Comparing Henry David Thoreau And Herman Melvilles Writings :: essays research papers

Comparing Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville's Writings Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville focused their writings on how man was affected by nature. They translated their philosophies though both the portrayal of their protagonist and their own self exploration. In Moby Dick, Melville writes about Ahab's physical and metaphysical struggle over the great white whale, Moby Dick, symbolic of man's struggle against the overwhelming forces of nature. Ahab's quest is reported and experienced through the eyes of Ishmael. Melville's use of the third person's biographical standpoint exposes conflicting viewpoints that were both in agreement and disagreement with Ahab's quest, creatively allowing Melville to transcend the story line and expostulate his own philosophies. In contrast, Thoreau, wrote from an autobiographical standpoint revealing his own internal conflicts with mans struggle against nature. In, Walden - A life in the Woods, Thoreau reveals his mental and spiritual beliefs through a personal journey in which he strives to become in tune with n ature, working not to be victorious over these universal forces, but rather to participate in harmony with nature, in tern exposing love and truth. Both authors attempt to analyze all aspects of nature and its relevance to human life. They explore the powers and influences of nature over mankind. However, Melville centers his point of view upon mankind in conflict with nature's forces, while Thoreau believes that if mankind experiences nature, we will envelope ideas which will teach mankind to live harmoniously in our natural environment; in turn, allowing individuals to reach the highest levels of achievement synergistically with nature. In Moby Dick, Herman Melville illustrates man's quest to attain the supreme power of God through the monomaniacal Captain Ahab. Captain Ahab is obsessed with the desire to destroy Moby Dick, his nemesis, which is truly symbolic of man's overwhelming quest to control and conquer nature. Melville depicts Ahab as an evil, egotistical human whose willingness to combat the forces of nature represents man's failure to understand his place in the universe. Melville uses Ishmael to voice his philosophies which portray Ahab as a crazy captain who fails to realize that he's up an unconquerable force. Melville utilizes Ishmael further voice his life philosophies through grossly symbolic statements like, "No, when I go to sea, I go as a simple sailor†¦ I have the satisfaction that all is right; that everybody else is one way or other served in much the same way - either in a physical or metaphysical point of view." (pg. 14 - 15). Through, Ishmael, Melville expresses his longing, for beauty and nature, and a t the same time he contrasts his desires against

Antony and Cleopatra Essay

This scene presents the readers with a brief preface to the universally known love story of Antony, the ‘triple power of this world’, and Cleopatra, his ‘wrangling strumpet’. The scene opens with two Romans, Philo and Demetrius, discussing the incredible power Cleopatra has over Antony and the remarkable change they can perceive in Antony’s character. Through Philo’s opening speech we are told that Antony’s former qualities included those of a strong-minded ruler and a valiant warrior, including physical prowess and military skill. However, the Romans now see him as a changed man who is no longer behaving like a ruler; instead of fulfilling the duties of a leader and returning to Rome, he is being ruled by a â€Å"tawny gypsy†. Thus, before meeting the lovers themselves, we are presented with the Roman attitude towards the relationship; responsibility and allegiance has been abandoned for love. We sense that Antony must be debating in his mind whether to pursue his passion or perform his duty, and those around him are anxiously waiting for him to embrace his role as a leader again and return to his former self. On observing the interaction between the two characters, I found myself accepting Philo’s objections to the relationship and his observations on Antony’s altered state, and studying the evident infatuation that is blinding Antony as he loses his sense of responsibility. Cleopatra is his self-indulgence, and he cannot entirely understand his great sexual passion for her. We know that his overindulgence leads to a loss of reason and control later in the play, and the disregard he expresses in this first scene towards his obligations makes us aware of the great power his passion has. â€Å"Let the Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch/of their love. † His indifference towards the news from Rome again illustrates how he is shirking his duties in Rome when under the spell of the exotic, mysterious eastern monarch. From the first scene, we learn of Cleopatra’s ‘tawny front’, entrapment of a great general and her ‘gypsy lust’. Her entrance is a grand one, accompanied by Antony, ‘her Ladies, the train, with Eunuchs fanning her’. Her authority and command as a ruler are emphasized, and as we then witness in the dialogue between the lovers, her power over Antony mirrors her political power. In this first scene, we see Cleopatra as both dominant and skeptical. ‘If it be love indeed’, she taunts Antony, ‘tell me how much. ‘ Antony, the ‘triple pillar of the world’ is ‘transform’d /Into a strumpet’s fool’ as he prepares to renounce all his power in exchange for Cleopatra. Cleopatra seems to love these assertions of love, as she is wary of the fact that she stands on loose ground, even though she is a seductress of the best abilities. Antony is married to Fulvia, and Cleopatra questions his love for his wife†¦ is it greater than the love he holds for her? We see here that her love for Antony is possessive, yet she too depends on it. Although she dominates Antony in the opening exchanges, her first line ‘If it be love indeed, tell me how much’ points to the ever searching, questing, explorative nature of her personality. She teases, wrangles and resists the definite, whilst playing on Antony’s weak spots, reminding him of his wife and public responsibilities. Thus, I feel the strongest aspect of the relationship that Shakespeare conveys here is highlighted when Antony tells Cleopatra ‘There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch/Without some pleasure now’: all is to be reduced and sacrificed for the sensuous, intense pleasure of the moment – hedonism is to predominate over duty and responsibility.

