Tim OBrien The True War Storyteller

In How to Tell a True War Story, author Tim O’Brien directs the reader’s attention to the idea of truth, not simply in the telling and retelling of certain events from the Vietnam War that forms the narrative of the story, but on a deeper, more fundamental level about how reality is constructed, not simply within the context of a war but in general.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Tim O’Brien: The True War Storyteller specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tim O’Brien’s story simultaneously constructs and deconstructs itself several times over the telling; this action destabilizes the narrative, and gives the reader the sense that the narrative may give way at any time – as indeed it does. The inherent fluidity of the work – this constantly shifting form – positions the story more as an example of a deconstructed text as opposed to the traditional war nar rative, and in this act of deconstruction, we glimpse O’Brien’s larger purpose. Essentially Tim O’Brien’s How to Tell a True War Story asks about the nature of truth itself: is truth that which we experience, or that which we remember, a composite of the two, or something different altogether? The consensus of many critics who have approached this work appears to be that Tim O’Brien’s How to Tell a True War Story endeavors to make plain the distinction between â€Å"story-truth and happening-truth† – truth that is made up or fictionalized, and truth that is unequivocal, or what â€Å"really happened† (Henningfeld n.p.). Critic Rosemary King points to the fact that Tim O’Brien’s title itself has multiple purposes and implications for the readers (King 182) In the first instance, How to Tell a True War Story concerns itself with defining that which is â€Å"true†, yet Tim O’Brien applies two mea nings to the word: one â€Å"he uses alternately throughout the story to mean either factually accurate,† and the other meaning applies to that which is â€Å"higher and nobler† (King 182). Tim O’Brien’s How to Tell a True War Story follows three different narratives: the first concerns the soldier Mitchell Sanders’s recounting of the events surrounding another solider – Curt Lemon’s – death; the second story follows the narrator as he listens and comments on Sanders’s depiction of the events; and the final narrative is the author Tim O’Brien’s explanation and series of tips directed toward the reader detailing how to distinguish a true war story from a false one (O’Brien 174). In each story, each individual narrator takes pains to prove that his version of the story represents the authentic recounting of events exactly as they took place in Vietnam, and all three narrators also declare the validity of their narratives using history as proof (O’Brien 174: King 182).Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In King’s opinion, the ultimate marker of a true war story is the one that â€Å"capture[s] the genuine experience of war because truth registers only through gut instinct† (King 183). Through these three narrators, King argues, Tim O’Brien presents the thesis that facts perhaps do not warrant the ultimate measure of authority simply because they happened in someone’s remembered past (King 183). Rather, of more value than the actual â€Å"historical artifact† of the events that occurred is â€Å"the significance, or truth, of the experience† (King 183). In King’s words, Tim O’Brien’s concept of truth as delineated in How to Tell a True War Story â€Å"has deep implications for story telling because he suggests that altering facts may be more significant than clinging to the story of what actually transpired† (King 183). Critic Catherine Dybiec Holm, on the other hand, believes that for Tim O’Brien â€Å"there is no stable sense of truth or reality when it comes to war† (Holm n.p.). In How to Tell a True War Story Holm sees an author who presents his readers with the truth of this statement over and over. O’Brien, in Holm’s understanding, does this both through the straightforward use of passages such as the following: When a guy dies, like Lemon, you look away and then look back for a moment and then look away again. The pictures get jumbled; you tend to miss a lot. And then afterward, when you go to tell about it, there is always that surreal seemingness, which makes the story seem untrue, but which in fact represents the hard and exact truth as it seemed. (O’Brien 176) Or, Tim O’Brien uses â€Å"indirect means,† such as employing constantly variable narration to recount an event and offering a different take and conclusion on the event with each new version (Holm n.p.). Holm also agrees that the title offers a sense of irony and layered meaning, â€Å"since he suggests that it may actually be impossible to accurately tell a true war story† (Holm n.p.). In How to Tell a True War Story Holm observes the impact of the war itself on all of the narrators as they struggle with the subject matter of their stories. In Holm’s opinion, Tim O’Brien’s goal in the story is to elucidate directly how the monstrous experience inherent to combat can and will affect the discernment of reality, â€Å"even for a narrator† (Holm n.p.). In Holm’s words: O’Brien emphasizes the nebulous nature of truth when it comes to war stories by taking one story and telling it four different ways. Additionally, he starts several of the story versions with statements that make readers question whether the narrator realizes that he has told the story before.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Tim O’Brien: The True War Storyteller specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More O’Brien’s device could lead an astute reader to wonder whether the reality of war and the retelling of this particular war story has become confusing, at least in this narrator’s head. And O’Brien’s narrator backs this up with prose that directly questions what is and is not real regarding memories of war (Holm However, as critic Diane Andrews Henningfeld aptly observes, the possibility that Tim O’Brien’s story â€Å"is demonstrating†¦the impossibility of any truth at all† represents an equally legitimate interpretation of the work (Henningfeld n.p.). The affect of war on the perception of reality and truth may certainly be one of the underlying messages of the s tory, however in Henningfeld’s opinion, How to Tell a True War Story is actually about nothing less than how people – soldiers or otherwise – construct meaning through language. â€Å"Rather than being an epistemological tool, this story serves to demonstrate how language only seems to provide knowledge, when all it really provides is more text† (Henningfeld n.p.) The reader witnesses a glimpse of this phenomenon when Tim O’Brien as the narrator warns the reader that â€Å"in many cases a true war story cannot be believed. If you believe it, be skeptical. It’s a question of credibility. Often the crazy stuff is true and the normal stuff isn’t because the normal stuff is necessary to make you believe the truly incredible craziness. In other cases you can’t even tell a true war story. Sometimes it’s just beyond telling† (O’Brien 179). In How to Tell a True War Story, Tim O’Brien seems less interested i n giving the reader a straight answer and more about posing the question in numerous ways. He also challenges the idea that a war story has to mean something, or that it has to make sense on some level. â€Å"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things they have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie. There is no rectitude whatsoever. There is no virtue. As a first rule of thumb, therefore, you can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil (O’Brien 174). The fact that story builds itself up and then tears itself apart again several times over the course of the narrative speaks to its proper unders tanding as a text of deconstruction or â€Å"metafictional story† (Henningfeld n.p.). Tim O’Brien in Henningfeld’s opinion â€Å"is a deconstructive master.Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While it appears that he is saying one thing about true war stories, what he is really doing is undermining not only the entire quest for truth, but also the possibility of truth existing in any knowable form† (Henningfeld n.p.). It follows then that How to Tell a True War Story has a much broader application than as a â€Å"war story,† but rather a critique of the construction of reality through language, memory and historicity. At no point in any of the three narratives does Tim O’Brien allow the reader to â€Å"forget that the story the reader is reading is a story, not reality,† because he and the other two narrators â€Å"constantly comment on their own construction† (Henningfeld n.p.) Tim O’Brien allows each character in the story to admit that the stories they have told are fictions – some or all of the details have been â€Å"made up† (Henningfeld n.p.). An example occurs when Mitchell Sanders tells a story about his pat rol that climbs a mountain: â€Å"Last night, man, I had to make up a few things.† â€Å"I know that.† â€Å"The glee club. There wasn’t any glee club.† â€Å"Right.† â€Å"No opera.† â€Å"Forget it, I understand.† â€Å"Yeah, but listen, it’s still true. Those six guys, they heard wicked sound out there. They heard sound you just plain won’t believe.† (O’Brien 180) This admission by Sanders â€Å"calls attention to the entire story as a work of fiction† and the fact that all the narrators participate in this seemingly endless revision speaks to Tim O’Brien’s overall point – that reality is what we say it is (Henningfeld n.p.). Tim O’Brien’s How to Tell a True War Story, though it appears to be centered around the events of the Vietnam War from the perspective of the soldiers who fought there, is actually about â€Å"the quest for truth, the use of the imagination in telling the truth, and the art of storytelling in creating the truth† (Henningfeld n.p.). Works Cited Henningfeld, Diane Andrews. â€Å"Critical Essay on ‘How to Tell a True War Story’.† Short Stories for Students. Ed. Carol Ullmann. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Web. Holm, Catherine Dybiec. â€Å"Critical Essay on ‘How to Tell a True War Story’.† Short Stories for Students. Ed. Carol Ullmann. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale, 2002.Web. King, Rosemary. â€Å"O’Brien’s ‘How to Tell a True War Story’.† The Explicator 57.3 (1999): 182-184. Web. O’Brien, Tim. â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story.† The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Eds. Michael Meyer and Doug Downs. 8th ed. New York: Bedford / St. Martins, 2008. 174-183. Print. This research paper on Tim O’Brien: The True War Storyteller was written and submitted by user Ariel Pope 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.

