Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam Essay

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam - Essay Example One of the key elements that was prevalent in both Islam and Buddhism is the fact that both possessed a charismatic leader that propagated for their religions. George Bernard Shaw once said about Muhammad:  "He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness".   Muhammad  was the most reviled figure in the history of the West from the 7th century until quite recent times. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was confident, poise, compassionate and had an amazing personality. One of the reasons why Muhammad is truly an influential figure ever witnessed by the mankind was due to the fact that he was a key prophet. In Islam, the tradition of prophethood is extremely vital (Staples 63). Yet, Muhammad was an astonishing leader in his community morally and intellectually. This is essential because he becomes a mo del for his followers. Muhammad was extremely kind-hearted, and had amazing character (Staples 65). Before Mohammad even achieved his prophethood, he was some illogical traditions that were barbaric. For example, Arab and Persian tribes had a tradition of burying their young daughters alive (Varisco 139). The reason was due to the mentality that girls were considered a burden in the family, while the young son can facilitate his dad in earning the daily bread. When Muhammad saw these cruel acts, he immediately put an end to it. Similarly, Buddha possessed similar capabilities that allow both individuals to propagate their message to a mass populous which needed a savior during their times. Buddha was an amazing character because he has struggled to achieve his salvation and adapted a lifestyle that few could tolerate. Both Buddhism and Islam ousted these illogical traditions and solidified a root foundation of justice that was so critical in those eras. For instance, when Muhammad w as born, the Arabian Peninsula was in chaos (Hart, 9). However, traditions such as burying young born girls alive, oppression and cruelty was prominent. Similarly, Buddha was born in a wealthy family but continues to severe signs of poverty that plagued society. Both Islam and Buddhism implemented reform in a manner that no other religions had the ability to do so. It was inevitable that Muhammad and Buddha both changed the political, economical, and social spheres in their respective societies. Without a doubt, Islam was reached due to theological factors for many reasons. First and foremost is the fact that Islam banished interest and alcohol. Alcohol was the main cash crop of Arab back in that era and was the root foundation for trade (Hart, 22). Moreover, merchants were not able to charge interest unjustifiable, which was detrimental to their business. The social movement of reform that Islam implemented was clearly a brilliant indication of an unforeseen change that would dynam ically modify the globe. Buddhism is a religion that teaches peace and is regarded to be one of the most common meeting grounds for all the Asian cultures. Unlike Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, Buddhism does not embrace the idea of divine holiness. The components that create Buddhism are critical as they embrace peace and allow individuals to reflect from within. Hence Buddhism is embraced my Asian cultures because it rejects diety, promotes

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The process of digestion Essay Example for Free

The process of digestion Essay The Process of Digestion Over the course of time there have been many difficult questions and theories about everyday life. Using physiology chemistry, those questions have been able to be answered. From the mixture of gases in the air we breathe to the organic substance of plastic or paper, chemistry can be seen everywhere. However, most people mistook the power of chemistry in our own bodies. How is it that a simple slice of bread, once consumed, can turn into fuel for the human body? Using the digestive system and its many organs through the process of digestion and etabolism is how our bodies receive the energy it needs to continue on throughout the day and the rest of our lives. Chemistry then kicks in as food starts its process from entering to leaving the body, through the rate of our metabolism, and also by the transfer of energy. The chemistry in the digestive system is a very important process, because without it there would be no human life. Compared to all other systems in the body, the digestive system is one of the most diverse and important. According to Robert Sullivan the digestive system is a set group of organs whose unction is based on the process of turning food, absorbing nutrients for energy and getting rid of the bodies waste (Sullivan, 2008, p. 33). The organs that are in the digestive system are the following: esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, colon or large intestine, rectum and anus (Ballard, 2003). Imagine eating a nice dinner with delicious smelling food. Now, imagine eating the food. Have you ever wondered where your food has gone once you consume it? Through your digestive system where the mass of food undergoes a process called digestion. Digestion is the chemical and physical breakdown of food into forms such as energy or nutrients that can be used by the bodys cells (McKenzie, 2010). The whole process starts in the mouth. The mouth contains a watery substance called saliva. Saliva is important to the whole process of food digestion, because not only does it help with sensing taste, but it is also made up of enzymes that break down the fats and starches in food at a molecular level. The esophagus is a tube where swallowed food travels down to the stomach. The stomach is a muscular sac that acts as a blender nd mixes food with acid, hydrochloric acid, which breaks down the swallowed chum and flushes the nutrients into the small intestine (Columbia University, 2010). The hydrochloric acid in the stomach is so powerful it can eat through a leather shoe. However, the stomach contains other chemicals, such as gastric acid, mucus and enzymes that also soften food (Sullivan, 2008). The result thus far in the process of digestion in the stomach is now called chime (Sullivan, 2008). Once the stomach has done its Job digesting the food, your dinner, now chime, travels to the small intestine where the final stage of digestion takes place. The remaining food is separated as either waste or nutrients. The nutrients are absorbed and taken in as fuel for the body while the waste enters the large intestine and passed through the rectum and anus to leave the body. Its fascinating to know that your dinner gets chemically organ has a specific role that is carried out through many different means. From growing to learning our