William Blake’s Hidden Talents free essay sample

William Blake’s hidden talents In William Blake’s â€Å"A Poison Tree†, he takes on a simple approach at describing the different aspects and consequences of anger. The poem starts off by saying, â€Å"I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end† (Blake 1,2). Which is a very simple poetic way of saying he was angry, but he felt better after confessing his true feelings. When Blake continues, he explains how he cannot confess his anger to a foe, and goes on by creating images and speaking about the consequences. The obvious moral of this poem is that anger becomes dangerous when hidden from a friend and more importantly, a foe. Interestingly, the metaphorical language of William Blake adds a deeper meaning to the anger within the poem, and takes away the simplicity that the poem has at first glance. E. D. Hirsch points out in his book, the contrast between the simplicity of the language and the complexity of the ideas that it expresses and implies. We will write a custom essay sample on William Blake’s Hidden Talents or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Such techniques are exactly what makes, â€Å"A Poison Tree† a seemingly simple, but very deep poem. The simplicity of the first stanza can be easily compared to the simplicity of confessing feelings to a friend. It consists of a simple â€Å"A-B, A-B† rhyme scheme, with each A containing seven syllables, and each B having eight. Although this sounds simple enough, the following eleven lines surprisingly contain seven syllables each. This is because although the written words are saying danger and madness, â€Å"It grew both day and night† (Blake 9), the speaker actually feels sly. The words are organized, much like his plan to put an end to his anger. The story behind, â€Å"A Poison Tree† can be compared to the religious tale of Adam and Eve. When God directed Eve not to the eat fruit from his garden, the serpent lead her into temptation and she ate an apple. Although in that story, God had consequences for Adam and Eve. The speaker in, â€Å"A Poison Tree† only has consequences for not confessing his feelings to his foe in the first place, â€Å"My wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears† (Blake 4-5). Much like Eve, the speaker was tempted. Not tempted to eat the apple, but he was tempted to poison it. In the end, the speaker turned out to be the serpent, an enemy, who is God’s foe: The Devil. The speaker sinned: he killed. A premeditated murder is where the complexity and irony of the poem come into play. The speaker begins as the offended victim, and ends the poem as a sinning foe. Although at first confessing to a friend ends his wrath, the only way to end the growing anger towards an enemy is murder. â€Å"In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree† (Blake 15-16). That is where the continuous organization and perfectly numbered syllables come to an end. The anger is no longer growing and the speaker is happy. Irony is only one interesting aspect of â€Å"A Poison Tree†. Blake uses metaphors to paint an image of hatred and anger. An apple is a symbol of beauty, but most importantly: temptation. The apple represents the anger that is bottled up inside the speaker. The anger grew and built itself up to be the apple: something appearing to be beautiful, but holds danger within. Using metaphors and irony, William Blake has successfully written a very complex poem. Raina Lorring explains in her analysis, that â€Å"A Poison Tree† is Blake’s warning to the reader about what unchecked anger can do. Such an emotion can become poison to peoples minds if allowed to grow. Communication and releasing such emotions before they fester is the safest path to resolve conflict. Although that is the simple message of the poem, there is so much more meaning between the lines, that can be discovered when looking deeper into Christianity, and discovering the irony, for example.

Identifying the Authors Purpose on a Standardized Test

Identifying the Author's Purpose on a Standardized Test Knowing what authors purpose questions look like is one thing. Finding it is quite another! On a standardized test, youll have answer choices to help you figure it out, but distractor questions will often confuse you. On a short answer test, youll have nothing but your own brain to figure it out, and sometimes it isnt as easy at it seems. It may be helpful to practice these types of questions while preparing for standardized tests. Look For Clue Words Figuring out why an author wrote a particular passage can be as easy (or as difficult) as looking at clues inside the passage. Ive mentioned in the What is the Authors Purpose article several different reasons an author would have to write a passage of text, and what those reasons mean. Below, youll find those reasons, with the clue words associated with them. Compare: Author wanted to show similarities between ideasClue Words: both, similarly, in the same way, like, just asContrast: Author wanted to show differences between ideasClue Words: however, but, dissimilarly, on the other handCriticize: Author wanted to give a negative opinion of an ideaClue Words: Look for words that show the authors negative opinion. Judgment words like bad, wasteful, and poor all demonstrate negative opinions. Describe/Illustrate: Author wanted to paint a picture of an ideaClue Words: Look for words that provide descriptive detail. Adjectives like red, lusty, morose, striped, sparkling, and crestfallen are all illustrative.Explain: Author wanted to break down an idea into simpler termsClue Words: Look for words that turn a complicated process into simple language. A descriptive text will use more adjectives. An explanatory text will usually be used with a complicated idea.Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideasClue Word s: Text that identifies or lists, will name an idea or series of ideas without providing much description or opinion. Intensify: Author wanted to make an idea greaterClue Words: Text that intensifies will add more specific details to the idea. Look for superlative adjectives and bigger concepts. A baby sadly crying is descriptive, but a baby mournfully howling red-cheeked for 30 minutes is more intense.Suggest: Author wanted to propose an ideaClue Words: Suggest answers are usually positive opinions and try to sway the reader to believe. The author will provide a point, then use details to prove it.​ Underline the Clue Words It helps to use that pencil in your hand when youre reading if youre unsure what the authors purpose is. As you read, underline the clue words in the text to help you get a better idea. Then, either compose a sentence using the key words (compare, explain, illustrate) to show why the author wrote the piece or select the best answer from the choices given.

