English Literature

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.s Mother Night is a masterpiece of Black Humor. Mother Night, is presented as the work of one Howard W. Campbell, Jr. who is a prisoner awaiting trial in Israel for Nazi war crimes, with Vonnegut as the editor of the work. Unlike many of Vonneguts other works, the story is not concerned with the future, it is set in present day settings with Howard reminiscing about his past. Howard dedicates his recollections to Mata Hari, a Dutch exotic dancer who was executed by the French on the charge of spying for Germany. Campbell identifies himself with Mata Hari, who, if the charges against her are to be believed, allowed French government officials to violate her, in order to gain information for Germany. Campbell too feels thoroughly and completely used and violated.

I closed my eyes windingly.What is it they say in the Chicago Stockyards about what they do to a pig
I dont know, said Wirtanen.

They boast that they find a use for everything about a pig but his squeal, I said.
So said Wirtanen.

Thats how I feel right now   I said, Take a pig thats been taken apart, whos had experts find a use for every part. By God  I think they even found a use for my squeal The part of me that wanted to tell the truth got turned into an expert liar The lover in me got turned into a pornographer The artist in me got turned into ugliness such as the world has rarely seen before.

Even my most cherished memories have now been converted into cat food, glue and liverwurst I said (Vonnegut Jr.).

In the introduction, Vonnegut rededicates the text that he has edited to Campbell himself, a man who served evil too openly and good too secretly, the crime of his time (Vonnegut Jr.). In his introduction to his edited text Vonnegut ascribes a moral to the story We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be (Vonnegut Jr.). The story Campbell recounts in his cell is this Before the Second World War, Howard W. Campbell was an American writer living in Germany. He was married to a German woman, Helga and deeply in love with her. At the start of the war Campbell was approached by American intelligence and agreed to become a secret agent. He took up a job as a Nazi radio host and propagandist. He broadcasted secret messages out of Germany coded in his racist propaganda broadcasts. Campbell was extremely good as a Nazi propagandist, as his father-in-law, a Nazi police official notes you could never have served the enemy as well as you served us (Vonnegut Jr.). The Germans were deceived into thinking that he really was an enthusiastic American supporter of Nazism, even his wife believed him. Because of the Nazi propaganda he had to spread in order to maintain his cover, Campbell believes and admits to committing high treason, crimes against humanity, and crimes against his own conscience before the Israeli court (Vonnegut Jr.).

The Russians want Campbell in order to use him to show how America shelters fascist war criminals and to prove that the American government collaborated with the Nazis at the start of the Nazi regime. The Israelis know him only as a Nazi propagandist and want to hang him for war crimes. There are those to whom he is a hero. An extreme right-wing group of American white supremacists considers him a saint and a martyr in the holy Nazi cause (Vonnegut Jr.) they feel that they are indebted to him with a debt with a debt of gratitude that they will never be able to repay For having the courage to tell the truth during the war,  when everybody else was telling lies (Vonnegut Jr.). One of the persistent characters in the novel, Bernard B. OHare, an American Legion post Americanism chairman, named after Vonneguts real life war buddy and also depicted in Slaughterhouse-Five (Allen and Vonnegut Jr.), is Campbells  nemesis, his own personal Fury (Vonnegut Jr.). He has dedicated his life to destroying Campbell. The leader of Campbells racist fans is Lionel Jason David Jones, publisher of The White Christian Minutemen, a scabrous, illiterate, anti-Semitic, anti-Negro, and anti-Catholic hate sheet (Vonnegut Jr.). Campbell calls him a race-baiter who is ignorant and insane (Vonnegut Jr.), Campbell contrasts himself with Jones and says I am neither ignorant nor insane (Vonnegut Jr.).

Despite his assertion that he is not insane, Campbell is meant to be a schizophrenic character. In an interview with Charles Reilly Vonnegut says that the idea for the novel came to him from his conversation with a retired Naval Intelligence officer at a cocktail party, who told him that all undercover spies have to be schizophrenics otherwise they would either blow their cover of die of fright (Allen and Vonnegut Jr.).
Schizophrenia would explain the way Campbell immerses him in his cover job as a Nazi propagandist and does far more than he is required to do. One of the characteristics of Schizophrenics is that they are able to hold two mutually exclusive beliefs at the same time. Campbell says But Ive always known what I did. Ive always been able to live with what I did. How Through that simple and widespread boon to modern mankind  schizophrenia (Vonnegut Jr.). Schizophrenia would also mean that Campbell is innocent of the charge of committing war crimes because schizophrenics are not in control of their own actions.

Self-preservation is a humans most basic instinct. Humans, in their right mind usually prefer life to death. Campbell however, appears to prefer death to life, this is in itself evidence of insanity. Campbell spent thirteen years obsessing over his dead wife Helga.

And so, with my Helga presumed dead, I became a death-worshiper, as content as any narrow-minded religious nut anywhere. Always alone, I drank toasts to her, said good morning to her, said good night to her, played music for her, and didnt give a damn for one thing else (Vonnegut Jr.).

Campbell is unconcerned with making attempts to save himself from conviction he looks upon his lawyers efforts to save him with contempt.

My Israeli lawyer, Mr. Alvin Dobrowitz, has had all my New York mail forwarded here, hoping unreasonably to find in that mail some proof of my innocence. Hi ho (Vonnegut Jr.).

The novel has an excessively grim ending. The American Intelligence agent who recruited Campbell appears like a guardian angel and the charges against him are dropped. But having escaped execution and gained his freedom Howard Campbell Jr. decides to commit suicide

I find the prospect nauseating. I think that tonight is the night I will hang Howard Campbell Jr. for crimes against himself (Vonnegut Jr.).

One of the numerous painful realities of life, death is one such reality which evokes intense emotions in human beings. Although all human beings accept the fact that death is inevitable, most of the people fear death and seek ways to cheat it. People harbor different attitudes while looking at death and it is these attitudes that shape their reactions when they face death. Numerous literary works depict death as their themes and one such work which stands among them is the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The play focuses on the reaction of   Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark upon knowing the secret that his father was killed by his uncle.

The theme of death runs throughout the play, as Hamlet views death from various perspectives after the tragic death of his father. The same theme of death is presented in the movies Sunshine directed by Danny Boyle and No Country for Old Men directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Although death is a prominent theme in both these movies, the attitudes presented in the movie regarding death are completely different from each other. The play Hamlet and the movies Sunshine and No Country for Old Men bring forth the varying perspectives of the characters regarding death and also point towards the influence of the circumstances, in which the characters face death, on their attitudes towards death.

Hamlet
In the play Hamlet, Hamlet is deeply affected by his fathers death and begins to view death from various perspectives. He thinks about death from the spiritual perspective and also as a way of escape from the sufferings of life.  The thought that death can bring an end to his sufferings makes Hamlet to contemplate suicide. As Hamlet is overwhelmed by the sorrows in his life, he comes to regard death as solution to his hardships. Thoppressors wrong, the proud mans contumely, The pangs of disprized love, the laws delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns. (Shakespeare 60). These are the sorrows of life that are disturbing Hamlet and prompting him to think about suicide. Hamlet desires to end his life, as he is unable to bear the sorrows in his life following the death of his father and the consequent marriage of his mother with his uncle.

Hamlet considers suicide, especially in his soliloquy To Be or Not To Be, and often his behavior seems suicidal as he constantly ignores the royal orders of his uncle. (DiGaetani 166). He thinks it is better to die than to lead a life which is full of sorrows and hardships. But he is not even firm about his decision of suicide he fears what may happen after his death  Would death solve his problems or he would have to face unknown problems The thought about the torments that he would have to face after his death, avert him for committing suicide. And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of (Shakespeare 61). He explains that fear of unknown suffering after death makes one to bear the miseries of life. And this fear is experienced by Hamlet also.

The confusion which Hamlet is experiencing regarding his decision whether to live or die is evident when he utters, To be, or not to be that is the question. (Shakespeare 60). This line sums up the whole dilemma of Hamlet and his views regarding life and death. Although Hamlet thinks that life is full of suffering and death is peaceful, he is hesitant to end his life owing to his fear of the life he would have to face after his death.  The circumstance, in which Hamlet is thinking about death, influences his attitudes towards death. After the death of his father and his mothers immediate marriage with his uncle, Hamlet suffers from depression and therefore
regards death as a solution to his problems. His mothers conduct, the aspect of the world, his fathers death,-all made Hamlet impatient of life, which would not take the shape of his desires, but persisted in having one of its own. (Heraud 51). Instead of tackling the problems in his life, Hamlet wishes for death so that he can be freed from those problems. But as his religious beliefs contradict his desire to kill himself and he fears the unknown life after death, he decides to live.

Hamlets perspectives regarding death keep changing, as his philosophical outlook towards death turns into a desire to die after the death of his father. Later when Hamlet visits a graveyard and finds the skull of Yorick, a person whom he knew during his childhood, Hamlet comprehends the fact that all men turn into dust after their death. He accepts the fact that death is unavoidable and so instead of thinking about death, he decides to act on his desire to avenge his fathers murder.

