Charles Dickens' novel, Hard Times was written during the Victorian Era, right at the height of the Victorian Era. The Victorian era represented England under the rule of Queen Victoria. The culture was saturated with class structure, seeing the aristocracy immense amounts of wealth being reduced to pennies as the number of wealthy industrialist increased. During the Victorian era, England was seeing a major shift in their culture, moving away from agriculture towards a more industrial economy. This novel created characters from all classes and eras, showing the contrast in their lifestyles and how each one suffers at the injustices that face them. Louisa Gradgrind is the eldest child of Thomas Gradgrind. She is beautiful, practical, and completely detached from her emotions. Throughout this novel, Louisa shows a form of injustice common of most women in her class. Dickens uses her character to show that the lives of the upper middle class and economically stable are not

"Of Mice and Men" is one of Steinbeck's greatest novels. It portrays the lives of two men trying to create a perfect life for themselves. At first, at the story's outset, it is a bit hard to follow as a reader must wait to learn more about the characters and their backgrounds before he or she can begin to gain a better understanding and engage properly with the plot. Even upon completion of this novel, the audience still may feel they do not know the characters very completely, unlike how, in Hemingway's "Farewell to Arms," solid character descriptions and backgrounds are provided early on. One aspect of the story I found unusual was the way that Lennie follows every command of George. Lennie's tremendous size over George seems like it should have given him control over George, yet he obeyed every command of George, including the part in which George told Lennie to go jump in the water which nearly drowned him. Another singular element of the story is that of Lennie's

This essay will discuss and deconstruct the technical aspect of the film The Shawshank Redemption the escape scene. It will look in detail at how the Director (Frank Darabont) used sound, editing and lighting to create an effective story. This essay will deconstruct the narrative of the film and give the understanding of how the technical aspects of the scene are important. Andy Dufresne, a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically after he was found guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. A movie is controlled by ideologies and techniques that make an impact in almost every aspect of the narrative. The film has three main techniques and concepts that make an immediate impact: the walls, lighting, and water. The Shawshank Redemption is a 142 min long film made in the year 1994. It is a crime/drama film directed by Frank Darabont and is written by Stephen King. It includes well-known actors such as Tim Robbins, Morgan F

It's crazy: crazy that the girl you once played mini-golf with in middle school could one day be your wife. It's stupid: stupid that it's possible your son could be in love with your seventeen year-old babysitter who is head-over-heels for you, the dad. That, argues this movie, is love. Dan Fogelman named this movie, "Crazy Stupid Love," and rightfully so. The message at first is so unclear and shrouded, it takes some savvy techniques to convey the message adequately to the audience in a cinema. From a womanizer falling for an intelligent lawyer, to a young teenage girl falling for her middle-aged male employer, this movie shows that love comes in many different forms, often unexpected and inconvenient. Though the theme of true love runs throughout the movie, the frame of the parent-teacher conference uses cinematic finesse to throw a spotlight on the message of how crazy and stupid love can be. This frame depicting the parent-teacher conference appears about fifty-five minutes

Compulsive eating is an addiction to food. Being addicted to food is not like, gone all day without food fascination, it is not eating for pleasure it is eating out of compulsion (Moran, 2012). Over eating and being addicted to food is the exact same as if you were to drink, smoke, take drugs, etc. (Moran, 2012). The only difference is there is no cut off, nothing to stop taking because you cannot stop eating completely. There are several different types of compulsive eating disorders. Three main disorders are; binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia. These all are very similar in meaning because they all involve unhealthy eating patterns, but in reality differ greatly (New, 2011). We sometimes use food to hide our real emotions. We are too afraid to show how we are really feeling, so instead of talking about it, we eat. Compulsive eaters do this in such a way that it becomes an eating disorder. Though this is an extreme disorder that should be taken very seriously; it is not. People, wh

Believed to have been written from 2000-1800 B.C, the Book of Job is also commonly recognized as a Bible Wisdom Book. This piece of Hebrew literature was originally written as a set of instructions for the Jews. Set in the land of Uz northeast of Palestine the scriptures demonstrated the true meaning of faith as well as God's ultimate power and sovereignty. Though the author of Job is unclear, there are several suspicions of Job, Moses, and Solomon being the writers of the text. Though the Book of Job is not an epic itself, it does have several epic conventions and characteristics which serve the overall purpose of recruiting people to live and follow the words of the Bible. Because of the inclusion of Job's imposing stature, intervention of supernatural forces, highlight of actions of great valor, extended formal speeches by the main characters and the writers objective voice, the several purposes and themes of the story are made clear. One of the epic conventions chara

