New Product Questionnaire Essay Example for Free

New Product Questionnaire Essay The main definition of bonsai as an outlet for both art and horticulture is quite wide. There are many myths which are associated with bonsai. These not only provide confusion for budding enthusiasts, but gives the pastime a bad name for anyone not majorly experienced in the area. A bonsai is not a genetically dwarfed plant and is not kept small by cruelty in any way. In fact, given an adequate supply of water, air, light and nutrients, a properly maintained bonsai should outlive a full size tree of the same species. The techniques of Bonsai are no more cruel than that of any other horticultural endeavour. It is also common belief that bonsai are only a few centimetres tall. This is untrue, although bonsai are small in comparison to their huge life-sized brothers, most are over 25 centimetres tall and up to 1 metre in height. To the Japanese, there is a link to many of the ideals that their society is based on. Zen Buddhism where the pastime originated, man, nature, elements and change all are intertwined into this unique method of meditation and expression. To our world now, bonsai is viewed as a hobby that allows a greater understanding and being with nature and also a way to enhance our gardens. Bonsai can be developed from seeds or cuttings, from young trees or from naturally occurring stunted trees transplanted into containers. Most bonsai range in height from 5 centimetres (2 in) to 1 metre (3. 33 ft). Bonsai are kept small and trained by pruning branches and roots, by periodic repotting, by pinching off new growth, and by wiring the branches and trunk so that they grow into the desired shape. The bonsai with its container and soil, physically independent of the earth since its roots are not planted in it, is a separate entity, complete in itself, yet part of nature. This is what is meant by the expression heaven and earth in one container. A bonsai tree should always be positioned off-center in its container, for not only is asymmetry vital to the visual effect, but the center point is symbolically where heaven and earth meet, and nothing should occupy this place. Another aesthetic principle is the triangular pattern necessary for visual balance and for expression of the relationship shared by a universal principle (life-giving energy or deity), the artist and the tree itself. Tradition holds that three basic virtues are necessary to create a bonsai: shin-zen-bi standing for truth, goodness and beauty. Given proper care, bonsai can live for hundreds of years, with prized specimens being passed from generation to generation, admired for their age, and revered as a reminder of those who have cared for them over the centuries. Although these bonsai are extremely beautiful meticulously cared for over the years and containing such a wealth of knowledge, age is not essential. It is more important that the tree produce the artistic effect desired, that it be in proper proportion to the appropriate container, and that it be in good health. Bonsai are ordinary trees or plants, not special hybrid dwarfs. Small leafed varieties are most suitable, but essentially any plant can be used, regardless of the size it grows to in the wild. In Japan, varieties of pine, azalea, camellia, bamboo and plum are most often used. The artist never duplicates nature but rather expresses a personal aesthetic philosophy by manipulating it. The bonsai may suggest many things, but in all cases must look natural and never show the intervention of human hands (with the exception of Chinese bonsai which in many cases depicts images of dragons and other influential symbols of the culture at the time of origination). Grown in special containers, bonsai are primarily kept outdoors (with the exception of some plants suited, trained and grown indoors), although they are often displayed on special occasions in the tokonoma, the alcove in the traditional Japanese rooms designed for the display of artistic objects or on a polished stand.

