Monday, August 19, 2019

The Necessary Lie in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essays -- Heart

The Necessary Lie in Heart of Darkness In his narrative, Marlow declares, "You know I hate, detest, and can't bear a lie, not because I am straighter than the rest of us, but simply because it appalls me. There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies, - which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world - what I want to forget" (Longman 2210). In spite of these strong words, he lies to Kurtz's "Intended" when he visits her and tells her, "The last word he pronounced was - your name" (Longman 2246). Marlow's words, spoken in Part I to the audience, seem to contradict his words spoken in Part III to the Intended. Upon closer examination however, it is clear that it was keeping to his beliefs that caused Marlow to lie to the Intended. Marlow was initially hired for this job by using connections his Aunt had. After trying in vain on his own, he approached her and she "pulled a few strings", and got him hired. He then commences to explain to the audience that; "It's queer how out of touch with truth women are. They live in a world of their own, and there had never ...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Description, Function, Attribution, and Analysis of a Red-figure Type B

The durability of clay has brought forth an immense abundance of Greek pottery, a craft mastered by Athenian artists. Archeologists have found hundreds of varieties in creation, shape, function, style, and artwork in Archaic vases. The museum has been blessed with one of these priceless artifacts; it is the duty of this establishment to accumulate as much data as possible surrounding the vase. In first identifying technique, dimensions, and condition, as well as describing shape, ornament, and figural scenery, one may then begin to analyze the vase. This serves the general purpose of understanding where the artifact stands in Greek culture and history. Through the examination and research of figural scenes, it is then possible to compare these to other scenes and styles of the same and other painters. Finally, one can then hypothesize where, why, and how this piece was used. The Athenian vase can be identified as a red-figure Type B Kylix. The height of the vase vacillates between 12.1 and 12.3 centimeters, and the diameter of the foot is roughly 12.5 centimeters. Whereas the diameter of the mouth varies between 33.1 and 33.5 centimeters, the diameter with handles is close to 41.5 centimeters. The vase is completely restored, a condition in which pieces on the body of the vase are glued back together. The bottom of the foot is decorated with subsidiary ornamentation, but the design cannot be distinguished due to the condition of the kylix. A reserved save band runs around the step of the foot. Beneath the artwork is subsidiary ornamentation in the style of circumscribed and horizontal palmettes. A reserved line lies where the lower body meets the stem. The body of the kylix joins into the stem without an abrupt junction, and the foot is convex in profile. Along the exterior, two handles curve upwards along opposite sides of the kylix. Both the upper surface and the inside of the handles are reserved, with the area of the body behind them. The single figural scene on the front body of the kylix roughly depicts a battle between centaurs and human characters. It also includes animal figures. Starting from the left, there is a bearded and mustached male centaur with long, pointed ears. Above the waist, his head and bare torso are human; below the waist, his buttocks, legs, and hooves resemble the body of a horse. He clenches a spear from behind in his left h... ...comparing the kylix with those of an earlier and later date, one can see that the Greeks were an extremely progressive culture that could make leaps and bounds in art in only a matter of two decades. Though the ideal Greek concept of hero depicts Heracles as impassive and undaunted in this kylix, Euripides suggests that the society also honored his grounded qualities like love, emotion, and sympathy. These conjectures are an important addition to current knowledge of ancient Greece as archeologists move towards further exciting discoveries. Alan H. Griffiths, â€Å"Centaurs†, Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth, 2003, The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 309 J.D. Beazley, 1984, Attic Red Figure Vase Painters, Vol. 2 (New York: Hacker Art Books), 124-127 A.T. Clark, 2002, Understanding Greek Vases (Los Angeles: J Paul Getty Museum), 53 M.G. Kanowski, 1984, Containers of Classical Greece (New York: University of Queensland Press), 63-67 J. Boardman, 1975, Athenian Red Figure Vases, The Archaic Period (London: Thames and Hudson), 121, ill. 170 J. Falconer and T. Mannack, 2002, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 925, ill. 19

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Pertaining to psychology Essay

An article in Psychology Today regarding the concepts of alcoholism as a hereditary factor is analyzed and discussed with attributes to scientific facts and statistical claims. Written by the Psychology Today staff, the article; Is It In The Genes? Driven to drink: Does alcoholism run in the family?, begins by proclaiming that 60% of alcoholics have at least on alcoholic parent. Given this number, the question is then raised as to whether the â€Å"disease† is caused by â€Å"wayward genes or lost dreams.