I saunter in through the front door and toss my backpack across the living room, apathetic about where it lands. Tears stream down my face nonstop as I dash up the stairs and make my way to my room. I barely make it to my bed without tripping over the sea of my belongings just scattered about. I then propel myself onto my bed and cry my heart out, in anger, pain, and frustration. I lay there in the dark for a few hours, my mind blank and my heart feeling very heavy. I sit up and my eyes land on the teddy bear and roses, which are now brown and withered, that he had given me three weeks ago. This sight seems to make my blood boil even more. I grab both the teddy bear and roses and chuck them out the window. I watch them land on the grass in the front yard and slam my window shut. I take in a huge gulp of air, hold it for a few seconds, and le

Two World Wars were recorded in the history of mankind and certainly not a pleasant piece of record. Millions of people had died serving their countries to fight for the so-called justice against enemies of their own. Death is probably a very distant issue for most of us, but certainly not to soldiers with blood on their hands. Death doesn't necessarily explain the physical end of a human life, but it can't also mean the loss of a soul. In Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home", he portrays the life of a young soldier, Kreb, who went through World War One. The young man was perhaps traumatized from the ferocity of the war, for he could not love and live as a part of the town, nor as a part of the family. This story however, functions more than merely telling us the breakdown of a post-war soldier, but Hemingway also criticizes how war can destroy one's personality, religion and future by portraying the life of a veteran soldier. War can destroys one&ap

"The literary works of Flannary O'Connor often contend that religious belief can only consummated by direct confrontation with evil, and for those uncommitted and unprepared, tragedy seems inevitable"(Cook). O'Connor was born in 1925 to a catholic family in Savannah, Georgia. She attended the University of Iowa were she studied writing and she later moved to New York to finish writing her first novel. O'Connor was diagnosed with lupus, the same immune system disease that had killed her father and would eventually take her life as well. Before her death at the age of 39 years old, she managed to keep writing and publishing stories. Many people consider O'Connor a Christian writer, and undeniably Christian concepts such as free will, sin, and salvation appear in all of her stories. " A Good Man Is Hard to Find is one of O'Connor's' most well-known works, the story was written in 1953 but wasn't published until 1955"(shmoopedito

Many Americans consume alcohol on a daily basis whether it is for a celebratory reason or to satisfy their own thirst. Although it may seem harmless to some people, the effects can be drastic physically, mentally, and socially. Not only does it affect the alcoholic, but the ones who are in the alcoholic's life as well. Alcoholism has affected many for the past century, causing families to fall apart and spreading its toxin to others continuing the cycle of no control and destruction of a life. For the past several decades, it has been widely debated on whether becoming an alcoholic was due to bad choices or if it truly is a genetically inherited disease. But what is a disease? It is "anything that interferes with the ability of the human being to function normally" (Ohlms). So it seems logical that alcoholism is classified as a disease. It is a "chronic, progressive, incurable disease characterized by the loss of control over alcohol and other sedatives" (Ohlms). Alcohol is not the on

The lecture in class discussed the expanding availability of social media outlets in the Middle East and its effect on government censorship and the ability to gain and share information with the world. The ability to instantaneously spread information has allowed citizens from oppressed nations to gain power and speak out against severe political, social and economic issues. Despite attempted control from oppressive governments, social media is exposing the current crises and economic state of the Middle East. I believe social media has positive and powerful potential to revolutionize and transform the troubled governments operating in Middle Eastern countries that are part of the Arab Spring because, through the rapid growth and accessibility of technology; information has been made accessible to the world and that knowledge is the catalyst of revolutionary change. Facebook and Twitter have undoubtedly changed the way w

The text provided, titled "Letter to Greenpeace Supporter" takes shape in the form of a personal letter, for the purpose of finalizing a complete ban on driftnet fishing. Greenpeace believe they must succeed in their efforts to completely ban driftnet fishing as a means to preserve marine life. The letter is composed of statistical evidence supporting the author's argument that driftnet fishing is extraordinarily detrimental to the ocean's ecosystem, and many of its inhabitants. The author's use of persuasive techniques such as the tones of intimacy towards the reader (A Greenpeace supporter), and compassionate positioning for the endangered sea creatures are an effective way to position the reader to seriously consider the danger of driftnet fishing. The text clearly states that driftnet fishing has, and will continue to wreak havoc on our environment and marine life. The argument presented by the author is irrefutable – in order for the devastation to stop, drastic changes must take place. It cannot be denied that driftnet fishing is harmful to many more sea creatures than intended. "... Greenpeace divers and officials,

