Walden by Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Walden by Henry David Thoreau Essay In a modern America where â€Å"liberal† means â€Å"amoral,† and â€Å"idealist† means â€Å"hopeless fool,† cell-phones â€Å"ring† to the tunes of Ashlee Simpson and Eminem; SUV’s growl and vomit fumes during rush hour; TV’s blast continuous images of sex and violence, reality and fiction combined in a way to fool and entice and unify all under the blanket of consumerist conformity. Peace is an abstract concept and quiet is for the dead. The world is fast, loud, scary, and smaller than anyone ever imagined. In these fearful times, conformity and resigned desperation are the king and queen. Individuality in American society is looked upon with suspicious eyes, as even feigned unity is preferable to sincere integrity. Even â€Å"freedom† has a new meaning, as leaders repeat it like a mantra to justify the latest horrifically comical atrocity. What better time than to disappear into the woods in the pastoral tradition of the transcendentalists? Walden Summary In an 1841 oration, leading transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said, â€Å"The universal does not attract us until housed in an individual,† and nowhere is this truer than with his friend, Henry David Thoreau, who came embody an enlightened sense of natural awareness. At a remote lake on his friend Emerson’s property, found the inspiration for Thoreau to create his masterwork about nature, individuality, change—life. Walden captured the two years he spent on Emerson’s Concord property in the mid-1840s, Thoreau created a literary escape for those alienated by the ills of â€Å"proper† society. From the construction of his simple house, to his natural diet, to the woodland creatures that became his neighbors and lone company, every aspect of his simple existence is detailed. In eighteen chapters, Walden covers the world around Thoreau and his little cabin. With chapter titles like Economy, Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, and The Pond in Winter, the simple aspects of existence are the most important. Thoreau begins with a long chapter on Economy, in which he explains his incarceration for refusing to pay a poll-tax he saw as unjust, and his desire for simplicity. Thoreau spends a great deal of the book discussing the simplicity of Nature and how it relates to humanity, morality, and knowledge. While insight runs all through the book, Walden possesses some chapters that are particularly powerful and deal with knowledge, individualism, and friendship. In the chapter Reading, Thoreau explains the importance of books saying, â€Å"To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires training such as the athletes underwent the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. † This quote is very important because Thoreau is saying that reading is not an easy task, but it also requires lots of practice and training just as athletes undergo. Throughout the chapter, Thoreau states how everyone should read books, and modern humans could end up like pygmies and manikins. â€Å"No wonder that Alexander carried the Iliad with him on his expeditions in a precious casket† (Thoreau). To Thoreau, reading and knowledge are the keys to civilization. In the chapter on Solitude, Thoreau explains how being alone is not at all a bad thing. â€Å"But for the most part it is as solitary where I live as on the prairies. It is as much Asia or Africa as New England, I have, as it were, my own sun and moon and stars, and a little world all to myself. † Thoreau does not look at solitude as being something bad or a punishment, but looks at it as if it were a gift. When he says that he has his own little world all to himself, it makes readers ponder their own solitude. To Americans in the twenty-first century, the concept of solitude is relatively foreign, but as described by Thoreau, it makes it more desirable. In the chapter Visitors, Thoreau talks about how having people around is just as good as being in solitude. â€Å"I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society. When visitors came in larger and unexpected numbers there was but the third chair for them all, but they generally economized the room by standing up. † When Thoreau said that he wanted to keep things as simple as possible, he meant it, offering only three chairs to his visitors. Thoreau says that it was amazing how he could fit twenty-five to thirty people in his tiny house, and how that brought him and all of his visitors closer together. â€Å"I could not but notice some of the peculiarities of my visitors. Girls and boys and young women generally seemed glad to be in the woods. They looked in the pond and at the flowers, and improved their time. † (Coleridge) Negative Criticisms Walden is required reading for many high school students unfamiliar with the things Thoreau discusses in the book. He explained the importance and necessity of reading, he showed how being alone is usually a good thing, and he also showed how great visitors can be. While many high school students appreciate visitors, reading and solitude are things they avoid. Today a majority of high school students do not read books because it is considered â€Å"boring,† and with todays technology, no one has to read. With news and TV, someone or something else often reads to most people. Despite the fact that many people in modern America do not read, Walden is still read by many reluctant students who would rather be online or on the phone. Thoreau defends his book against those who read and fail to understand what they are reading: â€Å"It is not all books that