The Devil and Tom Walker free essay sample

Satire is used by many famous writers to create humor and to criticize people’s unwise, and senseless actions. As George Orwell once said, All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. (Orwell, 1945). People will always be greedy and think they are smarter than others but this is untrue. The one who thinks he is smarter or better than the other will always end up losing in life. In the short story â€Å"The Devil and Tom Walker† by Washington Irving, satire is incorporated in a perfect way. This story is about Tom Walker, who makes a pact with the devil, and ends up lending money at high interest rates. When Tom Walker thinks he is smarter than his customers and does not give more time to one of his customers to pay him back, Tom’s life ends in an instant. Through the use of satire Irving criticizes the institution of marriage and the folly of human nature. We will write a custom essay sample on The Devil and Tom Walker or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Irving criticizes the institution of marriage in many ways throughout the story. He introduces Tom to the story by pointing out the following: â€Å"He had a wife as miserly as himself; they were so miserly that they even conspired to cheat each other.† In this quote Irving substantiates that marriage will lead one to temptation, and that many people that think are happy with their partner will always look for other partners during marriage. Another example of Irving’s use of satire to criticize marriage is when he writes, â€Å"Whatever the woman could lay hands on she hid away: a hen could not crackle but she was on the alert to secure the new-laid egg.† Irving is stating that marriage will make one selfish with one’s partner. He is trying to show that it is better to own things individually, because when someone commits to marriage, one is also agreeing to have common property with one’s wife/husband. Irving mocks how marriage instead of making one share everything will actually make one even more selfish. This selfishness will lead to problems in one’s married life. Another quote that shows Irving’s criticism to marriage is â€Å"Her voice was often hear in wordy warfare with her husband; and his face sometimes showed signs that their conflicts were not confined to words.† This quote illustrates how marriage can lead to violence, and fights can lead to divorce. This is why the reader can infer that Irving does not believe that marriage is the sacred institution it is proclaimed to be. Moreover, Irving is also a master at creating dark humor: â€Å"Tom consoles himself for the loss of his property with the loss of his wife; for he was a man of fortitude. He felt something like gratitude towards the black woodsman, who he considered had done him a kindness.† This quote is comic because one would think that Tom would be really sad after his wife’s death, but he is sad because his property i s missing, and consoles himself with her death. It is ironic that Tom would be happy for the loss of his wife. Clearly, Washington Irving uses satire throughout the story to criticize the imperfect institution of marriage. Irving not only uses satire to criticize the institution of marriage, but also uses satire to criticize the folly of human nature. The following quote, â€Å"All her avarice was awakened at the mention of hidden gold, and she urged her husband to comply with the black man’s terms and secure what would make them wealthy for life† shows how humans are always greedy and the only thing they care about is money and wealth. Tom’s wife does not even think about the offer and what troubles it could bring her. She only wants the gold, but she does not even know what she is getting into. Another example of Irving’s criticism is when he says, â€Å"He thought with regret on the bargain he had made with his black friend, and set his wits to work to cheat him out of the conditions. He became, therefore, all of a sudden, a violent churchgoer. He prayed loudly and strenuously as if heaven were to be taken by force of lungs.† Irving says this because he is trying to show how people are complete hypocrites when they are trying to hide the evil actions they have incurred in. Evidently, satire is being used to show human duplicity. Although he is going to church, and he might seem as a good Samaritan, inside he is full of evil. A third way Irving criticizes the folly of human kind is in the following quote, â€Å"In this way he made money hand over hand; became a rich and mighty man, and exalted his cocked hat upon change. He built himself, as usual, a vast house, out of ostentation; but left the greater part of it unfinished and unfurnished out of parsimony. He even set up a carriage in the fullness of his vain glory, though he nearly starved the horses which drew it.† Irving portrays a very important message through this quote. Essentially, Irving is highlighting the fact that even though Tom has enough money to feed his horses, he prefers to starve them because he is too avaricious. Irving is transmitting the message that the folly of human nature many times has to do with greed and selfishness. Evidently Irving is trying to criticize human vices through this short story. To conclude, Irving does a splendid job of connecting marriage and the folly of human nature with hypocrisy, greed, and ambition. The author delivers a very important message through his use of satire, and makes the reader realize that marriage is not a noble â€Å"problem-free† institution, and that the folly of human nature can lead to one’s downfall. The dark humor that the author integrates in the short story enriches his strong criticism to these topics.

