Irony in Lord of the Flies :: essays research papers

The Lord of the Flies initiates an ironic structure from its first chapters that becomes evident by the end of the book. Both Ralph and Jack’s attitude are different in the beginning of the novel to the way they turned out in the end. It is ironic how the most optimistic or hopeful situations in the book turn out catastrophic and society only falls apart more. On the surface the story implies that it is the boys’ age and inexperience that causes them to create such a corrupt society, however, on the contrary, there is an exaggerated respect for the ‘adult world’ as you consider the reason why the boys are on the island in the first place. Sardonic events lead to an even more ironic ending where their ultimate rescue is a result of two ironic incidences, the fire and the acceptance of the boys onto the ship by the naval officer. The author uses irony throughout to show how such innocent boys despite their best efforts can turn savage, through the events that unfold that lead them into anarchy. Ralph and Jack’s image of what life on the island would be like and how they would go about it was very different in the beginning of the story to the end. Ralph begins saying ‘This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grown ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun.’(p:45). It is ironic how this optimism is shattered by the end of the novel and events turned out so badly as though it were almost foolish to think they’d have fun from the start. Jack also makes a surprisingly ironic turn in the novel where his ideas appear civilized and orderly in the beginning, ‘We’ll have rules! Lots of rules!’(p:44) however he is the one who becomes the leader of the savages and provokes fear of the beast. It is ironic how the most optimistic situations turn out terribly, in an almost mocking way. Piggy is doomed from the start, they savagely hunt and kill pigs, torturing them and enjoying it. It is the beast within each boy that kills Piggy, as it is the beast within that eats away at any civilized instincts. Ralph wishes, ‘If only they could send a message to us. If only they could send us something grown-up †¦ a sign or something’(p:117).

Deborah Talls From Where We Stand :: Deborah Tall Where Stand Essays

Deborah Tall's From Where We Stand In her book, From Where We Stand, Deborah Tall, tells us the story of coming to Geneva, New York, to begin teaching. It is a personal account of coming to terms with a new and foreign place. It gives us the chance of watching her learn about landscapes, people, and history. It moves through time, through her own life, and especially through motherhood. In the end, and after more than a decade, she gives us the signs of what it means to live out of and within the place where you are. Perhaps the poet is uniquely qualified to consider this issue of place. When Martin Heidegger attempted to understand "place" and "home," he turned to poets like Friedrich HÃ ¶lderlin. Similarly, we can read poems and essays by Gary Snyder --- for instance, The Practice of the Wild or A Place in Space --- or N. Scott Momaday --- for instance, The Man Made of Words. Wallace Stegner's Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs is a collection of essays about "living and writing in the West." John Brinkerhoff Jackson takes us on a tour of American landscapes in his book A Sense of Place, a Sense of Time. And Wes Jackson's Becoming Native to This Place is based on his personal experiences of settling in a little formerly abandoned Kansas farm town, to establish his Land Institute. Virtually all of these writers share a common feeling that mainstream American society has lost its roots. With our extreme mobility we have lost connectedness with the land. We tend to avoid what is unique and defining of landscapes and to look for what is common or universal. When we drive through small communities, we stop to eat at the Burger King or McDonalds instead of investigating Aunt Sue's Loggers' Cafe. In a way, we have invented "everyplace" by universalizing the common things that we expect and seem to need --- familiar motel facades, common fast food menus, universal cable TV access, etc. But what these authors question is whether "everyplace" is really a "place" at all, hence, whether it serves the needs of being grounded in a place, knowing a landscape, feeling the history of habitation, belonging. Here are some personal observations. When Mammoth Mountain was aggressively developed as a ski resort, in the early 70s, traffic began picking up on US395, running through the town of Bishop.