are as dull as their readers. † The people who might find the insights of Thoreau and the desire for the simple life boring, are in fact boring thinkers. Some others may find Thoreau’s distrust of modern civilization misplaced, as many find the progress of the industrial and computer revolutions to be ideal for humanity. The idea of sacrificing that for a rough life in the woods may seem ludicrous. Someone like Thoreau may be seen as a crazy hippie or mountain man, and today’s world favors the engineers, entertainers, and the high life. Society has not simplified one bit in the last one hundred fifty years, and this could signify that Walden has had little real effect on American culture. However, this is not the case in American literature. Positive Criticisms Few question the importance of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden in American literature. Thoreau’s descriptions of life in its simplest and most idyllic continue to inspire conservation efforts and serve as a testament to the value of Nature. From the construction of his house in the thick of the New England woods, to his diet, and to the woodland creatures that became his neighbors and lone company, every aspect of his simple existence is elegantly detailed. Much of his reverence for Nature leads contemporary Americans to believe Thoreau and Walden to be exclusively environmental and conversationalist, but those truly enamored with Thoreau and his transcendentalist ideals know better. Walden retains a timeless wisdom, reminding readers the value of smelling the proverbial roses. â€Å"Our life is frittered away by detail†¦ Simplify, simplify† (Thoreau 89). Whether in the throws of the Industrial Revolution as Thoreau, or in the era of ambitious terrorism and open-ended declarations of war as modern humans, details create confusion. Humans forget about life while they live it, often concerned mainly with conformity. â€Å"Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer† (317). Perhaps, the strongest issue put forth in the book is that of individuality, as themes of self-reliance and stoicism run throughout the work. Individualism, the importance of the individual, self-reliance, and personal independence is one of the leading characteristics of the era of Romanticism. Henry David Thoreau wrote about individualism and demonstrated his belief by the way he lived. Living at Walden Pond, standing up to his government, refusing to pay a poll-tax to a government with which he viewed as corrupt are examples of his fierce independence and individuality. Thoreau is a stellar example of what individuality can produce. A worthy goal is to make the effort to devote oneself to thought and work, to in fact nurture ones own individuality, rather than becoming lost in the mainstream of life. This will allow greater individuality and diversity to complement current day society. The true secret to Walden’s success and timelessness is that Americans still make the same mistakes and take the same things for granted as they did 150 years ago. Everything still applies, in nature and man. Only the details have changed. Technology still marches on; war still looms large over the landscape; America continues to grow and spread its influence, for better or worse. In the case of Thoreau, for better, at least according to George Eliot who said, â€Å"we have a bit of pure American life (not the go a-head species, but its opposite pole), animated by that energetic, yet calm spirit of innovation† (Eliot 46). In modern America, where the go a-head species lead us blindly into an abyss, it is the voices of Americans like Thoreau: peacefully simple. Perhaps, Emerson said it best when he eulogized his friend, â€Å"No truer American existed than Thoreau† (Emerson). And, there have been few books that have been more American than Walden. Conclusion Thoreau went to the woods to get to the most basic facts of life and to appreciate and enjoy everything about these most basic facts. Thoreau viewed the woods in particular, and Nature in general, as a teacher of life and living. Thoreau believed that the simpler his life became the greater his opportunity to appreciate life. Thoreau did not want to allow society to determine that which he knew as life. To live an existence based on the common experience of others would be as to neglect ones own experience. Individualism and an appreciation for nature and solitude do not necessarily mean living as a hermit. Thoreau believed that in order to truly appreciate life, to understand and experience life as ones own life, it is necessary to quiet the mind of all the surrounding trappings of society. To this day, Walden serves as one of the greatest examples of the benefits of living the simple life. References Coleridge, S. T. , (1969). The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. ed. Kathleen Coburn, Princeton: Princeton UP. , 6: 30. Eliot, G. (1988). â€Å"Review of Walden. † Critical Essays on Thoreau’s Walden. Ed. Joel Myerson. Boston: C. K. Hall Co. , 46. Emerson, R. W. (8 Dec. 1997). â€Å"The Eulogy of Henry David Thoreau. † RWE. org – The Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Accessed 29 Jan. 2007 from http://www. rwe. org/pages/eulogy_of_thoreau. htm Thoreau, H. D. (2004). Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition. Ed. Jeffery S. Cramer. New Haven: Yale University Press. (Original work published 1854)

Pop Art Comparison of Seated Woman and Lavender Disaster :: Essays Papers