Past Simple Verb Form Example Worksheets

Past Simple Verb Form Example Worksheets The past simple takes the following forms: Past Simple Positive: Subject past simple form of verb objects Jason went to camp in Florida last week.We had dinner at that new restaurant two days ago. Past Simple Negative Form: Subject did not verb objects Mary didnt attend the meeting last week.They didnt pass the exam yesterday. Past Simple Question Form: (Question Word) did subject verb? What did you do yesterday?When did they meet Tim? Important Notes ï » ¿The verb to be does not take the auxiliary verb did in the question or negative form.The regular past simple form of verbs ends in -ed, irregular past simple form of verbs vary and must be studied. Examples I was on time to the meeting yesterday.Alexander wasnt born in April. He was born in May.Were you at the party last night? Ago / Last / In Ago is used at the end of a sentence preceded by a specific amount of time such as: three days ago, two weeks ago, one month ago, etc.Last is used with week, month, and year.In is used with specific months and years in the past. Practice Worksheet 1 Conjugate the verb in parentheses using the form indicated. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well. Tom _____ (visit) his mother last weekend.We _____ (not buy) that TV yesterday because it was too expensive._____ (you / be) at the meeting on Tuesday?Where _____ (Sheila / stay) in New Orleans?Alan _____ (understand) the situation two days ago.They _____ (not finish) the project on time last month.When _____ (Mary / fly) to New York?Henry _____ (read) Harry Smiths latest book last month.I _____ (not write) that letter to him last week.What _____ (you do) yesterday afternoon?You _____ (think) he couldnt win, didnt you?She _____ (not win) the prize two weeks ago.Where _____ (Andy / go) last week?Thomas _____ (come) to visit us in May.Susan _____ (not telephone) in time to get a ticket.How _____ (you meet) him?David _____ (get up) early on Saturday to play golf.Betty _____ (not draw) that picture._____ (Peter forget) his books yesterday?She _____ (give) him a present for his birthday yesterday. Practice Worksheet 2 Choose the correct time expression used with the past simple tense. Cathy left on holiday (last / ago) week.I played football (when / last) I was in high school.Were you able to go to the meeting (ago / in) May?She didnt think about those problems two days (last / ago).There werent any children at the party (last / when) Saturday.Jennifer wanted us to come and help three weeks (ago / when).Peter went to a meeting in Chicago (last / ago) Tuesday.Alexander made a number of mistakes (yesterday / tomorrow).Tom was born (at / in) 1987.Our teacher helped us understand the problem (this morning / tomorrow morning).I bought a new chair for my office (last / next) week.Did you finish the meeting on time (yesterday / last) evening?Susan visited her aunt in Seattle (last / ago) Sunday.My father took me to the zoo (when / last) I was a child.They opened a new store (in / on) Tuesday.She drove to New Mexico (in / on) February.We enjoyed a lunch with our friends (yesterday / tomorrow).Annabelle played the piano for two hours (on / in) Tuesday.Fred didnt attend the meeting (last / ago) week. Anne opened a bottle of wine two hours (ago / last). Worksheet 1 Answers Tom visited his mother last weekend.We didnt buy that TV yesterday because it was too expensive.Were you at the meeting on Tuesday?Where did Sheila stay in New Orleans?Alan understood the situation two days ago.They didnt finish the project on time last month.When did Mary fly to New York?Henry read Harry Smiths latest book last month.I didnt write that letter to him last week.What did you do yesterday afternoon?You thought he couldnt win, didnt you?She didnt win the prize two weeks ago.Where did Andy go last week?Thomas came to visit us in May.Susan didnt telephone in time to get a ticket.How did you meet him?David got up early on Saturday to play golf.Betty didnt draw that picture.Did Peter forget his books yesterday?She gave him a present for his birthday yesterday. Worksheet 2 Answers Cathy left on holiday last week.I played football when I was in high school.Were you able to go to the meeting in May?She didnt think about those problems two days ago.There werent any children at the party last Saturday.Jennifer wanted us to come and help three weeks ago.Peter went to a meeting in Chicago last Tuesday.Alexander made a number of mistakes yesterday.Tom was born in 1987.Our teacher helped us understand the problem this morning.I bought a new chair for my office last week.Did you finish the meeting on time yesterday evening?Susan visited her aunt in Seattle last Sunday.My father took me to the zoo when I was a child.They opened a new store on Tuesday.She drove to New Mexico in February.We enjoyed a lunch with our friends yesterday.Annabelle played the piano for two hours on Tuesday.Fred didnt attend the meeting last week.Anne opened a bottle of wine two hours ago.

