Art class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art class - Essay Example In this case, the scene after crucifixion has been shown. Since there are accounts of Mary lamenting the loss of Jesus, she has been shown to be in grief while Jesus, has not been typically depicted passionate. His face is rather calm and creates a dialogue between him and God. The sculpture has been carved out of a block of marble probably using a ‘chisel’ as Michelangelo once stated. David (1501-1504): Where Pieta gained the unknown and young, Michelangelo, introduction as a promising artist, David led him to be recognized more than ever before. Inspired from the Biblical account of David beating the giant Goliath, Michelangelo came up with a never seen before form of the story. His David stood different from all versions of the story carved before. This time round, Goliath was not shown but only David stood tall and handsome with a sling hung over his shoulder. The statue was carved out of marble and is around 17 feet tall. It was common during renaissance to revive t he classical form of art and induce it into the society. Michelangelo successfully achieved this by making David a nude, muscular and beautiful young male. The statue now stands in the city of Florence and many replicas of it have been created all around the globe. Sistine Chapel Ceiling (1508-1512): Alongside being a renowned sculptor, Michelangelo was also a brilliant painter. One of his most famous and remarkable works is the Sistine Chapel Ceiling that he did along with four other, highly renowned artists of the High Renaissance period. These included Botticelli, Raphael, Perugino and Ghirlandaio. Michelangelo’s part included around three hundred figures and they took four year to complete. The image of God however was completed in a single day. The most popular part of the Michelangelo’s part is the iconic imagery of Adam being given life by God. Being a fresco, the painting was done on wet plaster, applied to the ceiling as it continued. Being a Renaissance paint ing, it is entirely based on religious contexts. Martyrdom of St Peter (1546-1550): Martyrdom of Saint Peter, also known as ‘The Crucifixion of Saint Peter’ was the last fresco that Michelangelo painted. It is a good example of renaissance art as it carries a religious theme and well depicts foreshortening, the use of chiaroscuro and atmospheric and linear perspective. Chiaroscuro is a technique in which paint is applied in varying tones to show variation in light. Renaissance artists used this technique greatly to show three-dimensionality in their work. Foreshortening further provides the painting with three-dimensionality whereby linear and atmospheric perspectives come in to not only make it three-dimensional but also give it a more realistic look. Since it is a fresco, the method used for the painting is based on the application of paint on wet plaster and that of plaster as the painting continues. 20th Century: As for the 20th century, the artist that I have selec ted is Paul Jackson Pollock. He played a significant role in the Impressionist movement of the time and played a leading role. The Key (1946): â€Å"When I am in a painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc, because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the

Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations Essay As part of my GCSE coursework, I have read two novels written by Charles Dickens. The first novel is Oliver Twist, from, whwhich I will look at a villain called Bill Sikes who is a thief, a housebreaker, a murderer and one of Ddickens most menacing characters. I will look at how Dickens characterises him as a villain. s makes him a villain. The second book I read was Great Expectations, infrom which I will look at another villain called Magwitch who bullies a young boy named Pip into helping him q. escaping from prison. I will also look at how Dickens characterises himmakes him as a villain.. I will then compare Bboth characters will then be compared and contrasted in my study. . The first person I will look at is Bill Sikes who is a murderer, a thief, a housebreaker, a bully and is part of Fagans gang. Before we meet Sikes, Dickens dDescribes his environment. Firstly it is described as an obscure parlour of a low public house, a dark and gloomy den, in the filthiest part of Little Saffron Hill and where no ray of sun ever shone in the summer. Adjectives such as obscure, low, dark gloomy and filthiest are all negative and suggest to me a very unpleasant and rough environment. The place being described as where no ray of sun ever shone in the summer, suggests to me further of the places depravity and that the public house is set in a back ally. The room Sikes is situated in is called a Den, A den is a place where animals usually live, so it suggests to me that this is an inhuman place, not suitable for a persons habitation. Over all I can say that the atmosphere is excessively bleak and miserable, the setting is used to reflect character and to create atmosphere suggestingand Sikes is in part, athe product of his own environment. Sikes is said to have been brooding, this suggests that Sikes had been in deep thought, scheming and plotting evil things. Sikes is described as strongly impregnated with the smell of liquor, this suggests to me that he we was highly intoxicated and the result, would mean that he would be grumpy, and irrational. He wares a velvet coat, drab shorts, half-boots and stockings. As you can see his clothing is very drabmonotonous and this suggests to the reader the obscure and sinister nature of Sikes and the world he inhabits. ity Sikes of which Sikes can possess. Sikes is described as even by that dim light, no inexperienced agent of police would have hesitated for one instant as Mr. William Sikes. This suggests to the reader that Sikes is well known by the police and is obviously a common criminal. Sikes dog is described as being red-eyed. This is symbolic of depression and anger and many other negative emotions, so it is apparent that the dog is symbolic to the negativity in Sikes environment and is also a product of bad environment may be symbolic that the dog is symbolic of the harsh environment. The dog sits at his mastersmasters feet, this shows the relationship between the dog and his master as being close and intermit and proves Sikes ownership of the animal. Later the unoffending dog is attacked and by Sikes, this shows that Sikes is very volatile, unpredictable, unstable and dangerous because he attacks his dog for no cause and acts very spontaneously with his aggressiveness. After the attacking, the dog avenges his attack it, by attacking Sikes half-boots. This shows that the dog has a bad temper and has a lot in common with his master. This eventually leads to a fight and Sikes attempted murder of the dog. This shows how malevolentsatanic Sikes can be. Sikes is a very aggressive man in his language, he blasphemes and curses, thrusts and swears This type of language is rather unpleasant, shows negative emotions to a reader. This sort of dictionspeech gives a sense of violence to the reader. When Sikes speaks to his dog he says Keep quiet, you warmint! Keep quiet! Here he commands and insults, so it shows that he is violent when he talks. We know this because Dickens has used exclamation marks to show that he was talking in anger. This can also be seen when he talks to Fagan for example you white-livered thief! This shows the anger in the voice with the use of insults and exclamatoryion phrases. marks. Sikes also seeksspeaks to Fagian with a fierce gesturegesture; this adds to Sikes sinister character because it suggests that again Sikes is angry and violent with his oral expression. Sikes often growled, had a fierce sneer and speaks savage like. This further makes him look obnoxious and unhappy. These details present him as brutal, animalistic and primitive. Sikes speaks with the harshest key of a very harsh voice. This suggests that he is very unpleasant when he usually speaks. Therefore I would say that the way in which Sikes speaks shows that cruelty and ill-intent of his character. Thus from this extract we are given the impression that Sikes is incredibly evil, menacing, he is unhappy, intimidating, ferocious and volatile. This impression is reinforced later in the novel in which we look at Sikes killing his prostitute lover Nancy and the events leading up to it. It begins with Noah, repeating what he told Fagin to Sikes. Fagin cries, and says Tell him that, tell him that.

A Mortals Sense Of Immortality Essay -- essays research papers

A Mortal’s Sense of Immortality To fear death is to fear life itself. An overbearing concern for the end of life not only leads to much apprehension of the final moment but also allows that fear to occupy one’s whole life. The only answer that can possibly provide relief in the shadow of the awaited final absolution lies in another kind of absolution, one that brings a person to terms with their irrevocable mortality and squelches any futile desire for immortality. Myths are often the vehicles of this release, helping humanity to accept and handle their mortal and limited state. Different cultures have developed varying myths to coincide with their religious beliefs and give reprieve to their members in the face of irrevocable death. The same is true for the stories in the Book of Genesis and the Mesopotamians’ Epic of Gilgamesh. In these two myths similar paths are taken to this absolution are taken by the characters of Adam and Gilgamesh, respectively. These paths, often linked by their contradictions , end with the same conclusion for each man on the subject of immortality; that no amount of knowledge or innocence, power or humility, honoring or sinning, will achieve them immortality in the sense of a life without death. Eternal life for a mortal lies in memory by one’s friends and family after one’s death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Adam is created in the second chapter (and second creation story) of Genesis out of the dust by the newly created world of God, he is the most innocent being ever known. It says of he and Eve, “they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:24)';, and why should they be, having no knowledge that their state was indecent? The opposite is true for Gilgamesh, who Anu grants “the totality of knowledge of all (Gilgamesh 3)';. Through the course of the epic we discover that Gilgamesh indeed does not have knowledge of all things, namely a grasp upon death. Adam does not even know that such a thing exists, thus his life, without the threat of death hanging overhead, is originally one of tranquility, happiness, and perfection. He is humble before his Lord God, with whom he shares the unique relationship of aiding him in His creation of all things. Adam’s life is full in this passive innocence and he has no need for any... ...am’s innocence and ignorance, followed by Gilgamesh’s fame and power to Adam’s humbleness, then their shared punishments and voyages/exoduses and finally their collective discovery about immortality. I find Adam more honorable in his quest, for he searches after unknowingly defying God, rather than Gilgamesh’s looking through defying the gods. Adam knew not what evil he was doing when he ate the fruit of the tree, pressed upon him by Eve and the serpent, for he did not know the subject of evil even existed. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, was arrogant and overbearing in his knowledge and strength, acting more like a spoiled brat than one who was two-thirds a god. His one major saving point is that he does realize humility in the face of death and after failing to find a means of immortality. I can associate much more with Adam and his innocence and meekness for the wills and works of God(s), whatever they may be and if they even exist, are above and beyond t he likes of me, a mortal being. I will live my life, the only one given to me, as best I can, not letting issues like inescapable death and unattainable immortality exhaust my limited time.

