“Baglady” Is a British Short Story Written by A. S. Byatt Essay Example

â€Å"Baglady† Is a British Short Story Written by A. S. Byatt Paper â€Å"Baglady† is a British short story written by A. S. Byatt, it was published in the collection â€Å"Elementals† in 1998. The main character in this story is Daphne Gulver- Robins. Daphne accompanies her husband on a business trip to the Far East. The main reason she is on the trip, is for her husband to be able to impress his boss, by showing his family side. Daphne would have preferred staying home taking care of the animals on the farm, because she knows that her and the other wives have nothing in common:† Most of the other wives are elegant, with silk suits and silky legs and exquisitely cut hair† (9:16) this quote indicates that the other women are sophisticated to superficial. In their social group the exterior means everything. Daphne is aware of the shallow and superficial environment she is stepping in to. Even though Daphne is not exited about the trip she still makes an effort to try and impress the other wives by loosing weight for this specific trip:† She has tried to make herself attractive for this jaunt and has lost ten pounds and had her hands manicured† (9:22) Daphne is very insecure and feels inferior compared to the other women, her weight loss is a desperate attempt to fit in, but she ends up being an outsider. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Baglady† Is a British Short Story Written by A. S. Byatt specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Baglady† Is a British Short Story Written by A. S. Byatt specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Baglady† Is a British Short Story Written by A. S. Byatt specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They women entertain themselves by going to The Good Fortune mall:† The Good Fortune shopping mall resembles an army of barracks or a prison block,†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"(10: 26) The mall represents the rich part of the society and all the chaos around. This mall is secured well so that the poor, thieves and unwelcome guest can’t get in. While in the mall the other women leaves Daphne behind and she ends up wandering around the mall by herself. Daphne explores the mall but quickly gets confused because everything seems to be chaotic and out of place. Daphne’s frustration begins when she realizes that her camera is missing, which I would interpret as point off of no return. She goes to the bathroom to restore her make up, and discovers that her face looks like a mess, which is another signs of her dissolving and breaking down, all of this leads to her being late for the meeting with the driver and the other women. In her panic and desperation to find an EXIT and get out of the mall her heel breaks off one of her shoes and she takes her shoes off, and but them in her bag. She notices that her credit cards and her purse have disappeared as well. She no longer has any identification and all of her belongings are missing in other words her identity is absent. She cries for help, and a policeman walks over to her: â€Å"Help me said Daphne I’m an English lady, I have been robbed, I must go home† in this quote it becomes clear that Daphne expects the police man to help her just because she is rich and British, because she lacks identification, the police man refuses to help her, which tells us that in the oriental society you have to be part of the rich upper class in order for help or assistance. The main theme in Baglady is identity. Throughout the entire story Daphne is in the state of flux. She loses her identity in a foreign country which leads to her being disoriented, and even before they arrive she feels out of her comfort zone, because of her dissimilar character. The loss of her materialistic possessions leads to her identity loss which shows that Daphne comes from a capitalistic society where materialistic things define the individual. And by losing her belonging she goes from being and middle/upper class British lady, to a worthless Baglady. Another theme could be the clash between the western and oriental world. The characteristics of this story being postmodern are very obvious. The themes which are writing above clarifies that the text it postmodern and the fact that the story has an open ending is also an element in postmodern writing.