Divorce Laws in the United States Essay examples -- Family Law

â€Å"Divorce is a decree by a court that a valid marriage no longer exists. It leaves both parties free to remarry. The court will award custody, divide property, and order spousal and child support† (The American Bar Association 71). â€Å"†¦till death do us part† is almost always heard at wedding ceremonies. But all too often does this phrase not hold up to its true meaning. Between 1960 and 1999 the divorce rate in the United States tripled (Porterfield vii). Out of all first time marriages, 41% end in divorce (Divorce Rate). According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, for every 1,000 people, 6.8 get married and 3.4 of those marriages will end in divorce (Marriage and Divorce). The Family Legal Guide from The American Bar Association confirms that of the couples who marry before the age of forty-five, one-half of them will get divorced (71). These numbers do not seem to be decreasing. They only seem to be increasing as time goes on. It is agreed by many that if two people can no longer find it in themselves to be passionate towards one another and they no longer desire the others company that they should end their marriage. However, the growing number of divorces is proving that, pe rhaps getting a divorce in the United States is too easy. The evidence proves that divorce laws should be made stricter throughout the United States. Every divorce is different; no two divorces are the same. Some involve children. Some are just a couple. Some have step children or half children. Some include hostile situations. Some are peaceful. Some are for a valid reason. Some are simply because the couple doesn’t feel like being together anymore. Some are mutual. Some are not. So why is every divorce so quickly done and so easily ob... ...2. â€Å"Marriage and Divorce.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. Porterfield, Kay Marie. Straight Talk about Divorce. New York: Facts on File, 1999. Print. Portnoy, Ph.D. Sanford. â€Å"A Lawyer’s Primer Part 1- The Effects of Divorce on Adults.† Ed. Ron Brown. The Psychology of Divorce. 1(2006): 1-7. Print. Russo, Francine. â€Å"Can The Government Prevent Divorce?† The Atlantic. Oct. 1997. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Shapiro v. Thompson. 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data. U.S. Supreme Court. 21 Apr. 1969. Print. Tavernise, Sabrina, and Robert Gebeloff. â€Å"Once Rare in Rural American, Divorce is Changaing the Face of Its Families.† www.Nytimes.com. The New York Times. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. The American Bar Association. Family Legal Guide. 3rd ed. New York: Random House, 2004. 71-88. Print.