Pop Art Comparison of Seated Woman and Lavender Disaster Pop Art was a Modern art movement that emerged durring the mid-twentieth century in both England and America. It first began to gain recognition in the early 1950’s, after about twenty years of Abstract, as artists altered their attention and looked to change. In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Pop Art became much more popular to the general public and successful for the movement’s artists due to the world growing tired of the repeditive forms of Abstract. Found in the Menil Collection, Seated Woman and Lavender Disaster are two examples of Pop Art. The comparison of these two pieces shows although they differ in medium and subject matter both Seated Woman and Lavender Disaster share common underlying themes possesed by all Pop Art. George Segal was an American artist from New York. He began experamenting with the use of a new kind of medical bandage designed for setting fractures, and he developed a techniquie using these bandages to make plaster casts. This allowed Segal to produce a figure that kept the essential human traits with out great detail, and also enabled these figures to be cast directly from a live model. It is in this way that George Segal created Seated Woman in 1967. Andy Warhol was a graphic artist, painter, and film maker, amoung other things, also associated with Pop Art. He moved to New York, around 1950, where he did his first advertisements as a comercial artist and, later, began showing in expositions. One technique employed by Warhol involved repeditive silk screen prints on canvas. He used this method to produce many series of prints with various, easily reconizable images. Between 1962 and 1964 in his self titled studio â€Å"The Factory†(Phaidon 484), Warhol produced over two thousand pictures. One of these, Lavender Disaster, was made in 1963 and belonged to a series of pictures all including the same image of an electric chair. The subjet matter of these two Pop Art examples is for the most part quite different, although there are some similarities. George Segal’s piece is a white plaster figure on a wooden chair with a vinyl seat pad. The figure is sitting sideways in the chair, with her right side being closest to the back of the chair.

Conformity

One of society popular issues – conformity, is the act of one individual likely to change his or her thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes in order to fit in a group or to follow social norms. Norms are understood as unspoken, invisible rules appeared by a group of people then spread out to the whole community. Conformity occurs in various environment and situations, which fashion trends, plastic surgery, and tattooed people are some typical examples (depends on the case). Furthermore, when talking about the place where conformity rules over, is which we are most familiar with: the school.First of all, we can possibly see that school managers, staffs and teachers are the ones who directly apply conformity on students. Rules and punishments which are thought to organize and unite everyone but the reality is reverse. These excessive and unreasonable ones constrain student from freedom, that later on make them afraid Of schools, studying, and conform hopelessly although their brain are opposing. Plus, the approach of rigid and severe educating nowadays leads to reducing curiosity and creativity in students.This problem happens in not one but many different countries, hence takes art in declining the developing education. Besides, there is still a minority of teachers who are stubborn enough to reject any students' new innovative resolutions so as to protect their ego. Yet another outcome of the conformity doctrine is standardized examinations. â€Å"Future of the humanity' should be tested on their personalized and specific abilities to prepare for life, not just narrow and impractical plain papers to figuratively test our memory – which then disappears like it never happens!It may be exaggerated but somehow, schools have made us involved in either a batch or flow production, waiting or an acceptable diploma to apply for ordinary jobs with and expectation of getting average income†¦ In another aspect, students ourselves are conformist as well. Fro m observation, there are mainly three considerable reasons why students conform, and one of them is lacking of knowledge. In a group work or class period, those who are not as clever as others usually listen to everything discussed or lecture assuming they are all correct.They make themselves lower than their friends, follow orders when doing a project, or obey the rules unconditionally. The second type are whom we can sibyl call â€Å"trend followers†. These individuals are the one who would buy a pair of shoes that has similar brand to other majorities in school; put on sweaters in a boiling temperature of 35 ‘C because fashion icons in Russia wear them; or even mimic the same tattoo as their idols'.Their needs of affection and admiration from others resulting in conformity that they want to mimic everything from the loved ones! Finally, the third and also why students conform is that they are yearning to be protected: they would avoid any action leads to disagreement or making them an outcast. Anything that mess harmful is always on their black-list including arguments, bullying, criticism therefore they ignore their individuality to make themselves be like the majority.We can find these kind of students everywhere: agree on every decision made despite of having different opinion; suddenly draw back their arms after seeing no one raises theirs up; or more unintelligible like one claiming he or she has not finish the assignment – which is supposed to be done already, just because there are few people