Mise-En-Scene in the Matrix free essay sample

Although the average viewer is rarely conscious of it, mise-en-scene is both a powerful and important cinematic technique in film. Mise-en-scene allows the director to guide the viewer s attention to what they should be looking at so that important details are not missed and trivial details are not focused on. Many effective elements of mise-en-scene are illustrated in the white room scene in The Matrix, in which directors Andy and Larry Wachowski use only minimal setting, costume, and staging in a very effective way. Quite often, film scenes are filled with a variety of props and have rich, textured backgrounds. This scene, in contrast, is played out in an empty, white room with minimal props; two chairs, a television, a table, and a remote control. The television looks like an old set from the nineteen-sixties, perfectly normal except for the fact that there are no wires coming out the back. We will write a custom essay sample on Mise-En-Scene in the Matrix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The old, Victorian red leather chairs have wooden faces carved into the ends of the arms. The props are placed symmetrically in a small part of the white space. The chairs are on either side of the television with the small table sitting between them. The Wachowski brothers rely on a limited palette of colours in their setting; the dark reds and browns of the set pieces create a startling contrast with the stark white background. The background plays with the viewer s sense of depth, as well. The television is in the foreground with the table and chairs behind it, but with no horizon line it is impossible to tell where the space ends, if it ends at all. It also provides a contrast to the next scene, in which the same props and characters are dropped into the present-day earth, with a grey and black background. This contrast corresponds with the theme of illusion versus reality in the film. Despite it s sparseness, the setting makes a significant contribution to the mise-en-scene. Another important element of mise-en-scene is costume. Neo is dressed entirely in black while Morpheus is wearing an expensive black suit with a green tie. The green is part of a motif in the film. Green is used heavily in early scenes to represent the artificiality of the world; the matrix code is written in green. Morpheus tie is a reminder of the artifice of their world. Morpheus is also wearing a pair of sunglasses with mirrored lenses. When Morpheus and Neo are talking, Neo s reflection can be seen in Morpheus sunglasses. The dark costumes, like the props, stand in contrast with the white background. They also blend in when they are dropped in present-day earth, although like the props, they look incredibly out of place in the drab, dead surroundings. The staging of the actors also has an effect on mise-en-scene. When Neo enters the alternate world he is standing completely alone until he swings around to find Morpheus standing far behind him. For the majority of the scene Neo and Morpheus are standing incredibly far apart, with one character in the foreground, while the other is in deep space. Morpheus is often seen standing at the far end of the shot while there is no one standing where you would expect Neo to be. This plays with the symmetry of the scene. When Neo finally does enter the space they are standing at opposite ends of the shot. The staging of the scene is clearly meant to reinforce the distance between the two characters, particularly Neo s uneasiness towards Morpheus. Mise-en-scene is essential to any film. In the white room scene in The Matrix, the stark white background, anachronistic setting, and green and black costumes reinforce the emptiness and artificiality of the matrix, while the distance in the staging of Neo and Morpheus underlines Neo s reluctance to trust and believe in Morpheus. Working together, the setting, costume, and staging demonstrate that even the most minimal mise-en-scene can create a powerful effect.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty compare and contrast essays

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty compare and contrast essays Is it possible for your perception of what life should be or what you want it to be cloud the reality of what life really is? Well in the story The secret life of Walter Mitty that is precisely what happens. Walter Mitty has a life which is not really pleasurable. Others, especially his wife, look him down upon him. So he creates his own perception of reality; his daydreams. In his daydreams he is a hero. He is a leader and he is in control. Unfortunately those are only the daydreams. In Mittys first daydream he is a Naval Commander. Hes all dressed up and ready for anything that life throws his way. As the men on the boat say hell get us through anything. Then his nagging wife who is forever victimizing him pulls him out of his daydream. In reality is hes not ready for anything. Hes not in control, his wife is. She is the commander that is all dressed. However she is not respected as Mitty was respected in his daydream. She orders him around, where as in his dayd ream he is the one giving orders. She brings Mitty down, like he is nothing. Mitty in his dream seemingly respects everyone and in turn they respect him, and gladly follow his orders. They know that he would never knowingly hurt them in any way shape or form. Unlike the reality where it seems that everyone is out to hurt him. It is as if the table turns 180 degrees and his wife is now in authority and abuses it. The realization in this dream is that he feels that he should have the control that his wife has. Instead he is lurking in the background, being pushed around. Mrs. Mitty talking about Dr. Renshaw brings about his second daydream. In this dream he sees himself as a doctor, famous Doctor Mitty, who thinks fast on his feet and is again respected and honored by everyone. He shuns weakness and does not let any pessimistic views ruin the complete genius of his ideas. Then of course Walter...

About the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

About the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Medical schools take several factors into account when considering your application: your transcript, letters of recommendation, and of course, your medical college admissions test, or MCAT, score. What Is the MCAT? The MCAT is a standardized exam designed to measure your aptitude for a career in medicine. It provides medical schools an objective measure of your ability to process and analyze information and attempts to predict your future success in medical school. It also taps your critical thinking skills and problem-solving ability. While not the sole determining factor in acceptance decisions, it provides admissions officers with a basis of comparison for the thousands of applications they review. Who Administers the MCAT? The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges, a nonprofit organization composed of accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools, major teaching hospitals and professional medical societies. The MCAT Consists of 4 Sections The latest version of the MCAT was rolled out in 2015. Its four sections are: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological SystemsCritical Analysis and Reasoning SkillsBiological and Biochemical Foundations of Living SystemsPsychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior The critical analysis and reasoning section consists of 53 questions and is 90 minutes long. The other three sections each contain 59 questions that must be answered within 95 minutes per section. When to Take the MCAT The MCAT is administered multiple times between January and September. Take the exam the year before you intend to enroll in medical school (i.e., before you apply). If you think that you might take the MCAT more than once, make your first attempt in January, March, April or May so that you have enough time to get your scores, decide on whether to take it again, register for a seat and prepare. How to Register for the MCAT Seats fill quickly so register well ahead of deadlines. Information about the test, test  centers, and registration details can be found on the Medical College Admissions Test website. How the MCAT Is Scored Each MCAT section is scored individually. Multiple choice questions are scored right or wrong, with wrong answers worth the same as unanswered questions, so dont skip questions. Youll get a score for each of the four sections and then a total score. Section scores range from 118 to 132, and total scores from 472 to 528, with a score of 500 being the midpoint. When to Expect MCAT Scores Scores are released 30 to 35 days after the exam and available online. Your scores are automatically released to the ​American Medical College Application Service, a non-profit centralized application processing service.

