James :: essays research papers

A captivating tale of relationship of two troubling brothers in Harlem, "Sonny's Blues" is told from a perspective of Sonny's brother, whose name is never mentioned. Baldwin's choice of Sonny's brother as a narrator is what makes "Sonny's Blues" significant in terms of illustrating the relationship and emotional complications of Sonny and his brother. The significance of "Sonny's Blues" lies in the way Sonny's brother describes the relationship based on what he observes, hears, and feels, and how he struggles trying to understand Sonny through the course of the story. As Sonny's brother, he gets to be physically and mentally as close to Sonny as anyone else can. Readers get to know that Sonny's brother is a fairly reliable narrator from the fact that he is an algebra teacher and far less abused by "horse" or "the low ceiling of their actual possibilities" than the kids around the neighborhood, including Sonny. Sonny's brother is aware of what is going on between Sonny and him and accurately describes the relationship, "The seven years' difference in our ages lay between us like a chasm: I wondered if these years would ever operate between us as a bridge." (44) The "chasm" is where the story begins, and revolves around the entire story. Sonny's brother is aware of the "chasm," yet what Sonny is thinking remains mysterious since the narrator himself does not know. His narration allows readers to keep wondering and exploring flaky and "dreamlike" mind of Sonny. Sonny's brother stands as a major character and also as a first person narrator, meaning that he is a participant in the action. Baldwin achieves the sense of vividness by placing the narrator right in the middle of the action. "I started down the steps, whistling to keep from crying, I kept whistling to myself, You going to need me, baby, one of these cold, rainy days." (54) After an awful fight, Sonny's brother is disappointed at Sonny and himself. His whistling vividly conveys his struggle, despair and also love for his brother, allowing readers to get into his feeling. Dialogue is effectively used from Sonny's brother's point of view to convey how misunderstanding of two brothers gets built up. In the middle of a long conversation, Sonny's brother notes, "I simply couldn't see why on earth he'd want to spend his time hanging around nightclubs, clowning around on bandstands, while people pushed each other around a dance floor.

Hamlet thesis on decay and corruption Essay

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been considered the greatest tragedy to ever be written. With a focus on the third of five acts in Hamlet, Shakespeare develops the theme of both physical and psychological decay and corruption through the actions, dialogues, and figurative language of the characters. The evidence of this theme can be seen though the breakdown of the royal family, and the monarchy, by the events surrounding Hamlet’s â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy, The Mousetrap, and the moral decay of the characters through the use of spying and poison. Hamlet’s character is the most puzzling of the whole play. His mind erodes further and further as the play unfolds. In act three, Hamlet asks himself whether he should commit suicide or fight the hardships in life: â€Å"To be or not to be – that is the question:/ Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/ And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep–/ No more.† (3.1.64-69) Hamlet has mentally decayed since the murder of his father. He has been driven to the point of contemplating suicide. According to Hamlet, no good can come from life. The only thing that stops people from killing themselves is the uncertainty of life after death. The format that Shakespeare used when writing Hamlet’s soliloquy portrays an insane man speaking with two voices. One wished to commit suicide and the other does not. The back and fourth talk insinuates madness such as schizophrenia. The decay of Hamlet’s mind had produced the question of suicide that he had asked of himself. The Mousetrap is a perfect example of the corruption within the royal family. Not only did Hamlet produce the play to make a mockery of Claudius’ intelligence, but he also created a â€Å"trap† for the king to fall into. Hamlet says to Horatio: There is a play tonight before the King./ One scene of it comes near the  circumstance/ Which I have told thee of my father’s death./ I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,/ Even with the very comment of thy soul/ Observe my uncle.† (3.2.80-85) Hamlet has undermined the King by producing the play, and involved Horatio to observe Claudius’ reaction to it. The scheme against King Claudius goes directly against the honor code of the middle ages. One could easily be put to death as a result of such disgraces to the King. The play itself contained the murder by way of poisoning, which is one of the most dishonorable ways to die. Since the royal family is seeking revenge on one another it cannot be strong. The Mousetrap represents the corruption of the royal family, and the disintegration of the monarchy. A spiritual form of decay is seen through Claudius’ inability to seek forgiveness through prayer. Claudius cries out:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"What then? What rests?/ Try what repentance can. What can it not?/ Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?/ O wretched state! O Bosom black as death!/ O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,/ Art more engaged!† (3.3.69-73) The piercing truth behind all that Claudius has done overwhelms him. He is unable to seek repentance for the evil deeds that he has committed. His soul has been corrupted by the murder of his brother. As Claudius knelt to cry out to God, Hamlet approaches him with thoughts of murder. He tells himself that Claudius should not meet his death while praying, for he will go to Heaven. Hamlet wants Claudius to have the worst death and afterlife possible as revenge for his father’s death: Now might I do it pat, now he is a-praying,/ And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven,/ And so am I revenged. That would be scanned:/ A villain kills my father, and for that,/ I, his sole son, do theis same villain send/ To heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge.† (3.3.77-84) The murder of Claudius and the unwillingness to send him to Heaven expresses the corruption of Hamlet’s morals. Also, it obviously further shows the corruption of the family. After the confrontation with Claudius, Hamlet sought his mother, Gertrude. The opening lines of their conversation direct the rest of the dialogue. Hamlet says to his mother, â€Å"Now, mother, what’s the matter?† Gertrude responds, â€Å"Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended,† and Hamlet returns, â€Å"Mother, you have my father much offended† (3.4.11-13). Hamlet plans to yell at his mother for the evil that she has participated in. Hamlet’s argument with his mother displays not only the corruption of the family, but also the decay of Hamlet’s morals. Although Gertrude has done such evil things, it is questioned whether Hamlet has the authority to scold his own mother. Also, the morality of Gertrude herself is corrupted because she does not accept the evil that she has done, saying, â€Å"O, speak to me no more!/ These words like daggars enter in my ears† (3.4.107-108). Both Gertrude and Hamlet both suffer from corruption, which will leads to their downfall. William Shakespeare uses act three to further develop the theme of physical and emotional decay and corruption in Hamlet. The pinnacle of act three is Hamlet’s production of The Mousetrap. The and the majority of the act deals with the rising action of the preparation for the play, the climax of the play and Claudius’ reaction to it, and the falling action of Hamlet’s confrontation with Claudius and Gertrude. Decay and Corruption can be seen in all parts of act three through the actions, dialogue, and figurative language of the characters. The corruption and decay that lies within all characters of the play leads to the downfall of the monarchy, and the demise of Denmark.