Force is a pushing or pulling action applied to an object to initiate motion, arrest motion or cause change in acceleration (Gentner & Stevens, 1983). Force is thus measured in Newtons. No motion can be initiated without the application of a force. There are two variables of force, which encompass mass and acceleration. Mass refers to the quantity of matter in a body and is measured in kilograms (Koh and Tan, 2006). Mass is thus a measure of a body's inertia. In 1684 Isaac Newton established three laws of motion, The Law of Inertia, The Law of acceleration and The Law of Action and Reaction, in which demonstrate how force, mass and acceleration correlate with one another to move an object (Stevens-Smith, 2002). This rate of change in position experienced by a body is known as the velocity. According to McLester and Pierre (2008) counter-force in striking activities and temporarily stored counter-force explain Newtons Third Law of Action and Reaction. An example of a study of mass

"It all ends," is the slogan for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two." Yes, this film is the last in the series, but the Harry Potter film series could not have ended on a better note. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two" was so spectacular and exciting, I found that I had to go see it four times in the theaters. The movie, of course, is based on the book written by JK Rowling. The decision to split the book into two movies was wise because it allowed the movie-makers to capture all the marvelous features of the novel. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two" (HPDH2) first aired in theaters on July 15,2011. The movie is about Harry Potter's final confrontation with a dark wizard named Lord Voldemort. Harry's professor, Dumbledore, has been keeping a secret from him all his life; this secret is also his destiny. Harry and his two best friends are on the run trying to find objects called "horcruxes" to once and for all defeat Lord

According to the Hindu Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, "There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt." Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills. Doubt means not being certain of particular things. When one's mind is in consume by doubt he/she cannot think properly. Their mind doesn't function normally they starts to walk away from the truth every step they take will be closer towards the darkness. Instead of searching for true solution their mind is drag toward the false solution. Doubt eventually ruins one's life as well as others who fall under the diameter of doubt. The play "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley revolve around the same phenomena of Doubt.

Global warming and its byproduct climate change are starting to have a direct impact on the earth. The warming temperatures are starting to create major problems for animals around the globe. The animals being affected the worst right now are the cold-blooded species. Frogs, fish, and insects are a few examples of some cold-blooded species. The warmer temperatures are causing these creatures to shrink in size. According to a recent study published in Nature Climate Change "Many organisms are already getting smaller and more are likely to shrink because of climate warming" (Koch). Shrinking animals will cause major problems for our global ecosystems. It is going to get difficult for some ecosystems to be able to adapt and survive due to shrinking members of its ecosystem. Essentially, an ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things as well as environmental factors that work together to survive. There are no particular sizes or size limitations to an ecosystem as they can range from a single dandelion in the yard, to an entire tropica

Information literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed and having the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the needed information (Williams, 2010). At times there seems to be a confounding disconnect with students between receiving information literacy instruction and effectively making critical evaluations to understand the information (Gurney and Wilkes, 2008). With this disconnect it is important for educators to maximize students skills by integrating information literacy and technology that can also influence scholarship, practice, and leadership. Even though information literacy is an important part of an educator's knowledge base, knowing where and how to locate information and apply it to instruction is crucial to be a successful educator in today's educational environment. Today's social environment, along with various technological advances changes each and every day. It is up to people as a whole to adapt to these changes to keep up with the new technology available to us. And as the world is changing quickly due to the technological advances,

Do you wish you could have beautiful acrylic nails without the expensive cost? I use to have that same wish every time after I left the nail salon, with 40 dollars less in my wallet. I use to get my nails professionally done about once every month, which equals me wasting almost 500 dollars on my nails in a year. But a few months ago, one of my friends graduated from beauty school, having her license in hair, makeup, waxing, and nails. For me, it was like a girl's dream come true to have my best friend do my hair and makeup for me. But the number one beauty tip she taught me was how to do my own acrylic nails. And the best part is, I no longer spend 500 dollars a year on my nails! The first step to having those beautiful fake nails is buying a nail kit, which are sold at most beauty supply shops. They cost around 30 dollars, but it will last for several months, so it's much cheaper than the salon price. You can even get most, if not all, of the items in the beauty section

'Forrest Gump' is a story of a slow, simple minded man from Alabama that, despite beating all the odds and becoming a success in multiple areas of his life, finds it difficult to get Jenny, his dear childhood friend, to reciprocate the feelings he has for her. The movie follows them through the years to adulthood. In Forrest Gump, the mise-en-scène uses items and popular trends from the particular time period in question to allow the viewer connect the time frame and story. A scene of utmost importance from the movie 'Forrest Gump' is entitled; "Peas and Carrots," is when Forrest and Jenny meet for the first time on the school bus, thus beginning a lifelong friendship. At the time of this scene, it was the beginning of the school year and Forrest gets on the bus. After receiving multiple rejections from the other children on the bus to let him sit down, Forrest turns and locks eyes with Jenny. She invites him to sit with her and they have an im

