How Social Networking Changed Communication - 1504 Words

Social Networking I How has social networking changed communication? The topic I selected to research is social networking and how it has changed communication in all aspects of life. I chose this topic because I am interested in learning more information about social media and how it has affected people’s communication skills. I am curious to discover how each source of social media affects communication. Everyday people use their cellular devices to either text, call, or video chat. However, over the past few years, social media has taken a toll on how people communicate. I am aware of the change because I use social media as a communication tool to reach out to my friends and family. For example, I use a social app called Snapchat to speak with my friends through pictures and video.I believe it s a good source of communication because it is an entertaining way to contact someone by using humorous filters. Another example is Facebook because my parents uses a personal inbox messenger to contact business inquires for work use. Social network has taken over my communication by decreasing my social skills with others. However, social media has helped me connect with others for planning social outings, school projects, and reaching out to long lost friends and family. It is important to know how has social networking affects our social lives. My approach towards my research topic is to discover how social networking increases and decreasesShow MoreRelatedHow Has Technology Changed Communication? Essay926 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"We barely have time to pause and reflect these days on how far communicating through technology has progressed. Without even taking a deep breath, we’ve transitioned from email to chat to blogs to social networks and more recently to twitter† (Alan 2007). Communicating with technology has changed in many different ways. 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A social networking website is an online platform that allows users to create a public profile and interact with other users on the website. Facebook has even changed our most personal and private conversations and how they are conducted around the world. Since the internet’s birth in 1983, this trend of online communication has been growing. Created in 2004, now registered with more than one billion participantsRead MorePositive And Negative Effects Of Social Networking Addiction1020 Words   |  5 Pagesadolescents as a social network addicts, people who spends a fair amount of time on one or many social media. Throughout the three articles, â€Å"Social Networking Addiction: An Overview of Preliminary Findings† by Mark Griffit hs, â€Å"Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship† by Nicole B. Ellison and â€Å"Taking Risky Opportunities in Youthful Content Creation: Teenagers’ use of Social Networking Sites for Intimacy, Privacy, and Self-expression† by Sonia Livingstone, show how this addiction

Comparing Laertes and Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

Comparing Laertes and Hamlet In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the characters of Laertes and Hamlet both display impulsive reactions when angered. Once Laertes discovers his father has been murdered, he immediately assumes the slayer is Claudius. As a result of Laertes speculation, he instinctively moves to avenge Polonius death. To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only Ill be revenged most thoroughly for my father. Act 4 Scene 5 lines 128-134 provide insight into Laertes mind, displaying his desire for revenge at any cost. In contrast to Laertes†¦show more content†¦Laertes voices his concern of Hamlets true intentions towards Ophelia and advises her to be wary of Hamlets love. Laertes impresses upon Ophelia that Hamlet is a prince who, most likely, will have an arranged marriage. Hamlets strong love for Ophelia withers after she rejects his affinity. Hamlets extensive love for Ophelia resulted in grave suffering for Hamlet once his affection was rejected. Hamlets appearance decays due to the rejection of his love for Ophelia Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other (Act 2, Scene 1, line 82). The loss of Ophelias love for Hamlet causes Polonius to believe it has caused Hamlet to revert to antic disposition. Once Laertes learns of the death of his sister, he is afflicted with sadness. In the same way, Hamlet is shocked and enraged over Ophelias demise. Both Hamlet and Laertes are so profoundly distressed at the death of Ophelia, they jump into her grave and fight each other. Although Hamlet and Laertes despised one another, they both loved Ophelia. Hamlet was infatuated with Ophelia, which was obvious during his constant anguish over her(in her rejection of him, and in her death, Hamlet suffered greatly). Laertes showed a strong brotherly love for Ophelia which was made evident in his advice to her. Laertes further displayed his love for Ophelia during her funeral when he fought with Hamlet. Hamlet and Laertes areShow MoreRelatedHamlet Theme Family Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesGrace 1 Kayla Grace October 29, 2012 Unit 2: Family 797 words Hamlet: Family Relationships The theme, family, in The Tragedy of Hamlet is major theme with lots of major points. This play is notorious for how it dwells on the issue of incest. In Shakespeare’s time, incest was a sin against God and the state. Queen Elizabeth I asked the Church of England to come up with a list of rules about marriage, basically a list of relatives who couldn’t marry, including in-laws. Also another focus isRead MoreFoils Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1130 Words   |  5 Pagespersonality . A foil character often contrasts with the features of another character. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , there are obvious foils for the main character, Hamlet. These foils include Horatio, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Laertes. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a an excellent demonstration of character foils. A foil is also known as a literary device that reveals a character s true nature by comparing and contrasting him or her to other characters. A successful character foil consists of bothRead MoreThe Juxtaposition of Hamlet Characters1658 Words   |  7 Pagesaround them. In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet†, Ophelia and Laertes represent different aspects of prince Hamlets traits that further the understanding of his behaviour, thoughts, and over-all character. Laertes and Ophelia, like Hamlet, are children of murdered fathers. This connection helps create a link between the three that sends them passionately to their end. Ophelia has an important relationship and entangling affair with the prince. Hamlets and Ophelia’s actions inRead MoreThe Nature of Evil in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1739 Words   |  7 Pagesproves that good and evil cannot always be seen as simply black or white, but also as shades of grey making it difficult to label characters in various literary works, especially those of William Shakespeare. The ambiguity of evil in William Shakespeares Hamlet forces spectators to interpret each characters thoughts, actions, and personality in order to place them properly on the gradient of evil. Regardless of ones personal idea of evil, Claudius can be seen as a villain from many standpointsRead MoreEssay on Language and Imagery in The Tragedy of Hamlet1358 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet:   Language and Imagery      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Horatio tells Hamlet that he speaks ‘wild and whirling words’, but with Shakespeare, this can never truly be the case. Even phrases that appear so have always a complex meter behind them and, in Hamlet especially, it seems that every word is chosen individually to serve a particular purpose. Despite being almost four hundred years old, Shakespeare is considered the landmark in English literature as the dawning of the modern age of drama. PreviouslyRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1252 Words   |  6 Pagesand noble or of some importance. Like many of Shakespeare’s protagonist Hamlet is regarded by many as a tragic hero. They place him in the ranks of characters like Othello, Romeo and Antony. However, even though Hamlet shares many similarities with these characters and possess many of the attributes outlined by Aristotle, he ultimately does not fall into the trap of vengeance. Throughout the play the members of the Danish court attempt to poison Hamlet with different narratives and push him into vengeanceRead MoreResponse to Shakespeares Presentation of the Responsibilities and Obligations Placed on Sons by Fathers in Hamlet1394 Words   |  6 PagesResponse to Shakespeares Presentation of the Responsibilities and Obligations Placed on Sons by Fathers in Hamlet Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is a play based on the theme of revenge (otherwise known as a revenge tragedy). However there are other themes to this play that may not be as obvious as the main. Love, hate, madness are all other themes to this play, along with the theme of responsibility to sons and fathers. This theme is sustained throughout the whole playRead More Women in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesWomen in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. In this essay I will look at Hamlets perception of women in general but particularly Gertrude and Ophelia. I will also look at the historical presentation of women, comparing Hamlets time to today and seeing if the symbolic role that the females characters have is related to the period. Also I will look at Hamlets madness, whether it was real or not and also whether women could be the cause of it. Finally I willRead MoreHamlet as So Much More Than a Traditional Revenge Tragedy Essay1713 Words   |  7 PagesHamlet as So Much More Than a Traditional Revenge Tragedy Although Shakespeare wrote Hamlet closely following the conventions of a traditional revenge tragedy, he goes far beyond this form in his development of Hamlets character. Shakespeares exploration of Hamlets complex thoughts and emotions is perhaps more the focus of the play rather than that of revenge, thus in Hamlet Shakespeare greatly develops and enhances the form of the traditional revenge tragedy. Read MoreThe Renaissance Period1455 Words   |  6 Pagesand struggles of this time. One popular play known worldwide is Hamlet written by William Shakespeare, who is known as the greatest English playwright of all time (Fiero, 2011). The character Hamlet displayed many attributes that were taking place at this time, in which an emphasis was placed upon power, human reflection, and revenge. One of the main conveying themes of this play is Hamlets decision to act or not. Shakespeare’s Hamlet and its characters reflect the Renaissance ideals of power and