Concentration Definition (Chemistry)

Concentration Definition (Chemistry) In chemistry, the word concentration relates to the components of a mixture or solution. Here is the definition of concentration and a look at different methods used to calculate it. Concentration Definition In chemistry, concentration refers to the amount of a substance per defined space. Another definition is that concentration is the ratio of solute in a solution to either solvent or total solution. Concentration usually is expressed in terms of mass per unit volume. However, the solute concentration may also be expressed in moles or units of volume. Instead of volume, concentration may be per unit mass. While usually applied to chemical solutions, concentration may be calculated for any mixture. Two related terms are concentrated and dilute. Concentrated refers to chemical solutions that have high concentrations of a large amount of solute in the solution. Dilute solutions contains a small amount of solvent compared with the amount of solvent. If a solution is concentrated to the point where no more solute will dissolve in the solvent, it is said to be saturated. Unit Examples of Concentration: g/cm3, kg/l, M, m, N, kg/L How to Calculate Concentration Concentration is determined mathematically by taking the mass, moles, or volume of solute and dividing it by the mass, moles, or volume of the solution (or less commonly, the solvent). Some examples of concentration units and formulas include: Molarity (M) - moles of solute / liters of solution (not solvent!)Mass Concentration (kg/m3 or g/L) - mass of solute / volume of solutionNormality (N) - grams active solute / liters of solutionMolality (m) - moles of solute / mass of solvent (not mass of solution!)Mass Percent (%) - mass solute / mass solution x 100% (mass units are the same unit for both solute and solution)Volume Concentration (no unit) - volume of solute / volume of mixture (same units of volume for each)Number Concentration (1/m3) - number of entities (atoms, molecules, etc.) of a component divided by the total volume of the mixtureVolume Percent (v/v%) - volume solute / volume solution x 100% (solute and solution volumes are in the same units)Mole Fraction (mol/mol) - moles of solute / total moles of species in the mixtureMole Ratio (mol/mol) - moles of solute / total moles of all other species in the mixtureMass Fraction (kg/kg or parts per) - mass of one fraction (could be multiple solutes) / total mass of the mixture Mass Ratio (kg/kg or parts per) - mass of solute / mass of all other constituents in the mixturePPM (parts per million) - a 100 ppm solution is 0.01%. The parts per notation, while still in use, has largely been replaced by mole fraction.PPB (parts per billion) - typically used to express contamination of dilute solutions Some units may be converted from one to another, however, its not always a good idea to convert between units based on the volume of solution to those based on mass of solution (or vice versa) because volume is affected by temperature. Strict Definition of Concentration In the strictest sense, not all means of expressing the composition of a solution or mixture are termed concentration. Some sources only consider mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration to be true units of concentration. Concentration Versus Dilution Another common usage of the term concentration refers to how concentrated a solution is. A concentrated solution contains as much solute as it can hold. Chemists often prefer to call such a solution saturated. In contrast, a solution that contains few solute particles is said to be dilute. In order to concentrate a solution, either more solute particles must be added or some solvent must be removed. If the solvent is nonvolatile, a solution may be concentrated by evaporating or boiling off solvent. Dilutions are made by adding solvent to a more concentrated solution. Its common practice to prepare a relatively concentrated solution, called a stock solution, and use it to prepare more dilute solutions. This practice results in better precision than simply mixing up a dilute solution because it can be difficult to obtain an accurate measurement of a tiny amount of solute. Serial dilutions are used to prepare extremely dilute solutions. To prepare a dilution, stock solution is added to a volumetric flask and then diluted with solvent to the mark. Source IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the Gold Book) (1997).

Apple and Google Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple and Google - Article Example It will offer greater value to its services. The main objective of the company is to retain the customers within its ecology as its iPhone. The new Apple maps service will offer the customers with 3D images of cities and towns, known as ‘Flyovers’. It will also offer the customers with traffic updates as well as turn-by-turn navigation. The article also states that the best marketing concept that Apple uses is offering the customers with an experience which is different from that of others. It has been evident that the intended amalgamation of the feature of mobile maps app with iPhone can render Apple substantial profitability as according to a research conducted it is observed that people who use iPhone spent 35% greater amount of time on using maps than other phone users. Therefore, this marketing concept can provide Apple a major scope of market growth prospect. Apple can also get hold of the useful consumer data which was earlier received by Google. Apple can also e arn greater revenue from opportunities such as sponsored links. These factors can affect on long-term profitability of Apple by a considerable extent. The article demonstrates the fact that in this instance of launching maps application the company is product focused rather than customer focused which is closely associated to the concept of marketing myopia. Apple has also solely intended to render consumers’ such an application which can be quite value adding, thus though the concept relates to marketing myopia however not entirely. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Apple mobile maps will be provided as an application with iPhone itself. The purchasers of iPhone are generally high income group people who have the capability to purchase the product. The product can be used by the youth and the middle aged to old aged people. It can be used by both the male as well as the female. The high-end consumers of iPhone generally also desire use their phones to operate navigatio n facilities for their business or social networking purposes. This can enable the mobile apps to generate user activity with regard to the provided service. The product can be targeted generally to the businessmen who want to make their businesses available or traceable to the local as well as international customers. Through Apple mobile maps, customers will be easily capable of determining the exact locations of the stores that they will be looking for. The app is likely to target the app stores. The company, Apple can position its product as adding a new feature to its iPhone in order to attract a significant portion of the customers. This would help Apple to uphold competitive advantage and assist in maintaining sustainability. One of the unique features which will be inculcated in the Apple mobile maps is ‘Siri’, which is a voice-activated search tool. The company can as well position its product of mobile maps in terms of value addition with the popular product i .e. iPhone. As the application would be in-built within the iPhone, the positioning of it would not be a major concern for Apple. However, Apple needs to ensure superior quality of the maps service to draw the consumers in the long run to use the facility. Apple will entrust on outside parties for maps related information at first, the way its

