Major American Writers Essays (1340 words) - Robert Frost, Frost

Major American Writers Major American Writers The honored title of Major American Writer tends to be ambiguous and ill defined in part because each individual reader holds preconceived notions about what characteristics a writer should possess to be classified as a major author. Every work an author creates combines with the others to form a body of material on which the writer is judged. This class on Major American Writers studied five authors with completely different genres, writing styles, and general appeal. The choice for these particular authors was based on criteria unique to the instructor. Since every reader requires different characteristics, this paper will outline my specific criteria for a Major American Writer and apply those to Robert Frost and Henry James. Frost is a perfect example as defined by my characteristics of a major writer. His work embodies all the features necessary to categorize him as such. While James's work is well critiqued and studied, he does not meet my criteria for a major writer. His work falls short in some of the fundamental requirements. There are four specific criteria by which I define a Major American Writer. The most important for the significance of an author is the relevance of the writings to human nature. Timeless works of literature or poetry connect with the audiences' innermost emotions. The nature of the world is constant change and if the work of an author is not able to transcend the change it will be forgotten or obsolete. One thing constant enough to be the focus of the work is the human condition. Another criterion for a Major American Writer is that the substance of the work must also engage the reader. Writing cannot be effective without an audience. If the author has no impact on people the material written accomplished nothing. Engagement may come about through the entertainment value or intellectual interest, neither being of greater importance. Style as well as substance is necessary when discussing criteria for an author to be a Major American Writer. The technical aspects of a work, such as n arrator and form, are important in a work because they are ways to distinguish a superb writer from a mediocre writer. The last criterion for a Major American Writer is the overall impact on literature. Major authors should have the ability to reshape or redefine literature or public thought in some manner. Considerations of the author's contributions to the genre as well as the world of literature are consequential when deciding to include the writer in the category of a major writer. Not every author who is considered as a major writer needs to totally fulfill all the criteria set forth. There are many other considerations that could qualify an author for this honor. These four conditions are simply a starting point for qualification. The first writer I chose to examine is Robert Frost. He expressly fulfills all four criteria for qualification as a Major American Writer. Many of his poems deal with the innermost workings of the human experience. He beautifully illustrates difficult to explain emotions with prose and poetry. His poem The Road Not Taken reveals the conflict between choices made and choices passed. This is not something easily expressed in words, but Frost eloquently makes his point. The second criterion Frost meets is the engagement of the reader. The excellence in his work lies in the fact that anyone can read and enjoy his writings. There are levels of meaning that can be read in a very basic, literal manner or studied for complexity of meaning so as to engage lay readers or scholars. After Apple-Picking is as much about picking apples as it is about life and death. Frost's writing style also helps his writing to be accessible and to engage the reader. This writing form fulfills the third criterio n for a Major American Writer. His style of blank verse and unrhymed lines give the poetry a tone of normal conversation. The technique is followed almost continually throughout his poetry revealing his dedication to the technical aspect of writing as well as the artistic. Metaphors are present in his work but not dominating to the point of convolution. They relate to the actual events in the

The Relationship Between Spanish Flu and the Experience of the First World War Essays

The Relationship Between Spanish Flu and the Experience of the First World War Essays The Relationship Between Spanish Flu and the Experience of the First World War Essay The Relationship Between Spanish Flu and the Experience of the First World War Essay The First World War raged on for four savage and bloody years, claiming lives and destroying the futures of those left behind as survivors.   As the war entered what would be seen in retrospect as its final official year, 1918, another enemy far more elusive and harder to defeat than even the most organized army would emerge on the scene in the guise of the so-called ‘Spanish Flu’.   When this pandemic is examined and discussed in comparison and contrast to the experiences of WWI, a greater understanding of human, international and military history during this pivotal time emerges.   