Thursday, May 21, 2020

Poem On the amtrak from boston to new york city by Sherman Alexie Free Essay Example, 1750 words

Essay There has been a great deal of interest in the nature of poetic language. Brooks’ â€Å"The Language of Paradox† refers to an earlier prominent literary theorist and critic, Coleridge †¦reveals itself in the balance or reconcilement of opposite discordant qualities: of sameness, with difference; of the general, with the concrete; the idea with the image; the individual, with the representative; the sense of novelty and freshness, with old and familiar objects, a more than usual state of emotion, with more than usual order†¦(Brooks 40) Poetic language reconciles opposites, according to Coleridge and this is a perfect example of paradox. According to Cleanth Brooks, â€Å"paradox is the language appropriate and inevitable to poetry† (p. 1), as he explains it in his seminal essays on literary theory and criticism â€Å"The Language of Paradox† in his â€Å"Well Wrought Urn†. Paradox is used to present contradictions, irony and highlight the implications in a situation, relationship, themes, and so on. The poem â€Å"On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City† by Sherman Alexie is analyzed based on Cleanth Brooks’ notion of paradox in the language of poetry. We will write a custom essay sample on Poem: On the amtrak from boston to new york city by Sherman Alexie or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Sherman Alexie presents a Native American narrator in the poem. The title suggests that it is about an experience on board a train from Boston to New York City, but the poem goes deeper than that. The poem opens with a reference to a â€Å"white woman†. â€Å"The white woman across the aisle from me says, â€Å"Look, look at all the history, that house on the hill there is over two hundred years old, † as she points out the window past me† (lines 1-4). On the surface level, this is just an account of what the white woman said, her curiosity about a particular old house and its historical significance. However, the meaning of the old house is different for the two people, the white woman and the native American. This difference is brought out in the following lines when the narrator says that American history: â€Å"is 15,000 years older than the corners of the house that sits museumed on the hill† (lines 9-11). As Cleanth Brooks says, â€Å"the terms are continually modifying each other, and thus violating their dictionary meanings† (p. 9), the word â€Å"history† get modified by the words â€Å"sits museumed† to convey a fragmented meaning of history. Unlike what the white woman believes, history dates back thousands of years, which is ignored or simply forgotten. So the phrase â€Å"all the history† by the white woman, when she refers to the house becomes meaningless or contradictory to the idea of the narrator.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Role of The Gods in The Lives of Men Essay - 1098 Words

