Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Farewell to Arms essays

A Farewell to Arms essays A Farewell to Arms, by Earnest Hemingway, is a great novel about the pains of life including the great sorrow that comes with loosing those you love. Frederic Henry, the protagonist of the story, is an American Lieutenant in the Italian Army during the First World War. This fact is significant in learning why this book was written because Earnest Hemingway, an American, actually drove ambulances for the Italian Army during the war. Therefore, one could safely say that this book is somewhat of a portrayal of Hemingways own experiences during the war. The gap between humanitys noble words and its dishonorable deeds was never more obvious than during World War I. For this reason the war serves brilliantly as the setting for Hemingways novel of love and disillusionment. The story begins in the summer of 1915. This is about the time that Italy joined the war. The starting place is a city named Gorizia located in Northeastern Italy near the front with Austria-Hungary. This is where Frederic lives along with the rest of the officers. As the story develops, Frederic ends up in many different cities and towns, all along the Italian-Austrian front. The story ends in the late spring of 1918 not in Italy but rather in Lausanne, Switzerland. Hemingways choice of Italy as his setting reinforces his theme. One reason for its effectiveness is that Italy was where Hemingway served as an ambulance driver: he knew its terrain and its military history very well. Italy is also a setting that further demonstrates the ironies of war. To most of the world, France was where the real war was taking place; even today our memories of World War I are drawn mainly from the Western front. Italy was, as Henry says, the picturesque front. Yet in this picturesque land men are being slaughtered by the tens of thousands. What better time and place could serve for Frederic Henrys farewell to arms? The novel sta...

Sunday, November 24, 2019

What to Expect When Getting Your Drug Test At Work

What to Expect When Getting Your Drug Test At Work Pre-employment drug screening is definitely a practice you should be aware of. Depending on the job you get, your sobriety can affect your job performance- even the safety and lives of other people. Employers are eager to make sure they can trust you and your judgment. Some employers are actually federally obligated to screen employees, such as the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Tests are much more likely in trucking industry, aviation, or mass transit, or for anyone hoping to work with NASA or the Department of Defense.Test TypesThere are two kinds of drug tests: the 5-panel test screen, and the 10-panel test. The 5-panel test screens for the following:CocaineAmphetamine/MethamphetamineOpiates (like heroin, codeine, and morphine)Phencyclidine or PCPTHC (marijuana)The 10-panel test screens for the following:CocaineAmphetamineMethamphetamineOpiates such as heroin, codeine and morphinePhencyclidine or PCPTHC (marijuana)Pro poxypheneMethadoneBarbituratesBenzodiazepinesSome marijuana use might go undetected, particularly if the THC has been removed, as in medical marijuana). Other drugs, like prescription pain medication, might show up. If you’re using any prescription drugs, you should disclose this information before the test- particularly pain medications, certain weight-loss supplements, and drugs like Xanax, Valium, Rohypnol, and Ativan. And if you live in a state where recreational pot use is legal, or you have a prescription for medical marijuana, you might want to consider chatting with an employment lawyer about your options if a drug test scenario comes up.Know the Rules and Your RightsA lot of employers reserve the right to test again once you’re employed. They can ask for a test regularly or randomly, and can demand a test on short notice, giving employees no time to try and cheat.There are limits to how much an employer is allowed to test, given the invasion of privacy. If you feel your rights have been violated, consult the employment laws of your state. Remember: you are also not required to take a test from a prospective employer. Just keep in mind, that might well cost you the job.Know  What You’re Getting IntoA few things to keep in mind to make sure you don’t lose a job to a failed drug test:Most tests are urine tests, though this is changing. Saliva tests (easier to pass as they only go back three days), and hair tests (which go back 90 days) are also possible. Employers could even ask to test your blood or nails.You can’t just drink an enormous quantity of water or exercise heavily to get a particular drug to clear your system- that’s mostly a myth.Certain drugs will stay in different people’s systems for different lengths of time. This depends on a number of factors, including individual metabolism, rate and quantity of use, the concentration, etc. The sensitivity of the test is also variable.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Critical Success Factors of Dell Inc Case Study - 2