† Though claimed as a mystery, the article foreshadows an answer by stating that studies say both sides may be right. The article states that investigators have concluded that there are two types of alcoholics among men – those with beginnings to alcohol abuse before the age of 25, and those whose disease progresses at later periods in life. Of these two types, those with the early beginnings are more inclined to have incidence of family related alcoholism, which suggests a genetic predisposition. Astonishingly, this particular group is stated to comprise 40% of the estimated million male alcoholics in the United States. Not surprising however, this group is most commonly associated with violent behavior. On the other end of the scale, the men who have shown to become alcoholic later in life show a commonality of less family involvement. Their abuse is attributed more to a sought relief from stress and/or anxiety. Given these results, and the possibility of genetic predispositions, many research studies have been conducted in an effort to single out a common chromosomal defect. Fingers have been pointed at a gene which affects the ability of brain cells to respond to dopamine, which is believed to be a reason that alcoholics abuse alcohol – an unaware effort to boost dopamine levels. Other beliefs sway toward what is called a â€Å"mean gene† that impairs the proper actions of serotonin, a chemical stimulant in the brain. As these studies and the researchers who have concluded them debate about the actual culprit, a recent opinion has been declared by Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D. who is the head of the National Institute of Mental Health. Per the article, Goodwin states that there may be more than one single gene involved with alcoholism, much the same as with diabetes. Goodwin also believes that future research may conclude a common genetic predisposition to a complete host of addictions of any range. In sum, Goodwin believes there may be a common thread among all addicts, but that specific characteristics may perpetuate certain cases. Pertaining to psychology, this article is a fantastic way of raising the questions of psychological issues in addiction. It contradicts the actuality that alcoholism, or addiction altogether, is strictly a sect of the psyche which can be overcome through psychological treatment. This article gives simple, yet concise examples and statistics which proclaim the possibility of hereditary predispositions to alcohol addiction, thus ruling out a strong possibility of psychological defect. Though it could be argued that a psychological predisposition could be genetically evident, the concepts of hereditary factors appear to be more supportive of genetic makeup and not learned behavior, which is a common belief toward alcoholism in European societies. This article is very informative of the most recent approaches toward the diagnostics of alcoholism, and as to where the modern understandings of its illness are derived. In conclusive reaction, this particular article is educational to those who are both aware of the dynamics and characteristics of alcoholics and those completely ignorant of the issue. I am pleased with its content, directive, and overall conveyance of matter. BIBLIOGRAPHY: The PT Staff;   Psychology Today – Is It In the Genes? Driven to drink: Does alcoholism run in the family? Sussex Publishers, LLC 2006

Friday, August 16, 2019

In Partial Fulfillment in Principles of Management Essay

Summary: Mr. Oscar Pascua has a construction business; he hired his niece Ofelia to help him manage the construction firm. He assigned Ofelia to do the administrative work. Ofelia enjoyed her work doing various tasks she ordered to perform, positive interactions with employees kept Ofelia busy and contented with her work. Milagros, Mr. Pascua’s sister has an entertainment business. She noticed and saw Ofelia’s work and got interested of borrowing Ofelia for a while. Obviously, Milagros wanted the administrative aspects of her business straightened out. Ofelia was only too glad to join her aunt Milagros. She taught that she could give herself a break from the construction firm. When Ofelia began to work with her aunt, she found out that there are many things she should attend to. For instance, employee records are not complete, and company policies and procedures are not well documented. It is difficult to determine employees’ performance. Ofelia distributed the required forms to the employees and the talents who are undergoing training, she noticed that they are not eager to accomplish them. One day a janitor approached her and asked if she would dispose the contents of the wastebaskets even if the forms she distributed are in them. Ofelia tried to contain her anger. After a while she regained and asked her self, â€Å"What kind of people are the? I wish I’m back at my former job†. Questions: 1. Do you think the situation is hopeless for Ofelia? 2. What will be your advice to her? Statement of the Problem: Ofelia thought that in the entertainment business is a less difficult than her former job; she didn’t make a brief research in the entertainment business. She accepted it without any hesitations, unluckily her present job was worse than she can ever thought. Answer: 1. The situation of Ofelia is a bit hopeless but she can still manage it. 2. I will advise Ofelia to go back to her former job at the construction firm because she’s more productive in working with his uncle. She could just tell her aunt to hire a new administrator, a more experienced administrator in entertainment business. Conclusion: We therefore conclude that Ofelia must know how to cooperate with different level people especially in entertainment business; she must have more patience and a different level of interaction to those people or employees. If she doesn’t want the job she can resign and go back to her former job at Mr. Pascua, Ofelia is hardworking person and she’s confident and she enjoys her work, but when you’re not into the kind of a thing job you must not accept it if you do not have a proper training and seminars. Before you get a job you must know first how it will be, what kind, and who are the people or employees you’re going to work with. Sometimes it is better to know the situation first before entering.

