English Literature

We learn from JBHE that black women are indeed the majority when it comes to  being successfully enrolled and graduating from college. (JBHEwww.jbhe.comnews_views51_gendergap_universities.html)  The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education  says that  JBHE has consistently documented the fact that black women hold a large lead over black men in almost every facet of higher education. Black women currently earn about two thirds of all African-American bachelors degree awards, 70 percent of all masters degrees, and more than 60 percent of all doctorates. Black women also hold a majority of all African-American enrollments in law, medical, and dental schools.  It is true that black women are demonstrating a stronger desire for a better education and success when we look at the ratio of black women who attend and graduate from college to those of black men. JBHE also defines the numbers of enrollments of black women to black men by a seventy-one percent margin at Emory University in the city of Atlanta. The ratio of black enrollees shows that black women make up the majority of black attendees at a rate of 63.6.
USA Today explains that  Employers in some fields may give extra financial incentives to young black women, who graduate from college at higher rates than young black men, said Roderick Harrison, a researcher at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a think tank that studies minority issues.  It is highly probable that with extra emphasis being placed on black women as a minority, it increases the odds of a black woman s success where education is the focus.
Black women are also carrying the extra load when it comes to financial burdens since they are becoming increasingly stronger in bringing in more income to black families, considering that many black women are single parents in today s society.  Financial aid to black women increases the chances of a higher success rate in raising children with higher incomes as well as adding to their husbands incomes which much of the time surpasses his income.
 Today, a vast amount of scholarships exist to assist with the growing population of African-American women who continue to seek college educations.  (Gillis 2009), Roe Gillis an ehow contributing writer tells us about black women. We are also told that scholarships are raising the odds for a black women to attend college and successfully graduate in larger numbers than black men. Black women are not only the minority since they are black but because they are also female which raises their odds of becoming even more successful than black men at universities. Chaz Kyser (Kyser2007) offers interesting data about just how far a black women can move up in rank over black men when persistent and when they are capable of taking advantage of the various financial aid programs so readily available.
Finally, it is obvious that Black women need to be strong since Black men are more likely not to attend or graduate college as G. Ayanna tells us that (Ayannna2009)  Black women raising boys in particular, are under a lot of pressure to present the world with a new generation of future husbands and fathers. Black women do try harder in college since they are very aware that they may very well become leading contributors.

The first time I encountered William Carlos Williams poem, The Red Wheelbarrow, I wondered how it became very popular despite its brevity. When I was younger, I used to think that poets who wrote the longest poems and epics were the ones who made it big in the scene. Studies of Homer and Chaucer confirmed my idea until I read Williams. Considering Williams popularity, one may think how his poem about the red wheelbarrow has survived until the present curriculum. The fact that it is still in textbooks nowadays implies its popularity and essence. Reading the poem once will make anyone think of it as just another simple poem with some tone of country color. However, a close reading of the poem leads readers to a surprising realization because beneath the simple words and style hides Williams deep reflections on life.
In my pastiche, I considered first the general idea of the author to construct the concept of my poem. Then I wrote the poem, retaining its brevity and style. I chose to retain exactly the first two lines of the poem to establish close similarity. I also retained the number of lines in order to imitate its brevity. For me, the brevity of the poem is what makes it very interesting. It makes the reader wonder why it is too short, and why the author uses the wheelbarrow as the subject. In my pastiche, I used a red apple to replace the wheelbarrow. Like Williams subject, a red apple signifies local color and simple lifestyle. Since the red wheelbarrow is useful tool for farming or construction, I chose the red apple to indicate usefulness and versatility.
The red wheelbarrow in Williams poem means more than the usual wheelbarrow. The first line, so much depends implies the usefulness of the tool to those who depend on it. Reflecting on this line, one will be led to ask, Who depends on the wheelbarrow Is it the usual wheelbarrow used to carry construction materials or is it something else What makes it special These questions can be addressed by reading between the lines. In particular, the last two lines that say, beside the white chickens suggest that the red wheelbarrow being referred to here is one that is used in the farm. Hence, farmers are the ones who depend on the red wheelbarrow. They use the red wheelbarrow to carry hay, feeds, and other things to feed the farm animals. Considering this, the animals themselves depend on the red wheelbarrow.
To imitate the usefulness of the red wheelbarrow, I thought of a red apple. As the saying goes, An apple a day keeps the doctor away, thus many depend on a red apple to stay healthy. In addition, I made it a red apple to show that the fruit is ripe and sweet. Like Williams red wheelbarrow that benefits farmers in particular, I also limited those who depend on the apple. Thus, I made it red, with the thought of a sick child in mind. Surely, a sick little child will prefer a red apple than a green one. With these thoughts, I believe that my poem is a good attempt to recreate Williams concept in The Red Wheelbarrow.
As regards the style of the author, I noted that Williams used aposiopesis, a rhetorical device in which the line stops abruptly, leaving it unfinished. Specifically, line 5 which says, glazed with rain is suspended and continued in the next, with the word water. This style presents some suspense, and stirs the imagination of the readers. Imagining the red wheelbarrow glazed with rain makes the reader think that the wheelbarrow is left in the rain, thus implying neglect. However, the word that follows water connotes gentle rain and a fresh atmosphere, thus creating countryside scenery.
The pastiche likewise uses aposiopesis. It suspends the thought about the apple being peeled and squeezed. Without the next line that says, with care (l. 6), readers may think that the apple is prepared for commercial use. In addition, line 7 that says, for the sick suspends the thought to make readers think the apple for an adult patient while the last line child tells for whom the apple is, and wraps up the whole idea.
Imitating Williams famous poem, I came to reflect about a number of things. First, I realized that the length of a poem is not the basis for its significance. The Red Wheelbarrow makes me realize that simple terms and ideas could mean a lot. They could demonstrate to us how a simple red wheelbarrow helps to feed farm animals, thus helping farmers make a living. It also makes me realize how I tend to overlook simple things such as a red apple which could cheer up a sick child. In sum, as Williams attempt to show the relevance of a red wheelbarrow in the lives of farmers, I also hope that with my pastiche, I can remind others the importance of a red apple for a sick child.