Sunshine
The movie Sunshine also depicts the theme of death but from a different perspective than that presented in the play Hamlet. The movie follows the story of a group of astronauts who embark on a mission to reignite the Sun, as there is depletion in the amount of sunlight reaching their planet, the Earth. Set in the future, the movie depicts the theme of death as an act of sacrifice and courage. In course of their efforts to save the lives of the people on their planet, these astronauts decide to risk their life and accept to be the crew members of a spacecraft which will take them to Sun. Their mission is to reignite the Sun with the aid of a gigantic stellar bomb. But owing to the negligence of one of the crew members, these astronauts find themselves in
fatal circumstances. Although the astronauts are aware of the impending death, they persist in their efforts to succeed in their mission. Death fails to evoke any kind of fear in the minds of these astronauts, as they are more concerned about the success of their mission than their own survival. Facing death bravely, they are prepared to sacrifice their lives for saving the lives of the people on their planet. They view death as an act of sacrifice, through which they ensure that their efforts are successful in spite of their death. In the end, all the crew members die but the mission ends in success, as the Sun is reignited and Earth is once again illuminated with sunlight.

The movie opens with an account of the first mission, which is undertaken by human beings, in their effort to reignite a Sun, whose light is dying out slowly. A spacecraft named Icarus I, under the charge of Captain Pinbacker, is send to the Sun. But this mission fails, as the spacecraft disappears without carrying out the task for which it has been send to the Sun.  After a gap of seven years, another spacecraft, Icarus II is launched to reignite the Sun. The crew members of Icarus locate Icarus I on the Mercury on their way to the Sun. On the advice of physicist Robert Capa, the direction of the spacecraft is changed and turned towards Icarus I, so that the payload on Icarus is recovered and taken along with them on their mission. But owing to a mistake committed by Trey, the navigator of the spacecraft, a part of the spacecraft remains unprotected from the extreme heat emanating from the Sun. When the Captain of the spacecraft, Kaneda and Capa undertake the work of repairing the damaged part of the spacecraft, a technical problem results in a situation where Capa and Kaneda are exposed to the fatal heat of the Sun. Realizing the significance of survival of Capa for the success of the mission, Kaneda decides to carry out the repairs of the spacecraft alone while sending back Capa to the Spacecraft.

Kaneda is prepared sacrifice his life and embrace death for the sake of the success of the mission. The same kind of attitude towards death is displayed by other crew members when the mission runs into numerous problems, which threaten the lives of the crew members. While discussing the course of action that needs to be taken, the space crew members strive to save the lives of those members who are necessary for the success of the mission at the cost of their own lives. As the mission starts to go awry, the crew is forced to debate how to proceed in terse, well-written arguments. Soon, even those debates seem like a luxury in the face of lethal repair missions, a diminishing oxygen supply, and the unexpected. (Morris). Owing to the sacrifices of the crew members, Capa remains alive in spite of the numerous technical problems that occur in the functioning of the spacecraft and attacks made by Pinbacker on him. Although all the crew members die during the mission, they succeed in accomplishing the task for which they have sacrificed their lives. The movie presents the theme of death in a perspective which is different from Hamlet, for most of the characters in the movie face death bravely and views it as an act of sacrifice done for the sake of saving the lives of people on their planet. The influence of the circumstances in which the crew members face their death is evident in their attitudes towards death. In contrast to Hamlet, these characters remain undisturbed in the face of problems and strive to solve their problems instead of running away from them. Hamlet views death as an end to the sufferings of his life whereas the characters in the movie think of death as an act of sacrifice made by them in course of the fulfillment of their duties.    

No Country for Old Men
The theme of death in the movie No Country for Old Men is depicted through the violent killings and the attitude of the characters regarding death. The movie explores the relation between death and fate through its plot revolving around a killer chasing his intended victim. The movie presents the story of a vet, Llewelyn Moss who finds a satchel containing two million dollars of cash during a hunting trip. Moss finds this satchel near the dead bodies of men, who are killed during a dispute regarding a drug deal. Realizing the chances of being chased for the money he found near the dead bodies, Moss takes the money along with him and goes to stay in a motel in another region. It is in the air vent of his room in the motel that Moss puts his money, thinking that it would be a perfect hiding place for keeping the money. But Moss is unaware of the fact that the satchel contains a tracking device, which is aiding Anton Chigurh, a hitman whose services are being utilized for recovering the money, to locate the place where the money is kept. Another person who is chasing Moss and the money is Carson Wells, who is also hired for finding the money. The Sheriff of the town, Tom Bell seeks to save Moss from being killed by Chigurh, and so pursues both of them. The attitudes of Moss and Chigurh, and other characters in the movie bring forth the contrasting views of humans regarding death.

Even after escaping with the money belonging to the gangsters, Moss thinks that he can elude death by moving on from one place to another. His attempts to save himself from being killed by Chigurh bring forth his attitude that death can be cheated by human beings. He fails to comprehend the fact it is the fate of an individual which decides the time of the death and humans cannot change their fates. He is fated to die in course of his struggle to keep the money with him and his efforts fail to alter his fate. The character of Chigurh comes across as cold-blooded killer who kills people without the least hesitation or guilt. His decision whether to kill a particular person or not is influenced by the toss of a coin. He is a terminator, armed with a pressurised air canister and hose with which he knocks out the locks of doors he wants to get
through - or the brains of the hapless people he meets on his travels, and whose fates hinge, literally, on the toss of his coin. (Sandhu). The movie brings forth the notion that death can strike anyone at anytime and this is most evident in the manner Moss and Wells die. The innocent people, who are killed by Chirgurh, are also unaware of the approaching death when they are facing him. The movie highlights the relation between the fate of a person and hisher death. Through the death of Moss and Wells, the movie shows that an individual cannot escape death if heshe is fated to die at a particular time. The thoughts of Moss and Wells regarding death differ from those of Hamlet, the protagonist in the play Hamlet. Hamlet accepts his fate and deters from committing suicide whereas Moss and Wells attempt to keep the money with them and at the same time save themselves from being killed by Chirgurh. Along with the inevitability of death, the movies also emphasizes on the inevitable hold of fate on the life and death of a person.

Conclusion 
Death is viewed from different perspectives by Hamlet, the protagonist in the play Hamlet and the characters in the movies Sunshine and No Country for Old Men. The influence of the circumstances in which these characters face death is evident in their attitudes towards death. Hamlet thinks of death as an end to the sufferings of his life whereas most of the crew members of the spacecraft Icarus II in the movie Sunshine regard death as an act of sacrifice. The characters of Moss and Wells in the movie No Country for Old Men seek to escape their fate by seeking to fulfill their desire of keeping the money with them and at the same time eluding death. Through the deaths of Moss and Wells, the movie brings forth the notion that a person cannot escape hisher death if heshe is fated to die at that particular time.  

Poetry is probably the most used and loved form of literature. Compared to short stories or even novels, poems touch all the senses of a person most especially with the senses of sight and sound, even if this happens in the hypothetical sense. After all, for poetry to be understood and most especially to be appreciated, it has to be sights and sounds. The sights would naturally pertain to the images and pictures evoked in the minds eyes while the sounds would be reflected in the rhymes and rhythm of a poem.

With poetry having been written as early as William Shakespeares time until today, and with modern times supposedly more technologically-focused environment, it is no doubt that it is well loved, well-received, and well-appreciatedShakespeares sonnets and the Hallmark cards can attest to that. However, even if poetry is liked well enough, it does not mean that everyone can understand them, for unlike a short story or a novel, a poem has to be brief enough to convey a meaning or a story while evoking emotions within a person in a certain depth. Thus, a poem explication or interpretation would be very challenging as a critic would find different meanings from a poem compared to another critic interpreting the same poem. Nevertheless, there would be certain clues which a critic and a reader can use to fully grasp the meaning of the poem, usually achieved through a careful analysis of metaphorical, figurative, and literary use of words and sometimes, even words that are not written or appearing in the poem. In this case, an explication would be written regarding one of the sonnets of the great playwright, William Shakespeare, as well as one of the poems of another great literary figure in the person of Andrew Marvell. Shakespeare has written many plays and sonnets and among them is Sonnet 130 which cleverly uses a distinct style that renders the emotions behind the poem its due impact. On the other hand, Marvells To His Coy Mistress, is a playful poem that could have angered a modern female but which depicts devoted emotions of the persona towards the addressee.

As with all sonnets, Sonnet 130 is a fourteen-line poem that tells about the feelings and most especially, the perception of the person towards the addressee or she. The entire poem describes the addressee and because of the lines, readers and critics would be able to fully understand what her characteristics are and what role does she play in the personas life.