Critical Success Factors of Dell Inc - Case Study Example Public relations efforts and programs help to quicken bringing about the required outcomes in both corporate goals and competitive edge. Thus Dell has invested a lot in such public relations efforts. Since Dell consists of a multicultural staff, social factors such as religious behavior which may not be essential to the situation at hand have to be accommodated. Â  Technological Influences: It is innovative novel technology that has given Dell an edge over the rest of its competitors. Due to Dell’s recent acquisitions of such firms as Alienware and EqualLogic, its ability to make use of their technologies too in manufacturing new products. Â  Economic Influences: The prevailing financial crisis has had a very negative effect on the ICT industry. At existing firm level cost-cutting practices were not very practical. By capturing emerging markets average and marginal costs could be brought down. Â  Legal Influences: Regulatory environment has had a major impact on Dell activities even though such rules have the desirable effect of quality improvement and cost reduction too. There is a high possibility that Dell’s competitors could come up with duplicate products infringing on its copyrighted and patent material. Â  Opportunities: There are many different opportunities that are available to Dell in the ICT market worldwide. In particular, its acquisitions of other firms, outsourcing, and e-commerce activities have played an influential role in determining its success.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Theory of Human Caring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Theory of Human Caring - Essay Example According to Watson (2009), "nursing is a lifetime journey of caring and healing, seeking to understand and preserve the wholeness of human existence, and to offer compassionate, informed, knowledgeable human caring to society and humankind." Thus, nurses play an important role in the healing of human suffering. In this essay, role of Watson's theory in caring of patients in nursing profession will be discussed through review of a particular case and reflection. Case scenario 55 year James was transferred to the neurology ward from neurosurgical ICU to which he was admitted one week ago with right sided hemiplegia following stroke. Besides right sided hemiplegia, the patient had bladder and bowel incontinence, pneumonia and depression. I was one of the nurses assigned to take care of the patient. The patient stayed in the stroke rehabilitation ward for 4 weeks. During the first week in the ward, I found James to be depressed and frustrated. His only family member with him was his wif e. I found out from the couple that they had 2 sons, who were married and stayed in different countries. They had not come down because the parents did not want to trouble them and hence did not deliver proper information. During my sessions of nursing care I convinced the patient that their sons be asked to come down as it would make the patient feel a lot better. I finally managed to convince them to do so in the second week and when their sons came down, the patient was a lot better psychologically. The patient was a spiritual person and believed in Christianity. He missed attending church regularly. I allowed him to offer prayers by arranging a father to meet him every week. This uplifted the psychological and spiritual morale of the patient. As he improved, I asked his wife and sons to contact a few friends of James and asked them to meet him in the rehabilitation center. James was very much upset about his physical deficiencies because of stroke, especially the bowel and bladd er incontinence. I instilled lot of confidence and hope in the patient and told him that recovery occurs with good positive outlook and physiotherapy. The patient got discharged after 4 weeks. When he came for review after 4 weeks of discharge, he was a lot more improved physically and psychologically and confident person. Jean Watson and her theory Jean Watson, an eminent nurse educator and theorist has contributed significantly to the profession of nursing through her famous theory, the Theory of Transpersonal Caring, which is also known as the Theory of Human Caring. Watson was born in West Virginia and is currently settled in Colarado (Cara, 2003). She graduated from the University of Colarado and did her Master's degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing (Cara, 2003). She further achieved Ph.D degree in psychology and counseling. She is the founder of the Center for Human Caring located in Colarado and is currently a distinguished professor at the University of Colarado (Cara , 2003). The theory was developed by the nursing scholar based on her experiences in the field of mental health, psychology and counseling. This theory is very important for the nursing profession because it emphasizes the role of humanistic perspective of profession based on

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Technology, Globalization & Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology, Globalization & Change - Assignment Example In response to technological revolution, new approaches and tools are developed to counter the emerging challenges. For instance, new concepts of manufacturing are being implored to enable multi production in industries which in turn translates to high productivity.Additional, computer technology and microprocessor integrated into several products enables software differentiation. Computer systems and networks also greatly alter management approach to issues. Business is increasingly getting globalized courtesy of latest communication technologies which overhaul equipment and logistical technology.Morover, technological factors and trends have contributed to a number of factors. Notable among these factors are aspects such as, rapid increase in rates of technology diffusion and change, age of information, intensity in terms of knowledge increase and lastly the sprouting of positive feed back in industries. In summary, development of new mindsets, tools, organizations and concepts hav e now become a prerequisite for every manager. In order to navigate through the new competitive landscape, further research is required to enable managers be at a better position to handle and respond to the new emerging trends. For a company to withstand the various challenges that emanate from the new competitive landscape, the management can put in place a variety of measures to be at par in terms of responding to these challenges. As a manager, I would recommend to the board of directors to adopt the following measures. Firstly and as recommended by Bettis and Michael, the staff should be able to develop a new mindset on how to approach business. This can be made possible when the company initiate extensive programs and also through invitation of resource persons. Extensive programs enable staff members to learn more about the emerging challenges and the likely remedies that can be adopted to counter the various challenges. On the other hand, Invitation of resource persons that are professionals in respective fields of technology such as software and e-marketing may also enlighten staff members about contemporary trends. New tools should also be developed to enable the company counter the challenges brought about by technology. This can be done through introduction and embracing technological systems such as within a company’s communication department and logistical departments. New concepts should also be embraced to replace the old ones. For example, slower methods of communication can be replaced with more effective and efficient ones. New technological aspects such as tele- conferencing should be adopted by a company if possible. This is because such a concept is not only convenient but also saves time too. As suggested by Grubler, Bettis and Michael, I would recommend to the Board of Directors to embrace research as an essential component of the companies objectives. For example, how technology can be used to meet customers satisfaction and inc rease efficiency in terms of timely and effective service delivery. Research would also enable the company to establish what is still relevant and what has been by passed by season in terms of technology brought about by the new competitive landscape. For instance, a telecommunication company should inject more funds on mobile phone research other than land line because it is contemporary and convenient to

