Informative Speech on Art Communication

A. Gain Attention The most famous quote that people associate with art is â€Å"A picture paints a thousand words†. Although this is a quote widely known, I would say that the quote â€Å"Painting is a blind man's profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen† accurately describes the essence of art. B. Arouse Interest Art is an outlet for self-expression and creativity. Through the use of paintings many artists have created works that have become known throughout the entire world. And why are these paintings so famous? visual aid: Andy Warhol, American Gothic, Guernica, The Persistence of Memory, The Last Supper, The Scream) * Complexity * Controversy C. Thesis Statement. Without a doubt, art is a form of communication that allows one to express what they cannot accomplish through the use of words. D. Establish Qualifications Through the art history course that I took here at Seneca Valley and the extensive rese arch that I have done I have discovered many ways through which art can communicate a message that the artist wants to make public.E. Forecast Organization and Development There is a form of communication called aesthetic communication and this is what the messages given through the form of art are. They are creative representations of an artist’s ideas, perspective, views, and values through the use of various symbols, colors, and methods. Through these uses of art, the artist creates meaningful works, whose purpose is to invoke a response from the audience. There are hundreds of examples of paintings that have had huge effects on society.There are paintings which have captured history and the values during a certain time and there are paintings that have made a social commentary on the time of creation. BODY A. Through the use of symbols, many paintings convey messages that might mean different things for different people. Visual aid: the persistence of time and Andy Warhol ’s Campbell’s soup. What are these artists trying to say? Symbolism of melting clocks, ants, and the fading painting: Andy Warhol’s symbolism of the soup cans: humor, poking fun at the traditional painting of the fruit bowl, repetition.One might not immediately derive this from looking at the painting. Some might even criticize it because they don’t understand the message. All these things might mean something different to someone from a different culture. What you are exposed to ultimately influences your thoughts and perceptions on a subject and artists do count for this. They know that there are differences in the way that people see their paintings. They embrace this. Everything is not always black and white in the world of art.Although many art historians analyze paintings for years and years, sometimes in some cases, we may never know the entirety of the message that the artist wanted to convey through the painting. These two paintings attempt to te ll a story through the use of these symbols B. Paintings have also become a way to capture history in the making. They were used before photographs and now, some paintings are the only things we have to rely on for knowledge about certain ancient cultures. â€Å"It is said that art is a way of communicating that which is within to those who are on the outside. The artists who capture these moments in history, obviously found it necessary that they paint it. They want to show the world an event, a person, or a place that has extreme significance to them. Take for example, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. This painting was a response to the devastating events which took place in Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting shows severed head, mutilated animals and bodies, and overall suffering. Through this painting Picasso made a comment on how war and fighting ultimately leads to suffering of innocent beings.This painting clearly shows his anti-war views and his promotion of peace. Francisco De Goya’s painting: Tres De Mayo Shows French soldiers being executed for defending Madrid. The way that it is portrayed in the painting, you can obviously tell what Goya thought about this event. He felt the need for these martyrs to be remembered. He valued their lives and wanted justice for what the French had done. This is also a way to communicate what took place on that day and through these horrible images, the painting can be interpreted as a call to arms, to defend Spain.Going back to symbolism, the stance of the man in white says a lot about Goya’s view. He has a Christ like stance in the painting, which shows that Goya believes that he is a martyr. He is someone sacrificing himself for his people. C. Paintings are also used to make social commentary on beliefs or issues that we face in the world. One of the most famous paintings that reflects a time in history is American Gothic. This painting has been taken to be a satire of the MidWestern life and way of thinking during the time that Grant Wood painted it.This painting is widely used to show current social issues and the people in the painting are usually replaced with what the current culture believes is the standard. In those times this painting reflected the simpler life, but the meaning is unknown. Many believe that he was being satirical, poking fun at the innocence of the Western life and the simplicity. The title also seems to be satirical as well, â€Å"American Gothic†. The Gothic movement was most certainly not American and he might be making fun by comparing adding this gothic architecture to the surrounding all American scene in the painting.Andy Warhol’s The Last Supper Series: One painting in particular features an outline of the last supper painting and brand names plastered all over the painting. This is a comment on our society today and our obsession with materialistic things, comparing it to the times of the last supper makes our obs ession seem even more dramatic. The painting is also a comment on the excessive advertisements in our society today. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/keywords/painting. html

Mount Plesant

Opgave A – Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant from 2005 is an odd little short story. The story’s narrative technique and language is very unique, because it allows you to see a child’s world from its perspective. The way the story is written makes you think of your own childhood where ghosts and the darkness were the scariest things in the whole wide world. Below, I will analyze this odd little short story, and also give you an interpretation of Mary-Louise Buxton’s Mount Pleasant where she so curiously write about Elizabeth and her imaginative everyday life.The short story is about a girl Elizabeth who narrates the reader through her every day life. How she discovers the world, how she see her parents and how she interpret things. This short story is not like any other short story, because normally you would have this big climax, with life-changing experiences, and a main theme to tell you how to live your life. This story is â€Å"just† a little child ’s experiences. The thing that makes this story interesting is the extraordinary first-person narrator.The story is in a way written like some sort of diary by a six-year-old. I think the narrator is about six because she talks about the boy on the picture and he looks around 9-10 not much older than her: â€Å"He’s maybe nine or ten, not that much older than I am† The Narrator does not alter the spoken language; it makes the story seem a bit messy but also childish. The language is a big part of this short story because the writer, Mary-Louise, plays with names for objects and concepts, words and the way the different parts of the story are put together.Talking about names, it could be names such as: â€Å"Mammy† â€Å"The Look† â€Å"Granny ‘Omi’s Duckering Ball† â€Å"Babby† â€Å"Boo Boo† Playing with nicknames like this gives the story a childish feeling, and if Mary-Louise had chosen to use a â€Å"grown-upà ¢â‚¬  language the story would not have been the same, so this is most likely why this kind of language is chosen. You instantly know the narrator is a child, because the little girl are having a constant urge for being entertained. It is hard for her to focus.It is seen a couple of times in the story, at first it is kind of confusing, but the second time you read the story the meaning of it gets more clear. The best example is when she is talking about her mother’s behavior, in the situation where her dad puts the picture of the little boy on the mantelpiece. Then out of nowhere our protagonist begins talking about the area and how everyone know her and her sister, how the nuns treat them, the different shops in the area, and then followed by a very descriptive list of sweets you can get at the corner in the tub shop: And then there’s the tub shop on the corner where you can go in and buy big tubs of ice cream, and get sweets out of great big glass jars behind the co unter – raspberry ruffles and chewing nuts and chocolate raisins and liquorice sticks and ice cups and strawberry boot lace† And after talking about the candy she suddenly returns to the time and place she broke loose from. Changing the subjects is confusing, but also what you would expect a child to do. Another thing that keeps it childish is the small ‘wake up! ’ line such as Mammy said not to get dirty. † â€Å"We never want to go home. † They spice up the language, and would definitely be something a child would do. It fits very well with the narrative structure of the story If you look at the characters other than the protagonist, you immediately think of the parents. I think it is good writing, because not only is the parents the most important character in a child’s life, it is also two of the most important character in this short story. You get the impression that the mother is the strict one: If I see that bloody picture again at tea time† â€Å"Mammy said not to get dirty† The father is the exact opposite he is the fun one, the one who lets Elizabeth and her sister stay op late and the less strict one. The father has a more childish language saying Boo Boo and Bobby dazzler. However, the father may not be as sweet and loving as you would expect. One night he takes his two daughters to bed and the dog will no move and instead of calling it by its name he is saying ‘dog’ and then he slaps the dog so hard that it gets scared and hide under the table.I did not notice it at first because our narrator does not make it unusually and a big deal, it makes you think that it could have happened before. All through the story I waited for something bad or devastating to happen, but nothing happened, or maybe the real disaster is hidden? In the end it is mentioned that the mother picks up the picture of the boy and puts it back on to the mantelpiece, and you hear Elizabeth’s thoughts a bout it dropping down in the night. But earlier in the story it says: â€Å"I run to the mantelpiece and put the picture in the grate†She had put it there herself, so it could be understood as a symbol of disorder. The night where this happens could very well be the night where Elizabeth sees a ghost walking around and locking her to her bed. When you have a child as your narrator, it is always hard to tell if something really happened, maybe Elizabeth did see this ghost, or it could be that nothing happened during that night, it was just normal behavior from a child who were scared in the dark. It is a hard deal knowing when children speak the truth and when they overreact.This story is definitely not like your typical short story, it is cryptic and you have to read it a few times before you get what is going on. Maybe the message is just how a child sees the world and how you have to remember to dream and imagine, with themes such as being imaginative, childhood and fear. à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [ 1 ]. P. 2 L. 59 [ 2 ]. p. 1 l. 1 [ 3 ]. p. 2 l. 46 [ 4 ]. p. 2 l. 49 [ 5 ]. p. 1 l. 28 [ 6 ]. p. 2 l. 69 [ 7 ]. p. 3 l 91-94 [ 8 ]. p. 1 l. 18 [ 9 ]. p. 3 l. 114 [ 10 ]. p. 2 l. 53 [ 11 ]. p. 1 l. 18 [ 12 ]. p. 5 l. 164

Economic Growth Essay

Consider the following examples of economic activities: †¢ Purchasing of groceries †¢ Massive layoff of employees †¢ Decrease in taxes Describe how each of these activities affects government, households, and businesses. Describe the flow of resources from one entity to another for each activity. Relate at least one current event to the activities. †¢ Inflation rate It is based on the rising price of good and services and falling purchasing power. This measurement shows how fast currency loses value. This is calculated by how fast prices for goods and services rise over time, or how much less one unit of exchange buys now equated to one unit of exchange at a given time in the past. †¢ Real GDP Real variable, such as the real interest rate, is one where the effects of inflation have been factored in. Real Gross Domestic Product measures the worth of all the goods and services produced stated in the prices of some base year. †¢ Nominal GDP A nominal variable is one where the effects of inflation have not been accounted for. The Nominal Gross Domestic Product measures the worth of all the goods and services produced stated in current prices. Macroeconomics is perceived as a relatively new concept considering the lack of interest in studying the economy before the 1930s. However, a specific terminology was created that dealt with the problems that is faced by the economy daily. That has aided in a better understanding the differences between macro and microeconomics. Macroeconomics speaks of the aggregate economic facotors and entails employment, interest rates and gross domestic product of nations. Purchasing of Groceries The amount of money spent in each household differ based on the size and  specific needs of the family. A larger family will have a higher grocery bill in most cases. The government palys a major role because grocery items are taxed and will dtermine how much groceries families may be able to purchase. Businesses are also affected by consumers’when sales decrease due to their inability to shop due to price increase. This will bring in less revenue for the business. Massive Layoff of Employees A massive layoff is an unpleasant occurrence for all involved. This is an indication of the economic state of the company as it implies downsizing of the company. In this situation, the company will impose more responsibility on the few workers that they do have. They would not be able to operate sufficiently. This would impact households this represents a decease or complete (cut) in income. The standard of living of affected households will drop as a result of being laid off. The government will also be affected by massive layoff of employees due to the them having to pay unemployment to these individuals.