My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun (Shakespeare, 2009, line 1). The lady in the poem is revered by the persona and she is the personas mistress. Throughout the poem, she is described and more and more taken into great heights of flattery ...her lips red  I love to hear her speak  I grant I never saw a goddess go (Shakespeare, 2009, lines 2, 9, 11). By the time the poem ends, it is understood that the mistress is the personas great love as what the lines, And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare  As any she belied with false compare (Shakespeare, 2009, lines 13-14) would show. Because of this, the poems theme is quite obviousloveand yet, this love, as with any love that a person experiences, is complicated. This complication transpires because the persona does not flatter the mistress in the common way of affection but instead slightly points out her flaws but not to the point of insult Shakespeare clearly intends the couplet to undo the potential damage done to his readers faith that he indeed loves his dusky mistress by the ostensibly denigrating remarks in the... lines (Steele, 2004, 133). In Shakespeares depiction of the theme of love, he uses an unusual style in its portrayal and yet, it still comes out as the same feel-good emotion. In fact, Shakespeare can be even judged as being playful with the composition and structure of his poem, and the fact that he negates any flattering comment about the mistress while at the same time flattering her makes the theme surface more and makes the love that the persona has for the mistress all the more believable and compelling, making Shakespeare (and the persona) stand out as a creative, poetic talent.

In an analysis of the poem, Shakespeares sonnet seems to be an answer or reply to a previously written sonnet as the persona negates all the good and admirable attributes of the mistress. Throughout the poem, the persona keeps taking back positive comments that could have been given by another person towards his mistress. For example, the lines I have seen roses damaskd, red and white  But no such roses see I in her cheeks (Shakespeare, 2009, lines 5-6) could just mean that someone (a poet or another person) has referred to the mistress as having rose-colored cheeks. However, the persona (which is Shakespeare as well) does not approve of this comment and instead states that the mistress has no such roses...in her cheeks that could just mean that the mistress is wan and pale. Nevertheless, the conclusion that the poem is an answer to a previously written poem can be an over-reading or an over-analysis of the sonnet which can sometimes be a bad thing, since over-reading or over-analysis can also lead to wrong interpretation. In this case though, another critic supports this claim as what Steele (2004) states by writing, The peculiar use of she in the final couplet of Sonnet 130 might hint at a direct link between Shakespeares poem and that of another sonneteer (p. 133). Steele (2004) points out that Shakespeare may have composed Sonnet 130 as a reply to a previous poem, but although this premise may never be proven, it is undeniable that Shakespeare wrote the sonnet as a mockery or juxtaposition to the usual theme of the Petrarchan Sonnet

Traditional readings of Shakespeares Sonnet 130 argue that Shakespeare employs Petrarchan imagery while deliberately undermining it. In the fourteen lines of Sonnet 130, Shakespeare seems to undo, discount, or invalidate nearly every Petrarchan conceit about feminine beauty employed by his fellow English sonneteers. (Steele, 2004, pp. 132-133)

The premise is that Shakespeare (the pioneer of the only other form of sonnet known as the English or Shakespearean sonnet) wrote Sonnet 130 as a juxtaposition to a Petrarchan sonnet not because of the structural meter of the poem but because of the poems content. Petrarchan sonnets are known to have themes that are centered on love, most especially that of love that can never be reciprocated nor fulfilled by the other person (Scaglione, 1997). Petrarchan sonnets use much embellishment on the positive traits of the person addressed to the point of being too flowery, too affectionate, and too goodly. In fact, Petrarchan sonnets can be taken under the wings of courtly love as both concepts portray the same thingthe communication of love when the love is absolutely known to be non-reciprocated to the point that there is pleasure in the idea of a frustrated love as what Scaglione (1997) has been pointing out in his critical paper, Petrarchan Love and the Pleasures of Frustration. On the other hand, Shakespeare uses such cunning figurative and metaphorical words in trying to create the concept that a loved one need not be too beautiful to the point of being goddess-perfect, but she can be beautiful because the person is in love. In simple words, it is the love of the person which renders the addressee as goddess-perfect.

Andrew Marvells poem, To His Coy Mistress, has the same theme and same style as that of William Shakespeares Sonnet 130. Though To His Coy Mistress is in a different poetic form and uses more lewd words such as to adore each breast or long preservd virginity (Marvell, 1999, lines 15, 28), it can be discovered later on that each word that Marvell uses in the poem is actually essential to the overall theme of the poem, even if a readers innocence is sacrificed for it.

The poem by Marvell is playful in style and yet as creative and beautifully composed as that of Shakespeares Sonnet 130. Both poems regard the addressee as their mistress and yet, in Marvels case, the mistress is known to be coy or that of being hesitant. The whole poem zeroes in this hesitancy and Marvell (or the persona) explains in detail why the mistress should not hesitate anymore. Because of this, Marvel uses logic and rhetoric to prove that he is correct. As what Roll-Hansen and Sokol (1990) write in their critical paper To His Coy Mistress has long been recognized as fitting a logical pattern... its form helps reveal a very witty play of logic and illogic in the poem, an interplay which heightens feeling (p. 244). This logicalness and illogicalness can be explained by the notion that Marvel points out that this is the situation with something and this is the non-situation of that somethingwhich one would the mistress choose However, this notion can be regarded as absolutely absurd in logic and yet, as what Roll-Hansen and Sokol (1990) point out, Marvell is able to put possibility in the illogicalness of the situation. This illogicalness is delivered by Marvell in his appropriate and selective use of words. An example would be the lines that the persona uses to convince the mistress that if she does not make use of her beauty and virginity, then it would just crumble or be left for the worms to feast on.

Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song then worms shall try That long preservd virginity. (Marvell, 1999, lines 25-28)

What Marvell did is the same as what Shakespeare did in Sonnet 130negating comments while encouraging something. If Shakespeare professes his love by the mockery of the mistress plainness, then Marvell is trying to convince the mistress by his mockery of what would happen if she does not give in.

To conclude, both the poems of Shakespeare and Marvell are the same, but aside from the fact that both use a distinct style in the poem composition, what makes both poems similar is the fact that they center on one theme that seems almost universal to alllove and the idea that anyone would be capable of doing everything in the name of love, even to the point of composing poems.

Frankenstein, also referred to as The Modern Prometheus is a novel which was written by Mary Shelley. Moreover, this novel speaks of a scientist, victor Frankenstein, who creates an monster with human characteristics but with larger than life attributes. In Germany, Frankenstein literally refers to stone of the Franks, which represents a region or a town. At university, victors interest in sciences urges him to research on how life decays. After creating the monster, he not only hates its features but also gets afraid of it and escapes. The first paradox which portrays itself is the fact that the scientist knowingly creates an object but at the end, he fears and abandons it. The creature experiences rejection and hostility from the humans. The second case of paradox occurs where victor fails to show responsibility to its creation although his parents cared for him when he was a child (Henry, 1992). He neglects his duties as a parent and his role as an adult which turns the creature into a vicious killer. The author tries to emphasize on importance of love which if not provided can change the personality of a person.
               
A theme which is predominant is that of loneliness. Both victor and his creation go through long spells of isolation. We see that his adventure detaches him from his relatives and he says that his only consolation was solitude. The monster on the other hand grew so lonely that he asked Victor to create another female monster.  

In the novel, we meet with the aspect of paradox as a rhetorical genre that is used to create an outcast of thematic expression of the anthology. By and large, paradox in the novel is used as a tool that aims at signifying the primary ideals in the essence of humanity without providing for the causal realization of what the same concept of humanity should uphold. Human life in this anthology is thus brought out as a form of paradox from the multiple contravening subjects that it is propagated through. Elsewhere, the novel is written in an alliteration form where scenic overviews tend to change in regard to the different settings of the novel (Henry, 1992). For instance, we hardly see at the very beginning of the novel that the important character, monster, is basically to provide and fend for himself using all the possible tactics and ways it may deploy.
Surprisingly, the same dogmatic scenario of the monster tends to abruptly change and lends him into personal writing and learning walking and talking. Either, observing the family of delacey, he finds himself obviously obligated in helping it maneuver from the agony of the hard life that it fetches from the hard way of living.

Rhetorical focus may also be underlined to the precept of verbal irony where, different characters express the ironic presumptions in a more verbal manner. For example, Frankenstein expresses is verbal ideology of ether been in deep love with the minister or wanting to kill it as an expression of total hatred (Henry, 1992). This imagination basically comes out to show his deepest concern with the role of the monster as it plays to him and the society as a whole.

There has always been controversy regarding the necessity of a college degree in a persons life. In the olden days, people used to acquire good and highly paying jobs after graduating from high school. However nowadays, with the advancement in technology, changed customer demands, increased employer expectations and new ways of cutting costs, people and companies are coming to the realization that high school education may not equip people fully with the necessary skills to cope with the changing demands at their workplaces and in life generally (Covey, 2006). There is however the evidence of people who have succeeded in life without necessarily acquiring a college degree. This is a paper that agrees to the argument that college degree is a necessity to an individuals success in life.

There are many reasons as to why it is necessary to acquire a college degree. Firstly, college education equips the students with more advanced skills when compared to the high school level. In high school, the students basically take what the teacher offers without necessarily questioning it (Welsh  Foster, 1991). In college, it is different in that the students question what is offered by the teachers they experiment and even come up with better methods of doing things. In the process, it improves their critical thinking which is very necessary in the working environment. When the students complete their education irrespective of the level, they are expected to make decisions in life and at the workplace. A person who has undergone college education would be more equipped with the necessary life skills like time management skills, communications skills among others to cope with lifes challenges than a person who completed their education at high school level (Nist-Olejnik  Holschuh, 2007).