Friday, November 15, 2019

Nitration of Acetanilide and Methyl Benzoate

Nitration of Acetanilide and Methyl Benzoate Nitration of Acetanilide and Methyl Benzoate by Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution Abstract The purpose of this experiment was to synthesize methyl nitro benzoate from methyl benzoate, as well as nitroacetanilide from concentrated nitric acid (HNO3), and concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) by using an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The HNO3 and H2SO4 were combined to form a nitrating solution, which was added to a mixture of methyl benzoate and H2SO4, and the same was done with acetanilide. Following recrystallization, melting point was used to identify and characterize the product of the reaction. The melting point was determined to be 74 ËÅ ¡C-80 ËÅ ¡C for methyl nitro benzoate and for nitroacetanilide it was 195 ËÅ ¡C-200 ËÅ ¡C, which indicates meta-regiochemistry for methyl benzoate and para-regiochemistry for nitroacetanilide. The percent yield of this reaction for the recrystallized product was 59.3% of methyl nitrobenzoate, while it was 6.75% for nitroacetanilide. Figure 1: The reaction for the nitration of acetanilide. Figure 2: The reaction for the nitration of methyl benzoate. Experimental Concentrated sulfuric acid (0.6 mL) and concentrated nitric acid (0.5 mL) were added to a reaction flask and placed in an ice bath. Concentrated sulfuric acid (1 mL) was added to methyl benzoate (0.5 g) in a vial which was then packed in ice, and the same was done with acetanilide.ÂÂ   While stirring, the cold H2SO4/HNO3 mixture was added drop-by-drop. After the acid mixture was added, the reaction mixture was removed from the ice to warm to room temperature, with stirring. It was then transferred by Pasteur pipet into a beaker and stirred for five minutes. The methyl benzoate nitration formed white solid, and the acetanilide nitration for a light yellow solid. The crystals were the vacuum filtered with a Buchner funnel. The crude product was recrystallized by adding a distilled water and ethanol slowly while heating the product. While cooling, the solution produced large white crystals for methyl benzoate nitration and light yellow crystals for the acetanilide nitration. The ma ss, melting point percent yield were obtained. Results and Discussion Through the use of electrophilic aromatic substitution, acetanilide is nitrated to nitroacetanilide, while methyl benzoate was nitrated to methyl nitrobezonate. The first step of the reaction involved in the donation of an electron pair, which generates the nitronium ion from nitric acid by protonation and loss of water, using sulphuric acid as the dehydrating agent. The mechanism for methyl benzoate can be seen below. Figure 3: The mechanism of the nitration of methyl benzoate to methyl nitrobenzoate. To prevent acetanilide from dinitrating, the nitrating solution of HNO3 and H2SO4 were added drop by drop to the acetanilide solution, so that the concentration of the nitrating agent is kept at minimum. The cooler temperatures were used to reduce the reaction rate and help to avoid over nitration. The electrophilic aromatic substitutions involved the replacement of a proton on an aromatic ring with an electrophile that becomes substituent. The sulfuric acid protonates the methyl benzoate, which creates the resonance stabilized arenium ion intermediate.3 The electron deficient nitronium ion reacts with the protonated intermediate meta position. The ester group is the meta deactivator and the reaction takes place at the meta position because the ortho and para positions are destabilized by adjacent positives charges on the resonance structure.2 The major product of the methyl benzoate nitration is the meta product due to carboxyl and nitro groups both being powerful electron withdrawing groups. Table 1: The weight, melting point, and percent yield of both Nitroactenilide and Methyl Nitrobenzoate. Product Name Crude Weight (g) Product Weight (g) Percent Yield (%) Melting Point (ËÅ ¡C) Literature Melting Point (ËÅ ¡C) Nitroactenilide 0.585 0.045 6.75% 195-200 214-217 Methyl Nitrobenzoate 0.56 0.32 59.3% 74-80 78-80 The actual yield of methyl nitrobenzoate is 0.32 g while the theoretical yield is 0.54 g. The melting point is 74ËÅ ¡C 80ËÅ ¡C, and the value is closed to the literature value which is 78ËÅ ¡C 80 ËÅ ¡C. The percent yield for the methyl benzoate electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction was 59.3% with 0.32g of methyl nitrobenzoate formed. The percent yield for the reaction with acetanilide was 6.75% with 0.045g of nitroacetanilide formed, which can be seen in table 1. The melting point observed was 195-200 ËÅ ¡C, which can be accounted for impurities in the product, which can be seen below in table 1. Some impurities might be Ortho and Meta directing substances, as well as there could have been some experimental errors that occurred during the experiment such as not overheating solutions during the reactions. These low yields may have resulted from poor recrystallization, product lost during transfer from one apparatus to another, or human error. The miss ing percent accounts for the impurities removed during recrystallization. However, some product must have been lost in the acetanilide reaction recrystallization because of such a low percent yield. The melting point of the final product was 74-80 ËÅ ¡C suggesting that it was formed by meta-substitution. The literature melting point for meta-methyl nitrobenzoate is 78-80 ËÅ ¡C. Therefore, the melting point is lower than it should be suggesting that an impurity is in the product. This impurity may have occurred due to poor recrystallization or it may have been picked up after recrystallization. The melting point of the nitroacetanilide product was 195-200 ËÅ ¡C suggesting the para-regiochemistry. The literature melting point for the p-nitroacetanilide is 214-217 ËÅ ¡C. Therefore, the melting point of the product is a little lower than the literature value, suggesting that an impurity exists in the product from poor recrystallization of contact with an impurity during recrystallization. The methyl nitrobenzoate product was determined to be meta-substituted based on its melting point range. This can also be proved by evaluating the attack of the benzene ring of methyl benzoate on the electrophililic species and nitric acid.4 The C-OCH3 substituent is a meta-deactivator. Therefore, when the benzene ring attacks the nitronium ion, the NO3+ group will add meta-positon. This creates a resonance stabilized arenium ion without a positive charge on the carbon with the C-OCH3 substituent. Then the proton is removed from the meta position by the weak base, the HSO4-, formed in the creation of the nitronium ion, which reforms the sulfuric acid catalyst.3 Once the proton is removed the substitution product, methyl nitrobenzoate remains. The nitroacetanilide product was formed by a para-substitution. This can be determined by examining the melting point and comparing it to the literature values for each position.4 However, this can also be determined when examining the electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction of acetanilide on the electrophile, nitric acid. The NHCOCH3 substituent is an ortho-para-activator. Therefore, when the benzene ring of acetanilide attacks the nitronium ion, it can add ortho or para. The para substitution, if more stable than an ortho substitution, will be added because the para position is a further distance from the position of the NHCOCH3 substituent. Therefore, the benzene ring adds at the para position based on the melting point and resonance in the mechanism shown above. Conclusion The methyl m-nitrobenzoate and p-nitroacetanilide were prepared. The percentage yield is 6.75% for nitroacetanilide and 59.3% for methyl nitrobenzoate. The melting point of the products are 74ËÅ ¡C 80ËÅ ¡C and 195ËÅ ¡C 200ËÅ ¡C. From the given physical constant, the literature melting point of methyl m-nitrobenzoate is 78 80ËÅ ¡C and 214ËÅ ¡C 217ËÅ ¡C for nitroacetailide, so it can be concluded that the products were methyl m-nitrobenzoate and p-nitroacetanilide. References Wade, Jr., L.G. Organic Chemistry 2003, 722-741. Chemistry Laboratory Manual: Susquehanna University 2014, 242-244 250 ChemFinder.Com. Cambridge Soft Corporation. . Anerjee, Dhruv K. Ortho and Par % of Key Reaction. Utkarschemistry. 2013. Appendix A: Finding the Limiting Reagent Grams X 1 mol / molecular weight = moles of reactant Nitric Acid: 0.6 mL X ((1 g/1 mL) X 1 mol) / 98.08 g/mol = 0.0061 mol Nitric Acid: 0.5 mL X ((1 g/1 mL) X 1 mol) / 63.01 g/mol = 0.0079 mol Methyl Benzoate: (0.55 g X 1 mol) / 181.14 g/mol = 0.030 mol Appendix B: Calculating Theoretical Yield of Methyl Nitrobenzoate Moles of limiting reagent X molar ratio X molecular weight of product) / 1 mol = theoretical yield (0.030 X 181.13) / 1 mol = 0.54 g Appendix C: Calculating Percent Yield (Actual / theoretical) X 100% = percent yield (0.32 g/ 0.54 g) X 100% = 59.3%