Information System in Royal Adelaide Hospital-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Information System in Royal Adelaide Hospital. Answer: Introduction The report provides a case study on a newly constructed hospital in Australia, the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The target of the directors of South Australian Health department is to construct an excellent hospital equipped with latest information systems that will help them to electronically record and store health information of each patient, store case notes electronically, and implement robotics and such (www.health.gov.au, 2017). The pharmacy, general administration, payroll and finance systems should also be equipped with sophisticated software. It is identified that many of the information systems used by the hospital are out dated. The objective of the report is to provide suggestions regarding the information systems that can be implemented to the hospital to replace the outdated ones. Overview on available information systems A brief outline is provided on the latest information systems that can be implemented to the hospital for the performance of several of its functionalities. MYOB Mind Your Own Business (MYOB) is an Australian based tax and accounting software organisation that provides accounting software packages to businesses ranging from small to large scale. The software provided by MYOB ranges from physically installed software to browser based or cloud based software. MYOB accounting software can be implemented to the Royal Adelaide Hospital that will help the finance department in its finance related functionalities (Coast, 2014). Orion Health Orion Health is a globally reputed company based in New Zealand that develops and provides software related to health care. The goal of the company is to aid with sophisticated technology to boost the efficiency of health care (Healthpayrollinquiry.qld.gov.au, 2017). The company delivers technology solutions for accurate medicine suggestion, efficient flow of operation between the healthcare personnel and the patients, and health management of population. The software provided by the company are developed on an open data platform and their integrated solution aids to manage all kinds of health related information effectively. Such a system can be beneficial for a hospital like the Royal Adelaide Hospital that requires a proper health record monitoring system ("Orion Health | From Integration to Precision Medicine", 2017). The da Vinci System The system is a revolution in the field of robotics and health care technology. The system is used for the purpose of minimal invasive surgery. It has served over 3 million patients worldwide. The da Vinci system has a magnified and high definition 3D vision system and small wristed robotic arms that can twist and rotate to more complex angles than a human hand (www.floppybunny.org, 2017). The surgeon has complete control on the device at all time of the surgery phase. The technology in the system shadows the movement of the hand of the surgeon and reproduces smaller, precision movements with the aid of the robotic arms of the device on the body of the patient. This system can be implemented in the surgery division of the Royal Adelaide Hospital for the purpose of surgery (Kazanzides et al., 2014). ScriptPro (SP) Prescription Dispensing Robots The SP series of prescription dispensing robots are used in pharmacy. These robots help in processing nearly 150 prescriptions per hour and arrange the necessary medication accordingly. This reduces the chance of wrong medication and cross contamination. These robots can prove to be the workhorse behind maintaining and efficient pharmacy counter. The robot can print automatically and apply auxiliary warning label. These robots have documented uptime rate of approximately 99.46% and counting precision of 99.7%. The SP series of robots are a perfect solution for the pharmaceutical department of a newly built hospital like the Royal Adelaide Hospital (Ahadani, De Silva, Petra, Hameed Wong, 2012). Feasibility Study This part of the report provides a feasibility study on the proposed information systems and their impact on the hospital that is provided in the previous parts of the report. Implementation of the MYOB accounting software will aid the finance department of the hospital in maintaining a steady check on the issues related to finance. MYOB will facilitate the finance department with the following functions: Working Online Calculation and tracking of GST Managing quotes, invoices and statements Accepting payment from invoices Tracking and Payment of expenses Helps to sync the bank accounts and credit cards of the staffs Facilitation of an advanced payroll system that will calculate leaves taken by employees automatically and produce a real-life timesheet These facilities will help the finance department of Royal Adelaide hospital maintain records of financial transactions easily and efficiently. Lesser amount of staffs will be required to maintain the tasks in the finance department that will help the hospital to reduce the expenditure to recruit and maintain extra personnel in the finance division. The payroll system will provide accurate report on each employee based on days worked and leaves taken and make payments accordingly with detailed timesheet in real time. This will reduce the chance of payment failure or wrong payment that creates grievances among the employees ("MYOB Accounting Software | Review Plans Prices Canstar Blue", 2017). The implementation of health care software from the Orion Health will allow the administration of the hospital to maintain the records of the patients accurately along with their treatment history in their hospital as well as the medications that they have been prescribed in the past ("Health Metrics Network (HMN)", 2017). The software also maintains a record on the duration of treatment that is provided to each patient, which helps the administration of the hospital to keep a record on the existing patient population and manage accordingly ("Orion Health | From Integration to Precision Medicine", 2017). The da Vinci robotic system will help to give a new edge in the surgery division of the hospital, as it will add to the precision in invasive surgery process and minimise the complications that arise during any surgery. The success rates in the surgery process will motivate more patients to enlist in the hospital for being operated and this will help in increase of the reputation of the hospital and make the institution an excellent health care centre (Kazanzides et al., 2014). The SP series robots will efficiently boost the performance of the pharmaceutical department of the hospital. The staffs of the pharmacy store built by the hospital have to deal with lots of prescriptions provided by the patients and have to supply the prescribed medicines accordingly. However, the main issue related to this is the time management that is required to cater every patient efficiently. Unlike other retail stores, a pharmacy store receives customer who are mostly in emergency and require the medication supplied as soon as possible. A limited amount of staffs fail to do so which results in grievances from the customers. The implementation of these robots will reduce the need to keep excess staffs to cater to the increasing load of customers while providing efficient processing at the rate of 150 prescriptions per hour. The use of these bots will also reduce the chances of any contamination that may spread due to the irresponsibility of a pharmacy staff. The hospital will be able to provide its patients an efficiently functional pharmacy store, which will add to its reputation (Ahadani, De Silva, Petra, Hameed Wong, 2012). Recommendations and Critical Success Factors The information systems proposed in the previous part of the report will be effective in providing the necessary efficiency to the hospital and improving its reputation worldwide. It is recommended to implement these information systems along with other systems the administration of the hospital see fit for its functionalities. The four proposed information system will cover its administrative, financial, health care as well as pharmaceutical divisions and help in achieving accuracy and cost friendly environment for the same. The critical success factors like achieving patient satisfaction, providing a unique service, creating a high-tech health care environment, efficient and flawless performance will be successfully achieved as well. Conclusion The report concludes with the insight that the implementation of the proposed information systems will surely revolutionise the facilities and functionalities of Royal Adelaide Hospital that will help its management to achieve their desired objective of creating a technically furnished hospital whose reputation will spread worldwide due to its efficiency and uniqueness of services provided to its patients. References (2017). Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.floppybunny.org/robin/web/virtualclassroom/chap12/s2/systems1.pdf (2017). Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/4704F2EE05C42C84CA 257CA0003FF55C/$File/State-info-Sheet-SA.pdf Ahadani, M. A., De Silva, L. C., Petra, I., Hameed, M. F. A., Wong, T. S. (2012). Low Cost Robotic Medicine Dispenser. Procedia Engineering, 41, 202-209. Coast, T. Q. G. (2014). MYOB Accounting Bundle 1. Health Metrics Network (HMN). (2017). World Health Organization. Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.who.int/healthmetrics/en/ Healthpayrollinquiry.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.healthpayrollinquiry.qld.gov.au/?a=207203 Kazanzides, P., Chen, Z., Deguet, A., Fischer, G. S., Taylor, R. H., DiMaio, S. P. (2014, May). An open-source research kit for the da Vinci Surgical System. In Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2014 IEEE International Conference on (pp. 6434-6439). IEEE. Learning from the Qld Health payroll fiasco. (2017). Businessspectator.com.au. Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/6/20/technology/learning-qld-health-payroll-fiasco MYOB Accounting Software | Review Plans Prices Canstar Blue. (2017). Canstar Blue. Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://www.canstarblue.com.au/services/brands/myob-accounting-software/ Orion Health | From Integration to Precision Medicine. (2017). Orion Health. Retrieved 13 August 2017, from https://orionhealth.com/