Biographical Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biographical Synthesis - Essay Example Death was inevitably his favorite topic in both his poems and short stories. During his life, Poe experienced severe social isolation. These feeling of isolation started when his father demised or disappeared about the time of his sister’s birth. His sister’s name was Rosalie (Patrick 20-22). The family then relocated and Poe was isolated from his older brother, who was left with relations in Baltimore. During those younger years, he found his mother in the final phase of tuberculosis. On her demise, he was then isolated from his younger sister, Rosalie. Another major low point in Poe’s life was the demise of his surrogate mother, Mrs. Frances Allan, and his surrogate father rejecting him, all happening at one time. The most important setback to him was the sudden demise of his cousin, whom she had married-Virginia Clemm. This solitary loneness was the cause of almost all of his feelings of separation in his adulthood. He was attacked by a fit of apprehension that made him believe that almost everyone he become close to would eventually die. The topics of isolation become inherent topics in his work (Silverman 12-19). William Wilson is a short story which tells of a man and his doppelganger, which runs after the man around the universe trying to keep him away from trouble. Poe created his character to represent his own accounts of boyhood, which was he spent â€Å"a large, rambling Elizabethan schoolhouse, in a misty-looking village of England† (30-33). The setting of William Wilson is undoubtedly semi-autobiographical and passes as relation to Allan Edgar Poe’s home in England as a boy. â€Å"The misty-looking village of England† (30-33). The poem A Dream within a Dream explores the difficult process o saying goodbye to a loved one. Poe wrote this poem after the experience he went through after losing the women he had affairs with. In Poe’s mind, he perceived

Using Compensation as a Change Agent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Using Compensation as a Change Agent - Essay Example The various forces of change include the changes in the competitive scenario, the emergence of the substitute products, the competitive market pricing of the products, the evolving changes in technology and the human resources of the organization that implements those changes. In order to respond to these forces of change and attain sustainability of the business, compensation could be identified as the change agent that influences the activities of recruiting, production levels, employee morale and the satisfaction level of the workforce (Gomez-Mejia,  Berrone and  Franco-Santos, 2010). Use of ccompensation as a change agent The compensation is the payment done by the business houses to their employees in exchange of the services provided by them in running the operation of the company. Compensation is an important aspect in the field of human resource management. Recruitment, productivity, moral, and employee and employer satisfaction are important terms in human resource manag ement process. The human resource managers or the professionals use compensation as change agent in order to help the organization. The level of compensation is fixed by the organization depending on various factors such as the revenue earned, cost incurred by the company, total number of workers and the efficiency of the employee. The compensation offered to the employees could be one of the most important factors that determine the level of efficiency of work. The compensation offered to the employees takes into account the volume of output required from the employee and the versatility of the employee to manage different areas of operation. Thus compensation drives the required actions necessary for achieving the objectives and goals of the organization. The level of compensation creates a brand image for the company among the several stakeholders including the employees, customers, etc. As an agent to drive the required changes in the company and establish its position in the in dustry, compensation could be one of the most effective factors. How organizations can utilize compensation to help with and affects recruiting employees, retaining employees, boosting productivity, boosting morale, boosting satisfaction Rrecruiting employees Compensation as an agent of change significantly impacts the recruiting activity of the organization. The compensation is mentioned upright on the job advertisement which is taken into consideration by the candidates before applying for the job. Although the volume of applications does not decide the quality of the candidates, a higher level of compensation, however, allows the company to select a candidate with superior skills and competencies as per the requirement of the company. Thus, the barriers to recruiting the candidates could be removed by offering a higher level of compensation (Tropman, 2002). The process of recruiting is aimed at selecting the right candidate required for driving the activities for implementing the changes. The limitations of the competency level of the candidate to be selected could be removed with the help of offering a suitable compensation. The compensation level, therefore acts as the agent that could drive the forces of change. Retaining employees Employee retention is one of the important factors of all organization. Responsibility of higher employee retention rate goes to the mainly the human resource department. In the current competitive business environment, getting skilled employees has very much difficult similar to as getting potential customers. Therefore, the organizations have started focusing on employee retention along the customer retention. According to Maslow’

Blog # 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Blog # 6 - Assignment Example Women love the love stories that men from these films display where they appear to end up overly happy. The women also deem that by involving themselves with Korean men, they will have the same feeling (Onishi, 2008). One significant long-term effect is that this might lead to cultural degradation because the women are rushing to intermarry with different cultures, which will, in the long run degrade the two cultures that are involved in the matrimony. This is because as cultures intermarry, they tend to endorse other cultures apart from theirs, thus leading to clashes in between (Onishi, 2012). Finally, the short-term effect the clashes that women in Korea would have with Korean men for choosing to go abroad to marry instead of marrying their own. It is not significant because it is important to reserve ones culture in order to ensure continuity of the culture. Chan, B., & Xueli, W. (2011). Of prince charming and male chauvinist pigs: Singaporean female viewers and the dream-world of Korean television dramas. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 14(5), 291-306. Onishi, N. (2012). For some in Vietnam, prosperity is a South Korean son-in-law. Retrieved from

Public and Private Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public and Private Education - Essay Example Public and Private Education Education is the process of experiencing. Experiencing happens through or by learning. Going further deeply into how some eminent educationalists define the same term, Richard Aldrich (2006, p. 1) believed in his 'working definition' of education that it is 'concerned with the promotion of knowledge over ignorance, of truth over falsehood, of concern for others over selfishness, of mental and physical well-being over despair and debility'. Not only in the above statement, nowhere in the modern world as a matter of fact or none of the legal literature of any country, does it pointedly specify that race, class, status are, by any means, the criteria for any individual to receive formal education. However, the sole objective of any government's actions toward maintaining the data of local communities, economic classes or division of households according to their income status has always been for the sake of giving the right person the right priority and preference. In principle, educati on received by any individual is strongly supposed to be equal. The studies like that of Sociology are particularly interested and motivated to take an action on, wherever an amount 'inequality' seems to exist. This essay makes a modest attempt, may not be to the fullest, toward the same goal. Going back a little into the history of the UK, and specifically considering the lifestyle of its citizens during the time between 16th and 18th centuries, we can understand why there a variety of educational systems is in the present times.

Capitalism, Socialism, and Keynesian Economics Essay

Capitalism, Socialism, and Keynesian Economics - Essay Example They set out a plan that would see them complete their work within the scheduled time, and even promised a $300 bonus if the work was completed early enough. This was to act as a motivation to all members. However, Parker seemed to dislike the way Millar did his work and was always shouting at him. Instead of looking for ways of making things work, Parker always used an angry tone when addressing Millar. Rather than use silent authority, parker chose to assert his authority by vocally challenging Millar in front of the rest of the works. When forming a team, the norms and dynamics that control the way people interact will create a better ability to discuss counterproductive norms that could derail the team’s efforts (McShane and Steen, 2012). Parker did not dwell on this, and that meant that the path-goal leadership style he chose to use was not as effective as he thought it could be. He was not supportive and that meant he would have to push people rather than persuade them to achieve their goals so as to meet their personal needs. Parker did not create a team that had cohesive outcomes enough to meet their needs and remain active members. He was not willing to let Talbot assist Millar even after he offered. Parker exhibited a task-oriented behavior that meant he would assign specific tasks and ensure that all employees follow the rules as stipulated. He should input some people-oriented behaviors to help gain the trust of the employees and receive maximum cooperation from them. To handle this case conclusively, there ought to be some sobriety. Conflict resolution requires the participation of all members as opposed to the feeling that one of the members is superior or above the law. The organizational culture in the organization will also determine the success of this conflict resolution process. This is because employees must trust the process before committing to it. Millar has not worked for Arctic again since this conflict

Technology - Voice Recognition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Technology - Voice Recognition - Essay Example The historical development of speech recognition technology spans at least 50 years. These years can be divided into decades, which most researchers would identify as generations. The 1950s and the 1960s was the period of first generation speech recognition technologies. The market condition for the technology during and immediately preceding periods was not favorable because it was only during the latter part of the 1990s when the technology became cheap and made available to many consumer markets. The late 1960s through the 1970s saw the second-generation technology; the late 1970s through 1980s were for the third generation and so forth. One of the earliest speech recognition technologies include the system for isolated digit recognition developed by the American company Bell Laboratories as well as the technology developed by RCA Laboratories that recognized distinct syllables spoken by a speaker. (Chen and Jokinen, 2010, p. 2) These technologies, including the succeeding attempts of various laboratories were classified as Automatic Speech Recognition or ASR systems, which are primarily based on acoustic phonetic systems. The second generation technologies entailed several breakthroughs. Most of the systems developed used dynamic programming methods such as the Viterbi algorithm, which became indispensable technique in ASR. (Chen and Jokinen, p. 3) Many companies began developing their own speech recognition technologies such as IBM and others companies overseas such as Japan and the then Soviet Union. By 1980s, the third generation has already perfected technologies that that could recognize a fluently spoken stri ng of connected word in addition to the development of various other models such as the statistical modeling and the continuous speech recognition concept developed by DARPA. (p. 4) From the 1990s to the present the development became robust as other technologies that

The World of Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The World of Hamlet - Essay Example The imaginary world, the play's world, is thus a self-contained world in which everything is as it should be. That said, he finds this play to be the most elusive of all of Shakespeare's work. He paraphrases a Mr. E.M. W. Tillyard, stating that, No one is likely to accept another man's reading of Hamlet, that anyone who tries to throw light on one part of the play usually throws the rest into deeper shadow, and that what I have to say leaves out many problems-to mention only one, the knotty problem of the text (Mack, 1952: 87). The purpose of this essay is to determine whether Mack's assertion that three attributes of the play are, in fact, reasonable foundations for determining the popularity and the endurance of this play. To this end, this essay will examine the three attributes posited by Mack and argue that these attributes are indeed aspects of the imaginary world which do explain the power and the depth of the play. The first attribute refers to the mysteriousness of Hamlet's imaginary world. Mysteriousness, as Mack sees it, has long been an element associated with unique artistic endeavors. In Hamlet, this mysteriousness is manifest in many ways and pervades the text of the play rather than functioning as a sporadic or fleeting element. Mack cites the nature of Hamlet's madness, the ghost, his behavior toward Ophelia and Polonius, his clothing, and the manner in which his madness affects the other characters. There is, in effect, an extreme element of unpredictability which serves to fascinate rather than to discourage the reader of the play. This mysteriousness is engaging rather than unacceptable, and it functions to pull the reader into Hamlet's world. The lack of logic, the riddles, and the unexpected reactions and twists cannot be questioned in this imaginary world; quite the contrary, they function to unite the characters and the events more persuasively than if logic and reason had prev ailed. Mysteriousness, in short, is certainly one reasonable explanation for the emotion which the play generates. The second attribute refers to the tension between realties and appearances in the play. There is a problem which arises in the play in terms of distinguishing reality from appearances. This element of the play exacerbates rather than constrains the mysteriousness of the play. The ghost, for instance, is symbolic of this second type of attribute. The ghost is, in Mack's words, a "vehicle of truth" and yet its motivations and true form is uncertain. Realities spill forth from an apparition which itself is suspect. The reader of the play is thus confronted with more mysteriousness. Moreover, there is a constant second-guessing as to the real substance of the characters. What, for example, do Polonius and Ophelia truly desire Claudius repents. The King desires salvation. Much of what is learned is learned indirectly. Words are overheard and people are hidden. There is a sense that what is hidden is real and what is apparent is mere appearance. The language employed by the characters is deceptive and sincere. There are real questions as to what is the truth of many matters. What is the truth of Ophelia What is the true nature of the apparition and do his words convey reality or something less This second attribute, the layers of realities and appearances which are interwoven so seamlessly, certainly reflect this imaginary wo