Secondly, getting a decent job in todays society is very difficult for a person who does not have a college degree. At almost all the levels of employment, a college degree is a prerequisite for recruiting people at entry levels for corporate employers. Even if by going to college an individual may not know everything, it indicates that they are capable of learning new things something that is very important to the employers. It also shows that one can apply knowledge in the different fields of life. When a student undergoes a three or four year course, it creates a certain kind of responsibility and the employers may feel that such a person can oversee a project or an activity until something is achieved out of it. Basically, college education equips the students with very many skills that enable them to be picked by employers, something that maybe could not have happened with a high school graduate (Nist-Olejnik  Holschuh, 2007).

Thirdly, college education increases the chances of getting a higher pay. Statistics show that during the working life of an adult, a high school graduate is likely to earn approximately 1.2 million dollars on average. On the other hand, a college graduate would on average earn about 2.1 million dollars (Covey, 2006). This shows that there is a very big difference in the earnings of a person who has gone to college and one who has not. This difference is in most cases clearly indicated by the living conditions of these two kinds of people. The person with a higher income is in a better position to invest more, take the children to better schools and have general better living standards than one who has not (Covey, 2006).

The fourth reason for the acquisition of a college degree is the increased social values. Studies indicate that there is a correlation between college education and economic growth, family and cultural values. It is also evident that compared to high school graduates, the people who undergo college education are in a better position to handle the societal problems better than the ones who completed their education at high school level. They are as well more equipped in the preparation of their childrens future. These people tend to be more optimistic as far as their lives in general are concerned. These people work hard on personal progress and development more than the people who do not acquire college education (Covey, 2006).

Fifthly, college education allows the students to try out things of a wide variety. By the time that students are graduating from high school, they usually do not know the exact thing that they would want to do. Making life decisions is usually a task to them since they do not have much exposure regarding life. In college however, students have much independence and they have to make decisions as far as their academics, social and spiritual lives are concerned. This lays a very good foundation in their decision making and by the time they are completing their course, they can definitely make better decisions than they could when they finished high school. Success in life has much to do with making choices and decisions. On average, a person who has gone to college would be in a position to make better decisions and this implies that they are likely to be more successful in life than a person whose education ended after completing high school (Welsh  Foster, 1991).

The sixth reason for the necessity of college education for ones success in life is the advancement in their careers and education. After getting the basic education, if one would require to get a masters degree, they cannot do so without a bachelors one (Welsh  Foster, 1991). That means that a person who finished his education at high school level has lower chances of getting a masters degree or any other degree which requires one to have a minimum of a bachelors degree. It is the same with careers in that the people with lower academic credentials are less likely to be promoted than the ones who have college education. As one continues to be promoted, they earn higher salaries and gain more experience (Covey, 2006).

There are many more reasons as to why college education is considered a necessity if one is to succeed in their lives. It is not only a personal investment but also, the whole family can benefit from it in many ways. If this extends to the society, the benefits increase since more people will have better paying jobs, there would be more tax revenue for the government and the society at large would live a better life. College education expands an individual skills and knowledge. It enables people to grasp theories and concepts which are abstract. It also helps people to understand their community and the world better. All these things are very important in life and they therefore make college education a necessity for success in life.

     In the first paragraph of the poem, the feelings of a caged bird are being described. It is as if the caged bird feels the warmth of the sun and sees its brightness as it touches the slopes of the land. The bird even though caged can feel the soft breeze of the wind and can still imagine the wind as it stirs the grass on the land. The water in the river flows smoothly and the caged bird describes its shimmers with that of glasses. The bird continues on and illustrates how the singing of the first bird combines with the blooming of the flowers. As the flowers open their buds, the bird can smell their faint fragrance. Visualizing this picture really makes the caged bird sad, as what anyone would feel if they are imprisoned.

     People often think that when a caged bird sings, it is happy, when in fact it is singing a prayer coming from its sad heart that it can fly freely again in the open land. A caged bird often beats its wings, not to show us how good it can dance, not to clap because of our presence, but to show us how much he wanted to spread its wings outside of its cage. The caged birds will to be free is so strong that even though it hurts itself as it tries to flee, it still tries to fly away.

     Truly this poem portrays how sad a caged bird feels. How it misses the sun and the wind outside. As a reader, we sympathize with how the caged bird feels for the writer helped us see the misery the caged bird is going through.

What is startling is the fact that male stereotypes have demonstrated an enduring resiliency despite evidence suggesting that these stereotypes often do not apply to the aging male population.  This is perhaps why Tuesdays with Morrie, a book by Mitch Albom about one of his dying professors, has touched such a raw nerve in both the academic community and in society more generally.  Men are in this book by Mitch Albom portrayed as vulnerable, as requiring some type of social support network, and as being at risk of depression and other ailments when they perceive themselves to be cut off from society.  Book report essay will show that, with respect to male aging, it is quite accurate to believe that fear is just as powerful for both men and women as they age and that a type of vulnerability peculiar to males demands genuine interventions to sustain a personal sense of social worth and a feeling of social inclusion.  This report will therefore discuss how the book was constructed and its main message and advice about male aging.

More than anything else, this book is the story of as relationship between a student and his old professor.  The writer was once a student of the professors at Brandeis University.  The book, however, is not about their relationship at university instead, this story takes many years later when the student is a grown man and the professor is an old man who is dying.  The title comes from the fact that the writer met his old professor on Tuesdays and learned about male aging and how it is to know that you are going to die.  Even though this might seem like a sad topic, and it is sad sometimes, the overall tone is happy and hopeful.  This is because the old professor, a man named Morrie Schwartz, has had a happy life and has had a good family.  Still, much of the book concerns Morries observations about getting older and the difficulties that men face as they age.  Morrie can still think and speak clearly, but his physical body is devastated from his disease.  The writer constantly says that these conversations with Morrie would make him reassess his life.  What is interesting is that the writer is actually a professional sportswriter and he is very much involved with male stereotypes such as physical strength, pride, and independence.  Through Morrie, who cries and openly expresses his pain and suffering at certain points, the writer realizes that these male stereotypes can do more harm than good from an emotional and psychological point of view as men age.  The writer promises to be more open with his own family, to be vulnerable and more dependent on those he loves, and to enjoy life as a feeling human being instead of as a stereotyped male.  The greatest fear, from the writers perspective, seems to be growing old without loved ones rather than an impending death itself.  In this way, the book is mostly about the process of aging as it impacts men rather than death or disease.  This ability to be vulnerable, and to express human needs openly, represents for the writer the ultimate type of human wisdom.  One example of this type of wisdom is when the writer quotes Morrie as saying that As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty- two, youd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. Its growth. Its more than the negative that youre going to die, its the positive that youunderstandyoure going to die, and that you live a better life because of it. (Albom, 1997)  This is beautiful, and intelligent, because they both come to equate aging with growth rather than the type of decay caused by Morries disease.  People are never too old to learn.

This books main message, a valuable one, is that trust and personal relationships are very important as people get older.  There are, however, certain parts of the male ego that sometime make it harder for men to trust and to ask for help as they age.  The stereotype, which this book suggests is not always correct, is that men are independent and too proud to be dependent on other people as they get older.  This can make aging men lonelier and less healthy than women as they age.  Mitch Albom delivers a message suggesting that people ignore these stereotypes in meetings and interactions with older men.  At one point, for example, he writes  Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too-even when you are in the dark. Even when youre falling. (Albom, 1997) Generally speaking, and quite clearly illustrated in Tuesdays with Morrie, gender is relevant and social inclusion is more challenging for men as they age than for women.  One researcher has stated that This lack of social embeddedness has been attributed to gender and mens acceptance of the pivotal role of women in establishing and maintaining social networks.  In support of this line of reasoning it has been further pointed out that women tend rather strongly to pursue and maintain family networks that women report a greater feeling of emotional gratification from personal relations and, that men suffer disproportionately from these gender disparities as they age.  The ways in which men suffer, and the sociological issues, demonstrate that trust and communication are critical factors.  Albom portrays a vulnerable man that defies traditional male stereotypes and which is also consistent with the academic literature regarding male aging.

In conclusion, Tuesdays with Morrie is a book that anyone interested in human wisdom or the process of aging should read and carefully consider.  It paints the aging process as one of personal growth and the acquisition of knowledge.  It is also especially valuable for men because it points out the dangers of male stereotypes and how this can lead to loneliness for men.  It is best to treat all human beings the same as they age and to  anticipate certain fears and needs.  Aging, after all, affects us all.