Living in an Apartment or Living in a House Essay

Throughout life I have stayed in many different places. Moving from the Philippines, Georgia, and then Texas has given me the opportunity to live in a wide variety of residences. My family and I have experienced residing in both apartments and houses. We have observed many differences in the two choices of homes and have become very knowledgeable of life in both dwellings. Living in an apartment or living in a house? When you are trying to save money and only have so much to spend each month, a lot of people would choose to rent an apartment. When renting an apartment, you choose to live in a smaller space and agree to all of the terms and conditions of a lease. Following these lease agreements may sometimes involve paying an additional amount to house a pet or to park in a specific spot. Renters must abide by all rules enforced by the apartment complex. Living in an apartment is not just following rules and paying rent, it can also provide many great things. Many people that are renting apartments are unable to afford essential appliances such as a washer and dryer or oven. Usually an apartment can either provide you with these necessary appliances or they will give you the option to rent them. With these issues taken care of, all you have to worry about is paying the rent, electricity, and the food you are eating. Apartments are ideal for an individual who is in need of a place to stay temporarily. While living in an apartment home, you will have to deal with the noises being made by your neighbors who live next-door as you are trying to sleep. Little annoyances like this may be a huge inconvenience to you if you have work the next day or need to study for a test in the morning. Some people crave an environment with more privacy or a bigger yard for their pets or children to run around in. When I was living in an apartment with my family, the apartment was too crowded for such a big family like mine. My parents could only bear to stay in the apartment for a short amount of time as we eagerly waited for our new house to get built. After six long months, we were more than ready to finally leave that tiny apartment behind. We left learning that something so small was not for our large family of seven. Once we settled into our house we absolutely loved it! The open space was more than enough for all of us. Living in a house is a great idea for people who have or plan on having a really big family. While living in a house you can have your own driveway, you have a lot of room to move around, and you don’t have to worry too much about a place to park. In a house, you don’t have to worry about the neighbors upstairs or next door making obnoxious noises and you aren’t walking on eggshells trying to abide by as many rules as an apartment complex. You don’t have to carry your trash down from second or third floor because you have your own trashcan in front of your house! A house can cost a little more money but I would consider it as an investment in a property. Unlike an apartment, your payment every month will benefit you in the long run. In an apartment, there are many rules when it comes to altering it. In a house you can do whatever you please. For example, you can change the color in the kids’ rooms, your kitchen, and the bathrooms. If you want, you are even allowed to alter the color of your carpet and all of the doors in the house! For some people, having a large kitchen where you can cook and a full-sized living room where all their friends and family can watch the game may be more appealing than a compact apartment space. Having a house is ideal if you need more space. For those of us who only need a room to stay in, I would advise them to rent an apartment. A house is good for a big family and people who want their privacy. In an apartment, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with all the appliances and have to cut the grass every two week in the summer. But either or they have their good and bad it is just really up to you to decide which whatever you prefer is good for you or and your family.

Food Recipes

bread Ingredients 1 packet (2 1/4 tsps) active dry yeast 1 cup warm water (110 – 120 degrees) 2 Tbsp. milk, room temperature 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar 3 Tbsps. melted butter, room temperature 1 tsp. coarse salt 3 cups bread flour (spooned and leveled) 4 quarts of water 1/2 cup baking soda Coarse salt to taste 2 Tbsps. melted butter Directions †¢In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, combine the yeast, water, milk, brown sugar, and butter. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes so the yeast come alive. †¢Mix in the coarse salt, then the flour, one cup at a time. The dough will be tacky. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray or coat with oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, flip to coat on both sides, and cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes. †¢After 30 minutes, knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, flip to cover both sides, and re-cover for an hour, or until roughly doubled in size. †¢Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bring 4 quarts (16 cups) of water to a boil. Gently deflate the dough and cut in half using a sharp knife or bench scraper. Shape each half into a round loaf. †¢Slowly add the 1/2 cup of baking soda to the boiling water (it will bubble).Place one piece of dough onto a large slotted spoon and gently lower into the boiling water. Use the spoon to flip the dough in the boiling water for around 20 seconds, then lift the dough out of the water with the slotted spoon – allow the excess water to drip back into the pot. †¢Set the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat the water bath with the remaining dough. Sprinkle both rounds with coarse salt, then slash an X on the top of each with a sharp knife so the bread can expand while it bakes. †¢Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. †¢Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.

The Many Ways to Pronounce I in French

The Many Ways to Pronounce I in French When youre learning French, the letter I may be one of the most challenging of the alphabet. It has a common sound, a couple of accents, and is often combined  with other letters and all of these have slightly different sounds. Because the I is used so often in French and in so many ways, its important that you study it thoroughly. This lesson will help fine tune your pronunciation skills and maybe even add a few new words to your French vocabulary. How to Pronounce the French I The French letter I is pronounced more or less like the EE in fee, but without the Y sound at the end. An I with an accent circonflexe, à ® or trà ©ma, à ¯, is pronounced the same way. This is also true for the letter Y when its used as a vowel in French. However, the French I is pronounced like the English Y in the following instances: When I is followed by a vowel as in  chà ¢tier, addition, adieu, and  tiers.When IL is at the end of a word and preceded by a vowel as in orteil, orgueil, and  Ã…“il.In most words with ILLE  such as  mouiller, fille, bouteille, and  veuillez. French Words With I Practice your pronunciation of the French I with these simple words. Give it a try on your own, then click the word to hear the correct pronunciation. Repeat these until you have them down because they are very common words that youll need often. dix  (ten)ami  (friend)lit  (bed)addition  (addition, restaurant bill)adieu  (farewell)orgueil  (pride)Å“il  (eye)veuillez  (please)fille  (girl) Letter Combinations With I The letter I is as useful in French as it is in English. However, it also comes with a variety of pronunciations depending on the letters its used in conjunction with. As you continue your study of I, be sure that you understand how these letter combinations sound. AI and  AIS  - There are three ways to pronounce AI. The most common is  pronounced like the È or bed.AIL  - Pronounced [ahy].EI - Sounds like the É or È  as in the word à ©tà ©Ã‚  (summer).EIL  -  Pronounced [ehy], similar to the E in bed followed by a Y sound. As used in  un  appareil  (device) and  un  orteil  (toe).EUI, UEIL, and  Ã…’IL  - Sounds  like the OO in good followed by a Y sound.IN - Called a nasal I, this is pronounce [e(n)]. The E sounds like an  E with a circumflex -  Ãƒ ªÃ‚  - and the (n) is the nasal sound. For example,  cinq  (five) and  pain  (bread).The nasal I can be spelled any number of ways:  in, im, ain, aim, eim, ein, em,  or en.IO - Pronounced [yo] with a closed O sound. Used in the  addition  example above.NI - When followed by another vowel, it is pronounced [ny]. If its followed by a consonant, the I follows the rules above and the N follows its own rules. For example,  une  nià ¨ce   (niece) versus  un  niveau  (level, standard).OI  - Pronounced [wa].OUIL  - Pronounced [uj]. TI - When followed by a vowel, TI sounds like [sy] as in un  dictionnaire  (dictionary). If a consonant follows this combination, the T follows its rules and the I follows the rules above. A perfect example is  actif  (active).UI  - Sounds like the English we. For example,  huit  (eight) and  la  cuisine  (kitchen, cooking).UIL and UILLE - When UIL follows a consonant, the sound is [weel] (with the exception of  un building). For instance,  juillet (July).  With UILLE, the double L transforms it to [weey] as in  une  cuillà ¨re  (spoon).

Free Exercise Clause Freedom and Equality

Free Exercise Clause Freedom and Equality Freedom Exercise Clause With regard to the Free Exercise Clause, stipulating that the government should not limit the religious’ rights of individuals, prisoners’ religious rights should not be restricted either. Such a position also underlines the importance of considering the prohibition imposed on the government to interfere with religious issues. These two basic arguments justify the Court decision uphold prisoners’ religious rights (Johnson, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Free Exercise Clause: Freedom and Equality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the concern might arise in case prisoners’ faith can bring in disorder to the institutions to which a person is confined. This is of particular concern to case when religious implies racial separation, Satanism, and a Wiccan witch (Johnson, 2005). The problem, however, could be eliminated as soon as a golden medium is found. Specifically, the government will have to provide all necessary resources and tools for prisoners to uphold of their religious beliefs. Similar concerns should be raised in case of detainees during the War in Iraq. The prisoners’ religious and human rights were severely abused because of failure to follow the provisions of the First Amendment. Certainly, some of the actions initiated against the Iraqi soldiers were explained by the subjective attitude of the U.S. government and their concerns with terrorist attacks. Even under these circumstances, the policies against prisoners will regard the U.S. actions as discriminative ones. Once again, prisoners’ religious rights in Iraq should be concerned unless they undermine the security of the Untied States. Due to the fact that the Muslims have a number of rituals and traditions that could threaten the safety of other individuals, the prisoners’ religious rights should be reconsidered in accordance to the Amendments and provisions of the U.S. constitutions. For instance, individuals should adhere to the moral principle and do not interfere with the freedom and rights of other individuals. Freedom and Equality The Patriot Act focuses on enforcement of laws protecting the U.S. citizens from terrorist attack. Initiated after the events happened in September 11, 2001 and since that time, the government is working on the strengthening security in public places, as well as development of effective databases that would monitor information exchange (U.S. Department of Justice, 2004). Such an action is justified in terms security of the country because it allows the citizens to adjust to the new dangers and threats of the reality, as well as learn the strategies to reduce the safety risk. Intelligence officials have applied to advanced technological devices to take greater control of the governmental and public processes. Improvements are necessary to better confront terrorism, but not at the expense of liberties and equalities of the U.S. citizens. This is of particular concern to transparency policies as far as private records of people are concerned.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, excess focus on security and protection against terrorism interferes significantly with the privacy rights of Americans, which also violates their constitutional rights as well. According to research introduced by American Civil Liberties Union (2005), there is much inconsistence in regard to the policies introduced by the Bush administration. In particular, the law enforcement does not justify interference in privacy issue of innocent Americans. Neither does this law justify the measures taken to prevent terrorism. Therefore, by implementing security measures, specific attention should also be given to previously adopted laws, particularly those that concern liberty and equality of individuals living in the United States. Therefore, the U.S. Constitution should undergo reasonable shifts that would not violate its major principles. References American Civil Liberties Union. (2005). ACLU Says President’s Patriot Act Push Again Ignores Americans’ Concerns about Privacy, Calls on Congress to Resist Pressure and Protect Innocent Americans. Web. Johnson, M. A. (2005). Court Upholds Prisoners’ Religious Rights. NBC News. Web. U.S. Department of Justice. (2004). Report from the Field: The USA PATRIOT Act at Work. Web.