In Shakespeares play Much Ado About Nothing is based upon deliberate deceptions by which the characters are fond of plotting in order to fulfill their illusions. The noble characters used deceptions to make people fall in love, to make someone realize their mistake and to help someone get what they want. But villains used deceptions for the purpose of revenge and to eventually make evil plots. Much Ado About Nothing is also a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare that illustrates the elements of pretense and disguise in order to complete the main purpose of the narrative. The Play is set in Messina, Sicily that concerns about a pair of lovers named Hero and Claudio who are due to marry in a week. There are many examples of deliberate deceptions in the play since the plot is basically based upon this. Deception in the play is used as a means to an end. The plays characters  become caught up in the illusions that they help to create with one another temporarily. Most of the games and tricks played on people have the best intentions- to make people fall in love, to make someone realize their mistake and to help someone to get what they want. But not all however have good consequences.
    The initial trick in the play has been given lightheartedly by Shakespeare. Claudio after seeing Hero, Leonatos daughter who happily welcomes them for passing by the city after a successful battle under Don Pedro, easily falls in love to the young woman. He soon announces his plans or intentions to court her. Despite Benedicks contradictions towards Claudios plans in courting Hero since Benedick is a long time adversary of Leonato, it is unsuccessful in the face of Don Pedros encouragement. During a masquerade ball, the men used the opportunity to disguise Don Pedro to woo Hero on Claudios behalf. But Don John, Don Pedros illegitimate brother and who often despises his brothers social authority, took the opportunity to get even on his brother by telling young Claudio that Don Pedro is actually wooing Hero for himself. Apparently, Don John is using Claudio and Heros love to get even on his brother Don Pedro by creating a dark scheme to ruin the happiness of the lovers. Meanwhile, Claudio becomes furious at Don Pedro after hearing the false testimonies of Don  John. The misunderstanding is quickly resolved though and Claudio wins Heros hand in marriage.
    Similarly Beatrice, Leonatos niece and Heros cousin with a very sharp tongue, and Benedick, an aristocratic soldier under the fighting team of Don Pedro, are fooled into thinking that each loves the other . Don Pedro and his men harbor a plan to matchmake Beatrice and Benedick while waiting for the matrimonial ceremony of Claudio and Hero. Don Pedro is being encouraged to harbor such plans especially after hearing Benedict says that he will never get marry and after seeing that Beatrice and Benedick often resume to witty war of insults. The people around wants to stop them arguing as they are clearly meant for each other. And so the deception begins. The men under Don Pedros leadership proclaim Beatrice secret love and affection for Benedict knowing that the latter is eavesdropping on the conversation. A group of women led by hero on the other hand do the same likewise to Beatrice. Struck by the the fact that they are apparently thought to be too proud to love each other and not willing to bear the reputation of pride, Benedick and Beatrice  express the love of the other (though they eventually love each other in the near future). Their tricks prove successful, and Beatrice and Benedick soon fall secretly in love with each other.
    Meanwhile, Don John who is apparently the villain of the play whose evil actions are motivated by his envy of his brothers higher social position and authority plots to ruin Claudio and Heros wedding plans by casting a dark reputation upon Heros character. In his plot he has his companion Borachio who should make love to Margaret, Heros serving woman , at Heros open window in the middle of the dark night. In order for the plot to be effective,  Don John leads Don Pedro and Claudio to spy below. Borachio who is part of Don Johns evil plots calls Margaret  Hero . The two men, Claudio and Don Pedro, are convinced of Heros infidelity believing that the woman making love is indeed Hero . As a result, Hero angrily refuses to marry Hero at the day of the wedding ceremony itself. Claudio and Don Pedro humiliate Hero publicly before a stunned congregation.  Hero s family members decide to pretend that Hero died suddenly of shock and grief and to hide her away while they wait for the truth about her innocence to come to light. Fortunately, the nights watchman overhear Borachio and his other men bragging about their crime. The police as a response ultimately arrest the villains. Everyone eventually learns that Hero is really innocent, and Claudio, who believes she is dead, extremely grieves for her. Leonato, Heros father, tells Claudio to tell everybody in the city that Hero is really innocent. And as a additional punishment, Leonato wants Claudio to marry Leonatos niece-- a young lady who they say looks like the dead Hero. Claudio goes to church with the other men, preparing to marry the mysterious, masked woman he thinks is Hero s cousin. When Hero reveals herself as the masked woman, Claudio is overwhelmed with joy. Benedick on the other hand got the courage to propose to Beatrice and the latter willingly accepts it. The play ends with a merry dance with joyful lovers as they are about to celebrate their double wedding.
    The masking of Hero reveals that the social institution of marriage has to do with love. Claudio immediately accepted Leonatos offer to marry a woman totally unknown to him,  For this I owe you here comes other reckonings. Which is the lady I must seize upon . Apparently, Claudio is ready and willing to commit his whole life to a stranger event though he did not even see her face. His willingness is to both appease his conscience for slandering an innocent woman publicly and perhaps to renew his name before Leonato who gave him a great deal of favors in the past. Each of the main characters in the play are victims of deception. Likewise nearly every character in the play at some point plays a part of consciously pretending to be what they are not-- Don Pedro acts for Claudios behalf in wooing Hero, Don John acts the part of a sincere friend, concerned for his brothers and Claudios honor, Leonato together with the family act as if Hero were dead and all the main characters in the plot pretend for Benedick and Beatrice sake in order for them to reconcile and eventually fall in love. But not all consequences of deceit are essentially evil. In fact in the play, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between what is a good and what is a bad deception. Even though Don John succeeds in fooling Claudio and Don Pedro into thinking that Hero has been sleeping with another man before the matrimony, at the end Claudio and Hero are reunited and even more in love after Claudio asks for a sincere apology. At first their love is founded by each others appearance but the tragedy deepens their feelings. Likewise Beatrice and Benedict are fooled into thinking that they love each other but actually does fall in love as a result. Their love has been nurtured immediately into the point of marriage and commitment. Meanwhile, the title Much Ado About Nothing seems that it has no relevance to the plays plot. The strong themes and ideas seems to oppose the title since the characters truly exerted efforts to fulfill their own purposes. The games and tricks are created by the characters itself and not the fate. This shows that the title and the plot are not always in complement. Perhaps Shakespeare could have intended this to fool the readers while lacing the play with themes of deceptions and love.
    In this play, Shakespeare presents the viewers about the realms of truths and illusions. Since the play is full of characters plotting and deceiving, it illustrates that deception is truly ingrained in humans social behaviors. The characters used deception to create various illusions to reveal and conceal something. The love stories of Claudio and Hero and Benedick and Beatrice have a glimpse of illusions. Their intentions and emotions for each other are truly transparent but they can not immediately and directly reveal their true feelings. Both fall in love upon sight and appearance. The notion of physical attraction to the opposite clearly demonstrates the concept of sexuality as the characters have not even spent enough time with each other to dismiss their feelings to be of love already. But Claudio can not create an illusion as simple as the portrayal of himself as a suitor. The characters of Claudio and Hero are Shakespeares social illusion of true love-- a love that is not straightforward which demonstrates that honesty in terms of love do not go hand in hand. Benedick and Beatrice however are unconsciously well versed in the intricacies of illusions. They disguise their affection with verbal sparring and insults creating a facade of hostility. They are successful only at fooling themselves but not the people around them.