Absorbance of light by a transition metal complex investigation Essay

Introduction Commonly known as transition metals, d block elements have partially filled d sublevels in one or more of their oxidation states. It is in the first row of transition elements that the 3d sub-level is incomplete. These d block elements show certain characteristic properties such as multiple oxidation states, ability to form complex ions, coloured compounds and good catalytic properties. In terms of variable oxidation states, d block elements usually have a +2 oxidation number which corresponds to the loss of the two 4s electrons (as it is easier to lose the 4s electrons than the 3d electrons). Transition metals can have variable oxidation states because the ionization energies allow for up to two 3d electrons to be lost. Because transition metals are relatively small in size, the transition metal ions attract species that are rich in electrons – ligands (neutral molecules or negative ions that contain non-bonding pair of electrons – which when covalently bonded with and form complex ions. Because the d orbitals usually split up into two groups (high and low) in transition metal complex ions, the energy required to promote a d electron into the higher split level corresponds with a particular wavelength in the visible region, which is absorbed when light passes through the complex ion. Transition metal usually then exhibits the remaining energy/light – the complementary colour. In this investigation, the different absorbance of these coloured solutions will be investigated by varying the number of moles of the transition metal in the solution. According to the Beer-Lambert law, absorbance is directly proportional to the concentration and that there is a logarithmic dependence between the absorbance and the concentration of the substance, this relationship is as shown in figure 1 and 2. In the graph representation of the Beer-Lambert law, the logarithmic relationship can evidently be seen – as the concentration of the solution increases, the calibration curve becomes less linear and more flat. This is probably due to the saturation of colour of the solution. In addition, the graph also indicates that the relationship starts at the origin and is generally linear at lower concentrations. In this investigation, Nickel (II) Sulphate will be used as the transition metal and H2O will be used as the ligand. The complex ion formed will therefore be a hexaaquanickel(II) complex ion, Ni (H2O) 6 2+. It has a coordination number of 6 and is of an octahedral shape. (Microsoft Encarta, 2007) Aim To investigate how the concentration of hexaaquanickel(II) ions (Ni (H2O) 6 2+) in solution affects the absorbance of red light (660nm) by measuring it with a colorimeter. Hypothesis As the concentration of hexaaquanickel(II) ions increases, the absorbance of red light1 will also increase. This is so because as stated in the Beer-Lambert law, the absorbance of light is directly proportional to the concentration. Furthermore, as the concentration increases, there are more molecules of the complex ions within the solution to interact with the light that is being transmitted – hence an increased absorbance at higher concentrations. In addition, despite the logarithmic relationship, I expect my data to show a linear relationship instead because the number of moles I am measuring red absorbance against is rather low (maximum 0.5 moles), so while it would be insufficient to see the clear logarithmic curve; the linear increase in the beginning would still be evident. Variables Independent – Concentration of hexaaquanickel(II) ions (0.0313mol, 0.0625mol, 0.125mol, 0.250mol, 0.500mol) Dependent – Absorbency of red light (660nm) Controlled – Volume of solution (25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ per different mol solution) Equipment Method 1) Measure 6.57g of nickel sulphate with an electronic balance and place in a 250cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ beaker 2) Measure 50cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of deionised water with 50cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ measuring cylinder and pour into the 250cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ beaker with the nickel sulphate to create a 0.5mol nickel sulphate solution 3) Mix the solution thoroughly with a glass stirring rod, make sure the solution is transparent (not murky) and no remnants of the nickel sulphate should be present in the solution 4) Label the five 50cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ volumetric flasks: 0.03125mol, 0.0625mol, 0.125mol, 0.25mol and 0.5mol 5) Pipette 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of the previously made nickel sulphate solution from the 250cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ beaker and place into volumetric flask labeled â€Å"0.5mol† 6) Pipette another 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ from the beaker and place into volumetric flask labeled â€Å"0.25mol† 7) Measure and pipette 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of deionised water and add into â€Å"0.25mol† 8) Mix thoroughly 9) Measure and pipette 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ from â€Å"0.25mol† and add into â€Å"0.125mol† 10) Repeat steps 7 to 8 but add the water into â€Å"0.125mol† 11) Measure and pipette 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ from â€Å"0.125mol† and add into â€Å"0.0625mol† 12) Repeat step 10 but add into the water â€Å"0.0625mol† 13) Measure and pipette 25cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ from â€Å"0.0625mol† and add into â€Å"0.0313 mol† 14) Repeat step 10 but add into the water†0.0313mol† 15) Connect the PASPORT colorimeter to the computer 16) Select to measure red (660nm) absorbance 17) After all five solutions have been made, label five cuvettes the same labels as the volumetric flasks (place on lid, careful not to have any of the label on the cuvette itself) 18) Fill each labeled cuvette with its corresponding volumetric flask label with a dropper 19) Fill the remaining unlabeled cuvette with water 20) Place the cuvette with water into the colorimeter and press green button to calibrate, do not do anything until the green light switches off by itself 21) Place the cuvette labeled â€Å"0.03125mol† into the colorimeter – press start and stop after getting a constant reading 22) Record the data 23) Repeat steps 21-22 until all labeled cuvettes have been measured for red absorbance Data Table Concentration / mol dm-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Red light (660nm) absorbance Uncertainties Uncertainties (cm3) Measuring cylinder à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.0cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Bulb pipette à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.06 cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Electronic weigh à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01g Concentration (mol/dmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½) Uncertainty Graphs Discussion and Conclusion It can be seen from the graph that there is a linear relationship between the amount of red light absorbed and the concentration of hexaaquanickel(II) ions. It can also be deduced that as the concentration increases, the red light absorption increases at twice the rate. However, it is interesting to note that the line of best fit does not start at the origin, but at (0, 0.0623) as the equation derived from the line of best fit states, suggesting that despite showing a clear linear trend, my data is precise but not accurate. This is possibly due to equipment imperfection, for example the cuvette, which will be discussed in the evaluation. However, it is still evident that, as stated in my hypothesis, as the concentration increases, the chances of light interacting with the complex ion molecules also increase, hence yielding a higher light (red, in this case) absorption. While it is true that the Beer-Lambert law states the relationship between concentration of a substance and its absorbency has a logarithmic relationship, my data is linear because the concentrations of my tested solutions were rather low, so if I were to continue my experiment and create more concentrated nickel sulphate solutions, I would expect to see the curve become non-linear as concentration increases because the solution will eventually become saturated. Therefore, in conclusion, my hypothesis corresponds with the results: the relationship between red absorbance and concentration of hexaaquanickel(II) ions is quite clear – as the concentration increases, the red absorbance also increases. Evaluation One aspect I can improve my method is using the same cuvette and in the same direction each time for measuring all the different solutions, as it has been noted that the cuvettes we have been currently using are not perfectly constructed and may differ with the distance as light passes through. This will help improve the accuracy of the results and an important aspect to take into consideration, because also stated in the Beer-Lambert law, the length in which the light passes through also makes a difference in the absorption of light (the longer the container is, the more chances of light interacting with the molecules of the solution). Another aspect was in the preparing the different solutions, because I had diluted each solution using the same solutions from before, so the uncertainty of each would naturally continuously build up (final uncertainty of 4.31%) – for example, if I had accidentally created a 0.052 mol nickel sulphate solution, then the next solution I diluted from that solution would not be 0.025 mol as intended. One way to see through this limitation is to perhaps prepare each solution separately to avoid a build up of uncertainties. In addition, another way to make this investigation more conclusive and detailed could be increasing the different amounts of concentration of the nickel sulphate solution, as I only had 5 different concentrations. Bibliography Clark, J. (2007). The Beer-Lambert law. In Absorption spectra. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/uvvisible/beerlambert.html Microsoft(r) Encarta(r) Online Encyclopedia. (2007). Complex. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://au.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_781538720/Complex.html Neuss, G. (2007). Determining the concentration of an element. In Chemistry course companion (p. 276). Oxford University Press. 1 Because nickel sulphate solution is green in colour, red light will be used to measure the absorbency of the solution as it is the complementary colour.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Secret River