Collecting and Preparing a Sycamore Seed for Planting

Collecting and Preparing a Sycamore Seed for Planting The American sycamore tree flowers in spring and completes seed maturity in the fall. Ending the maturation process as early as the first of September and continuing through November, the sycamore seeds ripen and are ready for collection and preparation for planting. The fruiting head is persistent and will delay seed drop out of the fruiting ball until January through April. The best time to collect the fruiting balls or heads, usually directly off the tree, is just before they begin to break up and the hairy-tufted seeds start falling. Easier picking is after the fruiting head turns brown but waiting to just after leaf fall. Because these seed heads are persistent on limbs, collections can be made into the next spring and usually make sycamore the last fall-maturing species to be collected in the Eastern forest. The California sycamore matures much earlier and should be collected during the fall season. Collecting Sycamore Seed for Planting Picking fruit heads by hand from the tree is the most common method of collection. At the northern and western limits of the range of sycamore, intact heads can sometimes be found and collected off the ground late in the season. After collecting these fruiting bodies, the heads should be spread in single layers and dried in well-ventilated trays until they can be broken apart. These heads can look dry on collection but layering and venting are essential, especially with fruit heads that are collected early in the season. Early ripening seed can have moisture contents as high as 70%. Seeds from each head should be extracted by crushing the dried fruit heads and removing the dust and fine hairs that are attached to the individual achenes. You can easily do small batches by hand-rubbing through hardware cloth (2 to 4 wires/cm). When doing larger batches, it is advised to wear dust masks as the fine hairs that are dislodged during extraction and cleaning are a danger to respiratory systems. Preparing and Storing Sycamore Seed for Planting Seeds of all sycamore species do just fine in similar storage conditions and can be easily stored for long periods under cold, dry conditions. Tests with sycamore seed have shown that at moisture contents of from 5 to 10% and stored at temperatures of 32 to 45  °F, they are suitable for storage for up to 5 years. American sycamore and naturalized London plane-trees have no dormancy requirements and pre-germination treatments are usually not required for adequate germination. Germination rates of California sycamore do increase from moist stratification storage for 60 to 90 days at 40 F in sand, peat, or sandy loam. To maintain low seed moisture under moist storage conditions, the dried seeds must be stored in moisture-proof containers, such as polyethylene bags. The rate of germination can be easily tested on wet paper or sand or even in shallow dishes of water at a temperature of around 80 F over 14 days. Planting Sycamore Seed Sycamores are naturally sown in the spring and you should mimic those conditions. Seeds should be placed in soil no deeper than 1/8 inch with each seed about 6 to 8 inches apart for proper spacing. Small, shallow starter trays with potting soil can be used to start the new trees and adequate soil moisture must be  maintained and trays placed under indirect light. Germination will take place over approximately 15 days and a 4 seedling will develop in less than 2 months under optimal conditions. These new seedlings then need to be carefully removed and transplanted from trays to small pots. Tree nurseries in the United States typically outplant these seedlings at one year from germination as bare root seedlings. Potted trees can go for several years before re-potting or planting in the landscape.

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Film - Essay Example She’s an elegant and beautiful girl but with a tomboy attitude and dress sense as a result of being brought up by her father and older brother, after her mother died giving birth to her. She’s frequently seen dressed in Samurai warrior attire and rarely if ever in the traditional woman’s kimono dress. Despite some of her stronger and feistier attributes, however, she is nonetheless gentle, kind and honest. The Empress is really the antagonist here although at first it seems like it may be her son, Emperor Wu. She is a strong leader and comes across at first as wise yet firm. However, despite her soft spot for her son, the Empress Shuang is hard and cruel. She is ruled by ancient social traditions and beliefs and any sign of kindness is swamped by this. Again, she is an elegant woman but her fury makes her appear ugly and After a change in the plot the protagonist has to make a new decision to achieve the goal and restore the world to some form of balance (Aside from the new relationship she has with Emperor Wu, Jiao mission is still important. However, Jiao’s heritage is discovered but her secret mission remains secret. She now must carry out an alternative plan in order to complete the mission she’s been assigned to). The year is 202 BC. Dwelling in rural China is a flourishing tribe derived from the Manchu. They are a self sufficient community that focus their efforts on farming and martial arts and traditions. They dress in traditional clothing rich in texture and colour and each and every citizen of the tribe dedicated their lives to maintaining the prosperity and ongoing happiness of the tribe. They are led by a man named Delun. He is a wise man with a greatest devotion and commitment to his people. Over the past few years Delun had led his tribe through the unification of Middle China and into the Han Dynasty with reasonable success. But now China was approaching a time where Delun

The leading health indicator as defined by Health People 2020 Essay

The leading health indicator as defined by Health People 2020 - Essay Example The indicators are useful in assessing the health rate of the nation, to facilitate collaboration in different sectors and in motivation of action in different levels to ensure there is improvement of health in the American population. The ability of an individual to have access to health services has effect on many aspect of life. However, there are many Americans who lack primary care providers to receive medical services. This is an issue addressed by leading health indicators as defined by Health People 2020. People who do not have medical insurance are more likely to lack medical care as a result of high costs. It is important that these people receive medical insurance or medical care at affordable costs. To improve the nation’s health there are things that are key such as routine screens and immunizations. The services prevent and detect illnesses to provide treatment (Healthy people,