Aldous  Huxleys final book entitled Island was published in 1962, and, similar to his other books, explores the extreme philosophical wonderings of an author living in the post World War II era, when suspicion of authority and government activity was particularly high.  Huxley wrote Island with a view of a possible community utopia in mind, a mysterious paradise, expressed through the specific behaviors and lifestyle of the Pala people.  In assessing the society created by the Pala people, it is possible to comprehend what makes their society harmonious and utopian and what actually is detrimental and dystopian about the ways in which they live with one another.  Although Huxley may have truly believed that the Pala society was indeed a paradise, Huxley appears to deftly interweave utopian elements with dystopian elements in order to leave the audience questioning the assumed paradise of the Pala people.
Huxley describes the life and experiences of Will Farnaby, a reporter and underground spy for an oil tycoon, who is stranded on the island of Pala, where for 120 years an ideal society has flourished.  In the mid 19th century, a Scottish doctor effectively treated the enlightened Buddhist Raja of Pala and settled on the island.  These two men then planned a perfect society in which sex lives are shameless, children are vigilantly conditioned from infancy and none must endure one set of parents, jobs are allocated according to build and disposition, and everyone uses moksha medicine, a drug which hones and expands powers of consciousness.  Together they developed philosophies based on the composition of the Raja entitled, Notes on Whats What, and What It Might Be Reasonable to Do about Whats What.  This is the instrument Huxley provides so that readers are able to be informed of the fundamental principles of the Pala society.
In 1968, Watt wrote an article about the meshing of East and West cultures in the Island, noting that the book was written in a solemn and utterly unique way, with Huxleys serious attention being given to the drawing together of Eastern and Western social customs, namely a utopian meeting place between Chinese and Indian cultures and European values.  While Island is a work of fiction, it is the means of expression Huxley used to convey his ideas about how individuals in a good society would cooperate with one another and their environment.  Just as numerous educationally oriented movies begin with a child being taught something, or a news program, or some other instructional device which is actually for the assistance of the viewer, Huxley has his own news reel in Island so that the location and actions in the story are comprehended in context.  The people of Pala carry out their lives based on ideas supposedly incorporating the best that Eastern and Western philosophies have to offer.  Neither philosophy is entirely sufficient on its own, or perhaps is too sufficient, to warrant a satisfying, balanced life. 
In the Palanese community, there are certain elements of their lifestyle which are markedly curious and questionable.  On the island, drug use is supported in the aim of enlightenment and self knowledge.  Drug use is seen as being necessary for pacification and self medication.  Although this may seem like a utopian state to some, there is no mention of the negative effects of drug use, such as brain damage.  Trance states are encouraged with the end goal of super learning.  Drug induced trances may indeed encourage people to vacate from thoughtfulness, and this state of non-belief is upheld as positive by Huxley.  However, in regard to true learning, the main lesson learned from drug trances may be that people see and experience very odd things while on drugs.  Community group living in the form of Mutual Adoption Clubs is supported so that children do not have to be unduly exposed to their parents neuroses.  Although adoption may be seen as the best option in some situations, being able to discard or run away from problems, it is strange that adoption is supported over social aid to the parents and family unit as a whole.  In regard to sexuality, assisted reproduction in the form of low tech artificial insemination is provided.  There is also freely available contraception to enable reproductive choice and expressive sex.  Although artificial insemination can create a pregnancy and contraception can avoid a pregnancy, there is no attention given to how insemination and contraception plague the devotional relationship between man and woman, how it destroys family life.  In order to support spiritual preparations, dangerous climbs to mountain temples are made.  Also, in an aim to keep people in high spirits, parrots are trained to utter uplifting slogans.  Although pilgrimages and bird calls can truly be spiritual and joyous experiences, these are potentially hazardous, superficial, antisocial ways to aim to fix the problems of Pala society.
A central component of Palanese society is reserved industrialization, with the aim of providing gratifying work, humble and often strenuous work, as well as time for leisure and meditation.  For the Palanese, advancement means having a decidedly selective attitude towards technology, which Huxley contrasts to the underdeveloped destitution of the nearby island of Rendang, and with the estranging overdevelopment of the mechanized West, primarily through Will Farnabys memories of London.  The Palanese accept modern science and technology to improve medicine and nutrition, but have rejected extensive industrialization.  For example, hydroelectricity is made accessible for refrigeration, so that excess fresh food can be stored, improving nutrition and shielding against food shortages.  Huxley viewed this careful modernization as vital for his wise society, even if it means that such a civilization is unable to militarily defend itself from its crazy neighbors who desire to rob them of their islands natural resources.  The resistance to Western modernization is truly a noble goal in some ways, although the Pala people are still plagued by the strange drug use, misguided reproductive practices, and antifamily attitudes which Huxley brings into the storyline.
In regard to the lack of Palanese family values, it is a wonder why Huxley did not place more emphasis on a utopia of positive parent child relationships, where any emotional disturbances could have been met with supportive counseling or help from the community.  The individualism of each person on the island of Pala brings to mind the individualism of both the West and the East.  The Western society, it is industrialization which leads to the breakdown of the family, with mothers being utilized more as industrial employees rather than caring for their children and families at home.  However, in the Eastern society, it is the call to dictatorial communism, to efforts placed on the goals of constructing the community good, which bring focus away from the family.  In Eastern philosophy, it is government which often breaks down traditional family roles, while in the West, it is often business and industry which break them down.
Considering many activities which are sought to bring about an ideal or utopian society which actually plague the lives of the Pala, it is very difficult to make the claim that Huxley has succeeded in his attempt to paint a picture of paradise.  Perhaps it is through a lens of sarcasm that Huxley attempts to bring the Eastern and Western worlds together in a paradise on the island of Pala.  It is surely against family unity for people to discard familial obligations such as happily taking on the role of husband, wife, or parent.  The widespread drug use points to the fact that reality is not worth living, upholding flights from the real world into drug induced stupors.  The trance like states may claim to promote learning, however, it is not demonstrated that drug use is of any help in creating a society of higher intellect.  Drug use, if providing any positive effect, simply temporarily releases people from the struggles of everyday life.  In regard to selective industrialization, there are good points made in that hard work is satisfying and leisure an essential component of a happy life, however, it is a wonder why industry was not more concerned with undergirding the family unit as a necessary social entity or providing the island with a comprehensive defense system.  The negative aspects of the East, such as drug use, lack of family values, and misguided and empty spiritual endeavors are exactly the same negative aspects of the West which enter into the lives of the Pala people.