Educational Orientation for African Americans Essay

â€Å"Reality depends on one’s perception of the world. Thus, although there is one school, each student perceives his or her experiences in that school differently. Reality exists in that individual perception† (Marcus, Gross, & Seefeldt, 1991, p. 364). Ensuring social justice and opportunities of achievement for all students, especially historically underrepresented groups, has been my mission in life for many years. Concerned with issues like equal opportunity and treatment for all students, regardless of students’ social class, ethnicity, or family structure, I have always attempted to be cognizant of students’ perspectives. As a counselor in a school that is predominantly white with a few African American students I would like to research intervention strategies that would make those African American students in my school be more successful. There are many factors associated with school failure, especially in African American males. The purpose of this research is to identify those factors and develop interventions strategies to apply to combat the school failure of those students. Examining their culture and of the causes of this phenomena and understanding how they experience school was critical in identifying the issues and influences on their educations. Students’ failures to learn and succeed do not occur out of thin air. More specifically, African American boys’ failures to achieve do not occur out of thin air. A review of literature on Black male achievement shows that not only do they lag behind their White counterparts in America, but also in Britain and Canada (Graham & Robinson, 2004; Smith, Schneider, & Ruck, 2005). Attention must be given to examining policies, practices, attitudes, and experiences that create such failure in schools (Christle, Jolivette, & Nelson, 2005; Kagan, 1990; Nieto, 1999). Educators have many responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to examine the reasons for the failure of students. Marian Wright Edelman (1992) sums up the purpose of education and echoes my belief of the responsibility of educators: â€Å"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it† (pp. 9-10). The decision to study African American males in middle school arises from personal interest in equity and social justice issues. Tied to that is my experience in middle schools where I have been witness to struggling students, particularly African American males from low socioeconomic neighborhoods, who have demonstrated a lack of success in school. One cannot help but wonder why being Black and male puts students at risk for school failure (Davis, 2003; Noguera, 2003). For these reasons, my research is focused on a group of African American who are not successful in school; those who are struggling academically, demonstrating inappropriate behavior at school, and not putting forth effort to meet their academic potential. The research will seek to identify the influences, or the lack thereof, impacting these students’ success. When factoring in other issues that potentially result from a lack of educational attainment, such as involvement in illegal activity and incarceration of African American students, it is easy to see that we cannot afford to gamble on whether or not these students will make it on their own. Alarming statistics create a sense of urgency and responsibility for educators in reaching African American students in particular. Predictions based on steady incarceration rates reveal that 32% of African American males will likely serve time in state or federal prisons during the course of their lifetimes (U. S. Department of Justice, 2002). We are living in a country where twice as many African Americans live below the poverty line than Caucasians and where 40% of jail inmates are African American (U. S. Department of Commerce, 2002; U. S. Department of Justice, 2002). African Americans have held the lead in the percentage of people unemployed for three years consecutively (U. S. Department of Labor, 2003). Such statistics, when coupled with economic consequences of failing to adequately educate all students, paint a bleak picture for a large segment of our population. Gibbs (1988) goes so far as to say that African American males are an â€Å"endangered species. † She uses a dictionary definition to define this term as â€Å"a class of individuals having common attributes and designated by a common name [which is] in danger or peril of probable harm or loss† (p. 1). It is critical that struggling African American students are identified early to help avoid the dismal scenarios. The implications of failing to identify and assist struggling students at the earliest point possible not only have an immediate effect on students but also carry long-term consequences for students, communities, and the nation (Gibbs, 1988; Lee, 2002; President’s Committee, 1997). The educational and societal implications of not reaching this group of students are worthy of great concern. The lack of both academic progress and motivation to learn are symptoms of a larger problem. Without getting to the root causes for the underachievement of African American males, another year goes by and they fall further behind their academically excelling peers, lowering their chances of passing their grades or scoring at proficiency on the required yearly standardized tests. On a larger scale, this â€Å"silent catastrophe,† as a member of the London Parliament refers to the underachievement of Black male students, lays the foundation for impediments to quality of life, earned income, and other obstacles in these individuals’ lives, as well as implications for the greater society (Graham & Robinson, 2004, p. 654). behaviors children exhibit and failing to see the real problems. Conversations may take place between the teacher and the student or the student and an administrator on a superficial level inquiring as to why they are misbehaving or failing, but the deliberate search for the root causes is often set aside to deal with the immediate problem of behavior or unwillingness to learn. Students who are not succeeding academically often become â€Å"casualties of the educational systems that cannot see them because their problems remain invisible† (Nieto, 2004, p. 17). Classroom interventions, parent contacts, disciplinary consequences, counseling, and tutoring are a few of the strategies educators have implemented to improve student learning and chances of success. However, with some students it does not appear that we have scratched the surface of the underlying issues. Without getting to the root causes for the underachievement of African American males, another year goes by and they fall further behind their academically excelling peers, lowering their chances of passing their grades or scoring at proficiency on the required yearly standardized tests. On a larger scale, this â€Å"silent catastrophe,† as a member of the London Parliament refers to the underachievement of Black male students, lays the foundation for impediments to quality of life, earned income, and other obstacles in these individuals’ lives, as well as implications for the greater society (Graham & Robinson, 2004, p. 654). Irvine and Irvine (1994) suggested there are two perspectives that sum up the critical factor analysis on African American students’ failure in school. The first they call the achievement problematic, which suggests that Black students’ school failure is related to their cultural beliefs, perceptions and values about education. The second, cultural problematic, suggests that indifference to African American student culture is responsible for African American student school failure. The cultural vs. structural argument with regard to minority education is a common theme within sociology of education research. Empirical studies often highlight one or the other as contributing the under-achievement of African American. An examination of the various cultural and structural theories will put this debate into context.