Human security in the UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human security in the UAE - Essay Example The United Arab Emirates, a fast growing region economically, has been designated as a prospective target for extremists and several human security issues. Assessment and situations in the United Arab Emirates have made Western governments come to the conclusion that the region is a probable target for extremists. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Britain warns of the hazards of travel to the region based on its location in the Persian Gulf. It is central, the nearing the antagonisms of the Iraq war and regional anti-Western opinions. Apart from Britain, other Western nations have issued the same security warnings (Vallet, 2014). Various factors contribute to the rising human insecurity issue in the United Arab Emirates region. According to a novel report on global threats, growing extremism in the neighborhood, food insecurity, climate change, regional tension, and unemployment rates present security issues in the UAE. Additionally, the developments in the political arena in the UAE region in past years have also led to increased human insecurity. A publication by Control States, a security consultancy firm, has indicated various concerns. It reports that the increasing extremism in Yemen and the increase of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) pose a security threat. Additionally, food insecurity in the Arabian countries, struggle over the nuclear program in Iran, and the pulls in Iraq contribute to the poor human security in the UAE (Vallet, 2014). The upsurge of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) poses a threat of radicalization among visitors coming into the UAE region. Immigrants coming to the UAE from Africa and passing through Yemen have high chances of being radicalized. Yemen stands as an open door to the UAE region and thus very many people travel to the UAE through the region. The security issues posed by the porous border spurred the

Discussion questions - International marketing Essay

Discussion questions - International marketing - Essay Example Factor analysis can be suitably used in a situation when the data to be analyzed is quiet large (Lehmann, Gupta & Steckel, 1997). Cluster analysis fits for analyzing inherently grouped data (Lehmann, Gupta & Steckel, 1997) and helpful in dealing raw data into clusters. This type of analysis helps determine similarities and variations between local and regional markets. Another type of analysis is Multidimensional scaling. It uses statistical technique in for graphic or 3D visualizing information and data. It also allows sifting of similar and dissimilar patterns in a data (Grover & Vriens, 2006). This technique is utilized when a marketer is required to select between varied alternatives. Conjoint analysis on the other hand, helps the international market researchers understand how consumers’ value varied attributes or features associated with a product or a service (Grover & Vriens, 2006). This helps marketers come out with combined optimized information technology (IT) attri butes preferred or acceptable by customers (Lehmann, Gupta & Steckel, 1997). Comparative Analysis help marketer solve problems associated with two markets, products, services or processes that are almost same or comparable to a great extent (Lehmann, Gupta & Steckel, 1997). ... e methods (regression, correlation, cross tabulations), and multivariate methods (including multiple regression, cluster analysis, multiple factor indices and multidimensional scaling) (Moyer, 1968). Other marketers also use analytical techniques of industrial growth pattern; income elasticity measurements; regional lead-lag analysis; and analogy (Moyer, 1968). Industrial growth patterns help gather information relating to market demands using statistical computation which can be sourced from in-country sources. Income elasticity measurement, on the other hand, describes the relations between demand for goods and changes in income (Moyer, 1968). To cite an example, the demand for basic agricultural products decline if income rises. Regional lead-lag analysis on the other hand predicts the pattern of demand in a considered country is similar to leading country. For instance, if Philippines will have new method of drying abaca; it is likely the other abacca producing neighboring countr ies will follow this system(Moyer, 1968). Analogy, a process of analyzing information, could also be used in estimating market demand. This can be done either by cross sectional comparison or by time series analysis(Moyer, 1968). Cross sectional analysis assumes that a factor which correlates with demand in country A could be translated to country B. Time analysis use time dimension to estimate the international life cycle (Moyer, 1968).. While analysis is relevant, it has also its inherent limitations. 2- What is meant by the phrase global strategic partnership? In what ways does this form of market entry strategy differ from more traditional forms such as joint ventures?   Global Strategic Partnership (GSP) refers to broad-based cooperation and linkages between varied companies aimed at