Theory of Modern Art Institutions

It is like time travel to look at vintage images from the 1960s of Yves Klein creating art using the naked bodies of young women, blue paint, and paper surfaces. Watching his process of creation, it is easy to see why some members of the public threw up their hands in bafflement and disapproval at ‘modern art’, and still do so today.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theory of Modern Art Institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is also easy to understand the reaction of governments that provide funding for cultural activities. If the daily news is any measure, they often dismiss such displays as antics, immoral, trivial, or simply not constituting art at all. Institutions of culture, such as museums, may have similar concerns. However, in our decade, they seem to wish to err on the side of accepting as art things that might not be art, rather than risking overlooking a work or an artist that hi story will show to have had merit. Klein himself seems to have been trying to detach the experience of art from anything that would engage the viewer, largely in an institutional setting, whether by eliminating multiple colors, focusing on blue to the exclusion of all others, by directing women to use other women’s bodies as paintbrushes, or by proposing buildings entirely without walls or furniture. However, as odd as all this can seem, he has been accepted by prominent institutions, such as the Hirschorn Museum. His proposals fit into a continuum of detachment from the real and the concrete that has been evident in the art and the writing on art in the 20th century. In his piece entitled â€Å"The Evolution of Art towards the Immaterial†, Klein describes how he arrived at the idea that even two colors were too many. He felt that the presence of two colors would involve the viewer in a visual exercise that he did not intend. After seeing that the viewers responded to a wall of paintings of different colors by trying somehow to form them into one coherent whole, even if he did not intend that to be the interpretation. This phenomenon reflects the institutional locale in which his work appeared. After all, if viewers were seeing one painting at a time in a private home or a corporate office, they could not make this visual collation and re-interpretation of his paintings.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In reaction to this experience, he says, â€Å"I precisely and categorically refuse to present on one surface even the interplay of two colors†[1] In this instance, the support of institutions of art actually worked against his purposes. When one looks at the footage from a subsequent decade, documenting his works using blue women, which are conveniently recorded in snippets on YouTube[2], it is very tempting to see this as a stunt. Howev er, in light of the readings, this approach to art fits neatly, if bizarrely, into a progression of thought and practice over the middle decades of the 20th Century. For example, consider Michel Foucault’s adroit questioning of the whole concept of authorship[3] in What is an Author? In the case of the blue women, there is a reasonable question as to whether the author is Klein, the woman manipulating the paint-covered woman, or perhaps even the paint-covered woman herself. The whole institutions of publishing, where the name associated with a work is crucial, as Foucault notes[4], and the emphasis on attribution in museums are all called into doubt by the use of such a technique. As another example of how Klein’s work fits into the mood of the time, consider Germano Celant’s encouragement of â€Å"an innocent art’[5] in his piece entitled Arte Povera. In the context of Celant’s insistence on utter simplicity, nothing could be simpler. What does t he ‘poor’ artist need except a bucket of paint, a surface, and a naked body? Klein’s technique neatly eliminates the need for the whole tradition of academic art training, and associated colleges, trusts, foundations, scholarships, internships, artists’ colonies, not to speak of the entire business sector of art supply stores. Finally, Klein’s approach to art fits with the egalitarian stance of Joseph Beuys’ essay; I am Searching for Field Character. When he states, â€Å"This most modern art discipline – Social Sculpture/Social Architecture – will only reach fruition when every living person becomes a creator, a sculptor, or architect of the social organism†[6], he could be describing the ultimate logical working out of Klein’s technique. The artist could be the brush if need be.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theory of Modern Art Institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is no need for training, no need for fancy diploma. The individual can simply strip, apply paint to self, and apply self to surface. The random nature of the result is clearly acceptable. Neither talent nor training is needed. Everyone can be his or her own artist. No need for art authenticators, or auction houses, or forensic art experts, and all the institutions associated with them! In light of these readings, the 1960’s work of Klein can be seen as a logical evolution away from art that one looks at and wonders about to, eventually, art that one lives, perhaps literally. The readings make clear that the mid-century period was a time in which the relationship of art to all sorts of institutions was being called into question. However, it has been increasingly a time when museums have been more liberal and open to new forms than ever before. Without their support, any artist would have difficulty in publicizing their work and ideas. This continues to be the case, even in the era of the internet. Thus, there seems to be a continuing tension, observable in the context of these readings and now as well, between a need for institutions and a wish to dispense with them entirely. Bibliography Beuys, Joseph. â€Å"I Am Searching for Field Character.† In Art in Theory: 1900-2000, by C. Harrison and P. Wood, 929-930. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. Celant, Germano. â€Å"Arte Povera.† In Art in Theory: 1900-2000, by C. Harrison and P. Wood, 897-900. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. Foucault, Michel. â€Å"What is an Author?† In Art in Theory: 1900-2000, by C. Harrison and P. Wood, 949-953. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Klein, Yves. â€Å"The Evolution of Art Towards the Immaterial.† In Art in Theory: 1900-2000, by C. Harrison and P. Wood, 818-820. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. —. â€Å"Yves Klein’s Anthropometries: Selection from Yves Klein: The Blue Revolution.† Hirschornmuseum. Franà §ois Là ©vy-Kuentz. 2007. Web. Footnotes Klein, Yves. â€Å"The Evolution of Art Towards the Immaterial†, in Harrison, C., and Wood, P.. Art in Theory: 1900-2000. (Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002). Page 818. (Klein, Yves Klein’s Anthropometries: Selection from Yves Klein: The Blue Revolution 2007). Foucault, Michel. â€Å"What is an Author?†, in Harrison, C. and Wood, P. Art in Theory: 1900-2000. (Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002). Page 950. (Foucault 2002, 949). Celant, Germano. â€Å"Art Povera†, in Harrison, C. and Wood, P. Art in Theory: 1900-2000. (Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002). Page 899. Beuys, Joseph. â€Å"I am Searching for Field Character†, in Harrison, C. and Wood, P. Art in Theory: 1900-2000. (Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002). Page 929. This essay on Theory of Modern Art Institutions was written and submitted by user Ellis Tyler to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Anton Chekhov - Biography and Profile

Anton Chekhov - Biography and Profile Born in 1860, Anton Chekhov grew up in the Russian town of Taganrog. He spent much of his childhood quietly sitting in his fathers fledgling grocery store. He watched the customers and listened to the their gossip, their hopes, and their complaints. Early on, he learned to observe the everyday lives of humans. His ability to listen would become one of his most valuable skills as a storyteller. Chekhovs YouthHis father, Paul Chekhov, grew up in an impoverished family. Antons grandfather was actually a serf in Czarist Russia, but through hard work and thriftiness, he purchased his familys freedom. Young Antons father became a self-employed grocer, but the business never prospered and eventually fell apart. Monetary woes dominated Chekhovs childhood. As a result, financial conflicts are prominent in his plays and fiction. Despite economic hardship, Chekhov was a talented student. In 1879, he left Taganrog to attend medical school in Moscow. At this time, he felt the pressure of being the head of the household. His father was no longer earning a living. Chekhov needed a way to make money without abandoning school. Writing stories provided a solution. He began writing humorous stories for local newspapers and journals. At first the stories paid very little. However, Chekhov was a quick and prolific humorist. By the time he was in his forth year of medical school, he had caught the attention of several editors. By 1883, his stories were earning him not only money but notoriety. Chekhovs Literary PurposeAs a writer, Chekhov did not subscribe to a particular religion or political affiliation. He wanted to satirize not preach. At the time, artists and scholars debated the purpose of literature. Some felt that literature should offer life instructions. Others felt that art should simply exist to please. For the most part, Chekhov agreed with the latter view. The artist must be, not the judge of his characters and of what they say, but merely a dispassionate observer. Anton Chekhov Chekhov the PlaywrightBecause of his fondness for dialogue, Chekhov felt drawn to the theatre. His early plays such as Ivanov and The Wood Demon artistically dissatisfied him. In 1895 he began working on a rather original theatrical project: The Seagull. It was a play that defied many of the traditional elements of common stage productions. It lacked plot and it focused on many interesting yet emotionally static characters. In 1896 The Seagull received a disastrous response on opening night. The audience actually booed during the first act. Fortunately, innovative directors Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danechenko believed in Chekhovs work. Their new approach to drama invigorated audiences. The Moscow Art Theatre restaged The Seagull and created a triumphant crowd-pleaser. Soon after, the Moscow Art Theatre, led by Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danechenko, produced the rest of Chekhovs masterpieces: Uncle Vanya (1899) The Three Sisters (1900) The Cherry Orchard (1904) Chekhovs Love LifeThe Russian storyteller played with themes of romance and marriage, but throughout most of his life he did not take love seriously. He had occasional affairs, but he did not fall in love until he met Olga Knipper, an up-and-coming Russian actress. They were very discreetly married in 1901. Olga not only starred in Chekhovs plays, she also deeply understood them. More than anyone in Chekhovs circle, she interpreted the subtle meanings within the plays. For example, Stanislavski thought The Cherry Orchard was a tragedy of Russian life. Olga instead knew that Chekhov intended it to be a gay comedy, one that almost touched upon farce. Olga and Chekhov were kindred spirits, though they did not spend much time together. Their letters indicate that they were very affectionate to one another. Sadly, their marriage would not last very long, due to Chekhovs failing health. Chekhovs Final DaysAt the age of 24, Chekhov began showing signs of tuberculosis. He tried to ignore this condition; however by his early 30s his health had deterorated beyond denial. When The Cherry Orchard opened in 1904, tuberculosis had ravaged his lungs. His body was visibly weakened. Most of his friends and family knew the end was near. Opening night of The Cherry Orchard became a tribute filled with speeches and heartfelt thanks. It was their was of saying goodbye to Russias greatest playwright. On July 14th, 1904, Chekhov stayed up late working on yet another short story. After going to bed, he suddenly awoke and summoned a doctor. The physician could do nothing for him but offer a glass of champagne. Reportedly, his final words were, Its a long time since I drank champagne. Then, after drinking the beverage, he died Chekhovs LegacyDuring and after his lifetime, Anton Chekhov was adored throughout Russia. Aside from his beloved stories and plays, he is also remembered as a humanitarian and a philanthropist. While living in the country, he often attended to the medical needs of the local peasants. Also, he was renowned for sponsoring local writers and medical students. His literary work has been embraced throughout the world. While many playwrights create intense, life-or-death scenarios, Chekhovs plays offer everyday conversations. Readers cherish his extraordinary insight into the lives of the ordinary. ReferencesMalcolm, Janet, Reading Chekhov, a Critical Journey, Granta Publications, 2004 edition.Miles, Patrick (ed), Chekhov on the British Stage, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization

The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization When 19th-century explorers and 20th-century archaeologists rediscovered the ancient Indus Valley civilization, the history of the Indian sub-continent had to be rewritten.* Many questions remain unanswered. The Indus Valley civilization is an ancient one, on the same order as Mesopotamia, Egypt, or China. All these areas relied on important rivers: Egypt relying on the annual flooding of the Nile, China on the Yellow River, the ancient Indus Valley civilization (aka Harappan, Indus-Sarasvati, or Sarasvati) on the Sarasvati and Indus rivers, and Mesopotamia outlined by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Like the people of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, the people of the Indus civilization were culturally rich and share a claim to the earliest writing. However, there is a problem with the Indus Valley that doesnt exist in such pronounced form elsewhere. Evidence is missing elsewhere, through the accidental depredations of time and catastrophes or deliberate suppression by human authorities, but to my knowledge, the Indus Valley is unique among major ancient civilizations in having a major river disappear. In place of the Sarasvati is the much smaller Ghaggar stream that ends in the Thar desert. The great Sarasvati once flowed into the Arabian Sea, until it dried up in about 1900 B.C. when the Yamuna changed course and instead flowed into the Ganges. This may correspond with the late period of the Indus Valley civilizations. Mohenjo-Daro - From Archaeology at About.com The mid-second millennium is when the Aryans (Indo-Iranians) may have invaded and possibly conquered the Harappans, according to a very controversial theory. Before then, the great Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization flourished in an area greater than one million square km. It covered parts of Punjab, Haryana, Sindh, Baluchistan, Gujarat and fringes of Uttar Pradesh. On the basis of artifacts of trade, it appears to have flourished at the same time as the Akkadian civilization in Mesopotamia. Indus Housing If you look at an Harappan housing plan, youll see straight lines (a sign of deliberate planning), orientation to the cardinal points, and a sewer system. It held the first great urban settlements on the Indian subcontinent, most notably at the citadel cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Indus Economy and Subsistence The people of the Indus Valley farmed, herded, hunted, gathered, and fished. They raised cotton and cattle (and to a lesser extent, water buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs), barley, wheat, chickpeas, mustard, sesame, and other plants. They had gold, copper, silver, chert, steatite, lapis lazuli, chalcedony, shells, and timber for trading. Writing The Indus Valley civilization was literate we know this from seals inscribed with a script that is now only in the process of being deciphered. [An aside: When it is finally deciphered, it should be a big deal, as was Sir Arthur Evans deciphering of Linear B. Linear A still needs deciphering, like the ancient Indus Valley script.] The first literature of the Indian subcontinent came after the Harappan period and is known as Vedic. It doesnt appear to mention the Harappan civilization. The Indus Valley civilization flourished in the third millennium B.C. and suddenly disappeared, after a millennium, in about 1500 B.C. possibly as a result of tectonic/volcanic activity leading to the formation of a city-swallowing lake. Next: Problems of the Aryan Theory in Explaining Indus Valley History *Possehl says that prior to the archaeological investigations starting in 1924, the earliest reliable date for the history of India was spring of 326 B.C. when Alexander the Great raided the northwestern border. References Imaging River Sarasvati: A Defence of Commonsense, by Irfan Habib. Social Scientist, Vol. 29, No. 1/2 (Jan. - Feb., 2001), pp. 46-74.Indus Civilization, by Gregory L. Possehl. The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Brian M. Fagan, ed., Oxford University Press 1996.Revolution in the Urban Revolution: The Emergence of Indus Urbanization, by Gregory L. Possehl. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 19, (1990), pp. 261-282.The Role of India in the Diffusion of Early Cultures, by William Kirk. The Geographical Journal, Vol. 141, No. 1 (Mar., 1975), pp. 19-34.Social Stratification in Ancient India: Some Reflections, by Vivekanand Jha. Social Scientist, Vol. 19, No. 3/4 (Mar. - Apr., 1991), pp. 19-40. A 1998 article, by Padma Manian, on world history textbooks gives an idea of what we may have learned about the Indus Civilization in traditional courses, and debated areas: Harappans and Aryans: Old and New Perspectives of Ancient Indian History, by Padma Manian. The History Teacher, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Nov., 1998), pp. 17-32. Major CitiesAll the textbooks Manian examines mention the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, their urban features of ordered streets, sewers, citadels, granaries and the bath at Mohenjo-Daro, artifacts, including seals in a yet undeciphered language. Some authors mention the area of civilization was more than a million square kilometers. One author mentions another excavated city, Kalinagan, and most of the books mention the surrounding villages.DatesMost date the Indus Valley civilization from 2500-1500 B.C., although there is an alternative, 3000-2000. The year 1500 is listed as the year of the Aryan (or Indo-Iranian) invasion.Decline of the Indus CivilizationSome attribute the fall of the Indus civilization to the Aryans, destroyers and enslavers of the Indus people. Others say environmental changes caused the fall. Some say both.Identification of the AryansThe books call the Aryans pastoral nomads. Their origins include grasslands of Eastern Europe/Western Asia, the Caspian Sea, Anatolia, and south-central Asia. The books also claim they came with cattle and some say they already had iron weapons, while others say they developed them in India. One claims they crossed the Himalayas in horse-drawn chariots. Victory Over the Indigenous PeopleAll the textbooks assume the Aryans were victorious and regard the Vedas as written by these invaders.CasteThere are various interpretations of the caste system. In one, when the Aryans arrived on the scene there were already 3 castes in India. In another interpretation, the Aryans brought and imposed their own tripartite system. The dark-skinned people are generally considered the conquered people and the lighter skinned ones, the Aryans. Problems With the Aryan Theory in the Typical Presentations ChronologyThe idea that Harappan civilization fell as a result of the arrival of the Aryans. Harappa had lost its urban character by 2000 B.C., 500 years before the Aryan arrival. Traces of Harappa ElsewhereIndicators of refugees, including lustrous Red Ware, until about 1000 B.C. Refugees fled north-eastward; some residents east to the Gulf of Cambay. Lack of Aryan TracesPainted Grey Ware pottery formerly attributed to the Aryans has not been found along their possible courses, but appears to be an outgrowth of earlier Indian styles. LinguisticHistorical linguistic reasoning about the origin of the Aryans is faulty. (This is a complicated topic summarized by Kris Hirst.) Nomad Status QuestionableArchaeologist Colin Renfrew denies that there is any evidence in the Rig Veda that Aryans were invaders or nomads. Sarasvati ChronologySince the Rig Vedas refer to the Sarasvati as a large river, they must have been written before 1900 B.C., so the people mentioned in it must have already be en there.

Impact of Language Barriers on Refugees Education Research Paper

Impact of Language Barriers on Refugees Education - Research Paper Example The paper stresses the issue of language barriers among refugee students is inadequately addressed by current academic programs in the United States. When refugee students enroll in schools, they are separately taken through intensive language acquisition programs before being merged with the mainstream student population. At the end of the intensive programs, which last for approximately six months, instructors presume that the refugee students are sufficiently proficient in the instruction language. However, these students do not acquire substantial skills within the 6-months programs that will enable them to compete objectively with other proficient students. In this case, I agree with the purpose of intensive programs in facilitating language literacy among refugee students. In conclusion, it remains evident that language barriers, specifically the issues of second language instruction and limited confidence in social language, are undermining the education of refugee students in US schools. Language barriers, which could be pre-immigration or post-immigration in nature, compromise on the eventual outcomes of refugee students’ academic journeys. Despite the presence of adaptive instructional programs to enhance the proficiency of language among refugees in US schools, more still needs to be done to neutralize obstacles presented by pre-immigration and post-immigration language barriers. Undeniably, research of such topics is important in improving the education lives of refugees living in non-native cultures across the world.

Interview with a group of adolescents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interview with a group of adolescents - Essay Example They said they were glad they were young and didnt need to worry with things like that. They also agreed that being young was great because they didnt need to work a full time job. Some of them had casual jobs they did for their own spending money, but they realized that they didnt need to go to work every day like their parents. This line of discussion lead naturally into what they didnt like about being a teenager. They expressed frustration about the lack of freedom they had. They were forced to go to school, eat the food prepared for them at home and wear the clothes their parents bought for them. They didnt like the fact that they were required to go to school, but most of them agreed that school was more fun than it was work so they didnt mind being there. All of them agreed that not being able to drive a car yet was a pain. They all looked forward to getting their drivers licenses and seemed to think that being able to drive would solve most of their problems. Life would be so much better after age sixteen. I can commiserate with these kids as I remember being a teenager. There was a conflict that seemed to intensify each year until age sixteen. On the one hand I felt I deserved more freedom, but on the other hand, there was no real way for my parents to grant that freedom until I could drive a car. I remember feeling exactly like these kids. A car would change everything! I received lots of different answers about what was the best thing in life right now for these kids. Interesting enough, most of the answers for both best and worst aspect of life dealt with some sort of interpersonal contact within the family of the peer group. Some of the kids said the best thing in their life right now was their girlfriend or boyfriend. Three said that the worst thing was that they had just broken up with their boyfriend or girlfriend. One girl