body needs energy to work, but how can food be turned into energy? It can be turned into energy through each persons unique metabolism. The main reaction that takes place in the digestive system is called Metabolism. Metabolism takes place everywhere, but mainly in the stomach where is breaks down substances into smaller molecular forms, which gives the body energy (Online School Edition, 2011). Our metabolisms are chemical reactions that are carried out through a microcellular catalyst called an enzyme. Enzymes help chemically break down large nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates into smaller forms of amino acids, fatty acids and simple sugars (Online School Edition, 2011). Amino acids and fatty acids are mainly where we get our energy from. The whole process starts when we eat and our metabolism breaks down the food. The amino acids and fatty acids are absorbed into the blood where once they attach to a cell, they are then able to speed up the chemical reactions taking place while the amino and fatty acids are monitoring the reactions in the cell some energy is released. This energy can be stored in the body until it is needed (Online School Edition, 2011). There are two forms of metabolism called anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism is storing energy and maintaining cells while catabolism is all about making energy so that each cell has a specific amount to function properly (Ballard, 2003). The bodys metabolism is made up of many reactions that produce heat or a calorie. A calorie is a basic unit of heat that measures how much energy a fixed proportion of food brings into the body. Calories are used to regulate the fat in our bodies too. If a person consumes too much calories then the calories will turn into fat. The process of metabolism in each persons body is very unique and different. Some metabolisms run slow, which results in less calories burned and others burn rather quickly, which results in fewer calories (McKenzie, 2010). Whatever the rate of metabolism, many can agree that this rocess is diverse and complicated, but also very fundamental to everyday life. As everything else in the body, our enzymes need energy to keep the metabolism in a constant flow, this is where ATP comes into the equation. ATP, Adenosine Triphosphate, is the major source of energy in the human body. ATP plays a major factor in fueling our bodies by providing and storing energy. A normal ATP molecule has a strong bond called a phosphodiester bond, which stores energy that only releases when the body needs it (Ballard, 2003). The structure of the ATP molecule is very exclusive; because it has an oxygen molecule that is connected to three hosphorous groups, hint the name triphosphate. When one phosphate group is taken away the ATP molecule turns into ADP. ADP is always trying to be regenerated to ATP where there is a higher energy level. Think of it like a battery. When the battery is running low, you recharge it, Just like ATP and ADP. When an ADP molecule is running low on energy more energy from food replenishes the energy that was lost, which adds a new phosphate group making the molecule convert from ADP to ATP (Ballard, 2003). Without ATP there wouldnt be any energy that could be provided for the cells to use in the body. The next time you eat many chemical reactions in your body will occur, however you are mainly recharging your body with fuel and nutrients for it to continue on with the day. In the digestive system there are heat, and more. Even today more chemists are elaborating on new discoveries and important facts of the many process and reactions in the digestive system. Perhaps the latest discovery in this field would be the new diet plans that tend to speed up the process of metabolism which makes cells, including fat, break down faster resulting in a thinner waist. The digestive system is unique and different from all ther systems in the body because it has many organs that each have their own important role, a specific process of where food travels, and finally multiple reactions through metabolism and other processes through ATP that convert the food we eat into fuel. Without the digestive system the body would fail and there would be no human life. Therefore, it is important to accept the essential role that chemistry plays not only a huge role in human life, but in all life. Now as you eat your Thanksgiving meal with your family this year, you can imagine the whole process from start to finish!

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Auteur Theory and Jean Luc Goddard’s Work

Auteur Theory and Jean Luc Goddard’s Work Introduction The word â€Å"auteur† simply means author; however the auteur theory as devised by Andrew Sarris indicates a manner of reading and appraisal of films by examining the imprint of the author of the work, generally the director. Sarris uses this theory to rank the work of directors on the basis of three separate criteria: (a) technical competence (b) stylistic identity and (c) the communicability of their worldview, and on this basis, Sarris examines the work of directors and estimates their worth.(Wells and Hakanen, 1997:313). Keller points out that the auteur theory or la politique des auteurs may be summarized as the â€Å"acknowledgement of the director as the primary and shaping force behind any film.† (Keller 1930). The term, politque des auteurs was coined by Francois Truffaut, who realized that American Directors often worked within strictly circumscribed parameters in reference to the kinds of films and the scripts they could direct, since these were often predetermined and allowed the directors little room to experiment with their own ideas. Yet, despite these restrictions, some directors such as Hitchcock were able to achieve a personal style that was uniquely their own. The role of the director is to coordinate all the elements of production and its various stages, which ultimately affects the quality of the final product. The notion of the Director being the true author of a film first emerged through the views of Andrew Sarris, who offered the view that over the course of preparation of several films, a director may reveal certain recurring characteristics of styles or themes, which are like his or her personal signature or stamp upon the film, identifying it unmistakably as their product. In particular, where some directors are concerned, some recurring themes may occur in all their works, or their work may demonstrate a particular world view or personal vision that becomes evident through their work. The auteur theory is especially relevant and important, as demonstrated through the work of Directors such as Jean Luc Goddard, because they bear the unmistakable personal imprint of the author, despite the plethora of external market and commodity pressures that may fashion