Shaira Sanchez 05/09/12 Shaira Sanchez 05/09/12 The Secret River by Kate Grenville Essay Explain the way that narrative devices have been employed by an author to construct a representation of people or places in at least one text that you have studied. You must make specific reference to â€Å"The Secret River. † One of Australia’s finest writers Kate Grenville wrote The Secret River which challenges traditional gender roles of women in the early nineteenth century London and Australia.The novel has challenged the female stereotype in a patriarchal society through the strong female character of Sal Thornhill. Sal has been the brains of her family through their tough times in London and their settlement in Sydney. Sal is the wife of William Thornhill, a convict. The memory of how the gentry treated Thornhill pushed him to work himself up into the foreign land of Australia to become like that gentleman he had served once back in London, in the water of Thames–the one with the power and the one who looked down on him who represents the working class.His determination to set off a space for himself in the foreign land eventually placed him and some of the settlers in direct opposition to the Aboriginal people by their desire to finally have control on their own lives. The use of a wide range of narrative devices in The Secret River has vividly taken the readers back to the nineteenth century where power and wealth determines a man’s position in the society. Sal Thornhill has been constructed in The Secret River as a strong female character who challenges traditional gender roles in the early nineteenth century–mainly when women were biologically, socially and intellectually inferior.Although Sal was raised in a quite comfortable lifestyle, she still has managed to cope with the tragic events in her life as a mother and as a wife. We see through Thornhill’s limited omniscient point of view that Sal would have to â€Å"brig hten herself up† because they both knew that Sal would have to offer her service in the cold streets of London to support her family’s financial needs, while Thornhill was convicted for theft. Sal’s staggering sacrifices did not just end in London.Her character even became stronger when they settled in a place that nothing Thornhill had ever seen–where â€Å"trees were tortured formless things† that looked half dead and when Christmas was during the hot days of summer. Women in that time were normally perceived as housekeepers and child-bearers. However, Sal did not just take care of her family emotionally and physically, but financially as well â€Å"At the end of each week Sal would count up the takings, from Thornhill’s work on the water and from her own selling liquor, and hide them away in a box. † which is evident through the descriptive language used.As a migrant myself, I understood Sal’s attitude towards the new environ ment that she was in. It wasn’t a part of her plan, but she accepted the circumstances and lived with it half-heartedly. Although her heart was always reminding her of ‘Home’, her mind and body still endured the harsh conditions, all for her family. It wasn’t the usual approach of women back in the nineteenth century to stand up for her family instead of the husband. However, Sal’s character was constructed to challenge the representation of women during that time by being the provider and the child-bearer all at once.Sal, her family, and the other settlers encountered the ‘otherness’ once they arrived in Sydney–which had two different representations as a race in The Secret River. Australia was not an empty land when the Thornhills and the white settlers arrived. They were not expecting people living in that type of place for thousands of years. These people were as strange as the place through the settlers’ perception. T here was one who hung about the Thornhills’ hut and entertained them, dressed only with a faded-pink bonnet on his head in trade for food and a sip of rum.They called him Scabby Bill who represents the ‘visible’ natives. His drunkenness and his appearance symbolises the detrimental impact of colonialism to the Aboriginals. The other sort of native were the ‘invisible’ ones who stayed away from the settlement. They were represented through Long Jack’s strong character. The settlers did not initially affect them, but they saw them as â€Å"snakes or the spiders, not something that could be guarded against† which symbolises as a threat to their dreams. The blacks, on the other hand had a different view of what the settlers referred to as ‘stealing’.Their belief is that nobody owns the land, not them, not the settlers. This clash of beliefs has lead to the novel’s climax, the massacre, where the ‘invisible’ became ‘visible’. The way Thornhill addresses the natives and were given English names symbolises Thornhill’s attitude being Eurocentric. Thornhill did not want to be engaged to the natives, but he himself implanted the European traditions on them. The