Hard Times: Many Symbols about Human Nature

In Dickens's Hard Times, there are many symbols that run through the novel. These symbols stand for much more than Just word you would come across multiple times as you read. Each symbol can mean something about human nature, human relationships, morality, and even about our society. Each symbol can have a different meaning to all of us. The symbols that came up frequently and that stood out to me as I read were staircase, Pegasus, smoke serpents, and fire. The first symbol that stood out to me was the staircase Mrs. Sparsit imagines. This ymbol stood out to me when Mrs.Sparsit notices that Louisa and Harthouse are spending a bunch of time together. As she notices this, she imagines that Louisa is running down some sort of staircase into a â€Å"dark pit of shame and ruin at the bottom. † I believe that this staircase represents her belief that Louisa is going to disappear with Harthouse and ruin herself forever. Mrs. Sparsit has disliked Bounderbys marriage to the Louisa and has always hoped to marry him herself. So this makes her very happy by Louisa's action to disappear with Harthouse. Through he staircase, Dickens reveals how Mrs.Sparsit's character is hypocritical. He also suggests that Mrs. Sparsit's own self misinterprets the situation between Louisa and Harthouse. She misinterprets this because she ends up in shame by having an affair with Harthouse and Louisa ends up returning home to her father. The next symbol that stood out to me was the Pegasus from Mrs. Slearys circus. Mr. Slearys circus entertainers would stay at an inn called the Pegasus Arms. The symbol is inside of this inn. On the inside of this inn, the symbol is a Pegasus that is a odel of a flying horse with golden stars stuck on all over him.This symbol, the Pegasus, represents a world of fantasy and beauty from which Gradgrinds children are not a part of. There is a point when Mr. Gradgrind informs the pupils at his school that wallpaper with horses on it is unrealistic because h orses do not in fact live on walls. He always taught the kids hard facts and nothing but them and to not have an imagination. The circus people however live in a world in which horses can dance and flying horses can be imagined even if they do not in fact really exist in the eal world.The name of this inn shows the contrast between the imaginative and very happy world of the circus and Mr. Gradgrind's belief in the importance of fact and to have no imagination. Another symbol that stood out to me was the smoke serpents above Coketown. The symbol was the streams of smoke that was in the skies above Coketown. These streams are the outcome of factories and industrialization. However, these smoke serpents also represent the obliviousness of some factory owners like Bounderby. He is always so focused on making as much money and profit as he possibly can.Bounderby concludes that the serpents of smoke are a positive sign that the factories are producing and making a g prott Bounderby tails to see the smoke as a torm of unhealthy pollution because he is so concerned about making a profit. He also fails to recognize his own abuse of the hands in his factories. He does not realize how miserable and poor his workers are and is more worried about his business and himself. The final symbol that stood out to me was fire. The first time the symbol fire stood out to me was when Louisa is first introduced in Chapter 3.The narrator explains that here is a â€Å"fire with nothing to burn, a starved imagination keeping life in itself somehow. † This shows that Louisa seems she has not listened to her father's beliefs against wondering and imagining. The fire also shows a certain kid of warmth. It is says that Louisa often stares into the fireplace when she is alone. She stares as if she sees things in the flames that others do not, like her rigid father and brother. However, there is also another kind of fire that stands out to me in Hard Times. The other time I think of f ire in this novel is the fires that keep the factories running.The fire provides heat and power for machines. This shows that fire can be an example of an evil that can be used as a greater good. Through this symbol, Dickens shows the importance of imagination to show the industrialization of human nature. In conclusion, symbols can mean and represent many things in life. People use different symbols every day to represent something that they believe in. For example, many very religious people may wear a cross around their neck to show a symbol of faith Just how the Pegasus from Mrs. Slearys circus is a symbol to the people to have an imagination.

Losing Your Identity Essay

People from around the world immigrate to the United States in hopes of finding the Promised Land. Some may define the promise land, as a land of freedom, a land of abundance, a land of peace, or a land of education. Most define it as a land of opportunity for a better life. America is a land full of culture and diversity, although it is notoriously difficult to characterize â€Å"American† culture. Is it possible to move to a land such as America, full of culture and diversity, and yet preserve your own traditions and cultural identity? Some believe this to be very difficult to do, due to materialism, beliefs and language barriers. The counter argument would be that Americans are open to new cultural experiences, are welcome to newcomers, and are willing to help give support. I believe that it would be difficult to move to America, try to find your place in materialistic culture while preserving your own culture and beliefs while learning a new language. There is a culture in this country whether spoken or unspoken. It is clearly visible in everything we say, do, or think. In the United States, we expect to compete in every aspect of our lives, a daily reminder of our status, the ladder of our success. Americans are materialistic. We want to own the newest iPhone, to wear the newest fashion, to drive the newest and most expensive cars, and to have a big house with a pool. We celebrate holidays and forget the true meaning of the day we are celebrating. Our traditions can easily include consuming goods that are unneeded or even unwanted. A few years ago my friend fell into great debt during the Christmas season because she and her family made too many purchases that exceed their income, only because they wanted to please others. I can see how this kind of behavior would be confusing or shocking to someone with traditions that have little to do with material items or status. In addition to many of our traditions being different, some of our religious beliefs may be confusing to a foreigner. They may want to hold on to their beliefs and find it difficult to do so, due to peer pressure. They may even find it hard to practice their beliefs because of racism. When my children were in grammar school, they were allowed to say the pledge of allegiance in their classroom. One of the students was able to leave the classroom every time they did this because her beliefs were different. As a child, she found it difficult to understand, being the only one in the classroom with those beliefs. Some of the children were open to her leaving and others would make comments. She was moved to a land where she was free to practice her religion, but at the same time shamed from her peers. As a result, she stayed at home on many of the school days that holidays were celebrated in the classroom. Besides adapting to the local weather, the food, work place and new technology, one must also learn a new language. If an immigrant has trouble speaking the language it could be difficult to communicate their wants and needs in life and on the job. If they order the wrong meal it could be dangerous if they are allergic to certain foods. If they do not understand the news or cannot read the newspaper, they may find it hard to seek out individuals who have the same beliefs or traditions. For example, this weekend in San Francisco, there is a grand parade for Chinese New Year. If an immigrant from China had moved to Modesto this weekend and could not speak or read English, they may not have know of this event or be able to find their way to the event. Learning a new language is difficult and can be overwhelming. It may take some time to learn the language before being able to communicate properly. In conclusion, many immigrants do succeed in America. Although, I think it is difficult to stay true to their traditions and beliefs while learning a new language and trying to keep up with the high demands of a materialistic society. Children may feel the pressures of their peers to fit in and be more main stream. Depending on their annual income, immigrants may find it hard to buy the things that they want or feel the need to buy, such as cars, houses, and clothing. It may also be difficult to find peers with similar beliefs and traditions if there is a language barrier. I am the sixth generation born and raised in California, so I find it hard to relate. But, I will remain to be an American who is open to new cultural experiences and will always welcome newcomers and offer support when I can.

Graphics Communications Industry Essay

Graphics Communications Industry, according to the College of Technology at the University of Houston, is defined as the processes and industries that create, develop, produce, and disseminate products utilizing or incorporating words or pictorial images to convey information, ideas, and feelings. Its products make possible learning, enjoyment, enthusiasm, and business. These products like books, magazine, maps, invitation, etc. are part of people’s daily life. Graphic Communications includes those market sectors that exploit the technologies of printing, publishing, packaging, electronic imaging, and other associated industries. They are often referred to as the graphic arts, print, or imaging industries. Graphic communication companies are entrepreneurial and innovative. Ideas are created on the computer and carried through different stages that can include the Internet as well as printed forms of several types and variations. Due to the emerging technological advances, companies in the business have expanded services such as creative design, e-commerce, web page design and hosting, mailing, fulfillment, and a multitude of services that provide parallel marketing beyond the major printing activity. (Education Summit for the Graphic Arts 1) The field of Graphic Communications is obviously a technology-based system. It includes the developing technologies of computer-age press, image generation, data repurposing, designing and posting internet web pages, interactive multimedia, digital photography, electronic digital imaging, and desktop publishing. Furthermore, it offers a lot of career opportunities. Thus, it contributes a lot to the economy. It needs millions of people in a range of challenging technical, creative, or professional activities. They vary from small companies with a few workers to large plants with several hundred people on multiple shifts. Almost all companies have acquired modern computerized equipment and stay updated with technology changes taking place in the industry. The top ten leading states in total number of graphic communication employees are California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Michigan. (Education Summit for the Graphic Arts 1) REFERENCES: â€Å"Graphic Communications Industry. † (2006). College of Technology, University of Houston. 7 April 2009 †¹http://graphics. tech. uh. edu/industry/industry. php†º â€Å"The GraphicCommunication Industry: A Quick Overview. † (April, 2008). Education Summit for the Graphic Arts. 7 April 2009 †¹http://teched. vt. edu/gcc/HTML/CareerInfo/PDFs/GraphicCommunicationOverview. pdf†º

Recruitment and Selection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recruitment and Selection - Research Paper Example he importance of effective recruitment process by envisioning the recruitments process in the organizational cultures thereby ensuring that an organization has a steady supply of qualified human resources. The recruitment process begins with the analysis of a job opening. This requires the human resource management must analyze the roles and responsibilities of the position thereby developing an effective recruitment process. The analysis should inform such features as the academic qualifications of the applicant, experiences and age among other pertinent issues that affect the productivity of employees in organization. This way, the human resource manager understands the features to look for in an individual during the recruitment process. After carrying out an effective analysis of the job position, the human resource manager begins to source for applicants. This relies on the ability of the manager to increase the awareness of the vacancy within a target population. Managers can advertise the position on mainstream media and carry out effective networking in order to attract the prospective employees. Managers thus carry out interviews among other assessment techniques to determine the appropriate employees from the numerous applicants. Such assessment techniques provide managers with appropriate platforms to interact with tea applicants thereby corroborate the claims that the applicants make in their cover letters and resumes. The process makes it possible for managers to interrogate the applicant and determine their motivations for the job and qualifications to hold such positions (Hill & Jones, 2011). This implies that the managers must have the ability to recognize the specific features in the applicants thereby recruit appropriate individuals. The panel of interviewees investigate interpersonal skills, communication abilities and grooming in order to recruits the individuals who can represent the organization in different capacities. The desire to

