The Role of Fathers in 20th Century Literature Essay Example for Free

The Role of Fathers in 20th Century Literature Essay There is a very common trend in 20th century literature, and it is the lack of fathers and/or father figures in the literature. Throughout the course of this class, the readings featured often followed this trend and over half of the stories did not include a father or father figure. In the story Recitatif by Toni Morrison, there are two young girls who are living in a boarding home because their mothers cannot take care of them. In this story, like many others of 20th century literature, there is an obvious absence of fathers and there is not even a single mention of either of the girls’ fathers. This trend is also found in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use and in Conversion of the Jews by Phillip Roth. In a stark contrast to the common trend of lack of fathers in 20th century literature, much of the literature we read was from the perspective of the father or focusing on the father. This paper will explore the differences between the stories that featured an absence of fathers/father figures and the stories that were told from the perspective of the father or focused on the father. In Phillip Roth’s Conversion of the Jews, there is only one passage, a very small mention, of Ozzie’s father; â€Å"†¦ and when Mrs. Freedman came through the door she tossed off her coat, kissed Ozzie quickly on the face, and went to the kitchen table to light the three yellow candles, two for the Sabbath and one for Ozzie’s father†¦ Even when his father was alive Ozzie remembered that her eyes had gotten glassy, so it didn’t have anything to do with his dying. It had something to do with lighting the candles. † This small passage acts as a great exception to the all-too-common trend in 20th century literature where there is a lack of fathers/father figures. In Conversion of the Jews, this explanation of the absence of Ozzie’s father adds a lot to the story. Oftentimes, the lack of a father/father figure added a lot to the story even if the reader did not explicitly notice. The absence of fathers is often a very good discussion topic, because it is easy to imagine how much differently the story would be if the father had been in the family’s lives. In another reading where the father has died, Grief Calls Us to the Things of This World by Sherman Alexie, the story is told from the perspective of the son, who is a grown man that simply forgot that his father has passed nearly a year before this poem takes place. The death of his father in this poem, and the fact that he still thought of his father every day, shows that they had a good relationship before his passing and that the now-absence of his father is nothing that he is resentful about, but that the son is simply sad and misses his father. This poem highlights the good relationship that a father can have with his son, because even after his father’s death, the son still thought of his father when he needed something or had a problem and wished that he was still around. This poem is a refreshing contrast to the other stories that had an absent father. In a story relatively different from the above two, Love Dad by Joseph Heller, is a short-story written from the perspective of Nately, a young man who is away at war in the Air Corps (now known as the Air Force) during World War II. He writes about his experiences growing up and going to Harvard before joining the Air Corps to avoid being drafted into the Infantry during World War II. Throughout the story you can see how naive Nately’s parents are about life during war through the letters written to Nately by his father. His father obviously does not understand the seriousness of war and this makes the end of the story even more shocking than I believe it would have been had Nately’s father actually understood that there was a very real chance of losing Nately to the war. The last line of the story reads â€Å"The letter was returned to [Nately’s father] stamped killed in action. † This comes after Nately’s father writes a remotely frivolous letter where he concludes the letter by joking that he wishes he were in Nately’s shoes and Italy, enjoying the Italian â€Å"oregano† (code word for sex). This story was much different from the rest of the stories we read because the father was, in my opinion, the main character because he was the one that Nately was focusing on throughout the whole story. Another story that does not follow the common trend of 20th century literature that the majority of the other ones follow, where there is an absence of a father or father figure, is Fathers and Sons by Ernest Hemingway. This story focuses on three generations of men within a family and the relationships between Nick, Nick’s father, and Nick’s son. The story eflects on the poor relationship that the Nick and his father had, but also on how Nick want his son to remember his father. I feel like this is a normal thing that happens in real life, that parents do not want their children to remember their parents in a negative way even if they had a bad relationship with their parents. This story breaks the trend of the other stories that were featured because there were two generations of present fathers, even if Nick and his father did not have the best relationship. Although Nick did not appear to have the best relationship with his father, he does reflect on him fondly to his own son. This is a trait that I think is common in America today-making your parents look better to your own children than they do to you. Toni Morrison’s Recitatif features two main characters, Twyla and Roberta, who live in a boarding home for mostly orphaned children. However, these two girls have living mothers who are unable to take care of them, thus the reason they are living in the boarding home. The fact that neither of their fathers are ever mentioned makes the reader wonder where the fathers are and why they are not able to take care of their daughters. It is even stated in the story that Twyla wishes that she was an orphan. She states that â€Å"[Roberta and I] didn’t like each other all that much at first, but nobody else wanted to play with us because we weren’t real orphans with beautiful dead parents in the sky. We were dumped. † (Walker, 2) This statement alone makes you believe that Twyla’s father is not dead, but this is once again left up to the imagination of the reader because it is never revealed whether or not her father is alive or dead. The absence of Roberta and Twyla’s fathers obviously weighs heavily on the girls throughout the story. An optimistic reader would think that if their fathers had been in their lives then maybe the girls would not have ended up in the group home and that their lives have been different. Throughout the story, the girls turn into two very different people and even become parents themselves. I believe that the girls, and the story, would have been very different if they had their fathers in their lives, and not have ended up in the group home. The story Everyday Use by Alice Walker features a family consisting of one mother and two daughters. The story focuses on the relationship between the wo sisters and the argument between the two of them over a set of quilts that the girls’ grandmother had made by hand. However, throughout the story, there is never even so much as a mention of Dee or Maggie’s father. The