The Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

The Things They Carried Essay Throughout his novel, the things The Carried, author Tim O’Brien uses a plethora of strategies to give the reader a deeper incite into the day to day life of an American ground soldier during the Vietnam War. O’ Brian shares with us his extensive knowledge and first hand experiences throughout the novel. Being a veteran of the Vietnam War helps O ‘Brian gives us a look into American’s longest war, not often given. Aside from recalling past events, he uses many unique techniques that we may be less used to. The first is the use of characters and objects as representations. This is one of the tactics most often used in the book. Another way that O ‘Brian uses rliterature to emphasize a point is the use of meta-fiction. This is basically telling the truth in a lie. Lastly, his knowledge and experiences add another dimension to this book that can really engage the reader. All of these components working together are what has mad the Things They Carried, such a critically acclaimed book. I have found that a good strategy to use when reading this book, is to remember that often times things are not what they seem. The book was filled with figurative language and representation the O ‘Brien uses to emphasizes and support his points. This strategy is used with both people and objects. In the book, there are characters that O ‘Brian tells us that he served with in the war, but in interviews told people that he fictionalized them to emphasize his point. An example of this would be Mark Fossie’s girlfriend Mary Ann Belle who visits the men in Vietnam. She is the classic example of the â€Å"American girl†. â€Å" A tall, big-boned blonde. AT best, Rat said, she was seventeen years old, fresh out of Cleveland Heights Senior High School. She had long, white legs and blue eyes and complexion like strawberry ice cream. Very friendly, too. She is a representation of what all them men left behind when the joined the war. The young, attractive, and vibrant girl is a dramatic contrast to the death and destruction that they are forced to endure everyday. As time goes on and Mary spends all of her time in a war zone surrounded by men, there is a dramatic change in her character and personality. She starts to embrace the death and carnage that the war zone is filled with. â€Å"Everything I want, is right here. † –Mary. Legend says that she disappeared into the black of the jungle, never to be heard from again. This experience shatters Mark Fossie’s erception of Mary as a harmless beauty, which was a thought he would use to escape from the horrors of war. Another example of this use of characters are more than a character to add to the plot is O ‘Brian’s daughter Kathleen. She, much like Mary, is young and naive. Although to the naked eye she would appear to be nothing more than a little girl, she actually represents how war has affected the soldiers. She may show Tim what he was, pre-war and how being sent to the front lines at such a young age can turn anyone to a little girl. Meta-fiction is one of my favorite literary devices. It is essentially the use of lies to tell the truth. This may sound contradictory but in certain cases, there is not factual information or, â€Å"truth† to support your point. An example of this from â€Å"the Things They Carried† would be the scene where Kiowa died. This event never actually never happened during O ‘Brian’s service despite the fact that he tells it this way. This is because as far as the message that the author is trying to tell us about the Vietnam War, Kiowa’s death represents more than just a soldier dying in battle. â€Å"Kiowa was gone. He was under the mud and water, folded in with the war. † He may have known many men that died in combat but none in a way that is this representative. The mud and water where he sunk into and eventually died represents the way that the war can bog someone down. Whether you die in combat or not, a piece of your is almost left on the battle field. This is the point that O ‘Brian is trying to make. Another example of meta-fiction was the entire chapter titled, â€Å"The Man I Killed†. In this chapter, the young Tim O ‘Brian shorts a man in the face. After, the kill, he goes over and inspects the dead body. He inspects it from head to toe, paying special attention to the star shaped bullet wound where the victim’s eye should have been. Again, while one may just assume that this is just the author talking about a man he killed, but in this situation, this never even happened. In fact, O ‘Brian tells us that he never even saw any of the men that he killed. He was to s cared to â€Å"see a life ended by his trigger†. He inserts this chapter because this is how he imagines seeing a man that you killed you feel, and look like. Even if he had looked at the man he had killed, the real experience may not have captured all the emotions that this fictionalized scenario would. This is a tactic used by writers because these cenarios that they create can capture emotions and powerful moments that may not have happened but still feel real. The more knowledge and author has on a given subject usually results in a better final product. O ‘Brian’s personal experiences in the Vietnam War assures us that the stories and information we are receiving is as first hand as it comes. Rather than just reciting dates and facts like a history textbook, he shares with us what it was actually like to be risking your life in the field. While some of the stories he tells are admittedly fictionalized, most are not. Even those that are often are based on some fact or true event. Tim O ‘ Brian’s personal experiences help him in achieving his goal of giving us a look into the day to day life of a foot soldier in Vietnam. All of these devises utilizes by O ‘Brian help make the Things They Carried one of the best war books that I have ever read. Symbolism, meta-fiction, and personal experience help give the reader a more personal look into America’s longest war. I believe that Tim O ‘Brian was very successful in accomplishing his goal of giving readers an in depth look into a war that is often not talked about for what happened on the battle field.