The Second World War Essays

The Second World War Essays The Second World War Essay The Second World War Essay In the years following the Second World War, there was a significant change in the way society was constructed, from changes in class structure to an era of mass production and mass consumption. Two particular features have been produced from this change, namely the massive growth in the consumption of what has been labelled as popular music, and also the existence of specific subcultures within society. The rise in popular music after the war can be attributed to changes in technology, mass media and mass communication that brought about the mass consumption of music, while subcultures seemingly coincided with the rise of popular music in general. The possible link between the rise in popular music and the existence of subcultures is an obvious one since they both seem to have risen and existed simultaneously, and indeed many argue that music is the medium to which subcultural expression is at its greatest. The first apparent and significant subculture that existed after the Second World War became termed as the teddy boy or the more frequent reference of the Teds. This particular group, who sported extravagant quaffs in their hair, drape jackets, suede shoes and drainpipe trousers, were often criticised by the media and parents and viewed as a symbol of the decline in standards amongst the growing youth culture. The manner in which the teds wore their clothes and acted was seen as an act of defiance or bricolage against the existing values and norms that existed within society at that time. In this way the Teddy boys theft and transformation of the Edwardian style revived in the early 1950s by Saville Row for wealthy young men about town can be construed as an act of bricolage. (1) The rise of this subculture coincided with the rise in popularity of music figures such as Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and in particular the gigantic rise of Elvis Presley, who all sported the Teddy boy image. These artists provided the Teddy boy subculture with the mass appeal and legitimacy that inevitably caused the growth in this particular style. While the styles that these musicians wore tended to cause controversy, the content of their music also did. Rock and Roll was seen as a rebellious form of music, and while its lyrics and dancing movements may seem tame by todays standards, the genres aggressive and sexually implicit nature caused outrage amongst many parents and members of society. Yet while the controversy and protests against the image of the Teddy boy and rock and roll mounted, the popularity of this style and genre of music grew vastly. The subculture of the Teddy boy found a voice in its rock and roll heroes to which it could assimilate into their style, which was certainly a style that went against the basic hegemonic values and norms that existed in the fifties. The Teddy boy subculture can also been seen as an example where music has popularised an already existing subculture by bringing it to a larger audience, through the mass consumption of music and the popularity of its musical exponents. Perhaps the most prominent example of a subculture that is cited is that of the so-called hippie movement. The hippie movement began the mid-sixties, and in a rather simplistic sense, consisted predominantly of middle class young students. The hippie culture had a massive impact upon life in the sixties, particularly in America where it protested against the norms of sixties society, particularly the war in Vietnam and the civil rights movement. The movement, similar to other subcultures, had a strong assimilation with music. The music most associated with the movement tended to be progressive rock orientated, and was mostly concerned with albums rather than single releases. The movement was closely associated with the values of free love, peace and tended to be very open in its use of drugs as a recreational pastime. The music it was associated with tended to reinforce these values and ideas, with much of the music consisting of anti-war sentiments or references to drug use. Among the many musicians that were associated with this protest and anti-war ideals of the hippie subculture was Bob Dylan, who was frequently branded the voice of a generation. Although Dylan was not a hippie himself and openly objected to his tag, the anti-war stance within his music was adopted among the hippie movement who felt they related to his songs of protest. Songs such as Masters of War were adopted by the anti-war movement who felt that it outlined perfectly their grievances against the current war in Vietnam. Dylans songs frequently questioned the values and norms that existed in America at the time, with a poignant example being the song With God on Our Side. The song is sung from the stance of an average American from the mid-west, and talks about how all the previous wars that America has waged can be justified because America has God on its side. The song questions the strong conservative Christian ethos that exists in America, an ethos which was also a grievance for the hippie movement. Dylan is a prominent example that although he didnt purport to the ideals within the hippie movement, his music was adopted by the movement as a way of questioning the hegemonic values of America in the sixties. To this extent the hippie subculture could be described as the symbolic fit between the values and lifestyles of a group, its subjective experience and the musical forms it uses to express or reinforce its focal concerns (2). The focal concerns of this particular subculture were fiercely liberal and anti-war, which is why they chose musicians such as Dylan as their voice.

Telecom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Telecom - Essay Example However, to serve simplified organizational goals that are specifically identified by smaller organizations, the need to design and establish a workable R & D that could address the mission and goals of the organization and within an identified budget would suffice. Smaller organizations can update themselves of telecommunications trends using various medium. As emphasized by Sachenko â€Å"organizations are becoming internetworked enterprises that use the Internet, intranets, and other telecommunications networks to support e-business operations and collaboration within the enterprise, and with their customers, suppliers, and other business partners† (1). In an article written by Rubin, it was disclosed that â€Å"small companies spend proportionally more of their revenues on research and development than large ones† (par 1). Likewise, in another study, Klein revealed that â€Å"small and midsize companies don’t know how to capture qualified research expenses and quantify them. Also, in most small companies, the R&D is heaviest up front, when they are developing products and services† (1). In this regard, small organizations could solve the problem by availing of R & D tax credits. As explained by Klein, " if you’re a startup and you don’t have research expenses for the previous three years, you can use 6 percent of your qualified research expenses to offset your tax liability, if you have any. If you don’t have tax liability, perhaps because you have no income as a startup, you can claim the credit prospectively and carry it forward into a year when you do owe taxes. The great thing is that there’s a 20-year carry-forward provision for this credit† (1). Therefore, through availing of R & D tax credits, the amount of tax liability could be minimized depending on the income of the small organization. Likewise, by being aware and recognizing which R & D