Impulse †Goddess Body Fragrance Advertisement Essay

The advertisement that I have chosen is the ‘Impulse’ anti-perspirant spray advertisement that was in Glamour magazine, which has an audience of stylish young women. The advert is targeted at the women who would read a magazine like Glamour because it is a women’s fragrance and because the picture at the centre is of a young beautiful woman. It is based on the same idea as the television advertisement for this product that was on at the same. The television advertisement is about a woman who keeps her spray in her handbag. When she opens her bag to use her deodorant, a tribe of little people who live in her bag look up out of her bag at her. They had been living around the aerosol can as if it was a totem pole and they believed that the woman who some times looked down on them from above was a goddess looking down from the heavens. The advertisement that I have chosen shows the scene from the television advertisement where she looks down into her bag and is worshiped by the tribe. The image of the woman and the product are at the centre of the advertisement. It was done in this way so it would grasp the attention of the reader, as the images are the most important parts. The image and text are mainly coloured in shades of gold, which is a colour that suggests wealth and holiness. This emphasises the theme of worship and godliness that is depicted in the advertisement. The advertisement relies on the slogan and image at the centre to get the attention of the reader and to get the right effect. The image is of a pretty young woman with light shining around her to suggest that she is holy and that she is looking down from heaven. The people of the tribe are looking up at her and praising her with their hands raised high. This shows that she is highly respected. Also the tribe are beneath her, which suggests that she is powerful. These are the qualities that reader of the advertisement aspires to when they see it in the magazine. On closer inspection of the picture it can be seen that everyone in the tribe is male. Because it is a tribe of men that is worshipping her, the advertisement is suggesting to the reader that the product will make the user more attractive to men. The advertisement gives a compliment to women in the slogan. â€Å"Summon your inner goddess,† suggests that the reader has an inner beautiful and powerful element that is attractive to other people. The slogan is in large capital letters and is bright and bold. This is because it needs to be highly visible as it is an important part of the advertisement. The rest of the writing, apart from the product name, is very small because it is important to capture the reader’s attention first to gain a larger audience for the advertisement. The details can be described later after people have become interested. There are few words on this advertisement as it relies mainly on the image and slogan to get its point over to the reader. This makes the image more striking and so more likely to catch the reader’s attention. The lack of words can be good because people generally do not want to read too many words. If there were more words the reader’s attention may be lost or the words may distract the attention from the image. Instead of identifying the product as just an anti-perspirant, it is called a body fragrance as well. This is a pleasant way of describing the product and gives the impression of a sweet smell and this is appealing to the reader. Overall the advertisement suggests to the reader that the user of this product will become like a goddess. This means they will be more confident, powerful and attractive. These attributes are very appealing to the target audience for this advertisement. It gives the impression of worship and adoration towards the woman in the picture and this is the type of respect the reader may aspire to.

Eyewitness: Life Essay

In the movie Eyewitness Life, I had many factual observations. First, I noted that cockroaches can survive very low temperatures up until -40c. This has been a very efficient method for their survival. They are among the few creatures that have survived from the prehistoric era. During the change of times and periods such as the ice age, most prehistoric creatures have become extinct. It is this adaptation of the cockroaches that has allowed them to withstand change and be around until today. Second, it showed that humans need to eat as much as they weigh every 50 days. This shows the balance of intake and output with respect to the usage of food we eat for survival. It shows that an adequate amount of nutrition is important to maintain one’s self. It’s amazing how every 50 days, a 70kg man actually should be taking in 70 kg worth of food which is a large quantity, much more than we’d actually notice day by day. Third, primitive life can multiply very fast at breakneck speeds. The significance of this is yet another method of survival. In the wild, there are many predators which can devour the young. Being able to quickly multiply allows nature to continually keep species alive and in good numbers despite the dangers that abound. Fourth, early giraffes may have started with short necks but