Dr. Bergman in his book The Discovery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Lessons in the Practice of Political Medicine discusses and explains why it took so long for the public and the medical community to accept Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as a legitimate disease rather than as an unknown type of accident.  Historically, this type of death has had three main characteristics.  These characteristics were that the infant deaths were not expected because there were no prior health warnings, the deaths happened quickly, and there seemed to be no valid medical reasons for the deaths.  Somewhat morbidly, these types of deaths were often referred to in the past as crib deaths because they typically involved infants younger than one year of age and many actually occurred in a babys crib.  The most frightening aspect of this type of death was the fact that it constituted the second most common cause of death among infants an additional frightening aspect was the simple fact that there existed no verifiable medical explanations.  Worse, because there were no medical explanations, these numerous deaths were effectively classified and treated as accidents rather than the result of specific causes that might be identified and addressed to prevent more deaths.  This is the main topic of Dr. Bergmans book about discovering Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  More specifically, he details the lengthy academic and political battles waged by doctors and public health professionals to classify these infant deaths as a real medical condition rather than as accidents that could not be prevented.  This battle was important because it made available public and private funds for education programs and further research.  This battle to recognize crib deaths as a legitimate medical condition has yielded some positive results.  While many infants still die in unexpected and sudden ways, these types of deaths are no longer completely unexplained as was true in the past.  Instead, recent research studies have identified potential causes that might lead to prevention techniques and pre-death interventions. 

    Statistically, as Dr. Bergman notes, these deaths are truly a public health crisis worthy of further attention and public funding for research.  He states, for example, that
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), commonly known as crib death, claims between 6,000 and 7,000 babies a year in the United States. It is responsible for between 2 and 3 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. After the first week of life, where deaths associated with prematurity predominate, SIDS is the most important single cause of death of infants under 1 year of age
 
    Given these statistics, and the fact that these deaths involved the most vulnerable population among human beings, one would guess that finding the causes would have been a public health priority.  Sadly, as Dr. Bergman points out throughout the book, this was not the case.  More puzzling, both politicians and policy makers did not seem very interested in these crib death statistics.  As a consequence, and Dr. Bergman details a series of public education campaigns and government lobbying efforts, it was left to a few dedicated academics, public health professionals, and grieving parents to fight in order to get these deaths recognized as a legitimate disease and public assistance.  The author implies that these deaths were not as profitable as diseases such as cancer or AIDs and that this cynical profit orientation may have been one reason why politicians neglected these infant deaths.  Drug companies, after all, could not sell drugs for a disease for which there were no known causes and they had little economic incentive to press politicians to fund research for a disease that many deemed a series of tragic accidents.  This is the ironic nature of the books title, suggesting a discovery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, because there was no discovery but a push for public officials to discover this disease in the form of a formal acknowledgement that would open up funding and support for public health professionals and families. 

    In many ways, in addition to explaining the scope and the nature of the problem, this book provides an interesting historical account of the lobbying efforts that eventually resulted in formal recognition and funding.  The author provides an interesting overview about how this started out as a small grassroots campaign than eventually became an important national public health issue.  He notes, referring to the grassroots origins of this campaign, that

First and foremost a research effort had to be launched. Research support had been the exclusive interest of the tiny Roe Foundation. A few small grants were awarded, but the Foundation lacked the capacity for any sort of substantial campaign. Money was not the only problem. Few scientists with potential talent even knew of the existence of crib death they had to be recruited to work in the field.     
After much effort, the biggest break came when a famous consumer rights advocate named Ralph Nader decided to help the group present its concern to state and federal lawmakers.  Naders group prepared a report together with the group advocating recognition of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and this report would eventually receive much media attention and political interest.  It was mostly through this report that the public learned about these infant deaths more thoroughly and they began asking there political representatives to increase funding for this important family health issue.  In fact, the author was so appreciative of Naders help that he writes in his book that When the list of the most important Americans of the twentieth century is compiled, Ralph Nader should surely rank high. By word and deed he has shown how citizens without money or position can alter the status quo.

This book, in addition to being about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is also about how a few concerned citizens can help to change their societies by becoming knowledgeable, involved, and persistent.  A few groups of individuals can make the world a better place.   Indeed, since the time that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was formally acknowledged as a legitimate disease, several potential causes have been identified.  Many deal with irritants which affect an infants lungs, such as chemicals and second-hand smoke.  Other studies suggest that a low birth-rate and male babies are risk factors for this type of infant death.  Without the dedication of people like Dr. Bergman and Ralph Nader, these causes might never have been found.  They are truly heroic people.

In conclusion, this book demonstrates that disease and public health are sometimes too narrowly defined.  People cannot view deaths with a pattern as accidents and therefore ignore them as if they are inevitable.  Instead, people who suffer such personal losses should exercise their rights as citizens.  They should educate themselves and become involved in the political process.  These are the books main messages and they are hopeful messages.  Anyone can change the world.

The business world has changed tremendously and it is today characterized by increasing competition, globalization and technological dynamism. I operate a communications firm which deals with installation of information technology devices including internet services, software management and programming for our customers. The communications industry commonly referred to as the information technology industry is one of the most dynamic industries today (LaRue, Childs, Larson  Ivany, 2004).

    Speed, adaptability and flexibility are some of the major strengths or factors that have enabled our organization to continue being profitable amidst the cut throat competition in the information technology industry (Brock, n. d). Changing times demand change in the operation tactics and this is only possible in an organization if it has speed, is flexible and can easily adapt to changing business environment. These three components have been our major source of strength and a contributor to the success and growth of our communications firm.

    Speed, adaptability and flexibility are the key factors that drive change in an organization. They also drive innovation and creativity, some of the essential tools in creating a sustainable competitive advantage (Thamhain, 2005). Speed is the ability to effectively and rapidly respond to changes in the market. This has enabled us to find out changing needs of the customers and develop creative ways of meeting them before our competitors do the same. Speed has enabled us to put in place the right systems to ensure that the goals of our company are met. It also gives us a decisive competitive advantage. Flexibility refers to the ability to internally do things in order to meet the demands or requests of the customers. Our business is very open to accommodate changes in order to meet the needs of our customers. We listen to our customers needs, are open to new options and technologies and are willing to try new ideas. This has made our firm different from others and helped in improving our customer relations as well as profitability. Adaptability on the other hand is the outward transformation as a result of outward changes (Patten et al, n. d). Our company adapts easily and quickly to changing business environment and this is vital in communications industry. This has had great impact on our ability to increase the customers value. Speed, adaptability and flexibility are the key to our business success today.

James Joyces Ulysses is fairly regarded as the bright example of professional talented modernism. A complex combination of various literary and non-literary elements, Ulysses as if is being written and read at the intersection of artistic and routine features of the human life. Episode 15 Circe is as unique as it is also difficult to understand. It is written as a reflection of numerous hallucinations which intersect and interact, and which, as soon as they are understood and analysed, present a completely different picture of the two characters that used to present their vision of the world through the fourteen preceding chapters. In many aspects, the hallucinations, the psychological, and modernistic insights presented in Circe create a complex picture of the human life as influenced by both inner anxieties and external circumstances and events. In Circe, Bloom and Stephen have to go through a series of hallucinations but the modernist character of Joyces writing is not in that humans can have hallucinations, but in that their hallucinations intersect and interact in ways that bring them closer together and change their perceptions about life and about each other.

James Joyce, Ulysses, and Modernism
    That Joyces Ulysses is a unique example of modernistic writing is difficult to deny, but the complex language and complex interactions between reality and illusions are not the only features of early twentieth centurys modernism that can be found in Circe. Rather, Circe, as well as Ulysses in general, is modernistic to the extent, which asks questions that are unanswerable by nature, which positions stream of consciousness as the central element of the human being, which combines and emphasises the conflict between particularity and universality in Blooms and Stephens lives, and which turns their hallucinations into a force that brings them closer to each other. Bloom and Stephen have to become closer, and it is clear from the very beginning of the novel, but these are the hallucinations in Circe that make such proximity possible, desirable, and even inevitable. The ways in which Stephens and Blooms hallucinations intersect simply leave them no chance to be further separated from each other. The Mabbot street entrance of nighttown, before which stretches an uncobbled transiding set with skeleton tracks, red and green will-o-the-wisps and danger signals (Joyce 1922, p. 351)  everything that Bloom sees on his way is so dangerous and even menacing, that he is confident he has to protect Stephen from the emerging threats. However, if traditional non-modernist writers would seek to present this quest for the unknown as the direct pathway to tragedy and death, such quest for Joyce paves the way to hallucinations as the only opportunity to answer the questions that are regularly asked by both Stephen and Bloom no matter, whether their hallucinations are caused by the so-called epilepsy or the alcoholic influence of absinthe, they offer a unique chance to understand inner urges and hidden desires and to resolve the anxieties that rule Blooms and Stephens lives.

    However, and this is another modernist feature of Joyce story, the answers Bloom and Stephen are likely to get through the hallucinations are not as important as the process of thinking and rethinking them. Neither question opens up a space for a question to expand and metamorphose into a quest. It would see that self-imposed and self-evident enigmas cannot generate and sustain purposive mental or narrative movement (DiBattista 2008). These enigmas are as self-imposed as they are also important to see the stream of consciousness as the critical element of the human being. My spines a bit limp. Go or turn And this food Eat it and get all pigsticky. Absurd I am. Waste of money. One and eightpence too much.  Strange how they take to me. Even that brute today. Better speak to him first. Like women they like rencontres. Stinks like a polecat. Chacun son gout. He might be mad. Fido (Joyce 1922, p. 365). These disrupted thoughts and associations actually reflect what is going on in readers minds when they face similar situations or experience similar conflicts between their inner perceptions and external events. Joyce modernism is unique in a sense that it positions this mixture of realism and modernism as one of the basic modernist features of his writing. Also, this modernism shows Bloom and Stephen as both general and unique, and such reconciliation of material particularity with the universal by way of chaos (Horowitz 2006) confirms Circe as one of the central representatives of high modernism.