Arthur Millers play Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers play Essay Arthur Millers play The Crucible is, on the surface, a play about a real life historical event that took place in the small American town of Salem in 1692. A mass hysteria gripped the town because of accusations of witchcraft and compacting with the devil. This led to many innocent people being hanged. However, some people believe that if you look deeper into the play you can see clear parallels with 1692 Salem and 1950s America. After the end of the Second World War most of Europe was devastated and left trying to recover. This left the USA and the USSR as the two dominant superpowers, both of these heavily armed nations were extremely scared of the other attacking them and so came an arms race to try to beat the other side. Diplomatic relations between the two powers broke down and widespread fear of communism took over the USA. So began the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy set up the House Un-American Committee to root out communists and their sympathisers. This included anyone who had remotely left-wing views. Many actors, writers and musicians were brought before the committee including Miller himself. If you remember a crucible is a dish used to heat out the impurities from metals, you can see how it relates to Proctor in court being heated to provide names and confessions. This is much the same as what happened to Miller who was also asked to name names (but refused). To answer the question it has to be remembered that Miller intended that the play be performed on stage and not read like a book. He uses stage directions to convey to the audience some of the feelings characters are experiencing. On page 108 stage directions for Proctor say With great force of will, but not quite looking at her. The shows the audience that Proctor still cannot forgive himself for his affair with Abigail. It also shows the conflict between Proctor and Elizabeth and also Proctor and Abigail. Proctor also has a conflict with Parris, who he correctly believes is an incompetent fool. In addition to this he also has conflict he also a conflict with all the girls because he knows they are faking the whole thing. Miller shows this by having Proctor go to court to try and prove the girls liars. He brings Mary Warren into Court saying, She never saw no spirits. He also has conflicts with judges Haythorne and Danforth. On page 113 he says I speak my own sins, I cannot judge another. (Crying out with hatred) The stage directions for this quote clearly shows this conflict. These conflicts are all of one particular type, conflicts with other people, except for the conflicts with Judges Haythorne and Danforth who could also represent Proctors conflicts with Authority.  Reverend Hale has a conflict with Proctor because he believes that Proctor should sign the confession to live and not die for his pride. At one point he shows his anger at Proctors decision to tear up his confession says Man, you will hang! You cannot!.  A lot of characters especially Proctor have conflicts with authority. Proctor has a huge conflict with the courts and also the church, although the two are very close together. This is where Miller uses him to explore his own conflict with McCarthyism and his own experiences before the House Un-American Committee. On page 114 stage directions for Proctor read Proctor has finished signing when Danforth reaches for the paper. But Proctor snatches it up and now a wild terror is rising in him, and a boundless anger this shows very much how much Proctor hates the courts and could also show us something of Millers feelings towards McCarthyism. This is because both Proctor and Miller know that the courts/government are almost trying to bribe people into giving the names of others even if the others are innocent people that are being named to get them out of trouble or being named for some kind of revenge purpose. To add to his long list of conflicts Proctor also has a conflict within himself about whether or now he should sign the confession and name people to save his life or to protect others and his honour and die. Miller also faced this (although he was only threatened with jail not death) but like Proctor he refused to name people and escaped without severe punishment.  Elizabeth Proctor also has conflicts within herself as to whether or not to help John Proctor in his decision to sign the paper or not. In the end she does not help him and he must do it himself. This may show how alone you could feel when being questioned about your Un-American Activities in 1950s/60s America. In the end of the play Proctor is hung for not confessing or naming names. This ending solves many of the conflicts in the play. It solves all Proctors conflicts with people and authority and also other people conflicts with him. However it could spark of new conflicts within people such as the girls who faked the whole thing and must be wondering whether they should have said something before people were killed or whether to say something now. I think Miller is using his characters to show us different conflicts in society and the problems with people and how they can do things they ordinarily wouldnt to gain an advantage or to escape trouble. He also uses the conflicts to show problems with high authority and how they could collapse if they were revealed to be wrong about serious things like the witch trials. I think Miller is trying to tell us something we should all probably learn from.