Therefore, in this paper, these topics will be presented and interwoven with the intention, upon completion of the research, of presenting not only a story of history, but also one of humanity. An Examination of ‘Spanish Flu’ When conducting research into the ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic of 1918-1919, one literally finds thousands of sources of information about the clinical aspects of the illness, death tolls, and the like, but information regarding the true origin of this spreading of the influenza virus is typically a bit harder to find, but worth the search, for when the facts are presented, the reality of what has been falsely attributed to a Spanish origin can be seen to actually be anything but Spanish in retrospect. ‘Spanish Flu’, as was suggested earlier, does not exist; as a matter of fact, the strain of influenza that was given this name actually can be traced back to an American army camp in the spring of 1918; from that camp, the sickness was carried to France by Expeditionary Forces that were allied with the French in the fighting of the war (Phillips, et al).   If this information is in fact accurate, the question arises as to how/why the name ‘Spanish’ was attached to this flu at all.   The truth of the matter is in fact multi-faceted. Generally, the world attitude toward Spain in regard to WWI was not favorable, due to the fact that the nation chose not to take a side in the war, and perhaps even more importantly, did not offer any troops, financial support, or equipment to anyone involved in the war effort itself (Larson); therefore, the stage was set for a great deal of resentment toward Spain for what was perceived as a lack of involvement in the war effort.   Moreover, during the time of WWI, when so many other nations were on the brink of destruction and bankruptcy, Spain was in fact enjoying a fair level of financial prosperity.   Whether this was due to a lack of involvement in the war is still a point of debate, but a logical conclusion can be drawn that the economy and populous of Spain would have been worse off had the nation been engaged in WWI. As news of the safety and prosperity of the Spanish nation began to spread throughout the war-stricken parts of Europe, a great deal of people, seeking to escape the ravages of war and take advantage of economic opportunity, immigrated to Spain (Page).   Because of this massive influx of people, the cities of Spain soon became less than desirable in terms of crowded living conditions, sanitation, and the like- a breeding ground for disease.   Upon this stage, sources indicate that many French refugees came to Spain, and many of these individuals were carriers of the influenza that has been traced back to American soldiers; therefore, the flu ravaged Spain and was exported when people, who did not have familial or economic ties to Spain, came and went with regularity.   In this sense, the biggest export from Spain at the time was in fact the flu, but it was not due to any action or inaction on the part of the Spanish people, government, or medical system.   The reality is that this flu could actually be more accurately called the ‘American Flu† if the criterion for naming it is the nation/nationality that originated the sickness in the first place. The Spanish press of the day can also be seen to have played a role in the creation of the term ‘Spanish Flu’.   Once the illness had begun to heavily affect those living in Spain, whether they were citizens, of Spanish descent or not, the national newspapers carried extensive accounts of the experiences of those afflicted, death tolls, and other associated news items (Phillips, et al).   The reality is that whatever the intention of Spanish reporters sensationalistic or not, the net effect was to give Spain an unfair burden of guilt as the â€Å"creators† of the influenza epidemic which began in 1918. The Experience of the First World War The experience of   WWI was more complex than one may imagine, even from its beginning, and once again, research reveals that much lurks beneath the surface of the traditional version of how the war started and progressed.   There was more to the onset of the war then the event of an Austrian prince being   murdered in Serbia, as is what most people consider to be the cause of World War I.   Ã‚  Furthermore, the effects of the war were not just concentrated to a post-war era lasting for a generation of Westerners.   Rather, it was the breaking point for Austria in its dealings with Serbia. The truth of the matter is that several factors played a role in the outbreak of the war.   WWI truly was the result of building aggressions among the countries of Europe which was backed by the rise of nationalism. To add to the disastrous pot, there was also imperial competition along with the fear of war prompting military alliances and arms  Ã‚  race.   All of these increased the escalating tensions that lead to the outbreak of WWI (Higham, et al). Another experience to come out of WWI was the first of what would become many â€Å"arms races†. With the hostile divisions of the nations of Europe   there came the expansion of armies and navies. Furthermore, the great powers came to copy Germany’s military   organization and efficiency, which called for universal registration for military duty, large reserves and detailed planning (Coetzee, et al). Efforts were made for universal disarmament, but the escalation of weapons continued unrestricted, much like a case of history repeating itself, when looked upon from the perspective of the arms races of today. The extreme popularity of the development of more and more weapons during the WWI era also served as a catalyst for another occurrence which even today is viewed as barbaric and unacceptable in virtually all war situations- chemical weapons and warfare.   