Love is Love and Nothing Less Essay Example for Free

Love is Love and Nothing Less Essay In reflecting on my life as a child, adolescent, and adult, I have experienced love and lack of love on many occasions in the relationships I’ve experienced with others. To me, love is something that is present or is not present and cannot be split into various differing forms. I have never met the perfect, most ideal person who has loved me unconditionally, unendingly, and without interruption. The closest I’ve come to the ideal love has been through my religion, my spirituality, in my faithful relationship with God and Jesus Christ. However, even in this relationship, I have had my doubts, even if Jesus Christ, God, has never had them, so in this case as well, love has been interrupted. However, many of my relationships have incorporated loving actions, and it saddens me to recall the situations when love has been absent and hatred has crept into its place. Robert Sternberg has an interesting theory in regard to his attempt to separate out love and dissect it into varying forms, however, it is obvious that he often misses the mark in regard to what love means. The two categories which I consider to be rational evaluations of the presence or lack of presence of love are Sternberg’s two categories of nonlove and consummate love. To me, it’s always either one or the other, and one cannot assume to have a portion of love but not really, as if love has a grey area. In assuming that love has a grey or midrange area, one has to admit believing that badness mixes with good or that right and wrong are somehow united in a mesh of reality, however, in my opinion, good and good and bad is bad, wrong and right are separate, and ethics has to assume a position in regard to defining a loving way of being or loving action. Sternberg assumes that liking someone is only intimacy, devoid of passion and commitment, and in my opinion, this is illogical, as many loving relations with other people who I’ve considered friends or strangers, people who I’ve liked, have contained passion and commitment as well. Loving actions are filled with many aspects, and liking a person includes love, passion, commitment, respect, kindness, and many other values. To like someone most certainly includes having passion and commitment towards this other person. If we as a community and culture don’t have passion, commitment, and intimacy towards all members, then something is surely going wrong. Perhaps Sternberg is trying to imply that relationships with one’s spouse or family members are in some ways different from other relationships? If this is so, then he should focus on the unique attributes of playing the role of wife, son, father, or friend, and not focus on attempting to separate love into differing categories. The way one loves a person may vary, but love itself is constant. The idea that infatuation, fatuousness, or emptiness has anything to do with love is also unreasonable. How can love itself incorporate anything negative? Obsession, falsity, and voidance are certainly not aspects of love, passion, intimacy, or commitment. Has there ever been a time when being loving and kind to another person has incorporated elements of negativity? In and of itself, love is positive. It raises people up and makes them feel wonderful. In Sternberg’s attempt to triangulate love into three arenas, intimacy, passion, and commitment, he attempts to inject love with a poison of hatred or malevolence. If love is always good natured and good acting, then love cannot be split apart. People may, at times, at many times, cease to treat one another lovingly, cease to demonstrate the goods of intimacy, passion, and commitment, but that is simply the fault of the person and not an aspect of love itself. It is refreshing that Sternberg categorizes some of his love categories positively and not negatively, such as liking, romantic, companionate, and consummate, however this does not adequately explain or do justice to the fact that his other four supposed categories of love, nonlove, infatuated, empty, and fatuous are negatively termed. In my opinion, nonloving, infatuated, empty, and fatuous ways of behaving are part of hatred or evil and absent of love. If love is the right action in the right time and place with the right person, then love is fully good and absent of any mistakes. When Sternberg attempts to justify a divorce by claiming that the reason for the divorce is that one or both of the partners were loving one another, just loving one another differently, then he has certainly fallen prone to bad logic (Sternberg, 331). A divorce or a split is never caused by love, but rather by hateful or wrong actions by one person against another. It may be difficult to voice and communicate these wrong actions, however, a split, a lack of love, cannot be caused by love itself, but rather only by its absence. Although love shown towards one person or another may by expressed differently from one situation and person to the next, love itself is never aversive, yet rather uniting. The only culprit of divorce is the person behaving in nonloving ways. Sandelands very adequately states that the business of business is the human person. Everything that people do, everything that people were created by God to do, involves the spirit of the human person. Anyone believing that actions are just actions, that business is just business, devoid of the human person, has lost touch with the meaning of the high moral element of right action (93). In my own life, there have certainly been times when I acted in unloving ways towards other people, when I was empty of goodwill, false in my intentions. I remember lying to my mother, hurting my sisters, screaming at my father. My past boyfriends were often disgusted by my lack of fidelity. My daughter and husband are equally reviled by my bad manners when I overeat or eat sloppily. However, I also thankfully know that I have exuded love towards others. My father, mother, and sisters enjoyed it when I created a restaurant at home and cooked for everyone. My past boyfriends were often amused by my sense of humor in playfully lightening the moment. The caresses and kind words I offer to my husband and daughter are filled with benevolence, peace, and goodwill. It is in the interests of the whole of society to recognize that â€Å"caring as a virtue and an act of ethics is †¦ a natural †¦ point of view inseparably related to love as a universal †¦ value† (Arman Rehnfeldt, 4). When a person decides to love another person, any other person, then one consciously decides to do well towards another person and to not do badly toward another person. The sense that there is any type of human inaction proves false the fact that the universe is in constant motion. Every act or ceasing to act is directly related to cause and effect and can be categorized as fruitful or harmful. Although my mother may believe that being silent towards me is effectively loving and appropriate, I may believe that she does not love me. However, if I change my point of view and see that she is simply being silent and loving me by doing so, we come into agreement with one another and I cease to be negatively resistant to her goodwill. Also, if I loudly kiss my husband and he believes that I’m being sarcastic or hateful towards him, then I may very well be being sarcastic toward him in my actions. However, if I am aiming to love him in my kiss, then he himself is being paranoid for believing that I am not. We human beings are such sensitive creatures and it is often difficult to recognize and show love, however, the clear definition of love as a positive, ethical, valuable, and universal presence is vital in being able to correctly identify, demonstrate, and evoke loving actions. Erikson, a leader in the study of psychosocial human development, believes that people moving through the stage of young adulthood will pass through a phase of either attaining intimacy with a romantic partner or a friend or failing to achieve intimacy and becoming isolated (Goodman Mukulincer, 396). Although intimacy is important throughout the entire life of a person, perhaps it is good to note that young adulthood is primarily the time when people are selecting romantic partners and mates. Despite the fact that people from about puberty onwards toward death may seek romance with another person, many people on the search for romance are indeed young adults. However, it is very important, as in the case with Sternberg’s theory, not to box people in too much. Erickson’s ideas about intimacy and other issues related to life development are valid and worthy of consideration, but human beings crave and need intimacy from birth until death. Romantic love may be a special kind of love involving sexuality and more physical and deep interaction, reserved for one’s mate and life partner, however, love in general is necessary for every person, from conception until natural death. It would be good for people to open their hearts and minds up to the constancy of love and to make it a personal life goal or a life decision to work on demonstrating true self giving loving acts to everyone around them. Even though love may look different in varying situations between varying people, the underlying genuine goodwill is always there, love as a purposeful gift of positive and uplifting interaction. References Arman, M. Rehnsfeldt, A. (2006). The Presence of Love in Ethical Caring. Nursing Forum 41(1), 4-12. Goodman, G. Mikulincer, M. (2006). Dynamics of romantic love: attachment, caregiving, and sex. Guilford Press. Sandelands, L. (2009). The Business of Business is the Human Person: Lessons from the Catholic Social Tradition. Journal of Business Ethics 85, 93-101. Sternberg, R. Triangulating Love. The Altruism Reader, 331-333.