the final products. The objective of this study is to examine the works of French Director Jean Luc Goddard from the perspective of the auteur theory, in order to discern the unique thread that underlies this director’s work. Through an examination of four films, Une femme est une femme, Vivre Sa Vie, Le Mepris and a bout de soufflà ©, the unique elements in Godard’s films which set him apart from other directors are identified. According to MacCabe (2003), Godard is one of the most important European artists of the last 50 years and the most important French poet of the twentieth century, because of the intensity of this extraordinary man’s commitment to cinema. Godard’s films demonstrate innovation and evolution, presenting cinematic techniques that have evolved through several different aesthetic forms. As Keller (1930) points out, Godard’s films have passed through various stages that have deviated from traditional Hollywood reference points and demonstrating several different forms of experimentation that reflect his own view of life and the events that transpire within it. For example, Godard’s choice of black and white, his unabashed transmission of blatantly political views in his films and his use of a film making style that incorporates several different elements such as â€Å"narrative cadenzas, historical scrutiny, visual poetry, literary citation†, yet overall containing these within a dominant frame of contemplation. Keller (1930) also corroborates the views of MacCabe (2003) that Godard made films of great beauty and complexity, which only evolved over time into greater and more complex works of art with the passage of time. Cinematic technique in Godard’s films Godard’s films in effect are a systematic reflection on the notion of reflexivity in cinema. A work of art such as a film can demonstrate a distance from reality; it can be one in which the work appears to turn back and speak about itself. It heightens the sense in the viewer that what is being viewed is not reality itself, but that there is a reality that exists beyond what is playing out on the screen. In most of his films, Godard is able to establish a clear distinction between the action and engagement as portrayed through the events of the film as opposed to inaction or disengagement from the film, which allows the process of meditating about the events (Keller 1930). The reflexivity inherent in Godard’s work is one of the recurring characteristics that surfaces again and again in his films. He repeatedly uses alternative frames of reference to present the narration in his films. The film Vivre Sa Vie is about a woman Anna who was much loved, yet Godard creates a cinematic portrait of this woman through means other than the direct visual image; he relies upon the subjective experience that a viewer will gain about the character that is the subject of the film. He uses interviews, chapter headings, letter writing, philosophical conversations as well as reading aloud from several texts, all of which form the subtext from which the viewer derives a mental picture of the woman the film is about. Godard pieces together all these various disparate fragments together like a collage in order to derive an image of unity, a mental picture that will be different in each viewer’s mind depending upon their individual perceptions. For example, at the beginning of the film, as the credits play out, the profile of the character Nana appears on the screen; yet the audience is not allowed to see this woman clearly because her face is in profile and she appears in a half hit, shadowed shot which renders facial clarity difficult. A quote from Montague offers a referential context, suggesting the rich subtext that is to play out during the film. The character is shot from behind, and the camera pans for a quick moment to snatch a furtive glimpse of her in the mirror; yet this glimpse is almost like an intrusion and the camera moves away quickly as if it has engaged in the forbidden act of stealing her image. This technique recurs throughout the film; the experience of the viewer of the character of Nana is through the referential frame of others, never by viewing the character directly. The films assumes the air of an almost-documentary; the discourse creates the subjective impression of the character which the audience will gather based upon the brief glimpses and information it receives about her; information that is presented like a record of events in a documentary. The referential frame is evident as her emotional reaction to Carl Dreyer’s La passion de Jeanne d’Arc and her identification with the protagonist is discussed, Godard appears to be injecting historical realities side by side with the narration about Nana to further accentuate the impression of a documentary and thus reality. The end of the film shows Nana standing with her head and shoulders against a wall, framed against a photograph, while her husband reads out aloud a poem by Poe titled â€Å" The Oval Portrait†, which is the story of a man’s obsession with his wife. The entire story progresses as a painting of Nana is in process, until at the end of the film, the painter draws back and the subject of his painting – Nana – is dead. In this way, Godard not only highlights the dangers of an obsessive love; he challenges the audience to think about the female protagonist in a manner that is different from the normal filmic view. He distances the protagonist from the viewer and allows a more subjective experience to be gained, which will be different in the case of each viewer. The apparent reality of the character as presented by her husband is further challenged at the end of the film as the audience notes in shock that she is dead. The filmic technique of reflexivity may also be noted in Godard’s film Le Mepris, in which the director sought to present the appearance of a film-within-a-film. For instance, Godard deviates from the standard depiction of credits on the screen, rather the credits are spoken and Godard himself appears later in two scenes of the film dealing with the Odyssey. Was it Godard himself who spoke the credits since the voices are so similar? (Marie 1990:82). The viewer never knows, however it serves to establish a link in the viewer’s mind between one section of the film dealing with the Odyssey films and the other which deals with the non-Odyssey aspects.