Pet Sounds vs. Rubber Soul

Sha'rron Shelby Cynthia Bartles ENG 104 3/27/13 Essay two Final â€Å"Pet Sounds† vs. â€Å"Rubber Soul† Have you ever heard of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and the Beatles' Rubber Soul? If not I recommend that you listen to these albums, especially if you love someone. Speaking of these bands there are many differences and similarities when it comes to the love and the friendship that the artists between these two albums. As you can tell the band members has been through many major things throughout their life.Also you can tell that both of the Beach Boys and The Beatles have been through many situations by the way their music is mixed up and by the way the performed during their concerts. From my point of view, I believe the Pet Sounds album was the best between the two albums because it was excellent. I can personally relate to the Pet Sounds album because I'm pretty much going through the same thing with my relationship. Now don't get me wrong the Rubber Soul album wa s cool but there was a lot of love and affection, and the companionship that was demonstrate throughout the Pet Sounds album that makes me love it so much.Both of the bands have been through plenty of things throughout their lifetime. You can tell that the guys have been going through a cluster of things because of the lyrics and their music choice. Speaking of the albums, in Rubber Soul, â€Å"Michelle†, this song is all about being in love with a girl that is French. The lyrics explain that this man is absolutely in love with this woman and he is doing everything possible to show her that. He just wants to inform her that she has nothing to worry about and that he wants to be her everything.He always tells her that he loves her on the account of her being French and because the only words that she understands in English. This guy has proven that he is in love with this woman when he says: â€Å"I need to, I need to, I need to. I need to make you see,Oh, what you mean to me . Until I do I'm hoping you willKnow what I mean. I love you†¦ † I admire these lyrics because this man is trying his best to prove to this woman that he is really in love and he is going to do whatever it takes to get her to understand. However, I really dislike the beat that was made with this song.The beat and the way there were singing made it seem like there were not interested at all in the girl they were singing about.. But The Beach Boys' took a different route with â€Å"Wouldn’t it be nice† The lyrics says: â€Å"Wouldn't it be nice if we were olderThen we wouldn't have to wait so longAnd wouldn't it be nice to live togetherIn the kind of world where we belongYou know it’s gonna make it that much betterWhen we can say goodnight and stay together† And when I hear these lyrics I think of my own relationship because that is where I'm at in my life.The song has a very nice beat, with the guys singing so lovely and joyful. In this song he explains how he has either a close friend or a girlfriend and wants to make it where they can start living together so they can hold onto one another all day and night, wake up to each other and possibly get married. They don't want to continue talking about living together; they want to make it happen. Both songs have good reasoning of showing they are in love with the person they are communicating with. I personally think both songs are amazing because they speak about real love in my eyes.But I liked the song â€Å"Wouldn’t it be nice† because it really shows a lot of love and affection and I can personally connect with the song. I can personally connect with the song because my boyfriend and I feel the same exact way when it comes to this song. On the Rubber Soul album, there is a song called â€Å"Wait† and it is very beautiful. This man has asked either his friend or girlfriend to wait for him until he had come home again. They have had some ups and downs, like regular couples do and he just wants her to wait for him. If her heart is still broken after all the stuff they been through, then he does not want her to wait for him.But if she can wait, he hopes that she will not move on and just wait for his return. In the song he says: â€Å"It's been a long time, now I'm coming back home. I've been away now, oh, how I've been alone. Wait till I come back to your side,we'll forget the tears we cried. But if your heart breaks don't wait, turn me away. And if your heart's strong, hold on, I won't† I thought it was so wonderful. But it still leaves questions like why did he leave in the first place and where did he go? But I also want to know what made him want to