The Many Symbols in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- GCSE English Litera

The Many Symbols in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare used clothing both symbolically and as a vehicle of character definition. Clothes were often used in Macbeth's case to symbolize his titles.   Symbolic clothing is identified when Ross tells Macbeth of his new title Thane of Cawdor when Macbeth does not know of the Thane's treason, Macbeth: "The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in Borrow'd robes?" (I, III,108) Symbols using clothing such as borrowed robes, disguises and cross-dressing are found in several plays where they betray a range of situations from sheer mischievousness to dark, treasonable or murderous plots. The symbol appears again when Banquo and Macbeth are discussing whether the witches' prophecy about Macbeth becoming king will come true as well, "New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use. (I,III,144)" Later, when Macbeth shares the news of his promotion with Lady Macbeth, he speaks with a clothing metaphor again, "Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not case aside so soon. (I,vii,33-34)" Again it is mentioned in (V,ii,21) by Angus, "Nothing in love; now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe Upon a dwarfish thief." Blood as a symbol in the play assumes many different meanings as the story progresses, ranging from virtuous honour to the guilt of murder. The first reference to blood occurs in (I,ii,1) when Duncan meets the bleeding sergeant and remarks, "What bloody man is that?" The man is bleeding after having fought to protect the noble Malcolm, which makes the blood a symbol of honour. Blood symbolizes another virtuous trait when it appears again in ... ...mples of this in world dictators, military juntas and corporate criminals. So Macbeth can be seen as having contemporary significance. We may now ask why the works of Shakespeare enjoy an undiminishing acceptance in most countries of the world and an aura of immortality. It is perhaps because we see in Shakespeare the mirror of the human condition with which we may all identify and gain a sense that in some strange way his plays belong to us.      Works Cited I. The Tragedy of Macbeth New Haven: Yale University Press Revised 1954 II. Shakespeare's Macbeth Total Study Edition Coles Editorial Board 1990 III. Holinshed R. Historie of Scotland (2nd Ed. Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland 1587) "Historie of Scotland" IV. Paul. Henry N. The Royal Play of Macbeth 1950 pp. 213-17 V. Bradley A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy 1912 pp. 468-9   

Reform movements of 1820-1860 in the United States Essay

2. How were the reform movements of 1820-1860 in the United States related to the growth of industry and urban life? During the years 1820-1860, America has received a wave of social reformation movements that were in correlation with the growth of industry and urban life. This time period, also known as the antebellum era (time period before the Civil War) brought movements such as: the temperance movement (1826-1840’s), the movement for public asylums (1820’s and 1830’s), the public education movement/reform (1820-1860), the women’s rights movement (1850’s) and the anti-slavery movement. All of these movements were in sync with to the growth of industry and urban life. The temperance movement arose because of the urban life people faced in the city (alcoholics); the movement for public asylums arose because of the countless of people that had disabilities and the number of homeless people in urban areas; the women’s rights movement arose because of the way men treated women in both industry and urban life; and the anti-slavery movement arose because of th e way industry was treating them (such as too much work and no pay). The temperance movement (1826) and the movement for public asylums (1820’s and 1830’s) both arose due to the conditions the people of the urban life were facing. The temperance movement arose because there were too many people drinking liquor excessively after working hours, and strengthened after the Irish immigrated to America during the 1830’s (since many people stereotyped the Irish as excessive drinkers, the temperance movement was mostly aimed towards them). Many of the people that drank liquor claimed that it relieved their stress from working too much in the factories. However, once those people got home, they caused family problems, and sometimes cause crimes. This urban problem was a big dilemma, so people organized themselves and formed a temperance movement to ask for the pledge of people to stay abstinent. Another movement that arose due to urban problems was the amount of people that were homeless and the ones that had  disabilities. Throughout 1820-1840, urban life was full of crime because of the number of homeless people that robbed others. There was also a big number of homeless people living on the streets because the city could did not have enough apartments to allow people in. The number of people that had disabilities also caused a problem in urban life because they had a hard time struggling to survive. That is why people formed the Asylum movement. This movement called for the building of shelters for the homeless, schools for the disabled people and medical centers for them. This movement helped improve urban life to become a more tranquil place. The women’s rights movement arose due to the way they were treated by men. However, the women’s rights movement didn’t begin with the snap of a finger. Since many women were busy taking care of the house and their children, they didn’t have time to involve themselves in movements to support their rights. However, when the Industrial Revolution came to America, men left home to work for salaries, which meant they had less time to spend with their wife. With the addition of birth control, women had fewer children, which meant that they had time for social reform. After entering this â€Å"phase† women came to a realization that they resented the way men neglected them to secondary roles (which was to take care of the house and children) in the movement and preventing them from taking part of anything that had to do with politics. This sort of thinking can be classified as an urban way of thinking because in an everyday urban day, the mother would stay at home while the father would go work to get his salary. Although women fought for their rights during the 1850’s, their movement was obscured by the anti-slavery movement. This movement arose because the industry of America was treating them bad. In the South, many slaves were put into hard labor because around the 1820’s to 1830’s, there was a very high demand for people wanting cotton. The anti-slavery movement was supported by the Second Great Awakening (a time period in America in which religious enlightenment flourished). The Second Great Awakening brought over that slavery was a sin, and since many people were very religious, they didn’t like the fact that they were sinners (urban life ideals). The anti-slavery movement also brought abolitionists together to fight for their  cause and it also brought abolitionist newspapers such as _The Liberator_. Many people also didn’t like the fact that slaves were seen as business (industry), which gave them another reason to form the movement. The antebellum era brought many social reforms to America, and they were all in relation to the way the industry was growing and the way people lived in urban life. The temperance movement was in response to the crimes and the alcoholics that arose during the 1830’s; the movement for public asylums arose because of the number of needy people that were homeless and disabled; the women’s rights movement arose due to the way they were treated by men in their urban life and the growth of industry; and the anti-slavery movement was in response to the unfair treatment of slaves, the idea that slavery was a sin, and the fact that slaves were seen as a market. All these reforms arose because the people were reacting to the things that were happening to urban life and the growth of industry, and in my opinion, I think all these reforms were made for the best of mankind because they led to a safer and secure life.