God and Mephistopheles Essay Example for Free

God and Mephistopheles Essay In the prologue of Faust, Mephisto entered into agreement with the Lord. What are the terms of the agreement, and how does he go about attempting to win? What exactly does achieve in the process? In the beginning of the tragedy there is a dialogue between God and Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles says that people can’t use their mind in the right way. God argues and gives an example of Faust’s serving to Him and to people. Then Mephistopheles asks permission to put Faust on any trial because he wants to prove that Faust will fail. He obtains such permission but God is sure that Faust will feel the right way and that he will be saved. So, the struggle for Faust’s soul begins. As Faust is anxious about finding the highest sense of life, Mephistopheles wants to show the delights to Faust. They deal that if the scientist wants a moment to stay forever, he will be Mephistopheles’ servant. He tries to tempt him with the help of beautiful women Margaret and then Helen, but Faust can’t get a full happiness with them. The author reveals this idea by Helen’s words while her disappearing: â€Å"Alas, the ancient word proves true for me, as well: That joy and beauty never lastingly unite. † Mephistopheles also tries to arouse Faust’s desire to glory and worship but these attempts have no success. Finally Faust wishes the moment to stay forever, but Mephistopheles doesn’t win. It happens when he is building dam in order to help the people who suffer from floods. This wish is altruistic and that’s why Faust is saved. He finds the highest sense of life in common action that is necessary for everybody and that is realized by everybody. Outline some of the themes in Faust, and explain one briefly. In my opinion, it is possible to outline such themes of the tragedy as struggle between good and evil that occurs at global and private levels, the failure of the human ambitions to control and to change the nature and the natural phenomenon, the eternal search of the highest sense of life. The last theme is the main one of the tragedy, because Faust is anxious about getting absolute happiness. The temptations that Mephistopheles proposed to Faust couldn’t bring real and lasting joy. It means that people can hardly be happy when they rely on the things that pass soon as feeling in love and using the power upon people and glory. Feeling in love is wonderful, but it doesn’t guarantee the happiness. People are selfish and they do harm to their nearest very often. The example of the relationships between Faust and Margaret confirms this thought, because the main character’s selfish desire was a reason of Margaret death and the murders of her mother, child and brother. So, the idea of serving to people is contrasted to the selfish wishes of people. Faust was saved because his final deed was philanthropic. By the example of Faust Goethe shows us that a person always feel deep inside what is right and what is wrong but unfortunately it doesn’t mean that everybody finds the true sense of life. Compare and contrast the uses and/or criticism of religion in Hamlet and Faust. The Hamlet’s problem contains more philosophic and social aspects than religious ones. He struggles with the time he lives in and tries to improve it but he fails. Unsuccessful attempts of changing the world that doesn’t fit with Hamlet’s ideals results his fatalism and the final events of the tragedy. Hamlet doubts in the right of the events of global concern and that’s why his attitude towards religion is also doubtful. In his main monologue Hamlet supposes that death is a means of solving the problems of life. This thought doesn’t fit to the Christian ideas which had to be close for him. To my mind, the ideas of â€Å"Faust† are opposite to the ones of â€Å"Hamlet†. Goethe develops the plot of the tragedy with the help of such characters as God and Mephistopheles that demonstrates the authors’ persuasion that people are ruled by the supernatural essences. The fact that Faust is working on New Testament’s translation also reveals the idea of constant interaction between people and God. Goethe thinks that serving to people and serving to God are equal virtues. The fact that Mephistopheles couldn’t win the agreement also confirms the religious idea of constant victory of good. The main characters of the world literature’s masterpieces Hamlet and Faust are compared with each other frequently. Their personalities are alike because both of them try to struggle with the world order and challenge the destiny. Faust is going to know all the secrets of nature and his way to improve his own life and the whole world is scientific. What about Hamlet, he broadens the tragedy of his family to a global scale that’s why his thoughts about injustice concern not only his uncle but the human’s life. The first of act of Hamlet reveals that the ghost of his father assigns Hamlet an ambiguous duty. What are these duties, and using the text effectively, explain the one you think Hamlets satisfied? In the first act Hamlet knows from the Ghost of his father that he was killed and the Ghost asks him to revenge to Hamlet’s uncle for this murder. Though, the most important thing while revenging is to keep the soul innocent: â€Å"But, howsoever thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  To my mind, Hamlet couldn’t execute such necessary conditions. Finally he revenges to Claudius, but as a result not only Hamlet’s mother died. Ophelia, Laertes, Polonius also became victims of the revenge. In the beginning the Hamlet’s soul doubted about the ways of the vengeance and he suffered a lot from these doubts, but the view of warriors has a great influence on him. The warriors are going to fight because of the land that their ruler doesn’t want to rent. The fact that twenty thousands of people are going to die because the honor of the king is wounded makes him decide that his thoughts and actions should be bloody and ruthless. He can’t keep his soul clear because, to my mind, his fault for the deaths of people that are close to him finally destroys his conscience.

The negative effects of being to dependt on technology Essay Example for Free

The negative effects of being to dependt on technology Essay Today’s technology is more advanced and it may make your life more easier, but today im going to give you an insight on how being too dependent on technology has it negative effects on us as people in this world. When depending on technology it will give you negative effects toward your education, behavior, and economy. â€Å"People have become too dependent on technology. Many people now won’t go anywhere without their cell phone, or GPS or even their laptop computer. People today have forgotten how to spell correctly or do simple math† according to ask.com The negative effect on education by being too reliant on. Technology is relied on more and more, children today use digital communication instead of improving their writing skills. They don’t know how to write cursive, do proper grammar, and correct their spelling. People that want or feel like their cell phone or laptop is everything to them in other words its and addiction. It makes you lose track of what you’re supposed to do for instance you’re doing your homework but you keep checking your phone or laptop knowing you have to focus. According to 500 American student 73 percent said â€Å"they wouldn’t be able to study without technology†. And 38 percent couldn’t study without checking their phone or laptop. On the other hand technology has a negative effect on behavior, lazy both physically and mentally. Physically when you’re too lazy to move because you’re so use to some type of technological equipment. And mentally because your brain become too lazy to think and less able to do critical thinking. . Automobiles make it less effort for people to move however, car accidents are responsible for more death than non-health related issue. Obesity and Physical Fitness is also a result children are overweight by 10percent because of their lack of exercise and spending countless of hours in front of the computer, or television. Instead of going out to ride a bike or play out door games. For example, I’m one of those people that depends on technology and I felled P.E. my first semester in high school because I rather txt, talk on the phone or be on Facebook. Instead of doing what I was supposed to do in a result II failed P.E. but was giving an opportunities to take an online P.E. class and take this from me if you don’t want to sit at a computer all day of the week then I would suggest do our physical  activities. \ Economic also have several different negative effects. It cost financial drain focusing small businesses to close because of machine technology are taking over. Not only can it put small businesses out of business it can also put big businesses because people look a technology as in it doesn’t take strike, you don’t have to pay them, and you don’t have to worry about a machine going on break. Its sound good but what happens if the machine break down you can’t fix it because the lack of education due to the fact you’d rather invest in technology instead of learning about the risks. The risk of it putting you and or your employees out of a job. Plus it cost those practice for the tec hnology to be even used which the money is being waste instead of being put toward something more effective. With that in mind, let’s say all technology stops and your so depended on technology that you don’t know what to do. From a simple tasked such as writing a paper without typing to knowing a problem right off the top of your head with looking it up. Or let’s say you’re a game freak what happen if all video games and television was gone what would you do with yourself? Go out and become crazy having mental problem, go out and do crime to relive your game or go on with your life. For example my sister dropped her phone and it broke she was said crying like a child but she 22 she thought her whole world end. I looked at her in disbelief thinking to myself is she really doing this over a phone but people today grown attracts to their technology they would freak out if it wasn’t around and that’s a bad thing to see. Generally speaking being too dependent on technology has it negative effects dealing with our education, behavior, and economy. It keeps you from focusing, makes you lazy, and putting people out of jobs. So, remember when depending on technology it will give you ne gative effects toward your writing and grammar, your physical and mental body, and small businesses. Everyone is depending on Google for everything and they are not referring to books.