Almorzar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples

Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples Unlike English, in Spanish we have a single verb that means to eat lunch or to have lunch- the verb . When conjugating  , remember that it is a stem-changing  -ar  verb. This means that when you conjugate it, sometimes there is a change in the stem of the verb (and not just in the ending). In this case, the  o  in  Ã‚  changes to  ue  in some conjugations. For example,  Ella siempre almuerza pasta  (She always eats  pasta for lunch). The tables below contain the conjugations for  Ã‚  in the indicative mood (present, past and future), subjunctive mood (present and past) as well as the imperative mood and other verb forms, such as the present and past participles. Present Indicative In the present indicative tense, there is a stem change, o to ue, in all of the conjugations except  nosotros  and  vosotros.   Yo almuerzo I eat lunch Yo almuerzo a medioda. T almuerzas You eat lunch T almuerzas en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella almuerza You/he/she eats lunch Ella almuerza en la escuela. Nosotros almorzamos We eat lunch Nosotros almorzamos con nuestros amigos. Vosotros almorzis You eat lunch Vosotros almorzis temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas almuerzan You/they eat lunch Ellos almuerzan una ensalada. Preterite  Indicative Remember that there are two forms of the past tense in Spanish. The preterit tense is normally used to talk about punctual events or events that have a defined ending in the past. There are no stem changes in the preterite indicative conjugations. Yo almorc I ate lunch Yo almorc a medioda. T almorzaste You ate lunch T almorzaste en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella almorz You/he/she ate lunch Ella almorz en la escuela. Nosotros almorzamos We ate lunch Nosotros almorzamos con nuestros amigos. Vosotros almorzasteis You ate lunch Vosotros almorzasteis temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas on You/they ate lunch Ellos on una ensalada. Imperfect  Indicative The imperfect tense is commonly used to talk about ongoing events in the past, and can be translated to English as was eating lunch or used to eat lunch. There are no stem changes in the imperfect indicative conjugations either.   Yo almorzaba I used to eat lunch Yo almorzaba a medioda. T almorzabas You used to eat lunch T almorzabas en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella almorzaba You/he/she used to eat lunch Ella almorzaba en la escuela. Nosotros almorzbamos We used to eat lunch Nosotros almorzbamos con nuestros amigos. Vosotros almorzabais You used to eat lunch Vosotros almorzabais temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas almorzaban You/they used to eat lunch Ellos almorzaban una ensalada. Future  Indicative To form the future tense, we use the infinitive of the verb,  ,  drop the -ar, and add the future tense endings (à ©, s, n, emos, à ©is, n). There are no stem changes in the future tense. Yo I will eat lunch Yo a medioda. T s You will eat lunch T s en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella n You/he/she will eat lunch Ella en la escuela. Nosotros emos We will eat lunch Nosotros emos con nuestros amigos. Vosotros is You will eat lunch Vosotros is temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas n You/they will eat lunch Ellos n una ensalada. Periphrastic Future  Indicative Yo voy a I am going to eat lunch Yo voy a a medioda. T vas a You are going to eat lunch T vas a en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella va a You/he/she is going to eat lunch Ella va a en la escuela. Nosotros vamos a We are going to eat lunch Nosotros vamos a con nuestros amigos. Vosotros vais a You are going to eat lunch Vosotros vais a temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas van a You/they are going to eat lunch Ellos van a una ensalada. Conditional  Indicative The conditional is formed similarly to the future tense, since we start with the infinitive form  . However, the conditional endings are à ­a, à ­as, à ­a, à ­amos, à ­ais, and à ­an. Yo a I would eat lunch Yo a a medioda. T as You would eat lunch T as en el trabajo. Usted/l/ella a You/he/she would eat lunch Ella a en la escuela. Nosotros amos We would eat lunch Nosotros amos con nuestros amigos. Vosotros ais You would eat lunch Vosotros ais temprano. Ustedes/ellos/ellas an You/they would eat lunch Ellos an una ensalada. Present Progressive/Gerund Form The progressive tenses in Spanish are formed using the verb  estar  followed by the present participle, which is also the gerund. For -ar verbs, drop the -ar and add the ending  -ando.   Present Progressive of    est almorzando   She is eating lunch   Ella est almorzando en el restaurante.   Past Participle The past participle in Spanish is used to form compound verb tenses. For -ar verbs, the past participle is formed by dropping the -ar and adding the ending  ando. Present Perfect of  Ã‚   ha almorzado   She has eaten lunch   Ella ha almorzado en el restaurante.  Ã‚   Present Subjunctive Similar to the present indicative tense, the present subjunctive tense has the stem change  o to ue in all the  conjugations except nosotros and vosotros. Que yo almuerce That I eat lunch Esteban desea que yo almuerce a medioda. Que t almuerces That you eat lunch Marta desea que t almuerces en el trabajo. Que usted/l/ella almuerce That you/he/she eat lunch Carlos desea que ella almuerce en la escuela. Que nosotros almorcemos That we eat lunch Flavia desea que nosotros almorcemos con nuestros amigos. Que vosotros almorcis That you eat lunch Felipe desea que vosotros almorcis temprano. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas almuercen That you/they eat lunch Laura desea que ellos almuercen una ensalada. Imperfect  Subjunctive The base for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive is the third person plural form of the verb in the preterite indicative (on). Since there is no stem change in the preterite form, then the imperfect subjunctive has no stem change. There are two different sets of endings for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive, which you can see in the tables below.   Option 1 Que yo a That I ate lunch Esteban deseaba que yo a a medioda. Que t as That you ate lunch Marta deseaba que t as en el trabajo. Que usted/l/ella a That you/he/she ate lunch Carlos deseaba que ella a en la escuela. Que nosotros almorzramos That we ate lunch Flavia deseaba que nosotros almorzramos con nuestros amigos. Que vosotros ais That you ate lunch Felipe deseaba que vosotros ais temprano. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas an That you/they ate lunch Laura deseaba que ellos an una ensalada. Option 2 Que yo almorzase That I ate lunch Esteban deseaba que yo almorzase a medioda. Que t almorzases That you ate lunch Marta deseaba que t almorzases en el trabajo. Que usted/l/ella almorzase That you/he/she ate lunch Carlos deseaba que ella almorzase en la escuela. Que nosotros almorzsemos That we ate lunch Flavia deseaba que nosotros almorzsemos con nuestros amigos. Que vosotros almorzaseis That you ate lunch Felipe deseaba que vosotros almorzaseis temprano. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas almorzasen That you/they ate lunch Laura deseaba que ellos almorzasen una ensalada. Imperative   The imperative mood is used to give direct commands. Therefore, there are no imperative forms for yo, à ©l/ella  or ellos/ellas.  Also, note that the positive and negative commands are different for the tà º and vosotros  forms. Positive Commands T almuerza Eat lunch! Almuerza a medioda! Usted almuerce Eat lunch! Almuerce en el trabajo! Nosotros almorcemos Lets eat lunch! Almorcemos en la escuela! Vosotros almorzad Eat lunch! Almorzad temprano! Ustedes almuercen Eat lunch! Almuercen una ensalada! Negative Commands T no almuerces Dont eat lunch! No almuerces a medioda! Usted no almuerce Dont eat lunch! No almuerce en el trabajo! Nosotros no almorcemos Lets not eat lunch! No almorcemos en la escuela! Vosotros no almorcis Dont eat lunch! No almorcis temprano! Ustedes no almuercen Dont eat lunch! No almuercen una ensalada!