How does society shape people’s lives? Essay

The aim of this essay is to explore how society shapes people’s lives. The meaning of the word â€Å"shaping† in this context means to â€Å"influence or affect† (The Open University, 2013, YO32 p 29). This essay will focus on Childhood: Body image and stress related eating disorders, from Block 4, Unit 3 and Psychology: Social influence, happiness and natural and synthetic happiness from Unit 5. Society has shaped us to embrace a rather different body image to that of 100 years ago to the point where being slim is now considered the norm (The Open University, 2013 Unit 3, 3.2). There has been a shift from the plumper body image seen in paintings dating back to the 19th century, to the ultra slim catwalk models of today. As there has been a shift in body image, there has also been a shift in eating habits (The Open University, 2013, Unit 3, 3.2). It is now less likely for families to sit down together and eat the more traditional three meals a day, with young people now more likely to favour energy dense fast food diets (NSHD) (n.d.). The National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) (n.d.) recommends that young people should take regular exercise and have a minimum of 3 thirty minute sessions of exercise per week and drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day. The pressure society places on young people to conform to the ideal body image has led to many adolescents developing stress-related eating disorders (The Open University, 2013, Unit 3, 3.4). There are three main eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and binge eating (The Open University, 2013, Unit 3, 3.6). Disordered eating is a mental illness in which the patient severely restricts their calorie intake. Although girls are mainly affected by anorexia a significant number of boys are also affected (the Open University, 2013). AN is quite different from BN giving sufferers of BN cause to overeat and then purge to make themselves sick, thereby controlling their weight (The Open University, 2013, Unit 3, 3.4). It could be argued that the media’s portrayal of the ideal body shape may lead to young people developing eating disorders. The evidence suggests the Press may be partly to blame, and that society is ignoring a cry for help. Quoted in the Daily Telegraph (Jardine, 2013), Kate Moss said â€Å"nothing tastes as good as skinny feels† – comments like this add fuel to the argument. Worries about physical appearance lead to low self-esteem and a need to control weight, which may lead into a cycle of depression and a further loss of confidence (NIMH) (n.d.). Eating habits have changed significantly in the post war period (Young’s, 2004). Young’s points out that these changes in eating habits and the abundance of food now available, in part due to the role played by supermarkets, fast food outlets and the growth in international travel, could also be having a detrimental effect on body image. The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2004) reports 10% of children are overweight lending support to the argument that body image in the media may influence the young. Eating disorders such as AN and BN are attempts by young people to be in control of the way they look and are portrayed by society , which may influence their happiness. The influence of our social roles within society, whether in our work or home lives, will affect our happiness in our individual roles (The Open University, 2013 p47). Influences on happiness and unhappiness may include factors such as being in employment, strong family support, a good network of friends and a sense of belonging (The Open University, 2013 p48). Being active and keeping one’s mind active is also an important part of being happy and having as many different sources of interest as possible may contribute to this. People who are less active and have fewer contacts may be unhappier than those who don’t (Layard, 2005). How one perceives happiness may vary with the socio-cultural environment in which they were brought up, with people in Western society being generally happier (White, 2006). The influence of happiness on our everyday lives contributes greatly to the way we feel about ourselves. As a species we have evolved a mechanism by which we can make up almost