have completed the task. Overall, how conformity affects education – beneficially or contrary, is still beatable. To consider in a positive way, the fact that conformity provides cooperation and acceptance is undeniable.It keeps students from engaging in anti-social acts for fear of isolation plus ensures security. Conformity is metaphorically like an established path for us to follow without deliberation and therefore make a great ass istance since we are not capable of everything. Moreover, besides self-completing, it also maintains social norms, discipline, and easily operates school via ‘obedient kids'. However, many argue that conformity brings up more draw backs than its advantages. Taking as an example: the school bell.When it rings, the whole school jointly moves to another location to start another activity as now it is controlled by an audio signal. Clearly, there are logistical issues to consider if we are to safely and effectively manage a volatile school population of over SHOO young people, but are there any less militaristic ways to operate? When will we see schools acting less like prisons or military bases, and more like places where learning can actually be enjoyed? It is clear that schools should be founded on diversity not on conformity.Yet to achieve this involves not only a strong consideration of the development of individuals and their specific abilities, but also on the need for each school to create its own distinct identity within its community. It is not only the school's duty to apply conformity properly but also our accurate perception that does. Do you want to become one of a mass chain of approximate dolls that people always see you as one tiny part of a group, or a distinct star shining in the dark sky? Whether good or not, remember that being yourself is the best! Conformity Compare how authors deal with the subject of conformity in two texts you have studied. In the short stories The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share the common subject of conformity. This Is shown through the theme of expression of individuality that defies society rules can result In visitation and death which still exists in all societies. Shelley and Vantage portray the main theme through the use of characters, symbols and Context (Irony) both sharing similarities and differences between texts. In The Lottery and HarrisonBurgeon the characters are used to portray the theme of expression of Individuality that defies society's rules can result In violations and death which still exists In all societies. This Is shown through the two mall characters from each text, Testis and Harrison Burgeon. In The Lottery the mall character Testis Is shown to defy society's In multiple ways. She turns up late and forgets to arrive on time, she protests that she â€Å"wins† The Lottery and she also tries to get the decision changed. After Testis defying society's rules it results In death and violations.In these scenes, the hem is shown through the main character Testis because she as a individual defies society's rules, in this case Testis refuses and doesn't accept that she has â€Å"won† and defies her victory, she doesn't which then results in her death and visitation. In Harrison Burgeon, the main character Harrison also defies society rules and regulations. Everyone is required to wear handicaps which reduce their advantages and make everyone the same. This is shown in the scenes where he breaks out of prison and takes off his handicaps in front of everyone.When Harrison defies these ales it results in his death and visitation. Harrison expresses his individuality by taking his handicaps and dancing which symbolizes freedom, the one thing that the Handicapper general doesn't agree with, hence Harridan's visitation. In b oth texts both characters defy society's rules by expressing individuality which then results in visitation. Symbolism is used in both texts to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The lottery, an important symbol is the black box intonating all the names, this gives the effect that everyone is trapped inside this box and trapped inside their society's traditions and rules, this also symbolizes the towns loss of freedom because everyone is trapped. This also explains how non-reactive they are to the actual horrible events that occur In front of them (stoning the girl) this may suggest that they are so trapped Inside their traditions that they have Just given up and decided to accept what will happen Instead of trying to escape the traditions and the black box.In hindsight, the black box Is a symbol of entrapment towards the unspoiled. In Harrison Burgeon the chains that everyone Is forced to wear to reduce their advantages and talents so everyone Is equal Is used to symbolism the people's entrapment and loss of freedom. Generally chains symbolism entrapment and Imprisonment, this relates In the text because everyone has to wear chains, so they have become trapped and lost their freedom. This also may explain how oblivious and acceptable they act towards their handicaps (people In the theatre), they have become so trapped by the handicapper general that they have acceptedHarrison Burgeon because the black box and the chains resemble entrapment and imprisonment. The black box and chains are portrayed to minimize and stops the expression of individuality that may go against society rules resulting in death. Context and language features plays a huge factor in The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The Lott ery irony is used when Mr. and Mrs. Adams tell Warner that some villages have given up he Lottery