Early Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilization Essay

Early Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilization - Essay Example Its major contributions in the firled of health and medicines, mathematics, astronomy, and art, literature and music are discussed in this paper. Egyptians have significantly contributed in the field of health and medicines. During the period (2667BC - 2678BC) the first physician in the history Imhotep performed the surgery. The Egyptians had a sound knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. There were more than thirty-four cases of the surgery during the Egyptian period. The development in the field of medicines to cure women diseases related to fertility, conception, and other health problems begin known as Kahun Gynecological Papyrus is also a remarkable achievement of the Egyptians. In addition, diseases related to men health dominantly remains be the contribution of Egyptians. Diseases like malaria, trachoma, bubonic plague, typhoid, jaundice, smallpox and relapsing fevers were mainly cured by the Egyptian medicines. Most of the medicines were made up of the herbs, such as Garlic, onions, fennel, cassia, cannabis, myrrh, opium, henna, thyme, linseed and castor oil. Corianders and Cumin were widely used to treat digesti ve and intestines related diseases (Blattner). Mesopotamian studied eclipse and movement of the stars keenly to predict the time and day and night. However, Egyptians were superstition had belief in their goddesses to keep the track for the position and movement of plants. Egyptians invented the calendars in which each month was thirty days depending on lunar movement. The calendar was invented on the observations of helical rising (sun movement) to predict the days in each year. The Egyptian calendar has been known for its appropriate measurement of the season, days, and years. I believe that the contemporary calendar is the major contribution of Egyptian. Modern calendars are constructed on the basis provided by the Egyptians that have keenly observed the movement of the

Practicum Management Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Practicum Management Assignment - Essay Example Nurses are able to focus their attention on fewer patients. They are able to concentrate on their patients’ needs, safety, and individual care. In a study submitted to the Alabama Nurse Journal, it was established that the mandated nurse patient ratio has managed to improve patient safety and has also improved the quality of care given to patients. There has also been a decrease in mortality rates, lesser medical errors, and decreased rates in pneumonia, thrombosis, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, and pressure ulcers. Hospital stay was also shorter for patients. Many hospitals in America argue that the mandated nurse-patient ratio cuts into a large part of the hospital budget. They argue that increasing staffing costs will eventually reduce patient access to healthcare. According to them, this mandate does not take into account the individual needs of the patient or the skills and characteristics of the nurse or the hospital. They also argue that hospitals are very much committed to providing quality patient care while still utilizing safe staffing levels, however, they feel that legally imposing nurse-patient ratios does not ‘allow for fluctuations in the supply of nurses and does not account for new technology’ introduced into healthcare (Lewis, 2005). Hospitals declare that mandated nurse-patient ratios are inflexible impositions on healthcare. Hospitals are forced to finance the obligatory increase in nursing staff and in the end, they may not be able to afford this cost. Hospital closures may follow. Nurses’ associations have a mixed reaction to this mandate. Some associations support the mandate, declaring that their lives have greatly improved. They are less stressed due to the decrease in their caseloads. Some unions have declared that this mandate has helped improve patient safety and has increased the job satisfaction of nurses. Nurses are now able to take

Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Virtue Ethics Essay

Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Virtue Ethics - Essay Example Decisions and actions should be geared towards fulfilling obligations and existing laws. Consequently, acts that meet the expectations are considered ethical and those that do not meet the expectations are considered unethical. The theory therefore offers no regards to people’s immediate welfare, may subject actors to conflict of interest, and it is not based on rationale. Utilitarianism, however, focuses on consequences of an action or decision, instead of existing rules and obligation that a person has to others. According to utilitarian theory, negative and positive effects of a decision or actions are considered and net effects used to determine morality. Those acts and decisions that yield net benefits are considered ethical, unlike those that offer net harm. This establishes the basis of determining morality as a difference between deontology and utilitarianism as deontology relies on rules and obligations while utilitarianism relies on effects of an act or a decision. U tilitarianism also remedies deontology’s weakness of lack of rationale and this identifies a difference. Focusing on consequences also establishes consistency and therefore minimizes conflicts. However, the two theories aims at determining morality in actions and decisions (Manias, E., Manias, N., & Monroe, 2013). Analysis of virtue ethics, with the other two theories, also identifies both similarities and differences. The theory distinguishes rights and wrongs, just as deontology and utilitarianism.

The Role of Marriage in Persuasion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Role of Marriage in Persuasion - Essay Example Austen was reared during the Victorian era and the role and status of women were extremely limited and stagnant. For example, women could not vote, they typically received an inferior education to their male counterparts and were limited to domestic occupations (Williams, 5). This is the context in which Persuasion was developed highlighting the prominent position that women have only two good choices in society - to get married or become a governess (Parkinson, 24). Though Austen acknowledges that marriage helps prevent loneliness and isolation, she also examines the failures of society’s perceptions of marriage which may create an intellectual isolation for women. This isolation that she recognizes, as Samuel Burchell tells us, is that â€Å"Jane Austen’s characters start in the primary condition of loneliness, pass through the difficulties of establishing the proper communication with others, and reach fulfillment in the symbolic union of marriage† (Burchell 1 49). Marriage is about many things in the Victorian society but it is rarely about love. For example, Anne's countenance is recognized by Captain Benwick in chapter 11 of Persuasion as it is he who found her "engaging mildness of her countenance, and gentleness of her manner" (Austen, 95) enough to instantly feel at ease; her brother-in-laws family, the Musgrove's, who claimed "We do wish that Charles had married Anne instead." (Austen, 84); and even the unacquainted cousin Mr. Elliot too had an instant attraction to Anne as he passed her during their stay in Lyme. Austen portrays Anne as essentially the epitome of goodness and kindness, but who isn't a very resistant person. She would more often than not succumb to the desires and needs to those around her in order to aid another or to keep the peace, as shown in chapter 4 when she allows Sir Walter and Lady Russell to dispel any notions of marriage to Captain Wentworth. It is this nature that is a desirable characteristic of a wom an and a wife. Wentworth's entire character is full of conservative resistance. The main resistance Wentworth tries to overcome is his desire for Anne and the entire story is based on his resistance to requesting her hand in marriage again. Early in the story, there is the sense of monotony about the standard way of life as Austen uses repetition in here writing to persuade the reader of that sense of boredom. For thirteen years had she been doing the honors, and laying down the domestic law at home, and leading the way to the chaise and four, and walking immediately after Lady Russell out of all the drawing-rooms and dining rooms in the country. (Austen, 6-7) As the passage continues, there is a sense then of the repetition as we see the same thing happening for a span of over 13 years. What Austen wants the reader to see is how things will never change unless something drastic happens. As long as they follow the same routine, they can fake being happy. Thirteen winters' revolving frosts had seen her opening every ball of credit which a scanty neighborhood afforded; and thirteen springs have shewn their blossoms, as she traveled up to London with her father, for a few weeks annual enjoyment of the great world. (Austen, 6-7) What is interesting about this passage is that Austen tends to avoid discussing the central character at the start of the novel and in this case, is the early pages center on the vanity of her father as well as his contempt for those beneath him.  Ã‚  

DiscussionThe Traveling Salesman Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DiscussionThe Traveling Salesman Problem - Essay Example In particular, the paper discusses how a business manager can effectively deliver a specific food product to major hotels located in the five cities. Transport problems, in business management, are considered as networks. A network, according to Shenoy et al (1989), is a set of nodes and arcs, where nodes are destinations and arcs are routes followed. In the problem, nodes are the cities, while arcs are the routes linking the cities. Apart from the nodes and arcs, a business manager considers capacity of a route, maximum flow of an entire system, and activity times in each path or route. In solving delivery problems, business managers use Critical Path Method (CPM) and Project Evaluation Review Technique (PERT). CPM uses the concept of critical activity and critical path in solving transport problems. A critical activity, in a network, is an activity whose time of start affects completion time of the entire project. In delivery problems, critical activities include loading and offloading, fueling and servicing, and drivers’ exchange times. In the delivery problem, critical activities also include time taken by a driver and /or a turn-boy to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or supper. All these activities determine how fast or slow delivery to hotels in the five cities will be. Therefore, in CPM, a manager identifies points with these activities and organizes them such that minimum time and cost is spent in one complete flow of the food product (Shenoy et al., 1989). In PERT, direction of a flow is not fixed and is thus, considered as random variable. A probabilistic model is, therefore, used to identify a route with the shortest flow time. PERT considers activity time (t0), optimistic time (a), pessimistic time (b), and most likely time (m). Activity time measures duration of an activity, while optimistic time is the shortest possible time an activity can take. Pessimistic time is the longest possible time an activity

Cyber Security, Cyber Crime and Cyber Forensic Assignment

Cyber Security, Cyber Crime and Cyber Forensic - Assignment Example Curbing digital crime can be overwhelming if the agencies involved do not acquire appropriate training for the job. This initiative is likely to be a costly one but since it is bound to ripe digital security then it is a priceless initiative worth taking (Santanam & Sethumadhavan, 2011). Moreover, trained personnel without the necessary equipment for the job are another inhibiting factor to the agencies’ efforts to eradicate digital crime. Ill-equipped agencies are likely to underperform since tracking down cybercrimes is likely to be impossible. The independent nature of these agencies limits their access to government support. Agencies need to have certain resources; human resource and capital for smooth operation. These essential resources must be availed to the agency on time so as to avoid disrupting its operation. Therefore the independent nature of these agencies inhibits the acquisition of this vital resource thus undermining their operation (Finklea & Theohary, 2013). The federal government agencies have the mandate to combat computer crimes. This is a well-organized agency which possesses the necessary expertise and efficient technology to combat digital crimes at the national level. The federal agency has thus created special sections within this organization so as to aid in combating this type of crime, these sections include: The secret service – this division has been created by the agency to fight computer crimes. It has been mandated to enforce the following responsibilities in relation to computer crime: (1) the section is mandated to identify frauds in financial institutions. (2) Investigation of digitals crimes that concern the federal interest. The department of justice – this department is chaired by the attorney general who is charged with the mandate to represent the state in matters that desire a legal approach. He also offers advisory services to the president.  