Asian philosphy reflection Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Asian philosphy reflection - Article Example These limbs are referred to as the Dharana, which implies the practice of turning the attention of the mind to a particular point, item or object. Patanjali explains that, this custom is meditative and can only be attempted after perfecting asana, pranayama and pratyahara (PatanÃŒÆ'jali & Ranganathan, 2009). According to Patanjali, Dharana, does not represent an end in itself, however, it acts as a preparation stage, which leads to other meditative feats, particularly the dhyana, which is described as an incredibly advanced stage of meditation that cannot be contrasted with ordinary prayer. On equal measure, the book gives an image of the benefits of justification for meditation of a spiritual character, which includes allowing the yogis to comprehend themselves. On a similar note, the book gives a picture on the three aspects that explains the â€Å"perfect constraint of the mind†. These aspects include concentration, reflection of profound spiritual character and liberating state of absorption (Samadhi) (PatanÃŒÆ'jali & Ranganathan, 2009). Another aspect evident in this book is the process of that an aspirant takes from dharanja to dhyana and then to Samadhi. This process is summed as the Samyama, which implies the perfect constraint of the mind. The primary significance of Samyama that is repeatedly referred in this book is its ability to lead to the luminescence of wisdom. We learn that this process occurs in a progression trend (PatanÃŒÆ'jali & Ranganathan, 2009). On the closing pages, Patanjali succeeds to offer an alternative but systematic philosophy of understanding how soteriological freedom from disturbances of the mind is similar with moral freedom to live in accordance to one’s uppermost responsibility, which is attributed to the normative theory of the social

Develop Creative Listening and Linguistic Communication Skills of the Dissertation

Develop Creative Listening and Linguistic Communication Skills of the Second Language Learners - Dissertation Example This dissertation attempts to take the concept of creative listening to task as a development method to assist Second Language Learners in developing creative listening and linguistic communication skills. Second Language Learners are a language minority in such English speaking countries as the United States and the United Kingdom. Inculcating literacy among these learners is a present-day critical challenge since English literacy is essential to their academic achievement, and to educational and economic opportunities beyond schooling. Given the phenomenon that minority learners are increasing owing to immigration and birth rate conditions, there is the added fact that without English literacy, this language minority group will not fare well in school achievement.. Already, statistics show that 51 percent of minority learners do not finish high school compared with only 10 percent of English speaking learners who do not complete secondary education. (National Center for Educational Statistics). Meanwhile, listening skills belong to the unattended self-improvement skills being developed in schools. While much training is given to reading, writing, arithmetic and science, the listening part of the communication process is bypassed or presumed to be virtually learned. Research studies, however, makes a revelation, namely that untrained listeners are very low— lower than 50 percent—on proficiency in learning. ... While much training is given to reading, writing, arithmetic and science, the listening part of the communication process is bypassed or presumed to be virtually learned. Research studies, however, makes a revelation, namely that untrained listeners are very low— lower than 50 percent—on proficiency in learning. This should not be surprising since various studies also state that people, including school learners, may spend 45 to over 50 percent of their communication time in the listening act. It appears most timely and important therefore that the educational system should give adequate attention to the improvement of listening skills among learners. This dissertation makes two assumptions: 1. Creative listening and linguistic communication skills can be developed along the new paradigm of multiple intelligence learning, and 2. A program patterned along multi-intelligence activities can be devised to respond to the need to develop creative listening and linguistic comm unication skills. Creative Listening Skills To focus on the listening act itself, it is necessary to remove the misconception that hearing and listening are the same. At times, we may have heard someone complaining, â€Å"I hear you, please don’t shout at me.† This is to recognize the physiological process that occurs when sound is received by man’s hearing apparatus. People may hear, however, but they may not be listening in the sense of recognizing the meaning of those sounds, such as the internal anger or anguish expressed by the speaker. Developing listening for meaning is therefore a must. Developing listening to create constructive ideas and action, such as behavioral change, can therefore be very beneficial to society, inclusive of social relationships

Effective Communication in Cooperates Information Source Essay

Effective Communication in Cooperates Information Source - Essay Example Feedback during a presentation is a crucial indication of the level with which the information has been effectively conveyed. Thus, when preparing to make a presentation, a presenter must practice on the visual, verbal and vocal components of the communication. Practicing should be done aloud and should form a habit thus enabling changes on aspects that are not effective. Presentation equally comes with fear, anxiety and jitters; nevertheless, these could be overcome through a persistent practice. PowerPoint should be used in a presentation as a support tool and not as a principal component of the presentation. Additionally, breathing time for the audience should be provided in the presentation to enhance the audience attentiveness (Pagana, 2010). Nursing is one of the careers that highly uphold the significance of communication. During report giving and ward rounds, effective communication is vital for the incoming nurse to understand the interventions performed on the patient, and this would be greatly related to the patient’s care outcome. Having worked in several nursing stations, I have witnessed situations when ineffectiveness in communication among nurses compromise care given to the patient. When a nurse does not report that a particular patient is to be kept nil per oral (NPO) due to an impending CT scan, the incoming nurse would feed the patient thus making the performance of the test impossible. This is thus an indication of how effective and detailed communication is significant in nursing practice. Effective communication is crucial in nursing practice as it has a direct influence on the outcome of the patient. The nurses must thus developed a well-practiced systematic way of communicating, handing over reports.

Sustainability Law (Take home exam) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sustainability Law (Take home exam) - Essay Example This so because their actions contravened the provisions of these Articles, which requires that no person should pollute any waters in way that would make the waters harmful, poisonous or noxious to animals health, human beings, aquatic life, wildlife, birds, fish, or vegetation; or in a way that the poison, toxins, or pollutants become detrimental to any meaningful use of the said waters. It is clear that after 6 months of BBAD and Heisenberg fracking operation, Block the gas community group was able to determine that the waters in the local streams such as the Connedagain River, which drains its waters into the Murray Darling system had been contaminated; its salinity had greatly increased as a result of chemical contamination, which appeared to be related to BBAD’s extraction of deep ground water and the chemical used for fracking. Further, these contaminants seems to exceed the inland waters standards set by the Queensland Environmental Protection Authority (Department of Employment 2010); which contravenes the provisions of Article 39 sub-section (2)(a)(i)(ii) and sub-section (b). (b) Do the Landers have any common law remedies that could assist them to stop the project and/or to obtain full compensation for the losses they have sustained? There are a number of common law remedies that the Landers could use to seek legal redress in order to stop BBAD’s project all together and obtain compensation for any losses they have incurred. First, Common law considers the environment as an ecosystem of property with entitlement, where ownership is a must (Bates 2013). Thus, whether land is publicly or publicly owned, the owner has the right to do anything he/she likes with it; that is to say, if the owner chooses not to look after the environment, then that is his own problem. However, in the case where landowners’ activities are considered to infringe on the rights of the neighbouring land; then common law takes note and considers what is happe ning to the environment and to protect the property rights of the owner. In this particular case, the activities of BBAD had infringed on the rights of the Landers; the water table in their land had dropped by close to a metre, thus affecting the drinking water that their cattle depended on. Further, the contamination of the Green Acres waters means that the Landers can no longer sell their beef at a premium price. Further, water, considered by common law as a non-static resource (Bates 2013), means that BBAD although have the property ownership right to do as they see fit with the mining site, have no such right with regards to water. Thus, the Landers can rely on this remedy and argue that BBAD exploitation degradation of the waters in Green Acres unreasonably affected the Lander’s enjoyment of their property. It should be noted however, that the common law has never regarded and does not regard harm to the environment, prima facie, as being worthy of remedy under common la w. The Landers, however, can seek compensation under the common action in nuisance, which as has already been mentioned, common law considers to be an infringement on the property rights of the land owner, although not a breach of duty. Usually, these remedies are sought through trespass or nuisance actions, which are forms of civil wrong or tort, under which there is compensation for any injury or loss, and an injunction to stop all together, such injurious and unlawful activities (Meiners & Morriss 2000). Thus, its

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

English - Essay Example Correct dressing needs sufficient time to prepare and the knowledge of correct kind of clothes that fit a particular occasion, event, or situation depending on the persons that one would communicate with or interact with. Another reason why good dressing indicates good personality is that a balanced personality would indicate that a person has enough knowledge on physical appearance. Important aspects in one’s life that need to be developed and developed to prepare one in interacting with other people, through different situations. Preparations therefore, to develop one’s character include the development of intellectual skills, emotional skills, as well as skills in good grooming to make one presentable at all times. Third reason that supports good dressing indicates good personality is that by knowing how to dress correctly, people will give due respect. It would totally be improper to show excellence in mental skills but be sloppy in physical appearance by dressing i n ill-fitted or inappropriate clothes. A businessman or head of a corporation would look bad in presenting the proposals or strategies in a business meeting, for example, if he is seen to be dressed in shorts and t-shirts.

Sustainability Law (Take home exam) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sustainability Law (Take home exam) - Essay Example This so because their actions contravened the provisions of these Articles, which requires that no person should pollute any waters in way that would make the waters harmful, poisonous or noxious to animals health, human beings, aquatic life, wildlife, birds, fish, or vegetation; or in a way that the poison, toxins, or pollutants become detrimental to any meaningful use of the said waters. It is clear that after 6 months of BBAD and Heisenberg fracking operation, Block the gas community group was able to determine that the waters in the local streams such as the Connedagain River, which drains its waters into the Murray Darling system had been contaminated; its salinity had greatly increased as a result of chemical contamination, which appeared to be related to BBAD’s extraction of deep ground water and the chemical used for fracking. Further, these contaminants seems to exceed the inland waters standards set by the Queensland Environmental Protection Authority (Department of Employment 2010); which contravenes the provisions of Article 39 sub-section (2)(a)(i)(ii) and sub-section (b). (b) Do the Landers have any common law remedies that could assist them to stop the project and/or to obtain full compensation for the losses they have sustained? There are a number of common law remedies that the Landers could use to seek legal redress in order to stop BBAD’s project all together and obtain compensation for any losses they have incurred. First, Common law considers the environment as an ecosystem of property with entitlement, where ownership is a must (Bates 2013). Thus, whether land is publicly or publicly owned, the owner has the right to do anything he/she likes with it; that is to say, if the owner chooses not to look after the environment, then that is his own problem. However, in the case where landowners’ activities are considered to infringe on the rights of the neighbouring land; then common law takes note and considers what is happe ning to the environment and to protect the property rights of the owner. In this particular case, the activities of BBAD had infringed on the rights of the Landers; the water table in their land had dropped by close to a metre, thus affecting the drinking water that their cattle depended on. Further, the contamination of the Green Acres waters means that the Landers can no longer sell their beef at a premium price. Further, water, considered by common law as a non-static resource (Bates 2013), means that BBAD although have the property ownership right to do as they see fit with the mining site, have no such right with regards to water. Thus, the Landers can rely on this remedy and argue that BBAD exploitation degradation of the waters in Green Acres unreasonably affected the Lander’s enjoyment of their property. It should be noted however, that the common law has never regarded and does not regard harm to the environment, prima facie, as being worthy of remedy under common la w. The Landers, however, can seek compensation under the common action in nuisance, which as has already been mentioned, common law considers to be an infringement on the property rights of the land owner, although not a breach of duty. Usually, these remedies are sought through trespass or nuisance actions, which are forms of civil wrong or tort, under which there is compensation for any injury or loss, and an injunction to stop all together, such injurious and unlawful activities (Meiners & Morriss 2000). Thus, its