Mosquitoes

William Faulkner's Mosquitoes is a roman à   clef featuring some of the people and locations Faulkner encountered while staying in New Orleans as a young writer. This paper will examine the relationship between the upper class and the artists and the relationship between the upper class and the workers. In particular this paper will examine the actions and character of the two main characters: Mr. Gordon and Patricia Robyn, as well as a most interesting character Ernest Talliaferro.Faulkner stages much of his novel aboard a yacht so that they won't have contact with other members of society. In literature the use of isolating the characters from society is not uncommon for example Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Shakespeare's The Tempest and Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians and The Mousetrap. By separating characters from society, the author is able to focus his or her attention on the people as themselves, almost as if he or she were isolated for a laboratory experiment. Mosqui toes provides Faulkner a forum to examine the artistic life in contrast to the life of the members of the beautiful people and the workers. In particular Faulkner examines the creative growth of the artists and the lack of growth of the part of the others on the cruise (Atkinson, 8).Faulkner stocks his novel with characters representing three groups or perhaps communities of society. He represents the artists with of Dawson Fairchild, a novelist, Mr. Gordon, a sculptor, Mark Moore, a poet trying to â€Å"nurture a reputation for cleverness,† Dorothy Jameson, a painter and Eva Wiseman, a lesbian poet (Fitzgerald 39). Also included with this group is Julius Kauffman who at times serves as a narrator such as when he relates the life story of Mrs. Maurier, hostess of the cruise   or as the philosophic pathfinder for the artists' discussion throughout the book.Among the social elite are Mrs. Maurier a social dilettante who is quite wealthy and a hanger-on of artists, her twin ni ece and nephew Patricia, who is the catalyst for much of the book's action, and Josh Robyn who are visiting from Chicago, and Ernest Talliaferro who is the conduit between three classes. He is a member of the working class as a buyer of women's clothes for a local department store, he is friends or is at least known by some the artists who don't really seem to care too much about him, and visits with Mrs. Maurier who also appears to not care about him except for his ability to provide access to the artistic community.The novel is written in six major sections days 1, 2, 3, 4, a prologue where Faulkner gathers up his characters and an epilogue where he returns them to their individual places in society. The sections, Day One through Day Four take place largely Mrs. Maurier's yacht the Nausikaa. In Homer's Odyssey Nausikaa was a young woman, daughter of the king, who found Odysseus and brought him into her city to care for him. In Mosquitoes Mr. Gordon represents Odysseus and Patricia Robyn is the analogue of Nausikaa.Mr. Gordon is a sculptor. When the novel begins, Gordon has just finished a sculpture. It represents his ideal woman. It is of a young woman with small breasts who has no head, arms, or legs. Mr. Gordon has sculpted the piece from his imagination rather than using a model. At this time he has little interaction with others, artistic or otherwise.Shortly after the novel begins, Mrs. Maurier, Patricia Robyn, and Ernest Talliaferro visit Gordon's studio and see the new sculpture. The reactions of both Patricia and Gordon are plot points in the novel. When she first sees Gordon's sculpture Patricia believes she recognizes the statue as being of herself, â€Å"[i]t's like me† (Faulkner 28). Mr. Talliaferro describes it more eloquently â€Å"[d]o you see what he has caught? . . . The spirit of youth, of something fine and hard and clean in the world† (26-27). Mr. Gordon is very interested in Patricia in relationship to his sculpture. He exa mines â€Å"her with growing interest her flat breast and belly, her boy's body. . . . Sexless, yet somehow vaguely troubling. Perhaps just young, like a calf or a colt† (Faulkner, p. 26).Throughout the book there is a sexual tension between Gordon and Patricia. When they are swimming he twirls her around and throws her into the water. She is thrilled, â€Å"for an instant she stopped in midflight, . . . high above the deck while water dripping from her turned to gold . . . the last of the sun slid upon her and over her with joy† (Faulkner 72).Ultimately it is Patricia and to a less extent, Mrs. Maurier who provide the artistic growth for Mr. Gordon. Just as Nausikaa rescued Odysseus from the sea, Patricia rescues Gordon from his previous tendency to work without a model, working from his mind using ideal types that don't exist in reality. When Mr. Gordon sees her in her young, self-centered state, he realizes he must work from real life. He makes a mask of Mrs. Maurie r. This is significant because it is the first time, as far as the reader knows, that Mr. Gordon had sculpted based on a live person rather than his personal artistic ideal.His growth and change of artistic inspiration to the real world are punctuated in the Epilogue where he walks the busy night streets of New Orleans with Fairchild and Kauffman drinking and celebrating their epiphany of working within society. Gordon leaves the book when he decides to visit a bordello looking for a real woman instead of a fantasy woman (Hepburn, 21-22).Throughout the play Patricia has an androgynous quality about her. Despite her sexual appeal to Gordon and later to David West the ship steward, Patricia is always described as â€Å"hard and firm and sexless† (Faulkner 140). In many ways she seems androgynous, neither male nor female. Although she will flirt with men, kiss them and even run away with them, whenever she feels she is not in control she brings the interaction to an immediate ha lt. She is the female part of the person she and her brother make together.At times they will call each other â€Å"Gus† as if Gus were the real person and Patricia and Josh were just partial personae of Gus. She lies next to her brother for part of the night of day four because she wants to be near him. He will be leaving for Yale the next day where she not be nearer to him than living in an apartment in New Haven. While lying together she asks him â€Å"[d]idn't you do something to that boat† (Faulkner, p. 261.The yacht had gone to ground and was unable to move for three days, making certain they were uninterrupted by outsiders. This was caused when Josh removed a rod in the steering mechanism, but Josh denies it, â€Å"I never hurt—I never was down there except the morning when you came tagging down there (Faulkner, p. 261). Yet he quickly tacitly admits his guilt when he asks if Patricia has told their aunt.By the second day Patricia is bored with being a l iving ideal and looks for diversion. She decides to go swimming and coaxes David West, the steward to go with her. While swimming he is aroused by her, he â€Å"looked up at her with an utter longing, like that of a dog.