Odysseus (1054 words) Essay Example For Students

Odysseus (1054 words) Essay OdysseusOutline I. Introduction In Homers The Odyssey the tale of a mans journeyback home after long years at war is also the tale of a mans spiritual journeythrough his own soul. II. The beginning Odysseus leaves Troy feeling almostimmortal and this pride is what leads to his downfall and second rise. III. Themiddle Odysseus undergoes his symbolic death and rebirth. IV. The end Odysseus has regained power over his household and has restored order to hislife. V. Conclusion In Homers The Odyssey, the tale of a mans journey homeafter long years at war, is also the tale of a mans spiritual journey throughhis own soul. Odysseus role as an epic hero is modified throughout the epicpoem. As Odysseus leaves Troy for home, he is the typical bloodthirsty warrior. During the course of his trek, he undergoes a symbolic death and rebirth. Uponhis arrival in Ithaka, the wiser man he has become is evident. The Odyssey isOdysseus story of his journey not only from Troy to Ithaka, but also frombloodthirsty warrior to epic hero. Odysseus begins the tale of his trip fromTroy to Phaiakia in Book IX. The beginning of his tale displays the bloodthirstywarrior that left Troy. What of those years of rough adventure, weathered underZeus? The wind that carried west from Ilion Brought me to Ismaros, on the farshore, A strongpoint on the coast of Kikones. I stormed that place and killedthe men who fought. The first lines of Odysseus story display his warrior side. This passage shows how he and his crew landed and immediately went to battle andplundered. Although Odysseus recalls telling his men to stop afterwards andreturn to the ship, he never really forcibly tried to make the men return. Thelack of effort on Odysseus part implies that he did not truly care if the menransacked Ilion. Due to this greed and bloodlust, nearly a third of each shipscrew was lost. This bloodthirsty warrior cared only for battle and blood,instead of his men and his return home. After stopping on the island of Aiaia,the home of Kirke, Odysseus journeys to Hades. This represents a symbolic deathfor Odysseus. There he must speak with Teirasias to hear the prophets visionsfor Odysseuss journey home. Teirasias predicts that the journey can take twopaths; either a peaceful journey home, or if the crew and Odysseus can notrestrain their desires, death and destruction will befall the crew. Odysseus andhis crew do not heed Teirasiass warning, and the entire crew save Odysseu s islost at sea. After nine years on Kalypsos island Odysseus finally continues hisjourney home. The strong god glittering left her as he spoke, And now herladyship, having given heed To Zeuss mandate, went to find Odysseus In hisstone seat to seaward-tear on tear Brimming his eyes. The sweet days of his lifetime Were running out in anguish over his exile, For long ago the nymph hadceased to please. Though he fought shy of her and her desire, He lay with hereach night, for she compelled him. But when day came he sat on the rocky shoreAnd broke his own heart groaning, with his eyes wet Scanning the bare horizon ofthe sea. Odysseus had begun to lose hope of ever getting home. Kalypsogrudgingly gives in to Zeus order and aids Odysseus in obtaining wood for aship. After nineteen days at sea, he is battered in a vicious storm and washesup half-unconscious, bloody, and naked in Phaiakia. This episode represents asymbolic rebirth for Odysseus. His time of incubation on Kalypsos isle is ove rand he emerges naked and bloody like the day he was born. Once he has landedon Phaiakia, Odysseus realizes that he can not continue on as a bloodthirstywarrior, but rather must heed the wisdom passed on to him by those he met inHades and change his outlook. It is at this point that Odysseus begins to fullycomprehend the effects his actions have on those around him, as well as on hisfuture. Only now is he truly ready for his tumultuous return to Ithaka. By thetime Odysseus returns to Ithaka he is no longer the fierce warrior he was whenhe left Troy. Instead, he has changed into a man desperate to reclaim his throneand home. Unlike the bloodthirsty warrior he once was though, Odysseus does notrush in and fight; instead, he bides his time and gathers assistance. Evenwithin his own home he does not reveal himself but issues a warning to thesuitors. Of mortal creatures, all that breathe and move, Earth bears nonefrailer than mankind. What man Believes in woe to come, so long as valor A ndtough knees are supplied him by the gods? But when the gods in bliss bringmiseries on, Then willy-nilly, blindly, he endures. Our minds are as the daysare, dark or bright, Blown over by the father of gods and men. So I, too, in mytime thought to be happy; But far and rash I ventured, counting on My own rightarm, my father, and my kin; Behold me now. No man should flout the law, But keepin peace what gifts the gods may give. Odysseus journey has taught him manyvaluable lessons. Through his trials and tribulations he has learned that eventhe strongest of men have their hidden weaknesses. He has also learned that aman is not as strong as he wants to be; a man is as strong as the gods want himto be. Odysseus tries to warn the suitors that to continue down the path whichthey are on is not a wise decision, but no one heeds his warning. Odysseus hasrevealed that he now knows the error of his ways, he fully admits to the evil inbeing a prideful warrior. Odysseus has proven himself a chang ed man, thusbecoming a true epic hero. Homers epic poem The Odyssey tells the story of aman who through extreme turmoil realizes his faults and learns to be a morebalanced individual. Through a symbolic death and rebirth, Odysseus has become aman who is worthy to be called an epic hero. Odysseus has battled his fellow manand won; he has struggled with monsters and triumphed; he has grappled withtemptation and overcome human desire; but most importantly, he has combatedagainst the evils of his own soul and prevailed. It is all of these victoriesthat form Odysseus, the epic hero. .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .postImageUrl , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:hover , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:visited , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:active { border:0!important; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:active , .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2fa74b4655f187ffade79dd7593fa41d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Self Reflection And Self Awareness EssayBibliographyHomer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald. New York,New York: Random House, 1990