leave knowing that he didn't want to lose her.As the song plays, it sounds very exciting, but I just don't like all of the instruments being used throughout this song. It’s like they were trying too hard to make something of the song. Besides, there is a song called, â€Å"You still believe in me† by the Beach Boys'. In this song a guy is probably not where he needs to be mentally or physically. He has done so much to this girl that she still shows him love and support. He has tried his hardest to be what she wants him to be but cannot help the way that he acts when she is not with him.In the lyrics he says: â€Å"Every time we break up, you bring back your love to me, And after all I've done to you, How can it be† As you can see, he has realized that he has done something very terrible to her a couple times and he is trying to figure out why does she keeps forgiving him and still believes in him. Now the instruments they have decided to use for this song is so perfect and relaxing. I really like how they changed their voice tones throughout the song from a high to low pitch. In both of these songs, you can tell that these guys have women that really love them and want to be with them.Even after all of the tears an heart break, the y still want to continue lovely them so deeply and strong. But the song that I really enjoyed was â€Å"You still believe in me†. I really enjoyed this song because I can kind of relate this song to my relationship. At the beginning of our relationship, he was not mentally ready to settle down but after two months he settled down and was fully committed to me. Also there were a lot of things he didn't believe in his self about but I helped him to start believing in his self because I believed in him.Speaking of both of the bands, they most definitely speak on the love for the woman they are in a relationship with. In the song â€Å"Caroline, No†, by the Beach Boys, the woman told him that she would never change herself and eventually she did. In the song he says, â€Å"Where did you long hair go, Where is the girl I use to know, How could you lose that happy glow Oh, Caroline no†, And by him saying those words, you can tell he is a little upset because she said that she would never change. As I listen to the song, I can feel the pain that he is going through, and know that he is very emotional.While you listen to the beat it’s very smooth and touching. In contrast, the song â€Å"Run for your life† has a very fast beat and it sounds very exciting. I'm surprised at the beat and the way they are singing because you would have thought they would have been very angry or would have had a very hard mean beat instead of a happy one. When he says, â€Å"Well I'd rather see you dead, little girl, Than to be with another man, You better keep your head, little girl, Or I want know where I am†, I feel so sorry for that girl that she even had to go through that tragedy.I couldn't imagine a guy wanting to kill a little girl because she does not want to be with him. But back in the day, I guess those are the type of things that you would have had to expect. But it’s very sad because as we speak, now days many little girls lose the lives because they choose not to be with someone and the person felt like if you didn't want to be with them then they don't want you to be with nobody else. Then they will kill you so that you would not be able to date other people. There is some love in these songs but more of affection.It is crazy how guys think now days about how to be in a relationship and it still happens in today society. Most of all I really adore the song â€Å"Caroline, No† because you can feel that he is upset and he wants the old her back. As a final point, I really enjoyed the â€Å"Pet Sound† album the most because of the adoration, attachment, and friendship that was delineated throughout the album. But I can also say that I enjoyed the â€Å"Rubber Souls† album because some of the lyrics but it was the instruments that were used that I didn't care for.Even though these people had hard times throughout their life as far as the love goes, they still made it and I hope they eve ntually found true love. There were many similarities and differences that were approached throughout these two albums because of the way they expressed their love and care for their woman. But both of the albums were really based on love. So back to the question I ask earlier, have you ever heard of the Beach Boys, â€Å"Pet Sound† album and the Beatles, â€Å"Rubber Soul†? After reading this essay I'm pretty sure you will want to look them up and get to know them especially if you are in love with someone.

Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonants

Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonants Phoneticists (who study the sound of the human voice) divide consonants into two types: voiced and voiceless. Voiced consonants require the use of the vocal cords to produce their signature sounds; voiceless consonants do not. Both types use the breath, lips, teeth, and upper palate to further modify speech. This guide presents the differences between voiced and voiceless consonants and gives you some tips for using them. ThoughtCo / Jaime Knoth Voiced Consonants Your vocal cords, which are actually mucous membranes, stretch across the larynx at the back of the throat. By tightening and relaxing as you speak, the vocal cords modulate the flow of breath expelled from the lungs. An easy way to determine whether a consonant is voiced or not is to place a finger on your throat. As you pronounce a letter, feel the vibration of your vocal cords. If you feel a vibration the consonant is a voiced one. These are the voiced consonants: B, D, G, J, L, M, N, Ng, R, Sz, Th  (as in the word then), V, W, Y, and Z. But if consonants are only single letters, what are Ng, Sz, and Th? Theyre common sounds that are produced by blending the two consonants phonetically. Here are some examples of words that include voiced consonants: traveledglovesshellsstartedchangedwheelsliveddreamsexchangedglobesphoneslistenedorganized Voiceless Consonants Voiceless consonants do not use the vocal cords to produce their hard, percussive sounds. Instead, theyre slack, allowing air to flow freely from the lungs to the mouth, where the tongue, teeth, and lips engage to modulate the sound. These are the voiceless consonants: Ch, F, K, P, S, Sh, T, and Th  (as in thing). Common words using them include: washedcoatswatchedbooksseatsdroppedcarts Vowels Vowel sounds (A, E, I, O, U) and diphthongs  (combinations of two vowel sounds) are all voiced. That also includes the letter Y when pronounced like a long E. Examples: city, pity, gritty. Changing Voice When consonants are put in groups, they can change the vocal quality of the consonant that follows. A great example is the past simple form of regular verbs. You can recognize these verbs because they end in ed. However, the consonant sound of this ending can change from voiced to voiceless, depending on the consonant or vowel that precedes it. In almost all cases, the E is silent. Here are the rules: If the ed is preceded by a voiceless consonant such as K, it should be pronounced as a voiceless T. Examples: parked, barked, markedIf the ed is preceded by a voiced consonant sound such as B or V, it should be pronounced as a voiced D. Examples: robbed, thrived, shovedIf the ed is preceded by a vowel sound, it should be pronounced as a voiced D  because vowels are always voiced. Examples: freed, fried, liedException: If the ed is preceded by T, it should be pronounced a voiced id sound. In this case, the e is pronounced. Examples: dotted, rotted, plotted This pattern can also be found with plural forms. If the consonant preceding the S is voiced, the S will be pronounced phonetically as a Z. Examples: chairs, machines, bags If the consonant preceding the S is voiceless, then the S also will be pronounced as a voiceless consonant. Examples: bats, parks, pipes. Connected Speech When speaking in sentences, the ending consonant sounds can change based on the following words. This is often referred to as connected speech. Here is an example of a change from a voiced B in the word club to a voiceless P because of the voiced T in to of the following word: We went to the club to meet some friends. Here is an example of a change from a voiced D past simple verb changed to voiceless T: We played tennis yesterday afternoon.