absence of the girls’ father has had an obviously strong effect on the women that the girls had become. In my opinion, the absence of their father had turned Maggie into a very shy woman who practically lets her sister, Dee, walk all over her. Dee has turned into an outspoken and overbearing woman who treats her sister more like a servant than a friend. The lack of the girls’ father has also had an obvious effect on their mother, who is never named in the story because the story is told from the mother’s perspective. The fact that Dee and Maggie’s mother does not have a husband around the house has turned her into not only a mother, but a father as well. It is Dee and Maggie’s mother’s responsibility to keep up on the farm and provide for the family-traditionally a role reserved for the father. Dee and Maggie’s mother even admits that she â€Å"can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man. If Dee and Maggie’s father was in their lives then their mother would not have these responsibilities. The typical role of the father is not present in virtually any of the readings featured throughout this course. The traditional role of the father, according to http://www. pioneerthinking. com/fathercare. html, are â€Å"the Wallet,† â€Å"the Rock,† and â€Å"the Friend. † This means that it is traditionally the father’s job to provide the financial and emotional support to his family while acting as a friend to his wife/girlfriend and children. These roles are obviously different than the roles provided by the fathers in the readings we read in class. In Love, Dad by Joseph Heller, Nately’s father does not completely conform to these traditional fatherly roles. During the course of the story, the only traditional role that Nately’s father seems to fit into is the role of the friend, and he does not even do that all too well. I feel that, throughout the story, Nately’s father was trying to be more of a friend to Nately than a father. I cannot imagine that Nately’s father was ever a good â€Å"Rock† because he seems to be too focused on the unimportant things, and he is obviously too naive for his own good. The fact that he does not comprehend that he very well may lose his son during the war practically voids out any attempts he may have made to be Nately’s â€Å"Rock. † One story that gave me the impression that the father did actually fill the three traditional roles of a father is Grief Calls Us to the Things of This World by Sherman Alexie. I feel like the fact that his son was able to look back on his father with such admiration, even saying â€Å"Who is most among us and most deserves The first call? I choose my father. † I feel like this sentence itself shows how much admiration the son has for his father, seeing him as the first person to call simply because he is astounded by bathroom phones. I think that the simple things in life are what makes a man or woman a good mother or father, and this sentence highlights this simplicity. I also think that the fact he forgot that his father had passed away shows how much love and admiration he has for his father, although it is in an unusual way. However, in contrast to the traditional role of the father that is shown in some of the 20th century literature we read, there is also the absence of fathers and/or father-figures. This absence that was also prevalent in our readings of 20th century literature has captured, and possibly reflected, current day demographics. Unfortunately today, it is almost common and even acceptable to see a family with only one parent, and oftentimes this parent is the mother. The fact that it has become acceptable for a child to be raised without his or her father in a one person home is absolutely depressing. Throughout the course of our semester, approximately half of the stories we read did not have a father present and the fact that this has become a sort of reflection on current day demographics is quite disheartening. According to fatherhood. org, in current day demographics, approximately 24 million children (or one out of three children) live in a home where there is no father or father-figure. When looking at current day demographics and then at 20th century literature, the commonalities and reflections between the two is remarkable. I believe that the role of the father in 20th century literature ranges from being overly present (like in Love, Dad by Joseph Heller) to being completely absent to the point where a father is not even mentioned (such as that in Everyday Use by Alice Walker or Recitatif by Toni Morrison). This wide variations in the role of the fathers and the presence of the fathers makes the reading each unique in their own way because the fathers (or lack thereof) add their own influences nto the story. I believe that if there had been any fathers in Everyday Use by Alice Walker or Recitatif by Toni Morrison, the stories would not have been as interesting and as well liked as they are. I believe that the absence of fathers shows realism in these two stories because they are both situations that would be easily found in current day demographics. I also believe that the overly present father in Love, Dad by Joseph Heller helped make the story what it was. If the father had not been portrayed in the way that he was in the story, I do not believe that the story would have had much else for readers to relate to. In conclusion, I believe that the role of fathers in 20th century literature is very important and oftentimes made the story into what it was. Without this strong feature in 20th century literature, I do not believe that stories would not have been as well-liked nor would readers have been as easily able to adapt as they were. The stark contrast in the role of the father in 20th century literature kept the readings interesting and kept them easy throughout the course of the semester.

Crane migrations Essay Example for Free

Crane migrations Essay As mentioned, the theme of both texts is crane migrations. However, the content of the works greatly differs. The article talks about a new crane reserve, where cranes, which are an endangered species, are grown in what looks them like a completely natural environment, but actually, they are still protected by humans, according to the article, in crane costumes. The article says that â€Å"these cranes have been raised in captivity, but never heard a human voice nor seen a human form, except in crane costume† (Lines 9,10). The poem is much more personal and talks about a particular crane’s flight, struggle to escape the hunter and its demise. As we see, both texts are about cranes, but their audience and purpose is different. To a Waterfowl is a poem and it is meant to express the author’s feelings to the reader through the flight of a crane. The poem is meant for a more mature audience, because it is complex, written in old English, which children can’t easily understand, and has a serious theme. On the other hand, the article doesn’t choose its audience judging by their name and age, it is simply people who are interested in crane migrations, especially in the USA. Its purpose is to inform the reader about the new crane migration project in central Wisconsin. Wisconsin is known to be a calm region, and so is the tone of this article. The narration and description are similar to a nature documentary film, we see that in line 7, where the author says â€Å" big sky, undulations of tall marsh grasses, wild whopping cranes†. After the higly descriptive introduction, the narrator goes on to talk about their project. From that point, the article’s scientific mood comes into play. The poem starts off with an easy-going flow, which dramatizes as the hunter appears and gets more and more dramatic until the crane’s death, ultimately leading to a fade-out effect in the outro. The stylistic devices in both texts rely heavily on description, especially in the poem, where we see a lot of sensory details, such as weedy lake, rocking billows, crimson sky†¦ This lets us completely imagine the landscape the flight is taking place in. To get the reader more into the poem, the author adreses the reader as he is the crane, like in line 2, where he says â€Å"Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue thy solitary way?