Woman Changing Tradition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Woman Changing Tradition - Research Paper Example They have made up their minds to come out of their houses and work like men. They want their rights and want to do all that men are supposed to do because their own gender roles make them feel inferior. They want to be at the workplace, in the politics, and in the armed forces. This has been inculcated in their minds by way of strong feminism which comes with the agenda of women liberation. This paper discusses the hot debate whether women should be allowed to change gender roles or not by shedding light on the way feminist theories are changing the trend. Let’s start with explaining the difference between sex and gender which will show to the reader how gender roles come into existence. Sex refers to physical anatomy and biological differences between male and female; while, gender means the characteristics by which the society defines who is male and who is female (Roughgarden 22). Every culture has different concepts of gender roles that are assigned to males and females, a nd these are the gender roles that define the masculinity and femininity of an individual regardless of his physical anatomy or, in other words, sex. â€Å"Men and women are social categories† and socially â€Å"we have the freedom to decide who counts as a man and who counts as a woman† (Roughgarden 23). ... e main aim of contemporary popular culture is to refigure the body, hence issues regarding the body such as its shape, age and other requirements are the hot subject matter for magazines, books, journals, TV shows and even popular science. He states that these issues regarding the body raise questions about body frailty which creates concerns about gender differences, women being treated differently from men and the inferiority they experience as a result. For this reason, the issues regarding body and the gender differences encompassing the popular culture are the main concern of current feminist theories. Liberal women talk about women being treated differently than men, that is, gender discrimination that is favored basically by male domination. They talk about women’s understanding about sexuality, their experience at the workplace and how they manage their families alongside work. They are also concerned with women working with disciplines like history, social sciences, p hilosophy, arts and anthropology. The other important thing this feminism has to say is that women can tend to change the whole scenario by using their practical and empirical knowledge. This would help construct â€Å"a future non-sexist society† (Humm 5) which is the focus of attention of feminism. There are some feminists who characterize women as slaves in their houses doing work for their families without getting paid and thus their houses become a sort of prison for them. This is often referred to as domesticity. They say that this domesticity has to be ruled out from women’s lives if they want themselves to be treated at an equal status with men and considered as modern. The issues of domesticity and gender discrimination define how today’s woman reacts to her inferior position in

Important to the public Essay Example for Free

Important to the public Essay The Gallup organization has surveyed American schools for the past 40 years. These surveys, carried over the years, have served as a mirror to reflect the country’s educational achievements, attitudes and perceptions held by various education stakeholders regarding the education system, and to serve as a pointer of reflecting the overall direction of the education sector. It should not be lost on us that the Gallup poll is not meant to be a rapid snapshot for public perception. Rather, the poll is conducted annually to provide all education stakeholders with some useful insights in tracking public opinion about the American educational system. Therefore, the poll is carried in the most straightforward and honest manner, with its objective set at accounting for how Americans perceive their public schools and the learning process. Below, I offer my reactions. Americans opinions regarding schools Being an election year in the United States, The question of who most Americans trust to run their schools could not escape the Gallup survey. I totally agree with the Gallup study that the democratic presidential candidate, Barrack Obama looks more responsive and supportive towards public schools than his challenger, John McCain. This is basically because of the policies that Obama want to institute in the education system. His comprehensive zero to five plan will offer the much needed support to young children and their parents in the United States. He has continued to emphasize early care and education for infants, and has promised to develop an Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote states to move towards voluntary, universal pre-school education. For positive transformation of Americans public schools to take place, the next American president must turn away from using business or political leaders in developing policies for public schools, to utilizing education leaders. To this, I can’t agree more since previous political leaders have been involved in legislating unpopular laws that harm the public schools instead of making the efficient. For example, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) rule needs to be radically reformed by improving on its accountability schemes so that schools that need improvements are supported, rather than being punished. It is also true that most Americans believe that the federal government is still not doing enough to fund the public schools. Federal funds should be increased to maintain local public schools. However, there is a mix-up of issues in that Americans want educational leaders, state and local educators to be more involved in the running of the public schools but they do not want to shoulder the massive costs involved, preferring to request the federal government to meet the ever-rising educational budget. Here, I think that average Americans must be prepared to meet the accrued cost burden arising out of educational expenses (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Majority of the parents perceive their children in public schools to be well behaved. According to me, this is not the case. Discipline in American public schools is a matter of concern. Though the problem of lack of discipline is real, parents are more generally concerned with overcrowding at schools. Infact, during its lifetime, the annual Gallup poll of the public’s attitudes towards public school continue to point out that the most serious problem facing the nation’s educational system is lack of discipline. There are many grave concerns about the dangers and disorders of lack of discipline in school environments. These dangers involve cheating, drug use, insubordination, intimidation, and truancy. It is estimated that unbecoming behaviors in U. S. schools is directly related to nearly two million suspensions per year (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Average Americans continue to perceive community Schools positively. In the recent survey, 46 percent of the respondents assigned grades A and B to community schools, as opposed to 22 percent, who favored nation’s schools. I clearly agree with this finding. Morale and confidence, is quite low in most American’s public schools, and majority of the people interviewed believed that the Democratic presidential candidate, Barrack Obama, have the capability to remedy the situation by offering practical solutions to problems that have made the American public lack confidence in public schools (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Parents continue to carry in high esteem the schools attended by their oldest children. 72 percent of the parents said that their perceptions regarding the school attended by their oldest children were positive. The Americans attitudes and perceptions towards other public schools in Europe and Asia were even more positive. Almost a half of the respondents assigned these European and Asian schools grades of A and B, as opposed to the much lower grades they assigned to their nation’s schools. I totally disagree with this finding and believe that Americans schools are the best that there is in the world. My reflection is reinforced by the view that America receives more applications from foreign students, wanting to come and study in the U. S. If the system is poor, this could not be the case. Our students are competitive, and compare favorably to other students around the world when it comes to their creativity and problem solving skills. Two-thirds of all Americans are satisfied with the education standards set by policy makers. I agree with that assertion (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Important educational issues First, majority of Americans feels that it is important to re-organize the No Child Left Behind rule as it has outlived its usefulness. The NCLB Act of 2001 remade some federal programs that were aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the U. S. public primary and secondary schools. This was to be achieved by increasing the accountability for schools, school districts, and states. Parents were provided with more flexibility in deciding which schools their siblings attend. The NCLB was aimed at increasing the educational standards, but not any more. It needs to be changed drastically, or abandoned in its entirety. In the latest Gallup survey, only 16 percent of the respondents said they can re-administer the NCLB legislation without valid changes. I totally agree with the concerns raised (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Another important educational issue is the School progress measurement system. An overwhelming majority of Americans would like the school progress to be measured, not by a single score as NCLB propagates, but rather by student’s improvement. Nearly 80 percent of the respondents believed that teacher grades, examples of student’s work, and teacher observations are the most dependable measurements of students’ academic progress. I totally agree with that assertion to do away with test scores in our education systems (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). For American educational system to be globally competitive, a change in the belief system of average Americans must take place. Majority of Americans think that their education system is pretty bad and inferior. Everyday, we read in the media about the poor performance of our nation’s schools. But the problem may not even lie with the schools. Children must be trained to achieve more in their schooling to be able to be competitive in the globalized market (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Another important educational issue that needs to be addressed is the use of standardized testing. According to experienced teachers, standardized testing lacks in quality as it only works to produce simplistic results that are embraced by policy makers as indicators of excellence. Teaching techniques need to be looked into, and if possible, overhauled. To prepare the children of tomorrow, we need to move away from standardized testing and integrate into our learning institutions some student-centered learning processes (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Poll results and future planning by public educators First, it would be the challenge of the incoming president to develop a more broader vision of learning and performance, while greatly expanding opportunities to run and raise educational standards. The incoming president needs to increase federal budgets for public schools to effectively meet the costs incurred by school administrators (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). Public educators must also come up with national strategies and policies that would enable the Americans change their belief system, that there is a bad system of education. If such a belief is changed, educators can achieve much in guiding the education system in America. Also, public educators must plan on how they will change the education system from using standardized testing procedures which narrows the students’ desire and imagination, to a more student-centered approach that will free the student and make him enjoy the learning process. All education stake holders must ensure that they come up with strategies that preserve the relevance of education in our learning institutions. Students should not be taught just to pass examinations. They need to be taught how to utilize that education to take care of themselves (â€Å"Highlights†, 2008). In future, education stakeholders must come up with ways of increasing their funding base instead of relying on federal government’s alone. This can be achieved by developing networks and partnerships with other organizations. Education stakeholders need to realize that financial incentives are much needed if the problem of inadequate staffing is to be effectively dealt with. Educational policy makers must from now rely on the expertise of educators while drawing and formulating national education policies, instead of relying on business leaders. Marked improvement in the education system will be reflected if some or all of the above issues are addressed. Reference Highlights of the 40th PDK/ Gallup Poll. (2008). Retrieved October 21 2008, from http://www. pdkmembers. org/members_online/publications/e-GALLUP/kpoll_pdfs/pdkpoll40_2008. pdf