Mexicos War for Independence Essay Example For Students

Mexicos War for Independence Essay IntroductionMexico is the northernmost country of Latin America. It lies just south of the United States. The Rio Grande forms about two-thirds of the boundary between Mexico and the United States. Among all the countries of the Western Hemisphere, only the United States and Brazil have more people than Mexico. Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico. It also is one of the worlds largest metropolitan areas in population. Hundreds of years ago, the Indians of Mexico built large cities, developed a calendar, invented a counting system and used a form of writing. The last Indian empire in Mexico, the Aztec, fell to Spanish invaders in 1521. For the next 300 years, Mexico was a Spanish colony. The Spaniards took Mexicos riches, but they also introduced many changes in farming, government, industry and religion. The descendants of the Spaniards became Mexicos ruling class. The Indians remained poor and uneducated. During the Spanish colonial period, a third group of people developed in Mexico. These people, who had both Indian and white ancestors, became known as Mestizos. Today, the great majority of Mexicans are Mestizos, and they generally take great pride in their Indian ancestry. A number of government programs stress the Indian role in Mexican culture. In 1949, the government made an Indian the symbol of Mexican nationality. The war for independence is sometimes considered a revolutionary war. It is not, however. The war for independence was fought to end colonial rule. The war was based on politics and a separation of powers. In this essay I will start from the rising discontentment amongst the indigenous population and how the higher ranking classes exploited their failures for their own societal class gain in a system where they have always been favored more by societal leaders. Once New Spain settled in its new territory, inner cores were created as part of the system. New Spain, from now on, would be under direction of the mother country Spain. Its colonial system would be entrenched in the new colony and therefore, its economy would strive to gain profit and make Spain richer and stronger. The economy was based on agriculture, ranching, mining, industry, and commerce. The majority of labor that would go into doing these jobs would be from the indigenous people, or Indians. Although some Indians were paid decent wages, most were treated unfairly or poorly. They worked long, hard hours. While working in the mines, the Indians would suffer from the dust and fumes inhaled in the damp, dark shafts. Countless Indians died from having worked there. The ranching industry in the north would gain most of its production from the cultivation of large amounts of livestock through labor from the Indians. Haciendas, with again the labor of Indians, would provide through out New Spain agricultural needs such as fruits, vegetables, and grains introduced by the Spaniards. Without slaves and forced labor, who was to carry out the necessary takes of labor? (Leone, B, 1996). The answer would be the Indians. They would go on to build New Spains lower aspect of the economy. Soon after many other resisting Indians gave in to their new occupants demands for labor and started to work for them. Shortly thereafter, some Indians found refuge. During the earlier years of conquest, the colonial church was still in-tact. The church organization had created two distinct branches, secular and regular clergy. This would then spread around the word of Christianity to save souls. By assimilating this belief into the population of the Indians, the Indians would then get acculturated into thinking their way of living was evil and to abandon their beliefs and always praise the lord. As a result, many Indians found shelter in the hands of their newfound religion and the gui dance of their priests. There were frequent disputes between the friars and the priests who would argue in favor of the Indians to the Spaniards describing the poor treatment to the Indians. At times disputes would end in violence which would ripple throughout other areas in Mexico. Although there were restrictions in the organization of the church which kept Indians from converting, the main one was the Inquisition. Under the rule of Spain, churches were to investigate culprits who didnt follow the rules and such culprits were given a hefty punishment. This would keep many on their toes. Many Indians were still secure in their new religion but found it hard to deal. .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .postImageUrl , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:hover , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:visited , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:active { border:0!important; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:active , .