†. This type of narration gives us the crane’s point of view, but much more importantly, a personal emotional connection with the crane. The stylistic devices in the article are not that broadly used, except for the beginning. This is quite common in scientific articles. In conclusion, we see how two completely different texts by structure use completely different methods of narration, description, but share a common goal to portray their common theme of crane migrations, be it in a scientific way or an emotional descriptive poem. Paper 1 HL Sample 1.2 (birds) People have always been fascinated by birds. Text 1, an article from National Geographic from 2004, and Text 2, a poem by William Cullen Bryant from 1815, show how people and birds learn from each other. While these texts explore experiences that people have with birds, they target different audiences and use different techniques. These differences are largely accounted for by the different contexts in which they were written.Text 1 is very characteristic of a journalistic article for National Geographic, which targets nature-minded readers. Text 2, on the other hand is characteristic of Romantic poetry from the 19th century, read by literary enthusiasts. We see the journalistic nature of the National Geographic article in its reporting of newsworthy content. There is something extraordinary about people wearing ‘crane costumes’ (line 11) who teach young cranes how to fly and migrate from an ‘ultralight plane’ (line 16). What’s more, the journalist explains that this practice is happening in Siberia as well. Whereas birds learn from people in remarkable ways in Text 1, the poet, William Cullen Bryant learns a life ‘lesson’ (line 26) from one bird in Text 2. The po et has written an ode to this waterfowl, who has taught him about the importance of solitude and steadfastness. We know that it is an ode through the use of poetic language, the title ‘To a Waterfowl’, the use of rhyming quatrains and apostrophe, (when a poet asks an object a question). These qualities require readers to hear the spoken word, and therefore the audience is most likely interested in its literary qualities. Both texts are very different in their purpose, as they come from different centuries and target different audiences.Although the purposes and contexts of these texts are different, they comment on a similar theme: the importance of nature. Text 1 is built on the assumption that nature and the whooping crane must be preserved. Lines 24-27 describe a plan to â€Å"restore the birds’ knowledge of the ancient flyway.† The extreme measures that are taken to help these birds migrate, including the costumes, the reserves and the gliders, are nev er questioned in this article. The message of Text 2 is also built on the premise that nature is important. The poet asks the crane why it pursues its solitary ways (line 4). Eventually he claims that the bird’s purpose is to guide him on his lonely path in life, as stated in the final stanza: â€Å"He who, from zone to zone, / Guides through the boundless sky they certain flight, / In the long way that I must tread alone, / Will lead my steps aright.† Its message is very characteristic of Romantic poetry: We can learn how to live through observing nature. As in Text 1, the premise that we must preserve nature and look to it for inspiration is never questioned but affirmed. As the texts have a common theme, there are also similarities in their use of tone and mood. As Text 1 aims to engage readers with the fate of the whooping cranes in North America, it uses diction that is descriptive. The narrator seems to be hiding in the reeds or ‘emerald green grasses’ (line 3). This colorful choice of words indicates that she is enthralled by the natural elements around her. Words like ‘snow-white plumage’ and ‘elegant black wingtips that spread like fingertips’ are rather poetic and sketch an image in the reader’s mind that is quite romantic, rural and rustic. The effect of this descriptive language on the reader is both intriguing and sympathetic. As the interviewee whispers to the reporter, the reader becomes drawn in and concerned about the fate of the whooping crane. Similarly, Bryant makes use of descriptive language that engages the reader. Phrases like the ‘crimson sky’, the ‘abyss of heavenâ⠂¬â„¢ and the ‘chafed ocean side’ all paint an image in the reader’s mind and make the text come to life. Besides the choice of words and the use of imagery, both authors use structural devices to convince the reader of their cause. For example, Text 1 plays a clever trick on the reader. After a colorful attention grabber, in which the journalist describes the whooping crane in its habitat, the second paragraph explains that this ‘would be’ a primordial scene. She explains that the cranes are in fact in pens, which surprises the reader. Like the use of imagery, this structural device also has the effect of intriguing the reader. The reader wants to learn more about why the chicks have never heard a human voice (line10), why the humans wear crane costumes (line 11) and there is a runway for an ultralight plane (line 17). The facts follow, including the number of miles they fly, the number of birds that participate and the similar project in Siberia. This kind of structure is characteristic of a feature article. The structure of the poem is very different, but equally effective in its aim of creating sympathy for nature and birds. As mentioned the poem is an ode, where the poet praises the qualities of an object and finds inspiration in it. Furthermore there is a rhyming scheme and rhythm that are aesthetically appealing to the reader. The rhyming scheme in each quatrain is ABAB. For example the final word of line 1, ‘dew’, rhymes with the final word of line 3, ‘pursue’. Line 2, ‘day’, rhymes with line 4 ‘way’. This creates a sense of harmony and perfection that relates to the poet’s understanding of the waterfowl. Each line contains loose iambic feet, meaning there are unstressed syllables followed by stressed syllables. There are three iambic feet in the first and last lines of each quatrain and five feet in the second and third lines of each quatrain, creating short-long-long-short pattern to each stanza. The effect of this pattern is that the reader feels a rocking sensation, which may relate to the steady flap of the bird’s wings or the poet’s pondering mood. This too ads to the aesthetic harmony and sense of perfection that the poet wants us to associate with nature. To conclude, both Text 1 and Text 2 enlighten their readers on the behavior and beauty of waterfowl. While Text 1 shows us how people can help birds find their migration patterns, Text 2 shows us how birds can help people find inspiration. Their focus on these birds helps the reader understand and appreciate the importance of nature. About these ads Share this: Twitter Facebook Like this: About tonyapaul ESW and IB Lang and Lit teacher View all posts by tonyapaul → This entry was posted in IB Lang and Lit, Lang and Lit Articles, Lang and Lit Assignments, Lang and Lit Notes. Bookmark the permalink. ↠ Paper 1 Sample TextsExaminers comments for Sample Paper 1 Essays → Leave a reply and please make sure you proofread your work. Recent Posts Summer Assignment Lang/Lit Final speech! 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Animals Idioms in Chinese and English Cultures