The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution reveals a history of development of science that has gradually transformed the views of people on nature and society. Traditionally, the scientific revolution dates back to the eighteenth century, the advent of the Renaissance epoch.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Scientific Revolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, ancient Greece was the pioneer in developing science. In particular, the emergence of philosophy as a progenitor of other sciences emerged in Green has given rise to many other disciplines. In general, scientific revolution can be presented through three historic views on science, including classical, medieval, and modern. All these periods involve significant contradictions, frictions and challenges that contributed to the modern image of science. The supporters of humanistic theory agree with the ideas of great influence of people on the development of science. Therefore, all the identified periods represent important historical figures that invested into the scientific progress. Specific attention should be given to considering such great minds as Plato, the brightest representative of the Hellenic world, Augustine and Aquinas, Copernicus, Kepler, and Cicero. The representatives of this period is distinguished by logic character of thought that is engaged intensely in deliberations such important questions as life and death, as well as by negligence of conventional virtues.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The medieval period was the hardest for the development of science because of the strict restriction imposed on developing humanitarian disciplines. The Church marked the decline of secular thought that was confined to recognizing Jesus and divine rule. Therefore, science was highly neglected in society because of increased dominance of religious scriptures. Moreover, religion denied scientific advances because of the threat of increased attention to scientific documents and discoveries that withdraw divine doctrine. According to Tarnas, â€Å"the resurrection Christ brought to mankind was present in the Church† and, therefore, each human being should be attached to the divine doctrines (148). Dependence on the church had created a serious obstacle science because of recognition of biblical history and knowledge only. Spiritual authority of the church dominated significantly and required full obedience from Church members. The necessity to follow religious tradition was explained by the formalization of rules and established of strict norms in educational and social spheres. In other words, those people who indulge into studies science were regarded as the one withdrawing divine laws. The emergence of the Western culture has given rise to the development of new directions of scientific developm ent that differ substantially from the doctrines and rituals previously established in the Church. Medieval thinkers became obsessed with new options for the evolution of human civilizations. At the end of eighteen century, the era of Renaissance marked the continuation of the philosophical thought of Greek period.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Scientific Revolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, the Aristotelian natural philosophy received further progress in the advances introduced by Copernicus, the scientific thought related to heliocentric theory of astronomical model of the Solar system, as well as the position of Earth in it. Heliocentrism opposed significantly to medieval thought about the geocentric theory of Earth system. Limited vision on science, therefore, prevented the medieval thinker to introduce new concepts and frameworks. The period of revival of Greek philosophy dates back to the sixteenth century, which is also marked by Copernican Revolution. Further scientific progress was introduced through the work of Johannes Kepler who presented the model of elliptical orbits. The given period is represented as the second revival of the Scientific revolution after the period of educational â€Å"darkness†. In general, the Copernicus Revolution was both the contributor to the development of the era of Enlightenment, as well as the mark of the scientific evolution in various academic fields. The era of Renaissance had a potent impact on the shifts in religious views on the world. At the same time, religion itself made significant contributions to the development of science and education. In particular, classical knowledge transmission was due to the contributions made by Byzantine science that transferred their experience to the Renaissance Italy and Islamic countries. Arabic knowledge also spread over the European countries.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, the Christian world has left rich heritage to the Islamic world and provided a foundation for the development of new sciences. Tarnas writes, â€Å"†¦classical civilization had been snuffed out in the West, its great works and ideas left to the Byzantines and later the Moslems to be preserved as in museum† (90). In this respect, the religion served as a driving force to spread of scientific knowledge and experience all over the world. Interaction between Islamic and Byzantine culture also gave rise to the emergence of various discipline and formation of secular thought. In conclusion, the Scientific Revolution is a sophisticated ongoing process that underwent several complex stages. Its beginning takes root in the Greek philosophy, faces challenges in the medieval period, and experiences rise in the era of Enlightenment. All of these periods contributed greatly to the development of new scientific theories and concepts. Although religion reflects antagonistic vi sion on science, it still provided scientific world with a solid foundation for further evolution, as well as introduced basic for revival of classical thought. Tarnas, Richard, The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas that Have Shaped Our World View. New York: Ballantine Books, 1993 Print.