In the context of the modernistic writing in Circe, gazing stands out as the most important means of understanding the human soul and inner anxieties. In Circe, gazing prevail over other forms of self-identification and self-investigation Bloom gazes ahead reading on the wall a scrawled chalk legend Wet Dream and a phallic design (Joyce 1922, p. 364) in the presence of Zoe, Bloom gazes in the tawny crystal of her eyes, ringed with kohol (Joyce 1922, p. 377) he gazes far away mournfully and gazes at the veiled mauve light (Joyce 1922, p. 398). In his discussion of Joyces novel, Gordon (2004) shows gazing as the basic prerequisite for making hallucinations active, productive, and useful for the analysis of Blooms anxieties (p. 158), but it is also clear that gazing resembles a test, which both Bloom and Stephen have to pass in order to confirm their predisposition to hallucinations and in order to make sure that they can use these as an instrument of self-analysis. This is a form of interaction between the material and the aesthetic, a form of physiological (gazing) justification for the psychological (hallucinations) ability to resolve personal and social anxieties, although the resolution itself does not mean anything against the process of investigating the truth (if there is any). What seems more interesting, however, is the role which these hallucinations play in bringing Bloom closer to his psychological portrait  hallucinations make it extremely easier for the reader to understand the meaning of the fetishist and masochistic urges, with which Bloom is bound to live his life.

    These masochistic signs become visible at readers facing the meaning and significance of Blooms correspondence with Martha in earlier chapters, but it is through Blooms being beaten by Bella (Bello), and his being fascinated and nervous about Bellas (Bellos) lingerie that make Blooms psychological features more understandable to the reader The door opens. Bella Cohen, a massive whoremistress enters. She is dressed in a threequarter ivory gown, fringed round the hem with tasselled selvedge, and cools herself flirting a black horn fan like Minnie Hauck in Carmen. On her left hand are wedding and keeping rings. Her eyes are deeply carboned. She has a sproutling moustache (Joyce 1922, p. 404). Since this moment, Bloom cannot turn his eyes away from her dressing and her fan  the two objects of Blooms fetishism. Here, finally, Joyce reveals his profound psychological thinking which is a part of his modernistic vision he shows Bloom as the one who has a fraught sense of masculinity and power and a man who also experiences an increasing sense of guilt of what is going on in his life (Faulkner 1977). He does realise the meaning of his fetishist desires, and that Bella ultimately turns into Bello and abuses Bloom also emphasises his own impotence and the lack of masculine power.

    As any modernist writer, Joyce could not limit his investigations and strivings to underlining the masculine impotence of Bloom rather, he had to look deeper into how individuals (in general and in particular) seek to resolve these inner conflicts. As such, Bello for Bloom is both his punishment and his reward. Coffman (2002) is correct in that the beating and abuse by Bello is a unique and convenient way to fetishise Bloom, and this fetishisation brings the masculine phallic power back into Bloom and makes him feel stronger You will be laced with cruel force into vicelike corsets of soft dove coutille with whalebone busk to the diamondtrimmed pelvis, the absolute outside edge, while your figure, plumper than when at large, will be restrained in nettight frocks, pretty two ounce petticoats and fringes and things stamped, of course, with my houseflag (Joyce 1922, p. 409). Again, it is not clear and probably it is not very important whether the phallic power which Bloom acquires through Bello will resolve his anxieties. As a modernist writer, Joyce is increasingly concentrated on the process of consciousness and analysis itself. The more important is the role these hallucinations play for both Stephen and Bloom.

    As the reflection of his modernist strivings, Joyce uses Bloom and Stephen as the two most common representatives of the Dublins crowd, and their usualness (commonness) contributes to the overall chaotic nature of his novel, but the hallucinations in which Stephen and Bloom engage in Circe also show how important they can be for their lives. On the one hand, Stephen wants to promote his own professional and intellectual independence My centre of gravity is displaced. I have forgotten the trick. Let us sit down somewhere and discuss. Stuggle for life is the law of existence but modern philirenists, probably the tsar and the king of England, have invented arbitration. But in here it is I must kill the priest and the king (Joyce 1922, p. 438). At this very time, Bloom tries to protect him from the consequences of his wording and to some extent, he exemplifies the caregiver and a true father to Stephen, whom he considers to be his lost son He said nothing. Not a word. A pure misunderstanding (Joyce 1922, p. 441). Although at the very end of the chapter Bloom is the one to support Stephen in his unconsciousness, the real modernism is in that Joyce makes it possible for the hallucinations of the two different people to intersect and even to interact in ways, which bring their real lives together and change their perceptions about each other.
   
    James Joyces Ulysses is one of the brightest examples of the modernist writing. The modernist character of Joyces novel and its fifteenth episode is in that, by taking the two casual and common people from the Dublin crowd, the writer seeks to investigate their inner worlds. His investigation and the hallucinations which he uses in Circe are nothing else but the convenient tools of knowledge and a good means to position the stream of consciousness as the basic element of the human being hallucinations are used as a literary technique and as an instrument of psychological investigation. That Stephen and Bloom are the two usual representatives of their society makes them equally particular and general, and turns modernism into a unique manner of reconciling the generality and particularity of these characters. The blurred line between reality and illusion makes Ulysses and Circe, in particular, even more modernistic. However, the real modernism in Circe is not in that individuals can experience hallucinations, but in that their hallucinations interact and intersect in ways that bring them closer to each other and change their real perceptions about their lives.

I belong to two different communities one is my current community which is in Ann Arbor where I study at the University of Michigan, and the other is the community that I left back in Shanghai, China.  My community at Ann Arbor is composed mostly of students who are also from different locations and just moved here to Ann Arbor to study at the University of Michigan.

    The fact that University of Michigan is located at Ann Arbor makes majority of the population here diverse, as students from not only around the US but also around the world like myself flock here to have good quality education. It could be said that Ann Arbor is mostly a community of students to which I belong. It is a community because it is a group of people with varying in interests, hometowns, and ethnicities that manage to live together in cooperation.

    The community functions as my second community because my original community which is in Shanghai, China is thousands of miles away. The people of the community serve as my companion in times of need. Thankfully, they have been very accommodating despite me being from a foreign country. As for others, (the non-students) this community functions as a source of income. From the faculty of the school to the establishment employees outside of the campus, the residents of Ann Arbor benefit from the money being spent by the students.

    One of the rewards of being a part of this community is that the community is able to help with my studies. The community is also able to provide security for me, for I know that my friends would help me in times of need.

    The cost of membership is free, but being enrolled in the university is another matter. Since English is of course the primary language used in the community, it is just in the tone and sometime in the manner of writing that differences can be noticed.

    People from outside the community would simply see a group of students living and studying together just because we go to the same school. It may be right, but for us students who belong to the community, we are more than just forcibly living together We have formed something more like a second family.

The stories Girl by Jamaica Kincaid and The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston share the same theme about the complexity of a woman. Both stories teaches that the more the world tries to dictate how a woman must act and react, the more the world complicates matters for her. This is because she is not a simple mechanical toy that one can simply input instructions on. A woman is human. She thinks and she feels she gets hurt and she inflicts pain. She is never predictable. As a matter of fact, a balloon of mystery embodies her soul. No one can really accurately fathom who she really is. Although she may seem complacent and dutiful trying to be in parallel with what the society requires of her she may just be putting on a faade. A womans soul is deep and her mind is so broad that mankind tries so hard to deny her strength.

    The aforementioned theme shared by the stories of Kincaid and Kingston was developed using different attacks. Kincaids Girl was a relatively short story. Its a story in the form of a monologue of a mother. The mother in the story was talking about the things that her daughter must do and the numerous things she wanted her to keep in mind. Of course, since it is a monologue, the only character in the story is the mother. The mothers characterization where fully developed by the implication of her monologue. Whereas Kingstons The Woman Warrior has a character that narrates the story, a main protagonist and of course, antagonists. Although there was not much dialogue, the effective narration gave a clear mental picture of the characters. In terms of the story setting, Kincaid was more playful with her story. Basically Girl is set in a rural area. It is safe to say that the Girl being talked to and about in the story is a typical country girl from the modern era. On the other hand, Kingston was generally typical in her setting as well as in the development of her storys plot. The Woman Warrior is set in a province in China but the narrator is in the United States.

    Kincaid was more adventurous in style but Kingstons symbolism and imagery were deeper. As a reader goes through story of The Woman Warrior, hell be able to mentally visualize the scenes envisioned by the author. Kingstons play of words was very effective and poetic. She managed to clearly imply Chinese philosophies and customs through her seemingly effortless narration of the story. Her choice of words was excellent. The story was easy to understand.