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Leader of my life: my mother Essay

An influential leader in my life is my mother because she exemplifies a godly woman in many ways. She is a whole person. She is a cooperative leader in the home. She also understands and accepts her role, despite cultural trends and pressure. She models authentic spirituality. She is the keeper of intimate feelings. She demonstrates and teaches compassion. She desires to complete duties with her heart. Her strong faith in God is contagious in my life. As a whole person, my mother is beautiful, healthy, and wealthy in God. Her beauty radiates from her modest and humble personality and her tastefully modest clothing style. Her desire for nutrition and personal hygiene is key to her amazing health. She knows her wealth comes from God because he blessed her with a strong Christian husband and three daughters. She gives me a beautiful reminder to remember who I am and whose I am. My mother is also a cooperative leader at home. She understands God’s design for marriage. The love and respect she gives to my father is an example of that leadership. She demonstrates cooperation through building a healthy marriage in partnership with my father. Despite trends and pressure from culture, my mother understands and accepts her role as a godly woman. Growing up, my mother taught me the dominant values of Christianity so I can carry those values into my adult life and be a Christian witness to others. She holds to her values at work as an anatomy professor, and sometimes she gets ridiculed for her faith, but she stands strong. My mother models authentic spirituality daily. She understands what is at stake, and I am willing to do anything to stand up for my faith. She invests time to strengthen her walk with Christ, and has instilled that in me as well. Another leadership quality my mother holds is her ability to never share the feelings, fears, and dreams I express to her. She is an excellent listener and provides me with spiritual advice. I like to think that I am a confidant and can be trusted by those who need a listening ear. Throughout my life, my mother has demonstrated and taught compassion. She is the source of my care, protection, nourishment, and sacrifice. Adopted at birth, my mother has sufficiently provided for me out of love. She guards  me with her life to keep me on the right path. She taught me to love healthy and nutritious food so I can do the same for my children. My mother has also made an abundance of sacrifices to make sure I live by God’s design. Finally, my mother desires lasting results with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. She utilizes her wisdom by teaching me the ways of life. She rejoices as I apply her teachings in my life and she understands me. The abundance of knowledge my mother has supplied me with continuously fills my life with rare and beautiful treasures. My mother continually molds me into the person God intends. She shares a special partnership with God that nobody can take away from her. My mother is an influential leader in my life as an example of a godly woman. She is pure and whole in the eyes of God. She demonstrates cooperation by understanding and accepting her roles against cultural trends and pressure. She is a model of authentic spirituality, and provides a listening ear. The compassion she beholds is contagious, and she desires to complete duties with her heart. This is how my mother models leadership.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Father-Daughter Conflicts in Shakespeare’s Plays Essay