and he replies with â€Å"Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves† this is ironic because while other villages have moved on this village is still doing this blind tradition, this ironic quote also alludes to the cavemen and how they would do something so barbaric and stone people to death, but they are Just as bad if not worse.This suggests how blind and arrogant people become when individuality is not expressed and everyone agrees with societies rules. The setting is also described as â€Å"clear and sunny' â€Å"fresh warmth of a full summer-day', this is ironic because regardless of the weather being described as beautiful and happy the result of an innocent person's people is dark and sinister, not happy at all.In Harrison Burgeon irony is shown through how generally in most societies people who are intelligent, strong and good looking general ly have easy and more valued life's, but In Harrison Burgeon these people are made to live a harder life, and less attractive, weaker and less intelligent live easier lives due to the smaller amounts of handicaps. Harrison is portrayed as being the perfect specimen of what the overspent are trying to reduce, the irony is that giving Harrison harder and more handicaps only made him stronger than weaker, this is shown when he breaks free and expresses freedom towards the audience.The irony in both The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon In conclusion, The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share a common theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies. This is shown through the use of characters, Testis and Harrison both share a common aspect of expressing individuality and they both defies society's rule, which both results in visitation and death.Symbols, the chains and black box both resemble entrapment and imprisonment. Context, irony is used in both texts to express the theme of conformity because it shows how blind and arrogant people become when they follow blind traditions and rules. This theme is important because it shows the consequences of not expressing individuality and only following rules. Also it allows the reader to understand what can happen to people when they conform. Conformity Compare how authors deal with the subject of conformity in two texts you have studied. In the short stories The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share the common subject of conformity. This Is shown through the theme of expression of individuality that defies society rules can result In visitation and death which still exists in all societies. Shelley and Vantage portray the main theme through the use of characters, symbols and Context (Irony) both sharing similarities and differences between texts. In The Lottery and HarrisonBurgeon the characters are used to portray the theme of expression of Individuality that defies society's rules can result In violations and death which still exists In all societies. This Is shown through the two mall characters from each text, Testis and Harrison Burgeon. In The Lottery the mall character Testis Is shown to defy society's In multiple ways. She turns up late and forgets to arrive on time, she protests that she â€Å"wins† The Lottery and she also tries to get the decision changed. After Testis defying society's rules it results In death and violations.In these scenes, the hem is shown through the main character Testis because she as a individual defies society's rules, in this case Testis refuses and doesn't accept that she has â€Å"won† and defies her victory, she doesn't which then results in her death and visitation. In Harrison Burgeon, the main character Harrison also defies society rules and regulations. Everyone is required to wear handicaps which reduce their advantages and make everyone the same. This is shown in the scenes where he breaks out of prison and takes off his handicaps in front of everyone.When Harrison defies these ales it results in his death and visitation. Harrison expresses his individuality by taking his handicaps and dancing which symbolizes freedom, the one thing that the Handicapper general doesn't agree with, hence Harridan's visitation. In b oth texts both characters defy society's rules by expressing individuality which then results in visitation. Symbolism is used in both texts to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The lottery, an important symbol is the black box intonating all the names, this gives the effect that everyone is trapped inside this box and trapped inside their society's traditions and rules, this also symbolizes the towns loss of freedom because everyone is trapped. This also explains how non-reactive they are to the actual horrible events that occur In front of them (stoning the girl) this may suggest that they are so trapped Inside their traditions that they have Just given up and decided to accept what will happen Instead of trying to escape the traditions and the black box.In hindsight, the black box Is a symbol of entrapment towards the unspoiled. In Harrison Burgeon the chains that everyone Is forced to wear to reduce their advantages and talents so everyone Is equal Is used to symbolism the people's entrapment and loss of freedom. Generally chains symbolism entrapment and Imprisonment, this relates In the text because everyone has to wear chains, so they have become trapped and lost their freedom. This also may explain how oblivious and acceptable they act towards their handicaps (people In the theatre), they have become so trapped by the handicapper general that they have acceptedHarrison Burgeon because the black box and the chains