 I had read Sufi mysteries and attempts to write story books through the grand finale of Christianity they refer to as the Catholic Reformation.  I had watched that film about that mad mathematician, Brilliant Mind or whatever.  But, she was different.  Yes, she was entirely different from those Sufi mystics and mad mathematicians.  She died two days after she had told me that God had tried to break into her house.  He had called her through the window I am God.
     Fingerprints.  Fingerprints.  Did God leave fingerprints as He choked her to death  I remembered what I had clearly memorized during my first year as a detective.  It was in the manual, and it read
     Like all other items that cannot be physically lifted from the crime scene, fingerprints are
     processed with the use of black magnetic powder, grey powder or black powder.  One-to-one
     photographs are taken using a Polaroid CU-5 camera with Polaroid black and white film and
     a flash that can be detached.  It is best to collect fingerprints at the scene of crime.  If objects
     carrying fingerprints are transported to a forensic analysts lab, however, they must be
     packaged in either envelopes or paper bags.  Criminologists need fingerprints both from
     victims and suspects to compare, and this applies to footprints as well. (Manual for Forensic
     Analysts, 1963, p. 65)
I remember Mrs. Anderson had believed Im a genius or something because I knew this word for word.  I have never forgotten a single word of this paragraph.  But, this woman who had been killed by God  uh, Ms. Turner  clearly, shed not be as happy as Mrs. Anderson for I cannot understand what it was that had killed her.  Criminologists need fingerprints both from victims and suspects to compare, and this applies to footprints as well.  I have found Ms. Turner in one piece and I know that at least one hand has strangled her to death.  The only problem is, of course, that we have not been able to find any footprint or fingerprint other than hers  in that bedroom, where she apparently died in peace.
     It was a large bedroom, as large as my apartment on Number 51.  And, she was alone  or at least thats what weve been made to believe by a killer thats so awesome he just killed her without the use of his hands  I can see Mrs. Andersons smile through her stylish eyeglasses and half-hidden teeth as I remember the last time I met with Ms. Turner.  She was afraid, and yet she was peaceful.  God was speaking to Ms. Turner and she wanted me to know her fears are being allayed because her ex-boyfriend has stopped stalking her and God has been heard through her window.
     But, there was nothing broken and nothing missing.  She was complete, peaceful, and she had been strangled to death.
     Mrs. Andersons smile brings to mind another paragraph I had clearly memorized because Id known Id need it twenty years on
     There are three kinds of fingerprints that criminologists may analyze in their laboratories
     before they present their scientific reports to courts of law patent or visible prints, plastic or
     molded prints, and latent prints.  Patent or visible prints are left by the transference of
     various substances, e.g. blood, ink or grease.  Plastic or molded prints are made when fingers
     touch or press against pliable and soft surfaces such as wax, soap, putty or drying paint. 
     And, latent prints are part of hidden scientific evidence. (Manual for Forensic Analysts, 1963,
     p. 71)
Thats itshe was killed by a Djinn  I had read about those in stories authored by what they call mad Dervishes in Istanbul.  Has Mrs. Anderson ever bothered to read those stories  Does she need to read them out aloud to her class now that we are in the late twentieth century, facing all sorts of spiritual problems 
     Somehow I felt that all clues were connected with Mrs. Anderson.  Or, maybe Id wanted to know that Ms. Turner was still alive, and she looked as healthy and merry as Mrs. Anderson, the only woman who had referred to me as a genius.  Did Ms. Turner know that Im a genius  I believe that Ms. Turner didnt want any of us to know how she expired.  Whose were the hands that killed her  Was it God or a servant of His, one of those evil genies  Were they Catholic or Dervish 
     ThereI see the crime scene as it must have appeared to Ms. Turners ghost if she knew I was visiting her dead body.  The room was dark, and yet it looked as though she died in a state of light.  Ms. Turner was bringing light into my life talking of God, etc.  She always reminded me of books on spirits, the good ones.  And, she believed that God was good to her.  He had forced her ex-boyfriend to stop stalking her.  Of course, that boyfriend could not have been a suspect.  He had left the country for good.  We knew he was not going to return. 
     Poor, rich Ms. Turner.  She was surrounded by bad friends, and yet she was surrounded by what she called light.  What is light  It is God, she had told me.  What would Mrs. Anderson make of all this
     Perspiration, dirt and sebaceous oils are typically responsible for latent prints.  Such
     fingerprints (and even footprints) may be found on paper or polished and smooth surfaces. 
     But, they may also be found on other types of surfaces, e.g. vegetation, fabrics that are
     starched, and even the skin of the victim. (Manual for Forensic Analysts, 1963, p. 91)
I knew we had searched through Ms. Turners apartment like ghosts looking for mischief.  We had smelled everything.  There were no latent prints.  There were no visible prints.  And, the only thing that appeared as wax to make plastic prints was Ms. Turners body on which we found her own fingerprints.  No, she did not strangle herself to death.  Her neck was strangled by fingers we could never see  And, that light in her room the night she diedI believe it was the same light we had found the following night in her room  that dark room with light.  I remember her shopping bags near the window.  Ms. Turner had gone shopping that evening.  She was cheerful she had bought herself a new necklace among other things.
     Mrs. Anderson would like that necklace.  George should buy her something like that.  I suppose I would have bought her that necklace if I had loved her.  Mrs. AndersonMs. Turner.  My minds eye returned to her room once again. 
     Oh, yes, we had found some papers there.  It was poetry, all typed out.  I could not really believe that was Ms. Turners mind at work.  She was just a woman, after all.  Then again, she had a laptop in a corner somewhere.  I allowed the papers read me one more time   
In war-torn Iraq
A man is sipping tea in war-torn Iraq.
Flimsy pages of his newspaper, Iraq
Today, fly here and there as they stay put
Nevertheless in his lap and input
From the pages enters his mind as slowly
As memories of the bony lass slowly
Leave his mind  memories that had tormented
Him ever since the Iraq War began. Kid,
She is gone, she left with the soldiers of the United States,
The landlord of her flat had informed him.  So now the man hates
Everything he hears from the country where the bony lass resides.
Still, out of necessity, he listens to those pages, presides
Over them as though he would do something about the news on those pages
If only pretend he would do something about the news on those pages.