The role of the gods in the lives of men is very apparent in many works of literature. The gods play a significant, if not dominate role in each and every one of these works. The gods use their powers for many diverse and essential actions. In the numerous works, readers can see the gods determining the events in the lives of men time after time. In The Odyssey, the Greek Goddess, Athena, uses her power to influence many aspects of the lives of both Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. Athena has an extraordinarily close relationship with Odysseus. She is Odysseus’s guardian. Athena directs Odysseus and Telemachus both physically and mentally throughout their many life changing adventures. In the beginning of the Odyssey, Odysseus is being†¦show more content†¦Athena disguises Odysseus often throughout the story to keep him from being harmed and recognized. When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaka, Athena masks his appearance and makes him appear as an old beggar. This allows Odysseus to spy on the suitors that have overrun his home without being detected. When Odysseus appears as himself, it is too late for the suitors to escape. Odysseus, with Telemachus fighting beside him, kills all of the suitors. If Odysseus and Telemachus did not have Athena’s help throughout their journeys, the outcome of their liv es would have been completely different. Without Athena’s help, Odysseus would have never returned home alive, and Telemachus would have been killed by the suitors. Athena’s role in the lives of these men was to protect, lead, and mentor them. This led to her not only having a role in their lives, but also saving their lives. In Gilgamesh, the role of the gods in the lives of men is both direct and indirect. Gilgamesh is the unruly king of who is â€Å"†¦arrogant, oppressive, and brutal (Lawall 11).† The people of Uruk complain to the gods about their king’s behavior and the gods in turn create a foil of Gilgamesh, Enkidu. They do this indirectly to Gilgamesh instead of directly punishing him in hopes that Enkidu will be able to transform Gilgamesh into a noble and loved king. Gilgamesh and Enkidu eventually become friends and decide that they are going to kill theShow MoreRelatedWomen s Belief Of Human Bodies1360 Words   |  6 Pagesancient Greek’s belief of human bodies. Even though men and women were physically different and Greek societies were male-dominant, women had an important part to play in religion. Ancient Greek religious practices varied between men and women. Overall, ancient Greek religion was based on a give-and-take mindset in which the Greeks believed that th ey would receive protection from Gods and Goddesses if they worship and sacrifice for them. The roles of men and women in religious practices were vastly differentRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1588 Words   |  7 Pagesat fault for Satan’s fall? 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In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the gods are key in Odysseus’ return to Ithaca after twenty years. Whether it is helping Odysseus or delaying him, they play a major role in the development of the story. In Psalm 139, the scripture passage taken from the Bible, God is a very obviousRead MoreLenses of Education 1051 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Meno.† One of the main factors discussed in both texts are the role of teachers in society and if Socrates is a teacher. Socrates also relates past stories or experiences when giving his dialogues. This allows him to explain his thoughts and reasons on certain topics. One final factor that plays a role in both the â€Å"Apology† and â€Å"Meno† is the role of the gods through the dialogues. Teachers, stories, and the role of gods all play a key role in the â€Å"Apology† and â€Å"Meno† as Socrates attempts to explainRead MoreGender Roles in the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay679 Words   |  3 PagesGender Roles in the Epic of Gilgamesh In the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender plays a very significant role. While women were not the most powerful gods nor the strongest or wisest of humans, they still had tremendous influence. Though the main characters of the story, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, are male, women did not play a necessarily minor role. With all the women that play a role in the Epic of Gilgamesh, gender is a topic worthy of discussion. The obvious role of men in the Epic of Gilgamesh