(Leutrat 1989:71). The cinematic technique of a film occurring within a film is heightened by a scene where Godard’s cameraman is seen helming another camera that is moving towards the camera which is doing the actual filming. The impression thus created in the viewer’s mind is one of a simultaneous presence by Godard and his cameraman both on screen and off screen. The referential function is also evident in the film a bout de soufflà ©. There is a series of filmic action and events that occur, yet at the same time, there is also a parallel set of events depicted that speak about the film and appear to offer an outside view that is distinct from the events taking place within the film. For example, in one of the shots, the character Belmondo in the film passes by a movie poster, which reads† to live dangerously† which is in reference to Aidrich’s W Seconds to Hell (Andrew 1987:148). A few scenes later, the filmic action occurs against the background of another film poster; this time one of Humphrey Bogart in the film â€Å"The Harder they fall†. There is a suggestion that the character is moving in dangerous terrain and the posters in the background serve in the nature of a comment occurring off screen, disconnected from the events of the film and yet offering an observation on it. There are more such references from films and theatre that occur in the film; for example as the film moves into its concluding segment, the character of J.P. Melville in the film makes an oral reference to Cocteau’s testament d’Orphee. Subsequently, the character of Jean Seberg runs away from a detective inside a theater that is playing Preminger’s Whirlpool; she is able to successfully escape the detective. After this, she runs with Belmondo into yet another theatre and in this instance, it is Boetticher’s Westbound . The association of movie action with posters and scenes from films and theatre which symbolize certain kinds of events results in a degree of unreality being accorded to the final moments of Godard’s film itself. For example, when the death of a character occurs at the end of the film, the audience tends to view it through the referential frame of the movies and posters that have been viewed, so that it is not tragedy, pity and fear that is inspired in the viewer but rather a feeling of filmic inevitability, as if the character has been absorbed into the referential frame of filmic reality and immortality rather than the tragic reality that is playing out on screen. Godard successfully employs this technique of standing back from the film itself and offering a narration, observation or comment on the film that is outside the main frame of reference of the film. This is one of the recurring characteristics in all his films and is line with the Brechtian theory of alienation. Brecht’s assumptions were that we as human beings, are isolated from the world around us through the manner of language we use for instance, which is not in line with our actual experiences of the world but in effect, proceeds along a different path, objectifying the world rather than allowing it to develop out of our subjective experiences. This tends to isolate us in an area where our objective knowledge and manner of expression in an objective world is in sharp contrast to the subjective experiences we may gain. Brecht characterizes this as follows: â€Å"Alienation is nothing but a representation, that is ‘making noticeable’’ of estrangement. (Ludwig 1972:20). Brecht suggests that the only way by which humans can disassociate themselves from this process of alienation is to withdraw and separate ourselves from this alienated experience in order to discover a more subjective way and unspoilt way to experience things and reflect upon them. Godard is able to accomplish this feat of withdrawal from the so called reality of the film and the objective use of language in order to stand back and assess experiences in a more subjective manner, relying more upon the true response of the senses to the product rather than the kind of response that man has been conditioned to give based upon his subjective training in the world. Godard’s career is characterized by the exploration of realism and film style. â€Å"For Godard, there is not reality and then the camera – there is reality seized at this moment and in this way by the camera† (MacCabe, 2003:79). In discussing his interest in the depiction of reality as it actually is experienced, rather than a fictional image conjured up for a viewer, Godard himself explains that he enjoys visiting a theme, place or subject after others have lost interest in it and the drama associated with it has faded, in order to capture the reality of the event as it exists (Bonnaud, 2005). He points out how images on television are manipulated, thereby contradicting the notion that the facts speak for themselves as depicted on the camera. One example he cites is the depiction by television cameras of the exterior or the Credit Lyonnais bank while providing a voice over narration of the scandals that had brewed within those walls. According to Godard, such images are meaningless because they portray nothing of the reality of events at all (Bonnard, 2005). In most of his films, the locations in Godard’s films are driveways, hotel rooms and large stretches of barren fields, which provides an effective and realistic backdrop that reflects the grim realities of his characters’ lives, providing them the space to meditate and contemplate on their transient mortality (Dixon, 1998). His films are interwoven with references to classical literature, as in Odyssey in Le Mepris and La Passion de Jeanne du Arc, the works of Edgar Allen Poe and Montague, yet all these provide the viewer the opportunity to reflect upon the deeper philosophical truths that underlie an apparent cinematic reality. In using such techniques, Godard appears to be questioning the reality presented by the camera. On the one hand, the events in Vivre sa Vie present the subjective portrait of a woman much loved; yet this love also kills her in the end. Godard substantiates Brecht’s assertion that humans are saddled with an outward reality that does not correspond to their subjective experiences and makes the viewer question whether the camera is really depicting the truth? The reflexivity inherent in Godard’s technique forces and presents a constant process of meditation and reflection, not only in the characters in the films but also in the viewer. Godard’s films thus appears to reflect his persistent quest for and his insatiable curiosity about reality, is it really as it seems or is there a deeper dimension that underlies what is visible on the surface? Godard’s films thus bear the unique stamp of his own way of looking at life, the manner in which he questions the reality of what is visible, his unwillingness to accept things as reality merely because others say it is so. Godard is of the view that the digital medium offers less depth precisely because it does not permit the kind of juxtaposition of reality and reflexivity which is possible with the film medium (Bonnard, 2005). The use of sound in Godard’s films Godard demonstrates a great sensitivity to music and the impact of sounds in creating a cinematic experience, as depicted especially in his film â€Å"Nouvelle†, where he used music composed