as they stretched their necks for food they passed on the genes to next generation. This shows us how each specie can adapt to its environment. This allowed giraffes to adapt in order to provide for its needs. Through time, the lengthening of the neck of a giraffe is proof of an animal’s capability to adjust to its environment for survival. Fifth, some male birds catch fish to attract females. The laws of attraction are indeed as real in nature as they are among us men. Sixth, oxygen isn’t always a requirement for life. Bacteria found in deep oceans do not require oxygen. This shows us diversity in nature. Although we humans use oxygen, other creatures are capable of utilizing the other gases for their survival. Those that don’t have access to oxygen, like the bacteria, can adapt and utilize other means. Seventh, when a live sponge is shredded it will replace itself exactly the same way. Once more we see how one can adapt to its environment and survive. This method of regeneration is how the sponge protects itself from extinction. The same goes for starfish and other similar creatures. They can re-grow a lost appendage or part to replace what may have been damaged by a predator. Eighth, tortoises on the Galapagos Island have a notch in their neck, a mutated trait that is passed on to adapt to their environment. Once more, like the giraffe, nature shows how a specie can adapt through time. Ninth, birds are incredible breathing machines. Some can sing without taking another breath. This is an interesting fact. It shows a similarity of birds to us humans, where professional opera singers can mimic this birdlike quality and sing for extended periods on one breath. Lastly, snails move 0. 0013 km per hour. Indeed, they are among the slowest creatures on earth. Hence, nature for adaptation has provided them with a shell for protection, as although speed may not be used for defense, at least the hard covering may pose some resistance in order to survive. Eyewitness: trees In the second movie, the first fact I learned was that trees once covered 4/5 of Earth’s land mass. Secondly, I also noted that trees still cover half of planet area today. This tells me two things. First, trees apparently through time have been an essential part of wildlife and the balance of nature, as since they covered 4/5th of the earth before, they were very much integrated in nature. Second, it shows me how much we have already lost. To have only a half left shows how much more should be done to preserve these trees before even more are destroyed. The third fact is learned is that the oak tree offers habitat for many living things and is one of 30 thousand kinds of trees. Again, this further shows that trees are essential for animals and other wildlife, and the preservation of them is important to protect many aspects of nature. Frogs, salamanders, insects and many more depend on these trees and protecting these creatures means protecting their trees. Fourth, trees can grow almost anywhere, but occasional nature is inhospitable such as in the North and South poles. This shows us that apart from these obscure places, our protection of the forest may not only consist of preventing destruction, but of rebuilding forests as well. Industry over the years has destroyed much of them. As these trees are very capable of growing in almost anywhere, then there is even greater reason to set forth and begin the restoration of these lost forests. Fifth, I learned that from aspirin to the latest cancer drugs, we find treatment from trees. This is a major contribution of trees to our own survival. As these trees show much promise to the world of medicine, then all the more people must be made aware that they must be preserved. For each time some are taken for study, then new ones should be planted. How is the world to progress if we keep taking and taking, and one day there is no more? Another fact I learned was that it takes 4000 mature trees are needed to build a ship. Given the way industry today has taken over, this shows that thousands of trees have been taken to fill our harbors for cargo and trade. The question is: how many of them were actually replaced? It enlightens us regarding the sheer amount of trees that are being taken. In light of their many uses, such as the medicinal use, then much care should be implemented in maintaining a balance between harvest of these trees and restoration of them. Imagine this, the seventh fact I learned was that one tree provides full year oxygen for 8 people. This means that the 4000 trees taken for one ship is oxygen for 32000 people lost. These trees very much provide for us so much, and such, much more concern should be placed on their survival. Eighth fact I learned was that tropical trees grow all year, and for each year, trees grow by just adding rings around their trunk. They add up a new coat each year. I found this interesting as it shows how nature found a way to account for age just the way we do. Ninth, trees are homes for variety of animals. For example, leopards store their prey on trees. Again, not only do trees provide a way of life for the small creatures like frogs and snakes, but for the larger animals as well. A whole environment