Are the Royal Family a Luxury we can no Longer Afford Free Essays

Cheers rise from the jubilant crowd as the crowning moment we’ve all been waiting for finally arrives. Thousands fill the Mall, craning their necks as Queen Elizabeth II steps out onto her balcony, offering a smile to her adoring subjects. We will write a custom essay sample on Are the Royal Family a Luxury we can no Longer Afford? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Clad in her bedazzled hat, she surveys the scene: a vast sea of British flags, frantic in their support of sixty years on the throne, waving in time to a raucous rendition of God Save the Queen. It probably never entered anyone’s heads that the funding was taken from their taxes as they donned absurd red, white and blue creations in the name of patriotism. No one asked how much it was costing. Or who was paying for the whole shebang! I wasn’t bothered at the time either, nor the school kids and workers, happy for a day off and an excuse to watch telly. Those who went to see it in person couldn’t even see the Queen properly, unless they were pressed against the gates of Buckingham Palace. If they could, they weren’t able to see each Swarovski crystal they had paid for on her outfit. Whilst she was living it up, waving to her subjects, I reckon she was trying to push one nagging thought to the back of her mind. That by letting the country take the day off, good old Liz had set us back ?1. 2 billion. I’m sure a recession is when a country has no money to spend, which explains the job losses and major cuts being made. So where is this money coming from? As it turns out, the taxpayers have already paid for staging the Jubilee concert, the crowd control and the enormous television screens so everyone could watch the event unfold from the Mall. They never asked if we wanted to fritter our taxes on such a frivolous event, as opposed to something that would benefit us, like, perhaps, digging us out of recession. The day may have boosted public spirit, but spirit won’t pay the bills, especially in these times of supposed austerity. The argument from those in charge was that the tourism generated would boost the economy. They sold the rights to the coverage to over one hundred and forty countries around the world, hoping it would cover much of the cost, if not make a profit, which would go to the Diamond Jubilee Trust. The Trust is designed to benefit countries in the Commonwealth, and ‘deliver iconic projects †¦ that are a fitting and enduring tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’, according to their website. These include investments in areas such as sport for youths, helping the disabled, and protecting our country’s heritage. Whether or not the money was raised seems to be an undisclosed matter, perhaps a stark indication that the profit they originally anticipated wasn’t reached. The fact that the Diamond Jubilee is being celebrated worldwide perhaps shows what a prominent figure the Queen is the whole world over. Maybe that has gone to her head, as it is no doubt her British loyalists paying for the commuting and security for her. Why should we cough up so she can swan off to Timbuktu or the like? Perhaps she’s caught onto the fact that her position isn’t quite what it used to be when the monarchy could order a criminal to be beheaded as easily as calling their maid for a cup of tea. Perhaps she’s upset now that she has so few powers, besides handing out awards to heroes and celebrities. She even had a role in the James Bond sketch for the Olympics to boost her appeal. It’s sad to see what antics the old dear has been reduced to just to gain public appreciation, but then again, maybe it’s time she paid attention and realised that her position doesn’t have the same status it used to. When you tot up all dear Queenie’s accounts though, it turns out she’s only got a meagre ?310 million for herself, which must be a hideous hardship for the 86 year old. How she copes with only being 262nd on the Sunday Times Rich List I’ll never know. If you can’t be the richest person in your own country then what’s the point? All the tireless hours she devotes to us, the hard work she puts in and she’s still not number one. Seems unfair, but wouldn’t you work as hard if the reward was a private jet to ferry you around the world, and a team of security to protect you. I would be more than happy to put in more effort if I was presented with such lavishness in return. But I think that, despite her obvious money troubles (?310 million of them! ), it’s good she pays council tax. Paying her way in her own country is an honourable thing to do. She doesn’t have to, but the point is, she chooses to. I’m sure she’d be willing to pay the full amount too, if the special rate arranged for her wasn’t so appealing. ?1,375 for a palace, what a bargain! That’s the same amount my parents pay for their three-bedroom house in Scotland. Something doesn’t quite add up. Central London location, more bedrooms than I care to count, and still paying less than most people in Britain. Probably less than some people hit hardest by poverty. But they don’t mind, at least she pays it, right? Figures from the Queen’s accounts show that we each paid 52p towards the upkeep of the Royal Family last year. The money is from taxes, which I am sure are supposed to go towards running vital public services that will benefit us. Do the Queen and family fit that bill? I suppose they provide a service of sorts: going out of their way to support charities and appear at important events, showing the nation what wonderful leadership we have. That’s around ?35 million per year we pay to keep Her Maj though, which could pay for any number of things, from a better justice system to better medical research to help save the lives of her people. Surely she can see (with or without her glasses) that our taxes could be put to better use. Although, it’ll soon be more than 52p we’re spending, with the wonderful announcement of Kate and Wills expecting their first child. Someone else to splash out on. Two private consultants at the prestigious King Edward VII hospital examined Kate after being admitted with ‘hyperemesis gravidarum’ or acute morning sickness. It must have been very acute to warrant two consultants, each on a salary of around ?125,000 a year. Surely, as professionals, it would have only taken one to confirm she was pregnant and it was causing her ill-health. All that attention and she’s not even blood-related to the Royals; she’s only married to the second-in-line. Perhaps it’s because this child, be it a boy or a girl, will one day be ruling our country. Then again, if their spending keeps spiralling, there won’t be much of a country to run. Maybe we can no longer afford the Royal family. Rather like Gran’s best china, they’re only brought out on special occasions to add some glamour. The rest of the time they sit on a very grand shelf gathering dust until they are needed again. Then they must be polished at great expense by us to make sure they are looking magnificent for their sporadic appearances. Are the costs of storage and upkeep worth maintaining a traditionally nostalgic Britain on the rare instance that they are required to appear at an event? Cutting the budget for the Monarchy may need to be something that is considered soon, or else the Royals will find themselves out of the luxury they are so accustomed to. How to cite Are the Royal Family a Luxury we can no Longer Afford?, Essays