by Manfred Eicher (www.ecmrecords.com). In conveying his impressions about Godard’s film Vivre Sa Vie released in 1962, Eicher states that the film reveals the director’s extraordinary levels of sensitivity to image, sound and rhythm, so that it is capable of moving the viewer on a different level when the his/her eyes are closed. (www.ecmrecords.com). A blind woman, Claire Bartoli writes about an internal cinema fuelled by the soundtrack of the film, that she must concentrate on to experience the film because she cannot see the images that go along with them. In an essay about his film Nouvelle Vague, she writes: Godard, with large cuts of the scissors, divides the material into fragments, producing sound miniatures, as pure elements (www.ecmrecords.com). She describes how Godard is able to isolate individual sounds such as the ringing of a bell or the sound of waves and rediscovers them within the context of the story that is taking place, so that it is the sound itself that fuels the emotional experience which characterizes the reaction of the viewer. In his film Une femme est une femme, Godard utilizes a mixture of sounds in eclectic combinations to produce an impression that is deliberately discordant when viewed in conjunction with the reality. For example, around the middle of the film, the protagonist Angela sits in a cafà © with her boyfriend and asks him to first say something false and then say something true. Then she points out in distress that his expression ha snot changed at all irrespective of whether it was the truth or a lie that he was telling. The film in turn appears to present serious things lightly and light things seriously, deliberately deviating from reality. The story itself is about Angels wanting to have a baby which her boyfriend Emile is not prepared for, she threatens to have it with his best friend Alfred instead, he tries to call her bluff and she actually goes ahead with it only to realize that she has gone too far and has turned a serious matter into a frivolous issue. The element of frivolity and unreality is enhanced and embellished by the sound used by Godard in the film. The entire film resonates with musical bells and whistles, there are sound effects that are over-the-top, music suddenly swells in an exaggerated and ridiculous fashion and interspersed within these are literary references. The use of sound in the film is eclectic and it almost appears as if the director is having childish fun, in producing sound effects that must change swiftly, as if they must hold a child’s attention. This yet again, corroborates the reflexivity the director seeks to imprint on his viewers. This may be noted particularly in a scene at the beginning of the film for example, where there is some cool. Pop music playing in the background as the protagonist walks into a cafà ©. The viewer makes an automatic association of the image with the character of the protagonist as hip and cool. Then as she leaves the shop, the music suddenly stops and devoid of the sensory backdrop, the viewer is forced to revise his/her original impression of the cool young woman and sees her as just another ordinary woman walking out of a store. But a moment later, the music starts again, as if, now satisfied that the viewer has been forced out of his/her sensory haze, the director seeks to push the viewer back into the unreality of what is playing out on camera. Godard effectively uses sound as a vehicle to force the viewer to refrain from responding to the film with stock emotions; rather he must view the film from a perspective that is different and unique. According to Dixon (1998) Godard’s sound techniques employed in his films, whereby he layered his sound tracks with an eclectic mixture of natural sounds and classical music, with dialogues and voiceovers, which is a reflection of his vision as a film maker. Godard’s reflexivity is also evident in the soundtrack of Le Mepris, where the ancient Odyssey scenes are shot in a different kind of lighting and color and utilize different theme music, yet they are similar enough to evoke a connection between the two, which suggests that the two are linked – is the ancient day Odyssey story occurring within the context of the modern day? The musical themes of the two parallel stories are â€Å"Camille† and â€Å"The Gods†, yet the similarities in the music themes suggest similar emotional undertones in both stories. For example, the opening chord in the film is a tritone in Bb-e, which is somber and dark suggesting something ominous that could be associated with the devil. The music in itself suggests that the tone of the film will be such that there may be a tragic outcome. This impression is paralleled in the theme music of the parallel visualization, characterized mostly by the use of strings and harps in a minor chord, which in classical music is traditionally associated with seriousness, sadness and ultimate tragedy. The nature and composition of the music in le Mepris thus highlights the allusion of the modern day playing out of the Greek classical tragedies of ancient times. Godard describes how he visualized the scenes in the film dealing with Odyssey in Le Mepris as being lit in a manner that was much different from the main film, in order to give the impression of a film occurring within another film. Those particular scenes were to be photographed such that â€Å"the colours will be more brilliant, more violent, more vivid, more contrasted also in their organization.† (Godard 1985:146). This is in sharp contrast to the documentary style used in Vivre Sa Vie for instance where voice-overs and the spoken, poetic narrations provide only the backdrop to the tantalizing glimpses of the character of Nana that keep appearing throughout the film. Conclusions Godard was undoubtedly a Director whose films displayed his own unique stamp, and his striving to depict the emotional nuances of his characters through the utilization of the tools of sound, color and stylistic technique to convey a message in sub text that moved far beyond the actual events occurring in the films. The innate curiosity of the director about reality itself, his constant questioning of what is real and what lies beyond the reality that is apparent visually can be gleaned in his films. His attempts to convey a mood and aura are not incorporated directly into the main narrative but rather must be gleaned by the viewer through the subtle signs that exist in the sub text of the film. Rather than making certain visual and audible elements glaringly apparent for the viewer by using close up shots for example, Godard leaves it to the viewer to subtly discern these messages, to think about the film long after seeing it in order to grasp the significance of the elements that have been presented in the film. Through this process, Godard forces the viewer to confront