resemble entrapment and imprisonment. The black box and chains are portrayed to minimize and stops the expression of individuality that may go against society rules resulting in death. Context and language features plays a huge factor in The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The Lott ery irony is used when Mr. and Mrs. Adams tell Warner that some villages have given up he Lottery and he replies with â€Å"Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves† this is ironic because while other villages have moved on this village is still doing this blind tradition, this ironic quote also alludes to the cavemen and how they would do something so barbaric and stone people to death, but they are Just as bad if not worse.This suggests how blind and arrogant people become when individuality is not expressed and everyone agrees with societies rules. The setting is also described as â€Å"clear and sunny' â€Å"fresh warmth of a full summer-day', this is ironic because regardless of the weather being described as beautiful and happy the result of an innocent person's people is dark and sinister, not happy at all.In Harrison Burgeon irony is shown through how generally in most societies people who are intelligent, strong and good looking general ly have easy and more valued life's, but In Harrison Burgeon these people are made to live a harder life, and less attractive, weaker and less intelligent live easier lives due to the smaller amounts of handicaps. Harrison is portrayed as being the perfect specimen of what the overspent are trying to reduce, the irony is that giving Harrison harder and more handicaps only made him stronger than weaker, this is shown when he breaks free and expresses freedom towards the audience.The irony in both The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon In conclusion, The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share a common theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies. This is shown through the use of characters, Testis and Harrison both share a common aspect of expressing individuality and they both defies society's rule, which both results in visitation and death.Symbols, the chains and black box both resemble entrapment and imprisonment. Context, irony is used in both texts to express the theme of conformity because it shows how blind and arrogant people become when they follow blind traditions and rules. This theme is important because it shows the consequences of not expressing individuality and only following rules. Also it allows the reader to understand what can happen to people when they conform. Conformity Compare how authors deal with the subject of conformity in two texts you have studied. In the short stories The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share the common subject of conformity. This Is shown through the theme of expression of individuality that defies society rules can result In visitation and death which still exists in all societies. Shelley and Vantage portray the main theme through the use of characters, symbols and Context (Irony) both sharing similarities and differences between texts. In The Lottery and HarrisonBurgeon the characters are used to portray the theme of expression of Individuality that defies society's rules can result In violations and death which still exists In all societies. This Is shown through the two mall characters from each text, Testis and Harrison Burgeon. In The Lottery the mall character Testis Is shown to defy society's In multiple ways. She turns up late and forgets to arrive on time, she protests that she â€Å"wins† The Lottery and she also tries to get the decision changed. After Testis defying society's rules it results In death and violations.In these scenes, the hem is shown through the main character Testis because she as a individual defies society's rules, in this case Testis refuses and doesn't accept that she has â€Å"won† and defies her victory, she doesn't which then results in her death and visitation. In Harrison Burgeon, the main character Harrison also defies society rules and regulations. Everyone is required to wear handicaps which reduce their advantages and make everyone the same. This is shown in the scenes where he breaks out of prison and takes off his handicaps in front of everyone.When Harrison defies these ales it results in his death and visitation. Harrison expresses his individuality by taking his handicaps and dancing which symbolizes freedom, the one thing that the Handicapper general doesn't agree with, hence Harridan's visitation. In b oth texts both characters defy society's rules by expressing individuality which then results in visitation. Symbolism is used in both texts to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The lottery, an important symbol is the black box intonating all the names, this gives the effect that everyone is trapped inside this box and trapped inside their society's traditions and rules, this also symbolizes the towns loss of freedom because everyone is trapped. This also explains how non-reactive they are to the actual horrible events that occur In front of them (stoning the girl) this may suggest that they are so trapped Inside their traditions that they have Just given up and decided to accept what will happen Instead of trying to escape the traditions and the black box.In hindsight, the black box Is a symbol of entrapment towards the unspoiled. In Harrison Burgeon the chains that everyone Is forced to wear to reduce their advantages and talents so everyone Is equal Is used to symbolism the people's entrapment and loss of freedom. Generally