    Both stories have their own set of strengths and weaknesses. But by carefully comparing them on their efficiency in illustrating and relating the theme, The Woman Warrior reigns supreme. Kincaids Girl was fun to read. It is short and it some how tickles. It had a light approach on the theme. It is something extraordinary. Kincaid must be commended because she did an excellent job in writing such a truthful monologue that captures and delivers reality. Nevertheless, theme-wise, The Woman Warrior has the better illustration of the theme. It dealt with the theme extensively. It makes a reader stare and think about the matters being raised in the story. Its style may be typical but the development of its theme is extraordinarily good.

Environmentally and Economically

    Equally alarming than another world war is global warming. It is one of the major problems that scientists and practitioners from the different branches of science and technology are working on. Since carbon dioxide is among the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, it may be implied that vehicles (cars) are major contributors to the crisis. Consequently, environmentally friendly card models were introduced by car manufacturers. The most accessible of these designs are the hybrid vehicles. Hybrid cars use an electric motor and an internal combustion engine to achieve greater fuel efficiency (Thomas). This technology is being used by car manufacturers to lessen the vehicles dependency on oil and fuel. The electric motor of the hybrid vehicle lessens its carbon emission. So if you will compare an ordinary internal combustion engine car with a hybrid vehicle, it is evidently clear that carbon emission is lessened by using the later thus, using hybrid vehicles seem economical and most importantly, environment friendly.

    Unfortunately, a careful scrutiny on hybrid vehicles will show that it is not the best alternative for conventional vehicles in addressing the issue of global warming. Its economical and environmental advantages over the ordinary vehicles are just a faade. Meaning, in the long run, hybrid vehicles have the same level of disadvantages as the ordinary internal combustion engine. Indeed, hybrid cars have lower carbon emission. But the batteries (lithium ion and nickel) that they use have moderate to high toxic pollution potential. Consequently, the environment is still not safe even with the advent of the usage of hybrid cards. The vehicles great potential to contribute on pollution is still existent.

    Economically speaking, hybrid cars are still not wise alternatives over the conventional cars. Batteries of hybrid cars degenerate faster compared to the ordinary ones being used by conventional vehicles. Thus, a hybrid car owner will need to constantly change a several thousand dollars worth of battery every 80,000 miles or less (Thomas). It is good that the government has tax incentives for hybrid car users but in the end, after computing all the costs and expenses spent on using the supposedly alternative car is still higher than the incentive (Bradford).

    Moving further, the performance of hybrid vehicles is not as good as the feat of the ordinary conventional combustion engine cars. Hybrids do not run as fast and as smooth as the conventional vehicles. As a matter of fact, there are existing complaints against car manufacturers because the hybrid cars that they produced do not reach the stated gas mileage.

    Hence, if car buyers and concerned citizens of the world will weigh the pros and cons of having a hybrid car as an alternative to the ordinary internal combustion engine cars, the later will be favored. The creation of the hybrid vehicles is not fraud. The intention in making them is good  and that is to help stop and prevent global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. However, studies and analysis show that hybrids do not greatly differ from ordinary cars when it comes to pollution potential. Given the fact that hybrids do not really help save the users expenses on cars, it is safe to conclude that hybrid vehicles are not alternatives of conventional cars.

When you think of a vegetarian diet, you may get the misconception that the diet is lacking in proteins and therefore less healthy. This is unfounded since you can manage to balance the diet and get all the essential nutrients including proteins leading to a healthy living. There are whole benefits accrued to the practice of vegetarianism.

How is a vegetarian diet better
    A well balanced vegetarian diet goes a long way in preventing diseases such as cancer, hypertension, arthritis and obesity among others. Since a vegetarian diet excludes meat, one does not consume high levels of bad cholesterol found in meat. Instead consuming legumes, nuts, grains and vegetables provides good cholesterol that is effective in reducing the risk of developing heart related conditions (Craig, 2010, para 4).

    Of course the worry of where you can obtain proteins as a vegetarian will always reign in your mind but with a better understanding of other sources such as dry beans as well as lentils, there is no need to worry as this is the way out. You can obtain sufficient non-meat proteins from soy beans, tofu, navy beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lima, pinto and garbanzo among other cereals (para, 5).

Soy protein is associated with inhibition of cancerous growths as well as cholesterol lowering substances that eliminate the risks of acquiring cancers and heart diseases. Vegetables form the major part of your diet as a vegetarian and these are important in reducing the risks of developing cancers and heart related conditions as they contain tepernoids necessary for lowering blood cholesterol (Craig, 2010, para 18). In particular, fruits and berries contain pigments such as anthocyanin and reddish pigments which neutralize free radicals in the body in addition to preventing oxidation of bad cholesterol.

    It is clear that by observing a vegetarian diet, your health is of much better more so when it comes to dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and arthritis. Nevertheless, non-animal proteins must be supplied to ensure that the diet remains balanced, a move that is very possible with the many plant protein supplements available.

Globalization is being talked about everywhere. It has become a common subject of discussion and debate lately. Scholars from all over the world have become occupied in learning about it as a national issue and phenomenon, and sociologists have already initiated studies that aim to find out about its effects on peoples lives. Because of this global curiosity about such a phenomenon, globalization has been tried to defined and explicated in a lot of different ways. Now, people at the least have a speck of idea about what globalization is and what it affects. However, this speck of idea may not appear sufficient since a lot about nations economy, culture, government and national identity are being affected by globalization. Considering these perceived effects, it may seem like what the world needs is a more extensive and in-depth scrutiny as to what globalization really is and how it affects one country. The effects of globalization have indeed been evident in a lot of countries today. Aside from changing traditions, cultures and outlook on some things, it has also affected peoples sense of nationalism and patriotism. One of the most apparent manifestations of this is on how people of today have been used to being patrons of foreign products instead of their own, locally-made products. However, aside from this, one very significant change which people have to notice is the domination of the English language. 

English is indeed the universal language, and that fact is known in every part of the world. It is also because of this fact that different countries strive on making their people learned and familiar with the English language since being able to speak and understand the language enables people to communicate with more people from other countries. This bridges more connection which also implies that international relations can also be strengthened if more countries will be able to become fluent English speakers. However, in some cases, English domination is not seen as positive event. In some places, a domination of a foreign language does not actually entail a major step toward globalization instead, it may seem more like an unwanted colonization which poses the possibility of the loss of a nationalistic spirit and identity. There are several nations that are actually looking at the domination of the English language this way. One of these nations is Saudi Arabia. The situation of Saudi Arabia amidst globalization has been a constant subject on headlines all over the world. The countrys way of reaching out to the world has been very uncontestable over the years however, as it appears, one part of globalization is not making that much of a positive impact on the country and this is the domination of the English language over the Arabic language. Over the years, it has been very significant to understand the effects of globalization on a countrys economy and national identity. Given this case of English domination in the Arabia, it appears significant to understand the more specific effects it posts on the countrys culture and on peoples behavior and preferences. This discussion shall then delve on the significant impacts of English domination in the attitude and preference of Arabians toward the media. Specifically, this discussion shall look into the effects and influence of English domination  apparent through the proliferation of English TV shows  on Arab children.

Globalization
A scenario which depicts a nation struggling to fight for its dying language due to the domination of English language can be very upsetting and alarming. A lot of people would easily associate and attribute this scenario to globalization. If this will be the case, such people may really have a point somewhere however, in order to understand how globalization is connected to this dilemma, it may be best to first define and explicate what globalization is and how it is connected to a nations language loss.

Globalization has becomes a common topic of discussion over the years because of its rapid growth in different countries. It has been defined and explicated by different experts, but as it appears, no concrete and solid understanding of globalization tends to linger into peoples minds. In this light, consulting experts in this subject matter would be the best idea. Ulrich Beck, is one of the many experts who have studied and are continuously exploring on the concept of globalization. Just like other experts who have explored on the concept of globalization, Beck also thinks that there have been a lot of misconceptions about what globalization really is. According to Beck, the idea of globalization centers on, scale, density, and stability of regional-global relationship networks and their self-definition through the mass media, as well as of social spaces and of image-flows at a cultural, political, economic and military level. (Beck 12)

This definition clearly implies that globalization is not directly focused on modernization as what most people think. Over the years, the mass media has related globalization to the modern development and growth of the world. Because of this association, it has been easy for people to assume that globalization is the same as modernization or development towards modernity. However, as per Becks explication, this is not the actual case. The abovementioned definition clearly entails that globalization is all about relationships or connections. Beck emphasizes that rather than being focused on infrastructures and other physical manifestations of modernity, globalization actually centers on connections that are built between nations. The author also notes that this kind of connection imposes significant effects not just on a countrys modern development but also on its economy, government, culture and even in its military defense. As it appears, globalization really delves on connection instead of modernity hence, what appears important to understand regarding Becks definition of globalization is that, the modern aspect of globalization is just an effect or consequence of the growing connections between powerful nations.