Animals Idioms in Chinese and English Cultures Idioms are by all means the crystallization of a language due to its long history and also, they telling demonstration of wisdom of a nation. Chinese and English idioms have their different cultural traits. This paper compares Chinese and English idioms of animals, discusses the influence of cultural differences on Chinese and English idioms and gives some specific approaches to the understanding of Chinese and English idioms of animals. Keywords: cultural differences; similarities and differences; English contrast; idioms of Animals; 1. The concept of idioms of Animals and the reasons for studying the idioms of Animal The English world is just like a Kaleidoscope, also we can treat it as a Labyrinth.Animals and human beingshave been friends since old times. Languages of all kinds of nations own lots of words related to animals and so do Chinese and English. In the development of our society, animal words gradually get their stable meanings in all kinds of languages, namely, people associate their feelings and emotions, even thoughts and natural phenomena with different kinds of animals which are treated to represent different characters like people, or serve as omens. So animals gradually have become a certain kind of symbol in our thoughts, then this symbol rooted in the language at last. So in this world, there is a branch which can not be ignored-the english idiom whose function is indispensable.In this essay, it will focus on one branch of the English idiom, the idiom of animals, because when people use this kind of idiom, sometimes they will feel confused of this kind of idiom, for the reason of the different culture background and emotion towards different animals, people from west and east usually holds different view towards the same animals, but they can also reach agreement sometimes (à ©Ã†â€™Ã‚ Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¦Ã‚ Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚ 1999) .In the body part, Section 1 shows the different view towards the same animals. Section 2 talks about the same view towards the same animals. Section 3 states the  influences  of  Cultural  factor  on  idioms of animals.From the dictionary, the difinition of idiom is they are by all means the crystallization of a language due to its long history and also, they telling demonstration of wisdom of a nation. Without idioms, especially the idioms of animals.The language can became very dull and we can not express some feelings as vivid as right now. If we use a metaphor way to express, then it is just like the filtered water came from the purer water, the filtered product of a languageidioms, are of high quality. In terms of similar ity, the essay will deal with from the originating from folk life, originating from daily life and originating from custom background.The differences will be foucused on reflecting different geography, reflecting different value concepts and reflecting different religions. 2. The cultural connotation towards the animals in the English culture and Chinese culture The western history begins when the ancestors find and fight for their natural habitat by sailing in the sea, the western people have a complicated mixture of marine culture. During those tough timeof the struggle against with the sea, the western people formed a strong sense of controlness and invasion by force to enlarge their territory. Based on this thoughts, the western culture is marked by the westerners appreciation for competition and enterprise. These differences leads to so many cultural differences. For example, the geographic location, individual values, social awareness, the way of communication and expression.All these thoughts have formed the culture background which effects the idioms of animals. 2.1. An animal word has the same cultural connotation in English and Chinese In both English and Chinese, the same animal words contain the same or similar cultural connotation . All humanbeings are lives on the same planet. People have similar living atmosphere, cognitive ability and psychology;In both Chinese and English, people almost have the same information towards animals. Therefore, they have the same or similar realization and give the same cultural connotation to animal words. People sometimes also hold same views towards the same animals in both English and Chinese, Based on this emotion concept.then the influences have taken effects on the same animals.The intension of idioms of animals can connected with los of background informattion.However, the cultural reasons are difinitely ranks on the top of the list.Based on the aspect of folk life and the aspect of stereotype of thoughts., the study of the same view towards the idioms of the same animals will analyze it. 2.1.1 Discussion from the aspect of the intimacy with the human beings In this world, maybe the dog is the most loyal animal which people from both east and west would love it. But even dog is a favorite animal for most people, we still can find out that the emotion towards dog is a little different.From some popular American folk song, we can find how deep the emotion of the Americans towards the dog, people from the west often treat the dog as one of their family members. In the west, the common name of dog is Fido which extended from the latin word-fides which means faithful (Bakerà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Mona. 1992). Also lots of people of west name their dogs after their beloved family member, for instance, the ex-president of America, Bill Clinton name his dog after his uncle.So the idioms related to the dogs cames out, just as the top dog means the winner, the big dog means Mr.Big etc.But in the east, the idioms of dogs often have derogatory sense. Discussion from the aspect of religion influence People who learn English might know an idiom of elephant-the white elephant, which means an inanimate possession that is similarly unwanted and hard to get rid of, but too costly simply to throw out or abandon. Another idiom of elephant in english is as thick skinned as an elephant, which means stubborn and Obtuse. However, in the eastern country, the elephant is a symbol of strength and power, in some Buddhist countries, the elephant is also a holy symbol of their religion. 