† On day three they leave the ship and try to cross the swamp and get married in Mandeville. Their excursion into the swamp, struggle to find the road and the way to Mandeville with David West seems to foreshadow for Patricia what her life might be if she were to give up her place in high society and marry into the working class.She wouldn't be able to bear it. She would use up her working class husband, working him until he collapsed from exhaustion. It isn't long before Patricia treats West like an animal. She is done slumming with the working class and decides to take charge just as her social position permits. She demands, in the face of reason, that they take the direction she chooses when they arrive at the road. This seems to indicate that she realizes she has chosen the wrong way by leaving the boat, representing wealth and high society.She literally rides him into the ground as he carries her when she is too tired to walk. When they discover they have been walking the wrong direction, West collapses. Ultimately they find someone to give them a ride back to the Nausikaa, but she insists on paying with her own money. As a consequence of what David and Patricia went through together David quits his job and is gone the next morning.A curious thing is that Patricia seems to the only one troubled by mosquitoes. Almost exclusively she is the one who â€Å"angled her knee upward and outward from the knee, scratching her ankle† (Faulkner 23). It is she that â€Å"suddenly slap[s] her leg when she and West are planning to enter the swamp. It is Patricia is so badly bitten by mosquitoes that West puts his shirt over her to protect her (Faulkner 150). Of all of passengers, she is the one that is most irritated by the pesky â€Å"mo squitoes† of life.One last point about Patricia that should be made has to do with the evening when she first met Mr. Talliaferro. As Mr. Talliaferro prepares to leave Mrs. Maurier and Patricia for the evening Patricia calls him â€Å"Mr. Tavers.† This is apparently his real name and the incident shocks him. His entrails feel cold because of her statement (Faulkner 31). This writer tried on numerous occasions to find a resolution to this puzzle but was unable to do so. The nearest indication that might solve this puzzle appears in the description of Talliaferro (Faulkner 32) â€Å"[t]hey never did know what became of Mr. Talliaferro's sister.† This might indicate that Faulkner had initially intended to make some previous connection between Patricia and Talliaferro through his missing sister, but failed to do so in the final version.This event provides a segue to a most interesting character: Ernest Talliaferro. Mr. Talliaferro is a tiny man, eager to please, unwi lling to make waves, but eager to spend time with artists, particularly Dawson Fairchild. He is a buyer for the women's clothes department at a local department store. He married young, was widowed young and set about making himself over. He â€Å"did† Europe in forty-one days and cultivated friendship with artists and members of society, such as Mrs. Maurier. He lacks confidence, often apologizing and knocking into things. He is eager to date women but finds himself unable to get up the nerve.Frequently he seeks Fairchild's advice. On the second day of the cruise Fairchild tells Talliaferro that he isn't â€Å"bold enough with women . . . I don't mean with words. . . . They ain't interested in what you're going to say: they are interested in what you're going to do† (Fitzgerald 96). Sadly, but a bit amusing, Talliaferro takes this advice to heart and tries to implement it with Jenny the attractive young woman whom Patricia invited to attend. On the second day Talliafe rro finds Jenny sleeping on the deck.He tries to wake her â€Å"[w]ake princess with kiss† (Faulkner 109) this causes her to awaken but she is terribly frightened. However she does dance with him later that afternoon and things go smoothly until day four when the guests are trying to free the boat and Talliaferro is overcome with desire and grabs her and pulls her with him into the water. Naturally, Fairchild thinks this it is funny that Talliaferro has implemented his advice in such a boisterous fashion and laughs about it. Unfortunately, Talliaferro has not learned his lesson and repeats his efforts in the â€Å"Epilogue† only to be disappointed again. By the end of novel Talliaferro has retreated further into himself and seems to have no interest in a relationship with a woman.Although Faulkner never uses the â€Å"M† word in this book, it is clear by the scratching and slapping that there are both literal and figurative mosquitoes. As mentioned above, Patric ia suffers from bites from mosquitoes. Most of characters suffer from pesky, annoying irritations throughout the book. The artists are irritated by the way in which the non-artists want to parade them around on the cruise like some sort of show pony. Talliaferro is irritated due to his inability to successfully seduce women, Josh Robyn is irritated that Major Ayers does not believe that he is making the pipe for fun. Naturally Ayers is upset because he wants to market the pipe, and Robyn will not help him do so.It is in part due to the irritations that Gordon, Fairchild, and Kauffman grow. Prior to the cruise, they had lived their lives working when they could and trying to avoid the pesky little mosquitoes fostered by the non-artists. By the time the cruise has ended they have realized that these pests provide much of the motivation and interest in life. In essence, they have changed their philosophy of art from â€Å"an aesthetic ideology of formalism as part of a larger expressi on of cultural conservatism (Atkinson, 6)Unhappily, no one else appears to have changed much other than these three. Mrs. Maurier is still the social matron, though she is quite angry with the artists. Patricia Robyn has returned to the self-centered, sexless, hard person she was when she first appeared in the novel. When she says good-bye to the poet Mark Frost, she is just as cold to him as she was to Gordon when she first met his him. Mr. Talliaferro, the wonderful, Chaplinesque man, is still frustrated. He has had no success trying to seduce a woman. However Faulkner tells the reader that Talliaferro was to be married soon. Sadly, he does not appear to tell Ernest.The conclusion that Faulkner draws with this book appears to be that artists need to explore life, down and dirty. However, his apparent conclusion that non-artists will not grow is parochial and hopefully false. This smacks of the self-centered arrogance a young, gifted writer might have before he and his craft mature . Summary of â€Å"Faulkner's Mosquitoes: A Poetic Turning Point†By Kenneth Wm. HepburnHepburn's thesis in this article is that there was a turning point in Faulkner's writing that occurred not with Satoris as many scholars have alleged by with Mosquitoes published two years earlier. The author tries to establish that â€Å"the poetic which finally involves from the structural considerations of various artistic strategies is both necessarily prior . . . and central to the development of† the open-ended poetic of Faulkner's more famous novels (Hepburn 19). To prove his thesis, Hepburn focuses his study on Sections Nine and Ten of the â€Å"Epilogue† (Faulkner 277-288). In the first of these sections Hepburn contends that three of the artist, Gordon, Fairchild, and Kauffman undergo the greatest change. They are walking the streets at night through the â€Å"seedier streets† of New Orleans (Hepburn 20).   In this section each of the artists, Gordon, Fitzge rald, and Kauffman make the transformation from artists that were polarized from each other to artist are more in congruence. In this section there is a parable of three groups, priests, revelers, and rats encounter a dead begger [sic] clutching a piece of stolen bread.The priests in their â€Å"thin celibate despair† (Faulkner 277) and the revelers engage in an orgy-parade cannot be bothered with the dead begger [sic]. Only the rats can appreciate him by â€Å"dragging their hot bellies over him, exploring unreproved his private parts† (Faulkner 281). According to Hepburn the parable indicates that these three artists have changed and recognize â€Å"[o]nly the artist who is willing to wade into life will ever be able to confront it with any intimacy and accuracy† (Hepburn 23).It is evident that Hepburn has interpreted these sections correctly. What is not evident is why Hepburn views Mosquitoes as a poetic turning point. What he appears to prove is that Mosqui toes provides a needed prerequisite to his later writing. This need not signify a turning point but rather may be just one more step along the path toward becoming the writer Faulkner   would become in subsequent years. Works Cited Atkinson, Ted. â€Å"Aesthetic Ideology in Faulkner's Mosquitoes: A Cultural History. The Faulkner Journal 17, 1(2001: 3-18. Faulkner, William. Mosquitoes. London: Chatto & Windus, 1964. Hepburn, Kenneth Wm. â€Å"Faulkner's Mosquitoes: A Poetic Turning Point.† Twentieth Century Literature 17, 1 (Jan. 1971): 19-28.