settlers did not have the same beliefs towards the blacks, just like the natives were to them which also lead to two different representations–one that respects the ‘otherness’ and one that doesn’t.A huge contrast in the characters was made in the novel between Blackwood and Smasher. Blackwood was described as a huge deep and silent man who had â€Å"a rough dignity about him†. He believed in the concept of â€Å"give a little, take a little† in terms of dealing with the blacks. While Smasher’s appearance was constructed as â€Å"a naked-looking face without eyebrows† and always craves for attention that is evident through his dialogue that he had â€Å"not se en the event (rage) personally† but spreads the story anyway. He believed in the concept of ‘whips and biters’. There was no single respect that was given to the blacks from Smasher.Of all the characters, Blackwood has the greatest knowledge and appreciation of the Aboriginals and even lived with an Aboriginal woman and had a child. Smasher did live with one as well, but he referred to her as his â€Å"black bitch. † Although the settlers had the same hopes of finding a better life in Australia, they still ended up on two different paths due to the contrast on their attitude towards the Aboriginals. William Thornhill’s character was not constructed consistently in The Secret River as his attitudes and values towards Australia and the Aboriginals changed throughout the novel.Through Thornhill’s limited omniscient point of view, we sympathise with him by the way the gentry treated him as a waterman in the lower class. He had worked hard but his efforts were not appreciated, thus, pushed him to steal that lead him in his deportation to Australia. Thornhill and the majority of the convicts found a hope for a better life in Australia. It was what they have always longed for–to own a land, to finally have something they can call their own. Thornhill’s change n values was revealed through his dialogue, â€Å"Forgetting your manners are you, Dan Oldfield† he said to an old friend who he chose as one his servants. He became hungry for power and authority when he had a taste on what it was like to be on top of the others: on top of his fellow settlers, on top of the Aboriginals.Thornhill has spoken to the Aboriginals the way the gentry did to him â€Å"Old Boy, he started. He fancied the sound of that. † Thornhill and some of settlers saw the blacks as a hindrance to their one last chance to achieve their ultimate dream, like when Sagitty suggested to â€Å"get them before they get us. He has been succ essful in this goal but behind the high walls of his ‘villa’, was an unfulfilled William Thornhill after losing his friends and ultimately, his son Dick, who sympathise to the indigenous way of life. He became like the gentry, but not quite. He possessed the land, the house, the servants, but not the respect. The scars of his past were embedded on his name–William Thornhill, who was once a waterman, illiterate and an ex-convict. The Secret River has diverse representations of gender, class and race that have been successfully constructed in each character through the use of narrative devices.Sal represents those women who stood up for their family, in spite of the tagged inferiorities built by the society through the years especially in the nineteenth century and the earlier times. Scabby Bill and Long Jack represent the two different approach of their race on colonisation of the Europeans. Their values differ, just as the settlers’ views had towards them. Blackwood amongst all the others respects the Aboriginals, while Smasher had no heart for these people and treated them like animals.William Thornhill as the novel’s protagonist did not have a certain representation. His whole character was constructed based on his life back in London that resulted in a change of values as he found himself flourishing in his new ‘Home’. This novel lets the readers engage themselves in each of the representations effectively through Thornhill’s limited omniscient point of view. We tend to judge the differences in gender, in every class and in every race through what the society has already built on people as time goes by.However, Kate Grenville gave us a wider view of how each of these people ended up the way they were before, and the way they are in present time. As a migrant myself, I can compare myself with Sal, above all the characters. Migration wasn’t a part of our plan, but if that leads us to a better life, why not endure the circumstances? At the end of the day, every sacrifice and effort will be worth it. However, I believe that I will never end up the way Thornhill had– a wealthy man with a ‘villa’, without a peace of mind.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Frankenstein and 2001 Comparison