Conflict Management - 2100 Words

ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 1. ABSTRACT Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. Conflict takes many forms in organizations; there is the inevitable clash between formal authority and power and those individuals and groups affected. There are disputes over how revenues should be divided, how the work should be done and how long and hard people should work. There are jurisdictional disagreements among individuals, departments, and between unions and management. Various issues relating to organizational conflict, techniques, systems and practices for conflict resolution will also be discussed in this paper. Keywords:†¦show more content†¦Characteristic differences – culture, race, values, gender, personal preferences, age, perception, social status, etc. 5. REASONS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT The people are aware of the factors that generate organizational conflicts such as scarcity, obstruction and incompatible interests or goals. Resource scarcity, monetary, job, prestige or power, encourages the obstruction of behaviour and organizational conflict arises. Organizational Conflict can also be broken out when one party avoids the goal achievement of the other one. Reiterating these ideas, declares that organizational conflict is clearly associated with power and can emerge when goal achievement of an organization is avoided. The reasons that justify conflict in organizations: 1. As departments grow, people lose contact with other departments, or yet, members of a department start to think differently from other areas. 2. The increase of emphasis in the financial measures as a tool for motivation for managers and the establishment of different profit centres inside an integrated business system end up creating many conflicts. 3. The increasing rise of emphasis in functional specialization, politics of promotion and recruiting reinforce the isolation of departments, generating conflicts. 4. Today there is more room for workers to show criticism among each other, while this freedom of speech can be beneficial for society as a whole, in organizational context can be transformed intoShow MoreRelatedConflict Management1178 Words   |  5 PagesConflict is a fact of life - for individuals, organizations, and societies. The costs of conflict are well-documented - high turnover, grievances and lawsuits, absentee ism, divorce, dysfunctional families, prejudice, fear. What many people dont realize is that well-managed conflict can actually be a force for positive change. Conflict is â€Å"an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achievingRead MoreConflict Between Conflict And Conflict Management845 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"People are afraid of conflict because they do not have essential skills to manage it well.† This is true because according to O’Grady and Malloch (2016), conflict is reflection of an insufficient knowledge of the dynamics of conflict and a lack of capability in its management. In the case of Nancy, perhaps she needs to undergo specialty training or classes about conflict management in order to improve their unit’s dynamic or interaction. 2. â€Å"If you engage with conflict too early, there is a chanceRead MoreThe Conflict And Conflict Management Strategies908 Words   |  4 PagesRobbins and Judge define conflict as a process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something that is cared about. There is a variety of conflicts that individuals will encounter within their lives. Knowing and understating the conflict cycle and understanding conflict management strategies will help individuals solve conflict in a reasonable manner (Robbins Judge, 2014). Discussing Contentious Issues/ Bringing Conflict into the Open When managersRead MoreConflict Of Conflict Management Styles1690 Words   |  7 Pages Many people do their best to avoid conflict at all costs, but it is an occurrence that everyone must deal with from time to time. Understandable, the avoidance of conflict is glamorous, however learning how to handle the conflicts can make them seem less bothersome. Learning how to manage conflict is a key factor in becoming a manager and the execution of that learning can be very different from manager to manager. Shanker (2013) describes conflict management styles as an equation involving theRead MoreConflict Management1469 Words   |  6 PagesConflict Management Conflict Management Yamil Little Strayer University BUS520 Dr. Anthony Hughes 02/27/11 Conflict Management Introduction In today’s ever-changing business environment organizations encounter varying levels of intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup conflicts. Intrapersonal conflict is a battle within oneself, which usually involves a life goal and/or change. Interpersonal conflict is when two or more people have opposing perspectivesRead MoreConflict Between Conflict And Conflict Management1772 Words   |  8 Pagesopinion there will also be a chance for some form of conflict to arise. To resolve and manage conflict, any organization or persons’ must try to understand the causes, theories, approaches and strategies of conflict management. Resolving conflict requires a great deal of attention and thorough understanding in seeking resolution. In this review, conflict management will be explored in general from different perspectives in light of how conflict effects teams or groups, workplace relationships andRead MoreConflict Between Conflict And Conflict Managemen t1313 Words   |  6 PagesConflict and conflict management both play pivotal roles in all relationships, whether they are between friends, family, lovers, or coworkers. However, while most relationships have an abundance of conflict, the amount of properly implemented conflict management in all relationships is relatively low. This is especially surprising when you consider the sheer amount of research and counseling directed at managing conflict in constructive ways. Though the aforementioned services and research are ofRead MoreConflict Management5778 Words   |  24 PagesUnderstanding Conflict and Conflict Management http://www.foundationcoalition.org/teams Definition A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.1 Although student teams may not satisfy all the requirements of the definition, the degree to which they do often determines their effectiveness. Rationale Students do not come to school with all the social skillsRead MoreConflict Between Conflict Management And Resolution883 Words   |  4 Pagesnegative association with conflict. Reflects poorly on the supervisor when there is conflict but in reality it’s only negative when the supervisor or employee, depending on the situation does not address the conflict. Unresolved conflicts can negatively impact not only the employees involved but also the company. Unresolved conflicts result in negative impacts not only to the individual but also the company. Focus on the problem, not the person. Sometimes the conflict will be reoccurring or unresolvableRead MoreConflict Management Styles1081 Words   |  5 PagesConflict Management Styles Myron Harris 09/30/2012 CJA/444 Allen Cole Conflict Management Styles Conflict usually occurs when individuals within a group or organization has differences in opinions. When individuals are in a disagreement about something like policies and procedures or even the overall direction of which an organization or company is heading it can become very frustrating. As we all know conflict the process of conflict usually begins when an individual or party has perceived