chains symbolism entrapment and Imprisonment, this relates In the text because everyone has to wear chains, so they have become trapped and lost their freedom. This also may explain how oblivious and acceptable they act towards their handicaps (people In the theatre), they have become so trapped by the handicapper general that they have acceptedHarrison Burgeon because the black box and the chains resemble entrapment and imprisonment. The black box and chains are portrayed to minimize and stops the expression of individuality that may go against society rules resulting in death. Context and language features plays a huge factor in The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon to portray the theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies.In The Lott ery irony is used when Mr. and Mrs. Adams tell Warner that some villages have given up he Lottery and he replies with â€Å"Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves† this is ironic because while other villages have moved on this village is still doing this blind tradition, this ironic quote also alludes to the cavemen and how they would do something so barbaric and stone people to death, but they are Just as bad if not worse.This suggests how blind and arrogant people become when individuality is not expressed and everyone agrees with societies rules. The setting is also described as â€Å"clear and sunny' â€Å"fresh warmth of a full summer-day', this is ironic because regardless of the weather being described as beautiful and happy the result of an innocent person's people is dark and sinister, not happy at all.In Harrison Burgeon irony is shown through how generally in most societies people who are intelligent, strong and good looking general ly have easy and more valued life's, but In Harrison Burgeon these people are made to live a harder life, and less attractive, weaker and less intelligent live easier lives due to the smaller amounts of handicaps. Harrison is portrayed as being the perfect specimen of what the overspent are trying to reduce, the irony is that giving Harrison harder and more handicaps only made him stronger than weaker, this is shown when he breaks free and expresses freedom towards the audience.The irony in both The Lottery and Harrison Burgeon In conclusion, The Lottery by Shelley Jackson and Harrison Burgeon by Vantage Jar both share a common theme of expression of individuality that defies society's rules can result in visitation and death which still exists in all societies. This is shown through the use of characters, Testis and Harrison both share a common aspect of expressing individuality and they both defies society's rule, which both results in visitation and death.Symbols, the chains and black box both resemble entrapment and imprisonment. Context, irony is used in both texts to express the theme of conformity because it shows how blind and arrogant people become when they follow blind traditions and rules. This theme is important because it shows the consequences of not expressing individuality and only following rules. Also it allows the reader to understand what can happen to people when they conform.

Computers and Technology the Downfall of Civilization

Computers and Technology: The Downfall of Civilization Introduction We are becoming overwhelmingly dependent on computers and technology. Is this dependence on computers and technology a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits? Since their creation, computers and technology have always been about making our lives easier. From the invention of the light bulb to modern day smart phones, they are helpful devices that most everyone, in one way or another use every day. However, since their creation, they have slowly been forcing society to become ever more dependent on their use. As a society, we continue to depend on computers and technology to get through our daily lives, so the question that needs to be asked is, â€Å"Is†¦show more content†¦As the thinking machinery continues to evolve, the strategists will keep asking themselves the same question: Is there still a good reason to trust ourselves or should we defer to a computers calculations (Johnson, 2005)? Medical Research and Record Keeping Cancer, AIDS, general disease research and hospital record keeping all depend on computers and their technology. How can computer scientists help in cancer research? According to David Patterson of the New York Times, â€Å"Computer scientists may have the best skills to fight cancer in the next decade – they should be signing up in droves† (Patterson, 2011). With the ability to store our medical records electronically, there will always be the risk and exposure of some our most personal information to hackers and thieves. There have been numerous reports lately of groups such as â€Å"Anonymous† breaking into the CIA, shutting down the FBI’s websites and even breaking into state databases for profit and gain. Space Exploration Space exploration, missions and the survival of our astronauts, telescopes and satellites all depend on computers and technology. There has always been a computer and its accompanying technology involved when there has been a major breakthrough in science or in any other field, so why would space exploration be any different? Space exploration has had a lot to gain since the invention of computers and their technology. Before computers, when people used to study theShow MoreRelatedA Comparison Of Alien Technology In Alien And Forbidden Planet?1034 Words   |  5 PagesNowadays we have amazing technology, I mean our phones are basically small computers now, but people