Database paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Database paper - Essay Example Prevention of unauthorized access and efficient solutions for failure recovery are also provided by a database server. For enterprise grid computing Oracle Database is the first database designed to manage information and applications in the most flexible and cost effective way. Huge pools of industry-standard, modular storage and servers are created by enterprise grid computing. Each and every new system can be quickly provisioned from the pool of components with the help of this architecture. When required capacity can be easily added or reallocated from the resource pools so there is no need for peak workloads. The database consists of two structures: logical and physical. The logical structures including table spaces, segments, and extents, dictate how the physical space of a database is used. The physical structure is determined by the operating system files that constitute the database. The physical storage of data can be controlled without affecting the access to logical storage structures due to the reason that the physical and logical structures are separate (Michele, 2005). The figure represents the components of Oracle application server 10 g. In computing, the Oracle Application Server 10g (the "g" stands for grid), consists of an integrated, standards-based software platform. Database recovery is made possible with the help of transaction management. Backup and logging are the main features that help to recover the database. Oracle makes use of techniques that are typically more superior for managing recovery than other database systems. The discretionary control over access to objects based on privileges helps to achieve authorization and security. Referential integrity between tables helps to achieve consistency and integrity. General Review of Oracle A database system helps user to transform the data into information and also gives the user access to their data. Oracle is one example of such a database system. Creating, updating and extracting of information are made possible with the help of a database system. A database system has some key advantages like speed, accuracy and accessibility. Each item is stored in its own field in Oracle. The field's name defines its contents. A field has little or no importance until it is used within the context of other fields. In Oracle a record is a complete unit of data made of a person, thing or event. A collection of fields forms a record. Each and every field in a record has a different name. The requirement analysis of a business must identify all the fields in an Oracle database design project. There are a number of characteristics of Oracle. There is a complex relationship between objects and queries are based on these complex relationships between objects. Oracle allows complicated transaction based updates and provides update tools that make use of them. It is purely centralized. Oracle can be used to handle a very wide range of problems as it is a general purpose tool. It helps to perform complex analysis on data where the relationship between elements of data is non-trivial. Making complex queries about the relations between objects is one of the major strengths of Oracle. Linking the data in multiple tables is made very easy with its help. It enables to define relationships between the tables when data is stored in two or more tables. Data is represented in tables with values in columns within rows (Craig, 2008). Oracle generally

Domestic Violence Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence Essay There are many theories out there that try to explain why domestic violence happens. Some like family violence theory say that it is passed down through the family because basically what you see is what you will do. Others say it’s a chemical imbalance or its based on other things. I believe that it is a little bit of all of the theories but the Culture of Violence Theory is playing a huge role today in helping shape our young children’s minds as to what is now acceptable. During this assignment we will look at four different types of examples of how the Culture of Violence Theory is doing just that. Culture of Violence theory claims that violence occurs at all levels of society and is looked at as a means to resolve a conflict. Violence and force are acceptable and are used even in family disputes. Theories believe that in order to stop a man from beating or hitting a woman then you have to change the way he believes or relies on violence being a means to solve all his problems. I also believe that our culture as a whole is violence driven. As a soldier in the United States Army, I deploy to combat areas and I have meet other new recruits who basically wanted to join the military for that reason. So then the question is why in the world would you want to do something just for the violence? Well we can look no further then what is the main culprit to me and that is the Mass Media. The Mass Media today is the main reason why our culture is so violence driven. First I am going to start off on the news media and movies that are being viewed by our children and young adults. The news media always seems to project negative things. You rarely hear anything about a city not having an violent acts being placed over the news. Instead you turn the news on and your going to see how a father came home and found his wife cheating on him so he beat her to death, then killed all his children before turning his gun on himself. The news always reports the violent acts so that’s what our culture is getting use to see. When we look at the type of movies being depicted that display acts of violence in a family household we look at the movie Precious. This movie won the actress a Grammy Award but in this movie your watching a girl being physically, verbally and sexually abused at home. The only time she was safe was at school. What does this type of information teach? It could teach a positive message but I believe that in reality all it did was downgrade women and especially African American women. Movies and the News aren’t the only means to project violence within our culture. The controversial video game by rock star called Grand Theft Auto has been sparking debates across the nation for years. This is one of the best selling franchises in the video game industry but the message in this top playing videogame for our youth in particular teens is violence. This game depicts family violence, drug selling, murder, extortion, robbery, theft, grand theft auto and many more violent crimes. This game really belittles women I feel because they always use derogatory language towards them. This game always shows â€Å"pimps† and ho’s† and the pimp is always beating on the women. This sends a message that our society is fine with this type of behavior since we generate it for our amusement and entertainment. I am one of those who is at fault by playing this type of games but I do understand that this is not appropriate for our youth because they are still learning and trying to understand what is the wrong and right way to act in society and this doesn’t help them in any way. Our society today is all about technology. Everyone has an internet capable phone and the internet is streaming videos constantly. With that being sad a lot of youth and teens are able to watch music videos either through their phone, laptop or on the television. The new hit song titled â€Å"Try† by Pink depicts two lovers basically having an all-out brawl with each other. They are pulling hair, breaking glasses, hitting each other. This music video shows our youth domestic violence but shows it as a poetry in motion or as just two people really in love with each other so even though they are hurting each other its ok as long as they continue to work it out and try again. So is the message here teaching our society to not harm each other? It doesn’t look that way to me and if this keeps up then we will continue to see the numbers as high as they are. All of the different examples I gave show you how our culture became so violence oriented. From the News stations to the Movies in the theaters to the videogames we buy our children and the music they listen to. What children hear and see is exactly what they will do so yes I believe Family Violence Theory plays a role in my paper but the Cultural Violence Theory is by far the most destructive force we have and we can only blame ourselves. Reference: CJ333 Chapter 3, Research and Theory on Family Violence Video Game Study Reinforces Negative Impact on Youth, Jennifer Leclaire, 4/10/06 Pink gets physical and aggressive in â€Å"Try† music video, Lucas Villa, October 10 2012

Lenonard Bernstein :: essays research papers

Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, just north of Boston, on Sunday, August 25, 1918. Bernstein was named Louis at birth, after his mother’s grandfather, but at the age of sixteen he had it formally changed to Leonard, or Lenny. As a child, Bernstein was sick very often with asthma and hay fever. Perhaps due to these and many other medical conditions, Bernstein preferred to be alone. He didn’t care to spend much time with his family or even with his peers. Most likely because of this self-isolation, Bernstein’s passion for music developed at a young age. At the age of ten, Leonard’s family received a piano from an aunt who no longer needed it. She knew of Leonard’s love for music, but I doubt she knew what a great impact this gift would have, not only on Leonard, but also on the world of music. After the young boy began to show an interest in the instrument, a neighbor offered to give him lessons, which lasted for about a year. After that year, Bernstein was no longer satisfied with his teacher, so he went out to find another one. He was referred to a teacher by the name of Miss Susan Williams and despite his father’s protest, this teaching relationship with Miss Williams lasted for two years. When Bernstein decided that he needed a more professional teacher, he went under the education of Helen Coates, who would later become a life long friend and secretary. After four years of working under Helen, he was accepted as a student of Heinrid Gebhard, who was the best piano teacher in Boston. At the age of seventeen, Bernstein was accepted at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was interested in many other things other than music. For example, philosophy and history were both subjects of great importance to him. After graduating from Harvard cum laude in 1939, Leonard spent a year in New York City. He met many influential people throughout the course of this year, including Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland is regarded as being Bernstein’s composing mentor. In fact, Copland was probably the most important influence on All-American music at this time. Bernstein and Copland had many similarities that may have enabled them to create the very strong bond between them. They both came from Russian/Jewish families; both men were raised in urban areas; both became involved in left wing politics; and both were homosexual.