American Beauty (1999) Summary and Analysis

American Beauty (1999) Summary and Analysis American Beauty tells the story of one mans search for happiness. The film introduces the audience to Lester Burnham, an ordinary- looking married man and father in his forties. Lester is in a loveless marriage. Lesters wife, Carolyn, is so wrapped-up in her real estate career that Lester often claims that Carolyn doesnt even acknowledge him. Furthermore, Lesters daughter, Jane, is completely distant, often claiming how pathetic she thinks her father is. Moreover, Lester has dedicated fourteen years to his occupation, and suddenly, he is in danger of losing his job due to downsizing. All of these factors dramatically effect Lester and culminate into feelings of desperation and vulnerability for him. Lester is therefore in search of an escape and a rebirth. He is seeking the slightest possibility of happiness. Throughout the story Lester is consistently reminiscing on his past; wishing he could have it back. In the beginning portions of the story, Lester, as the narrator, states that it is never too late to regain your past. The catalyst to this frame of thought is Janes friend, Angela. Lester feels excited by the thought that a teen-age girl thinks he is hot. Lester overhears Angela state that she would have sex with him if Lester would start working-out and build-up his body. This drives Lester to change himself completely. Lester, in desperate search of happiness , finds an escape in Angela. Much like a hormone-driven teenage boy, Lester thinks that if he can score with a bombshell like Angela, then he will be reborn. Lesters mission for happiness and escape is further perpetuated by his eighteen year old neighbor, Ricky. In Ricky, Lester sees his model for rebirth. Lester calls Ricky his hero and is in awe of Rickys confidence. Lester, then begins a transformation back to his stereotypical understanding of what a teenager is. Lester begins to work-out, smoke pot, and drink beer. Much like a teen, he rebels against responsibility by quitting his job and; therefore, bypassing his duties as a provider to his daughter and wife. Furthermore, Lester spontaneously, trades in his Mercedes automobile for a 1970s cherry-red Trans Am sports car. In addition, Lester pursues a job with the least amount of responsibility. He finds that job in a fast food restaurant. All of these actions are deemed necessary to Lester because this is the way to escape and thus achieving happiness. The first scene where the audience is introduced to Lesters transformation process is when he first spots Angela. Lester and Carolyn decided to come and support Jane at a school basketball game where she is to perform a dance at half-time. This scene is significant because it shows how Angelas sexuality motivated Lester to rebel against who he is. Furthermore, this scene exemplifies Lesters characteristics as a hormone-crazed male in search of sex. This frame of thought is associated more with teens than with men in their forties. The first two technical elements used to exemplify this scene are composition and camera movement. The scene begins with Lester and Carolyn already in the stands with the crowd. Angela, Jane, and the other cheerleaders enter the picture with right to left movement assisted by a panning camera shot of right to left. This foreshadows the unordinary actions that are about to occur. Almost immediately, into the dance routine, Angela is given an upward position in the frame elevated with dynamic composition. It is dynamic composition because there is movement (Angela dancing) within a fixed frame. By giving Angela an upward position within the frame this suggest Lester is first noticing her. As the scene continues, and Angela has Lesters full attention, Angela is shown moving towards the camera in another dynamic composition shot complemented by the camera zooming in on her. This gives the audience an idea as to the degree of attention that Lester is giving to Angela due to her sexuality. It also enhances her presence. The scene continues with a static composition shot of Lester. It is static composition because there is no movement within the frame. The camera then begins to zoom in on Lester. As the camera zooms, the crowd is eliminated and only Lester is shown in the frame. Furthermore, the camera focuses on Lesters eyes and makes them appear bigger than they actually are. This makes Lester look like an animal drooling at the mouth over something he desires. At this point, the camera performs a point of view shot showing what Lesters eyes are fixated on, and focuses on Angela. This, once again, displays the degree of enchantment that Angela has placed over Lester. Angela is also shown alone in the frame. This shows that in Lesters mind, only Angela and himself exist at this moment. Not even his daughter is of any relevance. The scene concludes with the camera then performing a shot-reverse-shot of Angela then Lester. This allows the audience to see that in Lesters fantasy, Angela is dancing erotically just for him and is paying as much attention to him as he is paying to her. It is important to note that Angela and Lester are never shown in the same frame in this scene. This suggest that there is some barrier that is between them such as the fact that Lester is desiring a girl that is his daughters age. Lighting is another technical element that adds to the effectiveness of this scene. When the camera performs a point of view shot from Lesters perspective to show the audience that he is fixated on Angela; Angela is shown by herself in the frame. As stated above, this is to show that Angela is the only object of Lesters attention. Lighting adds to this effect. Lighting is used to focus the audience on Lesters eyes and to show that he is being enchanted by what he sees. As Angela is shown alone in the frame, the background in the shot becomes completely black. There is a bright light shining on Angela. The source of the light is not clear, and is coming from above Angela. The lighting in the scene is high contrast and low key. It is high contrast because the difference between light and darkness is clear. It is low key lighting because Angelas shadow can be seen behind her and shadows can be seen on the rest of Lesters face, excluding his eyes.. The contributions that the lighting effect has in this scene are many. First of all, the light shining solely on Angela adds to the audience understanding that Angela is the object of Lesters attention. Secondly, light is usually affiliated with good and darkness with bad. The light compliments Angelas characteristics because she is a virgin. Since the source of the lig ht cannot be seen, there can be speculation that the light is one from Heaven, shining down on her to show her innocence. At the same time, Angela is trying to be somebody that she is not. She consistently claims throughout the movie that she is sexually experienced. The darkness in the background of the shot can be the foreshadowing of things to come if she continues on this path of lies. Even though she may be a virgin, unknowingly to Lester; Lester views her and is thinking bad thoughts. He is fixated with her sexuality, as shown through the dance routine his fantasy has Angela perform. Lesters thoughts which represent darkness, are shown as surrounding Angela and her innocence. Editing complements this scene by adding more definition to the relationship-to-be between Angela and Lester. The entire scene uses decoupage. It is decoupage because the cutting is fast paced which suggests an almost chaotic and imbalance perspective to the audience and at the same time it shows that the thoughts that are going through Lesters head are not ordinary, instead they are chaotic. Also, decoupage has a tendency to use close-ups. This scene has plenty of zoom shots of Angela and Lester. Furthermore, it is important to note that Angela and Lester are never shot together in the scene. They are individually shot in a shot-reverse-shot fashion. This suggest a disunity between the both of them. Again, something is separating the both of them, such as the age gap. Not including the absence of decoupage and ellipsis is important in this scene. Absence of decoupage requires a decelerated pace. A slower pace would take away from the chaotic sensation that decoupage brings and; therefore, would not reflect well on the relationship-to-be between Angela and Lester. Using ellipsis would require fast-paced cutting that would c ompare and contrast the actions occurring in this scene with another scene. This would disturb the scene and take away its effectiveness. By showing the degree of passion between Angela and Lester in his fantasy; the audience learns much about Lesters intentions and transformation. The usage of sound adds to the effectiveness of both Angelas moves and Lesters thoughts in this scene. The scene begins with Jane, Angela, and the other cheerleaders dancing to a wordless version of On Broadway. This is parallel diegetic sound because it relates to what can be seen on screen. The usage of this song is important to the theme of this movie. Lester is about to embark on a mission to be free. Lester is going to pursue happiness. In the same way, On Broadway is about pursuing a new experience. On Broadway speaks about coming to New York and being taken aback by all the lights and attractiveness of the city. In the same manner, Lester is about to be taken aback by an American beauty, Angela. Fu rther in the scene, through shot-reverse-shot fashion, only Angela and Lester are in the frame (they are shown separately); the song On Broadway and the crowd cannot be heard. This is an example of contrapuntal sound. Contrapuntal sound involves muting sound beyond what one would normally hear if he/she were in that scene. Using this devise adds to the audience understanding the amount of attention that Lester is giving Angela. Lester, in his fantasy, is so infatuated with Angela that it appears that he can zone-out all the other tremendous noise occurring during a basketball game. During Lesters fantasy, as Angela is dancing in an extremely erotic manner, touching her body all over, a slow and erotic song begins to play. The song has a romantic and Latin beat to it that intensifies the mood from the audiences perspective; providing clues as to what Lesters intentions are with Angela. This is an example of non-diegetic sound. It is sound that does not have its source in the image. The second scene of interest occurs when Lesters erotic dreams are about to become reality. Lester and Angela are in his house. Lester has confessed to Angela that he wanted her since the first time he laid eyes upon her . The scene begins with Lester laying Angela down on a couch so he could have sex with her. This scene is essential because Angela and her virginity is for the taking, but Lester comes to a realization and refuses to have sex. Lester transforms once again, from the teenage rebel he had become, back to the man he was. He came to understand, as most boys do when they become mature men, that sex is not the key element to happiness. Lester did want his past back. However, he wanted back the past that included the family he had lost. Composition and camera movement are used in this scene. As the scene begins, Lester has Angela and is laying her down on the couch. This is a dynamic shot with downward movement. It is dynamic because there is movement within a fixed frame. The downward movement implies an action that is not positive, such as Lester having sex with a teenager. Furthermore, the downward movement implies something lost, such as Angelas virginity and innocence. If they have sex , both of those will be lost forever. This shot is also a canted shot. It is a canted shot because Angela appears at a 45 degree angle in the frame. This suggest that things are bizarre and that Angelas point of view is slanted. A bizarre sex act is about to occur, and Angela is inexperienced, and doesnt know the first thing about why she should be having sex. As the scene continues, the camera pans from left to right and right to left following Lesters hands as they go up and down Angelas body. The camera movement intensifies the erotic feeling in the audience. The camera then moves to a dynamic crane shot , showing Lesters hands unbuttoning Angelas blouse. That shot is then followed by shot-reverse shot of Angela and Lester looking at one another. Angela, is given the low angle, looking-up at Lester, which implies that Lester is in control. This complements the idea that society considers it a macho action for the man to be in control. Still thinking under the mentality of a hormone-crazed teen, Lester feels good. It i s important to note that Lester and Angela are not shown in the same shot during these actions. This implies disunity and an ironic separation because they are about to engage in the most intimate activity two humans can share with one another. It is also important to note, that during the crane shots, Angela is consistently given the higher position in the frame. This implies that she is pure and innocent because usually good elements are given the higher position over bad elements (such as heaven being in the sky and hell down under). As Lester is prepared to begin the sex act, Angela reveals that she is a virgin. It is at this point that Lester realizes what he is doing and stops. This shot is a dynamic shot with a crane. It is as if, by some divine intervention, Lester came to realize the error of his ways before it was too late. The scene concludes with a dynamic shot of Lester apologizing to Angela and, for the first time in this scene, they are scene in the same frame. This time, Lester is given the higher position in the frame. This symbolizes that he has come to a realization and is wise. The usage of lighting in this scene implies many symbolic meanings. Throughout the entire scene Angela is shot with light. For example, when the scene begins, Angela is laid down by Lester on a couch. Angela is wearing a white blouse, the couch she is lying on is white, and the light from outside is dimly shining on her, emphasizing the fact that she is wearing white. The light and the color white represent purity: Angela is a virgin. On the other hand, Lester is shown with even less light. As the came ra follows his hands erotically going up and down Angelas body; Lesters hands are given the least amount light possible in order to emphasize the impurity aspect of what he is doing. The lighting in this scene is low contrast and low key. It is low contrast because the light used was dim and was rather gray. This implies a sense of mystery because the audience knows that Carolyn is on the way to the house to kill Lester. Also, the audience is unsure if Lester is going to go through with having sex with Angela. It is low key because both Angelas and Lesters shadows can be seen. Editing is very significant in this scene. Decoupage is used throughout this scene. Decoupage implies that there will be fast-paced cutting. This is absolutely necessary in this scene in order to add to the excitement of the scene. Angela and Lester are at the point of no return. It is not clear what is going to happen. Fast paced cutting accelerates the speed of the scene, as almost to provide the audience with excitement. In this case, the kind of excitement that a teenage boy, or Lester, in this case, would feel before having sex. However, unlike the previous scene, this scene uses an ellipsis. This takes place when Lester is rubbing his hands around Angelas thighs. The scene cuts to Jane and Ricky. Both of them are about to run away to New York. The ellipsis occurs to show the audience what has caused Jane to do this. Lester never paid attention to Jane. Instead, he focused on her friend. All Jane wanted was atte ntion from her dad, but Lester was preoccupied with being irresponsible and chasing a girl. The scene then switches back to Angela and Lester. It is important to note that Angela and Lester are never shot in the same frame while sex is still a possibility between the both of them. Instead, they are shot in a shot-reverse-shot fashion. When Lester realizes the error he has made, both of them are shot in the same frame as a two-shot showing unity and resolution over the dilemma. Sound is used heavily in this scene. As the scene begins non-diegetic sound is used. This sound has no source in the image. The sound is music played by a piano and chimes. The music gives the audience a sense of the erotica that is occurring on the screen between Angela and Lester. It also serves a connector to Lesters fantasies. Whenever, Lester fantasizes, an erotic song is used. This time, his fantasy is about to come true. The music comes to an abrupt end when Angela reveals that she is a virgin. Suddenly, Lester realizes that he cannot have sex with a teenager. The ending of the music symbolized the conclusion of that fantasy as well as marked his return to manhood. Throughout this scene, it was raining outside. If you were in the scene you would be able to hear raindrops. But not in this case. This exemplifies the usage of contrapuntal sound. The raindrops were not heard during this scene. This gives the audience an idea of the amount of concentration that Lester was, once again, giving Angela. While Angela was around, nothing else mattered to Lester. Lesters inability to deal with difficult situations, combined with his need for freedom and lack for responsibility, appear to have been too much. Unfortunately, he realized that too late.