Do nuclear weapons lead to peace or to war Essay

Do nuclear weapons lead to peace or to war - Essay Example Many of the states, which possess such weapons, only use them for deterrence purposes and this has created a situation where all the powers, which have nuclear weapons, are at a stalemate (Waltz 1990, P.731). The ownership of nuclear weapons has since its beginnings, been an extremely controversial issue in the world, with many of the countries, which do not possess them claiming that it, is unfair for those, which do to have such weapons. Others have taken matters into their own hands and, defying the countries that have such weapons; have chosen to go ahead with their own nuclear programs (Rubin, 2006). The ownership of nuclear weapons is considered a source of prestige for the countries, which possess them, and it is for this reason that many still hold on to their arsenals while others are aspiring to develop their own. Over the last two decades or so, there has developed a debate concerning whether the possession of nuclear weapons is a deterrence to war, and that it is the reas on why no major wars have taken place in recent history. Quite a number of people believe that the possession of nuclear weapons is one of the reasons why there has not been a third world war, since all of the most powerful states that would be involved in the war are armed with nuclear weapons. The lessons learnt from Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Roberts, 2012) seem to be extraordinarily fresh in the minds of those who make national policies and it is because of this that these weapons have come to be used, not for offensive purposes, but for peace. There is a belief that if a third world war were to take place, then it would be a nuclear war, and the devastation which such a war would cause would probably lead to the end of humanity as we know it. The horror of such an occurrence is something, which many people would not like to picture and because of this many states that possess nuclear weapons, keeps them under a tight leash (Donnelly, 2012). Even those states, which are considered most unstable, such as North Korea, do not use the weapons in their possession for any other purposes other than that of deterrence because of the recognition that to use them otherwise would be disastrous. One of the best cases that can be studied, when considering the possession of nuclear weapons as a means towards peace, is the Cold War. The Cold war came up because of the competition on a global scale of the world’s two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. There was a great fear in the United States of the Soviet Union’s ambition to spread the ideology of communism, which it followed, worldwide and this was not acceptable to the American government. In response, the American government chose to shore up those regimes which were allied to it all over the world not only financially but also militarily to ensure that they combated the potential communist forces and parties which were to come up against them (Mueller 2002, P.172). Moreover, the Soviet Union was very fearful of the American acquisition of nuclear weapons and this led to its rush to build up its own arsenal, causing a nuclear arms race between these two states. While this may have been the case, none of these states used their weapons against the other. It is quite possible that the Cold War will have resulted in a world war, which would have pitted the United States

IB Chemistry Lab Design - compare the effect of temperature on the concentrations of Vitamin C and Vitamin A in solution Essay Example for Free