a hidden reality that may exist beyond that apparent on the surface. The Brechtian alienation suggests that viewers need to revise their way of thinking and seeing things such they rely more on their own subjective experiences. This ability to instill reflexivity in the film viewing experience and force a viewer to question the reality of what he/she sees is a particular characteristic of Director Godard. His use of literature and poetry as well as filmic and theatrical allusions is targeted at promoting a reflexive experience in his viewers. His characters reflect upon life within a contextual dimension that is as rich with visual, audio and spatial clues as the cinematic material which is outwardly apparent, to present the viewer with a viewing experience that extends far beyond the visual images. The complexity and beauty of his films is enhanced by the willingness of the director to experiment with avant garde techniques and use unconventional means to convey his cinematic messages. The director uses quitotix and unusual methods to elicit this reflexivity, especially in the film Une femme est une femme for example, where the protagonist is frying an egg, the phone rings, she flips the egg high in the air, dashes to take the phone and returns just in time to catch the egg and flip it back into the pan, thereby underlying the unreality of the images being viewed. The Director’s films stimulate thought and force a viewer to interact actively with the medium, to question what is seen and what remains unseen but can be discerned below the surface through careful observation. This is why the supporting elements in Godard’s films are so important the sound, the color, the music, the visual techniques, the editing, all enhance the messages being conveyed sub textually. The auteur theory requires that an author’s work demonstrate an unmistakable stamp that identifies it and sets it apart. The alienation and distancing from the cinematic view, the reflexivity inherent in a Godard film viewing experience is one that is not found in a comparable manner in the work of other directors. The auteur theory is therefore relevant where Godard is concerned, because in effect, a director must exhibit certain recurring characteristics throughout his films, which are like his signature on the films. This is what Godard accomplished through the unique and experimental combination of light, sound , editing and style in every film, which promotes reflexivity and presents a multi faceted reality. Bibliography Andrew, Dudley, 1987: â€Å"Breathless. Jean Luc Godard, Director† London: Rutgers University Press Bonnaud, Frederic, 2005. â€Å"Occupational Hazards†, Film Comment, 41(1): 37-40. Dixon, Wheeler Winston, 1998. â€Å"For ever Godard: Notes on Godard’s For Ever Mozart†, Literature/Film Quarterly, 26(2): 82-88 ECM: Background Information†, Retrieved December 13, 2007 from: http://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/Background_1600.php Godard, Jean-Luc, 1985. â€Å"Jean-Luc Godard par Jean-Luc Godard†, Alain Bergala, à ©d. Paris: Cahiers du cinà ©ma -Editions de lEtoile. Keller, Craig, 1930. â€Å"Jean-Luc Goddard†, Retrieved December 12, 2007 from: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/godard.html MacCabe, Colin, 2003. â€Å"A portrait of the artist at Seventy†, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux Marie, Michael, 1990. â€Å"Le Mepris: jean Luc Godard:, Paris: Edition Nathan Wells, Alan and Hakanen, Ernest A, 1997. â€Å"Mass Media and society†, Ablex/Greenwood.

Friday, October 25, 2019

A Comparison of Heroes in Beowulf and A Lesson Before Dying :: comparison compare contrast essays

Everyday Heroes in Beowulf and A Lesson Before Dying Ernest Gaines novel, A Lesson Before Dying, is a story about, Jefferson, a black man who is wrongfully charged with a crime he did not commit. He cannot get a fair trial because he is a black man in the south. He is sentenced to be executed, but before he dies Grant, an educated black man, teaches him how to walk like a man, so people do not think of him as a hog. "Beowulf" is an epic poem over one thousand years old, which was told from one generation to another. It is about, Beowulf, a great hero who defeats three different monsters to save the kingdom. In his last battle he is much older than before and is killed by a dragon. A hero does something that other people do not do and he does things for others, and other people look to a hero for guidance. Grant does something that other blacks can not do he goes to college. Most blacks do not get the opportunity to go to college, but Grant went as soon as he was old enough. When he returned he was a well-educated man, but he was still treated the same way as he was before he went to college. Grant is able to teach Jefferson how to be a man, and Jefferson learns that he is somebody. " ... I cry cause you been so good to me mr wigin an nobody aint never been that good to me an make me think im somebody"(Gaines 232) No one else is qualified to help Jefferson they all depend on Grant to teach him, and Jefferson appreciates it so much it brings him to tears. Beowulf is able to do something that no one else has ever done even though many people have tried. He is able to kill Grendel because he uses Grendels own size to hurt him. Beowulf grabs Grendels arm and pulls it until Grandel finally escapes. "He twisted in pain, And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder Snapped, muscle and bone split And broke"(Beowulf 34). Grendel was so big that when Beowulf pulled his arm there was too much pressure on it and it started to tear.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Book Review Imperial Germany

Date: April 18, 2012 Subject: Book Review The book â€Å"Imperial Germany 1871-1918† by Volker R. Berghahn has the under title Economy, Society, Culture and Politics and was first published in 1994 by Berghahn books. The used edition is the revised and expanded edition published in 2005 and summarizes the events in the ‘Kaiserreich’ (1871-1918). Furthermore, the book has 388 pages and is divided in five parts which are Economy, Society, Culture, the Realm of Politics, and World War I. Each part has numerous under parts giving the reader detailed information about each part.In addition, the author did tremendous research on the German Empire, founded by Otto von Bismarck in 1871 and lasting until the end of World War I, to clarify the broader outlines of the development between 1871 and 1918 and to explain why Germany went to war in 1914 and lost that conflict four years later. Volker Berghahn, born 15 February 1938 in Berlin, studied jurisprudence at the Universit y of Gottingen in the first place and then history and politics at the University of North Carolina.He taught in England and Germany before coming to Brown University in 1988 and to Columbia ten