A modern symphony : S & M Essay -- essays research papers

S & M: No Leaf Clover   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The talent of an artist rests in the ability to recreate a sense of reality, and to communicate such an experience. When such timeless thoughts are offered to the audience in an honest manor, it is the result of a true artist. Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Langston Hughes, and the Beatles thrived off of taking such honest risks. In 1999, the San Francisco Symphony and the hard rock band Metallica redesigned the concept of risk taking in the reality for the artists’ world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A young composer by the name of Michael Kamen passed away at 55. He had the pleasure of conducting The London Philharmonic Orchestra, and The San Francisco Symphony. He aspired to share creative energy with rock legends such as Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, & Eric Clapton. In 2002 it was his talent that kept the world company during the winter Olympics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the late 1980s alternative rock was working at creating symphonies of its own. The band Metallica, known for its speed metal and talented range of chords, developed a new language in music. Their songs ranged from 2, to 9, to 20 minute riffs. They gained attention from emotionally eager listeners. The use of electric guitar, aggressive vocals, and dynamic tempos made their music appealing to an extraordinary audience (Holm-Hudson 189).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michael Kamen responded to Metallicas unique guitar ingredients, and set out to collaborate with the metal band. In 1999 Kamen and the San Francisco Symphony, merged with Metallica to produce the album S & M. Kamens orchestra consisted of Violins,Violas,Cellos, Bass, Flutes, Oboes, Clarients, Bassons, Horns, Trumpets, and Trombones. Other instruments included the Tuba, Harp Timpani, Keyboard and of course percussion. Metallica has four musicians, two guitarists, a drummer and a bassist. The lead guitarist is also the lead vocalist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the insert of the C.D. sleeve S&M, Michael Kamen wrote about â€Å"conducting a conversation between two different worlds that share the same language†. Like the composers Hector Berlioz, and Ludwig Van Beethoven, Kamen experienced life through music and spoke of life’s journeys in symphony (Lang 131. He continued to put in plain words, â€Å"Combining the San Francisco Symphony and Metallica†¦ was rea... ...who has a portfolio of only oils may have perfected their skill, but closed off the opportunity to learn from others that may share the same appreciation. In the symphony S & M conducted by Michael Kamen, and composed by Metallica, it is clear that they both satisfy the criteria for honest artists. For both the artist and the viewer, a sense of emotion is released when one relates to another. Michael Kamen and Metallica worked to embrace each others talents. It is very beautiful to witness two different artists’ eager to learn, and so willing to invite an audience into their reality. Allie Kornbluth Berger, Melvin. Guide to Sonatas : Music for one or two instruments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anchor Books Doubleday , New York 1991. Holm-Hudson, Kevin. Progressive Rock Reconsidered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Routledge, New York. 2002 Lang, Paul Henry. The Symphony : A Norton Music Anthology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Norton and Company Inc. New York 1969. Walser, Rober. Metallica   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oxford University Press., 2003. http://www.grovemusic.com/shared/views/article.html?section=music.49160#music.49160