IB Chemistry Lab Design compare the effect of temperature on the concentrations of Vitamin C and Vitamin A in solution Essay Research Question: To compare the effect of temperature on the concentrations of Vitamin C and Vitamin A in solution. Background Information: Many researchers claim that the vitamin content in the food we eat decreases as we cook the food, since it is being exposed to high temperatures. This really intrigued me since cooking is one of my hobbies, and I always try and check the nutritional value of meals that I cook. With this in mind, it was quintessential for me to see for myself if these claims hold true. To narrow the scope of the investigation, I chose Vitamins A and C to do this study upon. The claims state that the enzyme in whose form Vitamin C is found, gets denatured (or oxidised) at temperatures over 70Â °C as well as at low temperatures, in the freezer. Also, studies claim that Vitamin A (in the form of retinol) gets oxidised at high temperatures, during cooking. Once these vitamins get oxidised, they are lost to us. This investigation will compare the effects of high temperature on Vitamin A and Vitamin C solutions. http://chemmovies.unl.edu/chemistry/smallscale/SSGifs/SS054Ascorbic.gif The ascorbic acid enzyme gets denatured at high temperatures because the tertiary structure of the protein, which the enzyme is made up of, unravels, causing the active site of the enzyme to change in shape. This leads to the substrate being unable to fit into the active site, and we say that the enzyme is denatured. This denaturing can take place at extremes of pH too.The Vitamin A (retinol) gets oxidised because, at high temperatures, it reacts with oxygen in the air to form a carboxylic acid (retinoic acid). In the laboratory, ascorbic acid found in fruits and vegetables can be simulated by adding ascorbic acid crystals to water, to form a mildly acidic solution. This solution can also be used as the standard solution during titration to find concentration of ascorbic acid. To simulate Vitamin A, we can simply add retinol to water to form a standard solution. Hypothesis: At higher temperatures, both the concentration of Vitamin C and Vitamin A can be expected to decrease. However, I expect the decrease to be greater in the case of the Vitamin C solution since (having protein-like properties) it is more sensitive to extremes of temperature. Also, the alcohol retinol has a high boiling point, so I believe that it will be more resistant to oxidation too. Variables: Independent Variable Why and How it is Changed Temperature to which the Vitamin C/A solution is heated The factor whose effect is being studied on the concentration of Vitamin C/A in a solution is the temperature the solution is heated to. Therefore, the temperature is the independent variable. In order to change the temperature, equal quantities of the same Vitamin C/A solution are heated to different temperatures. The different temperatures taken are – 30Â °C, 50Â °C, 70Â °C and 90Â °C. As a control, one solution is placed at room temperature. A thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the solution. Investigation at each temperature will be repeated 3 times, to ensure reliability. Dependent Variable Why and How it is Recorded Concentration of Vitamin C/A in solution (in mol dm-3), after exposure to temperature The effect of temperature on the concentration of Vitamin C/A in a solution is being studied, thus the concentration is the dependent variable. As the temperature moves further away from room temperature (above or below) the concentration of Vitamin C/A in the solution should decrease due to denaturing or oxidation. The concentration of Vitamin C is calculated by doing an iodine titration. A starch solution is added to a standard Vitamin C solution which is the titrant. Into this, a solution of potassium iodide and potassium iodate is titrated till a blue colour is obtained (end point). This is repeated thrice. The average volume of iodine solution used is calculated, and divided by the concentration of Vitamin C. Then, the solutions of unknown concentrations are titrated and unitary method is used to calculate their concentrations. The concentration of Vitamin A is calculated using a redox titration. This is done by making a solution of acid dichromate, potassium iodide and starch. This is titrated against a solution of sodium thiosulfate of known concentration. The volume of thiosulfate used is noted. Then, the Vitamin A solutions are added to a similar solution of dichromate, KI and starch, and titration is carried out with thiosulfate. For every 1 less mole of thiosulfate used there is 0.25 mole of alcohol in the sample (according to the chemical equations) which was tested. Controlled Variable Why and How it is Maintained pH of Vitamin solution Extremes of pH can also lead to the denaturing of enzymes, so if pH changes it will interfere with the results, potentially giving inaccurate results. Thus, the pH needs to be kept a constant. This can be done by adding a few drops of acidic buffer to the initial solution. Presence of Antioxidants Antioxidants including salts such as sodium chloride tend to ‘protect’ ascorbic acid from being oxidised, and thus their presence may lead to inaccurate results. Thus, they need to be eliminated. This can be done by using distilled water (without any salts) while preparing the solution of ascorbic acid. Head Space Present in System The ascorbic acid gets denatured because of oxidation by air. Thus, if the volume of air present in the system changes, the results will also change invariably. To prevent this, the amount of head space present in the system must be kept constant. This can be done by placing a lid on top of the beaker in which the acid solution is heated. Initial Concentration of Ascorbic Acid solution If the initial concentration of ascorbic acid in the solution is different, then the final concentration will also be affected. This can be avoided by adding the same mass of ascorbic acid to the same volume of water while preparing all the sample solutions. Volume of Ascorbic Acid solution The volume of acid solution used for each temperature and each trial should be the same since otherwise it will affect the volume of iodine solution used. Therefore, the volume has to be measured accurately using a pipette for each temperature and trial (each titration). Concentration of starch, potassium iodide and potassium iodate solutions The concentration of any of these solutions will affect the volume of solution titrated during each trial. Thus, it needs to be kept a constant. This can be done by ensuring that equal masses of these reagents are added to equal volumes of water, for all the trials. Final temperature of solution The final temperature of the solution may affect the concentration of the acid in the solution, as rapid heating and cooling can encourage oxidation. Thus, to avoid errors, the solutions will be allowed to rest till they reach room temperature, and only then will they be titrated to calculate concentration. Chemicals 1. L-ascorbic acid – 3.52 g to make 1 dm3 of 0.002 M solution of acid 1. Glucose – 50 g to add to acid solution, to simulate fruit juice 1. Potassium Iodide – 10.0 g to make 1 dm3 iodine solution 1. Potassium Iodate – 0.536 g to make 1 dm3 iodine solution 1. Starch (soluble) – 0.25 g to make 50 ml of 0.5% starch solution 1. 3.00 M Sulphuric Acid – 60 ml to add to iodine solution 1. Distilled Water – To make all the solutions and washing Other Materials 1. Weighing Scale 1. Bunsen Burner 1. Tripod Stand 1. Wire Gauze 1. Mortar and Pestle 1. Pipette Filler 1. Lid (for beaker) – 4 1. Thermometer Procedure: Preparing Ascorbic Acid Solution of concentration 0.002 M 1. Measure 3.52 g of L-ascorbic acid using the weighing scale and the weighing boat (which has to be completely dry). 1. Place the weighed crystals in the mortar and use the pestle to crush the crystals into a fine powder, to aid with dissolving it in water. 1. Place the powdered acid into a 500 ml beaker and add a little distilled water to dissolve the acid. Use the glass rod to stir. 1. Once it seems that the acid has fully dissolved, add some more water to the solution, to ensure that all the acid has actually dissolved. Then, transfer the solution into the 1000 ml standard flask using a washed funnel and the glass rod. 1. Wash the beaker with water and pour into standard flask, to remove any remaining solution. Repeat this process 3 times. 1. Wash the funnel and the glass rod, letting the water run into the standard flask. 1. Make up the solution to the 1000 ml mark. Place the stopper and mix the solution thoroughly. Transfer approximately 500 ml of this solution to the 500 ml beaker, for ease of use. Preparing the 0.5 % starch solution 1. Measure 0.25 g of starch using the weighing scale and weighing boat. 1. Bring 50 ml of distilled water nearly to a boil, and then add the measured quantity of starch powder to it. Allow to cool. Preparing the Iodine Solution 1. Measure 10.0 g of potassium iodide and 0.536 g of potassium iodate using the weighing scale and weighing boat. Transfer this to a 500 ml beaker. 1. Dissolve the solids in approximately 400 ml of distilled water. Stir using the glass rod, to aid in dissolving. Add the 60 ml of 3.00 M sulphuric acid to the solution at this point. 1. Once it seems that the solids have fully dissolved, add some more water to the solution, to ensure that all of it has actually dissolved. Then, transfer the solution into a 1000 ml standard flask, using a washed funnel and the glass rod. 1. Wash the beaker with water and pour into standard flask, to remove any remaining solution. Repeat this process 3 times. 1. Wash the funnel and the glass rod, letting the water run into the standard flask. 1. Make up the solution to the 1000 ml mark. Place the stopper and mix the solution thoroughly. Transfer approximately 500 ml of this solution to a 500 ml beaker, for ease of use. Titration Set-up and Final Steps 1. Transfer 65 ml of Vitamin C solution each into 5, 250 ml beakers. 1. Keep one of the containers in a trough containing melting ice (0Â °C). Keep one at room temperature (as a control + standard solution). Heat the other three to 30Â °C, 60Â °C and 90Â °C respectively. Ensure that all the beakers are covered with a lid during heating or cooling. 1. Wash the pipette, first using tap water and then distilled water. Rinse the pipette thoroughly with the Vitamin C solution at room temperature. 1. Use a pipette to transfer 20 ml of the Vitamin C solution, at room temperature, into a conical flask. This is the standard solution (and the control) since its concentration is known (0.002 M). 1. Add 10 drops of the starch solution to the conical flask. Swirl the contents to mix properly. 1. Wash the burette with tap water followed by distilled water. Then, rinse the burette with the iodine solution. 1. Fill the burette with iodine solution till the 0.0 ml mark. 1. Titrate the iodine solution into the conical flask, swirling the conical flask at all times. The end point is reached when a blue colour is obtained that persists even after 20 seconds of swirling. Note down the volume of iodine solution used. 1. Re-fill the burette to the 0.0 ml mark. Repeat the titration process 2 more times. Note down these two values for volume of iodine solution used as well. Calculate the average volume used. 1. Check that all the solutions that were heated (or cooled) have reached room temperature, with the help of a thermometer. 1. If they have reached room temperature, repeat the entire titration process (steps 18 – 24) with the other 4 solution (0Â °C, 30Â °C, 60Â °C and 90Â °C). Ensure that the burette is re-filled to the 0.0 ml mark after each and every titration, and that the pipette is first washed, and then rinsed with the solution that is going to be placed in the conical flask. 1. Use unitary method, to calculate the concentration of Vitamin C in each solution, after heating or cooling, using the concentration of the solution at room temperature (0.002 M) as the known value.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics This paper looks at fiber optics as a technology that has been developing and improving the way the world communicates for more than two centuries. It examines its origins from 1790, when a French engineer Claude Chappe invented a system for sending messages using a series of semaphores mounted on top of two towers. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of fiber optics and describes some of the uses of fiber optics in our everyday lives. It analyzes the manner in which fiber optic technology has revolutionised and advanced the field of telecommunications, imaging and data transmission. Modern information systems handle ever-increasing data loads, processor speeds and high-speed interconnection networks, thus impacting our world and expanding the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life. INTRODUCTION Nothing in the world gives us more power and confidence than having information. The ability to communicate information is essential to achieve the successful advancement of humankind. Transmission of information is imperative to the expansion of our horizons. What does this all have to do with fiber optics? This research paper will cover the basis of fiber optics in terms of its transmission, communication, origin, uses and applications. Fiber optics transports light in a very directional way. Light is focused into and guided through a cylindrical glass fiber. Inside the core of the fiber, light bounces back and forth at angles to the side walls, making its way to the end of the fiber where it eventually escapes. The light does not escape through the side walls because of total internal reflection. Why is fiber optics so important? Besides being a flexible conduit that is used to illuminate microscopic objects, fiber optics can also transmit information similarly to the way a copper wire can transmit electricity. However, copper transmits only a few million electrical pulses per second, compared to an optical fiber that carries up to a 20 billion light pulses per second. This means telephone, cable and computer companies can handle huge amounts of data transfers at once, much more than conventional wires can carry. Fiber optic cable was developed because of the incredible increase in the quantity of data over the past 20 years. Without fiber optic cable, the modern Internet and World Wide Web would not be possible. Origin of Fiber Optics Even though it may seem new, the origin of fiber optics actually that dates back several centuries. This is a brief timeline illustrating the history and discovery of fiber optics. 1790 French engineer Claude Chappe invented the first optical telegraph. This was an optical communication system which consisted of a series of human operated semaphoresmounted on top of a tower. 1870 Irish philosopher and physicist, John Tyndall, demonstrated to the Royal Society, that light used internal reflection to follow a specific path. This simple experiment marked the first research into the guided transmission of light. 1880 Alexander Graham Bell patented an optical telephone system called the photo phone. The photo phone was an optical voice transmission system that used light to carry a human voice. This unique device used no wires to connect the transmitter and the receiver. William Wheeler invented a system of light pipes lined with a highly reflective coating that lit up homes. He used a light from an electric arc lamp placed it in the basement and directed the light around the home with the pipes. 1888 Dr. Roth and Prof. Reuss of a medical company in Vienna used bent glass rods to illuminate body cavities. 1895 The French engineer Henry Saint-Rene designed a system of bent glass rods. 1898 David Smith, an American from Indianapolis, applied for a patent on a dental illuminator using a curved glass rod. 1926 John Logie Baird applies for British patent on an array of parallel glass rods or hollow tubes to carry image in a mechanical television. Bairds 30 line images were the first demonstrations of television using the total internal reflection of light. During the same year, Clarence W. Hansell outlined principles of the fiber optic imaging bundle 1930 Heinrich Lamm, a German medical student, was the first person to assemble a bundle of transparent fibers together to carry an image. During these experiments, he transmitted an image of a light bulb filament through the bundle of optical fibers. His attempt to file a patent is denied because of Hansells British patent. 1931 Owens-Illinois invented a method to mass-produce glass fibers for Fiberglas. 1937 Armand Lamesch of Germany applied for U.S. patent on two-layer glass fiber. 1939 Curvlite Sales offered illuminated tongue depressor and dental illuminators made of Lucite, a transparent plastic invented by DuPont. 