The Spanish Enconter the Native Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Spanish Enconter the Native Americans - Essay Example d developed, Native Americans encountered by Cortes in Meso-America exemplified the next, more advanced stage of evolution, compared to their counterparts living in the Caribbean. The issue is worth-discussing as these differences among Native American peoples imply the need to study their development and evolution in more detail. What Columbus saw upon his arrival at the Caribbean was rather simple and unsophisticated. Friendly people who, as Columbus and the Admiral perceived, could be easily converted into Christianity, met them on the island (Columbus). They had nothing against adopting new values and religion. They were completely naked and looked very poor (Columbus). They had no weapons and did not seem to be aware of their existence (Columbus). Without iron, their javelins were merely sticks, with a few wearing fish-bones at the ends (Columbus). Obviously, architecture and buildings they had none. Later, when Columbus sailed to explore other islands, he discovered remarkable villages, with houses made like tents with high chimneys (Columbus). All villages were small, comprising not more than fifteen tents (Columbus). Columbus’s diaries do not provide any information regarding their religion; most probably, they had none. However, throughout his writing, Columbus mentions the need and importance of converting the Natives into Christian faith. By contrast, the Native Americans encountered by Cortes in Meso-America exemplified a more civilized, advanced stage of human evolution. More sophisticated and technically developed, Native Americans in Meso-America had a complex social hierarchy (Cortes). Cortes described the place where Native Americans lived as â€Å"great city†. Cities were built following complex architectural patterns and traditions (Cortes). For example, the great city had four entrances formed by artificial causeways (Cortes). Streets were straight and wide (Cortes). Unlike Native Americans living in the Caribbean, the Native Americans in

Competitive pushy parents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competitive pushy parents - Essay Example However, some children do not feel pleasant when their parents ask them to do anything against their will. In such cases, tensions between children and parents increase which upsets the overall environment of a family. In this paper, we will discuss how American competitive parents affect the wishes of children and how children and teachers can deal with the competitive parents in order to find a middle way between the wishes of the children and the parents. How Competitive (Pushy) Parents Deal with Children Competitive parents jam their children’s social lives with unusual activities, such as, play dates, baby yoga, and teaching foreign languages (Woolcock). Competitive parents deal with their children in an influencing way. Such parents care less about the personal wishes and aims of the children and try to impose their will on the children. They are very curious about the activities of the children and keep a constant eye on all activities of the children. Competitive paren ts also want their children to be competitive in all fields of life. Children of competitive parents are generally more likely to be obsessive about their interests (Macrae). In America, most of the parents start advising their children from the very early stages of their lives to work hard for achieving success in the future. For that, they guide their children to the way, which they think to be the most appropriate ones for the children. â€Å"Parents are so anxious for their children to do well, partly because their children are a reflection on them – but also they are all too aware of the economic realities† (Landesman). In some cases, the will of the parents go against the will of the children and the clash occurs. For example, a child wants to become a teacher in future but his parents want him to become a doctor or a surgeon in order to become a good earner in the future. Now, here the clash begins between the parents and the child because of separate viewpoints regarding selection of the most appropriate profession. The result is not favorable for both parents and children every time. Sometimes, plan of the parents becomes successful when the child becomes what the parents want whereas sometimes the child is not competent enough to meet the expectations of the parents, which results in the educational and professional failure of the child. â€Å"The parent who is proud when an offspring achieves what is deemed to be of value and ashamed when they fail is an age-old predicament† (Meakins). The dilemma is that, in case of failure, parents start blaming the children for not studying hard for success in the selected field of study. However, in reality, failure is not a fault of the children because every child has a separate mindset and he or she selects the field of study based on the personal interest. â€Å"Parents are frequently encouraged to play a full role in their children's education† (Young). However, when parents try to force the children to study what the parents want, it becomes difficult for the children to get along with the wish of the parents properly because they are not always competent enough for that. Competitive or pushy parents not just force the children in the field of studies but they also try to influence the extra curricular activities, interests, and hobbies of the children. Pushy parents want to make their children competitive in every field of life. For that, they try to

A study on Enzymes chemical reactions