Looking at “The Withered Arm” by Thomas Hardy Essay

Looking at â€Å"The Withered Arm† and at least two other short stories, comment on how Thomas Hardy uses the female characters to influence the reader’s response To prepare for this essay I have read a selection of Thomas Hardy’s short stories: â€Å"The Withered Arm†, â€Å"The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion†, â€Å"The Distracted Preacher†, â€Å"Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver† and â€Å"Absent-mindedness in a Parish Choir†. The first three stories have been studied more closely than the latter two, and will be used to answer the essay title. Given that a reader’s response may be influenced by many factors, such as time of reading, gender, and personal values it is still clear how Hardy expects his readers to respond. Hardy has moulded the language in many ways, resulting in an intricately woven and complex idea of each character in the reader’s mind. There are certain similarities in each story. Hardy seems to use clever twists of coincidences which are not the fault of the unfortunate character/s involved. Tragedy and death also tend to characterise his stories, for example, Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us and Christoph are shot and Rhoda Brook’s son is hanged. The reputation of women plays a big part in all three of the short stories. â€Å"The Withered Arm† differs from the other two stories as it has two main women characters, who are naturally compared, in a subtle but effective manner. Rhoda Brook is first introduced into the story through another characters speech, as â€Å"she† and later in the sentence is described as a â€Å"thin worn milkmaid†. This gives the reader a clear picture of Rhoda before she even enters the story: she is shown as little more than a solitary victim of other people’s gossip. Hardy then presents Rhoda in her home, which is in the lonely and rural countryside. The house is made of mud-walls and is rather rundown and ramshackle: â€Å"in the thatch above a rafter showed like a bone protruding through the skin†. The house and Rhoda seem similar as their looks are both past their best. Rhoda is often presented in the context of a serious and lonely landscape: â€Å"thick clouds made the atmosphere dark†. Rhoda is never a happy character and Hardy shows this well, through descriptions of gloomy landscapes. Rhoda has broken social convention by having a son out of marriage and it seems as if she is being punished for this as the story unravels. Rhoda struggles to look after her son alone, and lives in near poverty. Rhoda does not seem particularly disturbed by her situation but it has cut her off from the rest of the small farming community. Hardy has cleverly associated Rhoda with sadness and superstition. Whenever Rhoda is being mentioned in the story the atmosphere is anxious, sad or tense, for example: â€Å"Brook felt like a guilty thing†. Initially, Hardy places Gertrude on the bright forefront, emphasizing her outgoing, carefree personality, while Rhoda is left as a figure in the background. Rhoda’s speech is limited but even when she does speak it is normally about Gertrude. Hardy uses Rhoda to show the harshness of social convention on women. Rhoda is eventually so excluded from her community that she moves away. Rhoda is threatened by her reputation as she does not want Gertrude to find out about her being the possible cause of the damaged arm. Overall, Rhoda’s situation provokes a sympathetic response from the reader. Gertrude is initially introduced into the story with the landscape in her favour: â€Å"the low sun was full in her face, rendering every feature, shade, and contour distinct†. She is shown as generous, caring, (helping those less fortunate than herself) gentle and innocent; emotionally and sexually. Her speech and behaviour are described with gentle language: â€Å"innocent young thing†. Gertrude changes considerably over time, and is slowly transformed into the spectre of Rhoda’s dream. Hardy prepares the reader by starting to taint Gertrude with Rhoda’s main associations, and gradually Gertrude becomes a darker and more sinister figure. This is shown clearly when Gertrude’s subconscious mind is praying: â€Å"O Lord, hang some innocent or guilty person soon†. She is described as â€Å"cunning†, â€Å"shrivelled† and â€Å"furtive†. Hardy shows what a monster an innocent young woman can become while trying to cope with the harsh world of the 1800’s when her marriage and reputation is all she has. Gertrude failed her marriage in two ways, firstly she did not have children, and secondly, Farmer Lodge no longer found her attractive because of her withered arm (and this was the main motive for her wanting to cure it). Hardy showed that without a respectable marriage and children, many women felt that their lives were inadequate. Social convention and reputation ruled many women’s lives. This makes the reader feel sympathetic towards women living in that time, and highlights the amount of freedom women have today. â€Å"The Melancholy Hussar†, contains one main female character, Phyllis Grove, who is presented as a figure of the past. Throughout the story Phyllis is rarely described physically; she is an invisible character. Hardy describes Phyllis’ feelings extensively through direct authorial comment, as she says very little. Phyllis is also closely connected with the landscape, and is part of its timelessness. At the beginning of the story, Phyllis’ seclusion is shown through this: â€Å"secluded old manor houses and hamlets lie in the ravines†. In addition, the landscape at this stage in the story is very bleak, symbolising the bleakness of Phyllis’ lifestyle. Phyllis spends most of the story outside, and words describing her are most energetic outside: â€Å"climbs†, â€Å"walks† and â€Å"clambers†. When Phyllis becomes dislocated from what makes her happiest, she becomes dislocated from her landscape; Phyllis was indoors for weeks after she saw Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us and Christoph being shot. To highlight Phyllis’ shyness, she uses the fog and mist to hide her away and protect her. Hardy uses Phyllis to show women’s isolation, which can be due to men; Phyllis’ father is unsympathetic towards her situation and Phyllis’ only hope of having a better life would be through marriage. Phyllis’ life seems to be mapped out before the story unravels because she is connected with men right at the beginning of the story, in this case her father. Phyllis’ only escape from her desperate isolation seems to be to marry, suitable Humphrey Gould, and their engagement is used by Hardy to convey the fact that marriages were seen as respectable and even an accomplishment. Hardy uses the York Hussars as a contrast to â€Å"suitable† and â€Å"ordinary† Humphrey; the Hussars are shown with excitement and passion â€Å"crowds of admirers† and â€Å"foreign air†. Hardy then uses contrast once again regarding Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us Tina; this man is different and catches Phyllis’ attention. When Phyllis is with Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us she is especially alive, as her speech is direct and not shown through reported speech or authorial comment. Also, this seems to be the only time she can actually be heard. In addition, she is described using the most animated language when she is with Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us: â€Å"flushed†, â€Å"agitation†, and â€Å"shaked†. The reader wants Phyllis and Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us’ relationship to survive, as Phyllis is obviously so happy with him. This is what makes the ending so tragic. The stone wall is the place of Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us and Phyllis’ meetings, and it symbolises an important boundary between them. This figurative language used by Hardy is not only showing the physical but also the moral boundary (Phyllis’ engagement) between the two lovers. Phyllis has a quiet independence, which Hardy shows through her willingness to elope with Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us; she is prepared to defy social convention. Hardy shows Phyllis as a victim of circumstance and coincidence, because when she hears that Humphrey has bought her a present, the only thing that holds her back from eloping is her conscience and honesty. Here Hardy indicates that one small, seemingly insignificant moment can change one’s life forever. This can make the reader feel quite insecure and that the world is unjust; Phyllis suffered for the rest of her life simply because she was a good person. Irony is used when Phyllis is buried near Christoph and Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us, near the wall where Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us and her met. The most well known marriage vow contains â€Å"until death do us part†, though ironically they failed to be together in life, and death brought them together. It is also ironic because marriage was meant to be Phyllis’ escape from her secluded life but in fact it was marriage that prevented her freedom. Hardy’s harsh world also extends to men: for example in â€Å"The Withered Arm† when Rhoda Brooks’ son is hanged. In fact, Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us and Christoph were subtly shown as heroes because they took the blame for the other two people found in the boat and as a result were shot. The final story â€Å"The Distracted Preacher† contains one main female character, Lizzy Newberry. Lizzy completely strays from the social conventions of the time. Lizzy, like Rhoda, is introduced to the reader through someone else’s speech, but in a completely different manner: â€Å"she won’t have† is used when Mr Stockdale is being informed about her, telling you immediately that she is confident and assertive. Lizzy’s personality is also shown through her leading Mr Stockdale to various destinations and giving him instructions. Hardy makes it clear that Mr Stockdale cannot take her for granted as he is always the one waiting for her and how he looks forward to seeing her: Mr Stockdale â€Å"longed for the morrow†. He cannot control her life as she is so independent and unpredictable. The environment surrounding Lizzy is â€Å"snug and cheerful†, unlike the rural countryside of Rhoda’s and Phyllis’. Other environments associated with Lizzy are smugglers caves such as â€Å"Daggers Grave†; these show her life as exciting and exhilarating. Hardy makes Lizzy the first to speak between her and Mr Stockdale; she is confident as she is the one that approaches him. Lizzy being a widow puts her in a good position as she can be sexually experienced yet single, without it being a scandal. Hardy uses very sophisticated language to describe Lizzy, this shows her subtle superiority and sophistication. He also uses animated language such as â€Å"ascended the hill† and â€Å"tripped at a quickening pace† to show her freedom. Hardy shows Mr Stockdale as rather naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve, by him automatically assuming that a conversation is about love or marriage, when Lizzy is talking to the miller. Also, it takes him a long time to understand what Lizzy does to make money, even after so many clues: Lizzy’s irregular sleeping patterns, her absence from her bedroom at night and him discovering a man’s freshly washed clothes in his room. Lizzy dresses like a man when going smuggling, symbolising her masculinity. In fact, Lizzy is like the man of the house; she makes all the choices and makes money. At one point, Lizzy handles money and this is very symbolic of her freedom. In the other two stories men are hurt physically and in this story Hardy uses this to show Lizzy as masculine; she was shot in the hand. In â€Å"The Withered Arm† Rhoda is jealous of Gertrude for being with Farmer Lodge, and in â€Å"The Melancholy Hussar† Phyllis stays inside for four weeks because she is so upset about Matthà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½us. In this story, however, Mr Stockdale gets upset about Lizzy. For a few days he becomes â€Å"sad† and â€Å"restrained† when he starts to suspect that there might be another man in Lizzy’s life. Also, there is a lack of choices for Mr Stockdale regarding his job â€Å"brought with a single eye to ministry†; in the previous stories the women tend to lack choices. Social convention expected women to centre their lives around men but Lizzy was not prepared to give up her life for a man. Lizzy even suggests that Mr Stockdale gives up his ministry to marry her. I think Hardy implies that money plays a big part in independence, because in the previous short stories women were restrained because of their lack of money, and in this story Lizzy is economically independent and has freedom. â€Å"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s† â€Å"†He’s dead,† she pouted.† This quote shows Lizzy’s rebelliousness but ironically, she ends up writing a book called â€Å"Render unto Caesar†. Lizzy’s marriage and apology to Mr Stockdale show that she eventually conformed to social convention. In the author’s note Hardy says he would have preferred Lizzy to marry Jim the smuggler, and emigrate to America, and that the other ending was only written because of the expectations of the time of publishing. So, even Hardy had to conform to the conventions of the day. The latter ending is more modern and clearly shows the influence of time on Hardy and his admiration of Lizzy. Throughout these short stories Hardy has shown a wide range of characters and has used different women in varying ways to achieve different purposes. Hardy is shown to have a good understanding of the women in that time through these stories. Even though all three of the short stories were written in the third person, Hardy has used language ingeniously. He has evoked many responses from the reader, but predominantly it is one of sympathy for the women.