Historically Australian Indigenous Art Is Often...

Historically Australian indigenous art is often politically or spiritually motivated. Historically Australian art is often politically or spiritually motivated. This statement is proved by a number of indigenous Australian artists including, Nellie Nakamarra Marks, who uses traditional techniques and motives to relay her spirituality, and Tony Albert, who recontextualises mainstream items, to create a postmodern collection, challenging the idea of stereotypical representations in mainstream culture. All spiritual beliefs in Aboriginal culture relate back to the idea of creation and dreaming. The dreaming is the ongoing cultural and spiritual progression that informs identity and knowledge, which is expressed through traditional†¦show more content†¦The dark shapes also look like leaves, which could represent the end of season and the coming of autumn, which is supported by the deep, vibrant colours in the painting. The colours also represent her region and place in Australia. The many different varieties of the same shapes could symbolise diversity within their own tribe, as well as the different shapes and movements of the land. The purpose of this artwork is to educate and pass on a particular story to younger generations. Postmodern art challenges mainstream ideas, which usually creates a political or social statement about modern society. Contemporary indigenous art in particular would be classified as postmodern because the artists are communicating their feelings and thoughts about certain aspects of society in modern Australia, which in turn, challenges some pre conceived notions about indigenous Australians in today’s society. These particular works by Tony Albert are postmodern, because he recontextualises items from recent history, that were used to create an unrealistic connection between White Australia and indigenous Australia in the 50’s and 60’s, to challenge history, both politically and socially. Tony Albert’s collection recycles kitsch black velvet paintings produced in Australia in the 1950’s and 1960’s. These velvet paintings were very popular in the last