anything. Gilbert describes a mechanism he defines as an â€Å"experience simulator†, which means we have the ability to imagine a situation before it actually happens (The Open University, 2013 p51). Another term introduced by Gilbert is â€Å"impact bias†, which broadly means that within 6-12 months following an apparently life-changing event,  one will be as happy after the event as before. Gilbert explains â€Å"real happiness is what we get when we get what we want, as opposed to synthetic happiness which is what we get when we don’t get what we really want† (The Open University, 2013 pp50-51). It could be argued that if we play a certain role we can synthesise a greater sense of happiness. The evidence suggests that whatever our role in society is, we have an ability to find the best in every situation. Layard (2005) points out that our societal roles play a major part in perceived happiness. Gilbert (The Open University, 2013) points to scientific data that would seem to confirm Layard’s view that a person’s sense of happiness can be influenced by how we live our lives. Gilbert presents two sets of experimental data as evidence that happiness can be synthesised. These sets of data were from only a small sample size and the results may not be representative of society, so further research should be undertaken. One’s individual sense of happiness, whether synthetic or real, will reflect on how society in general operates. In the author’s opinion, having a happy society can only be good in creating a happier world. Conclusion Society has shaped us to believe that body image is all too important, as we are constantly bombarded with a view of the perceived ideal. Looking good would appear to make us happy, possibly more so during our youth, but there are obviously many other factors that can contribute to happiness. References (All these references have been visited) Jardine, C. (2010) ‘Eating disorders in the young’, The Telegraph, 29 September 2010 [Online]. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ health/ children shealth/8030962/ Eating-disorders-in-the-young.html (Accessed 16 May 2014). Layard, R. (2005) Happiness: Lessons from a New Science, New York, Penguin. National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) (n.d.) [Online]. Available at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ health/ publications/ eating-disorders/ index.shtml (Accessed 14 May 2014). National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) (n.d.) [Online]. Available at http://www.nshd.mrc.ac.uk/(Accessed 21 May 2014). The Open University (2013). Block 4, Unit 3, Childhood: society, food and children. 3.6 different eating disorders [Online]. Available at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anorexia-nervosa/Pages/Introduction.aspx (accessed 23 May 2014) The Open University (2013). Block 4, Unit 3, Childhood: society, food and children. 3.2 healthy eating [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=441400#downloads (accessed 23 May 2014). The Open University, 2013. YO32-13J. Block 4, Unit 3 Childhood: society, food and children. 3.2 healthy eating [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=441400#downloads (Accessed 30 April 2014). The Open University, 2013. â€Å"Block 4 society, Unit 5†. Psychology, society, selves and happiness, p47. Milton Keynes, The Ope n University. The Open University, 2013. â€Å"Block 4 society, Unit 5†. Psychology: society, selves and happiness, p48. Milton Keynes, The Open University. The Open University, 2013. YO32 People, work and society access module. Assessment guidelines, p29. Milton Keynes, The Open University. White, A. (2006) â€Å"University of Leicester produces the first ever world map of happiness† [Online]. Available at http://www.le.ac.uk/ebulletin-archive/ ebulletin/news/press-releases/2000-2009/2006/07/nparticle.2006-07-28.html (Accessed 24 April 2014). World Health Organisation (WHO) (2004) ‘Fight childhood obesity to help prevent diabetes, says WHO & IDF’, WHO, 11 November 2004 [Online]. Available at http://www.who.int./ mediacentre/ news/ releases/ 2004/ pr81/ en/ (Accessed 20 May 2014). Youngs, I. (2004) ‘My wartime menu’, BBC News Online, 30 June 2004 [Online]. Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 1/ hi/ magazine/ 3847041.stm (Accessed 23 April 2014 ).