Manufacturers Inc. Compensation Stratagies Essay

Executive Summary: To my fellow Human Relations co-workers, upper management, and ownership: I have been asked to put together a report of different ways we can compensate the employees we have above and beyond their normal pay for the outstanding job they do . I have found that there are in fact countless ways that we can compensate them; however, I have compiled a list of the ways I feel would best suit our company. First there is the general pay raise/ bonus. With this we would increase the pay that our employees receive; however, there are drawbacks that would include our overhead drastically increasing. Next I have looked at Phantom Stock Plans. These are for our long term employees and intend on staying with our company. These are stocks that we give them that mimic the actual stock shares in our company without being real stocks. By doing this, the employee is motivated to help the company grow and profit, because they profit from this as well. I have also looked  into Stock Appreciation Right s. These are also like the Phantom Stock Plans, however they are designed more for new hires in that they have no initial monetary value. The value of them grows as the company grows; however, they are not available for the employee to cash in until a certain time, which the company would designate. Finally, I have taken a look at implementing a 401(k) retirement plan for our employees. I have gone over and explained what all needs to take place for us to implement this compensation package for our employees, and how the 401(k) works. After extensive research, I have compiled a list of recommendations that I a sharing with the management and ownership of this company. These include the immediate incorporation of the 401(k) retirement plan, and the consideration of the PSPs and SARs into our employee’s benefits. Introduction: As a member of the human resources department at Manufacturers Incorporated I have been asked by my fellow human resources co-workers, as well as upper management, and ownership to put together a presentation on different types of compensation strategies and options. With these different types of strategies I have been asked to compare and contrast them to figure out which will be the best route for our growing company to pursue. Following my extensive research I have come up with several solutions that I believe may be very useful to our company. The first type of compensation that I have come up with is the general pay increases in our employees’ hourly compensation. The next deals with different incentives that we may be able to offer them, and means by which our costs may not be as drastically affected. These two different stock shares allow the employee to have the benefits of owning stock in our growing company without us as a company actually giving out stock. They are essentially mock stocks that grow as our company’s stock grows and becomes more profitable. The two different types of stocks options are Phantom Stock Plans and Stock Appreciation Rights. The final type of compensation strategy that I have researched is one that has to do with the future well-being of our employees when they decide it is time for them to retire. The retirement fund that I have researched is the 401(k) retirement fund plan. I believe that we as upper management and ownership should take part in the well-being of our  employees, families, and their futures. I have put together a report of my findings for all of us to go over. Research Findings: Finding Number 1: Raises/ Bonuses The first strategy I have come up with is one where we increase monetary reward. Monetary rewards include salary, bonus, commissions, medical and health benefits, holidays, and retirement benefits. (SHR) Essentially we would be conducting performance reviews annually. A performance review is a meeting that we as upper management would have with each employee to discuss the results of their work, and the process they went through to get done what they did. The discussion normally involves an assessment of the employee’s initiative, problem solving abilities, attitude, professional demeanor, and other aspects of their performance. (Jenkins) After we have conducted the employee reviews, we would have a meeting with the floor managers from all three shifts to go over their opinions of how they feel each of their personnel have performed through the year. At this time we would also get the opinion on who they feel could handle more responsibility, and who may have too much responsi bility or may not be performing up to the company’s standards. After we have had the meetings with both the employees and the managers, we will go through and give pay raises to those individuals we have decided are the most deserving. I believe that these raises should not solely be based on seniority, but on the feedback we have received from the managers who work with the personnel every day. Analysis: The downfall to this straight forward concept lies in that of its expenses. We are a company of over 120 employees. As of now our average employee makes $12.75/ hour while working 40 hours a week. Now given this is an average, so some employees do make more than others, but if we were to give every employee we have a $.25 raise annually, that is an additional $62,400 expense that we would incur every year. As of now, not including upper management, we have an annual salary expense of $3,182,400. Additionally we must consider $120 , for every dollar that we decide to give in annual bonus’. If we were to give out only $100/ employee in bonus’, then that  would accumulate to an additional $12,000/ year. If we are to give these raises and bonus’ annually, realistically this is not possible compensation strategy for our company to incur. Finding Number 2: Phantom Stock Plan The second monetary compensation option that I have come up with is the phantom stock plan. These plans are something that are normally given to a company’s most loyal and long term employees who play a key role in the success of the company. (Schiff) The concept behind a phantom stock program is our company’s commitment to pay the employees we have chosen an amount equal to the value of a portion of the shares of the company’s stock. (Moynihan, 2010) What this will do for our company as a whole is the employees will take more interest in the company because they now have motivation to make our company grow. This is because they now are benefiting from the growth of the company in the way of the phantom stock plan. The phantom stock plan is normally structured so that the program tracks the economic benefits of actual stock ownership without giving up actual shares. (Moynihan, 2010) Analysis: The upside to having a phantom stock plan is one in which it is not going to affect us immediately in our finances. In fact I see only upside to this plan. We are going to be able to control how much phantom stock we want to give the individuals. Now keep in mind that we do need to make it enough that the employee feels empowered so they take a major interest in the well-being of the company. The PSPs are just like real shares, so they are going to have a dollar value at the time they are designated. Because of this they are essentially designed for our employees who have been here awhile. This is designed to reward