and diverse balance of life revolves around one tree, from oxygen production, to shelter, to food, and all these are deprived from creatures by their loss. Thus, by destroying trees, we are contributing to the loss of nature itself. The last fact I learned was an interesting one about the giant sequoia. This apparently is the biggest tree and can grow up until 34-storeys tall. In a tree so great and so large, imagine how much it can provide to all life around it. Amazing. Eyewitness: Mammals I learned many things from this movie as well. The first fact I learned was that elephants never stop growing. Apparently, they can live up until 80 years, however in the wild, only until 30 years. I found it interesting that the elephants can actually live as long as we do. Also interesting was how much shorter they live in the wild, precisely 50 years shorter. This shows us the role of care and resources to life. In the wild, they have to provide food for themselves and in the event of a drought and such, when food is scarce, survival time is shorter. Secondly, in the wild, they are exposed to the elements, such as wind, heat and rain, which bear wear and tear on them also decreasing life. Of course, as an additional factor, they are targets as prey for carnivores and this also can decrease their life span. When in care, they are exempt from many of these, thus they live longer lives. I’d say the same for us humans, and any other creature, who can expect longer lives when in good care and nurturing environment. The second fact I learned was that bats are only mammals that can truly fly. They have great navigation skills, can see pray without using their eyes, and have enough stealth to attack their prey without being heard. This primarily shows that bats are in fact not birds, and belong to our group of species: the mammals. It’s interesting how they have managed to adapt by garnering the ability to approach in stealth. This ensures them adequate food resource needed to survive. It also helps with their habitat, as their flight skills allow them to navigate in the dark caves where the dwell. Third, polar bear have black skin and white fur. This was interesting as it shows camouflage. Polar bears live in icy regions. Their white fur allows them to blend in the surroundings to aid in the hunt for food. Fourth, a duck that lay eggs is a mammal. As ducks are birds, there are some mammals that may look like a duck because they possess a similar foot webbing or beak, such as a platypus. Fifth, some anteaters eat 30000 ants per day. This was another interesting fact as 30000 ants a day, would mean 210000 ants a week, and millions more a month. Sixth, rabbits communicate with tail talk. Communication is one similarity between us and animals only in different form. It interesting to see how just like we do, animals have learned to coordinate by other forms of communication. As whales can use their sonar, rabbits use their tails. Seventh fact is that camels are able to detect water more than few days away. These creatures live in the deserts where water is scarce. This ability is an amazing adaptation as it allows them to survival resources in the harshest conditions. Their hump is also another adaptation is it stores energy and fat needed in the event that water and food are miles away through the desert. Eighth, a dominant male seal can mate 100 times in one season. This is a survival method. By having the capability to do so, one males can impregnate more than a hundred females thus ensuring a lot of newborn seals to increase their number by next season. It keeps them in survival despite being prey to the polar bears and killer whales. Ninth, a mouse is only pregnant 6 weeks and a cat 9 weeks. The short gestation period allows room for multiple births a year, against ensuring survival of a species through regular reproduction. The last fact was that if a hedgehog falls down from height, it bounces. This was so interesting, as it apparently has a ball like quality. This helps it survive a fall as it covering allows the bounce to reduce the pressure of impact, and helping it survive.

Analysis of Troy: Film Essay

The story takes place in the fertile, eastern lands bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and kept by the gods. Within the cradle of ancient civilization empires are built, wars fought, alliances forged, and heroes born. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, has united most of Greece’s kingdoms under his rule and now advances his army upon the nation of Thessaly, hoping to include it in his collection of ever-growing conquests. King Triopas bargains with Agamemnon to each let one of their best fighters decide who wins the battle rather than engaging in open war. Triopas calls upon the giant Boagrius while Agamemnon calls to Achilles, but the legendary warrior is nowhere to be found. A messenger boy is sent to fetch him and Agamemnon curses the stubborn nature of the fiercest warrior Greece has ever seen. A half-god and blessed with incomparable strength and skill, Achilles lives to fight but he refuses to associate with Agamemnon, preferring instead to seek his own destiny and be immortalized in history. Achilles easily defeats