Disadvantages Of Fast Foods English Language Essay

Disadvantages Of Fast Foods English Language Essay Fast food, the type of food changed our lives. According to Bender and Bender, fast food is a general term used for a limited menu of foods that lend themselves to production line techniques and that are typically hamburgers, pizzas, chicken or sandwiches (Davies Smith, 2004).) There is 59% of adult population that eats at take-away restaurants at least once a week (ACNielsen, 2005). This is due to convenience concept of fast food restaurant match the busy lifestyles and ease of access to a wide variety of fast food restaurants in the markets. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTMJxpAmLmjrIbODLafnEsO1MpJYFXlL-XTT9n0j67As15d05YoU_OMp8KKnIc8LNaqFF-Tll9tJZ6FENYlPf8csKHAb0enDVdYKqI2lOhvYTcnhU6bAfOF3y0KQtQYmZYMwBfRhbUIc/s1600/fast-food-restaurants.jpg Nowadays, many people, mostly young people, prefer to eat fast food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, shawarma, or pizza. ). Its fast, easy to prepare, easy to eat, and cheap. Its for everyone. Its for the poor and the non-poor. Its for students, managers, actors, for factory workers, for criminals, for priests and others. Today it seems like fast food was always around and it is not possible to imagine a world without fast food. Even countries like Japan, which has a traditional diet of rice, fish, vegetables and soy products, accepted fast food into their worlds. Malaysians were first introduced to fast foods when AW established its first restaurant in 1963. Since then, consumers acceptance of fast foods has been on the upward trend. This is manifested by the proliferation of fast food outlets in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, such as McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Grandys, Pizza Hut and Shakeys Pizza. Restaurants are nothing new, but the idea of fast food is a newer concept. In ancient Rome and Greece taverns usually served food and drink to their guests. These places served food out of necessity not because the guests though it would be fun. For a long time, people liked to eat at home more than they liked to eat at a restaurant. In the 17th century people like to drink coffee and beer in taverns, but eating out didnt start to become popular until the late 18th century. White Castle was one of the first fast-food chains in the United States. White Castle sold burgers and fries and helped to popularized hamburgers across the nation. In the 1930s drive-through fast food restaurants began to appear. Of course McDonalds followed suit in 1948. McDonalds was so popular that other fast food chains started to pop up all over the United States. Time is money. This is the new buzzword in todays world. People are now spending more time by running after money then spending time on their daily activities. No wonder fast food is on the rise. May people do not realize that fast food is a slow death. There are a host of disadvantages associated with eating fast food such as effect to health, economy and loss of the family tradition. The greatest disadvantage of fast food is the adverse effect that it has on ones health. It is a fact that fast food is more unhealthy than home-cooked meals, as they contain higher amounts of unwanted nutrients like salt, fat and various types of additives (artificial chemicals). It may contain harmful bacteria too. Frying destroys most of the essential nutrients from the food. Very small amounts of vegetables and fruits are normally present in fast food. Moreover, serving larger portions when most people dont need extra portions has led to several health problems. We require a small amount of salt to maintain the health of the cells and tissues. Fast food being rich in salt, adversely affects the heart health and the overall health of an individual. When customers consumed too much fast food they might become obese and develop diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and heart related symptoms due to high cholesterol from excessive fat (Bose D, and N.D,2001). Obesit y is on the rise, and a direct link is being cited between fast food and obesity in children.With obesity come other problems like high blood pressure and diseases of the joints. Beside that, because of the standardized menu and consistent quality, only minimal time need to be spent obtaining product information (Jekanowsky, Binkley, Eales, 2001) then consumer did not know what ingredients contain inside fast food. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPTG_qtqfnY1NuGQBIho8CgTQX4kEO_4R0w7bv89RXliPdY5JdhI5Lnxuh0M96tO7-Xf_g0d5rUr9X7oaJiKxaN_MeFGJmhUm4PGqCVNgSAaci_iYZFz3yKbC5ayWG7ZZTvtrZt7CONP7/s320/Naturally+Yours+obesity+2.gif    Even though, fast food is the fastest way to feed our hunger, it is not healthy at all. It is full of saturated and unsaturated fat. Moreover, it is a major source of calories and most of these calories are from fat. Unsaturated fats are good fat. Which means someone can burn this fat overtime through exercise. On the other side, saturated fats are bad fat which cannot be burned and stay in our body. French fries, deep fried chicken and other deep fried foods are the major source of trans fats. Furthermore, it is one of the reasons behind people getting over weight these days. Fast food is full of sodium. If we look at the nutrients facts on one of our favorite fast food, we will see the highest percentage of sodium in it. Moreover, sugar is one of the major ingredients of fast food as we can see in desserts like apple pie and apple with caramel at MacDonalds. http://www.footballtainment.com/images/public/msg-food-disadvantages.jpg A further effect is on the economy for ourself or country.Although fast food is not very expensive, it is more expensive than cooking properly for yourself. The greater the number of people at a meal in a fast food restaurant, the larger is the bill. Eating at fast food outlets is economical only for a single person. Going out to a fast food eating joint with family once in a while wont matter much. However, frequent visits to such restaurants with ones family can become quite an expensive affair, besides being unhealthy. Beside that, many of the fast food companies are franchisees of foreign corporations, so profits leave the country. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qto3FQDv8es/STZZn5ge_fI/AAAAAAAAACA/3ii9jWKvNc0/s320/money_fly.gifhttp://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Finance-Economy-Stocks-Money-300225.jpghttp://www.mole.my/sites/default/files/images/malaysian-ringgit-598694.storyimage.jpg Another effect of fast food is the loss of the family tradition of eating together. Eating fast food encourages people to eat on the go. Diners are encouraged to eat quickly and then leave the premises or eat while doing something else. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHny8PxEeLmM3yn5hd54lILQ0w0HOFt3mNC-f0r6T2SjZbQpkhkRcO-A9YH9xQk-6F03HeAIXbPtyvCTlU0G5uf8ACDMxB-z2jvIcEizZJCb0bPffggaSX8pjm2nehYxm3VfBbgMqNBCRL/s1600/eating20alone_canuckshutterer_xlarge.jpeg Fast food joints are being seen as a factor that is making a number of families spend less and less time together. Family meal time is something that is considered as an opportunity for all the members to come together and share their experiences. However, the fast food centers are quickly eating into this quality time. This is especially true about youngsters for whom a fast food center is a good place to hangout with friends and peers where the days experiences are shared with other members of the family. Additionally, many children from present time prefer eating in fast food branches with friends of their age rather than with their parents, this could also decrease the amount of time where the whole family actually gather (Brown J, 2009). Beside that, people who eat quickly tend to consume calories mindlessly. This can easily lead to overeating. http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4e25e076cadcbb470a000000-400-400/these-are-the-ten-most-bizarre-fast-food-locations-on-the-planet.jpg Fast food is certainly an occasional fun treat, and there are healthy menu choices.   Sadly, too many people visit too often, with unwholesome results and bad habits setting the stage for health disasters for our young people.Everyone should think twice before deciding to eat fast food. The health risks arent worth your life, and animals that live in slaughter houses arent treated properly or hygienically before their death, which can cause many food-borne illnesses to inhabit food. Although it is easy to buy and cheap, risking a life for something that isnt good for any person in the first place could cost thousands of dollars in hospital bills. It is important to eat healthy and make good choices when deciding what to put in your body. Dont be lazy and pick up fast food on your way home from work. Make the right choice and eat some vegetables. http://www.fitbodylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/fast_food_kills.png In conclusion, fast food although it is convenient and a tasty addition to a diet, can have serious health, increase economy and social effects.People should learn to choose fast food carefully and remember the pleasure of eating good food in good company. It is not necessary to boycott all fast food restaurants, but its important to limit how often we eat at them. http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20091028/a1897_121.jpeg

Othello’s Sinister Side Essay -- Othello essays