Importance of the US Presidential Primaries

Importance of the US Presidential Primaries The U.S. presidential primaries and caucuses are held in the various states, the District of Columbia, and territories of the United States as a key part of the process of nominating candidates for election to the office of President of the United States. The U.S. presidential primary elections typically start in February and do not end until June. How many times do we have to vote for a new President of the United States, anyway? Why cant we just go to the polls once in November and be done with it? Whats so important about the primaries? Presidential Primary History The U.S. Constitution doesn’t even mention political parties. Nor does it provide a method for choosing presidential candidates. It was not that the Founding Fathers did not anticipate political parties as they had known them in England would come along; they simply were not keen to seemingly sanction party politics and its many inherent ills by recognizing it in the nation’s Constitution. In fact, for the first confirmed official presidential primary was not held until 1920  in New Hampshire. Until then, presidential candidates were nominated solely by elite and influential party officials without any input from the American people. By the late 1800s, however, social activists of the Progressive Era began to object to the lack of transparency and public involvement in the political process. Thus, today’s system of state primary elections evolved as a way to give the people more power in the presidential nomination process. Today, some states hold only primaries, some hold only caucuses and others hold a combination of both. In some states, the primaries and caucuses are held separately be each party, while other states hold â€Å"open† primaries or caucuses in which members of all parties are allowed to participate. The primaries and caucuses start in late-January or early-February and are staggered state-by-state to end by mid-June before the general election in November. The state primaries or caucuses are not direct elections. Rather than choosing a specific person to run for president, they determine the number of delegates each partys national convention will receive from their respective state. These delegates then actually select their party’s the presidential nominee at the party’s national nominating convention. Especially after the 2016 presidential election, when Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton won the nomination over popular challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders, many rank-and-file Democrats argued that the party’s often-controversial â€Å"superdelegate† system circumvented, at least to an extent, the intent of the primary election process. Whether the Democratic Party leaders will decide to retain the superdelegate system or not remains to be seen. Now, on to why the presidential primaries are important. Get to Know the Candidates First, primary election campaigns are the main way voters get to know about all the candidates. After the national conventions, voters hear mainly about the platforms of exactly two candidates one Republican and one Democrat. During the primaries, however, voters get to hear from several Republican and Democratic candidates, plus the candidates of third parties. As media coverage focuses on the voters of each state during primary season, all the candidates are more likely to get some coverage. The primaries provide a nationwide stage for the free and open exchange of all ideas and opinions the foundation of the American form of participatory democracy. Platform Building Secondly, the primaries play a key role in shaping the final platforms of the major candidates in the November election. Lets say a weaker candidate drops out of the race during the final weeks of the primaries. If that candidate succeeded in winning a substantial number of votes during the primaries, there is a very good chance that some aspects of his or her platform will be adopted by the partys chosen presidential candidate. Public Participation Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the primary elections provide yet another avenue through which Americans can to take part in the process of choosing our own leaders.  The interest generated by the presidential primaries moves many first-time voters to register and go to the polls. Indeed, in the 2016 presidential election cycle, more than 57.6 million people, or 28.5% of all estimated eligible voters, voted in the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries – just slightly less than the all-time record of 19.5% set in 2008 – according to a report by the Pew Research Center. While some states have dropped their presidential primary elections due to cost or other factors, the primaries continue to be a vital and important part of Americas democratic process. Why the First Primary is Held in New Hampshire The first primary is held in New Hampshire during early February of election years. Taking pride in the notoriety and economic benefit of being the home of â€Å"First-In-The-Nation† presidential primary, New Hampshire has gone to great lengths to ensure it maintains its claim to the title. A state law enacted in 1920 requires that New Hampshire hold its primary â€Å"on the Tuesday at least seven days immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election.† While the Iowa caucuses are held before the New Hampshire primary, they are not considered a â€Å"similar election† and rarely draw the same level of media attention.