Informal interview(HRD) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informal interview(HRD) - Essay Example He has to set the daily roster, look for new and novel things for the employees, interact with them and facilitate in solving their day to day issues, look after their needs and wants, discuss options to safeguard their organizational rights and basically take the message of the employees towards the higher management realms. The rationale for choosing this person was that Mr. Jack is a renowned person within his field and all employees have something good to say about him. It shows that Mr. Jack has a very commendable relationship with the employees as well as the people with whom he is connected on a personal as well as a professional level. He likes to maintain his links with the people even though they are not working with the same organization any more. I believe that choosing Mr. Jack for this interview is also based on how well he has been able to bring confidence within his personality and how much people can learn from him and his actions. He is a thorough professional who b elieves in success and brings out the very best through his actions and behaviors on a daily basis. I asked Mr. Jack how he got along with people from different backgrounds and how he would cope with someone who was not easy to come by. I even asked him how he would react to changing policies of the organization which he believed would ransack the basis of association that existed between the organization and its employees. I inquired from Mr. Jack how he would go with the recent upsurge in downsizing by most organizations and what he would do to make sure that there was complete job security within his organization. I discerned the basis of his attachment with the recent trends and developments within the Human Resources field and what he shall do to make sure that everything remained in line with the policies of the land where the company existed. Lastly I requested Mr. Jack to let me know how he would foster positive ties with the people who have left the organization and hold so me form of resentment and disgruntled feelings (Saunders 2004). I learned quite a few things from what Mr. Jack had to tell me. He was forthright and candid about his approach towards doing things his way, which was in accordance with the rules and policies of the organization. He told me there was a great amount of growth within his field and anyone can take up the Human Resources arena to extract the best mileage out of his education. He even told me that a career switch towards the Human Resources field would bring in higher stakes in terms of money, an excellent profession and above all linkages with the people who hailed from different backgrounds and ethnicities. It even allowed an individual to learn new things and get acquainted with discussions which he had never put his eye upon. Mr. Jack was very comprehensive as far as the answering of his questions were concerned and I saw that his eye contact did not break even for a single second – which suggested for his hones ty which he was delivering through his verbal and nonverbal communication regimes. In the end, I would suggest that interviewing Mr. Jack was indeed something which can be regarded as a positive point for me. It helped me understand what a wonderful personality Mr. Jack is. It also assisted me in comprehending how he takes the different avenues of life in his

Week 5 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 5 questions - Essay Example ly defined roles and responsibilities, availability of required resources, and delegation of adequate authorities to facilitate faster and appropriate decision making, would lead to smoother communications amongst themselves, ultimately translating into realization of the organization’s corporate goals. External stakeholders include consumers, suppliers, competitors, creditors as well as the community at large. These groups form an inevitable part of organizational growth and hence satisfying their requirements is of utmost significance for any organization. The organizations, thus, should strive to establish long term strategic relationship / partnerships with the external stakeholders to gain maximum leverage from the same and to realize the ultimate organizational goals of growth and profitability. This could be achieved by providing high quality products / services to the customers, establishing solid long term relationships with the suppliers, offering a cost effective and niche product line, as well as good payment terms for the creditors. This would ensure a satisfied team of individuals which would help in sustaining and developing the overall organizational goals. Long term goals define the vision of the company, which may include the goals of becoming the largest manufacturer in the world, attaining a specified percentage of market shares, or becoming a global leader by creating a niche for its products / services. Long term goals help the organizations in creating a fixed route which they have to follow in order to realize their specified objectives. For instance, for a company, if the long term goal is to be a world leader of a particular product, in terms of customer service, technology as well as quality, the management thus has to devise ways to reach the ultimate objective such as improving cycle times by speeding up the process of product availability, as well as reducing or minimizing the production costs by use of best technological aids

Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Analysis

Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Analysis Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot is a play both funny to watch and to read. Yet, the feeling that one walks away with in the end is not one of amusement, but that of slight discomfort. Upon closer inspection, one begins to notice tragic qualities neatly hidden but subconsciously blatant. One also sees the play labelled as a tragicomedy. In an attempt to further explore this issue, I explored the research question: Is Waiting for Godot a tragedy or comedy? To what end do these elements contribute to the play? In order to answer this research question, an in-depth analysis of the various themes present in the play was carried out. Aspects of the play that contributed to each theme were singled out and their respective comedic and tragic elements compared by examining their roles and contribution to the theme. The investigation also extends itself into interpreting the authors beliefs and purposes, namely Luckys speech, to study the tragic or comedic notes. Through my investigation I concluded that there are more tragic than comedic elements in Waiting for Godot, but more accurately, Beckett veils the tragedy of his play behind humour, and uses the comedy to heighten the tragic elements. In Waiting for Godot, a tragicomedy in two acts by Samuel Beckett, two characters unconsciously express the sombre emptiness in life by comical means. At face value it is funny and light-hearted, yet a second glance at the hidden metaphoric and symbolic devices reveals a forbidden garden blooming with tragedy. The two genres complement one another, humour creating tragedy, tragedy creating humour. Indeed, it is this peculiar pairing that qualifies the play both in essence and as a pun: a tragicomedy. At a superficial glance, the play seems full of un-humanlike action and harbours an inane sense of humour. The intended message of the motif is unclear and many of the characters are left hidden in darkness amidst a vast complexion of dialect that is comical at the surface. This hints at the notion that a thin blanket of obvious comedy is utilised to disguise the ultimate tragedy present at heart. This tragedy is carried forth via a splattering of motifs, such as time, meaning and existe nce, and God. By exploring this relationship, a cohesive understanding of the comical and tragic elements becomes possible, allowing us to decipher the roles they play in the play. As such, will elucidate that Waiting for Godot does contain more elements of tragedy, and their significance and meaning are far greater than any of this plays comedic value. II. Analysis In order to investigate both the comedic and tragic elements, an understanding of how they are used in conjunction is necessary. In other words, we must first understand what a tragicomedy entails. By definition, a tragicomedy is a dramatic work incorporating both tragic and comic elements. However, this denotation does little more than restate what we already know. In actuality, the meaning of a tragicomedy has morphed over time. It was initially coin by Plautus, a Roman dramatist in the 2nd century B.C.E. as a play in which gods and men, masters and slaves reverse the roles traditionally assigned to them, gods and heroes acting in comic burlesque and slaves adopting tragic dignity. Then during the Renaissance, tragicomedy became a genre of play that mixed tragic elements into drama that was mainly comic. With the advent of realism later in the 19th century, tragicomedy underwent yet another revision. Whilst still mixing the two elements, comic interludes now highlighted the ironic counterpoints inherent in a play, making the tragedy seem even more devastating. In this way, it can be said tragicomedy is a more meaningful and serious existence than traditional tragedy. Lastly, modern tragicomedy is sometimes used synonymously with Absurdist drama, which suggest that laughter is the only response left to man when he is faced with the tragic emptiness and meaninglessness of existence. The last two classifications are the most relevant explanations and I believe them to be identical to Becketts understanding of tragicomedy when he labelled his play as such during his translation. Certainly, there is comic interlude such as the discussion that occurs between Vladimir and Estragon in Act II during Pozzos cries for help We should ask him for the bone first. Then if he refuses well leave him there (p89), which highlights the tragic state that Pozzo is in through their comically serious bout about whether or not to help him and certainly there too is an exploration of the emptiness and meaninglessness of existence, which is fundamentally the underlying theme of the entire play. A bleak and tragic tone permeates the atmosphere at the beginning of the play. The stage is empty aside from a bare tree and two ragged tramps, Estragon and Vladimir. The very start of the play begins with the narrative, Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boot. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again. As before. (p2). Immediately after, Estragon, who gives up yet again, speaks the famous words Nothing to be done, arguably the defining mode of the entire play. The surrounding circumstances of the characters emanate an alien disconnection to the world and leave the audience utterly perplexed and bewildered by the seemingly nonexistent motive of the characters. The tragic elements are seen in the circumstances of the characters, their physical disabilities, their lost sense of time and utmost futility, their doomed existence where à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nothing happens and nothing can be done,à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  and the empty stage while the comic elements revolve around the games the characters invent, their interactions with each other, and the vaudevillian routines. Vladimir and Estragon are portrayed as homeless tramps devoid of purpose, as strongly supported by their paralysis, Well, shall we go? Yes, lets go. They do not move. In much the same way, other characters, such as Pozzo and Lucky, are characterized too as directionless pairs, symbolized by their deafness and muteness in Act II Pozzo is blind(p87). From simply examining the characters, we can see that they, like all human beings, have the potential to become better characters with better common sense. Our definition of normal and expected human behaviour may just as well be non-applicable to the setting of the play, hence the usage of better is questionable. Our expected definition of tragedy may be a derivation of our own experiences. When someone falls into a situation that, as a result of societal conformation, causes us to develop certain emotions, we feel for their loss or misfortune. However, the context of Waiting for Godot places us in a realm so undesirable, because undernea th the initial intentional comedy lies a dimension of tragedy that we cannot clearly relate to, defining itself as delusional even to the point of becoming disturbing. The inane dialogue and personalities of the plays subjects sets a situation so capricious that the limits of analysis must be broadened to accept such ideas of human behaviour before it is possible to understand Becketts message and embrace the idea that one can be so unresponsive to an apparently interminable wait. By capitalizing on the fixed perspectives of the audience, their actions become an absurd comedy that contributes to the tragic tone of the entire play. The unchanging Nothing to be done (p2) reinforces helplessness and utter desperation in lieu of the protagonists. Their physical disabilities are the tragic circumstances that baffles the audience and while making us laugh, shows us the meaninglessness of their existence , such as Vladimirs bladder problems, hinted at when advancing with short, stiff strides, legs wide apart (p2), and Estragons struggles with his feet, disturbed rest, and abuse by