Othello’s Sinister Side  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s Othello, with its prolonged exposure to the evil mind of Iago, is difficult for some in the audience. Let’s consider the play’s evil aspect.    In the Introduction to The Folger Library General Reader’s Shakespeare, Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar explain the single, evil focus of the drama – the arch-villainy of the ancient:    Othello has been described as Shakespeare’s most perfect play. Critics of dramatic structure have praised it for its attention to the main theme without irrelevant distractions. Many Elizabethan plays had rambling subplots and much extraneous detail to amuse the groundlings. Othello avoids all irrelevancies and the action moves swiftly from the first scene to the denouement. We never get lost in a multiplicity of incidents or a multitude of characters. Our attention remains centered on the arch villainy of Iago and his plot to plant in Othello’s mind a corroding belief in his wife’s faithlessness. (viii)    Even the imagery in the drama has its evil aspect. Kenneth Muir, in the Introduction to William Shakespeare: Othello,   explains the instances of diabolic imagery in the play as they relate to the infecting of the Moor by the ancient:    The same transference from Iago to Othello may be observed in what S. L. Bethell called diabolic imagery. He estimated that of the 64 images relating to hell and damnation – many of them are allusions rather than strict images – Iago has 18 and Othello 26. But 14 of Iago’s are used in the first two Acts, and 25 of Othello's in the last three. The theme of hell originates with Iago and is transferred to Othello only when Iago has succeeded in infecting the Moor with his jealousy. (22) .. ...rsity. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.    -- -- --. Introduction. The Folger Library General Reader’s Shakespeare: The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. New York: Washington Square Press, 1957.

Hustler - Censoring a Film about Censorship :: Movie Film Essays

[1] The People vs. Larry Flynt celebrates America for â€Å"being the strongest country in the world today only because we are the freest,† as Flynt once said. The problem is, that while the film triumphantly exhibits the (seemingly obvious) â€Å"evils of censorship,† it hypocritically censors out the most controversial parts. The film champions free speech yet is not able to visually depict the potentially harmful material that the First Amendment defends. The content in Flynt’s Hustler magazine absolutely, positively, requires the protection of the First Amendment. The film does not show you why. For how do you expose to mainstream society something that cannot legally be seen in an R-rated film? Director Milos Forman, incapable of surmounting this problem, needed to make changes. He removed the most obscene aspects of the â€Å"real† Hustler and Flynt, and fabricated the â€Å"reel† socially acceptable, laughable (and even likable) depicti ons. Consequently, in the process of telling this story that Forman wished to dedicate to his hero, the U.S. Justice system, he both sanitizes and canonizes Flynt and Hustler magazine. [2] In this issue essay I will first discuss the history of pornography in America and the emergence of Hustler. I will then show how the movie makes the viewer feel proud of the country without letting the viewer choose if he or she is really pleased with what is being protected, pointing out the impossibility of portraying the obscene images in an R-rated film. After that, I will discuss the possible ramifications of pornography, including violence against women and children. I will then address the moral implications of a complete freedom of expression and the possible effects of promoting ignorance about pornography through the movie. Finally, I will comment on my views regarding pornography and censorship in our society. The Sexual Revolution in America [3] Since the 1950’s, a sexual revolution has spawned in America, accordingly downgrading previous anathemas in society, like pre-martial sex, masturbation, and homosexuality. For example, according to an article describing the sexual revolution, â€Å"In the 1950s, less than 25 percent of Americans thought premarital sex was acceptable; by the 1970s, more than 75 percent found it acceptable† (Stossel 74). Norman Podhoretz recounts how in the early 1950’s obtaining pornography was like trying to buy illegal drugs. But Playboy changed all of that, as it emerged as an â€Å"acceptable† form of pornography in 1953.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The two leading stock exchanges are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations.   