Many things have been said about life, and many explanations have been made to try and explain this "life" and how it came into existence. About 150 years ago a man by the name of Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution in an attempt to explain the world from a scientific perspective. Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12, 1809. (What is evolution, web.)As a boy, Darwin was easily bored with his studies as a child. He turned away from his father's footsteps in becoming a physician and became interested in geology and natural history but was still not intrigued enough by his studies of the Holy Ordge University. Charles was so "bored" he eventually set out on a trip to explore the world! While he was on this journey, he became fascinated with biology and geology. He made and wrote observations about coral reefs, and volcanic islands, but his greatest biological observations were those about his theory of natural selection. This is where Charles redefin

Mobile learning can be defined as any sort of learning which employs wireless handheld technology. The recent development in mobile technology allows students to access information and learning materials from anywhere and at any time. With some great benefits, mobile learning is becoming more important in the current educational system. However, there are some limitations which cannot be omitted. One major advantage of mobile learning is its high flexibility. This mainly stems from the advances of size and weight of mobile devices. Compared to books and personal computers, mobile devices are easier to hold and have higher portability [1]. According to Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler [1], learners are able to use mobile devices in dissimilar learning settings, ranging from informal situations to more formal situations. In other words, students can use their phones during spare moments. Boyes [4] believes that this property can allow them to make good use of 'dead time' for studying. In addition, the touch screen display, as the main interface by which st

In the play "Oedipus the King," Oedipus as a king was concerned about the interests of the people he ruled, and it was this that brought to his awareness the sins he had committed; he was remorseful and took clear actions or judgments which he had passed to anyone who was the cause of the terrible plague that was devastating the kingdom. Oedipus as a son (to his foster parents) got the message of the prophecy and tried to avert it by running away; with his actions one can say that Oedipus wouldn't have fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and sleeping with his mother if his parents hadn't tried to kill him as an infant. It is clear and obvious to anyone reading or who has read the play that the main character, King Oedipus was a person of high moral and ethical behavior. As a king, he truly cared for his kingdom and desperately desires to find out what was the cause of the terrible plague that was devastating his kingdom, the city of Thebes. Once the king found out that he wa

Capitalism in the global south is not only an inconvenience on traditional life; it is a deadly creation that leaves the wealth in the hands of very few elite corporations. It not only affects the fabric of typical life familiar to the people living within the global south, it also affects the health of many peasants, indigenous people, small farmers, and whole communities due to the types of chemicals, pesticides, and stressful work that capitalism from industrial agriculture imposes on them. It also exacerbates the inequalities prevalent within the social hierarchies of the global south. Many cultural norms and traditions are sacrificed for the sake of efficient methods of performing work to create the high yields desired by corporate elites. This lifestyle is unsuitable to the native individuals who are forced to change their way of life to make a living for themselves as required by the corporations that have placed them in this vulnerable situation. Large corporations like Mon

Abigail Adams, the daughter of a Massachusetts minister, is categorized as one of the most influential woman of the American Revolution. In Dearest Friend, author Lynne Withey creates an image of Abigail Adams as a politically driven woman who was influenced by the environment into which she was born and by her sex. What Withey narrated in this book is pretty much a concise narration of Abigail Adams life: who she was, what she did and what she went through. What I learned about Abigail Adams throughout my reading was that Abigail was born in 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. She was better known as "Nabby" a spirited and clever child and somewhat isolated from others because of her father's position. During this days education for girls was inadequate, but Abigail and her siblings were an exception, they had a more serious education than any other child their age because of her fathers' position. But even though she had a better education than other girls, Abigail could feel the disadvantage of her sex, and devoted herself to an unguided and independent educat

Could there be a right and moral way a person should live? How can we go about making the right choices in order to be considered a moral person? Can society truly define what is "right" or "moral?" There are many different views on this subject and I will discuss these choices. Utilitarianism is the view of, universality for all, and quality vs. quantity. The people who have shaped the core meaning of ethics, how to do the right thing and what the right thing is, are known as philosophers. Such people like John Stuart Mill, with consequences of an action and Immanuel Kant, who thinks we should be responsible for others. Aristotle's view on virtue and ethics, asks who you want to be. Virginia Held with her ethics of care philosophy. And lastly the idea of relativism. Utilitarianism is manly based on the consequences or the outcome of a particular action or event. With the theory of utility each person's happiness or pleasure is equal; no one pe