A study on Enzymes chemical reactions Enzymes were discovered by a German chemist Eduard Buchner near the end of the 19th century. He had been trying to extract a fluid for medicinal use from yeast, however, the yeast extract kept going bad. He then decided to add sugar to the yeast, however, the yeast converted the sugar into alcohol, which is also known as fermentation. Buchner investigated into this and soon found out that living cells were not responsible for this fermentation and that it was caused by the fluid that was trying to be extracted from the yeast. The word enzyme was coined for the active ingredients in the juice that promoted fermentation. Although enzyme literally means in yeast, it is now however being used as the collective noun for several hundreds of compounds that have shown to have a catalytic action on specific chemical reactions. Enzymes are biological or organic catalysts made up of protein. They catalyse (increase/decrease the rate of) chemical reactions without themselves being chemically changed at the end of the reaction. It can therefore be used repeatedly and so is effective in small amounts. They essentially work by lowering the activation energy of the reactions and hence allowing the reaction to place at a quicker rate. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules are the start of the process are called substrates, and the converted molecules, the products. Properties of enzymes: Enzymes have the following properties: Enzymes alter the rate of chemical reactions without themselves being chemically changed at the end of the reaction. Enzymes are very potent. Since enzymes are very specific, a small amount of an enzyme is capable of catalysing a huge chemical reaction. Enzymes are affected by temperature. Enzymes are inactive at low temperatures. Increasing the temperature increases the activity of the enzymes. There is an optimum working temperature at which certain enzymes work best. This is normally between 37-42 degree centigrades. However, a high temperature, anything above 45 degree centigrades normally destroys the active sites of the enzymes and causes it to denature. This permanently damages the enzyme and they become functionless. Enzymes are affected by pH. Certain enzymes work best in acidic conditions whereas certain enzymes function better in alkaline conditions. For example, pepsin works best in the stomach where the pH is below 7, however intestinal enzymes work better in coditions of pH of above 7. Some enzymes may require a compound to be bound to them before they can catalyse chemical reactions. These compounds are called co-enzymes. Enzymes can work in either directions. Metabolic reactions are reversible and the direction in which the reaction goes depends on the amounts of substrate and products present. The reaction will proceed from left to right until an equilibrium is reached between the substrates and products. Also, if there is a large amount of products, then the reverse reaction starts and hence causes the product to be split up until again equilibrium is established. Lock and Key Induced Fit Hypothesis: Although enzymes have a large size, however, they only have a small region that is functional. This is known as the active site. Active sites can be described as depressions on the surface of the enzyme. Only a few of the amino acids of the enzyme molecule make up this active site; the remainder are used to maintain its overall three-dimensional shape. The active site is the site where the substrate binds onto the enzyme and only substrates with a particular molecular shape will have any chance to bind effectively with the particular enzyme. This is the reason why enzymes are specific in their actions as they can only bind to specific substrate molecules. Another idea which arose from the lock and key hypothesis is the induced fit hypothesis that suggests that the enzyme alters its shape slightly to ensure that the enzyme molecules bind tightly with the substrate molecule. However, once the product or substrate leaves the active active site, the active sight realigns itself to its original form. Now, having discussed enzymes generally, we shall move onto discussing the enzymes more specific to this experiment. The enzyme being used in this investigation is Neutrase. Neutrase is a bacterial protease which is produced from a bacterial strain called Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens. Protease is an enzyme which catayses the hydrolysis of proteins into polypeptides/amino acids. In humans, the digestion of protein chiefly starts in the stomach with Pepsin in the gastric juice where the proteins are converted into polypeptides. Protein digestion is represented in this experiment by the fact that when the proteins in the milk are digested, the solution turns from opaque cloudy white to a see-through solution. In an enzyme controlled reaction such as that of protein digestion in milk, an increase in the concentration of enzyme will lead to an increased reaction rate. This is due to the fact that when there are more enzyme molecules present, there will be a greater chance of more of the enzyme molecules colliding with the substrate and hence increasing the frequency of the collisions. This increased frequency of collisions will help to form an enzyme-substrate complex more rapidly. Aim: The aim of this experiment is to see if there is a negative correlation between the enzyme concentration and the rate of digestion of the protein content in the milk. Increase in enzyme concentration leading to decrease in the rate of digestion of protein content. Hypothesis: H1 There is a positive correlation between the enzyme concentration and the rate at which the protein content in the milk digests. (Increase in rate of reaction). H0 There is no correlation between the enzyme concentration and the rate at which the protein content in the milk digests. (No affect on rate of reaction). Equipment: Equipment Justification For Use Marvel Powdered Milk The source of protein upon which the enzyme to work on. Enzyme (Neutrase ) The enzyme which digests the protein content in the milk. Sodium Phosphate Buffer (pH 6.4) In order to ensure the pH of the solution remains constant for optimal working of the enzyme. Test Tubes And Test Tube Rack Test Tube: To hold the enzyme, buffer and milk powder solution. Test Tube Rack: To hold the test tubes. Measuring Cylinder To measure out the volume of distilled water. Measuring Scale To measure out the mass of the milk powder. Pipette And Pipette Filler To measure out accurately the volume of the enzyme. Beakers To hold the water