King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear is one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies which involves a common story of three daughters vying for the love of their father. Jane Smiley parallels the story of King Lear in her novel A Thousand Acres. Though this novel is derived from the roots of King Lear and the basic plot is similar, the reader’s reaction to each work of literature varies greatly. One may wonder why the reader’s perspective on the play King Lear changes so drastically after reading the novel A Thousand Acres. A couple of the reasons include the pieces of literature being told from two different view points and how the paralleling characters in the two works assume roles than are unexpected and seem unlike the comparable characters in the other piece of literature. However, Scott Holstad states the reason for the differing responses best by saying, â€Å"Smiley is successful because she fills in so many of the gaps left open in the play. She gives us new and different perspectives† (Holstad 1). King Lear is a most unusual play in that it only deals with the present and neglects the past and the future. The reader is not informed about an earlier time period in the play. The play opens up with Lear immediately choosing to, â€Å"express our darker purpose† (I, i, 35). There is no mention of any of the three daughters’ childhood. In contrast, Smiley makes a point of adding description to her novel. She constantly describes the three girls’ childhood, their ancestors, and other memories from the past. In the beginning of the novel, Ginny elaborates upon her great-grandparents and, â€Å"when they came the first time to Zebulon County, in the spring of 1890, and saw that half the land they had already bought was under two feet of water† (Smiley 14). Ginny also remembers when she used to take care of Caroline, â€Å"I had such hope for her, such a strong sense that when we sent her out, in whatever capacity, she would perform well, with enthusiasm and confidence that were mysteriously hers alone† (Smiley 262). The description of the past is the most powerful part in A Thousand Acres. It reveals hidden roots that shape and define behaviors of the characters. This hidden knowledge and exposure of secrets is exemplified in Edgar’s line in King Lear, â€Å"In nothing am I chang’d But in my garments† (IV, vi, 9-10). It tells the reader that although things may appear to be a certain way, reality will prove them to be different. The major difference between King Lear and A Thousand Acres is that the past comes

How is happiness conveyed in Jane Austen’s Emma and Charlotte Bronte’s Villette?