The NYSE began in 1792 with 24 stock owners gathering on Wall street to buy and sell stock. The stock exchange has the largest dollar volume of stock sales in the world, but the NASDAQ   has a larger stock volume. Membership in the NYSE is through â€Å"seats† and seat-holders are guaranteed the right to trade on the floor of the stock exchange.   The NASDAQ was established in 1971 as the first completely electronic trading forum. The NYSE was at the time the largest stock exchange in the world, but in the 1990s it was surpassed in stock volume by the NASDAQ. There are approximately 3300 companies traded on the NASDAQ;   there are 2,764 on the NYSE. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If a firm’s shares grew from $1 to $2 per share over a 10-year period, the total growth over the course of the decade is 100 percent, but that does not mean that the annual growth would be 10 percent.   If fact, because annual growth is based on the beginning price, 10 percent annual growth is simply not a mathematical possibility. The math makes it more clear. If in the first year, stock is $1 then with 10 percent annual growth, the price would $1.10 at the beginning of the second year. During the second year, ten percent growth would add 11 cents to the share’s price. Share prices would increase 12 cents the third year and so forth. At the end of a decade with 10 percent annual growth per year, the shares would be $2.41. So, it is false to believe that 100 percent total growth in a decade, does not mean 10 percent annual growth. 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Simply because the returns of two stocks are negatively correlated does not necessarily mean that one of the stocks is a negative beta.   Though a negative beta would negatively correlate with a stock that performs well during market upturns, it is not required for the negative correlation. Two stocks can have little to nothing in common and both be dependant on the same sort of market action for growth. For example, stocks previously considered to be totally unrelated all perform poorly when the market takes a major downturn. High tech stocks, housing stocks and retail stocks can all be hit by a sharp market turn regardless of the limited correlation between these types of stocks.   A negative beta does not guarantee that the stock can hold steady during those severe drops.

Love is Greater than Hate (Tale of Two Cities)

In Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he illustrates the constant battle between love and hate. This battle is never-ending, but in the novel, I believe that love won, and that love is greater than hate. Love is displayed as love for family and friends, while hate is displayed as hate for the aristocrats and revenge. Lucie, a young girl who never met her father, grows into a strong woman and her love for her family is evident. Her love even saved her father from his despair. Miss Pross has love for Lucie, affectionately called Ladybird, and cares for her and her daughter, little Lucie, with her life.However, there is also hate. Madame Defarge hates the aristocrats, mostly the Evremondes, and will go to any length to see them suffer. Sydney Carton hates everyone and hates life in general. Can love overpower these emotions; will love prove it is greater? In Dickens’ novel, it did. Lucie loves her father, from the day they first meet, it is obvious, and the sent iment is soon shared by her father. After living a life of hatred and despair for 18 years, Lucie brings Doctor Manette love.The first glimpse we see of this love that will save Doctor Manette from himself is when Dickens writes, â€Å"His cold white hair mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him. † (Dickens, pg. 50). After being with his daughter for awhile, her love freed him from his sufferings and brought him back to the man he used to be. The love that Lucie was able to give him, gave him the strength he needed to overcome the hatred that held him prisoner inside the Bastille for so long.But even then, there were times when he relapsed into his old habits from prison. However, Lucie was the one who could bring him back from that despair and hatred with her love. As Miss Pross remarks, â€Å"In silence they go walking up and down together, walking up and down together, until her love and company have brought him to himself. † (Dickens, pg. 103). This just goes to prove how strong love is and how it is greater than hate. Doctor Manette went through a great ordeal of pain and suffering during his 18 years of imprisonment.He held a hatred for the Evremondes because they are the ones who put him in prison after he tried to condemn them for their unlawful actions towards the peasants. Doctor Manette writes in his letter, â€Å"Them and their descendents, to the very last of their race, I Alexandre Manette, unhappy prisoner, do this very last night of