1951 Holger Moeller applied for a Danish patent on fiber optic imaging in which he used cladding on glass or plastic fibers with transparent low-index material. This patent was also declined because of Hansells patents. In October of that same year, Brian OBrien, from the University of Rochester suggested to Abraham C. S. Van Heel of the Technical University of Delft, that applying a transparent cladding would improve transmission of fibers in his imaging bundle. 1954 The Dutch scientist Abraham Van Heel and British scientist Harold H. Hopkins separately published papers on imaging bundles. Hopkins delivered his paper on imaging bundles of unclad fibers while Van Heel reported on simple bundles of cladded fibers that greatly reduced signal interference. American Optical hired Will Hicks to implement and develop fiber optic image scramblers, an idea OBrien proposed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 1955 Hirschowitz and C. Wilbur Peters hired an undergraduate student, Larry Curtiss, to work on their fiber optic endoscope project. 1956 Curtiss suggested making glass clad fibers by melting a tube onto a rod of higher-index glass. Later that year Curtiss made the first glass-clad fibers using the rod-in-tube method. 1957 Hirschowitz was the first to test fiber optic endoscope in a patient. The Image scrambler project ended after Hicks tells the CIA the code was easy to break. 1959 Working with Hicks, American Optical drew fibers so fine they transmitted only a single mode of light. Elias Snitzer recognised the fibers as single-mode waveguides. 1960 Theodore Maiman demonstrated the first laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu. 1961 Elias Snitzer of American Optical published a theoretical description of single mode fibers. A fiber with a core so small it could carry light with only one wave-guide mode. 1964 Charles Kao and George Hockham, of Standard Communications Laboratories in England, published a paper indicating that light loss in existing glass fibers could be decreased dramatically by removing impurities. 1967 Corning summer intern, Cliff Fonstad, made fibers. Loss is high, but Maurer decides to continue the research using titania-doped cores and pure-silica cladding. 1970 Corning Glass researchers Robert Maurer, Donald Keck and Peter Schultzinvented fiber optic wire or Optical Waveguide Fibers capable of carrying 65,000 times more information than copper wire. These optical fibers could carry information in a pattern of light waves and could be decoded at a destination a thousand miles away. The Corning breakthrough was among the most dramatic of many developments that opened the door to fiber optic communications. In that same year, Morton Panish and Izuo Hayashi of Bell Laboratories worked with a group from the Ioffe Physical Institute in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and made the first semiconductor diode laser capable of emitting continuous waves at room temperature. Telephone companies began to incorporate the use of optical fibers into their communications infrastructure. 1973 Bell Laboratories developed a modified chemical vapour deposition process that heats chemical vapours and oxygen to form ultra-transparent glass that can be mass-produced into low-loss optical fiber. This process still remains the standard for fiber-optic cable manufacturing 1975 First non-experimental fiber-optic link installed by the Dorset police in UK police after lightning knocks out their communication system 1977 Corning joined forces Siemens Corporation, to form Corning Cable Systems. Cornings extensive work with fiber, coupled with Siemens cabling technology, helped launch a new era in the manufacturing of optical fiber cable. General Telephone and Electronics started to send live telephone messages through underground fiber optic cables at 6Mbit/s, in Long Beach, California. Bell System started to send live telephone messages through fibers in underground ducts at 45Mbit/s, in downtown Chicargo. 1978 Optical fibers began to carry signals to homes in Japan AT T, British Post Office and STL pledge to develop a single mode transatlantic fiber cable to be operational by 1988. 1980 Graded-index fiber system carries video signals for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. 1981 British Telecom transmits 140 million bits per second through 49 kilometers of single-mode fiber at 1.3 micrometers 1982 MCI leases the right of way to install single-mode fiber from New York to Washington. The system will operate at 400 million bits per second at 1.3 micrometers. 1984 British Telecom lays the first submarine fiber to carry regular traffic to the Isle of Wight. 1985 Single-mode fiber spreads across America, carrying long distance telephone signals at 400 million bits per second. 1986 The first fiber optic cable begins service across the English Channel. In the same year, ATT sends 1.7 billion bits per second through single-mode optic fiber 1991 Masataka Nakazawa of NTT reports sending soliton signals through a million kilometres of cable 1996 Fujitsu, NTT Labs and Bell Laboratories all report sending one trillion bits per seconds through a single optical fiber. They have all used separate experiments and different techniques to achieve this. APPLICATIONS OF FIBER OPTICS As the popularity of optical fibers continue to grow, so does their applications and practical uses. Fiber optic cables became more and more popular in a variety of industries and applications. Communications / Data Storage Since fiber optics are resistant to electronic noise, fiber optics has made significant advances in the field of communications. The use of light as its source of data transmission has improved the sound quality in voice communications. It is also being used for transmitting and receiving purposes. Military Optical systems offer more security than traditional metal-based systems. The magnetic interference allows the leak of information in the coaxial cables. Fiber optics is not sensitive to electrical interference; therefore fiber optics is suitable for military applications and communications, where signal quality and security of data transmission are important. The increased interest of the military in this technology caused the development of stronger fibers, specially designed cables and high quality components. It was also applied in more varied areas such as hydrophones for seismic and sonar, aircrafts, submarines and other underwater applications. Medical Fiber optics is used as light guides, imaging tools and as lasers for surgeries. Another popular use of fiber optic cable is in an endoscope, which is a diagnostic instrument that enables users to see through small holes in the body. Medical endoscopes are used for minimum invasive surgical procedures. Fiber optics is also used in bronchoscopes (for lungs) and laparoscopes. All versions of endoscopes look like a long thin tube, with a lens or camera at one end through which light is emitted from the bundle of optical fibers banded together inside the enclosure. Mechanical or Industrial Industrial endoscopes also called a borescope or fiberscope, enables the user to observe areas that are difficult to reach or to see under normal circumstances, such as jet engine interiors, inspecting mechanical welds in pipes and engines, inspecting space shuttles and rockets and the inspection of sewer lines and pipes. Networking Fiber optics is used to connect servers and users in a variety of network settings. It increases the speed, quality and accuracy of data transmission. Computer and Internet technology has improved due to the enhanced transmission of digital signals through optical fibers. Industrial/Commercial Fiber optics is used for imaging in areas which are difficult to reach. It is also used in wiring where electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a problem. It gets used often as sensory devices to make temperature, pressure and other measurements as well as in the wiring of motorcars and in industrial settings. Spectroscopy Optical fiber bundles are used to transmit light from a spectrometer to a substance which cannot be placed inside the spectrometer itself, in order to analyse its composition. A spectrometer analyses substances by bouncing light off of and through them. By using optical fibers, a spectrometer can be used to study objects that are too large to fit inside, or gasses, or reactions which occur in pressure vessels. Broadcast/CATV /Cable Television Broadcast or cable companies use fiber optic cables for wiring CATV, HDTV, internet, video and other applications. Usage of fiber optic cables in the cable-television industry began in 1976 and quickly spread because of the superiority of fiber optic cable over traditional coaxial cable. Fiber optic systems became less expensive and capable of transmitting clearer signals further away from the source signal. It also reduced signal losses and decreased the number of amplifiers required for each customer. Fiber optic cable allows cable providers to offer better service, because only one optical line is needed for every  ± 500 households. Lighting and Imaging Fiber optic cables are used for lighting and imaging and as sensors to measure and monitor a vast range of variables. It is also used in research, development and testing in the medical, technological and industrial fields. Fiber optics are used as light guides in medical and other applications where bright light needs to shine on a target without a clear line-of-sight path. In some buildings, optical fibers are used to route sunlight from the roof to other parts of the building. Optical fiber illumination is also used for decorative applications, including signs, art and artificial Christmas trees. Optical fiber is an essential part of the light-transmitting concrete building product, LiTraCon which is a translucent concrete building material. ADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS The use of fiber optics is fast becoming the medium of choice for telecommunication systems, television transmission and data networks. Fiber optic cables have a multitude of advantages and benefits over the more traditional methods of information systems, such as copper or coaxial cables. Speed One of the greatest benefits to using fiber optic systems is the capacity and speed of such a system. Light travels faster than electrical impulses which allow faster delivery and reception of information. Fiber optic cables also have a much higher capacity for bandwidth than the more traditional copper cables. Immunity to electromagnetic interference Coaxial cables have a tendency for electromagnetic interference, which renders them less effective. Fiber optics is not affected by external electrical signals, because the data is transmitted with light. Security Optical systems are more secure than traditional mediums. Electromagnetic interference causes coaxial cables to leak information. Optical fiber makes it impossible to remotely detect the signal which is transmitted within the cable. The only way to do so is by actually accessing the optical fiber itself. Accessing the fiber requires intervention that is easily detectable by security surveillance. These circumstances make fiber optics extremely attractive to governments, banks and companies requiring increased security of data. Fire prevention Copper wire transmission can generate sparks, causing shortages and even fire. Because fiber optical strands use light instead of electricity to carry signals, the chance of an electrical fire is eliminated. This makes fiber optics an exceptionally safe form of wiring and one of the safest forms of data transmission. Data signalling Fiber optic systems are much more effective than coaxial or copper systems, because there is minimal loss of data. This can be credited to the design of optical fibers, because of the principle of total internal reflection. The cladding increases the effectiveness of data transmission significantly. There is no crosstalk between cables, e.g. telephone signals from overseas using a signal bounced off a communications satellite, will result in an echo being heard. With undersea fiber optic cables, you have a direct connection with no echoes. Unlike electrical signals in copper wires the light signals from one fiber do not interfere with those of other fibers in the same cable. This means clearer phone conversations or TV reception. Less expensive Several kilometers of optical cable can be made far cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. Service, such as the internet is often cheaper because fiber optic signals stay strong longer, requiring less power over time to transmit signals than copper-wire systems, which need high-voltage transmitters. Large Bandwidth, Light Weight and Small Diameter Modern applications require increased amounts of bandwidth or data capacity, fiber optics can carry much larger bandwidth through a much smaller cable and they arent prone to the loss of information. With the rapid increase of bandwidth demand, fiber optics will continue to play a vital role in the long-term success of telecommunications. Space constraints of many end-users are easily overcome because new cabling can be installed within existing duct systems. The relatively small diameter and light weight of optical cables makes such installations easy and practical. Easy Installation and Upgrades Long lengths of optical cable make installation much easier and less expensive. Fiber optic cables can be installed with the same equipment that is used to install copper and coaxial cables. Long Distance Signal Transmission The low attenuation and superior signal capacity found in optical systems allow much longer intervals of signal transmission than metallic-based systems. Metal based systems require signal repeaters to perform satisfactory. Fiber optic cables can transmit over hundreds of kilometres without any problems. Even greater distances are being investigated for the future. To use fiber optics in data systems have proven to be a far better alternative to copper wire and coaxial cables. As new technologies are developed, transmission will become even more efficient, assuring the expansion of telecommunication, television and data network industries. DISADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTICS Despite the many advantages of fiber optic systems, there are some disadvantages. The relative new technology of fiber optic makes the components expensive. Fiber optic transmitters and receivers are still somewhat expensive compared to electrical components. The absence of standardisation in the industry has also limited the acceptance of fiber optics. Many industries are more comfortable with the use of electrical systems and are reluctant to switch to fiber optics. The cost to install fiber optic systems is falling because of an increase in the use of fiber optic technology. As more information about fiber optics is made available to educate managers and technicians, the use of fiber optics in the industry will increase over time. The advantages and the need for more capacity and information will also increase the use of fiber optics in our everyday life. Conclusion From its humble beginnings in the 1790s to the introduction of highly transparent fiber optic cable in the 1970s, very high-frequency optic fibers now carry phenomenal loads of communication and data signals across the country and around the world. From surgical procedures to worldwide communication via the internet, fiber optics has revolutionised our world. Fiber optics has made important contributions to the medical field, especially with regards to surgery. One of the most useful characteristics of optical fibers is their ability to enter the minute passageways and hard-to-reach areas of the human body. But perhaps the greatest contribution of the 20th century is the combination of fiber optics and electronics to transform telecommunications. Fiber optic transmission has found a vast range of applications in computer systems. As we move towards a more sophisticated and modern future, the uses of fiber optics are increasing in all computer systems as well as telecommunication networks. As new optical fibers are being made, many telecommunication companies are joining forces to share the cost of installing new network cables. In July 2009 and underwater fiber optic cable was put down along the East African coast by Seacom. New technologies are constantly being invented and video phones and video conferencing such as Skype are becoming an everyday occurrence in many businesses and households. Shopping from home via the internet and online stores such as Amazon.com and Kalahari.net are making many peoples lives easier. Even television on demand, such as being offered by DSTV, will replace the current cable television systems of today. We live in a technological age that is the result of many brilliant discoveries and inventions. However, it is our ability to transmit information and all the media we use to achieve this that is responsible for this evolution. Our progress from using copper wire a century ago to modern day fiber optics that can transmit phenomenal loads of data over longer and longer distances at ever increasing speed has expanded the boundaries of our technological development in all spheres of life.