Boagrius, sealing Agamemnon’s control over the nation, and calls out if there is anyone else worthy enough to fight him. Meanwhile, Princes Hector and Paris of Troy feast in the banquet hall of King Menelaus of Sparta as honored guests and peace ambassadors to their home nation. However, young Paris sneaks away to be with Menelaus’ beautiful wife, Helen whom he loves dearly. He convinces her to come back with him to Troy, stowing her away on his brother’s ship. When Hector finds out he is clearly angry but it is too late to return to Sparta with Helen and seek pardon. Finding Helen gone, Menelaus vows revenge on Troy and seeks the approval of his brother, Agamemnon, who is only too happy to oblige, though Agamemnon’s decision comes mostly from his desire to sack Troy. Odysseus, king of Ithaca and under command of Agamemnon, goes to convince Achilles to accompany them in the conquest of Troy. He finds him sparring with his young cousin, Patroclus who is more than eager to join in the fighting. But Achilles refuses to go, despite Odysseus’ assurance that this war will go down into history. Achilles later seeks advice from his mother,  the sea nymph Thetis who is gathering shells to make a new necklace for him. She tells him that if he chooses to stay home he will find a wife, raise a family, and die old and loved. If he goes to Troy, he will find his eternal glory and history will remember his name for thousands of years. However, should he go to Troy, he is doomed to die and will never return. Meanwhile, Hector and Paris return to Troy with Helen, greeted warmly by their fellow Trojans. The city is guarded by a high, thick wall that has remained impenetrable since its founding. They meet their father, King Priam who welcomes Helen and praises her beauty. Hector is reunited with his wife, Andromache and his infant son. Achilles decides to join Agamemnon’s campaign against Troy but brings his own warriors, the Myrmidons, led by Eudorus. Patroclus accompanies them as well. The Myrmidons prove to be faster rowers than the Greeks and arrive on the shores of Troy before anyone else, though Achilles tells Patroclus to stay and watch the ship. They take the beach with ease and sack the Temple of Apollo where priestess and cousin of Hector and Paris, Briseis is taken captive. In a defiant move, Achilles decapitates the statue of Apollo. Prince Hector leads an offensive to keep the Greeks at bay and runs into the temple where Achilles confronts him but refuses to fight him. Achilles explains that their fight would be suited best in front of an audience and he allows Hector to leave. Briseis is brought to Achilles’ hut as his prize. She berates him for killing priests of Apollo before he is summoned to see Agamemnon who is preparing to celebrate the victory. There, tensions rise as Achilles and the king argue over claims to the victory. Agamemnon goes further by bringing in Briseis, claiming her as his own spoil of war, which drives Achilles into a rage. He threatens to fight for her but she angrily interjects, saying that no one else will die for her. Achilles stays his blade, to the surprise of Agamemnon. Achilles vows that Agamemnon will one day fall under his sword. That night, Priam seeks the advice of his advisors and elders with his sons in attendance, discussing how best to defend against the Greeks. Paris  offers an alternative to bloodshed; he will fight Menelaus for Helen’s hand. The winner will take her home and the loser will burn before nightfall. Later, Priam speaks with Paris in a courtyard and admits that, in all the wars hes fought for power or land, a war fought for love makes more sense. He gives Paris the Sword of Troy, forged at its founding and containing the history of their nation. He explains that as long as a Trojan wields it there is hope for their people. Hector goes to see his wife and son. She fears for his life and can’t imagine living on without him. He comforts her before getting up to see his brother. In the halls, he sees a cloaked figure and gives pursuit to find that it’s Helen trying to leave the city. She is remorseful for being the sole reason so many Trojan men died that day but Hector tells her that returning to Menelaus will not end the war and that she is a princess of Troy now. Helen returns to Paris. The next day, Agamemnon’s army marches for Troy while Achilles, still seething over his loss of Briseis, watches from a nearby hill with his men. Hector and Paris ride out to meet Agamemnon and Menelaus before battle. Agamemnon demands that the Trojans return Helen to his brother and submit to his rule. Hector bravely rebuffs but Paris offers to fight Menelaus one-on-one, hoping that will settle the dispute. While Agamemnon could care less about returning Helen to his brother, he allows Menelaus the opportunity to issue revenge. The two begin their fight and Menelaus is clearly stronger. Paris is wounded and disarmed but, before Menelaus can deliver a death blow, ducks away and crawls back to his brother. Stunned at his cowardice, Menelaus demands the fight to continue but Hector defends his brother and drives his sword through Menelaus, killing him. Enraged, Agamemnon charges forward with his army. Watching from his