Much like the more aptly named ‘American Flu’ used a naturally occurring situation to claim millions of lives, the scientists of the WWI era began to harness the power of chemical reactions to create weapons such as Mustard Gas, which would, without distinction between soldiers and civilians, literally poison men, women, and children en masse.   In fact, there is also evidence to suggest that these chemical weapons were not originated by crazed military geniuses, but rather were based upon the discoveries and studies conducted by some of the most brilliant minds of chemistry, found in the universities of the world (Russell).   In an ironic twist, chemicals originally formulated as pesticides, ostensibly to improve the lives of individuals, were adapted for the purposes of war and killing people by the thousands, indiscriminately (Russell). The experience of WWI also set the stage for some of the worst events that would befall human history in the decades to come.   In 1929 the American stock market came to a   crashing halt.   With the financial crisis also came a decrease of production, and naturally this lead to widespread unemployment. The era of the Great Depression was also the era of the rise of political dictatorship throughout Europe. These dictatorships involved a new form of tyranny and were most evident in the rise of Nazi Germany and particularly, Adolf Hitler. It is believed by many that Hitler would never have came to power if it had not been for the sounding defeat and humiliation of Germany as the result of WWI and its immediate aftermath (Luckhurst). Interrelationship Between The Elements Looking at the relationship between the experiences of what is commonly called ‘Spanish Flu’ and World War I, there are both concrete and abstract relationships between the two that emerge, and can be identified and discussed. First, the concrete associations between these elements virtually jump out at even the most casual researcher, and the parallels manifest themselves: both elements grew with tremendous ferocity to claim millions of lives, and leave behind nothing but misery and sadness for the survivors, most of whom spent the rest of their lives trying to understand exactly what happened, why it happened, and what can be done to prevent such a horrible tragedy from ever showing itself again.   Both elements, once they reached full speed so to speak, were unstoppable, and had to quite literally â€Å"run their course† before they subsided (Coetzee).   Moreover, both of these provided hollow victories, for both war and disease would emerge time and time again, and do so even in the 21st century.   Likewise, war and disease evolved for the worse during the time of WWI, and no one was able to find a way to complete erase either from the face of the earth. More abstract relationships between the two can also be seen; perhaps one of the most interesting common threads can be seen in the role of the media in both events.   In the case of the influenza outbreak, evidence presented earlier in this paper showed that the frenzy that was generated by the media led to the misnaming of the so-called ‘Spanish Flu’, and no amount of attempts to correct the error, after being placed in the minds of the people by the media of the day, could reach any level of effectiveness.   Also, those who carried the flu, as was also discussed earlier, were likely attracted to Spain in the first place by the media accounts of safety, freedom and economic prosperity in Spain, while the majority of the rest of the world was in the grips of a war that had the potential to destroy everyone and everything.   Therefore, it would not be too much of a leap to say that the media carried the influenza epidemic as much as the human body did. From an abstract viewpoint, the overall idea of frailty of human life is also critically important.   In an old adage, whose originator is lost to obscurity, it was once said that â€Å"man plans- God laughs†, meaning that for all that we think we control in the human condition, essentially, we in reality control very little.   Keeping this in mind, whether one is talking about a chemical weapon, human illness, or the natural tendency of man to conflict with other men in a pursuit of power and control of the physical world, there are some elements which are uncontrollable, no matter what one may attempt to manipulate.  Ã‚   As much as the human race may kid itself, and lull into a false sense of security by thinking that everything is in control and that the future can be at its brightest, the reality is that nothing is for certain.   Disease and war, as presented in this paper, are prime examples of this. Conclusion This paper has shown the concrete and abstract associations between war and disease, as well as the complexities of the human condition.   In closing, perhaps the best information that can be drawn from the research is that the human race, as has been said time and time again, must either learn from history or be condemned to repeat it.   Perhaps, finally, no wiser words have ever been said.