and the test tubes containing the enzyme, buffer and milk powder solution. Stopclock To time the duration it takes for the enzyme to completely digest the protein content in the milk. Syringe To add the solution of the enzyme, buffer and milk powder into the curvettes. Colorimeter To measure the light absorbancy values. Preliminary Experiment: A preliminary experiment was conducted initially in order to test whether the method intended for use was flawless or not. However, through the conduction of this experiment, a number of flaws were noticed and hence dealt with to produce a more flawless and sound experimental procedure. In the preliminary experiment, it was decided that the temperature of the solution containing the enzyme would be kept constant by using a bunsen burner. However, fluctuation in temeperature were going to be evident and hence causing inaccuracies. Consequently, it was decided to use a thermostatically controlled water bath to keep the temperature constant. Also, when using the colorimeter, I decided to place the solution inside the curvette and then place it onto the colorimeter and record the values over time until it reached 0. However, this would give inaccurate results based on the fact that when the solution was removed from the water bath and placed inside the curvette, the temperature would decrease over time and hence affect enzyme activity. As a result, it was decided that the solution be removed from the water bath and placed into the curvette at regular intervals. After every 20 seconds, a new curvette would be used with solution removed from the water bath and then placed onto the colorimeter to record the light absorbancy values. Method: Measure out 10.00 grams of milk powder using an electronic mass balance into a beaker. Then measure out 200 cm^3 of distilled water using a measuring cylinder. Add the water into the beaker containing the milk powder and use a spatula to stir the solution well. Now, different concentrations of enzymes are to be prepared. To make a 1% concentration solution of enzyme, add 1cm^3 of the Neutrase into a test tube using a pipette. Then add 99cm^3 of distilled water measured out using a measuring cylinder. Shake the test tube containing the solution (100cm^3) well. To make a 2% concentration solution of enzyme, add 1cm^3 of the Neutrase into a test tube using a pipette. Then add 98cm^3 of distilled water measured out using a measuring cylinder. Shake the test tube containing the solution (100cm^3) well. Use the same method as above to make 3%,4% and 5% solutions. Place each of the test tubes into the test tube rack. Add Sodium Phosphate Buffer ( 6.4 pH ) to each test tube. Place one of the test tubes containing the enzyme solution and any one of the milk solution test tubes into the water bath for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, immediately pour the enzyme solution into the test tube containing the milk solution. Use a colorimiter to check the amount of light passing through the solution with time. Press R to reset the colorimeter (use the red filter) as red light is transmitted the best and this will give accurate readings. After every 10 seconds, place some solution from the test tube into the a curvette and the curvette onto the colorimeter and record the result. Variables: The sole independent variable in this experiment is the concentration of the Neutrase solution which ranges from (1-5)%. Other variables which could affect the investigation have been tabulated as follows: Variable How may a change in this variable affect the data? How will it be controlled? Type of milk used. Some milks will have more or less protein molecules present than others which alters the amount of substrate molecules being available to form enzyme-substrate complexes. This will be controlled by ensuring that the same milk powder is used throughout the experiment. pH of the solution. Enzymes work better in solutions of different pH. The activity of the enzyme depends upon the pH of the solution; if optimal pH solution is used, the enzyme would work better than if non-optimum pH was used. This will be controlled by ensuring that a pH buffer ( Sodium Phosphate pH 6.4) is used. This will minimise any changes in the pH of the solution and ensure that the optimum pH is kept constant for efficient working of the enzyme. Volume of Neutrase solution used. A larger volume would of enzyme ( Neutrase ) soltuion would result in a greater amount of enzyme-substrate complexes and hence increasing the rate of the reaction. Neutrase solution volume will be kept constant by precisely measuring the volume required using a pipette and pipette filler. Temperature of the solution. Temperature alters the rate of enzyme activity and a higher temperature would result in greater enzyme activity. However, anything normally above 45 degree centigrades would lead to denaturing of the enzyme. Using a thermostatically controlled water bath will maintain a constant temperature. The temperature would be kept constant at the optimum working temperature for the enzyme. Volume of milk used. A larger volume of milk would result in a greater amount of enzyme-substrate complexes being formed as there is a greater number of protein present and thus increasing the rate of the reaction. Milk volume will be kept constant by precisely measuring the volume required using a pipette and pipette filler. Health Safety Regulations: Wearing a lab coat inside the laboratory. Wearing safety goggles to protect the eyes from chemicals. Wearing plastic gloves when handling the enzyme and milk solution and to prevent contamination. Keeping the test tubes in a rack to prevent accidental breakage or spilling. Bunsen burners will be ensured that they are kept on yellow flame when not in use. Conclusion: The results of the experiment prove that the H1 hypothesis is correct. There is a positive correlation between the enzyme (Neutrase) concentration and the rate at which the protein in the milk digests. In other words, increasing the concentration of the enzyme increases the rate of reaction. The results show that an increase in the concentration of