As his tea cools under those fans that dont really help him feel cooler
In the head where suppressed anger and worry due to the vast dollar
Countrys actions stay, he chances upon a piece of news that suddenly
Interests him although he did not really care whether it was hot or cold.      

She or whoever else the poet may have been did not seem to finish the Iraq poem.  But there was something else in that stack of papers that led me to believe it was she who had written all this.  Fingerprints.  Fingerprints.  Of course, she could have just printed this off the Internet and nobody else would have touched the stack of papers anyway.
     But, when the hell did she go to Everglades  And, why  The unidentified typist wrote
     Visiting the Everglades National Parks Long Pine Key Rockland Habitat, I felt like one of the billions of people on earth right now that are tired of their hustle and bustle lifestyles albeit addicted to them.  Like those people, I have a daily schedule that leaves me little or no time to consider visits to beautiful places such as the Pine Key Rockland Habitat on a regular basis.  We make plans to take vacations, and we watch television as though it is a necessity.  But, the Long Pine Key Rockland Habitat reminds me that there is much more to real life than we imagine we have the time to dwell on.  What if all of us talked about pine rocklands and other marvels of nature on a daily basis  leaving our toxic thoughts about people and situations behind  Life, I believe, would be far more pleasant if we only took the time to experience change within ourselves.
A Picture of the Earth As Seen from Outer Space
We have left it to go onward,
Though earth remains home, beckoning
Us Defying gravity, bird
In the sky, o space ship, coming

Home would be far more interesting
I am the Pine Rocklands, I too
Burn to stay alive, as giving
Of knowledge  I am homelike too

Get down, come back, do not attempt
More than you can handle, return
To refresh your eyes, I have bent

Down before you. Simply return
Home. Live with me, watch me from a distance
There is no place like home, with your presence.