About McLaughlin v. State of Florida in 1964

About McLaughlin v. State of Florida in 1964 Background: An interracial black-white couple, identified only as McLaughlin in the ruling, was prohibited from marrying under Florida law. Like same-sex couples prohibited from marrying today, they chose to live together anywayand were convicted under Florida Statute 798.05, which reads: Any negro man and white woman, or any white man and negro woman, who are not married to each other, who shall habitually live in and occupy in the nighttime the same room shall each be punished by imprisonment not exceeding twelve months, or by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. Fast Facts: McLaughlin v. Florida Case Argued: Oct. 13-14, 1964Decision Issued: Dec. 7, 1964Petitioner: McLaughlinRespondent: State of FloridaKey Question: Can an interracial couple be subjected to race-contingent fornication charges?Majority Decision: White, Warren, Black, Clark, Brennan, Goldberg, Harlan, Stewart, DouglasDissenting: NoneRuling: The Supreme Court ruled that the Florida criminal statute that prohibits an unmarried interracial couple from habitually living in and occupying the same room in the night-time denies the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, and is thus unconstitutional. The Central Question: Can an interracial couple be subjected to race-contingent fornication charges? Relevant Constitutional Text: The Fourteenth Amendment, which reads in part: No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The Courts Ruling: In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the Court struck down 798.05 on grounds that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court also potentially opened the door to full legalization of interracial marriage by remarking that the 1883 Pace v. Alabama represents a limited view of the Equal Protection Clause which has not withstood analysis in the subsequent decisions of this Court. Justice Harlans Concurrence: Justice Marshall Harlan concurred with the unanimous ruling but expressed some frustration with the fact that Floridas blatantly discriminatory law banning interracial marriage was not directly addressed. Justice Stewarts Concurrence: Justice Potter Stewart, joined by Justice William O. Douglas, joined in the 9-0 ruling but expressed firm disagreement in principle with its implicit statement that racially discriminatory laws might be constitutional under certain circumstances if they serve some overriding statutory purpose. I think it is simply not possible, Justice Stewart wrote, for a state law to be valid under our Constitution which makes the criminality of an act depend upon the race of the actor. Aftermath: The case put an end to laws banning interracial relationships as a whole, but not to laws banning interracial marriage. That would come three years later in the landmark Loving v. Virginia (1967) case.

The Christina Commonwelath - analysis and criticism to this little Essay

The Christina Commonwelath - analysis and criticism to this little book by John Eliot - Essay Example (Zakai, 133-151) Perhaps more than anything else, Eliot’s work and its concurrent ideology denounced the interregnum of the Crown with the result that three years following its publication The Christian Commonwealth was banned in England. (Holstun, 128-153) Although Eliot’s work takes a definite position with respect to Puritan ideology of the perfect state it is prefaced by a position against the monarchy. By taking this position in the preface to The Christian Commonwealth Eliot introduces a position against the interregnum of the Crown in such a way that is far more controversial than the Puritanical theocracy embodied in the main part of his book. Eliot’s states his opposition to the monarchy in his preface as follows: â€Å"Much is spoken of the rightful Heir of the Crown of England, and the unjustice of casting out the right Heir: but Christ is the only right Heir of the Crown of England, and all other Nations also.† (Eliot) In his preface Eliot quotes the scriptures at various intervals to support his contention that the best model of human ordinance and government is to be found in the Bible rather than by reference to earthly state nations. The preface is laden with Puritan theocracy and puts forth the concept that it is God who truly governs and protects those who believe in him. Eliot goes on to urge that true guidance should come from God and urges as follows: â€Å"I do beseech those chosen, and holy and faith Saints, who by Councils at Home, or by Wars in the field, have fought the Lords Battels against Antichrist, and have carried on the Cause of Christ hitherunto, That you would now set the Crown of England upon the head of Christ, whose only true inheritance it is, by the gift of his father (1) â€Å" Let him be your JUDGE, let him be your LAW – Giver, Let him be your KING. Take the pattern and