the year 1767, in my unbearable agony, denounce to the times when all these things shall be answered for, I denounce them to Heaven and to earth. † (Dickens, pg. 342).When he is recalled to life by his daughter Lucie, he forgets these troubles and is able to live a happy life. When Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, an Evremonde, Doctor Manette’s old pain, hatred, and suffering arises. We see this illustrated wh en Dickens writes, â€Å"In a very curious look at Darnay: an intent look, deepening into a frown of dislike and distrust, not even unmixed with fear. † (Dickens, pg. 86). However, in chapter 10 of Book 2 entitled, Two Promises, Charles Darnay admits to Doctor Manette that he loves his daughter, Lucie.To this, Doctor Manette exhibits that same dark look, but then turns to Darnay and says, â€Å"If she should ever tell me that you are essential to her perfect happiness, I will give her to you. If there were  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Charles Darnay, if there were (†¦) – any fancies, any reasons, any apprehensions, anything whatsoever, new or old, against the man she really loved – the direct responsibility thereof not lying on his head – they should all be obliterated for her sake. She is everything to me; more to me than suffering, more to me than wrong (†¦)† (Dickens, pg.142).Even with the history of the Evremondes haunting him every time he looks at Darnay, he is willing to put it all aside for Lucie, because he loves her so strongly. This is an excellent example of how love trumps hate. As an example of the battle of love and hate, one could take Miss Pross as being the personification of love and Madame Defarge as being the personification of hate. Miss Pross has been serving Lucie since she was a young girl and has therefore fallen in love with the young woman.She will do anything for her and treats Lucie as if she were her own daughter. When Lucie has a little girl, Miss Pross cares for her the same way, with ample love and compassion. In one of the scenes in the novel, we are given a glimpse of the love Miss Pross has for Lucie. Dickens writes, â€Å"Smoothing her rich hair with as much pride as she could possible have taken in her own hair if she had been the vainest and handsomest of women. † (Dickens, pg. 104). Madame Defarge, on the other hand, shows no compassion to anyone.She hates all the aristocrats, but mos t of all, the Evremondes. This is for the same reason as Doctor Manette, because the peasants that were abused by the family were her family, and they died at the hands of the Evremondes. She has let this blind hatred lead her life and fuel her anger most of her life. We can see her hatred when she is knotting the coins in the cloth at the wine-shop, â€Å"She tied a knot with flashing eyes, as if it throttled a foe (†¦) as if it were another enemy strangled. † (Dickens, pg. 185, 186).On the day of Charles Darnay’s execution, Madame Defarge goes to find Lucie, Doctor Manette and little Lucie to condemn them to death also. Instead, she finds only Miss Pross. Thus begins the largest battle of love and hate in the novel. Madame Defarge is determined, and armed, but Miss Pross is filled with the strength of love and loyalty. As they fight, Dickens describes Miss Pross’ strength by writing, â€Å"Miss Pross, with the vigorous tenacity of love, always so much st ronger than hate (†¦) held her round the waist, and clung to her with more than the hold of a drowning woman.† (Dickens, pg. 379).After they struggle for a while, Madame Defarge tries to pull her gun out, but it works against her and suddenly Miss Pross is struggling with a dead body. Love has triumphed over hate in the truest sense as hate dies and love lives on. Sydney Carton’s character is introduced as a brilliant man who is bitter and depressed. He tells Darnay the first time they meet, â€Å"I am a disappointed drudge, sir. I care for no man on earth and no man on earth cares for me. † (Dickens, pg. 90).He also admits to himself in that same passage that he hates Darnay, because he has all that Carton will never have, he is the man Carton will never be. Later on in the book, Carton tells Lucie that he loves her, but is glad that she will never love him, and then he says, â€Å"If my career were of that better kind and there were an opportunity or capa city of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and those dear to you (†¦) think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you! † (Dickens, pg.159).This shows that even though Carton has hate for life, he may still show love, but yet none of the two emotions has surpassed the other, until he fulfils his promise to Lucie. When Darnay is sentenced to death by guillotine, Carton sneaks in and takes his place. He sacrifices his life to give Lucie