Globalization And Intercultural Communication Cultural Studies Essay

Globalization And Intercultural Communication Cultural Studies Essay What is Globalization? Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around the world. What is intercultural communication? Intercultural communication, more precisely then, is defined as the study of communication between people whose cultural perception and symbol system are distinct enough to alter their communication e.g. In China, KFCs Finger licking good was translated as Eat your fingers off. Chevrolet attempted unsuccessfully to market its Nova compact car in Latin America countries. In Spanish no va means does not go or it does not run. In todays global scenario governments, organizations and companies are getting involved more and more. And because of globalization there has been fundamental change in who, where and why we do business and it is not constrained by borders or distance. More and more people from the remote locations in overseas location or from different cultural backgrounds are chosen to run the organization. To secure success in todays globalised workplace there is a need for effective and clear intercultural communication. How people communicate, manage, work together, approach deadlines, negotiate, meet, greet and build relationships are important aspects of intercultural communication within the context of globalised business or organization. It is becoming much more related on two fronts 1. Businesses with a mix of cultures working together and 2.Businesses wanting to trade successfully abroad. It leads to bad presentation and lost deals if people are unaware of how to get along and get business done. For achieving business goals and higher profitability it is necessary to understand intercultural communication differences, manners, etiquette, protocol and communication styles. To achieve competitive edge it is necessary to know intercultural communication. It is necessary for people to get it right and get it right at the first time. Intercultural communication plays an important role whenever an organization looks for a new supplier, giving a presentation or negotiating a contract. In conclusion, the need for intercultural communication skill is obvious we are all working in an interconnected global economy and it is important to build good relationships with people from other cultures. Globalised world economy is having a positive effect on individuals and companies. People extend their inter personal skills, flex their creative muscle and learn new ways of doing things when they are forced to think outside the box. It is necessary to build a good relationship with people in todays interconnected global economy which tells us the need for intercultural communication is important. This leads to better business. Key aspects of intercultural communication: Perception: The internal process by which we select, organise and intercept information from the outside world is known as Perception. In other words, what we tend to notice, reflect upon and respond to in our surroundings is our perception and it is significant to us. Because of which no two person can have same perception of our surroundings. It is especially in the case if we interact with people who come from very different cultures different from our own. The way in which each one of us perceives the world is learned and is part of our own cultural experience. Certain kind of food or the responses like we have to going to see the doctor is the judgement we make and we all react to these different events in the way our culture has taught. Our perceptions are culturally determined and in turn influence the way we communicate. Beliefs: The judgements which we make about what is true or wrong is known as Beliefs. It is usually linked to objects or events that pose certain characteristics that we believe to be true with or without proof. E.g. we have beliefs about religion (God), events (meeting was successful), other people (she is friendly) or even about ourselves (I am hard working). Most of our beliefs are ideas about how things work, why things are the way they are, and where things come from. Many of our beliefs are concerned with providing an explanation for things which would otherwise be unpredictable or inexplicable, such as weather, death and romance. Values: Values are defined as an enduring set of beliefs that serve to guide or direct our behaviour. It represents the norms of the culture and specify, for instance, what is good or bad, right or wrong, rude or polite, appropriate or inappropriate. In other words they provide us with a set of rules for behaving , making choices and reducing uncertainty. Like our perceptions and beliefs, values are learned and hence subject to interpretation. When we interpret behaviour, an object, or an event, we are applying value judgements, which reflect our particular culture. Culture and Pragmatics and Interactional Norms Whenever there is any effect on cultural on communication, text structure are more affected then in the case of inter culture communication. The meaning of equivalent units in terms of contexts of use, and the sorts of interactional trajectories are established by the effect of culture. The culturally based nature of meaning in language use is seen in example, which features an exchange in English between an Australian child and his French mother. Thank you Son: Hi Mum thanks for picking me up. Mother: Thanks for picking you up! Did you think? I wasnt going to come? But Im your Mum; of course I was going to come. Its dark and youre little. Of course I was going to pick you up. In the example a child thanks his mother and the mother reacts negatively. The meaning of thanks for picking up leads to the contention of the issue. Thanking is a mark of appreciation in Australian cultural framework, which means appreciating for something thats has been done for ones benefit. It shows gratitude for the mothers action. But the mothers response in this frame does not make any sense: expressions of appreciation do not typically occasion expressions of anger within this framework. The meaning of thank you is different in the French framework. In the French framework, especially between intimates, thanking is not an automatic acknowledgement for something which is done by another for ones benefit. Rather in close relationships thanking is reserved for unusual or unexpected actions things which are additional to the normal relationships between people. The sons thanking is hearable as a sign that picking me up is not an anticipated act, but rather something extraordinary or strange something this child had not anticipated of the mother. The mothers reaction was towards the construction of the act that is being appreciated and concurrently of the other as the sort of person who would not pick up her son at night and not towards the thanking. An implied criticism is hearable in thanking of the mother. The conflict here is motivated by perceptions of what counts as an appreciable act. For the son, any beneficial act is appreciable but for the mother this is not the case. The translation of the following sentence is similar but it has different meaning in the Australian English and Polish sentences. Why dont you close the window? Dlaczego nie zamkniesz okna? The English version forms a polite request framed indirectly as a idea, while the other sentence imply stubborn and unreasonable behavior on the part of the addressee. The word to word translation may be same but it is different in the cultural context. Another example would be as follows, Pass me the book. Passe-moi le livre. The sentence in English enacts a relatively low level of politeness in terms of the social relationships, but the French example could be used in a considerably wider range of contexts. In fact, the form passe, which is the tu-form of the verb, encodes a close social relationship which would make example a more natural formulation of the request. In comparison with the following examples, Could you pass me the book? Pourrais-tu me passer le livre? After reading the example a feeling arise as the words in English sounds polite to the ears in the discussion between the family members over the wide range of topics. In the French example it implies where there is a close interpersonal relationship (tu) and it crucially involving more politeness. This type of constraints will be used, where the non-family members uses their interpersonal relationship (tu) to bring harmony among the group which is involving an effort of the addressee or it can be rejected legally. The construction of the words in passing of the book is a challenging task and there is the confusion between the structure and situation. In the communication between people, culture plays an important role and it influences the speaker to choose words in a particular language. This simple example proves, as in a social interaction in English, How are you is the most frequently used greeting words. The first question which comes in my mind is what is Globalisation? Globalization refers to the growing interconnectedness of different parts of the world, a process which gives rise to complex forms of interaction and interdependency. (Thompson 1995) Globalisation as a concept refers to both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole. (Robertson 1992) Globalisation refers to all those processes by which the peoples of the world are incorporated into a single world society, global society. (Albrow 1990) The second question comes in my mind is what is Intercultural Communication? Communication between two people from different cultures is said to be intercultural communication. It comes in to existence when a person from one culture tries to communicate with the person from another culture, a communication is understood. The potential for misunderstanding and disagreement is great whenever there is a cultural difference in these kinds of contacts. It is to be said that there is a relationship between culture and language. In other words, language is a guide to culture. Other scholars argue that language merely reflects, rather than shapes, our thinking, beliefs, and attitudes. Despite these differences in approaches, all scholars still agree that a close relationship exists between language and culture. Language plays very important role in both globalisation and intercultural communication. Whenever an organisation wants to start a new business it is important for them to know the local language of the host country. If an organisation does not have any idea about the local language, it will be very difficult for them to conduct business in that country and also it will be difficult for them to sell their product in the local market. Now days every organisation around the world is trying to recruit some local employees so that it will be easy for them to communicate with the local customers. It is also necessary for an organisation to the business etiquette of the host country. When I talk about etiquette it means dress, clothing, body language, gestures, dining, gift-giving, meetings, customs, protocol, negotiations, and general behaviour. Another important factor which affects globalisation is culture. It plays an important role for any organisation. If an organisation fails to understand the culture of the host country they could face the following cultural effects, Consumer behaviour Local demand Buying decisions Brand image. Knowledge of Native culture is useful when dealing with home markets but it has little value when dealing in foreign markets. Culture acts as a hidden entry barrier, but it can be overcome with cultural sensitivity, hard work quality. Culture influences managerial styles and management decisions. It also affects the nature of business negotiations. The example for the effect of culture on an organisation is as follows: McDonalds in India. When McDonalds entered the Indian market, it introduced itself as the American style fast food outlet. They priced their product according to the Indian customers attitude, thinking etc. They were one of the first international fast food outlets which were successful in India. The only mistake McDonalds made was they did not read the Indian culture properly. In India beef or cow is to be considered as God in many religions. And McDonalds use beef oil to cook their food. When the Indian consumer came to know about this fact, they started avoiding eating food at McDonalds. Because of this mistake, the brand image of the McDonalds was affected. The education system in India is totally different from Australian education system. In India, teaching style is very different when you compare it to the Australian style. In India, Prof. is the one who speaks in the class for the majority of time and its more of theoretical knowledge then practical knowledge. But when you see the Australian style of teaching, the student are given chance to speak in the class and ask questions whenever they have a doubt. And in Australia, there is a mixture of both practical and theoretical knowledge. So for any Indian student coming to Australia, its difficult for them to adapt to the Australian education system very quickly. It is also necessary to know the gesture or greeting in different country or different culture. For e.g. in India people normally greet by saying Namaste which means Hello in English. They would normally join their hands and say Namaste. But in Australia, people greet in different way i.e. they would normally hug and say hello or shake hands and say Hello. But in India people try to avoid the body contact with the other people when they are greeting them.

Managing Change at SLMC Essay examples -- Change Management

If organizations are to thrive and be sustaining, they need to respond to the dynamics of their environment with change. However, change is not a singular event with an isolated focus (Spector, 2007). Effective strategic renewal is a combination of â€Å"the three faces of change†Ã¢â‚¬â€turnaround, which targets costs; technology, which targets internal process; and behavioral, which targets employee actions and interactions (Spector, 2007). In a discussion on change management, particularly management-by-control versus management-by-shaping, Palmer, et al. (2009) draw a similar conclusion that â€Å"organizations and human systems are complex and evolving and therefore cannot be reduced to a single, linear objective of maximizing shareholder value† (p. 50). Leaders and managers must be able to champion change in their organizations. Initiating and implementing new business strategies are some of the most significant and challenging of a leader’s duties (Mullins, 2011). Because people are often satisfied with the status quo, resistance to change is common. Therefore, a successful change leader must be capable of managing people and the process well. Unfreeze In order for SLMC to transform and achieve strategic renewal, which would require focus on the company’s fully insured health plan, the new leadership team made a compelling argument for change. By being able to demonstrate a need for change people will be less likely to resist change efforts (Mullins, 2011). Sloans’ new leadership was able to provide adequate justification for change by demonstrating the urgency that was required in order for the organization to survive. In addition, the new leadership explained the opportunities for success and advancement within the organ... ...Dunford, ,. R., & Akin, ,. G. (2009). Managing organizational change (2n ed.). New York, NY.: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Preziosi, R. C. ((n.d.)). Organizational Diagnosis Questioinnaire (ODQ). NA: NA. Robbins, & Coulter. (2007). Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Robbins, S. P., Judge, T. A., & Vohra, N. (2012). Organizational behavior (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Spector, B. (2010). Implementing organizational change: Theory into practice (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Tyson, B. (2010, August 25). Overview of Lewin's three stage change model. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/84148.aspx. Vecchio, R. P. (2008). Leadership understanding the dynamics of power and influence in Organizations,( 2nd ed.). Notre Dame, Indiana: university of Notre Dame Press.

What view of mankind does Golding portray in Lord of the Flies? :: Free Essay Writer

What view of mankind does Golding portray in Lord of the Flies? This essay will explore the psychology and thinking behind the characters and writing of the novel 'Lord of the Flies'. Overall, it will answer the question; 'What view of mankind does Golding portray in Lord of the Flies?' From soon after its discovery, if it was 'discovered' at all, the beast becomes more than just a thing on a mountain (its most predominant form), it becomes a major symbol of mankind, and its psyche. Throughout the story, the beast takes on many more forms than the previously mentioned appearance. Once as a 'beastie', seen in the forest by the smaller children. This actually turns out to be the creepers. Sometimes as a large figure that falls from the sky and lands on top of the mountain. This is simply a dead parachutist, but it is left alone by the boys (apart from by Simon, and one expedition by three boys), and is feared greatly by the inhabitants of the island. Lastly, as a pigs head on a stick. This is simply its physical representation, but its existence runs much deeper than this. This head is what is really wrong on this island, but only Simon finds this out, and his life is ended in a fit of excitement. Throughout the story, the beast, in whatever form it takes, takes shape as a small worry, develops into a growing fear, until it reaches a level almost equal to a deity of some kind. The sad thing about these children is that they never quite realise the beast is not a physical thing at all, and if it ever was, they should not have feared it. The only thing the beast was - that was truly fearful - was the hate, evil and ability to harm burning deep inside each and every one of the boys. The main purpose of the beast in this story is to display that without something to fear and respect (a primitive form of religion), then man can, and possibly will go crazy. The conch is the very first important discovery on the story, next to the discovery of two survivors. This discovery is so near to the beginning of the book that it becomes something close to not only Jack and Ralph, but also to the reader. It brings together all of the island dwellers right from the first gathering. The boys advance slowly into savagery, and at the same rate as this happens, the conch slowly loses its importance and democratic symbolism, the boys respond less to its calls, and soon enough, it only calls Sam, Eric, Ralph and

A Comparison of Fate in Iliad and Oedipus Rex :: comparison compare contrast essays

Fate in Iliad and Oedipus Rex In the stories The Iliad and Oedipus Rex, Oedipus and Achilles exemplified the portrayal of how a personal characters' fate may lay in their own hands. The egotistical mindset Oedipus held triggered one of the most tragic turns in his future, resembling Achilles. As for his excess pride, it resulted in the loss of his good friend Patroclus. Oedipus' boastful ways were the initiation of his disastrous downfall. A few years before Oedipus took reign of king, he was requested to step aside while a group of men passed. His self-esteem felt intruded and he was so enraged he killed the crowd. Thinking that he already knew his true father Oedipus did not know that one of the members of the assembly that he had slaughtered was his own father, King Laius. Destroying his father meant destroying the city he was soon to befriend as their king. Oedipus felt as if this curse came from above, as he says in line 1285, "Apollo. Dear children the god was Apollo. He brought my sick, sick fate upon me." But he also believed his ignorance played quite the role in his fate, as in line 700 he says, "I think I may be accursed by my own ignorant edict." In the not so tragic fate that Achilles life took, his obsession of his ego and pride was also the cause of the loss of his friend Patroclus. Agamemnon stole Briseis away from Achilles as revenge for him having to return Chryseis, to her father. In the proud eyes of Achilles this was a blow to his ego and chose that he would not fight in the war against the Trojans. Even though his friends remained in the war, he wished humiliation on Agamemnon. Before the war Nestor presented the thought of Patroclus wearing Achille's armor and taking his place of battle, so Patroclus followed the suggestion and went into war with Achille`s armor on.