The nineteenth century was an era of great discovery, invention and social change as a result of political unrest in the previous years. The American Revolution which culminated in the United States Declaration of Independence, lead to a change in political thought, bringing ideas of ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness' (1776: line4), though how much this extended to women is debateable. Published thirty-seven years apart, Emma and Villette tell the stories of two girls trying to find happiness in difficult societies. The two lead characters are very different; Emma is a respected, wealthy and attractive young woman yet rather spoilt, whereas Lucy Snowe is passive and secretive, with no significant amount of money or family connections. Living in the same century, therefore, it would seem safe to assume that the girls would find happiness in the same things; good company, money and a happy marriage. As Philip Davis argues, Victorian novels (though Emma predates Victoria's reign by approximately twenty years) were concerned only with ‘Humanity, Duty, Vocation, Work, Marriage [and] Family' (2002:2). However, this is not the case for either of the girls. Lucy finds comfort in solitude and some of the passages in Bronte's novel where she is most at ease are those in which she is alone. If not alone, Lucy prefers the company of just one or two trusted friends, but even this is problematical, as she often hides her feelings from the reader. Emma on the other hand, appears to take pleasure in helping others to be happy; often to their detriment! What can be said, nonetheless, is that both novels convey moral journeys towards a greater understanding of self and society. By looking at a few specific incidents in each novel, the methods with which the authors explore the feeling of happiness can be uncovered. Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her (Emma p. 5). The opening sentence of Jane Austen's novel manages to summarise Emma's situation and history in a few simple words. The reader is already informed by the omniscient narrator that this central character is content and privileged in every aspect that a young lady could wish for. In comparison, Villette has a very different approach. For example, it is not until the second chapter that we find out the name of the protagonist and narrator, Lucy Snowe. Interesting to note also that the first two chapters are names of characters, ‘Bretton' and ‘Paulina', as if the narrator is happy to talk about them, but reluctant to talk about herself. We hear about the people surrounding the narrator, events in the past but very little physical or characteristic detail. We are given few clues as to how Lucy feels or thinks about these events; ‘well I liked the visit' (Villette p. 1) is the only indication of preference or opinion. Even by the end of the novel we do not know where her ‘home' was, and Lucy is constantly evasive about places and locations. The reader is left to speculate why this is; because of unhappiness there and desire to forget it? Or perhaps she is ashamed? It is almost as if she does not trust the reader and as a result becomes difficult to like. Most readers will assume that this past, of which Lucy is so vague, holds bad memories or experiences which set the tone of her character from the start. As a narrator, Lucy is unreliable and the revelation that Dr. John and Graham Bretton are, in fact, the same people, is the prime example of this. ‘I first recognized him on that occasion, noted several chapters back, when my unguardedly-fixed attention had drawn me on the mortification of an implied rebuke' (Villette p. 70-1). Only when the reader will find out for themselves, does Lucy tell us that she knew all along. ‘I had preferred to keep the matter to myself' she reasons, ‘I liked entering his presence covered with a cloud he had not seen through' (Villette p. 171). This motif of hiding, or being screened, recurs throughout the novel. Lucy is often seen observing or people watching, preferring to be out of the limelig ht. However, this changes when she is recruited to be in M. Paul's play after one of the lead characters falls ill. Nevertheless, she puts on a performance, a mask, and is not herself. The clothes she wears are men's and by speaking another person's lines, Lucy distances herself from that which makes her feel so uncomfortable, her own feelings. It seems as if she is afraid to admit to herself how she feels. By suppressing her emotions and living an almost muted life, Lucy denies herself happiness. This alienation is heightened by her being in Belgium, where she does not speak French initially, by being a Protestant in a Catholic society and through the atmosphere of the Mme. Beck's school. Despite working very closely with the headmistress, Lucy still finds her searching through her belongings one evening, showing a lack of trust between the characters. Lucy's narrative style shows a lot about her unhappiness as a character and surprisingly Emma shares some of these traits. Emma is told through a third-person omniscient narrator, whereas Lucy tells us the story through her own, if somewhat limited perspective. Austen's narrator gives us a wider outlook on the events at Highbury, although the free-indirect style means that the narrator's opinions are sometimes blurred with those of the characters and there is some mimicry of Emma's thoughts and tone. She is a more open character, whom the narrator can easily display to the reader, and her feelings are more easily accessible, on first impression. As Emma is already ‘handsome, clever and rich' (Emma p. 1), her happiness is taken for granted, but looking a little deeper it is evident that she is not fully content. The novel is based around a series of shocks for Emma; Miss Taylor's marriage, Mr. Elton's proposal, Frank and Jane's engagement, and she seems in a constant struggle to maintain a certain decorum and propriety. It is ironic that Jane Austen's novels are so often seen as portrayals of a stagnant society, when Highbury is full of entrances and exits; Mrs. Elton, Frank Churchill, Jane Fairfax and Harriet. The proximity to London, peculiarly, does not seem to have an effect on the community. Emma's constant need to help others could be interpreted as dissatisfaction within herself. Instead of realising her feelings for Mr. Knightly at the beginning of the novel, as so easily could have occurred, Emma goes through systematic pairing up of her acquaintances, to try and arrange as many couples as possible. It is only when Harriet confides in her regarding her own feelings for Knightly that Emma is forced to identify and realise her attachment to him. Because she demands a kind of variety and excitement life cannot supply, Emma allows her fancy and imagination to shape and distort her perception of reality [†¦. What Emma constantly desires and frequently demands is not simply that her world admire her; it must also be as rich and vital and beautiful as she feels herself potentially to be [†¦. ] The crux of the matter, then, is the peculiar way in which Emma's life depends upon and is dedicated to richness and beauty in human experience. (Minter 1966 : 51) Minter argues that Emma relies on this constant application of herself to try and adapt her surroundings to suit her. In doing this, Emma is attempting to create an environment in which she is truly comfortable; not a trait one would associate with a young lady of ‘happy disposition' (Emma p. ), but more with slightly nervous and compulsive behaviour. It is as if Emma must have control of the events around her to feel content. This shows a certain extent of self-consciousness and dissatisfaction, reflected most clearly in her thoughts of Jane Fairfax: Why she did not like Jane Fairfax might be a difficult question to answer; Mr Knightly had once told her it was because she saw in her the really accomplished young woman, which she wanted to be thought herself. (Emma p. 125) View in this manner, Emma becomes, in essence, a structured action in which Jane Austen renders both the nobility and the dangers, the significance and the consequences of Emma's endeavour to force an aesthetic ideal upon her world' (Minter 1966 : 51). As a character, Lucy Snowe is built up in a different way by Charlotte Bronte than Emma is by Jane Austen. By looking at their happiest and lowest points in each text, the reader has an insight into their extremes of emotion, and how these are created by the authors. Lucy characterises her weakest moments by images of storms and tempests. This occurs several times throughout the novel and blurs the situations which Lucy does not want the reader to know or understand fully, perhaps because she does not understand herself. This is first seen upon Lucy's departure from Bretton; ‘I must have somehow fallen overboard, or that there must have been wreck at last' (Villette p. 30). It is not certain whether Lucy actually embarks on a boat journey or whether she just uses this as an extended metaphor. Bronte adds the scream of the Banshee to symbolise the coming of bad news; Miss Marchmont dies and leaves Lucy with little money. However, the worst for Lucy personally is arguably the fall ‘headlong down an abyss' (Villette p. 160) after her visit to the church. She has been ill for a long while and her soul leaves her body ‘hoping to leave for rest (Villette p. 160). The reunion of the two is a particularly painful image, ‘a sort of racking struggle', ‘with pain, with reluctance' (Villette p. 161). Villette's final chapter is the most ambiguous sequence of the whole text, in which Lucy almost leaves the conclusion of the novel down to the reader. ‘Reader, they were the three happiest years of my life. Do you scout the paradox? Listen' (Villette p. 488), she appeals to us. Whether M. Paul is killed in a tempest on his return is not overtly stated, though the image of the storm again would imply that he does. If the past three years ‘were' the happiest, then it follows that these are now unhappy times. As with the beginning of the novel, Lucy finishes by telling us what happened to other characters, but not herself; ‘Madame Beck prospered all the days of her life; so did Pire Silas; Madame Walravens fulfilled her ninetieth year before she died. Farewell' (Villette p. 491). With a similar style of description and attitude, it is as if Lucy Snowe has come full circle; she is just as happy at the end of the novel, as at the start, or there seems no noticeable difference. Victor Hugo wrote in Les Miserables that ‘life's greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved' (1862) and it is this sentiment that gives Lucy the highest moment in Villette. She says that her love for M. Paul ‘gave me such pleasure as, certainly, I had ever felt' (Villette p. 403). Emma's happiest moment comes with similar thoughts on Mr. Knightley, but also a revelation about herself and her own actions; ‘How long had Mr. Knightley been so dear to her, as every feeling now declared him now to be? When had his influence, such influence begun? ‘ (Emma p. 312). This sequence comes with a long set of rhetorical questions in which Emma begins to see her flaws; perhaps this is the ultimate happiness for her? Mahatma Ghandi is often famously quoted as saying, ‘Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony'1 and this can be seen clearly in the closing chapters of Emma. Finally Emma is settled in herself; knows how she feels, is able to talk openly and does, of course, eventually marry Mr. Knightley. What totally different feelings did Emma take back into the house from what she had brought out! – she had then been only daring to hope for a little respite of suffering; – now in an exquisite flutter of happiness – and such happiness, moreover, as she believed must still be greater when the flutter should have passed away. (Emma p. 328) Emma's reaction is markedly different from Lucy's. Her language is more descriptive and appears fast, almost as if she cannot keep up with what her mind is thinking. The narrator here sounds just like the character of Emma, speaking rapidly with the use of many exclamation marks. Lucy falters, questions M. Paul's affections and seems unsure of the situation. ‘I was content', she states (Villette p. 403) compared to Emma's ‘state of spirits' (Emma p. 328). Emma's unfeeling comments to Miss Bates at the picnic however, paint her in a very different light; ‘†Ah! Ma'am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me – but you will be limited as to a number – only three at once†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (Emma p. 280). This can be seen as Emma's most unkind and lowest moment in the text, ‘she had never been so depressed' (Emma p. 284) it is a necessary addition that makes her realise how badly she has behaved, although requiring a little help from Mr. Knightley. Throughout Emma and Villette, Austen and Bronte shape their main characters with the use of these dramatic highs and lows, which alter their perceptions and also the reader's perceptions of them. By using specifically chosen language, the feelings and emotions of Lucy Snowe and Emma Woodhouse are made apparent and so the reader can share in their delight and depression. Jane Austen's novel appears overall a happier text, despite the continual failings of Emma's matchmaking, and ends positively with both Emma and Harriet getting married, and Harriet discovering her parentage. Although their marriages are well paired, with men who will complete them, the reader cannot help questioning whether marriage and money will always create ‘perfect happiness' (Emma p. 367). Villette on the other hand, ends just as mournfully as it begins, with very little defined ending. It could be argued that Lucy Snowe finds an inner peace with herself, after enjoying three happy years, despite not having M. Paul with her. Perhaps knowing she is loved is enough, and so with this and the solitary life which has given her comfort throughout the novel, Lucy can be settled. With her flourishing school as financial security, Lucy does not require anything more; she has stability and security, that which she has lacked from a young age. Though the storm imagery, if consistent with the rest of Bronte's novel, indicates further change, we are not given any clues as to how this will transpire. With so many novels of this era, both Emma and Villette look at the difficulty of a woman finding true happiness in such a patriarchal society. Kate Millett argued that Villette was ‘too subversive to be popular' (1977:140), accurate considering the conformity of many novels of the time. Emma, for example, still allows a happy ending and a marriage, despite the main character's actions throughout. In creating this alternative style, Charlotte Bronte shows happiness through a perhaps more realistic perspective, rather than Austen's romanticised, ‘happily-ever-after' story.