How Is Naturalism Depicted English Literature Essay

How Is Naturalism Depicted English Literature Essay Naturalism is an artistic movement that rose a great controversy between artists and writers. One of them was John Steinbeck, however many authors dared categorize him as realistic writer. Even he asserted that he did not care about genre. I have therefore decided to answer this research question : How is Naturalism depicted in the character Lennie from the short novel Of mice and men of John Steinbeck? This qualitative descriptive extended essay belongs to the category of literature. In this essay, I examine Naturalism and explain its origin and characteristics. From amongst those characteristics, I then analyze Lennies characterization and demonstrate the influence of Naturalism on it. For that reason, I divide my analysis into six parts, which do not solely comprise a literary analysis of narrative resources and literary devices, but also they include a deep stylistic analysis that uses the peculiar language usage to explain Lennies characteristics. Thus, I demonstrate Lennie is a character that mirrors many naturalistic ideas. One of them is the realness of Lennie, which depicts the objectivity naturalistic writers are supposed to have. Moreover, I explain how Lennie is a token of the naturalistic statement that regards humans as primitive beings. Likewise, I then argue that Lennie has no free will and acts after being influenced by his environment or his own primitive instinct, showing once more a naturalistic idea of determinism. Finally, after evidencing that George does not attribute any responsibility to Lennie for his bad actions, I prove another naturalistic statement that forbids authors from showing any kind of moral judgment. TABLE OF CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION p.4 CHAPTER 1: Background to literary Naturalism p.5 CHAPTER 2: Naturalism in the character Lennie from Of mice and men p.7 Realistic characteristics of Lennie p.7 Primitive behaviour of Lennie p.8 Animal Behaviour of Lennie p.9 Influence of the environment on Lennie p.11 No free will in Lennie p.12 No moral judgment on Lennies behaviour p.14 CONCLUSIONS p.15 BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES p.16 INTRODUCTION No doubt John Steinbeck was a hard-to-categorize author. Many authors have regarded him as a realistic and a sort of romanticism writer whereas others state that he is a naturalistic writer. Steinbeck emerged from a world of Experimentalism in which new forms of aesthetics and themes were being created and mixed. Moreover, this author stated, in one of his letters, as cited by Fredik Eliasson  [1]  , that he did not care about genre and, in another one, that a writer ought to do all work himself, avoiding taking advice from others. In the meantime, American Naturalism was a literary movement rising a great controversy between scholars. Darwins ideas caused a large disceptation, in which many people adopted and argued in favor of Naturalism. Then, in a world heading for globalization, why would John Steinbeck avoid being influenced by others? Given the context, I have formulated the following research problem : How is Naturalism depicted in the character Lennie from the novel Of mice and men of John Steinbeck? Throughout all this work I will try to answer this question. Therefore, it will be very important to stress that this qualitative-descriptive extended essay will not only focus on discovering what naturalistic characteristics are depicted in Lennie, but also on what devices Steinbeck used to let Lennie convey those features. Moreover, I would label this research as important because this work will not only focus on imagery and descriptions in the novel, but also there will be a stylistic analysis, which will be much better than a merely isolated literary analysis. In this essay, I will show how Steinbeck conveys some naturalistic ideas through the character of Lennie of his novel Of mice and men. In the first chapter, I will examine what Naturalism is and what its characteristics are. After this brief definition, I will discuss how John Steinbeck conveys naturalistic ideas in the characterization of Lennie, for which I will divide this analysis into six parts. After that, I will make some conclusions about it. CHAPTER 1: Background to Naturalism Naturalism is a literary movement that took place between the late 19th century and the middle 20th. It stems, according to the The Oxford companion to American literature  [2]  , from French literature, in which Émile Zola was the outstanding figure. This author wanted to form a literature ruled by science, that is, a literature that was not going to be an art anymore, but a science. He explicated his theory, as cited by Fredik Eliasson  [3]  , in his vast study Les Rougon-Macquart, in which human beings are regarded as human beasts and he asserts that they can be studied through their relationships to their environment. The previous ideas were on the basis of the philosophical doctrine of biological and social determinism  [4]  . On the one hand, the former derived from Charles Darwins theory of evolution. Although he never applied his theories to human behaviour, they were used to examine how ones situation was determined by biological aspects  [5]  . On the other hand, the latter was influenced by the ideology of Marx, which canvased the social and political situation of American urban life  [6]  . As set before, naturalistic works were basically defined by determinism. It stated that people are controlled by their instinct, their passions and their social and economic environment  [7]  . Therefore, humans should be considered as if they did not have free will. Furthermore, determinism, as established by Kathryn VanSpanckeren, denies religion as a motivating force in the world and instead perceives the universe as a machine, godless and out of control  [8]  . Then, due to the lack of free will, it would make no sense to judge human behaviour, for humankind does not made decisions by itself. Zola, in his essay The experimental novel, related the scientific method to literary works. He said: the experimental novelist is therefore the one () who does not interpose his personal sentiments  [9]  . Thus, novels had to be as objective as possible because naturalistic writers were supposed to offer a scientific view of reality, in which neither an illusion nor a moral judgment had to be included  [10]  . Among themes in Naturalism, the literary critic Walcutt could recognize four themes: Determinism, survival, violence and taboo  [11]  . The theme of determinism has already been explained. The theme of survival stems from the application of determinism to biological competition, which points out men can, due to their origin in animals, behave like them. The theme of violence is related to survival, because as everybody tries to survive, they have to damage each other in order to outlive. Finally, the last theme is taboo, which includes sex, disease, bodily functions, obscenity and depravity. On the whole, Naturalism regards humans as beings fated to obey their natural instinct and environment, depicting a reality in which they can not be criticized. Taking the information given into account, in the next chapter it will be seen that realism, which is result of objectivity, primitive and animal characteristics, environmental influence and the lack of free will and moral judgment will be used to analyze the characterization of the character chosen. CHAPTER 2: Naturalism in the character Lennie from Of mice and men Of mice and men is a playable novel of John Steinbeck published in 1937. This author was the winner of a Nobel Prize in literature thanks to his novel The Grapes of Wrath. Of mice and men is known on account of its themes of friendship and American dream. The two main characters are Lennie and George. In the following sub-chapters, I will focus on Lennie, a round and static character that is mainly characterized by indirect characterization. Realistic characteristics of Lennie One of the main and notable characteristics is the representation of reality. John Steinbeck takes advantage of descriptions and speech in order to present how the people of those times were. Thus, he is also stressing the objectivity of Naturalism, which states that everything has to be described as it is in real life. First of all, since the third-person narrator is omniscient, the novel becomes more objective. Furthermore, the use of a description of Lennies dress, given in the opening chapter, depicts some characteristics of real workers. It can be seen in the narrative discourse: Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders  [12]  . Here, the fact that they carry their blankets let us know, since the beginning, that they have no place to live. What is more, the use of the pronoun both extrapolates these characteristics to every person who is in the same situation, that is to say, any other rancher who is working hard to survive misery. Secondly, there is a great contrast between the language used in the voice of the narrator and the speech of Lennie and all characters in general. The former contains a Standard English whereas the latter presents a Vernacular English. As stated by Johanna Seppà ¤là ¤, in her short study Vernacular English in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men  [13]  , this kind of language shows extensions of the s-ending to all verb forms, omissions of the auxiliary verb in the present perfect, double negation, reduction of words and use of colloquial phrases and words. Thus, we can see that Lennie is uneducated like the way workers of that period were. Therefore, this another reason to believe that this novel has a great deal of realism, which is a naturalistic characteristic. Primitive behaviour of Lennie Another characteristic of Naturalism in Lennie is his primitive behaviour. Clearly he is a childlike person and it will be demonstrated through the analysis of his actions, his speech and what other characters think and say about him. To start with, one of the most repetitive narrations, that will let readers know Lennie is like a child, is the act of smiling and its synonyms such as grin, giggle, chuckle, and laugh. By analyzing the setting and the situation in which Lennie feels pleased, happy or is being friendly, one can infer Lennie laughs because of pride. For instance, he smiles when he is able to remember what happened in Weed, the previous ranch in which he worked, and what George had told him about not saying any word. Also, when he feels proud to strike Curley, the son of the owners ranch, and when he hears George saying that he was as strong as bull. Definitely, Lennie fits the description of a child that feels pride when doing something correctly and being congratulated. Continuing, Steinbeck used suspension points when he wrote Lennies speech. This device creates a pause which can endure more than a single period or comma. Therefore, this pause could mean he stops for a while until he remembers what he has to say. Here are some examples: I remember some girls come by and you says . . . you says . . .  [14]  , I . . . I Lennie thought. His face grew tight with thought. I . . . aint gonna say nothin ()  [15]  , Because . . . . because I got you ()  [16]  and I . . . I aint gonna . . . say a word  [17]  . Suspension points are also seen by the time Lennie is constructing the ideas that he wants to express: I was jus playin with him . . . an he made like hes gonna bite me . . . . an I made like I was gonna smack him . . . an . . . an I done it. An then he was dead  [18]  . As it can be seen, Lennie stops when he finishes telling a sentence and then he continues talking. This is similar to the way children learn to talk and, therefo re, it is another reason why Lennie should be labelled as a child. Finally, one peculiar characteristic he has is forgetfulness. When George is talking to Lennie in the beginning of the novel he says: I gotta tell you again, do I? () O.K-O.K. Ill tell ya again  [19]  . Here the adjunct again forms an iterative narration and, thus, it let us know that it is not the first time he forgets something. As he can not remember things, he also takes trouble to learn them. When George says: You say that over two, three times so you sure wont forget it  [20]  and () Say it over to yourself, Lennie, so you wont forget it  [21]  he shows that Lennie needs to repeat words in order to interiorize them, which seems to be a sign of subnormal intelligence. Likewise, because of his retardation, Lennie is regarded as a child. Indeed, he is compared to kids and babies. For instance, when he cries, George tells him: Blubberin like a baby!  [22]  . It is also seen when Slim asks George: Hes jus like a kid, aint he?  [23]  and then George replies: Sure hes jes like a kid  [24]  . Moreover, even Curleys wife uses the adjective sonny to call him: What you got there, sonny boy?  [25]  and then she says: Jus like a big baby  [26]  . As it can be seen, the abundance of viewpoints from different characters states that Lennie unquestionably behaves like a child, which should be considered as primitive behaviour. Animal Behaviour of Lennie Edmund Wilson holds, as cited by Susan Shillinglaw  [27]  , that Steinbecks characters were more nearly animal than human. No doubt, this assertion is valid when discussing Lennies characterization because, in the next argument, it will evidenced that Lennie, by means of imagery, a peculiar diction and foreshadowing, is presented as if he had animal features. Throughout all the novel, the narrator compares Lennie to a bear and a horse three times. His motion is compared to () the way a bear drags his paws  [28]  in both the beginning and the end of the novel. Moreover, there is a comparison to a horse because, as the narrator says: [Lennie was] snorting into the water like a horse  [29]  . The latter differs from the former because it points out that Lennie has not good manners. Nevertheless, they have two things in common: they symbolize strength and great size. Hence it can be stated that the most outstanding characteristics in Lennie are physical, whereas the intellectual ones are subnormal. The comparison to animals is mirrored by diction. In the first chapter, a simile compares Lennie to a terrier who doesnt want to bring a ball to its master  [30]  . Moreover, when he fights against Curley, the narrator describes the scene using the following words: Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror  [31]  . Here the noun paw and the verb bleat, which means to make the sound of sheep and goats, convey Lennies similarity to animals. Finally, he is also referred to as a cuckoo by Slim. Cuckoo is synonym of  mad and senseless  [32]  but, at the same time, as defined by the Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, it representsany of numerous birds of the family Cuculidae  [33]  . The polysemy of this word could have been used to label him as a mad person and simultaneously compare him to an animal. Thus, Steinbeck presents, again, Lennie with animal characteristics. Another device used for describing Lennie is foreshadowing. As cited by Byung-Chull Bae and R. Michael Young  [34]  , S. Chatman defines it as hints of what is to come. That is exactly what can be seen in the novel when Candys dog is shot at its head because the workers regard it as a dog that does not deserve to continue suffering. Lennie is implicitly compared to this animal when in the end of the novel George shoots at him, for otherwise he would be murdered cruelly. Influence of the environment on Lennie Naturalism states that human beings are the product of their social environment. Next, it will be shown that Steinbeck conveyed this idea by means of diction, the symbolism of George and his speech. First of all, one should understand what George symbolizes. According to the definition given by Steven Croft and Helen Cross in their book English for the IB Diploma, () a symbol is simply a feature whereby a word or phrase represents something else ()  [35]  . If George is to be considered as a symbol, one should say that he symbolizes Lennies social environment because George has been like Lennies family for a long time and has been looking after him since they met. When the narrator introduces Lennie and George, he uses a peculiar language when referring to their position. The voice of the narrator starts saying: one stayed behind the other  [36]  , by which readers do not know neither who is behind nor who is forward. Immediately, Georges appearance is described, letting readers know he is small. At first sight, one can imagine the small one must be following the other. However the narrator says: Behind him walked his opposite  [37]  and readers, thus, can imagine he is bigger than the other and nothing similar to the first ones appearance. In this situation, despite his size, Lennie is the follower and, therefore, here a hint appears to point out that Lennie is certainly dependent upon George. That dependence upon George can also be seen in the imitation. When George replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees and embraced them  [38]  , Lennie did the same and the author used the adjunct exactly and the same lexicon for describing both George and Lennies actions. What is more, he does not just do it , but he also watches George again to see whether he is doing it right. The adjunct immediately is used when Lennie imitates George at their arrival at the bunk house. Hence, it can be stated that humans beings, symbolized by Lennie, imitate and copy what they see in their environment, symbolized by George. Moreover, Georges speech reveals that Lennie () sure can take orders  [39]  . When he is talking to Slim, he says: [Lennie] can do anything you tell him  [40]  and jus tell Lennie what to do an hell do it if it dont take no figuring  [41]  . George knows Lennie can do everything he asks him to and that is why he turns to Lennie and says, Jump in. An he jumps  [42]  . After that, Lennie is very grateful, for George saves him from drowning, and forgets he had told him to jump. Here Lennie shows that he would not criticize any order he receives from George. Therefore, we can conclude that, according to this novel, environment has a determining influence on human beings. No free will in Lennie George says in one of his speeches: [Lennie] cant think of nothing to do himself ()  [43]  . It shows the idea of determinism which states that humans beings have no free will. In this sub-chapter, it will be demonstrated how Steinbeck conveyed this idea by means of mainly peculiar use of language. To start with, when Lennie was asked to give a mouse away, his hand went into the pocket (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)  [44]  in order to do what was being asked. However, Lennie did not want to do it and held his closed hand away from Georges direction  [45]  . Nevertheless, despite his effort, Lennies closed hand slowly obeyed  [46]  . By looking at the subjects and the objects, it can be seen that his hand is doing the actions, in the first and last quotation. It tries to hand it over to George, but, when Lennie acts as the subject and his hand is the object, it seems that he has to order it to be away from George. As Lennies hand surrenders the mouse over to George, one could infer that however much Lennie tries to avoid doing something against his will, he can not refrain from that. A similar situation is seen when Lennie has the mouse for the second time. Before handing the mouse over, Lennie makes an elaborate pantomime of innocence  [47]  trying to find mercy in a situation in which he can not do anything to avoid the loss of the mouse. Then he looks cornered and Steinbeck uses the following words: Lennie hesitated, backed away, looked wildly at the brush line as though he contemplated running for his freedom  [48]  . Here Lennie clearly shows that he does not want to obey George. After that, the adjunct reluctantly is used to describe the way he is trying to leave the mouse. Lennie, still indecisive, is in a great dilemma in the following extract: Lennie approached, drew back, approached again  [49]  . As it can be seen, by means of an antithesis, the author shows that Lennie doubts as to the two totally different options he has: to approach and to drew back. Nevertheless, George snapped his fingers sharply, and at the sound Lennie laid the mouse in his hand  [50]  , showing once more that he can not follow his will, because he has to do what his surroundings (George) tell him to do. Moreover, his body can be characterized as that of an entity that acts following its primitive instinct. It is evidenced when Lennie kills Curleys wife. This event started when Lennies big fingers fell to stroking her hair  [51]  . Then she asked him to stop, but Lennies fingers closed on her hair and hung on  [52]  . She started to shout, but Lennies other hand closed over her mouth and nose  [53]  . The fact that Lennies fingers and hand are the subjects in these sentences shows how he loses control of his own body. Afterward, he looked down at her, and carefully he removed his hand from over her mouth  [54]  , realizing, thus, that she was dead. In the previous sentences, Lennie is the subject, showing that he regains control of his body, but it is too late, for his hand had already killed Curleys wife. No moral judgment on Lennies behaviour Likewise, as stated previously, human behaviour can not be criticized, for it is the product of the environmental influence. Next, it will be demonstrated that this idea is presented by Steinbeck by means of Georges speech. When George and Slim talk about Lennie, they say, repeating many times, that he is not mean. For example, after killing Curleys wife, Lennie flees the ranch and then George says: Lennie never done it in meanness (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)  [55]  , He never done this to be mean  [56]  and, finally, He dint know what he was doin   [57]  . In fact, they say he does not act by malice but by unconsciousness of what he does. Another example is given after striking Curley, when George directly tells Lennie: You done jus what I tol you to () You aint done nothing wrong  [58]  . Thus, it is stated that somebody is not responsible for what they do because they just act unconsciously in response to their environment. CONCLUSIONS Taking everything into account, I can confirm the initial assertion which stated that John Steinbeck conveys some ideas of Naturalism. Use of similes, spoken language, peculiar diction, iterative narrations, descriptions and the voice of the narrator aid to characterize Lennie and, therefore, let readers see the naturalistic ideas conveyed in this character in the short novel Of mice and men of John Steinbeck. Steinbeck introduces Lennie as a realistic character that depicts a portrait of human beings who behave senselessly and show primitive features that approach the Darwinian idea which states that we all humans and animals had an origin in common. Although Lennie can not do things by himself and is almost always waiting for orders, he follows his natural instinct, which is demonstrated by his division into two entities: himself and his body. Moreover, Through the relationship between George and Lennie, Steinbeck conveys the main theme of Naturalism: determinism, which is evidenced in Georges influence on Lennie to act. Finally, as George said, Lennie has not free will and is not conscious of what he does. Therefore, he can not be criticized by other people. All in all, the previous characteristics of Lennie convey naturalistic themes that simultaneously bring the influence of Naturalism on Steinbeck out into the open. Having concluded this extended essay, I bid researchers to continue studying this topic. As it could be seen, I limited the scope to one character, which permitted me to reserve space for an exploration of it in considerable depth. Then, other essays could formulate some research questions from the following questions: How is Naturalism depicted in other characters from this novel?, is there any trace of moral judgment in this novel?, how is friendship, label of the relationship between George and Lennie, related with Naturalism? and how is Naturalism depicted in other novels of John Steinbeck? By answering these questions there will be a deeper understanding of the author and the themes he intended to transmit. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES Bae B. and Young, R. (n.d.). A Use of Flashback and Foreshadowing for Surprise Arousal in Narrative Using a Plan-Based Approach. Retrieved from July 20, 2011, liquidnarrative.csc.ncsu.edu/pubs/icids1.pdf Beale, P. and Partridge, E. (2002). A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: Colloquialisms and Catch Phrases, Fossilised Jokes and Puns, General Nicknames, Vulgarisms and Such Americanisms As Have Been Naturalis

Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia Essay -- Chronicles of Narni

Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia      Ã‚  Ã‚   C. S. Lewis, a well-known author and apologist, is best known by people of all ages for his seven volume series entitled The Chronicles of Narnia. As Lewis wrote about the land of Narnia, an imaginary world visited by children of this world, he had two obvious purposes: to entertain the readers and to suggest analogies of the Christian faith. Although some feel that his stories are violent, Lewis is successful at using fiction to open peoples' hearts to accepting Christ as their Savior because he first entertains the audience with a wonderful story.    Lewis talked about how he came to write the books of Narnia, saying that they "all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood" (Lewis 79). The Chronicles tell of the different adventures of English children as they visit the kingdom of Narnia and fall in love with the lion Aslan. Aslan, "the son of the Emperor over Sea," can be compared to this world's Jesus Christ (Schakel 133). As a child, Lewis always favored fairy tales and fantasies; as an adult, he decided to write one (Lewis 60). And so began The Chronicles of Narnia. Rather than planning to write a fictional book that succeeded in using apologetics, Lewis admits that the "element" of Christianity, "as with Aslan," entered "of its own accord" (Hooper 31). Walter Hooper, C. S. Lewis' biographer, describes Lewis as being the most religious man he ever met (Schakel 132). For this reason, no matter what Lewis wrote, his religion would greatly impact all of his works.    Although Christian symbolism can be found... ...rtainer.    Works Cited    Dorsett, Lyle W. and Marjorie Lamp Mead, eds. C. S. Lewis Letters to Children. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1985.    Holbrook, David. The Skeleton in the Wardrobe: C. S. Lewis's Fantasies: A Phenomenological Study. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press, 1991.    Hooper, Walter. Past Watchful Dragons: The Narnian Chronicles of C. S. Lewis. New York: Collier Books, 1979.    Lewis, C. S. Of This and Other Worlds. Ed. Walter Hooper. St. James Place, London: Collins, 1982.    Martin, Holly Bigelow. "C. S. Lewis in the Secular Classroom." The Bulletin of the New York C. S. Lewis Society 22.4 (1991): 1-7.    Schakel, Peter J. Reading with the Heart: The Way Into Narnia. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979.   