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue2d7d72f60046f7274418feb006c81fb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Women Should Never Be Trusted EssayIndians were always to remain at the bottom of the social status. Actually, Indian women and children were to be the last ones to be recognized, or were not recognized at all. Mestizos, those of Indian descent and another race, were the next level up. Those born in Mexico but of full-blooded Spanish descent were called Criollos. The highest of all would be the Spaniards. In this structure of power and rank, the only way for one to rise to the top would be through the military. Otherwise, if you were born Indian, you were destined to be a laborer. If one was lucky enough to become a priest or a member of the church, becoming educated would be a better way to climb into politics and gain knowledge. With the economy in the mother country, Spain, in shambles due to wars, Spain decided they would look towards their colonies in search of financial benefit. The Spanish would borrow heavily from individuals and institutions in the colony to pay for its involvement in European conflicts (Stefoff, R, 1993). This made many upset, but it would not cause the Indians to revolt until the reform of the church occurred. Spain ordered the expulsion of the Jesuits, who helped in educating and converting many Indians. The Criollos, who were educated by the Indians, became angered as well. It was true that dependency of the colonists to the mother country remained a fundamental tenet of the imperial system. Soon the change had begun to grow increasingly upsetting to many. The rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. As for the Criollos, who were second to Spaniards in New Spain, they were the first to bring up the idea of independence from the throne after the Mulattos overthrew the powers in Haiti. So they decided to follow in the Haitians footsteps while maintaining the same social structure that was already in place. Soon race wars between dark-skinned Indians and light-skinned Criollos and Gachupins would bring upon rebellions against each other. Soon after the colonies got word of Spains defeat by the French, the colonies sought to gain freedom from Spain. The Viceroy Jose de Iturrigaray was forcibly taken out of his palace and sent to Spain where Peter Garibay would take his place. This would result in more confusion in New Spain. Officials in Mexico City would here of conspiracies to overthrow the government but once they heard of one in Queretaro, they would come in contact with a growing attack. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (Hidalgo) is known as one of the main leaders who guided the peasants, Indians, to independence from Spanish rule. He was of Criollo descent and studied at the Jesuits College and became a priest in 1778. He came into contact with a few others and organized a plan to battle for independence. The plot leaked out and information came to Hidalgo that Mexico City knew about his plan. On September 13, 1810, although the intended date was December 8, he gave his Grito de Dolores speech to the Indians and Mestizos for the start of independence. His attack on San Miguel was swift to the point where it was uncontrollable. Days later, after the hysteria calmed down, more battles broke in other areas. His quest would lead him to towards the hills looking down towards the capital. What happened next, says the text, is that once they decided to retreat and leave, they were soon caught by officials of Mexico City. Hidalgo was executed for his actions on July 31 the follow ing year. Criollos would recognize the failed effort as what Hidalgo had put into the fight for independence. Soon after congress formally declared independence and issued several series of principles that should be incorporated into a new constitution such as; slavery and all caste systems should be abolished and all judicial torture should be abolished. The independence was not fully established until the Plan de Iguala came into effect through Lieutenant Augustin de Iturbide. ConclusionFollowing the wars of Independence, the military would be very much involved in the political processes of government. More civil wars and national wars would occur throughout Mexico in the years following their break from Spain. The Mexican identity myth would arise from a social contentment that what the people or Indians would like to be referred to as once New Spain found its countrys name, Mexico. Nothing changed once the country became independent, in terms of social status. The Indians and Mestizos sti ll remained as the lower classes in the societal hierarchy. .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .postImageUrl , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:hover , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:visited , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:active { border:0!important; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:active , .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9a3e9b486b8cb28cf41e909b80f4685c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Simpsons Roots Of Democracy EssayBibliographyLeone, B. (1996). The Mexican War for Independence. : Lucent Books. Lone Star Internet: The Mexican War. Retrieved December 20, 2004, from http://www.lnstar.com/mall/texasinfo/mexicow.htmMexiconline.com. Mexico History. Retrieved December 20, 2004 from http://www.mexonline.com/history.htmStefoff, R. (1993). Independence Revolution in Mexico. : Facts on File. TSHA Online: Mexican War of Independence. Retrieved December 27, 2004, from http://www.ksu.edu/counseling/csweb/alcoholanddrug/daterape.htmWikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia: Mexican War for Independence. Retrieved December 28, 2004, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War_of_Independence

Crucible Essays (773 words) - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