years later since then, he is Seth Low Professor of History at Columbia University. Moreover, he has published widely on modern German history and European-American relations. The book â€Å"Imperial Germany† is a comprehensive history of Germany and is thematically organized to provide data and information about major developments and the Bismarckian and Wilhelmine eras. The author expresses his theses and opinions in this book.Firstly, Berghahn? s position regarding the debates over the Deutschen Sonderweg is balanced and his main view about the German population is that it was characterized by pluralization and polarization. In particular, the society became more pluralistic after 1871 demonstrated by a more colorful and dynamic Kaiserreich. Berghahn demonstrated this richness and diverseness of the German population by looking at German? s society and culture. Polarization also played a main role in the Imperial Germany. In Berghahn? opinion, polarization is connected with another controversial which is whether or not the Kaissereich was in a deep crisis before World War I. His first evidence is that the economy was not in a good shape (tax conflicts, armament expenditures) followed by evidences such as that the society had difficulties to integrate industrial workers and minorities, the cultural view was pessimistic and the political realm came in a stage of stagnation. He also argues that the Kaissereich is a class society and analyzes who classes/groups/people are the â€Å"losers† of the society development.Furthermore, he points out the impact of gender, minorities, generations and religion but makes clear that these are only under topics of analyzing Germany. Moreover, the author was driven by his interest in major related issue in the Kaiserrei ch. The issue is that he wants to explain why Germany ended up in World War I. His thesis is that the catastrophe was triggered by Vienna? s and Berlin? s decision makers. Berghahn does a pretty good job in backing up his theses. The reason is that he uses other historians? opinions to support the written. For example, in the 1st part, ?Economy`, (Page 13) he writes that the economy experienced an upswing that lasted until 1913 and backs up this statement by providing a footnote which can be find at the end of the book. In addition, he provides the reader with tables to support his data and information. The tables are good because they make it easier to understand the data and summarize the written perfectly. Additionally, he cites other people who are mainly historians as well and have published famous and generally accepted writings such as M. Kaplan, The Jewish Feminist Movement in Germany.Moreover, Berghahn also refers to researches by mention them after his thesis or/and statem ent. Another notable characteristic of Berghahn? s book is that he mentions counter theses. By mention them; the reader gets to know the different historical views and what diverse and numerous opinions historians have about the development of Germany (1871-1914). Additionally, to support his theses, Berghahn confutes counter theses by giving data, information and arguments which show that the other historians? theses are wrong. In other words, Berghahn uses other (â€Å"wrong†) theses to support his theses.The author also uses counter theses to introduce a new theme and to make the reader think about the argument more deeply. In addition, he uses a research and/or historian thesis which is from the past or only the beginning of a thesis to further develop his thesis up on the other thesis. Furthermore, Berghahn sometimes writes what a specific historian thinks about a topic without commenting it. In comparison to the other books? authors we have read so far, the author of th e book â€Å"Imperial Germany; Economy, Society, Culture and Politics† writes differently. Firstly, he states his wn opinions and theses, whereas the other authors mainly provide information. Additionally, Berghahn provides a lot of tables at the end of the book as compared to no tables in the previous books. In contrast to some use of footnotes (other writers? publications) in previous books, in Berghahn? s book, you find footnotes everywhere and the book has 32 pages only for footnotes. Additionally, Berghahn writes not chronologically like Blackbourn for example, he divides the part thematically. In conclusion, on one hand, the book was informative and I like that Berghahn mentions other historians opinions as well.In addition, the use of tables makes it easier to understand the data and he handles counter theses well. On the other hand, the book was hard to read and protracted because his sentences are not straight forward and clear and he uses a lot of numbers in his wri tings making it hard to follow. Additionally, I don? t like how the book is organized (thematically) because for me, I prefer reading of all the developments happened in one time period. However, it shouldn? t be forgotten that the book is a very useful source and provides the reader with tones of information about the developments in the ? Kaiserreich`.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dover Beach Theme Imagery and Sound Essay

In â€Å"Dover Beach,† Matthew Arnold creates a monologue that shows how perceptions can be misleading. The theme of illusion versus reality in â€Å"Dover Beach† reflects the speaker’s awareness of the incompatibility between what is perceived and what truly is real. Arnold conveys the theme of â€Å"Dover Beach† through three essential developments. First, he uses visual imagery. Second, he uses sound (aural) imagery. Third, he uses rhythm and metric. These mechanics alone do not explain why illusion and reality differ, but they do help to explain how Arnold sets up the poem to support the theme. The strongest support of the theme comes from its intense imagery which is scattered throughout â€Å"Dover Beach.† The most affecting image is the sea. The sea includes the visual imagery, used to express illusion, as well as the auditory imagery, used to express reality. The image is intensely drawn by Arnold to vividly see the faith disappearing from the speaker’s world. The image of darkness encompasses the speaker’s life just like the night wind pushes the clouds in to change a bright, calm sea into dark, â€Å"naked shingles.† The irony of â€Å"Dover Beach† lies in the contrasting elements of the troubled speaker and the calm sea with tranquil moonlight. For example, the moonlit cliffs of the first stanza appear again in the lines â€Å"for the world/Which lies before us like a land of dreams. The sea which begins calm and tranquil, becomes a roaring shore; with â€Å"naked shingles† and â€Å"night-wind† which in turn disrupts the speaker’s faith. The symbolism of the speaker’s faith, as well as light and dark, reinforce the theme of illusion versus reality. The illusionary quality of the sea infers how very shaky and insecure the speaker’s faith has become. In line 21, the speaker refers to the sea as a metaphoric â€Å"sea of faith.