them for the work that they have done in the past, and to encourage them to continue to build the value of the company because it is not only benefiting the company, but also benefiting them. (McGladrey, 2011) Finding Number 3: Stock Appreciation Rights The Stock Appreciation Rights or SAR is much like the Phantom Stock Plan; however, there are some differences. When the SARs are first implemented, there are no values to the shares of stocks when they are first given, unlike the PSPs. (Fidelity) Instead, SARs are based on fractional interest  that accumulates between the difference of the value of the shares value at the time they are awarded, and the value of the shares at a future settlement time. Analysis: Because SARs are for the future benefit of the employee, these are something that we may want to consider for new employees in the company. (Fidelity) These for us in the future would pay out like the Phantom Stock Plans; however, it does give us the financial security in that the employee cannot cash in his or her SAR until a set date that we as a company have decided. With this, if the employee were to decide that they no longer wish to work for our company, and it is before the set date we have determined, then we are no longer obligated to pay that employee his or her SAR. Finding Number 4: The 401(k) Retirement Plan The final compensation strategy I have explored outside of the normal salary of our employees is sponsoring a 401(k) program. The 401(k) program first came into effect in 1978. Congress decided that Americans needed a better way to save for retirement. They thought if they gave people a way to save more money or retirement while lowering their state and federal taxes, that more people might do just that. (Obringer) With the 401(k), our employees will decide how much money they want to put into the account per month. We as the company would then make a payroll deduction and put that money into their personal retirement account. This is great for the employee, because the money that is deducted from their pay is not taxed, which in turn allows them to pay less in income tax. We then act as a plan sponsor for the 401(k). With this we then hire an administrator to take care of the plan and its investments. After we have set this up all we have to do is send the money to the administrator and they and the employee take care of deciding how it is invested. (CNN) As of 2012, employees are allowed to put up to $17,000 into their account each year. With that, we as the company would also put profit sharing amounts into their account, up to what they have invested themselves. (â€Å"What is a,† ) Analysis: In turn, I believe that this would be a great way to help compensate the employees that we have here. For them its â€Å"free money† from us  (Manufacturers Inc.) and it is helping them towards their retirement. The cost that it costs the company is up to the employee. As of 2012 an individual is able to designate up to $17,000 a year to this account. We have the choice to match that 100% or whatever percent we decide to contribute towards their retirement. Recommendations: As a member of the Human Relations department here at Manufacturers Inc. I would recommend the following: Recommendation 1: Immediately implement a 401(k) retirement plan into action. For this I would suggest that we vigorously investigate what it takes for us as a company to start a 401(k) plan for our employees. Most people don’t want to have to work for the rest of their lives, and by helping them out with their dreams of retirement; we can help them get there quicker and give them something to work towards. As Harry Emerson Fosdick once said â€Å"Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.† (â€Å"Quotations: retirement,† )This is exactly what we should plan to do for our employees. Recommendation 2: Follow up on the idea of implementing PSPs and SARs The idea of having money out there available to you for the hard work that you have put in and are yet to put in is going to be a huge motivator. I believe that if we were to put the se plans in action based off of people’s performances, then it would motivate them to be the best employee that they can be and this company needs the best employees we can possibly get. Conclusion: To finalize my findings, I have found that there are several different options of compensation strategies apart from our basic pay system that we could incorporate to help the employee morale and further the growth of our business. I have found that by increasing the pay to some of our key employees that we will incur a lot more expenses than we currently have the means for, however I have found that there are some better ways to compensate their hard work. I have found that the Phantom Stock Plan would be an outstanding way to further compensate the employees that have helped us grow to where we are now. By incorporating this plan, we can thank them for the hard work that they have put into our company already, and motivate  them to continue working hard in the future. This is going to benefit them, because as the value of our company grows, so does the value of their stock plans, helping them make more money for their retirement. I have also found that Stock Appreciation Rights w ould be a great way to compensate our new employees. By incorporating this plan, it will give our new employees extra motivation to work hard and take pride in the work that they perform for us here. By having stock appreciation rights, it allows them to build value in the stocks that we have given them as our company grows with their hard work. This in turn will allow them to have extra money on top of what they have already made with their salaries through their stock appreciation plan. Finally I have found that a 401(k) retirement plan is a fantastic way to compensate all of our employees. By doing this, it allows our employees a chance to save money for retirement tax free. It also allows them to get extra â€Å"Free Money† from us as we match what they are saving for their retirement. By doing this it is going to build loyalty towards our company, and give them motivation to work hard and further the growth of our company. References: CNN. (n.d.). How does a 401(k) plan work?. Retrieved April 7, 2012 from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/401k_401kplans.moneymag/index.htm Fidelity. (n.d.). About stock appreciation rights (sars). Retrieved April 7,2012 from http://personal.fidelity.com/products/stockoptions/aboutsar.shtml Jenkins, L. (n.d.). The performance review. Retrieved April 4, 2012 from http://www.salary.com/the-performance-review/ McGladrey. (2011). Lessons from recession increasing focus on incentive compensation programs. Retrieved April 6, 2010 from http://mcgladrey.com/Perspective/Lessons-from-recession-increasing-focus-on-incentive-compensation-programs Moynihan, D. (2010). Phantom stock—it’s alive!. Retrieved April 6, 2010 from http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/compensation/Articles/Pages/PhantomStock.aspx Obringer, L. (n.d.). How 401 k plans work. Retrieved April 7, 2012 from http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/retirement-planning/401k.htm Quotations: retirement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2012 from http://www.quotegarden.com/retirement.html Schiff. (n.d.). Phantom stock