Crucible The trumped-up witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts, deteriorated the rational, and emotional stability of its citizens. This exploited the populations weakest qualities, and insecurities. The obvious breakdown in Salem's social order led to the tragedy which saw twenty innocent people hung on the accusation of witchcraft. Arthur Miller, author of The Crucible, used hysteria to introduce personality flaws in vulnerable characters. A rigid social system, fear, and confusion were evident conditions that became prevalent before and during the witchtrials. These conditions only contributed to the tragedy in Salem. The isolation of the Puritan society created a rigid social system that did not allow for any variation in lifestyle. The strict society that was employed at this time had a detrimental effect on the Proctor family. John Proctor, a hard working farmer who had a bad season the year before and struggling this year was occasionally absent at Sunday service. This was due to the fact he needed to tend to his crops. Also, Proctor did not agree with the appointment of Mr. Parris as the newest minister, and therefore did not have his last child baptized. With the latest craze of witchery and swirling accusations, John Proctor was easily indicted of being a messenger for the devil by the testimony of his disillusioned servant Mary Warren, who in the past committed perjury. The court who heard the testimony easily accepts it because she is a church going person, while John Proctor slightly deviates from the norm. This transfer of blame is also noticeable when the truth is first discovered about what the girls were doing in the woods. The girls were not blamed. The blame was put on Tituba, the "black" slave who was said to have "charmed" the girls. Abigail swears that "she [Tituba] made me do it".(pg.40) It is obvious that in the Puritan society that whatever did not conform to what the masses had decided as proper, then the deviated, but innocent, were to blame. This practice contributed to the tragedy in Salem. The fear of what was unknown created an uneasiness within Salem's population that added to Salem's social demise. The circumstances surrounding the witchtrials gave residents something to blame the supernatural on. The condemning of Tituba was mainly due to this. When Tituba took the girls into the woods, and they performed their ceremony, something the Puritans were not accustom to, she convicted of witchery. Along with Tituba, Martha Corey was indicted solely because she would not allow Giles to read them. Giles also stated that "I tried and tried and could not say my prayers. And then she close her book and walks out of the house, and suddenly--mark this--I could pray again!"(pg.38) This evidence of witchery is preposterous. The only thing that is true is that Giles was not allowed to read the books, and because he did not what the books contained, he feared them. This type of reaction throughout the community to the supernatural, and what was not known indicted many people, and contributed to the tragedy in Salem. The state of mass confusion in Salem created a society of individuals who were only concerned with what was good for them, so that they would not be the next one implicated in the witchery scandal. This situation is clearly evident after Hale becomes privy to the true story of what happened in the woods. Abigail abandons Tituba, and accuses her of "sending her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer"(pg.41), and Abigail also says Tituba "comes to me every night to go and drink blood"[devil's blood](pg.41). Abigail reacts like this only to save her from being suspected of witchery. At the end of Scene One, many community members are accused of consorting with the devil. These names were given by all of the girls present that took part in the ritual in the woods, in an attempt to return to the graces of God and to be declared bewitched. This was a common reaction that many had when accused of witchery.It led to confrontations which pitted neighbor versus neighbor and husband versus wife. The delirium which created this situation aided in the misfortune proceedings in Salem. The evident destruction of Salem's social order was due to rigid stipulations on deviation, fear of the unknown, and mass confusion. These conditions left Salem susceptible to an apparent epidemic such as witchcraft. The susceptibility that Salem fell victim to, was the cause of a great tragedy which saw twenty townspeople hung at the hands of the state. The Crucible written by

The House of Mirth essays

The House of Mirth essays In The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton presents the New York society at the dawn of the 20th century. It is a New York that is divided into strict social classes, where old wealth is being overshadowed by new wealth. The ones below aspire to move higher while those do everything in their power to stay where they are. For women like Lily Bart, however, being rich and beautiful is a tenuous prospect. As they grow older, many find that the Though she is still wealthy at the beginning of the novel, Lily is in a difficult position, one foreshadowed by her meeting with the destitute woman in the streets. Through this juxtaposition, Wharton shows the reader that in many ways, Lily Bart is as constrained as her street woman counterpart. For example, because she is comes from old wealth, Lily could not work without losing social status. When Lily is further estranged from her rich aunt, her position becomes more difficult. At this stage, Lily has scarce options if she wants to retain her social position in New York society. She could not work for a living without sliding down the social ladder. She was in debt to the unscrupulous Mr. Trenor. She had no monetary wealth after being disinherited. Her only asset was her physical beauty, one that was Thus, the only option for a woman of Lily's status and circumstances is a good marriage. Wharton articulates this position clearly, when Lily states that only governesses or widows can be free enough to live by themselves in an apartment. However, women like her were "poor, miserable, marriageable girls" (9), had no choice but to be a wife. Unlike men, who can marry if they desire, Lily states that "a girl must" get married in order to remain accepted in New York society. When she fails to secure marriage and is banished from her social circle, the only alternative for ...