Cigarette advertising essays

Cigarette advertising essays What are cigarette advertisements really selling you? When we look at cigarette advertising in todays society we see that it portrays smoking as a non-harmful addiction. If you spend some time looking through a magazine, I guarantee that you will stumble upon at least seven different cigarette ads from such popular companies as Camel to Marlboro. Each ad gives you a different perspective at each brands ideal image of cigarette smoking. Of course we all remember Joe Camel, the retired mascot for Camel cigarettes. Joe would be shown in many different ads all pimped out in his pink Cadillac with a sweet looking female camel in the passenger seat and he would always be smoking a cigarette. Since Joe was a cartoon and he showcased a badass image he was banned from Camel advertising for his appeal to young children. Since the loss of this cartoon pin-up the Camel Company has had to come up with some other ways to persuade you to buy their cigarettes. While I was flipping through an issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine looking for all the slamming ladies and also the article on how to keep my hair from frizzing up, I came across an ad for Camel cigarettes. What first caught my attention was the attractive woman in a fancy silver dress. She was standing on a stage and looked to be passionately singing into a microphone holding a cigarette in her hand, and they headlined the ad with the phrase Camel a pleasure to burn. When I saw all this, the sheer stupidity of this advertisement made me laugh. How could they show this women singing and smoking at the same time? Have you ever heard the coughing and wheezing of a smoker? No offense to anybody that smokes, but I doubt this woman could hold a note for more than fifteen seconds after smoking for a couple of years. What causes a person to buy Cigarettes such as Camel? Is it the pleasure they get after soothing their addiction with a nice smoke? Or is it the images that cigarette ...

Four forces of evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Four forces of evolution - Assignment Example This genetic drift resulted in biological variation between species that had to survive. It was as a result of this drift that isolation of species took place; some species moved to new areas where they interbreed allowing the introduction of new alleles to the population. The introduction of new alleles from the nearby populations resulted in new genetic variation in the populations. Survival of the new populations however required the populations to adapt to their environment. This was made possible by the natural selection force; the force assisted the new formed populations to make beneficial adjustments to their environment, and as a result enhanced their survival. In tandem with this assertion, natural selection shaped genetic variation at the population level favoring some individuals over others. The changes in the genetic structure of the population then resulted in speciation (Haviland, McBride, Prins and Walrath 44). Due to variation in environmental conditions, the geneti c codes of the formed species started changing resulting in new variations. The random mutation of the species’ genetic codes led to genetic variation that resulted in the emergence of new populations. In connection with this, it is evident â€Å"mutation was the ultimate source of evolutionary change, responsible for the constant introduction of new genetic variations† (Haviland, McBride, Prins and Walrath 42). In conclusion, evolution process was enhanced by four forces; natural selection, mutation, gene drift, and gene flow. However, the complexity of human beings is as a result of the mutation process that takes place

DCPS_ Short essay answers Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

DCPS_ Short answers - Essay Example Adult learners have a myriad of needs that have to be met in the learning process. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the educator to structure the learning environment in such a way that the learners will find it trouble-free to accomplish the aims and objectives of learning. According to Wagner, adult learning has to integrate the hard work of both the adult learners and the educators. Collaborative efforts between the two parties have been credited for its ability to create retention in the adult learners, an aspect that reduces the adults to a change- referred to as learning. To achieve the goals of learning in the learning setting, it is only possible, with an inclusion of the strategies of goal achievement. First, the ability of the learners to achieve their goals and objectives, allowing the learners set their own goals has been beneficial. Giving the learners an opportunity to set their own goals allows them to be part of the learning process. The adult learners are also in a better position to deal with barriers in the learning process that relate to overestimation and underestimation of their abilities to perform. With the learners being part of the learning process, the educators have an easier time in handling the adult learners. Secondly, continuous and consistent monitoring of the goals and objectives set by the learners is yet another strategy that has seen the attainance of goals by the adult learners.... Collaborative efforts between the two parties have been credited for its ability to create retention in the adult learners, an aspect that reduces the adults to a change- referred to as learning. To achieve the goals of learning in the learning setting, it is only possible, with an inclusion of the strategies of goal achievement. First, the ability of the learners to achieve their goals and objectives, allowing the learners set their own goals has been beneficial. Giving the learners an opportunity to set their own goals allows them to be part of the learning process. The adult learners are also in a better position to deal with barriers in the learning process that relate to overestimation and underestimation of their abilities to perform. With the learners being part of the learning process, the educators have an easier time in handling the adult learners. Secondly, continuous and consistent monitoring of the goals and objectives set by the learners is yet another strategy that has seen the attainance of goals by the adult learners. This is an interpretation of the fact that the educators must always be there to help the learners reflect on their abilities, and help them design the best approach towards attaining their goals and objectives. On another point of view, this allows the educators design the instructional programs in such a way that they will be directed towards attaining the goals and objectives of the learners. The goals set by the learners are indeed, the foundation in which the instruction should be formulated; thus, implementation of the teaching objectives. Soricone, Comings & Parrella (2000) indicate that, retention in the adult learning can only be successful if the