Origin of OK

Origin of OK Origin of OK Origin of OK By Maeve Maddox The word OK has found its way into just about every language on earth. Although it’s usually written in all capitals and pronounced as separate letters, OK is a word and not an acronym, although it began as one. The most likely origin of OK is as an acronym for â€Å"Oll Korrect,† a deliberate misspelling of â€Å"all correct.† In the years before the American Civil War (1861-1864), journalists thought it was great fun to misspell words for comic effect. Writer Charles Farrar Browne  (1834-1867),  for example, wrote political humor under the byline Artemus Ward. Abraham Lincoln is said to have been one of his greatest fans. Here’s a passage in which he takes a stand against secession: Feller Sitterzens: I am in the Sheer Yeller leaf.   I shall peg out 1 of these dase.   But while I do stop here I shall stay in the UnionI shall stand by the Stars Stripes.   Under no circumstances whatsomever will I sesesh.   Let every Stait in the Union sesesh let Palmetter flags flote thicker nor shirts on Square Baxters close line, still will I stick to the good old flag.   Translation: Fellow Citizens: I am in the sere and yellow leaf [I’m old]. I shall peg out [die] one of these days.  But while I do remain here I shall stay in the UnionI shall stand by the American flag.   Under no circumstances whatsoever will I secede.   Let every State in the Union secede and let Palmetto flags float thicker than shirts on Squire Baxters clothes line, still will I stick to the good old flag.    Note: â€Å"The sere and yellow leaf† is an allusion to a line from Macbeth. The Palmetto flag was the state flag of South Carolina; it was flying over Fort Sumter on the day the Union garrison surrendered to Confederate forces. Squire Baxter is a fictional character of Ward’s invention. Ward was not the only writer to adopt deliberate misspelling as a stylistic device. By 1839, the misspelling â€Å"oll korrect† for â€Å"all correct† had been compressed to O.K. and was familiar to newspaper readers on the East Coast at least: Boston Evening Transcript 11 Oct. 2/3, 1839.  Our Bank Directors have not thought it worth their while to call a meeting, even for consultation, on the subject. It is O.K. (all correct) in this quarter. –OED citation. When O.K. became associated with the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), its use spread throughout the nation. One of Van Buren’s campaign ploys was to associate himself as much as possible with the previous president, Andrew Jackson. Jackson had been known affectionately as â€Å"Old Hickory,† so Van Buren came up with the nickname â€Å"Old Kinderhook,† an allusion to the small New York town that was his birthplace. The abbreviation O.K. for â€Å"Old Kinderhook† became a rallying cry and a logo. The press lost no time in connecting the O.K. of Van Buren’s political slogan with the O.K. that stood for â€Å"all correct.† By the end of the campaign, â€Å"O.K.† was entrenched in American English throughout the country. In addition to its adjectival uses to denote things that are â€Å"all correct,† OK is also used as noun, verb, adverb, and interjection. Note on the word â€Å"acronym† In general usage, acronym refers to words or letter groupings like FBI, TGIF, NATO, and LASER. Some speakers prefer to reserve the word acronym for words like NATO that can be pronounced as words and use the term initialism for letter groupings that are pronounced as a series of letters, like FBI. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?Used To vs. Use To5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Ch 41 dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ch 41 dis - Essay Example ence liable for payment of USD 473, 790.18 towards response costs out of the total response costs amounted to USD 1,302,290.18 (Antitrust Division 2003). The share of response payment cost towards Alcan was only 5% of the defendant pool. Furthermore, it seems that Alcans share of liability is distributed on a contributory basis (Antitrust Division 2003). The court further observed that determination of harm is indivisible and it will not frustrate the right of a defendant to seek fair share of response cost from other defendants, as the contribution proceeds is on equitable footing. The court permitted to allocate response cost amongst the responsible where the court has no discretion to determine division of response cost (Antitrust Division 2003). Antitrust Division. United States v. Alcan Inc., Alcan Aluminum Corp., Pechiney, S.A., and Pechiney Rolled Products, LLC; Complaint, Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement. Federal Registrar, 2003. Accessed 7 July 2012.