William Shakespeare is a playwright and poet with no need of introduction. He has written several of the most distinguished and well-received plays in the history of literary writing. With so much reflection focused on his works and writings, little is said about Shakespeare’s personal life. It has been generally accepted however that Shakespeare himself had two daughters and one son. Shakespeare placed great value in the ability of his offspring to immortalize his own name and to uphold the dignity of his family (Bevington 193). However, his hopes were not to be carried out through Hamnet, his only son. With Hamnet’s early death, Shakespeare was left to look to his daughters for the propagation of the respect due his family name (Bevington 193). This close relationship with his daughters may have played a part in the establishment of many father-daughter conflicts in his plays. This paper will further inspect several plays written by Shakespeare with particular focus on the father-daughter relationships displayed in the texts to be studied. Five plays have been chosen for this study: The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and Othello. The elements of the father-daughter relationship in each play will be discussed individually. By the end of this paper, it will have been shown that Shakespeare uses father-daughter conflict both as a plot device and as a means of reflecting views regarding father-daughter relationships. Where there is a conflict between father and daughter, the theme invariably revolves around the daughter’s pulling away from her father. Thus, it can be seen that through the daughter’s falling in love and the father’s choice of an ideal mate, there is a strain between father and daughter. The struggle to maintain authority over daughters causes fathers to hold indomitably to their decisions, leading daughters to resort to other means to accomplish their own desires. A Midsummer Night’s Dream In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Egeus demands that his daughter Hermia wed Demetrius when in truth it is Lysander whom she loves (Shakespeare 6). This causes the rift between the father and the daughter. A dominant theme in the play is thus the father’s stubborn belief that his word is law over his daughter’s affairs. Because of Egeus’ mislead belief; Hermia is forced to resort to her won measures in attaining the love she professes. Smith discusses that the conflict between the father and the daughter in this play serves to highlight the need for Hermia to establish her own character in order to free herself of the dictates of the authorities in her life. It should also be noted that the play reflects the empowerment of women. Egeus gives no reason why Hermia should follow his wishes apart from the fact that he is her father and he is the primary male authority in her life. Hermia gets her way and her own will is upheld against that of her father’s. However, this does not clearly show the power of the woman to decide for herself. If nothing else, the play only serves to put the point across that the woman’s opinion is of import as well as the man’s. It is the duke, Theseus, who overrides the will of Egeus and validates Hermia’s love for Lysander (Shakespeare 152). Thus, it is the will of a man of greater authority from which Hermia derives her freedom to act as she would. In this particular play it can be seen that the conflict between father and daughter serves more to move the plot forward than to speak of the actual interaction between the two. Egeus’ stubbornness gives insight into the latter but serves more as a blocking mechanism for Hermia’s story to develop (Bevington 193). The refusal of Egeus to have Hermia wed Lysander served to birth the entire story. This shows how Shakespeare used the relationship between the father and daughter as a plot device. It is true that Shakespeare expressed through the scenes how Hermia needed to break free from her father’s authority in order to accomplish her own ambitions. However, Hermia inevitably found such freedom only through another man clothed with a greater power than her father but to whom they both were subject. Thus, the intricacies of the father-daughter relationship though touched on, were not fleshed out. It served a greater purpose as a literary device. Romeo and Juliet Another clear illustration of the utility of the father-daughter relationship as a plot device is the relationship of Juliet with her father. The feud between the Capulets and Montagues was an inherited rivalry strongly advocated by Juliet’s father. Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father, serves as a literary plot device designed to give an obstacle to the blossoming love of Romeo and Juliet (Bevington 193). In this regard, Romeo and Juliet is much like A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Lord Capulet also serves as the authority figure over Juliet’s life and her decisions. Thus, Juliet and Romeo have to overcome the restrictions set by Lord Capulet Upon finding her own voice, Juliet is able to overcome the prohibitions of her father against her desiring a Montague. Juliet thus matures and finds that there is no sin in a name and Romeo’s name does not make him her enemy. This reflects how Juliet is pulling away not only from her father’s rules but even from her family’s tradition in order to blaze a path for herself and her love. Unlike in Hermia and Lysander’s story, the greater authority figure does not arrive to bring a peaceful reconciliation of the conflicts; rather the arrival of the Prince and his judgment of exile for Romeo starts the unstoppable turn of events leading to the demise of the two lovers. It is only upon seeing his daughter dead and hearing of the monument that the Montagues have decided to erect for Juliet that Lord Capulet decides to accept this love that his daughter has found by erecting a monument for Romeo as well (Shakespeare 239). Given however that even this last act of acceptance is fueled by rivalry, it can be shown that there was no real reconciliation between father and daughter and the strain between them a mere tool for the evolution of the plot. The Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, Bevington insists that the father-daughter conflict is yet another simple plot device (Bevington 193). However, in this play there are more distinct reflections of the daughter’s pulling away from her father. The character in focus herein is Jessica, the daughter of Shylock the merchant. It should be noted that one of the strongest themes in this text is the religious battle between Jews and Christians. Shylock himself is a strong advocate for Judaism, as is shown in a number of his lines as he mocks and argues with Christian philosophy. It is therefore a devastating blow when Jessica falls in love with a Christian. She professes, although not to her father’s face, that she is willing to become a Christian in order to become Lorenzo’s wife: â€Å"Alack, what heinous sin is it in me To be ashamed to be my father’s child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners. O Lorenzo, If thou keep promise I shall end this strife, Become a Christian and thy loving wife. (Shakespeare 61). † This shows how willing Jessica is to sever her ties with her father and pursue her own heart’s will. Considering the importance that Shylock places on his religion, Jessica’s defiance of her inherited religion is much the same as Juliet’s repulsion of her family’s rivalry. When Jessica finally succeeds in running away with Lorenzo, the importance that Shylock places in her worth as a daughter is revealed. Shakespeare reflects the basis of the strong paternal possessiveness: â€Å"My daughter! O, my ducats! O, my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O, my Christian ducats! Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter! A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats (p. 81)† Smith interprets these lines in the context of Jewish tradition regarding the role of daughters in the continuation of family lineage. It is explained that in Jewish tradition families are matriarchal by nature thus the family line is passed down through the female line (Smith). Jessica being an only daughter, Shylock’s security in his lineage depended on her acquiring a suitable husband. The cries of Shylock connecting his money with Jessica reflect how he viewed her as another instrument for the attainment of his success. This theme hits quite close to the personal views and state of family affairs that Shakespeare himself was subject to at the time. Othello Othello on the other hand presents a more distinct portrait of the tension between father and daughter. Even Bevington (pp. 193-194) admits to the different quality of father-daughter relationship that is made manifest in this text. Here the conflict is more than a simple plot device utilized to move the story forward. Much like in The Merchant of Venice, the theme of the story touches on the role of marriage in the life of a family. In the former play, marriage was a means of joining together people while those who were not married became isolated and desolate. In Othello, marriage again serves as a divider between father and daughter as Desdemona elopes with the protagonist, Othello. Their elopement causes much hurt to her father, Barbantio who feels that he has been deceived by his daughter (Bevington 194). In an attempt to maintain his authority over his daughter he asks of her to whom she owes her allegiance but is devastated by her answer: â€Å"I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband, And so much duty as my mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord (Shakespeare 41). † This shows how upon marrying, the daughter ceases to hold primary loyalty towards her father and his house and moves toward the household of her groom. The pain that Barbantio manifests is thus not only a result of the elopement of Desdemona but more so of his feelings of loss of his progeny. This play therefore serves to show more vividly the change in relationship that occurs between a father and his daughter as the daughter marries. Even though reason is planted in the wisdom of Desdemona, the possessiveness of fathers as a result of the many years of watching over and protecting their daughters is a force to be reckoned. The desire to bind unto themselves their daughters is so strong that fathers brashly discount the bind of the matrimonial tie between their daughter and another man. King Lear The sense of entitlement to the loyalty and love of a daughter are best demonstrated in Shakespeare’s King Lear. In this play King Lear tests his three daughters in order to assess whether or not they deserve to get their share of the inheritance of his kingdom. Because of their desire to gain, Goneril and Regan outbid each other in professing their love for the King. However, the third daughter, Cordelia, professes that she loves the King as she is under obligation to do so but will reserve some of her love for her future husband (Shakespeare 36). This outrages the King and he refuses her the portion of the inheritance allotted to her, believing her to be an ungrateful daughter. It is revealed however that Goneril and Regan are the ungrateful ones as they soon plot to overthrow their father and appropriate for themselves his rule. King Lear’s desire to possess the entirety of his daughters’ hearts and their dedication is not without reason. His use of the word â€Å"ungrateful† reflects how he sees his relationship with his daughters. He has invested much into their relationship – both in terms of material and emotional store. He therefore expects to reap what he has sown into all three daughters. The King has reached old age, an age wherein it is only fitting that he be cared for by others. As most parents who reach this age feel, the King imagined that the years he had spent taking care of his daughters should be repaid through service to him at his infirm age. However, Cordelia spoke wisely when she pointed out that her heart should be allowed the freedom to serve other men aside from her father. The words of Desdemona ring true herein as well. A wife should first be loyal to her husband before serving her father. Although a daughter is obligated to show respect and gratitude to her parents through her service to them, she is also allowed to experience the freedom of a life apart from her parents. Should a parent disallow a child such liberalities, then the entire essence of watching such a child grow and mature should have been for naught. Conclusion The five plays reviewed herein serve to show the importance that the father-daughter relationship held for Shakespeare. The relationship was one so strong that instabilities in the same justified the evolution of complete stories based on singular notions. There is no doubt that the conflict between a father and daughter is a strong plot device which was utilized by Shakespeare in a number of his plays. The result gave rise to some of the best works written by Shakespeare, including the popular Romeo and Juliet. The conflict may take the form of a daughter’s moving away from the den of a father or from a father’s overzealous attempts to keep a daughter’s love. The former has been shown in Shakespeare’s plays through several acts. It may be a simple disobedience to a father’s will. Sometimes it may take the form of invariance to the beliefs and traditions held by the father. However, it is seen that Shakespeare repeatedly uses the escape of marriage and love to dishonor the father. It has also been shown though that father’s themselves may desire unreasonably the regard of their daughter. In King Lear most especially has this desire been shown to be impractical as the daughter who was punished had committed no act of disobedience to her father. In the various plays it can thus be seen that the underlying theme in father-daughter conflicts is the daughter’s desire to break free from the authority of her father. This act of separation allows for the daughter’s ability to decide for herself what is best and what is desirable. Along with the freedom that the separation gives the daughter however is the anxiety that it visits upon the father. The daughter to some is the only means of ensuring family lineage and to most the daughter is the gem that has been protected for so long and should be given away only to the most worthy. The breaking away of the daughter from the father’s authority therefore leads to insecurity and feelings of loss from the side of the parent. It is this sense of loss which causes the strife between father and daughter, particularly so as the father continues to cling to the power he holds over his daughter. It is this pattern of removal from the father’s fold that is repeatedly shown in Shakespeare’s themes. Works Cited Bevington, David. Shakespeare: The Seven Ages of Human Experience (2nd ed. ). MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2005. 1. Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Edited by Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. NY: Washington Square Press, 1993. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Edited by Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. NY: Washington Square Press, 1992. Shakespeare, William. Othello. Edited by Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. NY: Washington Square Press, 1993. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. NY: Washington Square Press, 1992. Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Edited by Mowat, Barbara A. and Paul Werstine. NY: Washington Square Press, 1992. Smith, J. N.. â€Å"GradeSaver: Midsummer Night’s Dream – Study Guide. † www. gradesaver. com. 11 May 2008. GradeSaver. 11 May 2008 . Smith, J. N.. â€Å"GradeSaver: Merchant of Venice – Study Guide. † www. gradesaver. com. 11 May 2008. GradeSaver. 11 May 2008 .