Halifax & Bank of Scotland Essay Example for Free

Halifax Bank of Scotland Essay The UK has one of the most diverse and dynamic banking sectors in the world. Banking is now a highly competitive industry. Financial consumers are now more sophisticated as they are now more aware of available banking options. The assets of the UK banking system were i 3,441bn (August 2001), which were dominated by a dozen or so retail banks, with national networks, mostly serving domestic, personal and corporate customers. Currently, the big four banks HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB and Barclays, dominate retail and business banking, jointly accounting for 68% of all UK current accounts. Both Halifax, founded in 1853, and 306-year-old Bank of Scotland are seen as business icons in their regions. Halifax is based in England, while the Bank of Scotland has very few branches south of the border. A merger between these firms would increase the geographic scope for potential customers. Halifax started as a building society and is now more widely known as a big mortgage lender. In the wider community, the Halifax Bank has a very active community-banking sector catering for charity and non-profit organizations including housing associations, credit unions and community development operations. In comparison, the Bank of Scotlands strength lies in the corporate market. It would seem very likely that both firms would like to achieve higher profitability and growth opportunity through cross-selling products to each others customers. For example, the products developed by Halifax could be marketed effectively to Bank of Scotlands customers and vice versa. Because both banks operate complementary activities, it is possible the combining of both firms will result in synergies, which may also result in increased efficiency. There may also be opportunities to achieve savings through cutting some unnecessary costs. For example, the amount of staff needed for the combined firm is likely to be reduced. By merging together, the size of the combined firm will certainly increase, thus leveraging the combined spend to negotiate better deals. The market position of the combined firm will be strengthened. Its market share within the industry will increase, maybe even enough to compete with the big-four banks, thus increasing the competition within the banking industry. In reality, there are wide ranges of techniques that can help analyse a firms performance some firms may base their performance on sales, whereas others through the quality of products. Economists usually analyse a firms performance based on the amount of profit it is making. For a thorough analysis, this paper will be looking at the firms: market value, profitability, stability, value for shareholders, efficiency, and capital adequacy. It must be noted that firms within the banking sector are subject to many economic uncertainties, which can influence how well a firm is doing from year to year. In this case, these uncertainties include: interest rates, employment rates, as well as the condition of the equity markets. For example, the base rate in January 2000 was 5.75%, however, at January 2002, the base rate was at 4. 00%5. To analyse the performance of the banks before and after the merger, the firms financial accounts will be examined and ratios will also be calculated. 6 The main performance indicators that will be analysed include: Profit before tax; Total assets; Dividends and Earnings per share. In addition, the return on equity, cost:income ratio and the firms capital strength will be examined. These ratios will give a clear assessment of the firms performance compared with that of other firms. Before the merger, in 2000, Halifax and Bank of Scotland had market values of $22,105million and $11,762million respectively. Post-merger, in 2002, HBOS then had a market value in excess of $31billion7. This immediately signifies the success of the merger, as the combined company is worth now worth a lot more in the market. Figure 1 Profit before tax From an economic point of view, it is important that a firm makes a profit otherwise there would be no point of the existence of the firm. The Profit Loss account of a firm shows the results of trading over the previous 12 months. It shows the net effect of income less expenses. The reason that profit before tax is analysed rather than profit after tax is due to the fact that interest rates and inflation changes could affect the amount of tax that is paid each year. In 2000, Halifax made i 1,715million profit (before tax), compared with Bank of Scotland, which made i 911million. It would be expected that when both companies have merged together, the pre-tax profit should increase. Figure 1 shows that in 2002, HBOS made a pre-tax profit of i 2,909million, which is more than the separate firms pre-tax profit added together. This shows that HBOS are actually performing better than the previously separate firms.

Massive Anti-Islam Sentiment in the United States Essay -- Islamophobi

Islam is a monotheistic religion, centered around the teachings of the Qu’ran and serving Allah (meaning God in Arabic). However, this Abrahamic religion has been harshly discriminated against in the United States for years. Most prominently throughout the last twelve years, post September 11th, 2001. Unfortunately, issues such as socialization through the media, power distribution, religious ignorance, stereotyping and visible differences have contributed to the ill attitudes towards Muslims. This paper will examine how Americans have been socialized in islamophobia within the United States. Islamophobia is defined as the "unfounded hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims." The first time islamophobia was introduced as a concept was in November 1997 by the Runnymede Trust Report. The report was the first time islamophobia was discussed, based on British Muslim populations, to better conditions for Muslims. In response to the report, â€Å"the [British] Government approved the first state funding for specifically Muslim schools in late 1997, and there has been some improvement in media portrayals of Islam.† (â€Å"Commission on British Muslims†) Islamophobia is indeed similar to xenophobia, the fear of foreignness and unfamiliarity, but is specific to the religion of Islam. Islamophobia has lead to discrimination, prejudices, assault, and hate crimes. It is interesting to analyze the changes of islamophobia. When perhaps originally, islamophobia was a concept only describing the fear of Islam. Now, it has become racialized into the fear of Arabs as well, rather than a religious fear. The phobia continues to spread from the irrational fear of Islam to perhaps a fear of anyone who may be percei... ...Caller. N.p., 05 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Prothero, Stephen. "Worshipping in Ignorance." The Chronicle Review. The Chronicle for Higher Education, 16 Mar. 2009. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Ratnesar, Romesh. "Ground Zero: Exaggerating the Jihadist Threat." TIME.com. N.p., 18 Aug. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Rose, Steve. "Since 9/11, Racism and Islamophobia Remain Intertwined | Steve Rose." The Huffington Post UK. N.p., 09 Nov. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. Schevitz, Tanya. "FBI Sees Leap in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes / 9/11 Attacks Blamed for Bias -- Blacks Still Most Frequent Victims." SFGate. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. Massive Anti-Islam Sentiment in the United States Essay -- Islamophobi Islam is a monotheistic religion, centered around the teachings of the Qu’ran and serving Allah (meaning God in Arabic). However, this Abrahamic religion has been harshly discriminated against in the United States for years. Most prominently throughout the last twelve years, post September 11th, 2001. Unfortunately, issues such as socialization through the media, power distribution, religious ignorance, stereotyping and visible differences have contributed to the ill attitudes towards Muslims. This paper will examine how Americans have been socialized in islamophobia within the United States. Islamophobia is defined as the "unfounded hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims." The first time islamophobia was introduced as a concept was in November 1997 by the Runnymede Trust Report. The report was the first time islamophobia was discussed, based on British Muslim populations, to better conditions for Muslims. In response to the report, â€Å"the [British] Government approved the first state funding for specifically Muslim schools in late 1997, and there has been some improvement in media portrayals of Islam.† (â€Å"Commission on British Muslims†) Islamophobia is indeed similar to xenophobia, the fear of foreignness and unfamiliarity, but is specific to the religion of Islam. Islamophobia has lead to discrimination, prejudices, assault, and hate crimes. It is interesting to analyze the changes of islamophobia. When perhaps originally, islamophobia was a concept only describing the fear of Islam. Now, it has become racialized into the fear of Arabs as well, rather than a religious fear. The phobia continues to spread from the irrational fear of Islam to perhaps a fear of anyone who may be percei... ...Caller. N.p., 05 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Prothero, Stephen. "Worshipping in Ignorance." The Chronicle Review. The Chronicle for Higher Education, 16 Mar. 2009. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Ratnesar, Romesh. "Ground Zero: Exaggerating the Jihadist Threat." TIME.com. N.p., 18 Aug. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Rose, Steve. "Since 9/11, Racism and Islamophobia Remain Intertwined | Steve Rose." The Huffington Post UK. N.p., 09 Nov. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. Schevitz, Tanya. "FBI Sees Leap in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes / 9/11 Attacks Blamed for Bias -- Blacks Still Most Frequent Victims." SFGate. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014.