Comparing and Contrasting Fingers of Light, The Metamorphosis, and Barn Burning

     Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis is a story composed with poetic and playful imagination.  How could Gregor Samsa turn into a huge insect  The reader is allowed to interpret the story as a nightmare or a scary dream that Gregor had experienced as wish fulfillment.  Gregor is financially burdened (Kafka  Appelbaum, 11-53).  Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, would most likely interpret such a nightmare as a wish for death to escape ones burdens in life.  Ms. Turner in Fingers of Light has had this wish fulfilled, if, in fact, it was her desire to die.  She was thinking about God, the Maker, the last time she was met by the narrator, who is a detective.  Moreover, her death is mysterious which is why the detective cannot figure out how she died.  The narrator keeps dwelling on spirituality in connection with Ms. Turner.
     How did Ms. Turner die  It is clear that she did not die because of any natural cause, or the detective would not be as concerned as he sounds.  Toward the end of the short story, Fingers of Light, the reader is led to dwell on unidentified flying objects by making connections through the poem, A Picture of the Earth As Seen from Outer Space.  Was Ms. Turners soul taken away by aliens  If the answer is Yes, it is as fantastic as Gregors physical transformation.  Both cannot be explained by science as we know it.  
     Like Fingers of Light, William Faulkners short story, Barn Burning also deals with an investigation.  If somebody has killed Ms. Turner, he or she is as difficult to prove guilty as Abner Snopes toward the beginning of Barn Burning.  There is no proof that it was he who had burned down a barn, just as there are no fingerprints to prove anybody guilty for murdering Ms. Turner (Faulkner).  What is more, the woman who has lost her life in Fingers of Light is comparable to Colonel Sartoris Snopes or Sarty, as both of them are seekers of truth.  Ms. Turner meditates on God.  Sarty, too, must seek truth as he decides whether to side with his father or with justice by revealing that his father is, indeed, a criminal (Faulkner).  
     Toward the end of Barn Burning, Sarty is leaving his family  for the unknown (Faulkner).  He is not an adult.  How would he take care of himself  Faulkner describes Sartys desperation as he runs away thus
         He was a little stiff, but walking would cure that too as it would the cold, and soon there
         would be the sun. He went on down the hill, toward the dark woods within which the liquid
         silver voices of the birds called unceasing - the rapid and urgent beating of the urgent and
         quiring heart of the late spring night. He did not look back. (Faulkner)
As Ms. Turner would probably say, God only knows what happened to Sarty once he fled his family.  On a similar note, if it was Ms. Turner who wrote the passage about the Everglades National Parks Long Pine Key Rockland Habitat, as the detective assumes she did, she had already expressed that she was tired.  And, if the last poem in Fingers of Light had been composed by Ms. Turner, the reader is free to interpret that the lady left for the unknown. 
     The narrator does not understand the cause of Ms. Turner death.  The reader knows, however, that she may have been fed up with the status quo like Gregor and Sarty.  What is more, each reader is free to make his or her assumptions about how Gregor turned into an insect, how Ms. Turner died, and where Sarty went.  Some mysteries cannot be resolved.  Ms. Turners personality was also a mystery.  Hers is the most spiritual story out of the three.  There are fewer human characters in it, as compared to Faulkners and Kafkas stories.  Lastly, Fingers of Light is the least masterfully composed as compared to the other two.  It is experimental like Kafkas, and yet it cannot be compared to either Faulkners or Kafkas stories in terms of structure as Faulkner and Kafka were both master fiction writers.  

 Like any other state in the whole of the United States of America, the city of Tempe is a home to numerous beggars. They are comfortably roaming around littering our parks and gardens after they have been after they have been cleaned. However, statistics show that Tempe is one of the cities with fewer beggars we still have to work hard to ensure that our streets are free, clean and safe.
The beggars have literally clogged our streets busiest corners posing distraction to other citizens and even tourists. Others have turned begging into a way of life. Apparently, this people are contributing to an increase in crime in the city. It dawned on me that we can do away with begging if we so wished. Experiences from across the globe has continued to reveal that there is no ending to the begging epidemic which has been exacerbated by the economic meltdown. It threatens to remain the same as before but according to my little research conducted in our city the solution to bringing these beggars out of our streets is right here with us.
                                                             