International Trade and Trade Restrictions

International Trade and Trade Restrictions International Trade and Trade Restrictions International trade increases the number of goods that domestic consumers can choose from, decreases the cost of those goods through increased competition, and allows domestic industries to ship their products abroad. While all of these seem beneficial, free trade is not widely accepted as completely beneficial to all parties and trade restrictions are applied.Trade restrictions can be in the form of tariffs, which are taxes on imports; quotas, which are limits on the quantity of a particular good that can be imported or exported; or other trade restrictions. International trade efficiencies, trade restrictions, and the consequences of these restrictions will be discussed further.World trade offers many advantages to the trading countries: access to markets around the world, lower cost through economies of scale, the opportunity to utilize abundant resources, better access to information about marke ts and technology, improved quality honed by competitive pressure, and lower prices for consumers (McEachern, 2012, p. 733). Comparative advantage, specialization, and trade allow people to use their scarce resources most efficiently to satisfy their unlimited wants.Comparative Advantage is the ability to make something at a lower opportunity cost than other producers face (McEachern, 2012, p. 32). The ability to make a good at a lower opportunity cost gives that individual, firm, region, or country a comparative advantage. Even if a country has absolute advantage in all goods, they should specialize in producing the goods in which it has a comparative advantage. If each country specializes and trades according to the law of comparative advantage, everyone would benefit from greater consumption possibilities.McEachern provides three reasons for international specialization: countries having different resource endowments, greater economies of scale can be achieved when firms particip ate in international trade, and tastes differ from country to country (McEachern, 2013, p. 719-720). Every country has a comparative advantage in the production of some products. This means that the labor and capital resources available in the reason are more productive when focused towards a particular industry and thus are able to be produce that product better as a result.In the case of the textile industry, Pakistan enjoys a comparative advantage as it has many cotton fields, providing it direct access to the raw material for the industry. It further has been operating in that industry for a long time that has spawned a lot of trained workforce relating to that industry in the country. Therefore, law of comparative advantage dictates that it should produce textile materials. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations (WTO, 2012).Their goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. The WTO and agreements such as NAFTA open up free trade, allowing goods to move freely and thereby aiding consumers in various countries in terms of prices and quality. It also spawns healthy competition in the local industries. Trade restrictions can lead to a breakdown in competition and can lead to adverse effects in the local and international market. Restrictions can benefit certain domestic producers that lobby their government for benefits.Congress tends to support the group that fights back, so trade restrictions often persist, despite the clear and widespread gains from freer trade. For example, U. S. growers of sugar cane have been protected from imports, which results in an increase in U. S. sugar prices. Higher prices hurt domestic consumers, but they are usually unaware. As McEachern states, â€Å"Consumers remain largely oblivious. † Who is responsible for trade ethics? Government might be the initial answer but all constitu ents involved should be aware and be transparent. An example is Nike, Inc.They provid a statement in understanding how to change the way an industry views its labor force. It does not happy by monitoring factories alone. Monitoring reveals the issues, issues that in turn are locked into a complex web of root causes. The ability to address these root causes should be shared by many, owned by no single constituent (Nike, Inc. , 2013, p. 1). One of their strategies is to transform working relationships with their contracted factories to incentivize change that will benefit workers. Are trade restrictions effective? Trade protection can foster inefficiencies.The immediate cost of such restrictions includes not only the welfare loss from higher domestic prices but also the cost of resources used by domestic producer groups to secure the favored protection (McEachern, 2012, p. 732). These costs may become permanent if the industry never realizes the economies of scale and never becomes co mpetitive. Protecting one stage of production usually requires protecting downstream stages of production as well. The biggest problem with imposing trade restrictions are that other countries usually retaliate which shrinks the gains from trade.Some experts believe the costs of protecting the jobs of workers in vulnerable industries, which are ultimately borne by taxpayers or consumers, far exceed the potential cost of retraining and finding new jobs for those workers (Globalization 101, 202, para. 1). In addition, that it may not promote firms and industries to make necessary changes to challenge foreign competition and find efficiencies to which then would make them become even more dependent on government protection. As international trade has increased, conflicts over trade have also increased.Trade restrictions may continue to be very political in nature. The more companies like Nike and consumers start being more aware of ethical behavior around international trade, the more everyone will benefit. The U. S. government does take responsibility for workers who lose their jobs by international trade and have programs established to assist in training and support to re-employ those workers. As countries specialize and trade according to the law of comparative advantage, consumers should also benefit from efficient production and cheaper prices.The increase of technology may have an impact that will increase the speed at which international trade and efficiencies happen. References McEachern, W. A. (2012). Economics, 9e (9th ed). Mason, OH: South-Western. Globalization 101 (2013). The Levin Insitute. Consequences of trade restrictions. thttp://www. globalization101. org/consequences-of-trade-restrictions/ Nike, Inc. (2013). Responsibility. Targets and performance. http://www. nikeresponsibility. com/report/content/chapter/targets-and-performance#Labor World Trade Organization (2013). http://www. wto. org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e. htm