Chose a subject of popular culture and analyze this subject using Essay

Chose a subject of popular culture and analyze this subject using course concepts - Essay Example ra of Swing music, and thus this paper helps to give an insight about the musical genius’ life and subsequent contributions towards culture and also how the socio-economic, political and historical factors played a role in making significant changes towards the same. Bessie Smith’s inherent passion for music was discovered fortunately at a very young age as she and her brother took to the streets of their local neighbourhoods in Chattanoonga, as they sang and danced in order to earn money for their meals. However, her brother soon left her to join a professional troupe and she was left behind due to being very young. Soon enough, her brother arranged for a meeting and interview for Bessie for the Stokes Troupe and she was hired as a dancer but not as a singer, thus her true potential had yet not been realised. In 1915, the singer left and became a part of the Theater Owners Bookers Association, an African American performance group and this became the milestone in her career. The group helped her to gain popularity all over and become a recognised singer. Following this, offers began coming in for Bessie to be part of musicals and one of her firsts, titled ‘How Come?’ made its way to Broadway as well. Here, Bessie co starred with Sidney Bechet. Looking at her success and getting motivated by the same, Smith moved on to working in theatre, mostly Black theatres as they accepted her better, and in 1923 she landed with her first recording contract. Soon enough, Bessie became one of the highest paid black women in her field however, the money did not make much difference to her life then and she realised she wanted to sing all her life. Smith’s voice, mellifluous and harmonious, was something she was able to practice and develop on her own. She did not receive any formal training from anywhere, and with the practice she had had since her early years, she dedicated and devoted more time to get even better than what she was and all that she had

Overview of IS Audits (DB) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Overview of IS Audits (DB) - Research Paper Example Likewise, the primary output is to facilitate organizations for achieving goals effectively and efficiently (Information systems control & audit1999). The impact of Information Security audit is within the organization as well as outside. For instance, managers are more concerned on the return on investment that is achieved by optimal usage of Information Technology resources and services. In this way, the stake holders are satisfied. Moreover, there are labor unions that are keen to know how organizations utilize their IT resources and services. Information System audit overview highlights the requirement for control and audit of computers and networks, auditing of information systems, review of internal controls that are implemented to mitigate risks, evidence evaluation functions along with the consideration of information system audit foundations. However, for initiating an information system audit function, there is an association of several strategies that can be applied from i nformation system auditors. Likewise, these strategies define generic steps that need to be carried out for an information system audit (Information systems control & audit1999). The scope of information system audit do not focuses on the complete life cycle for the technological architecture that is under inspection along with accuracy of computing calculations. Likewise, the scope of an information system audit is linked with its objective. One of the examples may include the policy and its enforcement within the organization, the audit then cross checks the controls, processes and procedures addressing the policy. The audit report highlights the vulnerabilities, percentage of compliance with the policy and recommendations to mitigate risks, threats or vulnerabilities. An audit for active user accounts in the Microsoft Active Directory may incorporate crosschecks

Learning the Theory of Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Learning the Theory of Knowledge - Essay Example Russell further contends that if a belief is to be causally important it must be defined as a characteristic of behavior. This explanation cannot be termed as definite because the result of the behavior or action determines if the belief held was true or false. If the search for food results in success, the belief was true but in case of failure, the belief is considered false. This does not truly justify that knowledge is true belief. Russell believes there are two methods of inference – deduction, and induction. The deduction is merely saying the same thing in another way while induction can be mistaken inference. Human beings have been endowed with sense organs or the organs of perception but most often these are all taken for granted. People know many things like whether they feel cold or hot; whether it is raining or snowing, or when the sun will rise or set. Descartes argues that the ideas about taste, feel, pain, pleasure, hunger, thirst, sadness or happiness come to us without our consent (Newman, 2005). All these are perceived through the sense organs and with the assistance of the memory, they reach the imagination. The mind receives the data through the nerves from all parts of the body to produce sensory awareness. The mind has a habit of believing what it perceives. This registers in the mind as an experience or knowledge gained through experience. Each person acts or behaves according to their prior experience or their sense of perception. Organs of sight do not increase knowledge. The physical eyes merely see but unless what has been seen can be absorbed or truly perceived, the ‘seeing; has no meaning. Seeing is involuntary; perception is not. We conceive, perceive and assimilate what we are interested in. This experience differs from one person to another. When a glass is partially filled with water, the physical eyes perceive it.