hilltop, Achilles can’t help but curse under his breath at Agamemnon’s inability to keep his ranks in formation. Hector proves to be the more able warrior and overpowers the Greeks with his tactics. One of the strongest Greek warriors, Ajax is felled by Hector. Odysseus advises Agamemnon to fall back before he loses his entire army and the Greeks  retreat to the beach where their archers provide defense. With Menelaus dead, the main reason for the assault on Troy is gone and Agamemnon struggles to think of a way to rally the troops to his cause. Odysseus suggests that Agamemnon put his reservations aside and enlist Achilles to fight again. Outside, Briseis is tossed around between Greek soldiers, having been given to them by Agamemnon. Before she can be cruelly branded, Achilles steps in and takes her back to his hut. He gives her a wet cloth to clean with and some food. When she questions why he fights and defies the gods, he shows her a more reflective side to his nature and explains that the gods are jealous of men for their short, mortal lives. As such, everything is more beautiful. Priam consults with his advisors again while Paris laments over his cowardice. Helen assures him that, though Menelaus was a strong warrior, she hated her life with him. She’d rather have someone to love and grow old with than to see him die on the battlefield. Hector advises his father that the Greeks underestimated Trojan strength and that they should not do the same. However, General Glaucus wants to strike preemptively and High Priest Archeptolemus claims Troy is favored by the gods, citing bird omens. Despite Hector’s warnings to keep behind their walls, Priam favors his advisors and issues an attack before daybreak. As Achilles sleeps that night, Briseis takes a dagger and holds it to his throat. Without opening his eyes, he encourages her to kill him but she hesitates. They realize their feelings for each other and make love. Achilles decides that he’s had enough of war and offers to take Briseis away from Troy. Afterwards, he speaks with Eudorus and tells him that they will go home. Hearing this, Patroclus is devastated, having hoped to take part in battle. Achilles returns to his hut. Just as dawn approaches, the Trojan army, led by Hector, set up on the dunes and sent hundreds of lit arrows into the sand. The Greeks awake in time to see large balls of hay being rolled down the hill towards camp, ignited in huge fireballs by the torched arrows. Banging their shields to intimidate, the Trojans advance towards the Greek camp. Suddenly, Achilles appears in his armor and rallies the troops to fight. Achilles fights his way towards Hector and the two engage in combat. Greeks and Trojans alike surround them, edging them on, until Hector slits Achilles’ throat with a swift thrust of the sword. Achilles falls, gasping for breath, while the Myrmidons look on in horror. But when Hector removes his helmet, he discovers that the man he wounded is not Achilles; its Patroclus. Hector, repentant but resolute, drives his sword into the boy’s chest to finish him. He addresses Odysseus and tells him they’ve fought enough that day. Before leaving, Odysseus tells Hector that Patroclus was Achilles’ cousin. The Myrmidons return to camp as Achilles emerges from his tent. Seeing them battle-worn, he asks why they disobeyed him. Eudorus laments that Patroclus disguised himself in Achilles’ armor, even moved like him, and fell under Hector. Achilles is outraged and attacks Eudorus. Briseis tries to stop him but he throws her to the ground. Hector returns to his wife. He admits that he killed a boy who was much too young and feels that his actions will have severe repercussions. He shows his wife a hidden passage under Troy that she can take civilians through to get to the mountains should he die and the walls be breached. Though she is upset to have to consider this, she heeds his advice. Achilles puts his cousin on a funeral pyre and sets it alight. Agamemnon watches and says, â€Å"That boy may have just saved the war for us,† knowing that the rage of Achilles will not wane until he’s had revenge. Meanwhile, Helen watches as Paris practices his archery in preparation for battle, hitting his target time and again. The following morning, Achilles sets off to enact vengeance upon Hector. Briseis begs him not to go, but he ignores her. He rides to the gates of Troy and calls for Hector who dresses in his armor and says goodbye to his wife. He meets Achilles outside alone. Achilles throws down his helmet so that Hector can see his face. Though Hector tries to reason, Achilles is bent on bloodlust. As they begin to fight, Priam and Paris watch while Helen  comforts Andromache who can’t bring herself to look. Achilles overpowers Hector by driving his spear into his chest before finishing him with his sword. He then ties Hector’s legs together behind his chariot and drags him away, back to the beach. When he returns to his hut, Briseis cries out and asks when the killing will stop before leaving. That night, Achilles is visited by a stranger in a cloak. The stranger kisses Achilles’ hand before revealing himself as none other than King Priam. Having stealthily entered the Greek camp