             
Suggested solutions
 It is most appropriate to give back to the society, but in order to retain the beautiful sites in our beautiful streets we have to focus on certain strategies
1. The residents here should develop a habit of charity, creating time to play, talk, and volunteer. Free education should be a provision by the state in all the public schools.
2. In my time of research out in the streets, most of the children suggested to me that they would treasure to be adopted. The state of Arizona should hasten up the process of adoption to increase the number of children saved from the streets every year.
3. State funds should be provided largely to make it easier for the homeless and less fortunate to cater for their needs. This would theoretically eliminate the urge for hunger based beggary in the streets. Let there be transparency and proper accountability in the management of these funds to ensure their proper use.
By doing these I imagine a city of Tempe without beggars in the streets, the students in Arizona state University would have more time to focus on other community based activities rather than feeding the needy, the people of Tempe would not have their phones snatched in the streets and the council will not need invest more in cleaning up services, food stamps and destitute homes. Lets ask ourselves this question, if a country like Indonesia can manage to successfully ban begging out of their streets, why cant one of the most successful states in America like us do so
Yours faithfully

Computers in ASU  
Own address
Mr. Ronald Askin
Interim DirectorSchool of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering
P.O. Box 9309  Arizona State University  Tempe, AZ 85287-9309
                                                                                                      
 Dear Mr. Askin,
Advising the problem of few computers in Arizona State University
   The ASU computer science department maintains and controls the use of computers in the whole school. Most of the Professors and lecturers pass on information to the students via the internet and vice versa. Therefore it is a prerequisite for every student to have an access to the computer and internet for that matter.
 Although the Arizona State University has managed to deliver these services to its students, there has been unending claims from students that the computers are not enough.
 The most widely spoken problem with the computers at Arizona State University is that they are simply not able to serve half of the school.
 With the large number of students attending Arizona State University the ratio of computers to the students does not measure up. According to my research in the schools computing commons, the number of functioning machines rages between 200 and 220 per day due to breakages and the population of Arizona State University is more than 60,000 students. That makes a ratio of 1 computer per every 300 students.
  Computers in ASU2 the following are some of the suggestions made by different students I managed to compile during my research in the laboratories.
First students undertaking the game development courses claimed the computer soft wares in the laboratories are outdated especially for students undertaking advanced computer programming. Therefore the students suggested that computer programming and engineering students have their own labs with the latest computers programmes suitable for the level of study. Students undertaking courses which require much research should have there own labs and strict entry measures be  set up.
 Create and strictly follow a timetable for different units of studies to avoid congestion in the laboratories and boost the connection process to make it fast and reliable. They should issue and occasionally review access passwords to the computers.
Invest in buying of new computers so as to speed up processing. If possible dispose off all old computers and replace them with new ones. Invest also in modern and latest technological standards.
Ban access to certain cites in the laboratories or create a division whereby one cannot access social network cites. This will ensure those who want to conduct research will have ample time since much time is expended in chatting or networking denying others the opportunity to use the machines.
Last but not least, upgrade the library with research materials to avoid the overreliance on the internet. This will also reduce congestion in the laboratories.