Emotion and Human Destruction In both 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, man tries to create something more advanced than mankind. But, even though they are more advanced, they are less developed. The creations in both of these works have one major flaw, and that is that they cannot control their emotions. The creation called HAL 9000 in 2001 is a supercomputer designed to learn at incredible speed and calculate thousands of important facets on the voyage of Discovery.The monster in Frankenstein created by Victor Frankenstein also had the capability to learn at incredible speeds, had superhuman abilities, and became so smart that he could have rivaled his creator. However, neither HAL nor the monster had the mental capacity to control the amount of power their creators had given them. This becomes the main conflict in both of these works. From the emotional decay of these powerful creatures, we come to an ambiguous conclusion: Emotions will always lea d to the destruction of humanity.Happiness is one of many human emotions. Oftentimes, life events stimulate how happy we become. Furthermore, the need to find happiness and overcome obstacles is a need all humans have. There are a certain number of attributes that acute for a humans overall happiness. To name a few, things like living conditions, overall health, wealth, and relationships with other humans. The monster in Frankenstein had none of these things. He quotes, â€Å"Here then I retreated, and lay down happy to have found a shelter, however miserable, from the inclemency of the season. (Shelly 94). And later it quotes, â€Å"I possessed no  money, no friends, and no kind of property. † (Shelly 101) The monster had terrible living conditions; his diet consisted of nuts and berries, he had no money, and he had no friends. This led the monster to be extremely unhappy. And when humans are unhappy, they become jealous of others happiness. With happiness come jealously, an emotion we all pretend we never experience. But, when a human sees someone who is happier than they are, they instantly become jealous.They want what that person has, and they will do anything to get it. The monster is a pure example of this . He quotes, â€Å"†I lay on my straw, but I could not sleep. I thought of the occurrences of the day. What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them, but dared not. † (Shelley 93) The monster wanted human companionship, but he felt the humans would not accept him since he was ugly. This is why he talked to DeLacey first. DeLacey was blind, and could not discriminate against him.The monster basically pleads for acceptance quoting, â€Å"This, I thought, was the moment of decision, which was to rob me of, or bestow happiness on me forever†¦I sank on the chair, and sobbed aloud†¦`Now is the time! –save and protect me! You and your family are the friends whom I seek. Do no t desert me in my hour of trial! ‘† (Shelly 111) When the rest of the family came in, Agatha fainted, Sophie ran, and Felix beat him with a stick. This robbed him of his chance to be happy. He was jealous of the fact that every human could have friendly interactions, but he was doomed to loneliness forever.The monster now realized he could never be happy. This enraged him, and hatred became his fueling emotion! Hatred is the most prevailing emotion. It consumes people and turns them into the violent human beings who they actually are. The monster cursed the human race, and vowed revenge quoting, â€Å"My feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery. (Shelly 113) The monster did in fact get his revenge. He hated the fact that Victor had close friends and loved ones, yet he had nothing.This made the monster turn to violence, and he killed everyone close t o Victor. 2001’s creation, HAL, has a different emotion which leads to his downfall. That is the emotion of pride. You see, pride is a feeling of pleasure from one’s own achievements. HAL was very prideful. You can glimpse it from this shot conversation HAL has during an interview: INTERVIEWER: HAL, you have an enormous responsibility on this mission. You're the brain, and central nervous system of the ship, and your responsibilities include watching over the men in hibernation.Does this ever cause you any lack of confidence? HAL: Let me put it this way, Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error. Here, HAL takes pride in the fact that his 9000 series model has never made an error. But when HAL predicts a communication relay to go down, a 9000 computer on Earth says HAL is wrong with his predic tion.HAL quickly disbands this as human error, since HAL now sees himself as better than human. HAL also thinks that he is better capable to carry out the mission than anybody onboard. When HAL hears he may be disconnected, he goes berserk and kills everyone onboard until David Bowman shuts hit down. HAL’s downfall was because he had too much pride. We see this in the modern world all the time; people thinking they are better than others because of their achievements. In the pursuit of happiness, somewhere along the way, people will become jealous of others.They will want something someone else has, and they may not be able to get it. This in turn will cause them to hate or resent that person. They may lash out against them with words, or like the monster, will do whatever they can to strip that person of their happiness. But suppose you do become happy and rise to the top? The people in power almost always become prideful and abuse that power. Take dictatorships for example. They end up abusing their power, and think they are better than others. Ultimately, emotion is humanities greatest weakness.