† This symbol represents the illusion of the speaker’s faith. The reality of his lack of faith becomes apparent in lines 25 through 28. The speaker explains on how that once great and calm sea of faith has turned into a roaring, dark, windy, dreary, and gravely bench. In reality, the speaker’s faith disappears with only darkness to replace it; a powerful symbol of disillusionment which sets the mood for the rest of the poem. In stanza 3, the simile â€Å"like the folds of a bright girdle furled† (Line 13) contrasts with â€Å"Vast edges drear/And naked shingles of the world† (Lines 27-28) The speaker’s problem also appears in the sounds of the words throughout the poem. The consonant quality of the g and the r in â€Å"grating roar† (line 9) takes on an auditory quality, whereas the previous stanza displayed visual qualities. The grating and roaring pebbles produce sound while the calm sea and glimmering French coast produce a visual effect. In line 13, the words â€Å"tremulous cadence slow† slows the reader with the sounds of the t, c, and s sounds. After stanza two, the third, fourth, and fifth stanzas alternate sounds (stanza three, first three lines of stanza four, last five lines of stanza four and stanza five). The smooth sounds of l in line 7, â€Å"long line,† and the f in line 23, â€Å"folds† and â€Å"furled,† point out the instances of illusion where the conflict of the illusion versus reality does not exist. In contrast, the rough sounds in line 28, â€Å"naked shingles of the world,† indicate the places w here reality not only exists, but where illusion cannot exist, and the speaker cannot escape his misery. The sounds of the words not only slow the speaker’s struggle, but also suggest the underlying motif of light and dark. The words â€Å"glimmer† and â€Å"gleam.† The ‘gl’ suggests light whereas the ‘ea’ suggest smallness. The ‘er’ suggests movement. All combined, the allusion is made to the idea of a small, moving light. This contrasts with the darkness of the later stanzas indicated by the words â€Å"darkling† and â€Å"night.† In the third stanza, the words â€Å"faith† and â€Å"bright† followed by â€Å"but† imply a loss of faith, â€Å"and in doing so associates darkness with loss of faith†. The lack of a pattern in the rhyme scheme reflects the speaker’s inner debate. The rhyme scheme of the first stanza consists of ABACD. The first and third lines rhyme, â€Å"to-night† and light,† but no other lines rhyme in the first stanza. The same instance occurs in t he second stanza’s rhyme scheme of BDCEFCGHG. Multiple lines do rhyme, but in no set pattern. This opposes the pattern of the iambic rhyme of the first stanza. A vivid description of the calm sea in the first eight lines allows a picture of the sea to unfold. The next six lines really stand out, especially the words â€Å"Listen,† â€Å"grating roar,† and â€Å"eternal note of sadness.† The distinction between the sight and sound imagery continues into the third stanza. Sophocles can hear the Aegean Sea, but cannot see it. He hears the purposelessness â€Å"of human misery,† but cannot see it because of the â€Å"turbid ebb and flow† of the sea. The allusion of Sophocles and the past  is replaced by the auditory image, â€Å"But now I only hear/ Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar/ Retreating to the breath/ Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear/ And naked shingles of the world† (Lines 24-28). There is a sense of sympathy. The words â€Å"tremulous cadence slow† and â€Å"eternal note of sadness† evokes a sense pity for the speaker whose struggle with illusion and reality seems to end in darkness and sadness. Not only will the speaker have to confront reality, but â€Å"beyond the ‘naked shingles’ the darkness continues, interrupted only by the confused alarms and fights and ringing conflicts of battle by night-the sounds of supreme futility† Arnold uses much alliteration and assonance in the poem as well. For example, in line 31, â€Å"To lie before us like a land of dreams†, repeating the letter L at the beginning of three words. Also, in line 4, â€Å"Gleams and is gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  repeating the letter G. Arnold shows use of assonance in line 2, â€Å"tied/lies† and in line 31, â€Å"lie/like† The most important method in â€Å"Dover Beach† includes the rhythm and the meter of the lines and the stanzas of the poem. The sea/is calm/to-night. The gentle lively rhythm of the iamb mirrors the â€Å"ebb and flow† of the sea. The actual words of the first line manifest this idea to picture a calm sea gently lapping at the beach. The second line also reveals a calm sea. However, line 3 breaks the pattern and forces the reader to break his or her own rhythm. Line 3 includes: Upon/the straits,//on the French/Coast/the light. The line begins and ends with an iamb, but the middle is broken up. This is a foreshadow of the disorder to come. The fourth line breaks up even farther at the beginning, but the fifth line recovers the rhythm. Glimmering/and vast//out in/the tran/quil bay. The rhythm recovers by the end of the first stanza, but the original rhythm has not. The number of feet per line constantly increases from three to four and then to five, once again, a foreshadow of the upcoming struggle. The second stanza attempts to regain a pattern but the pattern disappears in line 7 only to reappear in line 8. The pattern of iambs continues through the stanza, but the number of feet per line never projects a pattern. In other words, by the use of a pattern in the rhythm and the lack of a pattern in the number of feet per line and the rhyme scheme, Arnold portrays an outwardly rhythmic and flowing poem with underlying confusion and trouble. The illusion of the rhythm masks  the reality of the struggle of the speaker. The auditory qualities of lines 9-14 set the tone for the rest of the poem. â€Å"LISten! yoU HEAR the GRATing ROar / of PEBbles which the WAves DRaw back, anD FLinG, / aT their return, UP the HIgh strand, / BEgin, anD ceASE, anD thEN agAIN beGIN, / with TREMulous CAdenCE SLOw, anD bring / the eterNAL noTe oF SADness IN.† Arnold’s â€Å"Dover Beach† applies technical qualities, symbolism, and imagery to reveal the theme of illusion versus reality. The emotional struggle of the speaker is supported by the rhythm and the meter, the lack of a consistent rhyme scheme, the figures of speech, the sound of the words, and the irony of the entire poem. The symbolism of the sea and the imagery of light and dark bring out the alternating visual and auditory qualities, which elaborate on illusion and reality, respectively, Arnold’s portrayal of one person’s battle with illusion and reality shows a complex view of humanity in a simple poem.