Paradise Lost Themes - 1501 Words

John Milton’s Paradise Lost is, perhaps, one of the greatest works of poetry in the Anglophonic literary canon. One of the reasons that the epic poem is so great is Milton’s uncompromisingly energetic approach in dealing with ideas and images. Milton writes about ideas and images by contrasting them with their opposites; showing Heaven through Hell, the sacrosanct through the somatic, and the obedient through the belligerent. This magnetic style allows the reader to attain a deeper level of understanding about the theological and philosophical claims that Milton makes by offering a counterpoint to each argument. In Paradise Lost, Milton creates an electric tension between different images and ideas, showing the reader each as it relates†¦show more content†¦The fallen angels, in being free from God, enter into a self-imposed servitude because they no longer have the option to follow the best choice, which is God. They are forever doomed, by their own choice, to following something inferior. One could argue that the demons’ deterministic and subordinate perception of reality is not their own imposition, but one imposed on them by God. However, this interpretation would be wrong because the fallen angels themselves choose to go to Hell. In the battle with God, we see how the demons cast themselves out of Hell. Milton writes, â€Å"the monstrous sight / Strook them with horror backward, but far worse / Urged them behind; headlong themselves they threw / Down from the verge of heaven, eternal wrath / Burnt after them to the bottomless pit (6. 862-866). The primary action in this passage consists of the rebel angels throwing themselves from Heaven. This is no action of God. God does not force the angels down, they go of their own accord, emphasizing their free choice to do so. But, in choosing to go to Hell rather than stay in Heaven, they separate themselves eternally from God, forcing themselves into a perceived deterministic subserv ience. Unlike the subservience of the demons, Adam and Eve have freedom because they have free will because they are faithful to God. The free will of the newly created human race is so strong and so present that it can be used to deny itself inShow MoreRelatedBeating At The Heart Of Paradise Lost Lies A Common Theme1106 Words   |  5 PagesBeating at the heart of Paradise Lost lies a common theme that Milton’s God controls all. He makes the best choices for man and his legion of angels due to His omniscient presence. Stemming from this capacity to create life with an overarching lens, He creates the most favorable outcome for his creations. Contrary to Milton’s God’s all-knowing perspective when creating Adam, in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley estranges Victor Frankenstein from his humanity during his creation of his monster. This validatesRead MoreLord Of The Flies, By John Milton Essay1639 Words   |  7 PagesWhile reading the epic, Paradise Lost, by John Mil ton, something came to my mind: Lord of the Flies. There were similarities between these two readings, almost like Lord of the Flies is a biblical allegory to Paradise Lost. I was discovering biblical allusions in the novel Lord of the Flies, something I didn’t discover when I read the novel three years ago, Many debates between critics have been made about Lord of the Flies being a biblical allegory due to its substantial amount of allusions to Judeo-ChristianRead More Comparison of Odyssey, Divine Comedy, and Paradise Lost Essay1089 Words   |  5 PagesA Comparison of Odyssey, Divine Comedy, and Paradise Lost      Ã‚   Epics by definition are long narrative poems, that are grand in both theme and style (Webster 417).   They usually involve actions of great glory and are typically centered around historical or legendary events of universal significance.   Most epics deal with the deeds of a single individual, however, it is not uncommon to have more than one main character.   Epics embody several main features including: supernaturalRead MoreFrankenstein: Allusions1112 Words   |  5 Pagesconnects the story of â€Å"Prometheus†, Coleridge s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and Milton s Paradise Lost to her own novel to convey the critical points of the meaning behind the story. Not only does Mary Shelley make use of the mythological symbolism, but includes biblical allusions of the creation of Adam and Eve as well. The connections to various works leave clues that will allow readers to identify the many themes of the novel, as well as gaining a better understanding of the primary ideas. The storyRead MoreParadise Lost By John Milton853 Words   |  4 PagesAt first glance, Paradise Lost by John Milton can easily give the impression that this classic piece of literature is a cut copy of the Book of Genesis. Contrary to that notion, Milton’s retelling of the story of the fall of man differs from the western idealized Old Testament in many ways. Throughout the 10,000 lines of the poem, Milton characterizes Adam, Eve, and Satan [Lucifer] with vivid, well thought out dialogue. Overall, Milton’s reimplementation of the archetypal text of the Book of GenesisRead More Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and John Miltons Paradise Lost Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Miltons Paradise Lost â€Å"Forth reaching to the Fruit, She pluck’d, she eat:/ Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat/ Sighing through all her Works gave signs of woe,/ That all was lost [†¦]† (PL 8. 781-784) In the gothic novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley weaves an intricate web of allusions through her characters’ expedient desires for knowledge. Both the actions of Frankenstein, as well as his monster allude to John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Book eightRead MoreThe Value of Genesis1059 Words   |  5 Pagesand published thousands of years ago, the stories, themes, and modern-day allusions contained within it can still apply to everyday life- even to those who feel as if they are detached from it. To begin with, many of the stories chronicled in Genesis relate closely to books that exist today. In fact, some are more accurately described as creative recounts of certain events in Genesis and Genesis itself. For example, John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a classic epic that has a strong basis in the storyRead MoreThe Female Character in the Epic Stories Paradise Lost and the Ramayana1555 Words   |  7 PagesTHE FEMALE CHARACTER IN THE EPIC STORIES PARADISE LOST AND THE RAMAYANA [Name of the Student] [Name of the Instructor] [Subject] [Date] The Ramayana and Paradise Lost hold stories of ancient times that tend to explain the existence of two different cultures in the present world. Milton, the author of ‘Paradise Lost,’ concerns himself with the Christian story of the ‘Fall of man’ while Valmiki, the author of The Ramayana, tries to bring out an explanation to the goalsRead MoreHeroic in Paradise Lost by John Lost Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesThe theme of the heroic in John Miltons Paradise Lost is one that has often been the focus of critical debate, namely in the debate surrounding which character is the true hero of the poem. Most critics of the subject have, however, noted that the difficultly in defining the hero of Miltons work is mainly due to our â€Å"vague understanding of what constitutes heroism†1 and the fact that â€Å"the term itself is equivocal†2. The vague terming of what heroism can be defined as it what draws criticsRead MoreFrankenstein essay 2 672 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿ Frankensteins Monster and Miltons Satan An Essay on Paradise Lost and Frankenstein By Chris Davidson Almost all great works of literature contain allusions to other great works of literature that enhance the meaning of the work. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is an excellent example of a major literary work that contains a sustained allusion to another major work. Frankenstein contains many references to Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the two stories are parallel in many aspects. In Shelly’s