Analyzing Carson’s Work

Literary works document history. Each piece of literature can tell the readers something about the past – it may be events, ideologies, or stories of people. As a reflection of thoughts however, these literary pieces often do not relay accurate events. Rather, such works only provide vague interpretations of the authors. In this paper, the researcher will try to analyze the poem â€Å"Belfast Confetti† of Ciaran Carson of Northern Ireland.By analyzing the events which probably inspired the creation of the poem, this paper will serve as a historical criticism of the award-winning piece.The title, â€Å"Belfast Confetti† is not one which Carson creates imaginatively. Rather, it is a common slang term used to refer to the easy-grip collection of debris often used by rioters during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Troubles was the period of conflict that roughly began during the 1960s and seemingly ended in 1998 through the Belfast Agreement. It was considered a s a period of conflict that resulted from the political conflict between the catholic/nationalist minority and the protestant/unionist majority. The worse of these years were from 1970 to 1972, when almost five hundred people died.Most of these killings took place in Belfast, the city where Carson was born, and lived his whole life. (English) Other the common slang term, the word â€Å"Confetti† in the title can be interpreted in a number of ways. It can be regarded as the collection of screws, nails, bolts, and other sharp objects used as shrapnel for IRA bombs. (English) If coupled with imagination, the term â€Å"confetti† can bring the reader right into bombing scene, where one can witness the â€Å"confetti† of various fatal elements dropping from midair.Also, â€Å"confetti† can suggest a feeling of confusion and disorder embracing the mind of the author as he took himself right into the hostile hotspots of Belfast. As noted by Mahony, â€Å"Belfas t confetti uses three quite different image patterns, all conveyed as being disrupted, to try to recreate for the reader in a linear fashion, the very non-linear experience of living through a bombing. † (Mahony) â€Å"Suddenly as the riot squad moved in, it was raining exclamation marks† (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC)The situation depicts a usual day during the period of the Troubles when riots were common day-to-day events. According to Carson, each time the riot squad moves in, that meant that it was time for a â€Å"raining† of â€Å"exclamation marks†. Raining is often used to imply â€Å"a multitude of† or â€Å"plenty of†. As for the â€Å"exclamation marks†, such can be interpreted following the actual purpose of using the said punctuation mark – signifying strong emotions during the onset of violence. Thus, Carson notes that when riot squads come, then a variety of strong emotions set in the people of Belfast.This variety may refer to mixture of revolutionizing and insistent emotions of the squads, distrustful and aggressive reactions of the military, and apprehensive and distraught feelings of the civilians. â€Å"Nuts, bolts, nails, car-keys. A fount of broken type. And the explosion. Itself – an askerisk on the map. This hyphenated line, a burst of rapid fire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) The description of diverse emotions is then followed by a seeming narrative of what actual takes place during Belfast’s destructive era.Through these lines, Carson takes the readers again in a picturesque gallery of memories where the rioters throw in the cocktail of â€Å"nuts, bolts, nails, car-keys† and the air fills up with fountain-like debris (â€Å"a fount of broken type†) much like what happens when an active volcano spews dust, smoke, and stones up in the sky. In response to the noted revolutionary action is an explosion – which then leaves awkward marks on the city’s map as it inevitably eradicates social structures. In writing, asterisks are often used to indicate anonymity – to conceal, taking the place of letters within a word.Carson then uses the word â€Å"asterisk† to describe what explosions often did to Belfast before – destroying its structures and people into obscurity. As noted by Mahony, â€Å"Carson tries to project a debris-strewn labyrinth where once there was order. † (Mahony) Carson also uses the phrase â€Å"hyphenated line† to describe the â€Å"burst of rapid fire†. Hyphens are used to join words. By â€Å"hyphenated†, Carson reflects on continuous nonstop gun fires. â€Å"I was trying to complete a sentence in my head but it kept stuttering† (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC)In the next line, Carson then describes what he felt when he was in the city at the time of the Troubles. He explains that at times when the guns were firing, civ ilians would try to create a sentence (which is defined as ‘a set of words with a complete thought’). Sentence here should not be taken as a mere line in a poem. Instead, it can be noted that Carson relays that in the midst of the gun fires and explosions, people would try to devise a â€Å"sentence† or a â€Å"complete† explanation of the devastating event which is happening around them.Unfortunately, they would just â€Å"stutter†, or fail at devising an adequate rationalization. â€Å"All the alleyways and side streets blocked with stops and colons. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) Following Carson’s fondness of punctuation metaphors, the â€Å"stops† would refer to â€Å"periods†. Periods are use to end a sentence and colons indicate discontinuities within sentences. Both suggest that people caught in the midst of violent Belfast bouts would try to find a way to escape through alleys and side lanes but neverthele ss only to find dead ends.â€Å"I know this labyrinth so well – Balaclava, Raglan, Inkerman, Odessa Street – Why can’t I escape? Every move is punctuated. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) In this line, Carson injects his own history in his literary piece. As one who grew up in Belfast, he knew the place quite well. Implying that he is very familiar of the place also tells the readers something about Belfast’s geography. The city is small with lots of intertwining streets, which just like Carson suggests – looks like a maze. The question of escape however, supports the overall theme of the poem.Carson suggests that people who were caught in the Troubles could not find a way out of the conflict. Apart from the civilians, those who were directly involved within the problem could not find a way to effectively resolve the persisting crisis. The politicians, activists, republicans, loyalists, and paramilitary forces were unable to find an eff icient solution even through a series of ceasefires and agreements. The people of Belfast and that of the whole Northern Ireland couldn’t find a way out even up to now as sporadic killings still happen. (English)As noted by Carson, every move is â€Å"punctuated† or as what its literal meaning suggests, â€Å"interrupted at frequent intervals†. (Collins Dictionary) It should be noted that despite attempts to end the Troubles through the Sunningdale Agreement, the establishment of the group ‘Peace People’, open talks, and paramilitary ceasefires. However, all of these struggles towards peace are often interrupted by bombings, armed campaigns, and killings. (English) The same also happens at the individual level as attempts to escape are also interrupted by indecisions.â€Å"Crimea Street. Dead end again. A Saracen, Kremlin-2 mesh. Makrolon face-shields. Walkietalkies. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) Carson also further addresses the exis tence of military forces through an enumeration of what they often use at war. For people who live in Belfast, the enumerated warfare gears are considered as typical daily paraphernalia. However, the familiarity of such things disrupts the commonality of normality as suggested by the next line: â€Å"What is my name? Where am I coming from?Where am I going? A fusillade of question- marks. † (Belfast Confetti, copied from BBC) The series of questions may be equated to the disgruntled thinking which the people of Belfast experienced during the Troubles period. These can also be interpreted as the common questions based upon what the authorities often ask to the city constituents as part of standard security interrogations. In an interview in The Guardian, Carson relays his own experience as he was interrogated by the authorities:When somebody comes to you and says ‘OK, mate, over here, against the wall',† he says in exaggerated Cockney, â€Å"and you're asked who y ou are, where you're from, and you say: ‘I'm from here. ‘ (Quoted from The Guardian) Another interpretation is that it is a question of identity that troubles civilians who do not belong to either of the conflicting parties. As a result of the confusion that surrounds them, civilians felt that there was a need to participate to the war. As noted by Carson, he himself felt that taking a side was necessary.In the same interview with the Guardian, when asked whether he felt like joining one of the conflicting political parties, Carson responses: Kind of close at times, but †¦ you know – no. And why not? I don't know. One could easily have done so. I was scared maybe. (Quoted from The Guardian) The â€Å"fusillade† meaning ‘simultaneous and incessant firing’ of questions emphasizes the uncertainty of the civilians. In conclusion, the poem ultimately tells Carson’s story of living through the Troubles and facing daily bombings, riots, an d violence.As noted by Wheatley, â€Å"The chaos of violence (which, once again is creative to the same extent to which it can be destructive) â€Å"is made scriptable in metaphors drawn from writing and printing in ways that emphasize the explosive effects on any pretence of realist representation. † (Wheatley). Carson injects metaphors in his interpretation of the events so as to dramatize and emphasize the frustration posed by the bombings, and seemingly take the reader to the actual events. Works Cited: BBC. â€Å"Poetry: Belfast Confetti†. BBC Northern Ireland Learning. 2 May 2009 â€Å"Collins Essential English Dictionary†. HarperCollins Publishers, 2004, 2006 English, Richard. â€Å"Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA†. Oxford University Press, 2003 Mahony, Christina Hunt. â€Å"Contemporary Irish Literature†. Palgrave Macmillan, pp 79-84 The Guardian Staff. â€Å"A life in poetry: Ciaran Carson† Guardian. co. uk. 17 Jan 2009. 2 May 2009 Wheatley, David. â€Å"That Blank Mouth: Secrecy, Shibboleths, and Silence in Northern Irish Poetry†. Journal of Modern Literature. 25 (2001): 1-16