Karl Marx & Max Weber on Social Stratification

We cannot deny the existence of social structures or system by which people are categorized or ranked in a hierarchy. This people categorization is otherwise known as social stratification. It is a universal characteristic of society that persists over generations.   It is a social structure by which social issues and organizational problems arise.In a society, groups of people share a similar social status, and this is known as social class. Over the years, the importance and definition of membership in any social class evolve and change between societies. Societies have become all the more dynamic because of technological advances, industrialization, and now, globalization.Contemporary societies stratify into a hierarchical system based on economic status, income or wealth, and this is known as socioeconomic class.   In the past, societies have an upper class and a lower class. Those in the upper class are deemed to be the very wealthy and powerful, while those from the lower c lass are the poor and the weak.Considering social changes and developments in the twentieth century, new groups called the middle class and working class in urban societies emerged.   Members of the middle class are the educated, highly paid professionals like doctors, accountants, scientists, and lawyers. They nonetheless work for or render services for the upper class. Much like the working class, they receive their wages, only they earn above the minimum wage because of the market value of their professions and skills. Their market value increases as they increase their skills and competencies. They have the chance to increase their income and eventually move up the social ladder (Krieken, et al, 2001, p. 62).Meanwhile, those who belong to the working class are the trades people, factory laborers, drivers, and similar workers who has some skills training, which they use to earn a living. Although they may be considered financially stable due to regular income, they still belong to the lower class for the reason that they earn only slightly above the minimum wage.Other members of the lower class are the underemployed, unemployed, welfare beneficiaries, homeless, and everyone else who live below the poverty line. Due to lack of education and skills, their opportunities are simply limited (McGregor, 1997, p. 261).Social stratification is already an intrinsic structure of any society, and if it has its benefits and function in a society, which some scholars believe, that is reward and merit for productivity. People are rewarded for their productive efforts and skills. When we speak of reward, it does not only mean economic reward. Remember that people are also rewarded with (social) honor and this is known as social status.Karl Max and Max Weber were distinguished theorists whose works have become the basic but significant frameworks of sociology. Their concepts prove to be relevant until today. They have provided a rich reservoir of perspectives, which help contemporary social thinkers and learners, understand social stratification, classes and status groups. They both laid the groundwork for understanding social conflict and inequality in modern society such that whenever issues of social inequality arise, whether it is on the basis of social class, race, ethnicity, gender, and other dimensions, all these are explored and studied in the context of sociological traditions derived from their works.  Karl Marx’ Concept of Class Karl Marx defined class in terms of the extent to which a person or social group has the capacity to control the means of production. Those of the same social class have a common relationship to the means of production. Marx believed that the base of inequality among individuals in modern societies is economy (Sanghara).Marx believed that classes are constituted by the relationship of groupings of individuals to property ownership in the means of production. In this regard, a few own properties and capita l while others do not, many work while only a few live off the fruits of those workers. Class societies have been built around a line of demarcation between two antagonistic classes, one dominant and the other subordinate (Giddens, 1971, p. 37).Marx’ view of social stratification stemmed from his observations of early industrialization in Europe during the late part of the 19th century. He saw the existence of two major classes –the ruling class (capitalists) and the working class, or otherwise known as the bourgeois and proletariat. The capitalists were viewed as such because of their ownership of the means of production, as well as the power this creates – economically and even politically (Krieken, et al, 2001, p. 55).In a capitalist system, the ruling class, with their economic resources, lives from the productivity of the working class, and this is when social divisions and conflicts arise. Unlike in tribal, rural or simple societies where people live by hu nting (or gathering), people can not be categorized differently, because no one has more than others do.Marx believed that the conflict between the bourgeois (capitalists) who happen to control production, and the proletariat who actually produce the goods or render services in a society, on the basis of capitalism.In capitalism, control over production evokes control over the laborers, and this set-up is likely to result in exploitation of workers by the capitalists. With the craving of capitalists themselves to compete with fellow capitalists, and the greediness for more material gains, Marx predicted that in a society where the capitalist system prevails, financial resources of the few but wealthy capitalists would flourish. At the same time, the income disparity between the poor and the rich would continue. Meanwhile, as capitalists continue to exploit workers, the workers would remain victims of economic crises.The social classes that originated from the capitalist system that Marx knew during his time still holds true today, only, the bourgeois class has become fragmented over the last century due to the emergence of the so-called stockholders. Likewise, the proletariat has been changed significantly by the â€Å"white-collar revolution.† Decades ago, work involved mostly manual labor, or otherwise known as â€Å"blue-collar† occupations. â€Å"White-collar† occupations involve mostly mental or non-manual skills. However, the shared social structure of earning wages makes both proletariats during Marx’ time, and today’s educated but average office workers, a â€Å"working class.†Today, workers’ conditions have significantly improved through the efforts of labor organizations, and, because of expanded legal rights and protection of workers. While exploitation of workers still happen, and a small proportion of powerful people control the vast majority of wealth in our society, Marx’ perspectives will continue to prove valuable and significant in our understanding of social conflicts that arise from social stratification.Max Weber’s Social StratificationMax Weber expressed a two-fold classification of social stratification, with social class, status groups as distinct concepts. He believed that, the economic order was of great importance in determining the precise position of different communities, but nonetheless, he did not discount the important role of religion, ideas, status, and bureaucracy (Hadden, 1997, p. 126).Weber defined class as the disproportionate distribution of economic rewards, and the status group as the disproportionate distribution of social honor (Krieken, et al, 2001, p.58). Class position is determined by one’s market value. This market value is founded by education, talent, acquired skills and competencies. He had no notion of â€Å"surplus value,† unlike Marx. Social class is simply an aggregate of people with similar work or profess ional opportunities, and their position would depend on the choices they made out of these opportunities.Unlike social class, status groups have similar qualities like groups. They are influenced by how social honor is shared among the members of the group. Lifestyle is shared by those of the same social circle. Belonging to a status group may depend on kinship, education, and at the most extreme, through a caste system, which happens to be related to one’s culture. In a caste system, status is determined not only by law and convention, but also by religious sanction (Gane, 2005, p. 211).Contrary to Marx’ perception, Weber believed that status is more influential than economic condition. He introduced the concept of status groups as an additional social category to define one’s consumption pattern or lifestyle. If Marx focused on one’s position in the production assembly, Weber believed that status groups are actually communities held together by common l ifestyles and social esteem. Status groups share the same professions, views, as well as lifestyles. They do not just enjoy economic rewards, but social honor as well. With their professional achievement, comes social honor.Weber was concerned with individuality and generality (Ritzer, p. 114). For instance, he   recognized the individuality of people – their talents, skills and competencies and, that people have a good chance to further their career and improve their standard of living by increasing their market value through education.Weber’s theory on social mobility (or movement in the class structures) is more promising. Unlike Marx’ idea of social class which imply that animosity between the bourgeois and proletariat will not end until the proletariat eventually overthrow the bourgeois.However, Weber’s concept of social mobility does not only mean an upward movement. The reverse may also happen and that is – moving down the social ladder. M oving up or down the social ladder will depend upon the life choices the person made, as well as opportunities he had. In this case, the middle class are the most predisposed as it is only an intermediary class. Just like how Marx argued, the middle class would be eventually absorbed into both the upper and lower class, as this is not sufficiently different for it to survive (as a social class) in the long run.ConclusionKarl Marx and Max Weber were two important personalities whose theories led to our understanding of social stratification, class and status groups. Marx provided an elaborate and very systematic concept of capitalism and capitalist development, and its effect in society.   While Weber held other factors were also relevant in determining the future of our society   such as religion, culture, ideas, values, meaning, social and personal action.Marx and Weber’s perspectives amazingly still hold true in today’s modern societies. In the â€Å"Communist M anifesto,† Marx and Engels remarked that â€Å"the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles† (Bottomore, 1983,   p. 75). In any historical era, social classes were real and today, pressing economic conditions make social stratification and other structures all the more complex.Despite the fact that many work even harder to achieve more economic reward, many cannot move up the social ladder. â€Å"The class in its turn achieves an independent existence over against the individuals, so that the latter find their conditions of existence predestined, and hence have their position in life and their personal development assigned to them by their class, become subsumed under it† (Giddens and Held, p. 20)To be in the middle of the ladder, and stay there is such a long tedious struggle. Opportunities come, but sometimes, these elude them. In most modern societies in the world, many still live below the poverty line. But those who are bo rn in a wealthy or powerful family, knows just where they stand in the hierarchy system – and that is similar to that of their parents. Looking at how wealth is proportioned in today’s society, and how richer populations possess and continue to increase their wealth, Marx was right. The trend of widening disparity in wealth and social class between the rich and the poor will continue, until we brace ourselves as a social group to make a conscious and consolidated effort of reducing this gap.Weber believed, we can accomplish things which we do not even rationally or scientifically   think we are capable of doing, â€Å"namely the subjective understanding of the action of the component individuals† (Weber, 1968, p. 15). In other words, man has innate capabilities and the power to make significant change in himself and in the society where he belongs.To illustrate his viewpoint and applying it in contemporary society – and it may already sound clichà ©, o ne way of reducing the gap between social classes is through education. Through education, we are able to set the social foundation for the next generations.   It is the long route, but nonetheless, its impact has more lasting value.References:Bottomore, T (ed), 1983, A Dictionary of Marxist Thought, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, p. 75.Krieken, R, et al, 2001, Sociology Themes and Perspectives, 2nd edition, Longman, Melbourne, pp. 54-62.McGregor, C, 1997, Class in Australia, Penguin Books, Victoria, pp. 261.Gane, N, 2005, â€Å"Max Weber as a Social Theorist,† European Journal of Social Theory, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 211-226 (2005)Giddens, A, 1971, Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 17.Giddens, A and Held, D, 1982, Classes, Power, and Conflict: Classical and Contemporary Debates, Berkeley, University of California Press, p. 20.Hadden, R, 1997, Sociological Theory: An Introduction to the Classical Tradition, Peterborough, Ontario, Broadview Press, p. 126.Ritzer, G, 1992, Sociological Theory, 3rd edition, New York, McGraw-Hill, p. 114.Sanghara, S, The Concept of Social Inequality, 3 March 2008, http://wps.prenhall.com/ca_ph_macionis_sociology_5/23/6031/1544046.cw/index.htmlWeber, M, 1968, Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology, New York, Bedminster Press, p. 15.