How to Identify Northern White Cedar

How to Identify Northern White Cedar Northern white-cedar  is a slow growing native North American boreal tree with the scientific name Thuja occidentalis.  Arborvitae  is another name for the tree in its cultivated and commercially grown from which is  planted in yards and landscapes throughout the United States. This nursery-derived version of the white-cedar is prized for the unique flat and filigree sprays made up of tiny, scaly leaves.   Northern white-cedar  has also been called eastern white cedar and swamp-cedar. The name arborvitae meaning tree of life was given the tree and was the first North American tree to be transplanted and cultivated in Europe.   Ethnobotanical history suggests that 16th-century French explorer Jacques Cartier learned from  Native Americans how to use the trees foliage to treat scurvy. Scurvy was an insidious  disease that ravaged humans that had no ready source of  ascorbic acid or vitamin  C. A decoction of the exported trees sap was sold in Europe as a curative medicine. A record tree in Michigans Leelanau County measures 18 feet in circumference and  113 feet  (34 meters)   in height.   Where the Northern White Cedar Lives You will find that the main range of northern white-cedar extends through the southern part of the eastern half of Canada and down to an adjacent northern part of the United States. Looking at its U.S. Forest Service range map, you will see specifically that it extends west from the Gulf of St. Lawrence through central Ontario to southeastern Manitoba. Eastern white cedars southern U.S range extends through central Minnesota and Wisconsin to a narrow fringe around the southern tip of Lake Michigan and east through southern Michigan, southern New York, central Vermont and New Hampshire, and Maine.   Northern white-cedar prefers a humid climate and where the annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 46 inches.  Although it does not develop well on extremely wet or extremely dry sites, the cedar will do well on cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites and particularly on organic soils near streams or boreal swamps. The principal commercial uses of northern white-cedar are for rustic fencing and posts because of the woods resistance to rot. Other important wood products made from the species includes cabin logs, lumber, poles, and shingles. The wood fiber is also used as paper pulp and particleboard. Identification of the Northern White Cedar The leaf (if you can call it a leaf) is actually evergreen and scale-like off main shoot sprays. They are  1/4 inch long with long points. Lateral shoots are flattened, 1/8 inch long with short points. The  species is monoecious meaning that the tree has both male and female reproductive parts. Female parts are green with 4 to 6 scales and male parts are green tipped with brown scales. The fruit is a  cone, only 1/2 inch long, oblong and protrude upright on the branches. Cone scales are leathery, red-brown and rounded, with a small spine on the tip. New growth on each twig is green and scale-like and occurring in very flattened foliar sprays.The bark is fibrous, red-brown, weathering to gray. You will often see diamond-shaped bark patterns and the trees form is a  small to medium-sized tree shaped like an arrowhead or a pyramid. The Commercial Arborvitae Varieties Probably the most commonly planted Arborvitae planted in the North American landscape is the Emerald Green variety. It has great winter color and is one of the most popular hedge plants within its range and is also extensively used outside its range in the Pacific Northwest. Many arborvitae varieties can be planted as a very reliable, small to medium ornamental in American yards outside the natural range of  Thuja  occidentalis.  You  can  see more than 100 cultivated varieties used extensively in dooryards, in hedgerows, in borders and as a single large striking specimen in a large landscape. You will also see this tree along driveways, building foundations, subdivision entrances, cemeteries, and parks. White-Cedar has many cultivars, many of which are shrubs. Popular cultivars include: ‘Booth Globe’  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCompacta’‘Douglasi Pyramidalis’‘Emerald Green’ - good winter color‘Ericoides’‘Fastigiata’‘Hetz Junior’‘Hetz Midget’ - slow growing dwarf‘Hovey’‘Little Champion’ - globe shaped‘Lutea’ - yellow foliage‘Nigra’ - dark green foliage in winter, pyramidal‘Pyramidalis’ - narrow pyramidal form  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRosenthalli’‘Techny’‘Umbraculifera’ - flat-topped‘Wareana’‘Woodwardii’