2.1.3 Discussion from the aspect of folk life Both the east and the west treat the pig as a symbol of idleness and stupid.The idioms of pig in the west and the east are all related to the bad side.For instance, Never cast ye your pearls before swine (Christine Ammer, 2005), this idiom means to waste precious words or deeds on the underserving. Another example is you cant make a silk purse from a sows ear, this means you cant turn an underserving creature or thing into one of great worth. Discussion from the aspect of stereotype of thoughts Both the Chinese and English think that the fox stands for cunning, so when English people say He is a fox, the Chinese people can easily catch the meaning of the sentence at the same atmosphere. To the English speaker and Chinese people, the first impression of pig is fat. It also represent laziness and stupidity. Thewolf is one kind of fierce wild animal in the forest. So its natural instincts are avariciousness and fierceness rooted in peoples minds. So we often hear some of the same expressions in English and in Chinese, such as a wolf in a sheeps clothing or cry wolf. In addition, when wolf is used to refer to a person, it means a man who always ready to make unsual advances to a woman. Therefore, in English, there is an idiom a wolf whistle (Christine Ammer, 2005). 2.2. An animal word has different cultural connotations in English and Chinese It can be seen that the cultural connotations of animal words in different languages in a subject to be further probe and the contrust and analysis of cultural connotations of animal words between English and Chinese. It is clear to get the conclusion that animal words is not only reflects the real animal but also get special cultural connotations of different cultures ( Bakerà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Mona. 1992) .Gnerally speaking, if people want to get a good knowledge of animal words, they must try their best to grasp the connotations of these words especially the cultural connotations, so they should have a comprehensive knowledge in order to understand the cultural differences in this task. People can be deeply acquaint with the cultural convention and living customs, then they can communicate with English speaking people naturally and easily. These idioms are given the same cultural meaning from their features, so in both English and Chinese, they can understand each other directly and easi ly no matter in cross-cultural communication or not. Meanwhile, with more and more communication, lots of new words come into both languages. We can find some idioms of animals with even the same images and the same intonations. 2.2.1 Discussion from the aspect of usage in daily life At first, doney is called ass which refer to the stupid and stubborn things and person.In the Aesops Fables, there is an ass in a lions skin, the other animals thought the lion is coming, and run away quickly.the donkey felt proud, but a fox know its not a lion, but a donkey, so the fox mocked the donkey (Nida, 1975). In English, an ass in a lions skin means to act/play the ass or to make an ass of onself. In the western culture, donkey is a symbol of foolishment, the ass wags his ears means the fool pretend smart. However, in the culture of east, people thought donkey is industrious, whats more, people dont need to look after them too much. 2.2.2 Discussion from the aspect of value concepts There is a paragraph taken from the Bible, the main ideal is when people come to this world, the God will choose the good from the bad. From this, we can get to know that the goat refers to the bad, from the time of the Bible, people realized that the value of sheep is more than the goat, so in English, the goat means the bad people or the Satyr. Let us look at the idiom of goat, for example, If beards were all, then goats would preach. This means old age does not necessarily betoken wisdom. In the east, people thought the goat is good, they take the advantages of the goats meat and skin, the goat has lots of usage (Smith, 1957). 2.2.3. Discussion from the aspect of custom background This is another good example of this essay, in the east, people think the bull is brave and industrious. Take the chinese people for instance, from the old times, people begin to use the bull to plow the fields.nowadays, the bull is still being used in the countryside, so the chinese usually use the bull to describe the industious people who work very hard and practical. Whats more, they also use the bull to describe the peole who seems very strong and healthy. In the west, people raise the bull in order to get the milk and meat, they did not use the bull in the agriculture too often. So in the west, the bull is refer to the fool, the people who are rude (Nida, 1975). For example, the bullhead means the stubborn.Irish bull means ridiculous way of saying. 2.2.4. Discussion from the aspect of geography influences From the day that can be recorded, horse is served to the human beings. No matter in the day of peace or the time of war, horse plays a very important role in every fields.Horse is an industrious animal. In the English, there are lots of idioms about horse, and the complimentary sense is basically the same.When it does not want to do something, then even you force him to do something, it still not works. In the east, people has the same way of saying. Among all the animals the horse may be the most sensible creature. She seems to understand men better than men understand them. If you are a careful observer, then you can find out that horse is always looking at its master. Knowing whatever feeling her master has. Apart from the horses sensitivity it always works without complaining. This is one of the reasons why Americans like to encourage other people to work as hard as a horse. It reminds us of the saying that we cannot force other people to do what we wish them to do without their content, of course. Without these expressions we can hardly find any means to let others know how we feel and what we think (Christine Ammer, 2005). 2.2.5 Discussion from the aspect of value concepts Fly is just like a mote in peoples eyes, they are noisy and dirty. So people use the fly in the ointmeny to express a trifling annoyance that spoils ones enjoyment. In the eyes of peole, they just treat the fly as some pests, so a fly on the wall means an unseen witness to a private situation, etc (Christine Ammer, 2005). 3. The  influences  of  Cultural  factor  on  idioms of animals They reflect the relationship between language and culture. Human beings common social activities are in many aspects similar, so English and Chinese idioms of animals have similarities. Because of the cultural differences, English and Chinese idioms have differences in their detailed contents. Now the essay will list two main cultural impacts on the idioms of animals (à ¦Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸-à ¨Ã…  Ã‚ ±, 2003). 3.1 Similarities between English and Chinese idioms In both the English and Chinese, the idioms of animals are descriptive when they are aim to convey the right meanings. A western scholar once said that between two languages, chances are against it that there is a equivalence of phrases and sentences, only a few exceptions. Idioms are just one of those reasons to this are that human beings live on the same environment, confined to the same objective restrictions.From these aspect, it can be concluded that there is a common union of the sameness of the thoughts and emotions in human being of defferent parts in the whole world. 