back her husband, to give her back the man that Carton never liked, even hated. The power of love surpassed that of the emotions of hate that Carton has towards Darnay, his love for a woman who will never love him back led his actions.Even at the guillotine, we see the power of love overcoming hate as Carton helps a young seamstress overcome her fears of dying and gave her love before she died. This love was returned to Carton and gave him strength when he went up to die. His face when he died was, â€Å"The peacefullest man’s face ever beheld there. † (Dickens, pg. 385). This further demonstrates that love can, and will always, be greater than hate. Love is by far greater than hate. Love can save, love can heal, and love can grow.Hate is destructive, and that’s its weakness, it has no grasp on people when love is present because love can rebuild all that hate has torn down. In Dickens novel, he gives plenty of proof to show just how powerful love is, and that even if, like Carton, we feel there is no love present, there is, and eventually we will see it. In his novel, we also see that even if hatred has claimed a person for so long, such as Doctor Manette, they can be saved with love.

Both Sided of Humanity

Both Sides of Humanity A typical spring morning, crisp, cool air. Three girls in the driveway like ducklings in a row, momma behind them in the doorway waving. Three girls anxiously awaiting the arrival of bus 210, lilacs in hand for the driver. They’re so young and pure, free of corruption and clueless of the dangers of each new day. The bus takes them to school, the place they think they go to learn about numbers and curving cursive Y below the line, but today school is a haven. Imagine a seemingly unsteady world crumbling under the pressures of fate’s unsteady hand. Imagine everything you own taken in an instant. And as their mother weakly told the girls of the disaster that day, the girls wondered, was it fate? Was it always going to happen? No. And they wondered what could have happened differently in the past to prevent this tragedy as they solemnly stared at the smoldering ash that was their home this morning. Three girls in the driveway like ducklings in a row, momma beside them- and beside herself, wondering what will happen next. While the thought of reconstruction brings happiness, they know their house will never be rebuilt. Money is scarce- the miracle ration has been spent on their lives. The family is all okay; no one was home to endure the deadly licks of the fire’s vicious tongue. There are six, and for now they must all live together in one small hotel room. For the three girls, getting along with their step dad would be like a fuzzy white mouse getting along with a starved python. Tension is high for everyone, but they all have their outlets. For the girls it is school. There they thrive in A+ papers, constant praise from teachers, and â€Å"BFF† love, and in the room at night there were three in the bed and the little one said, â€Å"we made it through another day.† Winter of 2004, the house is not complete; it’s not a house at all. There are some walls, but numerous holes and open spaces. The baby can’t crawl around because the floor is missing in some places, in others there is floor board†¦or some kind of board. No carpet. The stairs are slightly safe, enough to get to the top if they go one at the time. The kitchen has an infinite number of open places so the snow comes in sometimes. The floor is too cold to walk on with bare feet, but they have a few pairs of socks. There is no electricity, but they have a generator in the backyard. Gas is expensive though so it is rarely turned on. Their only heat source is a portable kerosene heater and kerosene is expensive too. There’s no running water, but when the generator is on they get about five ice-cold minutes in the shower-sometimes seven or eight depending on how much gas there is to spare. The youngest girl goes outside and sticks her hand deep into the snow. The sn owy yard is their refrigerator. When the sun goes down candles are gathered and lit. The girls gather in a circle, pens and paper in hand to do their math homework and write tomorrow’s essay in the company of dancing shadows on the wall. It is cold but they are grateful to have this skeleton house rather than nothing at all. Friends don’t know about this new way of life, keeping it a secret is no challenge though, because there is no time for friends. School is the only social time available, but that’s okay-it’s easier to keep secrets that way. Days go by, then weeks. Thanksgiving came. Oh were they thankful. Thankful for life, each other, and good health, and thankful that they had sense enough to be thankful. On Christmas Eve the family decorated a small tree cut from the woods out back, knowing nothing would be under it in the morning. Christmas morning arrived and they huddled around the tree. No words came out, but everyone knew what the others were thinking, â€Å"Its great to be alive; its great to have a healthy family; what a beautiful Christmas morning it is.