Billy Collins: analysis of his poems Essay

Arguably the most popular poet in America, Billy Collins provides readers with two types of poetry that is nothing like typical poetry. One of his unique styles is writing as if the poem could be read like a novel. The other type brings humor and whimsy to his work, yet he hints at a seriousness that lies beneath the surface. Both styles of poetry are easy to read, but take a second look to realize what the Collins is intending the reader to understand. Billy Collins is an exceptionally talented poet whose writing at first can be taken to be a simple comedy but when read more carefully, it can be interpreted as a far more complex script. First readings of the poems I Chop Some Parsley While Listening To Art Blakey’s Version Of Three Blind Mice, Victorias Secret, and Shoveling Snow with Buddha might convince the reader that Collins is offering poems that are clever yet easy to read and understand. A quick reading of Collins poems shows a similarity of his witty style, although the subject matter of each is different.First glance readings of these poems might lead readers to the following interpretations. A man wasting his time flipping through the pages of a Victorias Secret magazine. A man shoveling snow from a driveway with Buddha. Lastly, a man daydreaming about the childrens rhyme Three Blind Mice. However, if these poems are read more carefully they reveal a hidden richness in their meanings. In the first reading of the poem Victorias Secret, the narrator is flipping through the pages of a lingerie magazine. He describes the outfits of the eight models in great detail. For example, wearing a deeply scalloped / flame-stitched halter top / with padded push-up styling / and easy side-zip tap pants. Also, the narrator evaluates the mood of each model by the expression on her face. For instance, looks at me over her bare shoulder, / cannot hide the shadow of annoyance in her brow. None of the models in the photographs seem to like narrator looking at them. Yet, even still the narrator continues to look at the next model until he realizes that he has wasted too much time already. He s till has so much to do and it sounds as if there is a commotion going on in his house. The dog is barking, the phone is ringing, and the rain is beating on the roof. In a second and deeper reading of Victorias Secret Collins describes each of the models in an absurd pose. This is from the hard work the modeling agencies put the girls through. Collins is making a mockery of the girls and in greater sense, the modeling agencies. For example, her mouth is the  shape of petulance. a confused mixture of pain and surprise / as if she had stepped on a tack arching one eyebrow slightly and best of all stretched out catlike Since, Collins is a college professor in New York City, all of these big modeling agencies advertisements are all over the streets, that is why he is making such a mockery of them. All of these models are in awkward poses that they obviously are not comfortable in but, still agree to do them just to be in the photo. Another thought Collins is trying to get across to the reader is the amount of time the narrator had spent looking at pictures. The narrator r epresents every average everyday guy who since childhood has spent a lot of time looking at pictures. This child had grown up to be a man and still imprinted in his memory, a good time is looking at pictures; of course, now of societies definition of beautiful women. The last thought Collins throws into this poem is the idea that life is too short to waste. Life is rushing by like a mad, swollen river. He puts the image of roses blossoming in the garden and the next minute it is snowing. In the first reading of Shoveling Snow with Buddha the narrator is shoveling a driveway with Buddha. This is something that is very unlike Buddhas usual environment and unlike his usual action. Once the narrator gets past that point, it becomes a story of two guys shoveling a driveway. They work and work We toss the light power into the clean air. Then the narrator realizes that what they are doing is more than just shoveling snow; they are practicing a religion. This is so much better than a sermon in church, Thought the poem Buddha is mostly silent until the snow is piled high all around them, he t hen asks if they could go inside and play cards after they finish. This strikes the narrator excitement and he tells Buddha that not only will they play cards but, will also drink some hot chocolate. Buddha is satisfied with the narrators reply and returns to his work.In a second and deeper reading of Shoveling Snow with Buddha Collins portrays Buddha as a well respected person. The first point Collins is trying to get reader to understand is that respected men are humble. Respected men do work without complaining and they do not stop until the goal is reached. smile so wide it wraps itself around the waist of the universe, Buddha keeps on shoveling. purpose of existence, but he is too busy to hear me. All morning long we work. This is why Buddha is shoveling snow, from a driveway that is not even his. The setting of this  poem also relates to Collins childhood, where he grew up in New York and after the snow, shoveling the driveway is not an easy task for one man to do. When the narrator says This is the true religion, the religion of snow, / and sunlight and winter geese barking in the sky, / I say, This is where Collins inputs religion into the poem. The goal of Buddhism is enlightenment; in the poem the narrator truly feels enlightened by shoveling snow. That is why he appreciates things such as the sunlight and the geese barking in the sky. The final point Collins puts in this poem is when Buddha asks can we go inside and play cards? Since Buddha is interpreted as a normal human in this poem, every human needs a source of motivation no matter how much he wants to help. Playing cards is Buddhas source of motivation in this poem.In the first reading of I Chop Some Parsley While Listening to Art Blakey’s Version of Three Blind Mice the narrator is chopping vegetables while listening to some music. When the song Three Blind Mice comes on he goes into a daydream about how the mice went blind, how they could have found each other, and why they would run after a farmers wife. The narrator then slips into thoughts of the mice without eyes and tails venturing through moist grass and on the floor along the baseboards. The narrator then becomes saddened by his thoughts and blames his wet eyes on the dicing of an onion.In a second and deeper reading of I Chop Some Parsley While Listening to Art Blakey’s Version of Three Blind Mice Collins uses the narrator as a guilty cynic. is the cynics answer. cynic who always lounges within me. A cynic is one who believes in selfishness as the motivation of human actions and disbelieves in selflessness. Collins compares the cynic of the childrens rhyme to the cynic inside the narrator. Although, the narrator in this poem does feel remorse for the mice; this is the point Collins is trying to get the reader to understand. There is always a way for a person to go from cynical to respectful. Yet, in this poem the narrator tries to elude the reader by making reference to the fumes from the onion for causing his wet eyes. It is only ironic that the next song that comes to play is Freddie Hubbards mournful trumpet on Blue Moon. The music in this poem demonstrate s Collins love for jazz, even though it is a mournful trumpet playing he uses his own hobbies to illustrate a feeling for the reader. Collins is known for using detailed writing to bold the element of imagery in his poetry. In Victorias Secret Collins goes into great  detail to what the models are wearing. wearing a deeply scalloped / flame-stitched halter top / with padded push-up styling / and easy side-zip tap pants. whisperweight camisole with / keyhole closure and a point desprit mesh back. wearing nothing / but this stretch panne velvet bodysuit / with a low sweetheart neckline / featuring molded cups and adjustable straps. All of these images are easily put into the readers mind and allow the reader to actually see the models outfits without viewing the picture in the poem. Collins even displays the images of the models expression in the poem. a confused mixture of pain and surprise / as if she had stepped on a tack, she is putting about something, / all lower lip and cheekbone. Lastly, when Collins describes how quickly life can pass by he uses phrases like One minute roses are opening in the garden. And describes the night as black and silky. Imagery in Shoveling Snow with Buddha is evident as well. over the mountain / of his bare, round shoulder. cold mist on our faces. glittering white snow. winter geese barking in the sky, and drive off with a broken heater fan and a song on the radio. All of these phrases make the reader feel as if they are in the middle of winter along with Buddha and the narrator. The reader feels the cold mist, hears the geese barking and the song on the radio and, sees the half naked Buddha tossing the glittering white snow over his shoulder. Collins also adds a sense of home with our boots stand dripping by the door. That phrase familiarizes readers with their own memories of coming back to a warm cozy home from the harsh cold of the winter. The imagery in I Chop Some Parsley While Listening to Art Blakey’s Version of Three Blind Mice is not as apparent as the other poems but, is still spot able. When Collins refers to the tiny darkness, of the blind mice the reader can sense the tiny dark tunnel the mice live in. Also the reader feels the narrators wet stinging eyes, along with the sound of the mournful trumpet. The reader can as well smell the chopping of the vegetables, such as the parsley and most of all the fumes from the diced onion. In the poems I Chop Some Parsley While Listening To Art Blakey’s Version Of Three Blind Mice, Victorias Secret, and Shoveling Snow with Buddha the  imagery element is astonishing. A reader of these poems not only sees the images in their head, but can also smell, hear, and feel what the characters in the poem can. Collins is so talented that he creates a duplicate world for the reader with his poetic language. He uses this imagery to involve the reader in his poem. Collins likes to call this kind of poetry travel poetry a mental travel from the beginning of the poem to the ending. To be interested in the entire poem, not just one line that sounds good. Billy Collins says in an interview with John Bush When you convey the tone, youre really conveying the spirit of the poem. Mark Conway describes Collins tone The pokerfaced tone of Collins poems never lets readers be sure if the tone in his poetry is respectful or mocking. (287). On the other hand, many would argue with Conway. Just like most of Collins other poems, a deeper reading can help find the true meaning of the poem. With that meaning the tone is simple to see. In Victorias Secret Collins puts each model in an awkward pose. her mouth is the shape of petulance. a confused mixture of pain and surprise / as if she had stepped on a tack arching one eyebrow slightly and best of all stretched out catlike All of these models look ridiculous. The tone in this poem is mockery; Collins portrays this by using imagery as well. He paints a picture of the model in the readers head in an absurd poise with a somewhat constipated look on their face. Also, Collins makes the reader feel as if all the models are stuck up and dont want to be looked at. Do you have a problem withthat?! Why do I care, her eyes say, were all going to hell anyway. He shows that the models are stuck up by literally attacking one model by using these phrases in his stanza, she is pouting about something, Perhaps her ice cream has tumbled / out of its cone Perhaps she has been waiting all day / for a new sofa to be delivered, The tone of this poem is very comical and by the end of it the reader sees the models as immature juveniles. In the poem Shoveling Snow with Buddha the tone is much more respectful. Collins shows his respect for men like Buddha through his literal language. Even the season is wrong for him. This is not implied by his serene expression, Buddha is symbolized as a selfless man who is shoveling a driveway that not even his. Buddha will not stop the job until the goal is  reached, Collins is very admiral of this type of behavior. He has thrown himself into shoveling snow / as if it were the purpose of his existence, and he inside his generous pocket of silence, It is evident in the poem that Collins respects Buddha but, with the use of his language he makes the reader respect Buddha. Since Buddha is personified by all the natural good people in the world, the reader appreciates these kind of people much more by the end of the poem. In the poem I Chop Some Parsley While Listening To Art Blakey’s Version Of Three Blind Mice, the tone is not evident until Collins uses the term cynic. After this word the poem goes from a comical tone to a mournful tone. but the thought of them without eyes / and now without tails to trail through the moist grass, has the cynic who always lounges within me / up off his couch and at the window / trying to hide the rising softness that he feels. From the daydream that Collins put the narrator in, the narrator becomes very sad and mournful for these three blind mice whose tails have been cut off. wet stinging / in my own eyes, is what the narrator has by the end of the poem. Collins use of language in this poem makes the reader feel the same way as the narrator by the end of the poem. In an interview with Dave Weich, Collins describes his initial tone Usually I try to create a hospitable tone at the beginning of a poem. This makes the poem easy to get into and understand. Then Collins adds a twist and puts in a more complex tone that usually makes the reader feel the same way the narrator in the story feels. The tone in Victorias Secret is very comical and by the end of it the reader sees the models as immature juveniles. The tone in Shoveling Snow with Buddha is respectful and makes the reader respect all selfless people like Buddha. And lastly the tone in I Chop Some Parsley While Listening To Art Blakey’s Version Of Three Blind Mice, is sad and mournful and makes readers have wet stinging eyes just as the narrator at the end of the poem. Collins is very talented at bringing the feeling of his poetry into the readers selves. Billy Collins is an exceptionally talented poet whose writing at first can be taken to be a simple comedy but when read more carefully, it can be  interpreted as a far more complex script. His use of imagery and tone give the readers an interactive movie in their heads when they read his literature. As a college professor, Collins is very talented at making all readers of his poetry understand the meaning and feeling in his poems. Philip Jason describes Collins poetry as suggests why he so often uses humor to lead the reader into a place, often a serious and surprising place, of the poems conclusion. However, Collins poetry cannot be skimmed if the reader wants the true meaning and feeling to be apparent to them. A second and deeper reading is needed to truly feel the poem. Collins poetry is humble and vibrant with language, imagery and, tone and serves as a sample for all American poets. Works Cited Bush, John. A Conversation with Billy Collins. http://www.windriverpress.com/critique/collins_b.html. Critique Magazine. Collins, Billy. Picnic, Lightning. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1998. Conway, Mark. Billy Collins. The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature. Vol. 1. 2006. Jason, Philip. Critical Survey of Poetry. Vol. 2. California: Salem Press,Inc., 2003. 8 vols. Lee, Michelle. Poetry Criticism. Vol. 68. New York: Thomas Gale, 2006. 83 vols. Saunder, Alletha. Interview with Billy Collins. Summer 2006. http://www.uidaho.edu/fugue/billy_collins.htm. Fugue, University of Idaho. Varnes, Kathrine. An exaltation of forms: contemporary. Michigan: University ofMichigan Press, 2002. Weich, Dave. Billy Collins, Bringing Poetry to the Public. January 14, 2004. http://www.powells.com/authors/collins.html. Powells.com.