Free Essays on Earths Fury

On March 28, 1964 the United States saw it’s largest earthquake. It occurred in Alaska, covering an area of about 600,000 square kilometers. This devastating event cost Alaska millions of dollars, and 110 casualties. The massive earthquake caused businesses, schools, and major stores to be out of business, generated a huge tsunami, and created a devouring landslide, which covered a large area. Anchorage suffered the most damage with over thirty blocks of thriving commercial buildings, and businesses being destroyed. Two public schools were completely demolished, and one was severely damaged. One major department store and two housing complexes collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The earthquake cause a total of 311 million dollars in property damage, and only lasted an estimated three minutes. The shock generated a tsunami around the gulf of Alaska. This treacherous tsunami claimed fifteen lives, and caused serious damage. Parts of Hawaii, and Canada also experienced the effect of this huge wave Canada. Its maximum height was sixty- seven meters, it was also recorded on the tide gages of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Effects of this tsunami were felt globally. The people that were lucky enough to escape the major effects of the earthquake, weren’t lucky entirely. When the earthquake occurred it brought a severe landslide with it, causing heavy damage. An area of 140 acres with seventy-five houses on it was completely destroyed. The slide also damaged the water and gas mains, causing even more problem for the people of Alaska. A numerous amount of telephone lines and electrical systems were also destroyed because of the slide. The effects of the earthquake was felt by everyone, not just by the victims, but by the people who’s everyday lives were changed due to harsh geographical conditions. The technology used to predict earth... Free Essays on Earth's Fury Free Essays on Earth's Fury On March 28, 1964 the United States saw it’s largest earthquake. It occurred in Alaska, covering an area of about 600,000 square kilometers. This devastating event cost Alaska millions of dollars, and 110 casualties. The massive earthquake caused businesses, schools, and major stores to be out of business, generated a huge tsunami, and created a devouring landslide, which covered a large area. Anchorage suffered the most damage with over thirty blocks of thriving commercial buildings, and businesses being destroyed. Two public schools were completely demolished, and one was severely damaged. One major department store and two housing complexes collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The earthquake cause a total of 311 million dollars in property damage, and only lasted an estimated three minutes. The shock generated a tsunami around the gulf of Alaska. This treacherous tsunami claimed fifteen lives, and caused serious damage. Parts of Hawaii, and Canada also experienced the effect of this huge wave Canada. Its maximum height was sixty- seven meters, it was also recorded on the tide gages of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Effects of this tsunami were felt globally. The people that were lucky enough to escape the major effects of the earthquake, weren’t lucky entirely. When the earthquake occurred it brought a severe landslide with it, causing heavy damage. An area of 140 acres with seventy-five houses on it was completely destroyed. The slide also damaged the water and gas mains, causing even more problem for the people of Alaska. A numerous amount of telephone lines and electrical systems were also destroyed because of the slide. The effects of the earthquake was felt by everyone, not just by the victims, but by the people who’s everyday lives were changed due to harsh geographical conditions. The technology used to predict earth...

The Approach to the Inmost Cave in the Heros Journey

The Approach to the Inmost Cave in the Hero's Journey This article is part of our series on the heros journey, starting with The Heros Journey Introduction and The Archetypes of the Heros Journey. Approach to the Inmost Cave The hero has adjusted to the special world and goes on to seek its heart, the inmost cave. She passes into an intermediate zone with new threshold guardians and tests. She approaches the place where the object of the quest is hidden and where she will encounter supreme wonder and terror, according to Christopher Voglers The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure. She must use every lesson learned to survive. The hero often has disheartening setbacks while approaching the cave. She is torn apart by challenges, which allow her to put herself back together in a more effective form for the ordeal to come. She discovers she must get into the minds of those who stand in her way, Vogler says. If she can understand or empathize with them, the job of getting past them or absorbing them becomes much easier. The approach encompasses all the final preparations for the ordeal. It brings the hero to the stronghold of the opposition, where she needs to use every lesson she has learned. Dorothy and her friends, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion face a series of obstacles, enter a second special world (Oz) with its own unique guardians and rules, and are given the impossible task of entering the inmost cave, the Wicked Witch’s castle. Dorothy is warned of the supreme danger in this quest and becomes aware that she is challenging a powerful status quo. There is an eerie region around the inmost cave where it is clear that the hero has entered shaman’s territory on the edge of life and death, Vogler writes. Scarecrow is torn apart; Dorothy is flown off to the castle by monkeys, very like a shaman’s dream journey. The approach raises the stakes and rededicates the team to its mission. The urgency and life-or-death quality of the situation are underscored. Toto escapes to lead the friends to Dorothy. Dorothy’s intuition knows she must call on the help of her allies. The reader’s assumptions about the characters are turned upside down as they see each person exhibit surprising new qualities that emerge under the pressure of approach. The villains headquarters are defended with fierceness. Dorothys allies express misgivings, encourage each other, and plan their attack. They get into the skins of the guards, enter the castle, and use force, the Tin Man’s ax, to chop Dorothy out, but theyre soon blocked in all directions.