individuals he has no memory of, spending the night in a ditch and claims that they beat me, where they is never identified Such dialogue can be labelled as tragic as their own distinct personalities and personal problems lead to the original, main point that comedy merely shrouds the tragedy. An excellent example of such a scenario can be seen on (p85) when Vladimir and Estragon spontaneously break out into unanimous, unprecedented argument and mark each other with insults such as Ceremonious ape! and Punctilious Pig! After the banter, They embrace. They separate. (p86). While at the surface this scene may be deemed comedic due to the spontaneous outburst, if we bring ourselves to look past this, we see that it is tragic when they reconcile. The tragedy exists in their relationship. They both agree that each would be better off alone, as Estragon says You piss better when Im not there. (p64) and Vladimir replies, I missed youand at the same time I was happy. (p64). Despite this, they continue to stay together, not knowing why. Because of this, it can be said that it is tragic how Vladimir and Estragon have no control over themselves nor the external factors affecting them. What is even more tragic is the futility of their wait. The fact that Godot does not ever arrive and that nothing is achieved with the evident passing of time as symbolized on (p62) by the statement that The tree has four or five leaves define the seemingly meaninglessness of their goal. This idea of eternally unproductive progress proves to display a tragic image in the minds of the audience. Right after this scene is another just as tragic at heart. Estragon begins by questioning, What do we do now? (p86) to which Vladimir responds We could do our exercises (p86). This is followed by a series of exaggerated actions and comically tires Estragon out after a simple hop Thats enough, Im tired. (p86). This once again shows their inability to do what they want, an idea that is visited once more at the end of the play on (p109) when Vladimir questions, Well? Shall we go? to which Estragon responds, Yes, lets go. but both do not move. This inability to accomplish such simple actions can be deemed tragic , and questions the purpose of their existence. We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression we exist? (p77). Note that Estragon uses the word impression, implying that they are aware of the meaninglessness and futility of their wait. Something must happen yet nothing must happen when waiting and Beckett skilfully achieves this balance. It is not only the general act of waiting that is tragic, but also the things Estragon and Vladimir do during their wait that is tragic. True to the essence of the play, many of the comical actions are paired with tragedy. The two insult each other and then reconcile. Vermin! Abortion!Now lets make up!(p85) and is quite amusing, except that we once again overlook the tragedy: throwing insults at each other because they have nothing to do. Vladimir loses his sense of time, a recurring motif, after having regained a bit of it Youre sure you saw me, you wont come and tell me tomorrow that you never saw me! (p106) and Was I long asleep? I dont know. (p107). His uncertainty is humorous, but the same uncertainty creates a sense of disarray. What this multitude of examples signify is mankinds inexhaustible search for meaning, to which Beckett believes leads nowhere but tragedy, and that comedy, imbued with tragedy, is tragedy itself. Through this, human life, its meaning and existence, as displayed in Waiting for Go dot, concludes in tragedy. Vladimir and Estragon are not the only characters used to express tragedy. Another pair exists, and they play just as crucial a role as the others. Pozzo and Lucky are portrayed in such a way that it is hard to imagine that Lucky was once Pozzos mentor, and is now treated like a slave. Masters and slave reversed the roles traditionally assigned to them. He is depicted as the most intellectually vacuous character, yet it is suggested that he has a past which hints at the fact that Lucky can think, recite, and sing, strongly reinforced by his lengthy, confusing, and almost nonsensical speech: Given the existenceunfinished (p45-47). However, I find it doubtful that Beckett would dedicate so much text into a speech if its sole purpose was to confuse. Luckys speech reveals that he must have spent many hours exploring the deplorable human situation. By meticulously breaking down Luckys outburst, one will see that, just as Beckett has hidden tragedy inside comedy, there is a deeper meaning concealed within the speech and its purpose is not solely comedic. Reasonably speaking, Luckys speech during the play appears completely disoriented, a chaotic mass of incoherent language, given the short amount of time the audience has to process each clause. But going past this comical veil of nonsense, a spectacular construction put together as meticulously as the play itself materializes. The speech has three distinct parts. The first part of the monologue begins by assuming the existence of a God as a given and then describing him. Removing extra phrases, we get roughly with white beardoutside time without extension wholoves us dearly with some exceptions for reasons unknownare plunged in tormentin firewhose firewill fire firmament that is to say blast hell to heaven so blue still and calm (p45) God is described as a paradoxical fatherly figure always present regardless of time, whom may be affectionate, but at the same time states that if it is, many are excluded. That those beings are sent into hell, symbolizing earth, into fire, whose fire w ill destroy the blue and calm vault of the sky (firmament), which is a contrast between peace and human suffering. Then there too is the mention of divine apathia, divine athambia, and divine aphasia. Divine refers to God. Apathia is apathy and means the absence of passion, emotion, or excitement. Athambia is imperturbability, to be incapable of being upset or agitated and not easily excited, and aphasia is an inability to vocalize. These three Greek words serve three purposes. The first is that they have characterized the impuissance of Christianity as a modern religion. God is apathetic: he does not intervene. God is imperturbable: he has never been reached by living humans. And God is aphasic: he has never spoken, even to prove his very own existence. In this sense, Lucky, who in this case represents the literary embodiment of Beckett, is rejecting the existence of a God, by stating that even if he did exist, he has abandoned us, leaving only despair. The three words also serve as Becketts view on what the direction society as a whole is headed towards. That we are gradually becoming wrapped in apathy: we do not seek out others; wrapped in athambia: others are unable to reach us; and wrapped in aphasia: there is no more voice, with the advent of Internet and social communications/networking. Finally, the three words describe Luckys deterioration. It expresses, in turn, his lack of emotion, followed by an oblivious awareness of his surroundings, and lastly, when we next meet him, his voice. This perhaps, serves as a metaphor for the decline in the human quality, alarming and appalling. It would appear then, that this first part of Luckys speech hides a dreary and tragic tone underneath the torrent of disorientated words. The second part of his speech becomes increasingly difficult to decipher. There are many more interruptions and repetition of phrasing, obscuring the message. This perhaps may be on purpose, as Beckett could be expressing the repetitiveness of life and its lack of meaning. Condensing recurring phrases and removing interruptions, I get and considering what is more that as a result of the labours left unfinishedthe labours of menestablished beyond all doubtthat manwastes and pinesin spite of..the practice of sportsof all sortsconcurrentlytime will tellfades awaythe death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per headno matter whatthe facts are there (p45-46) The