Business law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Business law - Assignment Example In his mind, he thinks that the car is in good condition. By bad luck, the mechanical problem re-occurs two days later and consequently, the car is involved in road carnage. The taxi driver evaluates the problem and come to a conclusion that the car had the mechanical problem before the purchase. The seller by omitting the true mechanical condition of the car violated the Contract Law (Marson 352). Contract Law is a group of regulations that guide buyers and sellers on how to conduct their business. Legal actions are taken in case one party violates the Contract Law. Therefore, the taxi driver will use the Contract Law in court to against the car seller. The law allows the payment of any loss or damage caused by omission of vital information by the seller. However, the buyer must prove that the Contract Law was indeed violated. The Contract Law has four main elements. The first element is the offer given by the seller with conditions of the item on sale, the price, and the date by which the offer will expire. The second element of Contract Law is acceptance. The buyer accepts the conditions given and registers the intention to buy the item. The third element is the legal agreement. The buyer and the seller make a legal binding. The last element is consideration where the buyer pays or gives a later date to pay the item on sale. In the case between the car seller and the taxi driver, the offer given did not include the poor condition of the car intentional (Marson 352). The taxi driver bought it at the worth of a car with good conditions. He joins into a legal agreement and makes payment only to realize that the car had mechanical problems two days later. The seller violated the Contract Law by giving false information about his car and is supposed to pay the damages and the loss incurred by the taxi driver. However, the chances of the taxi driver winning this case are

Chilean Copper Mine Collapse Essay Example for Free

Chilean Copper Mine Collapse Essay On August 5, 2010, employees of Minera San Esteban Primera woke up, stretched out, bathed, ate breakfast, and walked around their assuredly modest homes. They said their casual goodbyes to family as they headed off to yet another dark day at work deep in the San Jose copper mine in northern Chile. Little did they know it would be the last time for nearly two months they would see the light of day. These same blessings of life they most likely took for granted earlier that day to be able to stretch out, to bathe, to eat, and to walk around in the comfort of their own homes would be taken from them unexpectedly later that same day. Some time around the miners lunch time on August 5, 2010, the upper galleries of the private copper mine collapsed trapping the miners. Many on the outside feared the worst. After all, when the collapse occurred the miners should have been in or near the hazard zone on their way out for their lunch break. Furthermore, with limited necessities such as food, water, and oxygen it was unknown whether the miners could have survived. Liliana Ramirez, the wife of one of the oldest minders trapped, said she had faith all along that they were still alive and that she knew that her husband would never let his fellow workers perish (Hughes, 2010). Families of the missing miners, like Liliana Ramirez, started gathering and camping out at the mines surface since the collapse was first disclosed. Finally, 17 days after the collapse occurred, on August 22, 2010, the 33 trapped miners were discovered alive and doing considerably well. Drilling probes discovered the refuge area located 2,297 feet underground (Hughes, 2010). At that time loved ones were able to send inspirational, encouraging, and heart-felt messages down through the probes to their trapped miners. The miners were able to inform those above how they were faring. Upon hearing of her husbands well being, Liliana Ramirez said her message was that she wished him the strength to resist until they can be rescued, and that she loved him (Hughes, 2010). Over the next two months, the miners trapped nearly half a mile below the surface endured trying circumstances. Food supply was extremely limited. Water was obtained from the mines storage tanks that survived the collapse. Sugars, water, and liquid nutrients were sent down to the trapped miners from the surface via tiny bore holes (Barrionuevo, 2011). Risks of additional cave-ins were always present. In fact, just days after the initial search and rescue efforts had begun a second cave-in occurred suspending relief efforts for several hours (Weik, 2010). After nearly two months of being fed by a virtual umbilical cord, overcoming claustrophobia, and wondering if theyd ever see their friends and family again, late in the evening of October 12, 2010, the first miner ascended to the surface and to safety. One by one the remaining 32 miners were lifted