3.1.1 Originating from daily life Idioms are the common reflection of peoples daily life and experience, whats more, they are closely related to the practice of peoples daily life and work, revealing a universal truth from details so as to enlighten people. There are many idioms refined from the folk life. These idioms are created by working people, for instance, the farmers, workmen, businessmen, hunters, Soldiers and so on. They use familiar terms that were connected with their own life experience. 3.2 Differences between English and Chinese idioms Language is a medium of the culture in each nation. Generally speaking, the differences between English and Chinese idioms are the result of different cultural reasons. The Chinese Culture stress on the part of argriculture which has cultivated from generation to generation and is what our basic condition of life is attached to. Growing up in this land-foucused notion, the chinese people have long been dedicated to their homeland, they are able to feed themselves by raise the argriculture, in result, they thought of expansion and invasion of other nations is never of their concern. 3.2.1 Reflecting different geography Geographic Position. Lots of idioms of animals share the features of its surrounding environment. Nations geographical environment is a pattern that a language and culture have been developing. The geographical characteristics of the country are reflected in the national language in general and idioms in particular. The England is an island country which located in the western seaside of Europe. English people live by seaside and their life naturally connected with the industry of sailing and fishing. So many English idioms of animals are related to the creature in the sea. 3.2.2 Reflecting different value concepts The differences between Chinese and western value concepts mainly lie in the individualism and collective.The Westerners believe that everyone share the equal rights. They adore to the freedom and equality. Many English idioms of animals show Americans advocating of this aspect. Idioms are the essence of a language. They are closely related to a nations culture and enjoy great cultural values. They reflect the relation between culture and language. Each nation has its own geography, history, religion and social attitude. Because of the cultural generalities and differences (à ¦Ã‚ Ã… ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ­Ã…’, à ¥Ã‚ ¼Ã‚  Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã… ½Ãƒ ¦Ã‹Å"Ã… ½, 2002), English and Chinese Idioms have their similarities and differences. They are permeating and interfusing each other. So a comparative study of them can help us to learn a language well and understand the true meaning of others word in cross-culture communication. 3.2.3 Reflecting different religions Religion is a very important theme of culture. Different religions reflect different cultural thoughts, different cultural backgrounds and different cultural customs. Religion is a cultural phenomenon. Sometimes, the idioms of animals are closely related to theaspect of culture, just like the example of white elephant list above. So idioms can reflect the different religious background information. English and Chinese people share different religious faith. Different religions lead to the differences between English and Chinese idioms of animals. 4. The value of study on idioms of Animals in both Chinese culture and English culture The similarities and disfference between English and Chinese idioms lies deeply in the cultural background. 4.1. The importance of studying idioms of Animals Learning a foreign language, especially the idioms of animals is a long way and we need to pay a lot of attention and efforts, what we should know is that we cannot and should not learn a foreign language in a very short time, so does the idioms of animals learning. The learning and using idiomatic appropriate is very difficult for non-native speakers, especially when we learn the idioms of animals, after we have a clear view of the culture background information of these idioms, we can have a better understanding of this area, and for this reason we need to learn it gradually, only in this way, we can handle them easily and effiently. 4.2. Consideration of the eassy This article should be an enlightment to all of us that when welearning English idioms of animals, we are supposed to grasp the cultural background in mind in order to acquire better learning. Whats more, the study of both English and Chinese idioms shed lights for our studying of the thinking patteren of both languages, which is of central essence for our learning purpose. Moreover, the analysis of origins causing different idiomatic expressions and cultural differences in this article can provide a way for us to understand idioms correctly and use them in cross-cultural communication precisely and accurately.

Eluded Socialist Allusions within Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath :: essays papers

Eluded Socialist Allusions within Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath Imagine awaking to the first rays of dawn, finding yourself lying on a tattered scrap of cardboard beneath a highway overpass. Your empty stomach churns with numbing hunger and you know today will be yet another listless scramble for survival. Homeless, jobless, and hungry, you glare with fervent jealousy at those clothed, groomed, and pompous passers-by grasping their purses and wallets tightly when they catch sight of you. Ashamed and enraged, you feel cheated and wonder how it is possible for such financial diversity to exist within the same city. You pitifully prop yourself against a wall on a busy street corner and await the morning rush hour that will supply your meager breakfast. The extreme poverty experienced by the unfortunate farmers who were forced into vagrancy during the Great Depression is not unlike the neediness that exists in American ghettos today. Such widespread destitution is a direct result of an inadequate economic system. Through tales of helpless fa milies’ tribulation, Steinbeck and Kotlowitz disclose the defects of the capitalist system in The Grapes of Wrath and There Are No Children Here, meanwhile alluding to an alternative economic structure: socialism. Throughout the novels, disadvantaged families become helpless victims of the lack of effective government aid in their area, an adverse effect of extreme capitalism. The Chicago Housing Authority actually hired â€Å"private security guards [who] searched out the squatters and physically removed them† (Kotlowitz 79). By kicking homeless people back out on the street, this government outfit coldly disregarded the basic human need of shelter in order to preserve their right to the decrepit property of the Henry Horner Homes. Such self-interested procedures are frequent and permitted through the capitalist ideas of personal property ownership. The â€Å"salesmen, neat, deadly, [with] small, intent eyes watching for weakness† depicted in an intercalary chapter are exemplary members of those who abuse the system . These malefactors, examples of limitless capitalism fueled by selfishness and greed, are able to prey on the vulnerable migrants because the mandating power set no restrictions against such unjust monopoly. Similarly, the violence that denigrates childhood in There Are No Children Here could be prevented if the government enforced laws against such brutality. Unfortunately, rash and illegal gang business is transacted with impunity in the Henry Horner Homes area daily because no one bothers to regulate illicit activity.