message here says that, to add onto the absence of God as previously stated (hence labours unfinished), it is confirmed, without a doubt, that man is in a state of decline, despite technological advancements (labours of men) and physical exercise (practice of sports). Bishop Berkeleys death marked the begi nning of this fall. With all this happening at once, only time will tell when we will eventually fade away. Lucky attempts in his speech to bring back Berkeleys harmonization of God and science, but ends up doing the opposite. By associating each head with one inch four ounce, it quantifies life and hence devalues humans, slowly reducing us to an execrable state. It becomes apparent that the comedy of Luckys speed is only a cover up, the real message is an appalling and tragic commentary on human progress. The increased entropy in Luckys speech is reflective of his life. He was once very intellectual and had great mental capacity, but just like man, has degraded. This third and final part of his speech can only be described as chaotic and anxious, building up towards a climax. and considering what is much more grave that in the light of the labours lostin the plains in the mountains by the seas by the riversrunning firethe great cold the great darkthe earth abode of stonesI resume the skull fading the flames the tears the stonesthe skull the skull the skull the skullalas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skullthe stonesso calmunfinished (p46-47) These ideas explain that as a result of this decline (labours lost), grave consequences appear, in the plains, mountains, seas, and rivers. Running fire symbolizes widespread chaos, followed by cold desolate despair, alone. The earth becomes reduced to stones, and skulls, representing the death of men, wastes away. Chaos tears through the earth, and death is rampant. As God has abandoned men, left them unfinished, death continues on earth, and there is calm because unfinished. He is cut off with unfinished as his last word, referring to the incomplete speech and shrinking of mankind. With the conclusion of the final part of Luckys speech, it becomes apparent that while it indeed fulfills its role as amusing humour, the true meaning is cataclysmic, and the fact that we are laughing at it is dramatically ironic. Luckys speech has much to do with time, with good reason. The play contains a series of events where time seems to be moving at a crawl, if at all. It is something much more complicated than it may seem. On the surface, time is a numerical in which growth is measured. On a much deeper level, time can be very difficult to define. Throughout the play, the main concept of what time really is, is examined. In the context of what has happened or what will happen, time can be classified as good or bad. In Waiting for Godot, the stress of waiting makes time drag. If time is what growth is measured by, if nothing changes, did time really pass? Within the play, we await change, waiting for Godot. However in reality, things change as a constant, where we do not realize we are waiting. It is only when change is slow to come when we realize that we are in a state of inaction. It is during this realization that brings a source of pain to the individual. Vladimir and Estragon constantly strive to be spontaneous and dynamic in order to ensure change, but always come to the inevitable realization that they were waiting. Characteristic of the play, we often hear them say Lets go. We cant. Why not? Were waiting for Godot. It is comical how Estragon seems to forget their purpose, and is constantly reminded, but more importantly, this shows their sudden realization of their anticipation of change. Yet Godot himself never appears in the play. His identity is irrelevant, what is important is the act of waiting for someone or something that never arrives. He is the essence of change and a final solution. The repetition of his name impresses upon the audience the same feeling of anticipation. It is tragic as the play concludes that Godot never does show up, demonstrating that the two acts are but a slice of a cycle, or of two mirrors reflecting endlessly. The end of the play can be matched to the beginning. Nothing has changed, little character development is made and what little changes that have occurred have reverted back to original, such as Vladimirs epiphany in which he proclaims: Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! p(91) and coerces the audience into thinking that perhaps, finally, some semblance of development will appear. Alas, the powerful soliloquy reaches an anticlimax, interrupted by the constant change of topic inherent in the play. Time appears to be circular , as opposed to linear. The latter has broken down, because events do not develop into progress and change. The boy returns bearing identical messages, Godot never comes and tomorrow never seems to arrive. Vladimir mentions that time has stopped (p37). Estragon and Vladimir, during their finite existence, are moving relentlessly towards a presumably unobtainable event. It is like an asymptotic curve, always getting closer to a value, but never reaching it. Estragon expresses this tragic fate of uneventful repetitive existence as he exclaims, Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, its awful! (p43). The realization that there will never be an end to the waiting is evidence for their contemplation of suicide, as Estragon says, What about hanging ourselves? (p12). Once the audience has grasped this, a plethora of ideas emerge. Some are linked to other themes in the play, such as the meaningless in waiting, because it stops time and progress, whilst the repetition of the setting emphasizes the repetition of life. Thus as we have seen, while the play maintains a humorous shell, as it progresses, the audience begins to feel sympathetic. The time that Vladimir and Estragon spent together was comedic, but after peeling apart this shell and revealing to us their consciousness, devoid of time, we will find naught but woeful anguish. VI. Conclusion The comedy present in Waiting for Godot turns into tragedy at the instance the audience understands the helplessness of Vladimir and Estragon. Unhappiness is one of the funniest things we as humans see, but at the same time, it is despairing. The way Pozzo treats Lucky is hilarious, to both the reader and audience. Lucky is constantly jerked around by his rope and this exaggerated action creates humour, but at the same time, we overlook the cruelty that is so obviously implied. It is tragic how we so readily accepted this treatment, and as the play continues, laugh at it even more. This signifies a part of Becketts view of human nature, that it is not until it becomes personal do we start caring about the tragic tones and implications. Comedy has been suppressed by the tragic elements. The play becomes a tragedy imbued with tragedies. The small, easily noticed tragic happenings contribute to a greater, deeper despair. Such as Estragon suggesting death as an escape. It is sad to see one suggest such a thing, yet it is also funny because of the nonchalant light-hearted way he suggests it, as well as the conversation that ensues. The two tramps engage in meaningless, pointless activity to pass the time, waiting for something that never comes. This absurdity is a fundamental source of tragedy. However, what is really tragic is that in the end, they are unable to make a decision, to live or die and as a result of this hesitation, are forever frozen in progress. This essentially shows their paralysis of time and continuity. Didi and Gogo are stuck, day in day out, waiting for Godot to no avail. This act of waiting is the very thing Beckett is trying to portray. It is only during lapses in action, where we are waiting, th at we begin to realize the meaninglessness of what we are doing. An overwhelming sense of despair washes over the audience in this moment of realization, and all sense of humour is gone. All that is left is a mixture of anxiety, confusion, and hopelessness.