AIDS and YOU (May 1987) Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

AIDS and YOU (May 1987) By Martin H. Goodman MD (this essay is in the public domain) Introduction: AIDS is a life and death issue. To have the AIDS disease is at present a sentence of slow but inevitable death. I've already lost one friend to AIDS. I may soon lose others. My own sexual behavior and that of many of my friends has been profoundly altered by it. In my part of the country, one man in 10 may already be carrying the AIDS virus. While the figures may currently be less in much of the rest of the country, this is changing rapidly. There currently is neither a cure, nor even an effective treatment, and no vaccine either. But there are things that have been PROVEN immensely effective in slowing the spread of this hideously lethal disease. In this essay I hope to present this information. History and Overview: AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Defficiency Disease. It is caused by a virus. The disease originated somewhere in Africa about 20 years ago. There it first appeared as a mysterious ailment afflicting primarily heterosexuals of both sexes. It probably was spread especially fast by primarily female prostitutes there. AIDS has already become a crisis of STAGGERING proportions in parts of Africa. In Zaire, it is estimated that over twenty percent of the adults currently carry the virus. That figure is increasing. And what occurred there will, if no cure is found, most likely occur here among heterosexual folks. AIDS was first seen as a disease of gay males in this country. This was a result of the fact that gay males in this culture in the days before AIDS had an average of 200 to 400 new sexual contacts per year. This figure was much higher than common practice among heterosexual (straight) men or women. In addition, it turned out that rectal sex was a particularly effective way to transmit the disease, and rectal sex is a common practice among gay males. For these reasons, the disease spread in the gay male population of this country immensely more quickly than in other populations. It became to be thought of as a "gay disease". Because the disease is spread primarily by exposure of ones blood to infected blood or semen, I.V. drug addicts who shared needles also soon were identified as an affected group. As the AIDS epidemic began to affect increasingly large fractions of those two populations (gay males and IV drug abusers), many of the rest of this society looked on smugly, for both populations tended to be despised by the "mainstream" of society here. But AIDS is also spread by heterosexual sex. In addition, it is spread by blood transfusions. New born babies can acquire the disease from infected mothers during pregnancy. Gradually more and more "mainstream" folks got the disease. Most recently, a member of congress died of the disease. Finally, even the national news media began to join in the task of educating the public to the notion that AIDS can affect everyone. Basic medical research began to provide a few bits of information, and some help. The virus causing the disease was isolated and identified. The AIDS virus turned out to be a very unusual sort of virus. Its genetic material was not DNA, but RNA. When it infected human cells, it had its RNA direct the synthesis of viral DNA. While RNA viruses are not that uncommon, very few RNA viruses reproduce by setting up the flow of information from RNA to DNA. Such reverse or "retro" flow of information does not occur at all in any DNA virus or any other living things. Hence, the virus was said to belong to the rare group of virues called "Retro Viruses". Research provided the means to test donated blood for the presence of the antibodies to the virus, astronomically reducing the chance of ones getting AIDS from a blood transfusion. This was one of the first real breakthroughs. The same discoveries that allowed us to make our blood bank blood supply far safer also allowed us to be able to tell (in most cases) whether one has been exposed to the AIDS virus using a

The Meaning of Manifest Destiny Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Meaning of Manifest Destiny - Coursework Example Polk occupied the controversial Texas land that was under dispute. Polk was not right in his actions in the sense that it meant the annexation of the Texas region would mean imposition of the American law to other territories. Polks actions brought about the famous American-Mexican civil war. The Mexican government responded to the annexation of Texas by confronting America through diplomatic means to the extent that it led to a civil war. Abraham Lincoln disagreed with the Polks position that Texas was to be annexed and put under the United States (Tindall and David 214). Abraham Lincoln, in his opposition to the annexation of Texas, introduced the spot resolution. In the resolution, Licoln demanded that president Polk indicate how the Americans had been affected to warrant annexation. The Manifest destiny had both positive and negative consequences. The positive issue is that the US won in its expansion process, however, it brought unprecedented bad blood between Mexico and America. The Aftermath of the civil war raised immense suspicion between the two