† The girls knew their friends were opening presents, but their friends were unlucky because they were not having thoughts of thanks and gratitude flood their heads like the family with the creaky, dark house d own the road. Four years later life is very different from that in the creaky, dark house and still, there are three girls becoming women with a definite past and a bright future. They have seen two very different sides of life, and despite everything they are thankful for what they didn’t have before. Nothing will ever be the same, they will never look at life through the eyes of those three innocent girls that they once were. They, along with everyone else, are a very small part of an impossibly large world. Without the past the girls would not be thankful for every meal put on the table. They would not be thankful for the clothes on their backs. They are humble, and know that no matter what is going wrong, someone out there is always worse off. Three girls standing together, not in a row but side by side, grown and strong, ready to take on the world. They know what they have, they know that may not have it tomorrow, and that’s okay because nothing can take away their passion for life and their ability to adapt to any situation. When everything is mixed up and life is kept secret from friends and society it’s hard to cope with what others may think or say. The idea of society as a whole is a fallacy. We are all driven to be the same and to conform to the thoughts and ideas of others, but how can we act like a certain person or group of people when they too are acting like someone else? There is no truth in society, yet we all follow the same path to uniformity. To find the truth within yourself is crucial. Staying strong in a faulty situation is to have self awareness and to realize that life- no matter how fancy or dull- is beautiful. No power is so strong that it can ruin someone’s self-image and sens e of self worth. Everyone has the power to reach inside themselves and find their inner beauty, their reason for being on this earth. In the words of Emerson from his essay on self reliance, â€Å"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.† In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave the world is a cave full of prisoners who see nothing but what is displayed in front of them. In the words of Plato, â€Å"And if they could talk to one another, don’t you think they’d suppose that the names they used applied to the things they see passing before them?† unless the prisoners are led towards the truth they will never fully understand the real world. Three girls standing in a row, each with her own ideas of life’s truths. Each aware that she is responsible for freeing the world’s prisoners. It is their responsibility to show the world what life really is and what goes on behind closed doors. Reflecting on the past, they realize that their history is no different from anyone else’s. Together they became independent, self-reliant individuals. They have strength and passion, a burning fire within them as one, shedding warm light on each that reveals their individuality and what they have chos en to believe. Like the dancing arithmetic shadows on the wall, adversity vanishes leaving hope and certainty to their lives†¦a warm memory on a cold winter night. Three women who know: They’ve been up the rocky path and down the gentle slope. They’ve seen both sides of humanity and the miracles of hope. The light keeps glowing on them; and the moon keeps shining bright. As long as nature takes her course, they know they’ll be alright. Life cannot be touched; you can’t hold it in your hands. Its being can’t be dissected although it has the most intricate parts. Life thrives in every human being, entwines itself in every heart. Living with love, and having a passion for life are parts of life’s flawless web of catching you in time. Before your time, between your time, and after your time you’ll know†¦your life was perfect all along you just didn’t always know were to go, why you went, or how you got there. Following the brightest star, the path of yesterday and tomorrow, let your senseless worries guide you to your destination, wherever that may be. Be happy on the outside, and happier on the in. donâ€⠄¢t let others tell you how your life should end and begin. Respect yourself for who you are and love the light that guides you. Cherish every heart that has touched your very soul. Believe you can, and know you can, and you will be led home.