Race and Ethnicity in Social Sciences Essay examples -- Identity Gende

Use of the Terms "Race" and "Ethnicity" in the Social Sciences Defining identity can be complex and therefore we have to investigate the factors involved that make us who we are and how we are seen by others, collectively or individually. Social scientists have to consider the key elements which shape identity, the importance of social structures and agency involved. The differences and/or similarities between us are the focus that categorise and label us in society. Knowing who we are is important for many reasons including, social rights, obtaining a passport, housing, health, employment, marriage, and over all, being able to ascertain who we are, and belong. The terms ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ are central features in the process of categorisation. ‘Racial’ or ‘Ethnic’ identifications are produced as part of a social process, which is dynamic and changing. Therefore we know that identities are not static and terms such as ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ cannot cover the changing categories without being dynamic terms themselves. The use of quotation marks with these terms is adopted to emphasise that the terms are broad terms and aim to avoid discrimination or misrepresentation of groups under the umbrella term. ‘Race’ is commonly used by media and society to portray the physical differences between people, however, social scientists choose to show that the term does not refer to exact biological differences, is stereotypical, and the quotation marks emphasise the concept as ...

Particular synonyms Essay

You will choose synonyms to replace the bold word in the sentences provided below. You will then write an explanation to explain why you chose these particular synonyms. Example: However, in a year that saw the social networking juggernaut Facebook turn a profit for only the first time, it was not clear whether Twitter could achieve financial independence from its venture capital investors. Synonym = powerhouse Explanation: I chose the word powerhouse, because the original word, â€Å"juggernaut† indicates that that Facebook forcefully took over the social networking industry. I wanted to use a word to indicate powerful success. Synonyms 1. Having demonstrated its versatility as a high-tech newswire, Twitter drew the attention of those who would prefer to see certain information suppressed. I would choose the word skillfulness, because versatility means you are skilled to do many things at once and are good at it. 2. Millions of users attempted to log into Twitter only to be greeted by the service’s iconic â€Å"fail whale,† the image of a cartoon whale being hoisted into the air by a flock of birds, signaling a site outage. Ideal; because it is an image from the service. When you are not a member. 3. Following the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, Twitter reaffirmed its role as a powerful tool for the dissemination of information. I chose the word spread, because dissemination means to spread widely. Stating that Twitter is a powerful choice of media to spread information around the world. 4. Additionally, it became an effective fund-raising platform, when the Red Cross launched a mobile giving campaign that surpassed all expectations. Outcome; because they are talking about how the fundraiser was effective. Meaning an outcome. 5. High-profile users tweeted about the drive to help victims of the earthquake, and many of their followers tweeted and re-tweeted the message, helping the Red Cross raise more than $8 million through text messaging within 48 hours of the quake. Fundraiser; because they are talking about a way to help victims of the earthquake.

The way black people are treated by white people in the short story Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams Essays

The way black people are treated by white people in the short story Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams Essays The way black people are treated by white people in the short story Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams Essay The way black people are treated by white people in the short story Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams Essay Essay Topic: Black Boy Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams is set in South Africa in the second half of the twentieth century. In the country at this time, the blacks and the whites were separated. They had different elevators in buildings, different beaches, buses, and shops. Interracial relations, and marriages were illegal. The whites owned much of the land, in fact 80% of it. They owned the mines, and the cities. The story is about 2 boys who travel all day to a farm to collect their weekly amount of crackling for their families. The story is set in the country near a town called Elsburg. This short story shows us how the blacks treated the whites, and how the blacks had to treat the whites. The story is called Crackling Day because it starts with two boys, Andries and Lee who are making the long trek to Elsburg siding for the square of pigs rind that passed for our daily meat. The boys had to collect a double amount of cow dung the day before, so that they could get the crackling. This shows that the black people were poor, as they had to perform the jobs that the white people did not want to do, such as collect cow dung, just to get some pig rind. This was there daily meat and it was all they could afford. The quotation, Ill skin you if you lose the money! shows that they did not have a lot of money. The fact that they had little money can also been seen in the fact that they did not have clothes that protected them from the cold. The cold went through my shirt and shorts; my skin went pimply and chilled; my fingers went numb and began to ache. It can also been seen that they could not afford shoes as it says, The cold was not so terrible on bear feet if one did not keep still. It can also be seen in, y feet felt like frozen lumps that did not belong to me In the story is says, They teach them to go for us. Never get caught by one. My old mans got a hole in his bottom where a Boer dog got him. They believed that white people trained their dogs to attack black people. This may not be true though. When the two boys are about to fight two white men came down the path and they ended their fight. This shows that they may have been intimidated them. When the two boys get to Elsburg, they have to queue for their crackling. The man who sells it to them is white.

