is needed but development which creates a pollution free earth is appreciatable. Therfore the final conclusion is â€Å"GREENER THE WORLD BRIGHTER THE FUTURE†

Pancreatitis Medical Report Essay

Mr. Tabouya was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and Pancreas Divisum at birth. These diseases have caused the patient to have Gallstones which were found and removed by ERCP 2 years ago. During the administering of the procedure the physician discovered the patient to have a pancreatic pseudocyst. The treatment for this condition was drainage with an endoscope. The onset of Hypertension (high blood pressure) was detected in the patient 5 years ago and he has been taking Furosemide (lasix) since the detection. He has also been taking Azathioprine for help with his weak immune system and to aid his rheumatoid arthritis. The patient’s history also shows low levels of triglyceride and was diagnosed with Hypertriglyceridemia, and has a severe case of pancreatitis. The patient may have a history of alcoholism. Due to the patient being obese, blood tests were ordered and the findings of elevated levels of lipids and too much calcium were noticed. Therefore the diagnosis of hyperlipidemia and a reasonable recognition of hypercalcemia were established. Because of the new and pre-existing conditions another blood test was ordered to check the insulin levels. We determined there was a decreased level of insulin, along with a small increased level of blood amylase which is parallel to the lipase prognosis. This led us to the conclusion that the patient is suffering from severe pancreatitis. While using a Stethoscope to listen to the abdomen, the physician noticed no bowel sounds. After an abdominal CT scan was performed the patient was diagnosed with critical pancreatitis. Feasible complications involve infection in the pancreas and the onset of type II diabetes. Physician recommended a low fat diet, and prescribed oral pancreatic enzymes to help with the digestion process as well as insulin to regulate his blood sugar along with abstinence of alcohol. Surgery was mentioned to return the drainage of the pancreatic discharges.