Harpers Ferry free essay sample

Gulp. I looked down the winding trail ahead of me and swallowed again. Two hundred and eighty miles ahead was my destination: home. I waved good-bye to my father (who had graciously driven Joe and me to Washington, D.C.), hopped on my camping gear-laden bike, and began pedaling. As we passed through Georgetown and then the outskirts of Washington, I watched civilization fade as city streets became dirt paths and shopping centers became country shops. We were following the old CO canal path back in history as we watched the canal become less and less modern. Joe and I had begun our adventure of exploring early America on our first big bike trip: Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh in six days, just the two of us, with everything we needed packed on our bikes. As in any good story, someone upstairs decided it would be funny to dump a thunderstorm on us one hour into the trip, but the fun didnt end there. We will write a custom essay sample on Harpers Ferry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thirty miles later, we reached the first campsite and stretched our tired legs. I hit a mosquito on my neck and in an act of rage for their fallen friend, a swarm appeared, engulfing us in a cloud of blood-sucking fun. Scrambling for our insect-repellent (Off! Deep Woods is good stuff), we found temporary relief from the onslaught. Encouraging each other with the thought that things couldnt get worse, we set up our tents and retired for the night. I found out later that a heat wave had decided to strike that week, with the humidity hovering around 95%. I have a sleeping bag good to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. I was hot. On the worst night, we camped outside Cumberland, adjacent to an active train yard, across the river from an industrial irrigation center, and underneath an apparently popular flight path. As the days wore on, the camping gear felt heavier and heavier, and the canned tuna I thought I could eat for six days became less appetizing. But was I miserable? Although I cannot speak for Joe, I welcomed and actually enjoyed the challenge. Testing myself physically and mentally, I got to see what I could endure and overcome. Over the six days, we pedaled our way across the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains and through the Laurel Highlands toward home. In many essays, this next paragraph would be dedicated to proclaiming how the writer, upon arriving home, appreciated the luxuries of home: TV, a good bed, air-conditioning, etc. I didnt gain an appreciation for the luxuries, but rather for the hardships people in the past had to endure. I already knew how nice air-conditioning is. On this trip, I had the rare opportunity, even before taking American History, to travel the long path Abraham Lincoln took to Antietam to view the aftermath of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. I had the chance to live the life of a canal-boat operator: sleeping in the wilderness, enduring heat and long stretches of nothingness. I know nothing more delightful than immersing myself in a learning experience. Seeing the human ingenuity needed to engineer a path through mountains, make aqueduct bridges for boats, and direct the flow of the mighty Potomac River, I felt as if I were inside a textbook and seeing for myself the obstacles people overcame to build our country. Months later, I find myself lying on my bed buried in an American History textbook. The words tell the story, but when I close my eyes, I can take myself back to Harpers Ferry, stand on the steps of Millers General Store, and watch as John Brown conducts his raid.