Explore the presentation of revenge in ‘Hamlet’ Essay

Revenge is a key theme in Hamlet. It is not only essential to understanding Hamlet’s character, it forms the structure for the whole play, supporting and overlapping other important themes that arise. Though it is Hamlets revenge that forms the basis for the story, tied into this is the vengeance of Laertes and Fortinbras, whose situations in many ways mirror Hamlets’ own. By juxtaposing these avengers, Shakespeare draws attention to their different approaches to the problem of revenge and how they resolve these. see more:theme of revenge in hamlet The idea of revenge is first introduced by the appearance of the ghost in act 1 Scene 5, and linked to this is the theme of hell and the afterlife. At the end of this scene, Hamlet is irreversibly bound to revenge for the duration of the play, ‘speak, I am bound to hear’ ‘So art thou to revenge’. The ghost appears with the sole aim of using his son to obtain revenge on his brother, and so every word he speaks is designed to enrage Hamlet and stir in him a desire for vengeance. He uses very emotive language to exaggerate the enormity of the crime, and he concentrates Hamlet’s attention on the treachery of Claudius. His description of the murder itself demonises Claudius and contains many references to original sin, ‘the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown. ‘ Hamlet, who has been brought up with absolute notions of good and evil, is susceptible to these religious references, ‘o all you host of heaven! O earth! And shall I couple hell? ‘ It is ironic that the ghost refers to his own torment, trapped in purgatory, in order to demonstrate to Hamlet the injustice of the situation, yet this serves only to warn Hamlet of the possible consequences of revenge. Instead of enraging him, Hamlet is now wary of acting rashly or without proof as it could place him in a similar situation to his father. The other revengers in the play do not have this wariness, they act immediately without considering the spiritual consequences and it is unclear whether Hamlet would have had a similar attitude had he not been inadvertently alerted to this danger by old Hamlet’s ghost. Though Hamlet’s immediate reaction to news of his father’s murder is one of anger and a desire for action, by the end of the scene his desire for revenge is already blunted, for a number of reasons. Unlike Laertes and Fortinbras, Hamlet receives the information of his father’s murder from a secret and unreliable source, which means that not only is he unsure of the truth, he is forced to act out his revenge in secret. Throughout the play, Hamlet frustrates the audience with his lack of action, especially as all around him his contemporaries are visibly taking their own revenge. Fortinbras is in a similar situation to Hamlet, as his father had been murdered by old Hamlet and his land taken. The land itself is worthless and Fortinbras stands to lose more than he can gain; yet like Hamlet it is a matter of honour. Both are exacting revenge for something that nobody else cares for or remembers; a dead king for whom nobody grieves and a patch of worthless land. Part of Hamlet’s dilemma is the moral question of whether his desire for revenge is worth disrupting and endangering the lives of all those around him, ‘whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them’ However, unlike Hamlet Fortinbras does not pause to contemplate the idea of revenge; he acts on it, ‘sharked up a list of lawless resolutes’ and marched on Denmark. The difference in their characters is obvious; Fortinbras’ character matches his name, ‘strong in arm’. He is a man of action, not of words, he has a strong presence and a commanding attitude which demands obedience, ‘Go captain, from me greet the Danish king’ ‘I will do’t my lord’. Fortinbras’ situation is infinitely less complex than Hamlet’s own; the boundaries between good and evil, personal and public, right and wrong, are for him, clearly defined. He is able to act openly, uninfluenced by friends and family. Hamlet on the other hand is surrounded by people who have obligations to both himself and the king, and is therefore unsure of whom to trust. Hamlets dilemma is founded on this; that any action he takes carries with it risks and possible consequences which could destroy the foundation of his very existence, so he hesitates and does nothing, all the while hating himself for his inaction, ‘makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of’. The problem for Hamlet is that the murder is too close to home, so he is unable to define the boundaries between personal and public. He cannot publicly confront Claudius without proof because he risks losing his claim to the thrown, alienating his friends and family and being exiled from Denmark, as it would be seen as an attempt by the prince to regain the throne, rather than a son avenging his fathers murder. On top of this Hamlet hopes to avoid jeopardising his relationship with his mother, but at the same time he wants revenge on her for her betrayal. In order to fully understand Hamlet’s psyche and therefore the reasoning behind his actions, it is important to understand how religion affected all aspects of life in Elizabethan times. It was believed that a person who was able to confess his sins before death would be absolved and therefore go to heaven, but if a person were unable to do this their soul would be condemned to purgatory until they were able to confess and repent. Old Hamlet’s soul is in purgatory and Hamlet wants Claudius to suffer the same fate, ‘a villain kills my father and for that, I his sole son do this same villain send to heaven. Why, this is hire and salary not revenge. ‘ For this reason Hamlet has to wait for the opportune moment to kill Claudius, ‘when he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, at game, a-swearing or about some act that has no relish of salvation in it’. However, the other problem which religion creates is that of Hamlets own afterlife. If murder for revenge is wrong then by killing Claudius, Hamlet condemns his own soul along with that of Claudius’. On the other hand, Hamlet is honour bound to exact revenge for his father’s murder, and the consequences of not doing so could be even more drastic. Even suicide offers no solution, as ‘the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others we know not of’. Hamlets indecisiveness is not just a result of his uncertainty about the consequences his actions will have. He is in emotional turmoil at this point in the play, and is feeling betrayed and rejected by those whom he had relied on so far in his life. His anger and frustration at his mother’s behaviour is amplified by her lack of grief, and his desire for revenge at the start of the play is mainly fuelled by his own grief and a sense of injustice. His anger towards Claudius diminishes, as he is distracted form revenge by more immediate concerns, such as his relationships with Ophelia and with his mother. Part of Hamlets feelings of isolation stem from what he sees as betrayal by his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and his lover Ophelia. Hamlets critical relationship with Claudius forces all three to take sides, and decide to whom they owe the strongest allegiance. Ophelia’s father Polonious, Claudius’ right hand man, instructs her to shun Hamlet and, as his dependant she is forced to obey him. Women were viewed as property during Shakespearian times, and without a male protector her future prospects were slim. Also, the emphasis placed on family duty and loyalty was far greater, so to disobey her father would be tantamount to treason. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were given a direct order from their king, so to disobey would actually have been treason. Added to this was their ignorance of Hamlets situation due to both Hamlet and Claudius’ deceit, which meant that they were unsympathetic with Hamlets mental instability and obsession with old Hamlets death. Hamlet refuses to recognise the impossible situation his friends were placed in, and resents them for abandoning him when he needs them most, even though it is his feud with Claudius that has forced them to into it. Feeling betrayed, he has no compunctions in using them to further his own gains. All three are, ultimately, fatalities of Hamlets vendetta against Claudius, as Hamlet brings about the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and drives Ophelia to madness and suicide. Ophelia especially is very much a victim, as in obeying her father she loses Hamlet, and when Hamlet kills Polonious she loses him as well. With Laertes away, she has no-one left to protect her and is very much alone. In many ways, Hamlet himself is a victim of revenge, as he used as a tool by his father, to instigate revenge against old Hamlets killer. By placing this obligation on Hamlet, on top of all his emotional instability, Old Hamlet effectively pushes his son over the edge and renders him incapable of decisiveness. It is unsurprising that Hamlet is unable to take revenge or in fact make any significant decisions, as he is under considerable emotional and mental strain. Laertes is in a similar situation, as Hamlet his friend has murdered his father and driven his sister to madness. His vulnerable state of mind makes it easy for Claudius to use him as a tool against Hamlet, so the two friends become instruments in the power struggle between the two brothers, a struggle which crosses the divide between life and death. Laertes’ situation resembles Hamlet in other ways. They are joined by their love for Ophelia, Hamlet as a lover and Laertes as a brother. When Laertes returns to find his father murdered, he faces the same dilemma that Hamlet originally had in that, as far as he knew, the king of Denmark had murdered his father. Unlike Hamlet who promptly chose to employ deceit in order to combat Claudius’s deceit, when Laertes discovers this he immediately confronts Claudius. By doing this he achieves his revenge far sooner than Hamlet, but consequently becomes a tool for Claudius against Hamlet. These two revengers differ in their approach to revenge, but ultimately they come to the same end. They both fall victim to the corruption that surrounds the court of Denmark, with Claudius at the centre. Claudius’ use of deceit throughout the play hides the truth under a veil of dishonesty. Claudius uses other people as tools to achieve his aims, so if they fail he escapes the brunt. He uses Polonious, he uses the king of Norway against Fortinbras, and finally he uses Laertes against Hamlet himself. His corrupting influence means that nobody in Denmarck knows the truth, and Hamlets only attempt to break this veil of deceit causes the death of Polonious instead of Claudius. In act 3 scene 3, Shakespeare uses the curtain concealing Polonious as a metaphor for the corruption surrounding Denmark, making it impossible for Hamlet to take revenge as he is unaware of the truth. Though Hamlet tries to cut through the curtain, he fails and ends up killing the wrong man. This shows him that it is no good trying to confront the problem, he must remove the cloak of deceit and reveal Claudius for what he truly is before he can take his revenge. Though Hamlet tries to get around this problem by being deceitful himself, and Laertes tries to confront the problem face on, both end up being used as weapons in a fight that kills them both. The ending of the play is very satisfying despite, or perhaps because of, the deaths of nearly all the characters. For a neat ending, it was necessary that all the characters achieve their revenge, and as there were so many intertwining strands of revenge, it was inevitable that a large proportion of characters would be killed. The play ends with a new beginning, as the corruption at the heart of Denmark dies with Claudius and Hamlet. Hamlet succeeded in taking revenge on Claudius and revealing the truth about his character, and Laertes succeeded in killing Hamlet but died in the process. All this clears the way for Fortinbras, who we see is far more suited to leadership than the indecisive Hamlet. Fortinbras was more successful in his revenge than Hamlet and Laertes for a number of reasons. He is not held back by the dilemma that freezes Hamlet; of having to choose between betraying his fathers trust or losing the throne and alienating everyone he loves. Hamlet is held back by his proximity to Claudius and the situation, whereas Fortinbras is free to act uninfluenced by the people around him. Another factor in Fortinbras’ favour is that, unlike both Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras made the decision to take revenge alone, so it was entirely his responsibility. Revenge has to be nurtured in Hamlet and Laertes, and both are used as tools in the ongoing feud between the two brothers. Fortinbras is a man of action, and doesn’t waste time pondering the philosophy behind the revenge mentality, as Hamlet does. And unlike Laertes, he plans and organises his revenge, he doesn’t rush straight into confrontation unprepared. In fact, he represents the best qualities of both of them, so it is fitting that it is he who emerges with not only his life, but the throne of Denmark to go with it.