freak out when their smart phones or laptops mess up and they cannot check social media. Technology has become such a gigantic part of our daily lives now that it is hard for most people to comprehend what life would be like without it or if it failed us like so many people were worried about with the Y2K bug. So, let us take it to a bigger scale like what would happen when you’re exploring an unknownRead More The Pros and Cons of Technology Essay1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe Pros and Cons of Technology As far back as I can remember my family and I have taken advantage of technology. The types of technology have changed over the years, along with our usage and dependence on it. Technology is a fundamental part of our lifestyle, including both work and play. What is interesting is that we also have many friends who use very little technology in their day-to-day living. This drastic difference makes one wonder how necessary the technology really is, and whether orRead Morehow technology has changed985 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Melissa Sandoval English 52 / 6-750pm 2/18/2014 How technology has changed Technology today, has allowed us to connect with people with ease, and has made many tasks so much easier. From desktops to IPhones, the world we live in today allows us to communicate with anybody with wireless access with just a couple clicks of a mouse. As civilization has evolved so has technology, from letters to phone calls to email, basic communication methods have consistently progressed into the complex systemRead MoreThe Impact of Computer Science on Health Care Medicine1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe Impact of Computer Science on Health Care amp; Medicine Abstract Computer science can be defined as the systematic study of algorithmic processes, their theory, design, analysis, implementation and application. Its functions in the modern society today expand far beyond the uses one could even begin to imagine. Specifically, there is an increased influence in its practical application in the field of medicine. In recent times, an interdependent relationship between medicineRead More Understanding Crime Essays1576 Words   |  7 Pagestake a turn to a darker side. Kaczynski begins to write letters expressing his feelings against technology in the early 70’s which would be his motivation for all the bombings. Kaczynski’s main goal was to wipe out technology or anyone who believed that technology was the way of the future. Kaczynski’s main targets were professors at technological schools or people involved with computers or computer science teachers. Initially, the bombs were of amateur quality and did not cause much harm. The bombsRead MoreStan Vanderbeek: Master of Machine Stan Vanderbeek considered himself to be a â€Å"technological fruit1100 Words   |  5 PagesVanderbeek considered himself to be a â€Å"technological fruit picker† as he worked with various types of media throughout his career. He would pick up new techniques as often as he dropped ones that were no longer beneficial to him and his works. When computers became commercially available in 1955, Vanderbeek’s curiosity piqued at the potential as an art form since he was a â€Å"technically oriented film-artist.† The year 1964 signaled his initial experiments with the new medium and he has since producedRead MoreEssay on Technology in the film Tron2567 Words   |  11 PagesTechnology in the film Tron Introduction The purpose of my project is to discover how technology is represented within the film Tron. To answer this research question, I viewed and analyzed the movie and incorporated information from the text and various websites. While studying this film, I took into consideration factors such as images and language used, how technology is related to society, and what symbols the creator used to convey certain qualities of technology. In this researchRead MoreModern Technology3302 Words   |  14 PagesTechnology is a systematic knowledge and action, usually of industrial processes but applicable to any recurrent activity. Technology is closely related to science and to engineering. Science deals with humans understanding of the real world about them—the inherent properties of space, matter, energy, and their interactions. Engineering is the application of objective knowledge to the creation of plans, designs, and means for achieving desired objectives. Technology deals with the to ols and techniquesRead MoreGun Violence And Social Media1510 Words   |  7 Pagesattention, some for political reasons, some are due to mental instability, but every shooter had an agenda driving their actions. The Fall of Civilization In the early to mid-1990’s, the internet became more accessible to the general public, and extraordinarily more so in the years, and millennium that followed. Today most people walk around with a handheld computer in their pocket which have actually sent the PC industry into a downward trend for the past few years (Bonnington, 2015). We walk, we talkRead MoreReflection About Media Literacy Reflection1416 Words   |  6 Pagesoccasions across the nation by facilitating a screening of the honor winning narrative, Screenagers. The movie tests into the helpless corners of family life, including the executives own, and delineates untidy battles over web-based social networking, computer games, scholastics, and Internet compulsion. Through astonishing bits of knowledge from creators and cerebrum researchers, arrangements rise on how we can start to engage kids about how to best explore and comprehend the inescapable effects of the