Finance Week 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance Week 2 - Essay Example I am pleased that we can use a financial calculator to help us, but if I am unsure about the variables then it won’t help me much. For interest rates, I was previously unsure about how they are determined and why they can change so quickly. After going through Chapter 6, however, I now feel like I have a good grasp of it. 2. The financial ratio that I find easiest to understand is the single future cash flow ratio because it is very straightforward and there are no added variables. By that I mean that anyone with only a basic understanding of math would be able to comprehend it because the ratio follows a pattern. The hardest financial ratios to understand are those with multiple future cash flows because the answers can be unpredictable if there is a series of unequal amounts. The cash flow timeline helps me a lot because I can visualize each cash flow in terms of where it comes from and how it influences the overall outcome. The most difficult thing is trying to figure out where the investment problems variables fit into the equation. Once I have the right equation, I can usually solve for the unknown variable because then it just becomes a simple case of math. 3. The financial calculator is both useful and challenging for me at the same time. I like it because it helps me to find the correct answer in a short amount of time. If I have figured out all the variables, then I can simply plug the numbers in and the calculator will spit out the answer. The one problem that I have with it is that I sometimes don’t fully understand why it gave me a certain answer. If I was able to work through the problem step-by-step, then I would have a better understanding of it. 4. I would describe the current level of interest rates as moderately high. Although current inflation is relatively low due to the financial crisis, there is still a lot of risk in the marketplace, and this ensures that

Political Economy of Oil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Political Economy of Oil - Essay Example The crises that started with the oil crisis in 1970s extended to Gulf War in the 90s. There are different terrorist threats today that affect oil resources such as oil refineries in Saudi Arabia. The deteriorating law and order situation in Iraq also resulted in fear of disruption of oil supply. There are threats of war with Iran that bring greater fears of volatility in the oil-producing region. These & other such factors have kept oil prices very high and they affect current market scenario. The hope for stability in oil prices is dependent on both political & economic stability. Transportation, heating, power generation, the plastics, pharmaceuticals and synthetic fibre industries are the main ways in which oil is consumed. Demand for oil is greater in the developed nations compared to the developing economies. United States of America solely generates a quarter of world oil demand. Asia comes next with Japan having the highest consumption of oil. In Europe no one country can be considered highest oil consuming country instead the demand is evenly generated by all European nations, The demand for oil diminished considerably in Soviet Union after its collapse.US demand for energy is greater and its dependence on oil producing countries is also increasing. The oil supply is mainly provided by large companies operating in countries with large reserves of oil. Countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Norway and Kuwait are some of the oil rich countries and are main suppliers of oil to the world. Since supply side of equation plays a crucial role in stabilty of oil markets, the countries producing oil have been trying to stabilize the price of crude oil through production policy. However, the interest of world economy does not lie in bringing stability by production manipulation. Since oil is a resource that depletes with time so its value increases with time as well. A country cannot let go of its future worth or value by increasing its production at the current market price. It is not in the economic interests of such oil producing countries to pursue a production policy incompatible with their own economic interests. Countries like Saudi Arabia have been contributing to the world economy in general and other Western and developed economies like Japan in particular by supplying more oil than it should. For instance Saudi Arabia, of the largest oil producers, increased its production of oil after the oil crises of 1979, resulting in a downward crude-oil price trend in world markets. This manipulation by any country or cartel cannot reap economic benefits in the long run. The market factors should be allowed to play their due role instead of manipulation. There is an increasing trend in demand for crude oil because consumption is greater than the supply. Market economy is the best way to allocate resources. The concept of oil peak suggests that once we reach the stage of peak the economy will be greatly affected. Similarly experts say that world oil reserves will also reach its peak in not so distant future resulting in price hikes and economic recession along with geopolitical repercussions. Oil Situation in USA If we consider the oil peak theory according to which there will be a sharp decline in supply because demand is constantly increasing whereas the speed of finding or exploring new oil sources is not matching that then we come to know that the oil