University Living as the Third Gender :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

University Living as the Third Gender In Thailand, they are called Kateoy or â€Å"Ladyboys.† In Burma, they are the Hijra and have the power to bless a child with fertility or curse it with impotence. In America, they are called transgendered, but the definition of the word is hard to pin down. â€Å"There are as many ways to be trans as there are trans people,† said Michael*, a 21-year-old Newton resident to Northeastern University’s bisexual, lesbian, gay, straight, transgendered, queer and questioning alliance (NuBiLAGA) meeting on Nov. 18. But Michael, who was born a female but now lives as a male, has his own definition. â€Å"A transgendered person is someone who does not fit with or identify with the gender identity or gender roles assigned at birth,† Michael said. The American Heritage Dictionary defines transgender as â€Å"Appearing as, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex.† While often confused with cross-dressers who masquerade as the opposite sex on occasion, transgendered persons wish to permanently live as the opposite gender. Some opt to have surgery to match their anatomy with their lifestyle, some do not and just adopt the mannerism of the opposite gender. Scientific statistics and studies on transgendered persons border on non-existent. Since transgendered people often identify simply as male or female, it is difficult to get an accurate count of the trans population using official censuses which don’t denote â€Å"biological male/female† or â€Å"cultural male/female.† Transgendered people also cannot be included in counts of the gay and lesbian population, because if a person was biologically female, but identifies as a male and is attracted to females, they would consider themselves heterosexual and not a lesbian. As Michael addressed the group, his partner, Bailey*, a 21-year-old female to male transgendered resident of Jamaica Plains, drew four parallel lines on the dry erase board. One by one, Michael explained the significance of each line: sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The visual is what Michael uses to distinguish to people the differences between the terms and how each can function mutually exclusive from the others. He explained to the group that sex is dictated by chromosomes and genitalia. On one end of the spectrum is male, on the other is female and in the middle is intersex, commonly referred to hermaphrodite. On the gender expression line, Michael and Bailey created a spectrum from masculine to feminine, with androgynous or gender neutral in the middle; sexual orientation often divided between attraction to men or women.

The Different Types of Discrimination Essay -- Prejudice, Racism, Cult

Discrimination Religion, national origin, race, and social status are the suspect classifications of discrimination, but are these the only categories that should not be discriminated against? People today are searching for equal rights and opportunities. No one should be suffering from any type of discrimination, but they are. Discrimination is an unfair treatment of a person or group based on prejudice, therefore sex, disability, and age should be included in the suspect classifications of discrimination (â€Å"Discrimination†). Sex discrimination is the differential treatment based on sex (â€Å"Answer†). Traditionally in American culture higher value has been given to males, this is why sex discrimination is commonly found in the work place among women. Focus in a workplace where sex discrimination is prevalent; the choices are not made based on the ability of the person, but their gender. The reason why gender is a big issue for women in the workplace is because women are looked at as part of the household committee instead of in the economical world. Women are not seen as capable entities, but solely as â€Å"baby-makers†. This method of conducting business has deterred many women that are far more capable than the men who were given the job. Sex discrimination in the employment world is not a new issue, but one that stems from the past. The Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938 established a minimum wage for both men and women providing equality (â€Å"Answer†). Even though this act was passed, many women are still paid less than men for the same job. In 1963, the Equal Pay Act acknowledged women as workers and not just homemakers (â€Å"Answer†). Now in 2007, sex discrimination is still being done in some occupations, but they are making progress. ... ...en booking a hotel room you are required to be at least 18 years of age. At 18 years old you are required to provide a deposit just incase you break hotel property, while older adults are not required to provide a deposit. We live in a country where youth is full of energy, while old is worthless, but we all should be treated equally. Discrimination has been a big issue in society for a long time. National origin, religion, social status, and race are the suspect classifications that are not allowed to be discriminated against. Are these the only categories that are worthy of protection? Not as long as America is the home of the free. Sex, Disability, and Age discrimination are categories that are being over looked everyday. By not acknowledging these other, very significant types of discrimination not only are the business world losing out, but America as a whole.

Athens in the Time of Pericles †Religion Death and Burial Essay

Pericles lived from 495-429 BC. During this time, religion was inextricably linked with Athenian society. It contributed to a lot of Athenian culture and the many aspects of religion were depicted through buildings, artworks, festivals and every day rituals. Gods and Goddesses In Greek mythology there were 12 main gods, that were prayed to and worshipped by the Athenians. It was said they lived on top of Mount Olympus. They resembled human form and through their stories of love, war and passion they were also viewed to have human feelings. The Greeks believed that the gods were immortal. The gods were associated with three main domains, Heaven, sea and earth. The 12 gods were: God/Goddess name Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Demeter Hephaestus Hera (Queen of heaven and wife of Zeus) Hermes (Messenger of the Gods) Hestia Poseidon Zeus (Lord of the Gods, Spiritual father of the Gods and the people) Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Earth Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Sea Heaven Domain Specialty Love, romance and beauty Sun, light, medicine, poetry and music War Hunting, the forest, wildlife, childbirth and the moon Agriculture Fire Marriage and magic Business Home and Homelife The sea, horses and earthquakes The sky. Dio Crysostomos (97 A.D) declared the image of Zeus so powerful that, â€Å"If a man, with a heavy heart from grief and sorrow in life, will stand in front of the statue, he will forget all these.† Athena (Patron goddess of Athens and daughter of Zeus) Heaven War, wisdom and crafts. Evidence of Athena being the patron goddess is the Athenian silver tetradrachm from 454-404 BC. Like on the coin, she’s generally depicted wearing a helmet and shown with an owl or olive tree as they were sacred to her. According to mythology, she gifted the olive tree to the city of Athens. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Attica. Athens, c. 454-404 BC. Silver â€Å"old-style† tetradrachm. Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet ornamented with olive leaves / Owl standing right, olive sprig and crescent moon behind. Apart from the main 12 gods and goddesses there were many others that were just as popular and worshipped just as much, for example, Dionysus. There is much evidence of the belief in these gods such as paintings, artworks and inscriptions, for example, a vase that has been dated back to 470-460 BC which depicts Zeus. Amphora, 470-460 B.C. This vase depicts Zeus aiming a lightening bolt at a giant with an eagle perched on his hand. Beliefs, practices and organisations Religion was a fundamental aspect of Greek life and the Athenian people incorporated it into their everyday lives as they believed their lives were dependent on the gods. It was believed that gods could interfere in the lives of men, so prayer was used by the people, so the gods would take favour and act kindly towards them. Xenophon said â€Å"The gods know everything and they give forewarnings to anyone they choose through sacriï ¬ ces, omens, voices and dreams.† The Athenians used sacriï ¬ ces, temples and prayers to honor particular gods and goddesses. They believed in the three ‘Fates,’ Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho was the youngest, she spun the thread of destiny with a distaff and determined the time of birth of an individual. Lachesis measured the thread length to determine the length of life and Atropos cut the thread of life, determining the time of death. Worship of the gods consisted of rituals and ceremonies. The relationship between human beings and deities was based on the concept of exchange; Gods and goddesses were expected to answer prayers and humans were expected to give gifts and sacriï ¬ ces. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Evidence of the sacriï ¬ ces made by the Athenians came from Lysias (around 400 BC) who stated, â€Å"By performing the proper sacriï ¬ ces, our ancestors left our city the most powerful and prosperous in Greece. It is therefore right that we offer the same sacriï ¬ ces as they did, if only for the sake of the good fortune which has resulted.† Sacriï ¬ ces were the central ritual act performed by Athenians. Animals sacriï ¬ ced had to be willing, therefore they would sprinkle water on it so it’ll lift it’s head and ‘nod’. The richer families gave a blood sacriï ¬ ce almost everyday, however the poor couldn’t afford it. Treasuries were built at Olympia and Delphi to store generous offerings. Evidence of this is part of a female face with inlaid eyes which has been dated back to 4th cent. BC. Ancient Greek Votive offering, 4th cent. BC, set in a niche of a pillar in the sanctuary of Asclepios in Athens Athenian religion was characterised by a diversity of cults. People joined cults because they wanted a closer connection with one particular god. Although everyone believed and worshipped all 12 Olympian gods there were cults to speciï ¬ c gods, especially those not apart of the Pantheon. Evidence of the cults was the Votive plaque which dates back to the mid-4th Century BC and depicts elements of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which was a cult which celebrated Demeter and Persephone. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Votive plaque, discovered in the sanctuary at Eleusis (mid-4th century BC) Private worship included family prayers and wine offerings. In the home, there were household shrines and many people offered daily libations to different gods. Private rituals included prayers, meals and storytelling. This god would be chosen depending on the families needs and lifestyle. E.g. Demeter, if they were a agricultural/farming family. They would pay this god special honor but made sure they didn’t exclude any of the others. Worship of the gods also took place publicly. Public meetings opened with recognition of the gods, festivals were dedicated to the gods as were temples, statues and artworks and many sacriï ¬ ces made to the gods were a public event. Mockery of the gods wasn’t regarded as blasphemy and was accepted in athenian life. Evidence of this is Aristophanes play, The Frogs, which depicts Dionysus as cowardly, gluttonous and morally depraved, was acted at Athens at the Lenaean festival (B.C. 405). Temples and Sanctuaries The Acropolis is the oldest part of Athens, it’s the sacred hill and during the reign of Pericles it became the place of the most famous Athenian temples, shrines and statues dedicated to the Gods. Pericles’ building program further evidences the Athenian’s devotion to the gods in all aspects of daily life. Pericles built many temples in honour of the various gods and goddesses, particularly to Athena, to thank her for Athens’ success in the Persian wars. The Parthenon was a temple built on the Acropolis in 448-432 BC. It was built in dedication to Athena for the salvation of Athens and Greece in the Persian wars. It was also used as a treasury. A statue of Athena was built, by Phidias, inside which stood 10 meters tall, made of ivory and gold. A big part of the Parthenon is the Panathenaic Frieze, which was made to depict the Panathenaic festival. Metopes were sculpted into the Parthenon. On the east side the struggle between the gods and the giants was depicted, on the west side was an Amazonomachy, on the south side the battle between the lapiths and the centaurs was shown and depicted on the north side was the Trojan War. There were also many pedimental sculptures which depicted images such as the contest between Poseidon and Athena. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time South Metope 31, Lapith and Centaur, 447-432 B.C. The Erechtheum is a temple on the northern side of the Acropolis and was dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. It was built between 421 and 407 BC and was designed to accommodate the Plynteria and the Panathenaia. Within the temple lived the sacred snake, which represented a spirit who was thought to keep the city safe. The snake was fed honey-cakes by the priestesses of Athena Polias. The snake’s occasional refusal to eat the cakes was seen as a bad omen. Festivals The Panathenaia is a festival held annually and is the most important as it was dedicated to Athena. It’s held on the 28th day of Hekatombaion which is believed to be Athena’s birthday. Every four years the festival would be extended with many games and a contests being held, this was known as the Greater Panathenaia, whilst the festival held every other year was known as the lesser Panathenaia. The festival holds great religious signiï ¬ cance however it was used to implement the power and political supremacy of Athens. A large part was the Panathenaic games included solo and group contests. The games began with individual activities such as wrestling, horse drawn chariot races and the pentathlon. The individual contests were open for all greek citizens however the group contests were reserved for Athenian citizens. The group contests consisted of a beauty contest between athletes, military dances and a mock combat. Participants from all over Greece were also invited to participate in musical and poetry competitions. A torch race took place in the evening and was then followed by a night of dancing and singing. Evidence of these competitions was the Panathenaic amphoras, which were given to the winners of competitions as a prize. Panathenaic Amphora, depicting foot races at the games, 530 B.C. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Amphora, depicting a musician performing with a music instrument used in festivals, 490 B.C. The next day held one of the most important aspects of the festival which was the Panathenaic procession. During this procession a peplos was given as a gift to Athena. A new one was woven and decorated for her every year. It was an honor to be chosen as one of the Ergastinai to make the peplos. Many offerings were brought on to the life size statue of Athena at the end of the procession. Only citizens were allowed to the Acropolis, everyone else remained at the gateway. The Hecatomb was made at the Acropolis. Upon the altar of Athena meat from sacriï ¬ ced animals such as cows and sheep was used in a ritual meal to end the festival, however only certain people were invited to this. Evidence of the Panathenaia and the procession is the Parthenon frieze depicts many aspects of the festival such as the procession and the games.