Considering this definition, it appears that a nation can be considered to be participating in the common aim for globalization if it is able to build strong and reliable relationships with other powerful countries. The United States can be used as one good example in discussing this definition. The United States has been tagged by different experts as the worlds most powerful country. It has overcome a lot of political and military feats, and although it has recently gone through a serious economic recession, its influence to other countries still remains incontestable. A lot of people may question, why is this so One factor that may have contributed to this kind of influence is the strength and dominance that the ancient Americans were able to establish. Plainly basing it one studied history, it can be seen that a lot of powerful nationalities like the English or British, Germans and Latin races have successfully made their way to become naturalized in America long before. Because of this, the minds, skills and physical prowess of America grew stronger because of this mixture. Over the years, it has also made successful colonies from several less powerful nations. These are just some possible reasons why the United States was able to acquire such a strong influence over other countries today.

The power and influence of the United States of America is important to not because this one of the best example that could be used in the discussion of globalization. Apparently, a lot of countries are now looking up to the United States of America like it is an exemplar in terms of economic and political stability. Because of this impression, the U.S. was able to make strong connections to other countries, both to third world and powerful and influential countries as well. The influence has been very consistent through the years. One strong proof of this influence is the prevalence of the English language as the worlds most understood language. However, this is just one illustration of how globalization works. The United States play as a significant example of how advantageous globalization is especially in terms of economic, political and military stability. But apart from this, there are still a lot of effects of globalization that experts were able to identify over the years. Some of these consequences include improve market mechanisms and government efficiency (Korten 98). These consequences root from the ability of globalization to empower markets because of the growing connections to more countries hence wide ranging market as well. Moreover, government efficiency was also said to be an effect of globalization since world leaders are being obligated to exert more logical and the same time stern governance in order for their nation to appear credible and exemplary before the rest of the world. However, apart from these positive effects, there are also some negative effects seen to root from this concept of globalization. One of these corrosive effects, include supraterritoriality. This process was explained to be a situation where territories are being scarce due to monopolized control and ownership of land. This was said to further cause relative deterritorialization since communities are losing their territorial homeland (Scholte 160). What is worse is that this relative deterritorialization was also said to bring forth denationalization. These are really very corrosive effects that evidently push a nation to lose its identity. Despite the positive and beneficial effects of globalization, in some ways, it apparently has the ability to actually destroy a countrys national identity. Aside from the aforementioned effects of globalization, one process which was also seen to be corrosive of a nations identity is language loss and this is another negative effect attributed to globalization.

Language Loss as a Negative Effect of Globalization
Language is one of the primary determinants of nationality. Because of this feature it also serves as a way of identification which relates to ones culture and nationality. In speaking about the concept of nationalism, language becomes a very important topic since it is one attribute which has always been tried preserved by nationalists. Countries like China, Japan, Korea and a lot of Arabian countries can be considered as strict nationalists. This is based on how strict and consistent they are in their efforts of preserving their national identity in terms of culture, traditions, and language. However, due to globalization, this national identity is being put to a great challenge as language is being risked of being dominated over by a foreign one. This was identified as the process of language loss. Language loss has been defined as, the process where speakers of local language, all over the world, are forced to give up on their native languages and adopt what we call a language of wider communication, which today is in most cases English. (Zentai and Krizsan 64)

This phenomenon is clearly very apparent in the current state of societies. It is evident that as years pass, the English language continues to rule as the worlds most understood language, and more and more countries as gearing up towards educating people more about the English language. However, language loss posts a significantly serious threat in terms of national identity. A lot of countries are already facing the risk of losing their national identity because of the domination of the English language. This domination has been apparent through the mass media, the academe and the change in peoples behavior and attitude toward being nationalistic. One country which has been observed to go through such dilemma is Saudi Arabia. How this country is currently facing such threat shall be addressed in the succeeding part of this discussion.

Globalization and the Threat of Language Loss in the Arabia
Globalization has been seen to reach a lot of countries in a fast and what it seemed an unstoppable phase. The Arabian countries are some of these nations that have been observed to embrace globalization. In most countries, the most typical effects of globalization were seen to be on capitalist development. The economic ability of a country was usually the most apparent manifestation of whether or not globalization is doing significant improvements. However in the context of Arabian countries, it appears that the entry of globalization was not that smooth. Experts observed that most countries in the Arabia such as Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Iraq, Libya and Algeria are not exhibiting high levels of capitalist development. Experts attributed this to the nature of leadership in these countries. Unlike other countries with freer economies, the governments in these countries are praetorian republics that are controlled from bunkers by political military elites (Henry and Springborg 95). Furthermore, experts note that,

While capital flight and labor migration are not confined to these countries, they are its most prominent exemplars. Algerian workers, for example, have a longer history and a more substantial presence in France do than their Moroccan or Tunisian counterparts. (95-96)

This just entails that although most countries have already displayed fast adaptation to globalization, some countries like Arabian nations still remain preserved. But aside from this aspect, huge impacts were also seen on the use of the English language in Arabian countries. This has been most apparent in the mass media.

The mass media is one of the most vulnerable institutions when it comes to globalization. Any foreign content or message can be easily absorbed and broadcasted using the many forms of mass media, and this can easily sway of affect people in different ways. In talking about globalization, one of the major questions being asked is on the ideal of the so-called Englishization. Englishization was defined as the process of the global spread of English, the so-called language of globalization (Zentai and Krizsnan 64). In the mass media in most Arabian countries, englishization has already been observed. Some of the most popular TV channels that are already seen to broadcast English programs are SAT TV, Muhammad TV and Al Majd Kids TV (Ostamyy.com). Some of the programs broadcasted in these networks are news and educational programs. But what appears very significant to note are the English cartoons and children shows that are being introduced to a lot of Arabian children.

Language is one of the earliest learning children acquire as they grow up. Alongside motor and logic skills, language is also one of the most important learning which is being taught to children at a young age. The prevalence and widespread of English TV programs, that cater to children, posts a lot of issues. For one, instead of learning the native language some children might already been brought up to an environment of English speakers. Hence, as these children grow, it is likely that they learn to speak English as their primary language and their native language as secondary. Considering the fact that language plays a significant part in terms of national identity, the thought of letting Arabian children learn English - and eventually let them consider English as their primary language  can really be very threatening in the context of Arabias very strict and preserved national identity. Apart from this, some Arabs also considered their childrens behaviors and attitudes as possible areas that might get affected by the domination of English and the American culture through children programs. It is evident that the American culture holds several differences from the conservative and preserved Arabian culture. Considering this, it must have been very difficult for other Arabians to let their children be exposed to English programs since some behavior, attitude, language and messages broadcasted may appear unsuitable in some ways. Considering this, the domination of the English language through TV programming may not just post threats as to national identity, but also to the conservative and preserved disposition of Arabs.

When TV broadcasting started in Saudi Arabia in 1965, it was understandable that there are sufficient English contents since the network was initiated by the US Air Force (Sinclair, Stuart and Cunningham 113). As years pass by, English contents were gradually reduced, and the programming of most Arabian networks centered on promoting Saudi Arabia as the heart of the Islamic Civilization. The Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) is one of Saudi Arabias most powerful networks. Although most of the Arabian networks were focused on uplifting their native language, the objectives of other networks ironically direct towards the aim of globalization. Abdullah El Masry, the executive director of MBC once said, through MBC, we hope to prepare the air for reconciliation in the Mideast, to be a bridge of understanding (114). Evidently, the vision of this network, as per its directors point of view, clearly directs toward a similar objective which globalization sets  bridging and connecting nations. But although this was the case a lot of Arabs have remained to be skeptical toward the main purpose and agenda of globalization as it enters their territories through the mass media. This issue was further deepened by other issues that eventually sprung from conflicts between Arab and English media practitioners. Hana Hajjar for example is an Arabian cartoonist who has worked for English firms throughout her entire career. Hajjar has been condemned by both her countrymen and even by other people from other nationalities because of her seemingly thought-provoking and stirring cartoons. Hajjar admits that her works may really provoke some negative impressions and reactions both from her fellow Arabs and other people of different nationalities however, she emphasizes that she is just maximizing the opportunities brought to her by globalization and the knowledge of the universal language in order to remove women in an oppressive state where the men of the world have put them in generations now (Sterns). Hajja also argued that considering the opportunities globalization is now offering to women, women like herself must rather come out of their shell and show the world how talented and gifted they are. Hajja is a known, fluent  English speaker. This has been greatly associated to her provocative messages since most Arabs tend to think that her attitude has been brought by her exposure to the American culture. This issue is just another illustration of how globalization affects the societys social structure through language.

After having discussed what globalization really is, what its immediate and long-term effects are, as well as how it tends to cause language loss, in can be deduced that indeed globalization is not always advantageous. Truly, there are other important aspects aside from capitalistic, political and military developments. A nation cultural identity remains a significant consideration when talking about globalization. Basing it on the context of globalization in Arabian countries, it also shows that English programs impose serious effect on childrens language learning. Truly, if these things go on, it will not come as a surprise anymore if Arab children shall grow speaking the English language instead of their own language  which is a major threat as to Arabs much preserved national and cultural identity.