Friday, November 8, 2019

Life and Work of Leonora Carrington, Activist and Artist

Life and Work of Leonora Carrington, Activist and Artist Leonora Carrington (April 6, 1917–May 25, 2011) was an English artist, novelist, and activist. She was part of the Surrealist movement of the 1930s and, after moving to Mexico City as an adult, became a founding member of Mexicos women’s liberation movement. Fast Facts: Leonora Carrington Known For: Surrealist artist and writerBorn: April 6, 1917 in Clayton Green, Clayton-le-Woods, United KingdomDied: May 25, 2011 in Mexico City, MexicoSpouse(s): Renato Leduc, Emericko WeiszChildren: Gabriel Weisz, Pablo WeiszNotable Quote: I didnt have time to be anyones muse... I was too busy rebelling against my family and learning to be an artist. Early Life Leonora Carrington was born in 1917 in Clayton Green, Chorley, Lancashire, England, to an Irish mother married to a wealthy Irish textile manufacturer. In a family of four children, she was the only daughter, alongside her three brothers. Although she was educated by excellent governesses and sent to good schools, she was expelled from two different schools for rebellious misbehavior. Eventually, Carrington was sent abroad to Florence, Italy, where she studied at Mrs. Penroses Academy of Art. When Carrington was ten, she first encountered Surrealist art in a gallery in Paris, which cemented her desire to pursue a career as an artist. Her father strongly disapproved, but her mother supported her. Although she was presented at court when she came of age, Carrington was mostly disinterested in the niceties of society. Newcomer to the Art World In 1935, Carrington attended the Chelsea School of Art in London for one year, but she then transferred to London’s Ozenfant Academy of Fine Arts (established by the French modernist Amà ©dà ©e Ozenfant), where she spent the next three years studying her craft. Her family was not openly opposed to her artistic pursuits, but by this point, they were not actively encouraging her either. Carringtons greatest champion and patron at this time was Edward James, the noted Surrealist poet and art patron. James bought many of her early paintings. Years later, he still supported her work, and he arranged a show for her work at  Pierre Matisses New York gallery in 1947. Relationship With Max Ernst At an exhibition in London in 1936, Carrington encountered the work of Max Ernst, a German-born Surrealist who was 26 years her senior. Ernst and Carrington met at a London party the following year and quickly became inseparable, both artistically and romantically. When they moved to Paris together, Ernst left his wife and moved in with Carrington, making a home in the south of France. Together, they supported each other’s art and even made works of art, such as quirky animal sculptures, to decorate their shared home. It was during this period that Carrington painted her first clearly Surrealist work, Self-portrait  (also called  The Inn of the Dawn Horse). Carrington depicted herself in dreamy white clothes and with loose hair, with a prancing hyena in front of her a rocking horse flying around behind her. She also painted a portrait of Ernst in a similar style. When World War II began, Ernst (who was German) was immediately treated with hostility in France. He was soon arrested by French authorities as a hostile foreign national and was released only because of interventions of several well-connected French and American friends. Things only got worse when the Nazis invaded France; they arrested Ernst again and accused him of creating â€Å"degenerate† art. Ernst escaped and fled to America with the help of art patron Peggy Guggenheim- but he left Carrington behind. Ernst married Peggy Guggenheim in 1941, and although their marriage soon fell apart, he and Carrington never rekindled their relationship. Institutionalization and Escape Terrified and devastated, Carrington fled Paris and headed to Spain. Her mental and emotional state deteriorated, and ultimately her parents had Carrington institutionalized. Carrington was treated with electroshock therapy and strong drugs. Carrington later wrote about her horrific experiences in the mental institution, which also reportedly included assault, abuse, and unsanitary conditions, in a novel, Down Below. Eventually, Carrington was released to the care of a nurse and moved to Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, Carrington escaped the nurse and sought sanctuary in the Mexican embassy. Renato Leduc, a Mexican ambassador and friend of Pablo Picasso, agreed to help get Carrington out of Europe. The pair entered a marriage of convenience so that her path would be smoother as a diplomat’s wife, and they were able to escape to Mexico. Aside from a few journeys north to the United States, Carrington would spend most of the rest of her life in Mexico. Art and Activism in Mexico Carrington and Leduc divorced quickly and quietly in 1943. Over the next couple of decades, Carrington spent time in New York City as well as in Mexico, interacting with the art world at large. Her work was unusual among the Surrealist community in that she did not use the works of Freud as a major influence. Instead, she utilized magical realism and the idea of alchemy, often drawing on her own life for inspiration and symbolism. Carrington also went against the grain with regards to the Surrealists’ approach to female sexuality: she painted as she experienced the world as a woman, rather than the male-gaze filtered depictions of many of her counterparts. In the 1970s, Leonora became a voice for the women’s liberation movement in Mexico City. She designed a poster, called Mujeres conciencia, for their movement. In many ways, her art tackled concepts of gender identity and feminism, making her an ideal fit to work with their cause. Her focus was psychological freedom, but her work was primarily towards political freedom for women (as a means to this ultimate goal); she also believed in creating cooperative efforts between the movements in North America and Mexico. While Carrington was living in Mexico, she met and married the Hungarian-born photographer Emerico Weisz. The couple had two sons: Gabriel and Pablo, the latter of whom followed in his mother’s footsteps as a Surrealist artist. Death and Legacy Carringtons husband Emerico Weisz died in 2007. She survived him by about four years. After a battle with pneumonia, Carrington died in Mexico City on May 25, 2011, aged 94. Her work continues to be shown at exhibitions across the world, from Mexico to New York to her native Britain. In 2013, Carringtons work had a major retrospective at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, and in 2015, a Google Doodle commemorated what would have been her 98th birthday. By the time of her death, Leonora Carrington was one of the last-surviving Surrealist artists, and undoubtedly one of the most unique. Sources Aberth, Susan. Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art. Lund Humphries, 2010.Blumberg, Naomi. â€Å"Leonora Carrington: English-Born Mexican Painter and Sculptor.† Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonora-Carrington.â€Å"Leonora Carrington.† National Museum of Women in the Arts, https://nmwa.org/explore/artist-profiles/leonora-carrington.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician

Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician Al-Khwarizmi​ was also known as Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. He was known for writing major works on astronomy and mathematics that introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the idea of algebra to European scholars. The Latinized version of his name gave us the term algorithm, and the title of his most famous and important work gave us the word algebra. What Professions Did Al-Khwarizami Have? Writer, scientist, astronomer, geographer,  and mathematician. Places of Residence Asia, Arabia Important Dates Born:  c. 786Died:  c. 850 About Al-Khwarizmi Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was born in Baghdad in the 780s, around the time Harun al-Rashid became the fifth Abbasid caliph. Haruns son and successor, al-Mamun, founded an academy of science known as the House of Wisdom (Dar al-Hikma). Here, research was conducted and scientific and philosophic treatises were translated, particularly Greek works from the Eastern Roman Empire. Al-Khwarizmi became a scholar at the House of Wisdom. At this important center of learning, al-Khwarizmi studied algebra, geometry, and astronomy. He wrote influential texts on the subjects. He appears to have received the specific patronage of al-Mamun, to whom he dedicated two of his books: his treatise on algebra and his treatise on astronomy. Al-Khwarizmis treatise on algebra, al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr waÊ ¾l-muqabala (â€Å"The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing†), was his most important and well-known work. Elements of Greek, Hebrew, and Hindu works that were derived from Babylonian mathematics of more than 2,000 years earlier were incorporated into al-Khwarizmis treatise. The term al-jabr in its title brought the word algebra into western use when it was translated into Latin several centuries later.   Although it sets forth the basic rules of algebra, Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala had a practical objective: to teach. As al-Khwarizmi put it: ...what is easiest and most useful in arithmetic, such as men constantly require in cases of inheritance, legacies, partition, lawsuits, and trade, and in all their dealings with one another, or where the measuring of lands, the digging of canals, geometrical computations, and other objects of various sorts and kinds are concerned. Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala included examples as well as algebraic rules in order to help the reader with these practical applications. Al-Khwarizmi also produced a work on Hindu numerals. These symbols, which we recognize as the Arabic numerals used in the west today, originated in India and had only recently been introduced into Arabic mathematics. Al-Khwarizmis treatise describes the place-value system of numerals from 0 to 9 and may be the first known use of a symbol for zero as a place-holder (a blank space had been used in some methods of calculation). The treatise provides methods for arithmetical calculation, and it is believed that a procedure for finding square roots was included. Unfortunately, the original Arabic text is lost. A Latin translation exists, and though it is thought to be considerably changed from the original, it did make an important addition to western mathematical knowledge. From the word Algoritmi in its title, Algoritmi de numero Indorum (in English, Al-Khwarizmi on the Hindu Art of Reckoning), the term algorithm came into western usage. In addition to his works in mathematics, al-Khwarizmi made important strides in geography. He helped create a world map for al-Mamun and took part in a project to find the Earths circumference, in which he measured the length of a degree of a meridian in the plain of Sinjar. His book Kitab surat al-ará ¸  (literally The Image of the Earth, translated as Geography), was based on the geography of Ptolemy and provided the coordinates of approximately 2,400 sites in the known world, including cities, islands, rivers, seas, mountains, and general geographical regions. Al-Khwarizmi improved on Ptolemy with more accurate values for sites in Africa and Asia, and for the length of the Mediterranean Sea.   Al-Khwarizmi wrote yet another work that made it into the western canon of mathematical studies: a compilation of astronomical tables. This included a table of sines, and either its original or an Andalusian revision was translated into Latin. He also produced two treatises on the astrolabe, one on the sundial and one on the Jewish calendar, and wrote a political history that included the horoscopes of prominent people. The precise date of al-Khwarizmis death is unknown. Sources Agarwal, Ravi P. Creators of Mathematical and Computational Sciences. Syamal K. Sen, 2014th Edition, Springer, November 13, 2014. OConnor, J. J. Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. E. F. Robertson, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland, July 1999. Surhone, Lambert M. (Editor). The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing. Miriam T. Timpledon, Susan F. Marseken, VDM Publishing, August 10, 2010. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Al-Khwarizmi. Encyclopaedia Britannica, July 20, 1998.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Minimalism nature and environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Minimalism nature and environment - Essay Example The focal point of light is strategically place to allow entry that gives the intended pattern of shadows. It adds serenity to the design by giving light the intended mood such as falling, misty, bare, living, falling, limited, soft, and calm. This depends on the intended use for the space and the lighting needs of the users. One of the famous minimalist architects is Tadao Ando. He is a Japanese native who has influence the field by revolutionizing the minimalistic approach to design. Some of his famous work include Azoma house- Osaka, Inamori Auditorium-Kagoshima, Church of Light –Ibaraki among others. These architectural pieces have integrated the environmental factors of light, rain, water and shadows. The structure of the house is made up three equal rectangular blocks. One of them is the place in the middle to serve as an open courtyard for the house. It is appearance, and spatial organization, allow its user to experience and appreciate the richness of space within the geometry. The geometrical organization emphasizes on emptiness and free space to represent the beauty of simplicity. The space left flanking in the interior courtyard creates an attempt to return the 'contact with light, air, rain, and other natural elements' to the Japanese life-style. Besides providing natural lighting to the house it also serves as the focal point of family life. The open court is a spatial entity that tries to compensate for the reduced physical space by reinstating the traditional model of the family.

Friday, November 1, 2019

LDPs Long Domination in Japanese Politics Until 2009 Essay

LDPs Long Domination in Japanese Politics Until 2009 - Essay Example The Liberal Democratic Party has managed to maintain power in Japan for a very long period due to certain attributes that facilitated the bringing out of its strengthsÃ'Ž. Despite the successful run is not a product of a few approaches or interventions, certain concepts of success stand out than the rest.The commonly held opinion on the success of the party revolves around three main factors variously referred to as the Iron Triangle. LDP success as a political powerhouse in Japan depended on a number of factors creating a network of interaction between bureaucracy, politics and private sector contribution in policy formulation and implementation. Reliance on the traditional vote rich regions to instigate domineering politics ensured that the party had tight grip of political following across the country. In order for the party to facilitate a lengthy political presence in national governance, elimination of completion from opposition meant introduction of unfair practices against t he weaker players. Such a structure had to come to an end with due course and LDP was ousted by the DPJ in 2006, making its recovery a complicated affair to handle. In view of the political environment in Japan under the governance of the DPJ, it is doubtful that the LDP will return to its former glory of domination and unmatched power.