Little White Lies

Shannon Law LITTLE WHITE LIES Have you ever told a lie to somebody? After telling that lie, did you feel guilty about it? Most of the time, people feel guilty or bad if they express their own opinion about something. Telling the truth is always essential for us in everyday life. We can be trusted by other people and at the same time, be able to express and support our own opinions. Honesty can never hurt anyone more than you lying to them. Why did you think Abraham Lincoln was nicknamed â€Å"Honest Abe? † Because he believed that honesty is the best policy. Telling the truth is the most important thing to do. It is better to tell the truth, admit your mistakes, and move on. People should tell the truth all the time to feel more comfortable. Telling the truth makes life so much simpler without having to worry about anything and without having to lag that guilt around that’s trapped inside your body. People appreciate this quality, and that gives value to us. People who tell the truth become more appreciated by other people. We have to keep a good image of ourselves. In order to do that, we must be honest in all situations. If a person lied to you, and you found out that he lied, would you ever trust that person again? Besides, when you tell the truth, it’s easier to support your own idea or opinions because you don’t have to create a completely made up story. People who lie invent a huge history and when you ask them some details, they’re quickly lost in the explanation and they forget some details to make their lie understandable. A good example of a person who thinks that it is essential to telling the truth is Abraham Lincoln. Do you know why Abraham Lincoln was nicknamed â€Å"Honest Abe? It is said that the roots of this nickname start in his early working life. As a young man, Abraham Lincoln worked as a general store clerk. On evening, he was counting money in the drawers after closing and found that he was a few cents over what should have been in the drawer. When he realized that he had accidentally short-changed a customer earlier that day, Lincoln walked a long distance to return the money to the customer. On another occasion, Lincoln discovered that he had given a woman too little tea for her money. He put what he owed her in a package and personally delivered it to the woman, who never even realized that she was not given the proper amount of tea until Lincoln showed up at her doorstep! Lincoln carried his regard for the truth through his years at the White House. He himself was deeply sincere. During the civil war, President Lincoln stated, â€Å"I hain’t been caught lying yet, and I don’t mean to be. † To Lincoln, the truth was not worth sacrificing for any gain, no matter how large that gain may have been. Honestly is good because, for example if you sneaked out in the middle of the night to meet up with your friends and your parents found out, wouldn’t they expect you to come home and explain everything to them truthfully? Wouldn’t they be even angry at you if you lied to their faces? My cousin had a personal experience with this. It happened in the summer of 2010. My cousin, Crystal, and her friends decided to sneak out. Crystal knew that it was wrong but she ended up going anyway. She and her friends decided to go to a club. Crystal and her friends all told their parents that they were sleeping over another person’s house. My aunt (Crystal’s mom) actually ended up calling Nicole’s (Crystal’s friend) house to check up on Crystal to see if she was there. Unfortunately, she wasn’t. While having the best time dancing at the club, Crystal felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned around and this person asked, â€Å"Can I have this dance? † That person ended up being her dad. Crystal and her friends immediately stopped, looked at each other and thought, †Oh no. † All of their parents knew that something was up and somehow put the pieces of the puzzles together and found out where they were. When she got home, her parents were very disappointed with the fact that she lied. Crystal ended up being ground for two weeks. This was the situation where I learned that honestly is the best policy and that lying will get you into more trouble. In conclusion, lying is lying. The part when lying is very bad is when it is deceitful. When you lie too much, nobody will believe you when you actually tell the truth. Your character will always be in question. You will also be known as the â€Å"liar† and people will never know if what you say can be true. Lying makes you untrustworthy and diminishes your character.

Jane Austen present the reader of Pride and Prejudice Essay

Jane Austen present the reader of Pride and Prejudice with a number of representation of love and marriage, including 2 unsuccessful proposals to Elizabeth Bennett and the relationships of: Mr and Mrs Bennett Jane and Mr Bingley Charlotte and Mr Collins Lydia and Wickham Elizabeth and Mr Darcy Analyse each of the proposals in turn and then discuss what you think Jane Austen’s views on love and marriage were. Pride and Prejudice is one of the most classic love stories of all time. Written by Jane Austen in 1796 when she was just 24, the novel has become a favourite with woman in every generation since. Following the paths of 5 sisters as some come of age and other just grow older in a world where marriage is everything. Around the time of Pride and Prejudice, romantic love wasn’t important. Parents picked a suitor for their children, usually marrying girls off into better off families if they could, financially securing them until death, or so they hope. It was well and truly a mans world in the 1700s, there was no means of a woman creating an independent existence, and so woman relied on marriage in order to lead a half decent life. Elizabeth receives 3 proposals, one from Mr Collins, her cousin, big fan of Lady Catherine DeBurgh and a clergyman, and 2 from Mr Darcy. I will discuss these in detail later in my essay The story follows that of the Bennett family. Mrs Bennett, mother of 5, means well for her daughters, but brings much embarrassment upon them every time she opens her mouth. Mr Bennett, her husband, is the calm that follows the storm that is Mrs Bennett. He is the one his daughters go to when search calm advice, although Mr Bennett does mock the girls’ immature ways. Elizabeth (named â€Å"Lizzie† by close friends and family) and Jane (often referred to as â€Å"Miss Bennett†) are the two older sisters (Jane older than Elizabeth). Then, followed by Mary, then Catherine (or â€Å"Kitty†), then Lydia. Mr and Mrs Bennett are the perfect example of an arranged marriage working out. We can make a guess that the two did get along when first married, but that the relationship was probably built on lust, which after 5 girls, was bound to ware out. As they have been married for so long, they’ve learnt to live with and love each other, like couples were expected to. They annoy and irritate each other, but the Bennett parents love each other despite each other’s embarrassing flaws. The first fresh relationship we come across is that between Jane Bennet and Mr Bingley. There is much gossip following Mr Bingley’s arrival, and when he arrives at a dance in Meryton, the room obviously falls silent. Bingley is a very sweet man, and when he first lays eyes on Jane he’s smitten, and visa versa, and they spend all night dancing. Mary is quite happy with taking up the sidelines, but Kitty and Lydia love all the attention they receive and the non-stop dancing. Elizabeth, on the other hand, does not enjoy herself as much as Mr Darcy refuses to dance with her when Bingley suggests it, and Lizzie overhears. Jane’s story is essentially that of Cinderella. Jane and Mr Bingley were an excellent match, but for Jane there was too bigger social gap. She felt nervous around Bingley, and especially around his family. There were problems, when Mr Darcy believed Jane did not love Bingley as Bingley loved Jane and so convinced Bingley to move away, breaking Jane’s heart. This was part of the reason Lizzie did not take to Darcy. Despite all the problems, Bingley and Jane do marry, but not before Austen made sure her audience sympathized towards Jane, the good-intentioned sister. Jane represents the â€Å"do-good† types that always appear to get everything they deserve (which happens to be everything), which shows these people aren’t just a modern day occurrence, but appear regularly in history. Mr Collins’ proposal to Lizzie was a cringeworthy moment in Pride & Prejudice. His proposal seemed rehearsed, and while Lizzie laughs at him, he leads himself to believe she’s being shy. He tries to convince her by mentioning the fact Longbourne is entailed to him. Lizzie turns him down, but he believes she’s playing hard to get. The entire affair is exceedingly embarrassing as Mr Collins won’t take no for an answer, without realising he isn’t going to get another answer. Following Lizzie turning down his proposal, Mr Collins proposes to Lizzie’s best friend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte, unlike Lizzie, accepts in the full realisation that this may by her first and last proposal, and it just wouldn’t be safe to turn it down. This relationship, as it was, was made out to be the example of a safe marriage. It’s not for love, nor money, just simply for security. Charlotte is fully aware that unless out to events, she will never be bothered by Mr Collins, and will be able to lead a safe and quiet life. This is the most realistic marriage out of all other’s in this book when studying typical marriages of the time. Austen writes about Charlotte in a way that makes us feel sympathy for her, and all other women who were forced to marry and spend every living day with someone who’s company they may not even enjoy, but love wasn’t a detail considered important when marrying off children, they were expect to LEARN to love the one they were with. Lydia, being the youngest and giddiest of all the Bennett girls also happened to be the stupidest, when she eloped with Wickham and put a bigger black mark then her mother’s on the family name. Strangely enough, it was Darcy that came to the (silent) rescue. He found Wickham and Lydia, forced them to marry and paid for the whole thing (Lydia loved the entire thing, thinking of it as an adventure, whereas Wickham wasn’t quite so impressed). It’s after this we find out why Darcy dived at the chance to help. Wickham told Lizzie that Darcy had cheated him out of his inheritance from Darcy’s father, when actually, Wickham had tried to elope with Georgina Darcy for HER substantial inheritance. After Elizabeth rejected Mr Collins, he hurriedly married her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, and Elizabeth is invited to visit the newlyweds. While she is staying with them, Darcy visits his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, at the adjoining estate, Rosings Park. Elizabeth and Darcy are therefore thrown daily into each other’s company. Elizabeth’s charms eventually entrance Mr Darcy, leading him to finally declare his love for her â€Å"against his own will† and his desire to marry her in spite of her objectionable family. Surprised and insulted by Darcy’s high-handed method of proposing, as well as having recently learnt that Darcy convinced Bingley to sever ties with Jane and still contemptuous of Darcy’s supposed wrongs against Wickham, Elizabeth refuses him in no uncertain terms, saying that he is â€Å"the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed on to marry.† The next day, Darcy intercepts Elizabeth on her morning walk and hands her a letter before leaving on a cold note. In the letter, Darcy justifies his actions regarding his interference in Bingley and Jane’s relationship, and reveals his history concerning Mr Wickham and Wickham’s true nature. The letter sheds a new light on Darcy’s personality for Elizabeth and she begins to reconsider her opinion of him, particularly in the case of Wickham. Then, while on holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, Elizabeth is persuaded to visit Pemberley, Darcy’s estate, while he is away. She is therefore mortified when she bumps into him unexpectedly while on a tour of the grounds. However, his changed attitude towards her shows in his behaviour, distinctly warmer than last time, and his polite and friendly manner towards her aunt and uncle begins to persuade Elizabeth that underneath his pride lies a true and generous nature. Her fresh opinion of Darcy is supported through meeting his younger sister Georgiana, a gentle-natured and shy girl whom Darcy lovingly dotes upon. THEN to top off this new improved Darcy, he finds Wickham and Lydia, and makes sure they marry therefore causing no slander towards the family name. Austen wrote in Darcy as the negative force, and Lizzie as the good, they were bound to come together, but it couldn’t happen without some toing-and-froing. In my opinion, both Lizzie and Darcy are negative, but they were destined for each other from Meryton. Both Jane and Lizzie end up marrying for love, but they both end up marrying someone in a substantially higher class, whereas Lydia, like her mother, married for lust (Wickham on the other hand married for money). Jane Austen wrote this book for entertainment, and perhaps to show the audience that things could be different if a little more respect was paid to women. But also, i think Austen wrote this book with an idea to mock the ridiculous social rules of the time. Writing a story like this placed her way ahead of her time anyway, as the plot is still very relevant today, but was she so ahead of her time that she could see the circus that was the social circuits and the jail-marriages some women were forced to dwell into.