Anthem Essay 2 Essays

Anthem Essay 2 Essays Anthem Essay 2 Essay Anthem Essay 2 Essay Essay Topic: Anthem The theme of the book Anthem by Ayn Rand is the meaning of a man’s ego. This is the theme because in the book the people were not known as their own person, the group was referred to as one. In the book there were really strict rules to make sure everyone was equal. The people were not allowed to use the word ego. The people in the book were not known as one they were considered to be part of the group and the group was considered to be one. They called themselves us and we, not I and me. None of the group knew about the words I and me. Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000 discovered the words, I and me, at the end of the book and they decided that from then on they would use those words instead of us or we because it separated them from everyone else. After they discovered they discovered what ego was they realized how important it was. The people in Anthem had very strict rules because they wanted everyone to be equal. If you did something wrong you would be punished, like if you were writing in a secret journal, saying the word ego, knowing something that their â€Å"brothers† don’t, etc. epending on how bad they considered the sin to be would depict how extreme your punishment would be. Some things that people couldn’t help were considered sins too like if they were six or more feet tall. The people in the book weren’t allowed to use the word ego, the word ego was not allowed to be used because it showed individualism, it was known to be a huge sin and they would be killed for using it. At the end of the book they understand the power in the word and how important it is. The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word: EGO† In conclusion the theme of the book Anthem by Ayn Rand is the meaning of a man’s ego. They had strict rules to try to keep everyone the same or equal. Each person was not considered one, they were not allowed to be individual and were forbidden to use the word ego. Reference Rand, Ayn. Page 105. Anthem. New York: Dutton, 1995. Print.

Lloyds TSB Bank (stakeholders) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lloyds TSB Bank (stakeholders) - Essay Example The successful implementation of the Group's strategy is the responsibility of all 70,000 staff employed by the Group. It is their approach to making Lloyds TSB a high performing organisation that has enabled the Group to make such good progress in 2004 and which only they can ensure further progress over the next few years. The focus of Lloyd TSB on their customers has never come at the expense of other stakeholders. They claim that they are constantly striving to make Lloyds TSB a great place to work and a great investment opportunity for shareholders. For shareholders, Lloyds TSB delivered a total shareholder return (share price appreciation plus dividends) of 15 per cent during 2004, a significantly better performance than both the FTSE Bank Index and the FTSE 100 Index. So, 2004 has been a year of good progress for customers, staff and shareholders all of whom are linked by a common desire - the successful delivery of Lloyds TSB's business and financial strategies. (Banking business Review 2005) Lloyds TSB has a clearly articulated organic growth strategy that is focused on improving and deepening relationships with our personal and business customers. During 2004 this strategy has started to gain traction, with good progress being made in each of their business units. The successful delivery of profitable franchise growth has been central to the Group's return to positive earnings momentum during 2004. The building blocks of attracting, retaining and developing customer relationships in all areas of the business are the foundations of profitable franchise development and sustainable earnings growth. With this in mind Lloyds TSB has spent much of the last few years putting their customers at the heart of the strategy, ensuring that customer needs drive their business transformation. During 2004 they have continued to improve the product range, they have significantly enhanced their customer service levels, and have made clear progress in improving the Group's processing efficiency. As a result, customer satisfaction levels are higher than at any time during recent years and they are recruiting a higher number of quality customer relationships. (Banking business Review 2005) iii) The company also provides telephone and Internet banking services. Cheltenham & Gloucester (C&G), a subsidiary of Lloyds TSB, is the group's residential mortgage provider, selling its products through branches of C&G and Lloyds TSB Bank in England and Wales, as well as through telephone, Internet and postal services. The insurance and investments sector operates through Scottish Widows, the group's specialist provider of life assurance, pensions and investment products. These services are distributed through the Lloyds TSB branch network via independent financial advisers and directly via the telephone and the Internet. Insurance and inves

How would Virtue Ethics be used to solve moral controversies What Essay

How would Virtue Ethics be used to solve moral controversies What would Virtue Ethics say is the right action in regards to abortion - Essay Example Contextually, moral controversies and its impact on the society is vital and hence, the effect of virtue ethics is an important considerate in this regard. The discussion henceforth also stresses on the fact that the impact of social issues like abortion may lead to the death of several lives in the society and create a moral controversy. Virtue ethics, in its simplest form, implies the good character of individuals and their awareness of the moral rights they have. According to virtue ethics, a virtuous person will have his attention towards avoiding social moral controversies, as they focus towards the nature of the issue. In this context, it can be stated that virtue ethics focuses more upon the aspect to how an individual should live and portray his/her characteristics and express wisdom towards solving issues. Accordingly, these aspects and positive traits of the people minimize the risk of moral controversies to a considerable extent (British Philosophical Association, n.d.). Virtue ethics is based upon three tenets to avoid the moral controversies, which includes ‘agent-based theories, Eudaimonism, and the ethics of care’. In other words, virtue ethics is a form of â€Å"Modern Moral Philosophy†, which implies that every individual living in a society needs to have rational thoughts to avoid controversies. Hence, virtue implies towards the right action of an individual guided by their moral obligations (British Philosophical Association, n.d.). Concerning abortion, the right attitude or virtue depends upon the relevance of action, based on correct information. As virtue ethics refers fetus to be a life, and because killing a life is against the moral consideration, virtue ethics refers abortion as a wrong action. However, the action of abortion can be referred as virtuous, if the decision is based on accurate information, independence and self-determination by the expecting mother and the pregnancy may be a