The question of the cost of health care in the United States continues to receive different views from economists and the American public. With one side arguing that the cost is not too high, there are various argument points to support this. The far end has those who argue that the cost is too high with various reasons to support the same. There is need to evaluate both arguments and give reasons for each argument.
    Health care costs in the U.S are too high if the average person is not able to afford good coverage with many businesses encountering difficulties in meeting the health care costs of their employees whereas convicts are receiving coverage for free. On the other hand, the health care costs may not be too high considering that the improved technologies available now help in saving our lives. In addition, spending on medicines and doctors is worth as they save our lives. High and rising health costs are also favorable for our economy.
Health care costs in the United States are too high
    In the United States, being convicted criminal guarantees you right to health care. To get free health coverage, the best option for you if you cannot afford such coverage is to find your way behind the bars. Once behind the bars, you become under the custody of the state and the state is obliged to offer medical care to you. The worst part of this debate is that the law-abiding citizen foots all these health care bills for a person who is already a convicted law breaker yet the law-abiding citizen cannot afford such health care. To make things even worse, the criminals have access to medical care that is not primary such as treatments to change gender. The cost of having such treatments is too high considering that it is not being received by the taxpayer. A good example is where the state paid for James Wolfes gender change treatment in Pennsylvania yet he was a convicted rapist. Per year, the costs of running such treatments amount to up to 8,000 as per the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Instead of such money covering the health of a family that is paying taxes, it is channeled to elective procedures of a convicted criminal for free. The cost of having a criminal receive breast reduction operation is too high more so when considering that it is state-funded. It is unfortunate that up to 3,000 are spent to do the procedure whereas many average families cannot afford this (Crowley, para 1).
    Free medical care is something next to impossible yet thousands of dollars are spent every year to take care of hardened criminals at the expense of a low income family. Law abiding Americans have paid large bills for expensive treatments administered to criminals such as bone marrow transplant yet they themselves cannot afford such.     Isnt it too expensive to channel up to 900,000 to perform heart transplants to a convicted armed robber when about 3,900 people are waiting for heart transplant and many end up dying for lack of the procedure This is what happened in California a few years ago (Crowley, para 5). The aftercare cost for a heart transplant patient is equally high to almost 1 million. The above facts and others are a clear indication that the cost of health care in U.S. is too high for the rightful persons and disheartening free for a convicted prisoner.
    The fact that majority of the population cannot afford health care for themselves and their families on a normal salary show that health care in the United States is too high. The Medicaid is a clear indicator that there is a big number of Americans who are of so a low socioeconomic status that they cannot afford health insurance. In addition, Medicaid beneficiaries are not able to qualify for employer-based insurance meaning that they cannot even enjoy health care as they do not fit in that bracket. As of October 2009, the U.S. employment rate was around 9.5 meaning that most people were loosing jobs and becoming unable to access health care (particularly employer-based insurance) further straining them in receiving health care (Mercatonet, para 2). It is estimated that more than 45 million Americans do not have health care insurance mainly due to high costs of insurance (Richmond  Fein, p 2). In addition, an average worker pays over 1,000 to cater for medical costs of uninsured Americans. This is a very high cost for an already economically deprived American (Maineinsights, para 21).
    A good percent of the businesses in the U.S. have a very hard time affording health care for their employees and families. While all this is going on, our convicted killers are receiving all the medical attention they need for free. At the same time, most employees in small businesses which form a big part of the American economy cannot qualify for health insurance since the companies have low competitiveness and purchasing power compared to large companies that easily attract insurance providers. The economic crisis is even straining businesses further and the laying off of staff due to this crisis leaves them unable to access health care insurance for themselves and their families. It is estimated that the rise in health care costs would double for small businesses by the end of the coming decade if costs are not controlled. The strain on small businesses has even forced employers to have employees co-pay their healthcare costs from their salaries mainly due to increase in premiums (Russo, and Connecticut Small Business Owners, p 3).
Health care costs in the United States are not too high
    The argument that health care costs are not too high in the United States is supported by several facts. We need to choose between improved health care that is high valued and a low cost care which does not meet health needs of Americans. Health care costs are high because of improved technologies that we are fortunate to have to save our lives. Improved health care goes hand in hand with a rise in cost of the care. The new technologies that we have are able to raise survival rates for otherwise fatal conditions like diabetes and serious accidents. Isnt it worthy to have our loved ones survive some fatal conditions and at the end we dig deeper into our pockets to have them live In any case, such persons are able to go back to economically productive activities.
    We may also be missing the point by saying that the cost is skyrocketing without considering that almost all medical procedures have experienced a cut in their cost and what we are seeing is a actually a rise in spending. This is as a result of more advanced technologies like availability of less invasive surgical procedures which leads to quick recovery. This makes many people go for such a procedure and as a result, total spending rises. Almost every procedure is having more attractive features and costing less (Morris, p 28). It costs to have persons with persistent conditions like cancer or having heart attack victims survive and go back to their normal activities and this is preferable than letting them die. This is what the modern medicine has done to us and we are just paying for this worthy cause.
    A rising cost of health care is good for our economy. If we would view that expenditure to one person is revenue to another, then we would appreciate the high cost of health care in our country. In any case, success rate of the new medical care is very high and justifiable to cost much. Equipping hospitals with sophisticated and expensive medical equipment is always a gain to the manufacturer and supplier of such equipment who also form part of our economy. The health care sector is a very promising sector of our economy making the biggest private employer in addition to giving the United States a competitive advantage (Morris, p 28). The rising GDP share of the health care is a normal historical trend and therefore it is expected to come down with time. History shows that agriculture took up to 50 of the GDP more than a century ago but currently takes up 3.
    It may be viewed as a bad thing to have a rise in GDP share of 16 to about 30 in a few years to come in the health care sector but this can be viewed as a positive thing as it is going to give the U.S. international competitiveness in addition to people adjusting to increased cost of health care. People will always adjust their spending to fit them even if costs increase and therefore health care will re main affordable in America though probably financing the health care may pose a problem (Morris, p 29).
    One would probably argue that too much is spent on medicines and healthcare professionals. However, the enormous amount of money we spend on our doctors and our medicine is not and should not be a problem because those two things have our lives in their hands on a daily basis and should be paid well to ensure our safety. We may have enough health facilities but if we do not have enough doctors and nurses who are professionally qualified mean that we compromise the quality of health care. It is better to have extra costs on health care and receive quality and timely health care which in the long run is a low cost as a result of having a healthy generation.
Conclusion
    The differing views regarding cost of health care in the United States will remain taking into considerations the various supportive arguments on each view. Some will view them as not high due to resultant benefits accrued to advanced life saving technology and prospects that the health sector will strengthen the economy in the long run as people adjust spending as per rising costs. Nonetheless, health care costs in the U.S are too high if the average person is not able to afford good coverage and convicts are receiving coverage for free, without mentioning the hard times businesses are going through to the extent that they hardly afford health care for employees and families.
 Works cited
Crowley, Michael. Readers Digest.com. Outrageous Crime pays ... If you need top-notch medical care. 2009. Retrieved 1, December 2009 from httpwww.rd.comyour-america-inspiring-people-and-storiesthats-outrageous----prisoners-rights-to-free-medical-carearticle27400.html
Maineinsights.com. Small Business and Health Insurance reform. President Obamas speech, October 29th, 2009. Retrieved 1, December 2009 from httpmaineinsights.compermasmall-business-and-health-insurance-reform
Mercatornet. Mercatornet.com. Give me ObamaCare and my grandmom is doomed The case for a leading American bioethicist defends the Obama Administrations proposals as fairer, cheaper and more trustworthy. 2009. Retrieved 1, December 2009 from httpwww.mercatornet.comarticlesviewgive_me_obamacare_and_my_grandmom_is_doomed
Morris, Charles R. Why U.S heath care costs arent too high in Elements of Argument A Text and Reader by Rottenberg, Annette T.  Winchell, Donna H. New York, NY BedfordSt. Martins. 2008.
Richmond, Julius B. and Fein, Rashi. The health care mess how we got into it and what it will take to get out. Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press. 2005.
Russo, Mike and Connecticut Small Business Owners. Small businesses at risk How entrepreneurs slip through the health care systems cracks. ConnPirg. October 2009.