unnoticed, Priam begs for his son’s body back to be given a proper burial. He tells Achilles that, while Hector killed his cousin, he did not know who it was and he asks Achilles how many cousins and brothers he’s killed in his time. Despite being enemies, he asks for respect. Achilles relents. He weeps over Hector’s body, promising to meet him in the next life, before giving him to Priam. When Briseis comes forward, Achilles allows her to go home and apologizes for hurting her. He gives Priam his word that the Greeks will not attack Troy for 12 days to allot for proper mourning. When Agamemnon hears of Achilles’ secret treaty with Priam, he becomes incensed. But Odysseus, who notices the sculpture of a horse a fellow soldier has made for his son, proposes a plan, putting the 12 days of mourning to their advantage. After 12 days, the Trojans discover that the beach has been abandoned and various bodies lie in the sand. They appear to have been taken by disease and, where the heart of the camp once was, a large wooden horse has been erected. Upon seeing this, Priam is advised that the horse was left as a gift to the god Poseidon and is encouraged to bring it back to Troy. Paris, who is suspicious, urges his father to burn the horse, but Priam brings the horse into the city where its revered as a sign of the end of the war. A Trojan scout, hiking through the cliffs outside the city, comes upon a cove apart from the main beach and discovers the Greek armada hiding there. However, he is killed by arrow before he can warn the rest of Troy. Meanwhile, the whole city celebrates into the night. Once everything has  quieted down, the horse opens and Achilles, Odysseus, and a mass of Greek soldiers emerge from inside and open Troy’s gates where the rest of the Greek army has gathered. They quickly infiltrate the city, pillaging and burning homes and killing any Trojan who stands in their way while a tearful Priam can only watch. Soldiers of Troy attempt to defend the royal palace, but fail. As Priam prays before the statue of Apollo and asks why he’s been forsaken, Agamemnon comes up behind him and stabs him in the back. Achilles, meanwhile, searches the city for Briseis. Paris and Andromache lead surviving civilians down to the secret passage where Paris gives a young boy, Aeneas (a progenitor of the Romans), the Sword of Troy, reciting what his father told him. He then returns with his bow and arrow to help fight. Briseis is praying before a statue of Apollo when she is grabbed from behind by Agamemnon. Achilles sees this and runs to her aid. Agamemnon tells Briseis his intent to take her back to Greece as his slave before she takes a concealed knife and fatally stabs him in the neck. His guards accost her but Achilles kills them. As he is helping her up, Paris arrives and shoots an arrow through Achilles’ heel. Standing up to face Paris, despite Briseis’ cries, Achilles is shot again through the chest. He removes the arrow only to be shot again and again, each time removing the arrow. He finally collapses and tells Briseis that she was his peace in a lifetime of war and urges her to escape. Briseis goes with Paris and they leave as the Greeks arrive at the palace to find Achilles dead, seemingly taken by a single shot to the heel (thus perpetuating the myth surrounding his death). Achilles’ body is burned honorably on a funeral pyre within the ruins of Troy the following day as Odysseus watches and exalts, â€Å"If they ever tell my story, let them say I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat, but these names will never die. Let them say I lived in the time of Hector, tamer of horses. Let them say I lived in the time of Achilles.† Conclusion: The movie Troy ended with Odysseus burning Achilles in a funeral pyre. Achilles died at the end of the Trojan War and is a hero after saving Briseis. Analysis: Based on what I’ve research, Troy is an adaptation of the poem written by Homer it is also known as The Iliad and The screenplay was written by David Benioff and stars who were Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Brian Cox, Diane Kruger and Rose Byrne. The Importance of this film is in regards to the City of Troy, the alliances of the Greeks, and the reason behind the war itself. It was made to capture the imagination of Homer and his poems. The actors were chosen and represented through his eyes, yet embellished a great deal for entertainment purposes. Which it was enjoyable to watch, I found it somewhat inaccurate with questions unanswered. While there may also be evidence to support much of what Homer wrote about, the movie in itself creates a different illusion. The time, places, and people were either out of date nor not even involved in some cases. However, the actors portrayed what Homer described perfectly. Achilles was very strong and considered immortal, Hector was the bravest and modest leader of Troy under the Rule of Priam. Helen was extremely magnificently beautiful while Paris was naà ¯ve and weak. All of the characters involved had important roles whose actions were caused of many important events. However, if you relate back to Homer and back of what historians have discovered, the movie wasn’t accurate representation.