The Bacchae essays

The Bacchae essays All work for no play makes one a dull boy/girl this timely phrase has been ingrained in modern minds across the western world. Spawns of todays society often believe in going out and seizing the day carpe diem. In much of the western world, people are taught to go out and experience life, to fulfill their passions and devotions, and to enjoy their short time they have on earth. This tradition reigns most fervently in highly-developed countries such as the United States, Japan, France, Britain, Australia, etc. The young celebrate a long weeks work with a Friday night of intoxicating fun at a party. A family ventures into the realm of extreme sports by taking a weekend ski trip. People put themselves through the excruciating pains of punches and bloody noses when they enter boxing matches. People dive off from a moving plane hundreds of feet above the ground. People blow their eardrums away at concerts, jumping up and down screaming like there is no tomorrow. There is a gener al belief within much of the western world that to be a truly successful and fulfilled person, one must incorporate outrageous activities that allow one to really experience the wild side of life into ones ordered, structured life. This thought come in large part from the New Age thought and economic prosperity, but its roots can ultimately be traced back to the ancient Greek tradition, stemming in part from Euripides The Bacchae. The Bacchae shows, through the extreme ends of tyrannical control and absolute frenzy, the need for balance between strict order and manic passion, or else, society will be doomed. Life cannot exist without stern organization, but simultaneously, life cannot exist without frenzied fervor. The Bacchae presents the twin struggle between restraint and release. Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, prophecy, religious ecstasy and fertility, begins the play alr...

Term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Term paper - Essay Example Most of the Hong Kong made films are often criticized for plagiarizing or copying the films of other cinemas such as Hollywood (Pang 74). In the case of the Fist of Fury, Bruce Lee was being accused of â€Å"having no style as style† because the film was generally patterned from the Japanese cinema style (Pang 74). Instead of using the typical Chinese kung fu style, Lee incorporated what he has learned from his â€Å"Jeet Kune Do† training (Zhuo and Cheuk 44; Eleftheriotis and Needham 111) with the use of the Japanese martial arts (Pang 74). In the process of integrating different kung fu style, Lee somehow managed to come up with his own kung fu style. Specifically in the movie Fist of Fury, Bruce Lee played the role of Chen Zhen. As compared to Jackie Chan’s kung fu style, Lee’s kung fu style was more serious as always. This is mainly because the kind of films that Bruce Lee makes are mostly action ones (Mennel 90; You Tube b). Bruce Lee is known for his fast reflex when doing his kung fu movements. This can be seen in the film when he tried to fight on behalf of his co-workers who were engaged in the fight with the top management’s security personnel (You Tube b 45:31). During the actual production, Bruce Lee encountered some communication problem with some of the extra. Back then, Lee had to find somebody to translate his instructions (Black Belt 26). This is probably true because Bruce Lee has been working with people with different cultural background. When doing martial arts film, it is difficult on the part of the actor to control his movements without literally hurting the extra when filming a stunt. To create a more realistic action film, the actors should pay attention to the timing of their actions. Instead of hurting himself from doing kung fu acts, Bruce Lee was the one who is causing more physical injuries and fracture to those extras. For instance, when Bruce Lee had to kick the extra during the set, he had a hard time controlling the force

Office Art Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Office Art Memo - Assignment Example The paper "Office Art Memo" focuses on the six pieces of art. Impressionists interplay of lights and shadows form an important premise of these paintings. Another characteristic is its unfinished smudged brushstrokes compared to following lines and contours in traditional painting. Included among the foremost of these painters are Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot and Andrew Sisely. The first painting I have chosen from the 19th century Impressionist Era is a replica of Camille Pissarro’s ‘The Garden of Pontoise’. It is oil on canvas. This painting I feel is very true to life, as all of Pissarro’s work was, and shows a young woman being entertained by a small child as she sits in the shade of her umbrella on a bench in a garden. Nothing could be a more simple expression of the glory of nature as a mother enjoying the antics of her child. The bond between mother and child, the pride and the glory of motherhood and nurturing is embodied in this work, but so elegantly set in the backdrop of this colorful garden that no one could help looking at it. The bright hues and colors of the early evening are evident here. The glory of the colorful garden in bloom takes one away from the business of life and helps one appreciate the value of leisure. No wonder Pissarro is regarded as among the founding fathers of Impressionism. The second piece of Impressionist painting I have selected is a replica of the Portrait of Charles and Georges Durand-Ruel., which the artist Pierre Auguste Renoir painted in 1882. In the portrait painting, both father and son are seated on a garden bench with greenery in the backdrop. The features of both are unmistakably alike, and the father is dressed more elegantly in an open three piece suit, with his left arm around his son. The son Georges is attired in a purple closed suit, and is also shown sporting a cigarette in his left hand. The father does not see m appalled at this circumstance and it shows his open-mindedness and confidence in his son. I am hoping here that the selection of this painting will signify