Artistic Nudity

Artistic censorship is the downfall of high school artwork. The classroom is being subjected to rules which limit the subject of students’ work. Censorship creates a naive and uneducated society, which in turn produces more and more generations of naive children. When a person puts their art out in the public to be judged, just that should happen. It should not be covered or hidden, censored or discarded. Art is impractically criticized based on its subject. It should be looked at as one person’s opinion, not a public’s fear.You are lying naked, exposed and vulnerable on a hard, uncushioned wooden floor. Your innermost feelings and opinions are painted out for the world to see; you can do nothing except accept the ruthless opinions of others. Exposing yourself to the public places an indescribable pit in your stomach. It puts you in the most defenseless of positions. Your beliefs are too radical. In turn, the common man suppresses them, and your vulnerability inc reases. You are shut down, pushed aside and hidden in a closet where you will sit to collect dust.Your opinions are there with you. They are unwanted by the outside world, and therefore, censored. Did you hear that dirty word just come out of your mouth? It was appalling; your mother would be ashamed of you. Censored. What were you thinking? Nothing should be censored. Nothing should sit pushed aside. It should all be out for the world to see, and to criticize. Your opinions, your artistic opinions, put into a tangible form should never, ever be hidden. Censorship is best defined as when an individual is forced to â€Å"suppress their own values, attitudes and beliefs. (Anderson and Garoian, 1996). It is the black rectangle that covers nudity, the obnoxious bleep that blocks out profanities and the curtain that discloses art work. In high school classrooms, the issue of art censorship has become increasingly prevalent in the last ten years. (Kushner, 1999). Educators, high school s taff members and community critics have begun to draw a line segregating what is acceptable and what is not. That line is continually getting tighter, meaning the level of acceptability is becoming more and more strict.Technology, warfare, politics and drug use are all maturing; with this, comes the maturity of high school students’ opinions. Then, in turn, comes advancing art: which many older (and often more conservative) people find shocking or offending. Art is created to appeal to or offend different interest groups. Artists intentionally compose their pieces to â€Å"challenge the assumptions of the audience [and] provoke reaction and discussion. † (Anderson and Garoian, 1996). Provocation is the one and only reason to ever create a piece of art.If, for any reason, this provocation is censored, it depletes the entire artistic background of a work of art. Art without meaning is simply decoration. In the classroom, suppression is forcing art to fit into a square bo x, â€Å"devoid of all values. † (Garoian and Anderson, 1996). Radical viewpoints are by far the most effective way for an artist to gain attention from an audience. When these viewpoints are unable to be viewed, people are no longer attracted to art. Censorship eliminates public interest in art and increases the naivety of a society.All over the country and more so all over the world, people are afraid of new ideas. They are afraid of encountering real, exposed-to-the-bone artistic nudity. This fear embeds itself in our entire culture, forcing censors to eliminate things we supposedly don’t want to see. Simply eliminating things that are different creates a very innocent society. Without being exposed to new things, we become victims of the censors, and that is never a good thing. So as the future progresses, my art work will continue to push past the black censor bar.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 17