Poet Hughes Life and My Contribution to Poetry Essay

Poet Hughes Life and My Contribution to Poetry - Essay Example Biography James Mercer Langston Hughes was born on 1 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. He was the second child to Caroline (Carrie) Mercer Langston and James Nathaniel Hughes. Hughes mother worked as a teacher. Langston had a rough childhood. One of the experiences that greatly bore on him was the divorce of his parents. Upon divorce, Langston’s father left for Cuba and later settled in Mexico. He sought to escape racism that was rampant in the United States of America (West 160). After his parents separated, Langston stayed back with his mother. However, his mother travelled a lot in search for employment. As a result, Langston grew in a number of Midwestern towns. Langston’s maternal grandmother, Mary Patterson Langston, played a major part in raising young Langston Hughes. She was of great influence to young Langston in matters relating to racial pride, which she drew from black American oral tradition and activist experiences. Langston stayed with his grandmother i n Lawrence, Kansas, where he spent a better part of his childhood. Upon the death of his grandmother, Hughes moved in with his family friends, James and Mary Reed. He stayed with them for two years but later moved in with his mother in Lincoln, Illinois. Carrie remarried while Hughes was an adolescent. This made them move to Cleveland, Ohio where he attended high school. Their home was auctioned in February 1918 for $16,667. Since Hughes spent most of his childhood away from his father, they had a poor relationship. He lived with him for a short period in 1919. After graduating from high school, Hughes moved back in with his father in 1920. He hoped to convince his father to allow him to attend Columbia University. Hughes’ father had a dislike for Negroes and hoped that his son would study abroad. He was willing to support his son financially had Hughes agreed to do away with his ambition as a writer and pursue engineering. Hughes and his father came to a compromise that he w ould undertake engineering at Columbia University. After a two-year stay at the university, Hughes left due to racial prejudice. To earn a living, Hughes worked various odd jobs. At one time, he worked as a crewmember aboard the S.S Malone. Working on this ship saw him spend six months travelling partly to West Africa and Europe. He returned to the United States and secured a white-collar job working at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. He served as a personal assistant to Carter G. Woodson. The job was too demanding for him, as it did not give him enough time to pursue his writing. Consequently, he quit the job and got another job as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel. It is at this place that he met the poet Vachel Lindsay. Lindsay was impressed by Hughes’ work and went ahead to publicize his discovery of Hughes as a poet. Some of Hughes earlier work was already published in magazines and was about to compile them into his first book of poe try. Hughes went ahead to enroll in Lincoln University which was synonymous with blacks in Chester county, Pennsylvania. Upon completing his B.A degree from Lincoln University in 1929, he went back to New York. He did a few travels to the Soviet Union and the Caribbean but spent a better part of his adulthood in Harlem. Controversy looms over Hughes’s sexuality. Some people such as Arnold Rampersand, Hughes primary biographers believe that he exuded homosexual tendencies in his poems thus belief that he preferred African American men (p.69). Hughes died on May 22, 1967.

Human Resource Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resource Management - Term Paper Example In the course of performing these activities, HRM faces a lot of challenges. This term paper provides a comprehensive insight into the challenges commonly faced by HRM in each of the aforementioned activities. Issues of Human Resource Management Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Diversity as well as equality has played an important role not only in legislation and policies developed, but it has been demonstrated that it contributes to a business success (Foot, 2011). A diverse workforce allows for a wider pool of possible employees and can increase the chance of finding the best match for a job position. Similarities can be found within the legislation of several countries with regard to equality. The Equality Act 2010 UK (although sometimes considered as controversial) and the Civil Rights Act 1964 US are just some examples of legislation enforced to ensure equality at the workplace. The most common characteristics, which are protected, are age, sex, race, religion or belie f, pregnancy and disability (Noe, 2011). Yet, one has to bear in mind that Equal Employment Opportunity â€Å"does not mean preferential treatment for one individual over another† (Bernardin, 2011, p.84) due to the above-mentioned characteristics. Hiring a person solely on the ground of him or her belonging to a minority while rejecting a more qualified applicant can also be considered as discrimination. In order to work within the law, any Human Resource practice has to evaluate internal policies and adjust documents and actions so they are compliant and do not show some kind of discrimination. However, equality does not only play a role during recruitment; a good equality policy can attract future employees, creates a framework on acceptable behavior and in turn can ensure that employees are treated fairly (Foot, 2011). Job Design and Analysis â€Å"Job design determines the way in which work should be performed which, in turn, affects the degree of authority of an employe e over the work; the scope of decision-making by the employee; the number of tasks an employee has to perform; and employee satisfaction† (icmrindia.org, 2012). Job analysis is a detailed study of the scope of work and roles and responsibility of the employee in that position. Job designing and analysis is not much of an issue in a stable work environment. However, HRM faces challenges when the organizational culture is dynamic and the top management frequently makes changes in the organization structure in its attempt to change the system for the better. Planning and Recruiting of Human Resources Planning and recruiting is a very technical task and demands considerable effort on the part of the HRM. Before advertising any vacancy, the HRM needs to identify the skills’ gap in the existing organizational workforce, the job role and responsibilities of the prospective employee, the method of recruiting, analysis of the results, and integration of the new employee into the existing organizational culture and setup. To identify the roles and responsibilities of the new employee, the HRM needs to conduct a detailed study and may require input from the existing workforce. Designing of the method of recruiting is another very complicated and extremely important task because this is the