Compare and contrast the records of one of Debussy 24 preludes WEST WIND

Compare and contrast the records of one of Debussy 24 preludes WEST WIND Introduction Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was a French pianist and composer whose exceptional work in technical composition made him one of the most prominent composers of his era.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Compare and contrast the records of one of Debussy 24 preludes WEST WIND specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He is considered to be the founder of modern sensualist compositions, creating a new trend in musical performance by use of contemporary scales and a diversity of tonal arrangements, greatly influenced by Russian compositions and Eastern cultures. He had the unique ability of collectively assimilating different tonal variations simultaneously to form a richer unified reminiscent resonance which earned him the title of a musical impressionist. His mastery in solo piano saw the addition of Preludes to his repertoire, which until his contribution were not regarded as important in musical composition. Deb ussy composed the entire collection of preludes over a period of three years (1910-1913) and divided them into two separate books, each book containing twelve preludes. Preludes The 24 Preludes composed by Debussy in book 1 and 2 are short musical pieces that are meant to put across a specific atmosphere or feeling which is pointed out by the title of each piece. The titles are placed at the foot of each peace to allow the pianist and the audience to inwardly interpret the music before they get to understand the composer’s perspective (Harpole 1986). The Preludes are considered to be among the epitome of the composer’s keyboard mastery, but even Debussy himself admitted that not all the preludes received the commendation he had hoped for. West wind What the West wind saw (Ce qu’a vu le vent douest) is the seventh of the twelve preludes in Claude Debussys first book of preludes. The piece begins with tension preceded by a metrical build up of the bass which eleva tes the tension present in the music (Roberts 1996). The build up of the bass is gradual and then rapidly explodes with two tonal variations the high pitched tones in the registry giving out a howling sound while a growling sound emanates from the lower pitch tones to give a cumulative effect of rage and destruction (Harpole 1986).Advertising Looking for assessment on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Like most of the other preludes, Debussy withholds from the latent use of imagery and instead bases What the West wind saw entirely on musical and harmonic texture. He creatively replicates the natural sound of wind to produce the wailing, loud and moving sounds of a powerful wind (Muller, nd). This three minute prelude is supposed to induce the violent and overwhelming power of an aggressive wind. The piece is also particularly potent in tritones and whole-tone motifs which can be found in all of the aggr essive chords and fast comprehensive arpeggios (Roberts 1996). Debussys virtuosity is evident in the rapidly alternating tonal variations and the low range tremolos (Weiss 2003). Book 1 is made up of 12 preludes, What the West wind saw being one of them. Most of the preludes in book one are of a light texture though there are some preludes that come close to What the West wind saw (Park 1967). The first prelude, Danseuses de Delphes (Dancers of Delphi) sharply differs from West Wind in melody and harmony. The harmonies are of a lighter tone and the melody is more prominent and much closer to the accompanying chords. It also bears percussion accents which are not present in the west wind. However, the technique used is similar to that of west wind in terms of layered texture and modal scales. Voiles (Veils or sails) uniquely lacks the half-step and bears a prominent B-flat tone through out. The melody is intermittent projecting sonorously whole tone scale. This prelude bears no simil arity to west wind both in character and color (Lockspeiser 1978). Le vent dans la plaine (The Wind in the Plain) suggests the presence of wind and is similar to west wind in content (Harpole 1986). The prelude is however different from west wind in that it suggests a calmer and more bearable wind in form of a breeze. Whole tone scale only appears in the middle, the rest of the prelude being dominated by pentatonic scale (Weiss 2003). Les sons et les parfums tournent dans lair du soir (The sounds and fragrances swirl through the evening air) just like west wind, this piece is rich in harmonic content (Lockspeiser 1978).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Compare and contrast the records of one of Debussy 24 preludes WEST WIND specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The melody is however different from west wind, and this prelude bears two thematic melodies that are layered over and interchanged through out the prelude. L es collines dAnacapri (The Hills of Anacapri) is similar to west wind in that it is richly embodied with energy. The difference is that the energy present in The Hills of Anacapri is thematic to a party mood whereas the energy of west wind is more of a destructive nature (Park 1967). Des pas sur la neige (Footsteps in the Snow) precedes west wind in book 1 and is a sharp contrast to the latter prelude. The perelude has a slow sad melody of the minor keys and ends with staccato bass. La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) follows west wind and the use of simple harmonies make this prelude openly different from west wind. The melody is pentatonic, a stark contrast to the previous prelude (Roberts 1996). The layered harmony of melody and diatonic chords gives this prelude an impressionist aura. La sà ©rà ©nade interrompue (Interrupted Serenade) unlike the west wind is unique in attempting to imitate a guitarist as he attempts to serenade a maiden (Harpole 1986). This prelude is full of imagination and unlike west wind bears a legato melody together with a concise cadenza. La cathà ©drale engloutie (The engulfed cathedral or the sunken cathedral) is distinctively rich with Impressionist technique. Similar to west wind, this prelude uses of modal scales but differs from west wind due to the presence of pentatonic scales, bell-tones, and pedal-points that are used to sustain specific notes or chords. The prelude La danse de Puck (Dance of Puck) is a light and comical examination of an imaginary world and is Scherzos in nature (Weiss 2003). Unlike west wind, this prelude is presented as a sonata which begins with three F flat keys (Muller, nd). Chromatic scale, thematic rhythms and bitonal melodies are constantly used to magnify the comical effect of the prelude. Minstrels is the final prelude of the first book and like the previous prelude, it is dotted with humor. A dominant G-major totonic pedals holds this prelude together and acts the con stant through out the prelude. Banjo and drum themes make a number of appearances through out the prelude to give it an animated feel (Weiss 2003). Conclusion Debussy’s mastery on the solo piano is evident by the uniqueness and richness of all 24 preludes that he composed. Even though his initial work was not widely recognized or appreciated by accomplished solo pianists and composers, Debussy deeply understood that music was not about physical learning rather it was a form of suggestive expression. His attitude led him to produce some of the greatest works in the early 20th century that set the trend for other pianists and composers.Advertising Looking for assessment on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The prelude What the West wind saw can be said to be one of Debussy’s greatest accomplishments due to the fact that no other composer had ever successfully attempted to imitate the sounds of nature as he did. A captivated audience would easily get a mental picture of a strong wind clashing with sea water as it made its way to the shore. This makes What the West wind saw unique in many ways, both in composition and in content. There are however other preludes that are similar to west wind in terms of tonal composition and harmonic structure. Preludes such as The Wind in the Plain and The sounds and fragrances swirl through the evening air bear a slight semblance to the west wind but the difference is much greater. A closer examination of Debussy’s book 1 of preludes reveals the overwhelming difference the west wind has from other preludes. The west wind is inanely violent and loud and the detailed technique requires a pianist’s full attention when playing it. The layered tonal pattern found in the west wind and also in some of the other preludes is what caused Debussy to be referred to as an impressionist. All in all, Debussy’s work is indeed truly unique and light years ahead of other pianists of his generation. References Harpole, W. (1986) Debussy and the Javanese Gamelan. 3rd edition. London: Heinemann. Lockspeiser, E. (1978) Debussy: His Life and Mind. 1st edition. New York: Cambridge University Press, Muller, N. (n.d) Preludes. Piano Society Web. Available from:  pianosociety.com/ Park, R. (1967) The Later Style of Claude Debussy. 1st edition. Michigan: The University of Michigan. Roberts, P. (1996) The Piano Music of Claude Debussy. 2nd edition. Portland: Amadeus Press. Weiss, C. (2003) Debussy’s preludes book 1 and 2. Ohio: ivory classics [E-book]. Available from:  ivoryclassics.com/releases/73004/pdf/booklet.pdf