10 Seldon strode into Amaryl's office, unannounced. â€Å"Yugo,† he said abruptly, â€Å"the session with General Tennar has been postponed.† He seated himself in a rather pettish manner. It took Amaryl his usual few moments to disconnect his mind from his work. Looking up finally, he said, â€Å"What was his excuse?† â€Å"It wasn't he. Some of our mathematicians arranged a week's postponement so that it wouldn't interfere with the birthday celebration. I find all of this to be extremely annoying.† â€Å"Why did you let them do that?† â€Å"I didn't. They just went ahead and arranged things.† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"In a way, it's my fault. I've whined so long about turning sixty that everyone thinks they have to cheer me up with festivities.† Amaryl said, â€Å"Of course, we can use the week.† Seldon sat forward, immediately tense. â€Å"Is something wrong?† â€Å"No. Not that I can see, but it won't hurt to examine it further. Look, Hari, this is the first time in nearly thirty years that psychohistory has leached the point where it can actually make a prediction. It's not much of one-it's just a small pinch of the vast continent of humanity-but it's the best we've had so far. All right. We want to take advantage of that, see how it works, prove to ourselves that psychohistory is what we think it is: a predictive science. So it won't hurt to make sure that we haven't overlooked anything. Even this tiny bit of prediction is complex and I welcome another week of study.† â€Å"Very well, then. I'll consult you on the matter before I go to see the General for any last-minute modifications that have to be made. Meanwhile, Yugo, do not allow any information concerning this to leak out to the others-not to anyone. If it fails, I don't want the people of the Project to grow downhearted. You and I will absorb the failure ourselves and keep on trying.† A rare wistful smile crossed Amaryl's face. â€Å"You and I. Do you remember when it really was just the two of us?† â€Å"I remember it very well and don't think that I don't miss those days. We didn't have much to work with-â€Å" â€Å"Not even the Prime Radiant, let alone the Electro-Clarifier.† â€Å"But those were happy days.† â€Å"Happy,† said Amaryl, nodding his head. 11 The University had been transformed and Hari Seldon could not refrain from being pleased. The central rooms of the Project complex had suddenly sprouted in color and light, with holography filling the air with shifting three-dimensional images of Seldon at different places and different times. There was Dors Venabili smiling, looking somewhat younger-Raych as a teenager, still unpolished-Seldon and Amaryl, looking unbelievably young, bent over their computers. There was even a fleeting sight of Eto Demerzel, which filled Seldon's heart with yearning for his old friend and the security he had felt before Demerzel's departure. The Emperor Cleon appeared nowhere in the holographics. It was not because holographs of him did not exist, but it was not wise, under the rule of the junta, to remind people of the past Imperium. It all poured outward, overflowing, filling room after room, building after building. Somehow, time had been found to convert the entire University into a display the likes of which Seldon had never seen or even imagined. Even the dome lights were darkened to produce an artificial night against which the University would sparkle for three days. â€Å"Three days!† said Seldon, half-impressed, half-horrified. â€Å"Three days,† said Dors Venabili, nodding her head. â€Å"The University would consider nothing less.† â€Å"The expense! The labor!† said Seldon, frowning. â€Å"The expense is minimal,† said Dors, â€Å"compared to what you have done for the University. And the labor is all voluntary. The students turned out and took care of everything.† A from-the-air view of the University appeared now, panoramically, and Seldon stared at it with a smile forcing itself onto his countenance. Dors said, â€Å"You're pleased. You've done nothing but grouse these past few months about how you didn't want any celebration for being an old man-and now look at you.† â€Å"Well, it is flattering. I had no idea that they would do anything like this.† â€Å"Why not? You're an icon, Hari. The whole world-the whole Empire-knows about you.† â€Å"They do not,† said Seldon, shaking his head vigorously. â€Å"Not one in a billion knows anything at all about me-and certainly not about psychohistory. No one outside the Project has the faintest knowledge of how psychohistory works and not everyone inside does, either.† â€Å"That doesn't matter, Hari. It's you. Even the quadrillions who don't know anything about you or your work know that Hari Seldon is the greatest mathematician in the Empire.† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon, looking around, â€Å"they certainly are making me feel that way right now. But three days and three nights! The place will be reduced to splinters.† â€Å"No, it won't. All the records have been stored away. The computers and other equipment have been secured. The students have set up a virtual security force that will prevent anything from being damaged.† â€Å"You've seen to all of that, haven't you, Dors?† said Seldon, smiling at her fondly. â€Å"A number of us have. It's by no means all me. Your colleague Tamwile Elar has worked with incredible dedication.† Seldon scowled. â€Å"What's the matter with Elar?† said Dors. Seldon said, â€Å"He keeps calling me Maestro.' â€Å" Dors shook her head. â€Å"Well, there's a terrible crime.† Seldon ignored that and said, â€Å"And he's young.† â€Å"Worse and worse. Come, Hari, you're going to have to learn to grow old gracefully-and to begin with you'll have to show that you're enjoying yourself. That will please others and increase their enjoyment and surely you would want to do that. Come on. Move around. Don't hide here with me. Greet everyone. Smile. Ask after their health. And remember that, after the banquet, you're going to have to make a speech.† â€Å"I dislike banquets and I doubly dislike speeches.† â€Å"You'll have to, anyway. Now move!† Seldon sighed dramatically and did as he was told. He cut quite an imposing figure as he stood in the archway leading into the main hall. The voluminous First Minister's robes of yesteryear were gone, as were the Heliconian-style garments he had favored in his youth. Now Seldon wore an outfit that bespoke his elevated status: straight pants, crisply pleated, a modified tunic on top. Embroidered in silver thread above his heart was the insignia: SELDON PSYCHOHISTORY PROJECT AT STREELING UNIVERSITY. It sparkled like a beacon against the dignified titanium-gray hue of his clothing. Seldon's eyes twinkled in a face now lined by age, his sixty years given away as much by his wrinkles as by his white hair. He entered the room in which the children were feasting. The room had been entirely cleared, except for trestles with food upon them. The children rushed up to him as soon as they saw him-knowing, as they did, that he was the reason for the feast-and Seldon tried to avoid their clutching fingers. â€Å"Wait, wait, children,† he said. â€Å"Now stand back.† He pulled a small computerized robot from his pocket and placed it on the floor. In an Empire without robots, this was something that he could expect to be eye-popping. It had the shape of a small furry animal, but it also had the capacity to change shapes without warning (eliciting squeals of children's laughter each time) and when it did so, the sounds and motions it made changed as well. â€Å"Watch it,† said Seldon, â€Å"and play with it, and try not to break it. Later on, there'll be one for each of you.† He slipped out into the hallway leading back to the main hall and realized, as he did so, that Wanda was following him. â€Å"Grandpa,† she said. Well, of course, Wanda was different. He swooped down and lifted her high in the air, turned her over, and put her down. â€Å"Are you having a good time, Wanda?† he asked. â€Å"Yes,† she said, â€Å"but don't go into that room.† â€Å"Why not, Wanda? It's my room. It's the office where I work.† â€Å"It's where I had my bad dream.† â€Å"I know, Wanda, but that's all over, isn't it?† He hesitated, then he led Wanda to one of the chairs lining the hallway. He sat down and placed her on his lap. â€Å"Wanda,† he said, â€Å"are you sure it was a dream?† â€Å"I think it was a dream.† â€Å"Were you really sleeping?† â€Å"I think I was.† She seemed uncomfortable talking about it and Seldon decided to let it go. There was no use pushing her any further. He said, â€Å"Well, dream or not, there were two men and they talked of lemonade death, didn't they?† Wanda nodded reluctantly. Seldon said, â€Å"You're sure they said lemonade?† Wanda nodded again. â€Å"Might they have said something else and you thought they said lemonade?† â€Å"Lemonade is what they said.† Seldon had to be satisfied with that. â€Å"Well, run off and have a good time, Wanda. Forget about the dream.† â€Å"All right, Grandpa.† She cheered up as soon as the matter of the dream was dismissed and off she went to join the festivities. Seldon went to search for Manella. It took him an extraordinarily long time to find her, since, at every step, he was stopped, greeted, and conversed with. Finally he saw her in the distance. Muttering, â€Å"Pardon me- Pardon me-There's someone I must-Pardon me-,† he worked his way over to her with considerable trouble. â€Å"Manella,† he said and drew her off to one side, smiling mechanically in all directions. â€Å"Yes, Hari,† she said. â€Å"Is something wrong?† â€Å"It's Wanda's dream.† â€Å"Don't tell me she's still talking about it.† â€Å"Well, it's still bothering her. Listen, we have lemonade at the party, haven't we?† â€Å"Of course, the children adore it. I've added a couple of dozen different Mycogenian taste buds to very small glasses of different shapes and the children try them one after the other to see which taste best. The adults have been drinking it, too. I have. Why don't you taste it, Hari? It's great.† â€Å"I'm thinking. If it wasn't a dream, if the child really heard two men speak of lemonade death-† He paused, as though ashamed to continue. Manella said, â€Å"Are you thinking that someone poisoned the lemonade? That's ridiculous. By now every child in the place would be sick or dying.† â€Å"I know,† muttered Seldon. â€Å"I know.† He wandered off and almost didn't see Dors when he passed her. She seized his elbow. â€Å"Why the face?† she said. â€Å"You look concerned.† â€Å"I've been thinking of Wanda's lemonade death.† â€Å"So have I, but I can't make anything of it so far.† â€Å"I can't help but think of the possibility of poisoning.† â€Å"Don't. I assure you that every bit of food that came into this party has been molecularly checked. I know you'll think that's my typical paranoia, but my task is guarding you and that is what I must do.† â€Å"And everything is-â€Å" â€Å"No poison. I promise you.† Seldon smiled, â€Å"Well, good. That's a relief. I didn't really think-â€Å" â€Å"Let's hope not,† said Dors dryly. â€Å"What concerns me far more than this myth of poison is that I have heard that you're going to be seeing that monster Tennar in a few days.† â€Å"Don't call him a monster, Dors. Be careful. We're surrounded by ears and tongues.† Dors immediately lowered her voice. â€Å"I suppose you're right. Look 'round. All these smiling faces-and yet who knows which of our friends will be reporting back to the head and his henchmen when the night is over? Ah, humans! Even after all these thousands of centuries, to think that such base treachery still exists. It seems to me to be so unnecessary. Yet I know the harm it can do. That is why I must go with you, Hari.† â€Å"Impossible, Dors. It would just complicate matters for me. I'll go Myself and I'll have no trouble.† â€Å"You would have no idea how to handle the General.† Seldon looked grave. â€Å"And you would? You sound exactly like Elar. He, too, is convinced that I am a helpless old fool. He, too, wants to come with me-or, rather, to go in my place. I wonder how many people on Trantor are willing to take my place,† he added with clear sarcasm. â€Å"Dozens? Millions?† 12 For ten years the Galactic Empire had been without an Emperor, but there was no indication of that fact in the way the Imperial Palace grounds were operated. Millennia of custom made the absence of an Emperor meaningless. It meant, of course, that there was no figure in Imperial robes to preside over formalities of one sort or another. No Imperial voice gave orders; no Imperial wishes made themselves known; no Imperial gratifications or annoyances made themselves felt; no Imperial pleasures warmed either Palace; no Imperial sicknesses cast them in gloom. The Emperor's own quarters in the Small Palace were empty-the Imperial family did not exist. And yet the army of gardeners kept the grounds in perfect condition. An army of service people kept the buildings in top shape. The Emperor's bed-never slept in-was made with fresh sheets every day; the rooms were cleaned; everything worked as it always worked; and the entire Imperial staff, from top to bottom, worked as they had always worked. The top officials gave commands as they would have done if the Emperor had lived, commands that they knew the Emperor would have given. In many cases, in particular in the higher echelons, the personnel were the same as those who had been there on Cleon's last day of life. The new personnel who had been taken on were carefully molded and trained into the traditions they would have to serve. It was as though the Empire, accustomed to the rule of an Emperor, insisted on this â€Å"ghost rule† to hold the Empire together. The junta knew this-or, if they didn't, they felt it vaguely. In ten years none of those military men who had commanded the Empire had moved into the Emperor's private quarters in the Small Palace. Whatever these men were, they were not Imperial and they knew they had no rights there. A populace that endured the loss of liberty would not endure any sign of irreverence to the Emperor-alive or dead. Even General Tennar had not moved into the graceful structure that had housed the Emperors of a dozen different dynasties for so long. He had made his home and office in one of the structures built on the outskirts of the grounds-eyesores, but eyesores that were built like fortresses, sturdy enough to withstand a siege, with outlying buildings in which an enormous force of guards was housed. Tennar was a stocky man, with a mustache. It was not a vigorous overflowing Dahlite mustache but one that was carefully clipped and fitted to the upper lip, leaving a strip of skin between the hair and the line of the lip. It was a reddish mustache and Tennar had cold blue eyes. He had probably been a handsome man in his younger days, but his face was pudgy now and his eyes were slits that expressed anger more often than any other emotion. So he said angrily-as one would, who felt himself to be absolute master of millions of worlds and yet who dared not call himself an Emperor-to Hender Linn, â€Å"I can establish a dynasty of my own.† He hooked around with a scowl. â€Å"This is not a fitting place for the master of the Empire.† Linn said softly, â€Å"To be master is what is important. Better to be a master in a cubicle than a figurehead in a palace.† â€Å"Best yet, to be master in a palace. Why not?† Linn bore the title of colonel, but it is quite certain that he had never engaged in any military action. His function was that of telling Tennar what he wanted to hear-and of carrying his orders, unchanged, to others. On occasion-if it seemed safe-he might try to steer Tennar into more prudent courses. Linn was well known as â€Å"Tennar's lackey† and knew that was how he was known. It did not bother him. As lackey, he was safe-and he had seen the downfall of those who had been too proud to be lackeys. The time might, of course, come when Tennar himself would be buried in the ever-changing junta panorama, but Linn felt, with a certain amount of philosophy, that he would be aware of it in time and save himself. Or he might not. There was a price for everything. â€Å"No reason why you can't found a dynasty, General,† said Linn. Many others have done it in the long Imperial history. Still, it takes time. The people are slow to adapt. It is usually only the second or even third of the dynasty who is fully accepted as Emperor.† â€Å"I don't believe that. I need merely announce myself as new Emperor. Who will dare quarrel with that? My grip is tight.† â€Å"So it is, General. Your power is unquestioned on Trantor and in most of the Inner Worlds, yet it is possible that many in the farther Outer Worlds will not just yet-**accept a new Imperial dynasty.† â€Å"Inner Worlds or Outer Worlds, military force rules all. That is an old Imperial maxim.† â€Å"And a good one,† said Linn, â€Å"but many of the provinces have armed forces of their own, nowadays, that they may not use on your behalf. These are difficult times.† â€Å"You counsel caution, then.† â€Å"I always counsel caution, General.† â€Å"And someday you may counsel it once too often.† Linn bent his head. â€Å"I can only counsel what seems to me to be good and useful to you, General.† â€Å"As in your constant harping to me about this Hari Seldon.† â€Å"He is your greatest danger, General.† â€Å"So you keep saying, but I don't see it. He's just a college professor.† Linn said, â€Å"So he is, but he was once First Minister.† â€Å"I know, but that was in Cleon's time. Has he done anything since? With times being difficult and with the governors of the provinces being fractious, why is a professor my greatest danger?† â€Å"It is sometimes a mistake,† said Linn carefully (for one had to be careful in educating the General), â€Å"to suppose that a quiet unobtrusive man can be harmless. Seldon has been anything but harmless to those he has opposed. Twenty years ago the Joranumite movement almost destroyed Cleon's powerful First Minister, Eto Demerzel.† Tennar nodded, but the slight frown on his face betrayed his effort to remember the matter. â€Å"It was Seldon who destroyed Joranum and who succeeded Demerzel as First Minister. The Joranumite movement survived, however, and Seldon engineered its destruction, too, but not before it succeeded in bringing about the assassination of Cleon.† â€Å"But Seldon survived that, didn't he?† â€Å"You are perfectly correct. Seldon survived.† â€Å"That is strange. To have permitted an Imperial assassination should have meant death for a First Minister.† â€Å"So it should have. Nevertheless, the junta has allowed him to live. It seemed wiser to do so.† â€Å"Why?† Linn sighed internally. â€Å"There is something called psychohistory, General.† â€Å"I know nothing about that,† said Tennar flatly. Actually he had a vague memory of Linn trying to talk to him on a number of occasions concerning this strange collection of syllables. He had never wanted to listen and Linn had known better than to push the matter. Tennar didn't want to listen now, either, but there seemed to be a hidden urgency in Linn's words. Perhaps, Tennar thought, he had now better listen. â€Å"Almost no one knows anything about it,† said Linn, â€Å"yet there are a few-uh-intellectuals, who find it of interest.† â€Å"And what is it?† â€Å"It is a complex system of mathematics.† Tennar shook his head. â€Å"Leave me out of that, please. I can count my military divisions. That's all the mathematics I need.† â€Å"The story is,† said Linn, â€Å"that psychohistory may make it possible to predict the future.† The General's eyes bulged. â€Å"You mean this Seldon is a fortune-teller?†** â€Å"Not in the usual fashion. It is a matter of science.† â€Å"I don't believe it.† â€Å"It is hard to believe, but Seldon has become something of a cult figure here on Trantor-and in certain places in the Outer Worlds. Now psychohistory-if it can be used to predict the future or if even people merely think it can be so used-can be a powerful tool with which to uphold the regime. I'm sure you have already seen this, General. One need merely predict our regime will endure and bring forth peace and prosperity for the Empire. People, believing this, will help make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the other hand, if Seldon wishes the reverse, he can predict civil war and ruin. People will believe that, too, and that would destabilize the regime.† â€Å"In that case, Colonel, we simply make sure that the predictions of psychohistory are what we want them to be.† â€Å"It would be Seldon who would have to make them and he is not a friend of the regime. It is important, General, that we differentiate between the Project that is working at Streeling University to perfect psychohistory and Hari Seldon. Psychohistory can be extremely useful to us, but it will be so only if someone other than Seldon were in charge.† â€Å"Are there others who could be?† â€Å"Oh yes. It is only necessary to get rid of Seldon.† â€Å"What is so difficult with that? An order of execution-and it is done.† â€Å"It would be better, General, if the government was not seen to be directly involved in such a thing.† â€Å"I have arranged to have him meet with you, so that you can use your skill to probe his personality. You would then be able to judge whether certain suggestions I have in mind are worthwhile or not.† â€Å"When is the meeting to take place?† â€Å"It was to take place very soon, but his representatives at the Project asked for a few days leeway, because they were in the process of celebrating his birthday-his sixtieth, apparently. It seemed wise to allow that and to permit a week's delay.† â€Å"Why?† demanded Tennar. â€Å"I dislike any display of weakness.† â€Å"Quite right, General. Quite right. Your instincts are, as always, correct. However, it seemed to me that the needs of the state might require us to know what and how the birthday celebration-which is taking place right now-might involve.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"All knowledge is useful. Would you care to see some of the festivities?† General Tennar's face remained dark. â€Å"Is that necessary?† â€Å"I think you will find it interesting, General.† The reproduction-sight and sound-was excellent and for quite a while the hilarity of the birthday celebration filled the rather stark room in which the General sat. Linn's low voice served as commentary. â€Å"Most of this, General, is taking place in the Project complex, but the rest of the University is involved. We will have an air view in a few moments and you will see that the celebration covers a wide area. In fact, though I don't have the evidence available right now, there are corners of the planet here and there, in various University and sectoral settings mostly, where what we might call ‘sympathy celebrations' of one sort or another are taking place. The celebrations are still continuing and will endure for another day at least.† â€Å"Are you telling me that this is a Trantor-wide celebration?† â€Å"In a specialized way. It affects mostly the intellectual classes, but it is surprisingly widespread. It may even be that there is some shouting on worlds other than Trantor.† â€Å"Where did you get this reproduction?† Linn smiled. â€Å"Our facilities in the Project are quite good. We have reliable sources of information, so that little can happen that doesn't come our way at once.† â€Å"Well then, Linn, what are all your conclusions about this?† â€Å"It seems to me, General, and I'm sure that it seems so to you, that Hari Seldon is the focus of a personality cult. He has so identified himself with psychohistory that if we were to get rid of him in too open a manner, we would entirely destroy the credibility of the science. It would be useless to us. â€Å"On the other hand, General, Seldon is growing old and it is not difficult to imagine him being replaced by another man: someone we could choose and who would be friendly to our great aims and hopes for the Empire. If Seldon could be removed in such a way that it is made to seem natural, then that is all we need.† The General said, â€Å"And you think I ought to see him?† â€Å"Yes, in order to weigh his quality and decide what we ought to do. But we must be cautious, for he is a popular man.† â€Å"I have dealt with popular people before,† said Tennar darkly.