Hawthornes Puritanical Beliefs Revealed in The Scarlett Letter and You

Hawthorne's Puritanical Beliefs Revealed in The Scarlett Letter and Young Goodman Brown When an author depicts a person or group of people in his or her work, the opinion of the writer most often sifts into the descriptions, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Some writers are very guarded regarding their feelings toward any particular subject, while others are very open and happy to share. Nathaniel Hawthorne belongs to the latter group. The purpose of the majority of his literary work was to share his view of the group of strict Christians known as the Puritans. Hawthorne himself was a direct descendent of Puritans, and he obviously held very particular views of his ancestors. These views are clearly demonstrated in his works The Scarlett Letter and "Young Goodman Brown," in which Hawthorne shows his disdain for the judgement and hypocrisy that was a daily practice of the Puritan church. In the New Testament of the Holy Bible, Matthew wrote in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Seven, Verse 1, "Judge not, that you be not judged." This is an often quoted verse of scripture that has been the subject of countless sermons and has been the chastisement to even more Christians. The Puritans, without a doubt, had this verse branded on their hearts, and yet, according to the works of Hawthorne, never practiced the Bible that they quoted so frequently. His disdain toward them and the judgement that they inflict on others, as well as the hypocrisy that they are immersed in from the time of birth. In the second chapter of The Scarlett Letter, Hawthorne shows the reader both the judgement and hypocrisy of a small part of the society - the women. As they wait for the arrival of Hester Prynne, this town's resident adulteress, they... ...n authors Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor. Perhaps, had Hawthorne studied these two writers, he may have discovered the bit of beauty that is hiding in stoic Puritanism. Works Cited Baym, Nina. The Norton Anthology of American Literature vol. I. New York: Norton and Co., 1998. McKeithan, D. M. "Hawthorne's 'Young Goodman Brown': An Interpretation." Modern Language Notes (1952): 93-96. Reprinted in Short Story Criticism vol. 29. "A Review of The Scarlet Letter." Littell's Living Age (1850): 203-207. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism vol.10. Duyckinck, E.A. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." The Literary World (1850): 323-325. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism vol.10. Macy, John. "Hawthorne." The Spirit of American Literature (1913): 77-96. Reprinted in Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism vol.10.

The Departed/Internal Affairs Film Comparison

The Departed, a film directed by Martin Scorsese, won an Oscar for Best Picture, as well as 3 other Academy Awards. The story however, is based on a 2002 Hong Kong film directed by Wai-keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak, Mougaan dou; better known to us as Infernal Affairs. The similarities between these two crime/drama/thrillers are great. In The Departed, director Martin Scorsese takes the story into his own style of storytelling, but the adaptation of the screenplay originally written by director Siu Fai Mak and Felix Chong is almost identical to the screenplay by William Monahan adapted for The Departed. The key overall difference between the two films can be attributed to their setting. Infernal Affairs, based in Hong Kong, was adapted or â€Å"Americanized† to fit American customs and situations, namely the situation in south Boston with the Irish mafia â€Å"some time ago. Neither film specifies an exact historical era. There is an equivalent to most Infernal Affairs characters in The Departed: you have the mole in the Hong Kong IAU (internal affairs unit), Inspector Lau Kin Ming, played by Andy Lau, who is the equivalent to Matt Damon’s role as the mole in the Boston State Police, Colin Sullivan; there’re the undercover cops, Chan Wing Yan (Tony Leung Chi Shing) and William Costigan Jr. (Le onardo Di Caprio); there’s the boss of the Hong Kong mafia (the Triads), Hon Sam (Eric Tsang), and the Irish mafioso, Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). The head of the Boston State Police is Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen), who is mirrored after SP Wong Chi Shing (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang). There is no real equivalent to Mark Walberg’s character, Staff Sgt. Dignam, but I’m glad they added him. The two films share similar style and techniques; however it is easy to distinguish Scorsese’s directing. Both films make good use of moving shots, which only add to the liveliness of the action. The Departed has virtually no special effects at all, using editing to only to cut and colour correct. Infernal Affairs is similar to that, but makes much more use of fast editing and montage, using slight special effects for transitions and introducing key characters, using a combination of freeze frame and a desaturation filter for instance. Small effects are used in moderation throughout the film to add to the movie’s overall intensity, and makes fast cuts with multiple angles to create emphasis and a fast-paced feel in certain scenes. The overall style of the films is fairly similar: predominant use of medium to long shots, steadicam, tracking, and crane shots can be seen throughout both films. Therefore this Creates fast paced movements and a flow which also generates this overall feel of realism. Both films start relatively the same: the gang boss recruits new, young blood to put through the academy to work as moles for them. Although Costello recruits Sullivan at an earlier age than Sam, they both seem to be raising workers for the same purpose (at the beginning, we see other kids in the car shop with Colin, who can be expected to be there for the same reason), and the stories each focus on Colin (Costello’s mole), Lau (Sam’s mole), Costigan (State Police undercover), and Wing-Yan

Higher Cost of Healthcare: Deterrent for Smokers Essay

This research is focused on the hypothesis that if an employer would consider a high health dispense toll for employees who smoke, would this prevent them from continuing the vice and re mucklet hummer for good? Literature survey According to Andre, Velasquez & Mazur (2008) the American medical affiliation recently revealed that at least 25 cents of every health c atomic number 18 one dollar bill is spent on the treatment of diseases or disabilities that result from potentially changeable behaviors. heater, by itself, hails the the U. S. health c be dodge over $65 billion every year (par. 1).Meanwhile, in an article entitled Smokers overcompensate More for health Benefits Employers Ask Smokers to throw Higher Health-C atomic number 18 Premiums written by Lisa Cornwell, she say that a number of companies keep back already imposed higher(prenominal) health c be premiums to employees who smoke (par. 2). These companies, both orphic and in the public eye(predicate), employ to this measure to entice the smokers to depart take for good. Some companies impose $20 to $50 a month for these employees. According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Smoking is costing the eco no.y (cited in Cornwell,2006, par. 2 ).Significantly, the employers are charging smokers extra for health policy in an effort to rein in cost. The estimated costs of medical expenditures and lost productivity are about twice the cost of cigarettes per pack or to a greater extent (cited in Cornwell,2006, par. 2 ). Additionally, in an interview by Helen Darling, death chair of the content Business stem on Health, she remarked that In addition to employers having to bear out more than in health-care costs, public opinion is now solidly on the side of eliminating green goddess, and workers are realizing increasingly that they are having to pay for others lifestyle choices (cited in Cornwell, 2006, par. 0).National Business Group on Health is a non profit organization wit h more than 200 member employers. Despite the dissimulation of higher healthcare cost, some companies erect programs that forget entice smokers to break take in. at once they sign up and complete the program, they are waived of a certain amount which is ordinarily required for smoking employees. However if they strike the vice, the fee will be asked of them in the following year. Basing from the number of the employees that signed up for the program, it appears to be a motivating federal agent for smokers to finally give up on smoking.However, an issue cannot be without an opposing side. Lewis Maltby, president of the National Workrights Institute, remarked making smokers pay more for insurance for their health choices isnt inherently wrong but do we really motive to live in a field where employers penalize us for everything in our private lives that isnt healthy? (cited in Cornwell, 2006, par. 10). methodology This study is conducted through interview of lx (60) resp ondents. The respondents age be adriftd from 23 to 40 long time of age. Among them were 22 females and 38 males.They were all smokers and of polar histories. The range of their ages was 14 to 27 when they started smoking tobacco/cigarettes. The main questions asked from the respondents are as follows (a) How m whatsoever sticks of cigarettes do you smoke per sidereal day? (b) On average, how may times deliver you consulted with a medical doctor with affection relating to your vice? (c) Are you instinctive to elevate higher healthcare cost for smoking? (d) If you had no choice but to shoulder higher health care cost, would you quit smoking for good?Data abbreviation and ResultsAmong the sixty (60) respondents, the cigarette packs consumed per day range from 3 sticks to 1 pack a day. A pack contains 20 sticks of cigarette. As regards medical conditions, 56% of the smokers admitted to have smoking-related illnesses such(prenominal) as cough and sinus infections. In a year, the y visit the doctor 2 to 3 times for such sickness. When asked if they are willing to shoulder surplus healthcare cost for their vice, 40% utter yes, since they are willing to take responsibility for their hold vice. However 60% said no.On the imposition of a higher health cost from their employers and if this would stumble them quit smoking for good, 38. 3% said they would decidedly quit smoking, 43. 3% said they would make an effort to quit smoking, 18. 3% said it would not make any divagation in their smoking wonts. Discussion Basing from the interviews, besides 18% of the respondents are adamant to quitting smoking despite imposing higher costs for healthcare. Significantly, these respondents have been smoking for al about their lives and have not yet experienced any serious illness associated with their smoking habit. hotshot of the respondents remarked that he is willing to shoulder a few more of his income and earnings since smoking, correspond to him, does him good t hat is worth his money. However, more significantly, 38% are willing to give up the vice and another 43% were willing to make an effort to quit for good. Basing from this research, it shows that higher health care cost can be an effective deterrent for smoking. wiz of those willing to give up smoking for good was a single woman who said she could instead use the money for clean fun than for smoking-related sicknesses.Conclusion and recommendation Judging from the result of this study and motley interviews of employers (as stated in Cornwells article), the additional expenses for health care for smoking plain discourage smokers from pursuing the vice. Evidence shows that most are willing to undergo therapy and programs that will help eliminate the tobacco habit for good, as they are to shoulder the expense of consultation, treatment and medication for such spontaneous health risk.