through the rescue shaft and were greeted by cheers, hugging, crying, and feelings of elation. The story of the trapped Chilean miners (which actually consisted of 32 Chileans and one Bolivian) was a story that gripped the world. More than 1,400 journalists were present to witness the final rescue operation (Barrionuevo, 2011). Seemingly every race, color, tongue, and ethnicity was engaged one way or another, hoping and praying for a positive outcome. Amid all of the news-worthy stories that capture the audiences attention with their negative trauma-like effect the story of the trapped and rescued Chilean miners stands out. This was a story that united nations. This was a story that was bigger than the color of ones skin, the language one speaks, or the country one calls home. This was a story about the love of mankind, about teamwork, about sacrifice, and about the basic struggle for survival. Final score: Mankind-1, Adversity-0. References Barrionuevo, A. (2011). Chile Mining Accident (2010). http://topics. nytimes. com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/chile_mining_accident_2010/index. html Hughes, H. (2010). 33 Trapped Chilean Miners Found Alive, But Could Be Stuck 4 Months. http://abcnews. go. com/International/33-trapped-chilean-miners-found-alive-stu k-months/story? id=11457872 Weik, J. (2010). Over 30 workers trapped after Chilean copper mine collapse. Metal Bulletin Daily, (224), 65. Memo to Families of Employees of Minera San Esteban Primera To Whom It May Concern, As President and CEO of this company I feel a personal responsibility to each and every one of our employees as well as to the welfare of their families. It is with deep concern for each of them and for each of you that I write this memo to inform you of a developing situation. Mid-day today (August 5, 2010) there was an accident in the San Jose mine. The upper galleries of the mine collapsed. 3 of our miners are still unaccounted for. We want to assure you that we are doing everything within our means and ability to expedite relief efforts. At this time of unprecedented disaster we pray for you as well as for the miners. If you have a loved one that may have been stationed in the San Jose mine today we have posted (and will update and maintain) a list of those miners that have been accounted for as well as a list of unaccounted miners on our website. We will not stop, we will not rest, until every miner has been accounted for. Thank you for your prayers and for your cooperation in any relief efforts that are being coordinated.

Process of Photosynthesis :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Process of Photosynthesis Photosynthesis is process by which plants containing chlorophyll make carbohydrates from water and carbon dioxide in the air in the presence of light. Green plants and certain other organisms use the energy of light to convert carbon dioxide and water into the simple sugar glucose. Photosynthesis provides the basic energy source for virtually all organisms. An extremely important byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen, on which most organisms depend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Photosynthesis has far-reaching implications. Like plants, humans and other animals depend on glucose as an energy source, but they are unable to produce it on their own and must rely ultimately on the glucose produced by plants. Moreover, the oxygen humans and other animals breathe is the oxygen released during photosynthesis. Humans are also dependent on ancient products of photosynthesis, known as fossil fuels, for supplying most of our modern industrial energy. These fossil fuels, including natural gas, coal, and petroleum, are composed of a complex mix of hydrocarbons, the remains of organisms that relied on photosynthesis millions of years ago. Thus, virtually all life on earth, directly or indirectly, depends on photosynthesis as a source of food, energy, and oxygen, making it one of the most important biochemical processes known.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plant photosynthesis occurs in leaves and green stems within specialized cell structures called chloroplasts. One plant leaf is composed of tens of thousands of cells, and each cell contains 40 to 50 chloroplasts. The chloroplast, an oval-shaped structure, is divided by membranes into numerous disk-shaped compartments. These dislike compartments, called thylakoids, are arranged vertically in the chloroplast like a stack of plates or pancakes. A stack of thylakoids is called a granum, the grana lie suspended in a fluid known as stroma. Photosynthesis is a very complex process, and for the sake of convenience and ease of understanding, plant biologists divide it into two stages. In the first stage, the light-dependent reaction, the chloroplast traps light energy and converts it into chemical energy contained in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), two molecules used in the second stage of