the enzyme leads to a descrease in the time taken for the solution to go clear. This is due to the fact that when the concentration of the enzyme is increased, there are more active-sites present on the enzymes onto which the substrate binds onto. This creates more and more enzyme-substrate complexes. The higher concentration of enzyme increases the kinetic energy of the molecules and increases the frequency of the collisions between the enzyme and substrate molecules. A lower concentration of enzymes means there would be fewer active sites and hence, a slower rate of reaction. However, if we kept increasing the concentration of the enzyme, one would notice that the line would start to level off because all of the active sites on the enzymes would be occupied and hence, increasing the concentration would have no effect on the rate of the reaction. Evaluation: Observing the results, one can easily generate the conclusion that there is a positive correlation between the enzyme concentration and the digestion of the protein content. Even though, the set of results achieved are not fully accurate and hence, there are anomalies. However, improvements can be made to minimise inaccuracies and unreliability in the experiment. One of the factors that could have affected the experiment could have been human reaction error in timing. Also, the starting of the stop-clock for each of the tubes could have been different and this could have resulted in unreliable results. To avoid this, however, an automatic stop-clock could be used. Another factor that could have affected the experiment could have been the movement of the reacting mixture constant. The mixing between the substrate ( Protein in the milk ) and the Enzyme ( Neutrase ) could not have been same in each tube. This could have resulted in inaccuracies in the result as the molecules in the tubes with the better mixing would have greater kinetic energy and hence, the reaction rates would be quicker as more and more enzyme-substrates would be formed quicker. To avoid the extent of mixing in each tube from affecting the results, I will ensure that next time, there will be no stirring of the mixtures when solutions are added in any way so that this way, it will be constant ( no mixing ) for each tube.

Free Essays - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a renowned novel by Mark Twain, is the story of a young boy, who, in a desperate attempt to escape his abusive and poverty stricken home, escapes and seeks help with the Mississippi River, where he experiences many different trials. The novel was finally published in 1885, being written on spurts of inspiration interrupted by long periods during which it sat on the author’s desk. Now it is published in at least twenty-seven languages. Samuel Clemens, the name that lies under the pen name of Mark Twain, was born in Missouri in 1835. The town where he lived, Hannibal, Missouri, became the model for St. Petersburg, the fictional town of Huckleberry Finn. Missouri was a slave state during this period, and his family owned a few slaves, who worked as domestic servants rather than working on the large agricultural plantations as most slaves in the deep South did. The institution of slavery is prominent in the development of the themes and characters of the novel. Twain received a brief formal education before going to work as an apprentice in a print shop. He later found work on a steamboat in the Mississippi River where he took his pseudonym, â€Å"Mark Twain,† from the call a steamboat worker would make when the ship reached two fathoms. He eventually went to work as a journalist and then as a humorist. Twain is also known to have written The Gilded Age (1873), The Prince and the Pauper (1882), Life on the Miss issippi (1883), and Tom Sawyer (1876). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn outlines the different experiences and developing friendship of the novel’s two main characters, Huck and Jim. Huck, a young boy trying to escape from his life, and Jim, a black slave, wanting to escape from being sold to a farmer in the deep South, join together to sail on the Mississippi River to the Ohio River, which would lead to their freedom, but they miss it in the dark. Huck faces a moral dilemma in helping a slave, but never finds a good enough reason to turn him in, and as a result, the two develop a special bond. Written with much dialogue from the southern dialect, the story depicts a southern society from the mid-1800’s, which is very gullible, and easily manipulated. The tale is full of humor in its accounts of the pair of escapees, but it is full of underlying meaning. Free Essays - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a renowned novel by Mark Twain, is the story of a young boy, who, in a desperate attempt to escape his abusive and poverty stricken home, escapes and seeks help with the Mississippi River, where he experiences many different trials. The novel was finally published in 1885, being written on spurts of inspiration interrupted by long periods during which it sat on the author’s desk. Now it is published in at least twenty-seven languages. Samuel Clemens, the name that lies under the pen name of Mark Twain, was born in Missouri in 1835. The town where he lived, Hannibal, Missouri, became the model for St. Petersburg, the fictional town of Huckleberry Finn. Missouri was a slave state during this period, and his family owned a few slaves, who worked as domestic servants rather than working on the large agricultural plantations as most slaves in the deep South did. The institution of slavery is prominent in the development of the themes and characters of the novel. Twain received a brief formal education before going to work as an apprentice in a print shop. He later found work on a steamboat in the Mississippi River where he took his pseudonym, â€Å"Mark Twain,† from the call a steamboat worker would make when the ship reached two fathoms. He eventually went to work as a journalist and then as a humorist. Twain is also known to have written The Gilded Age (1873), The Prince and the Pauper (1882), Life on the Miss issippi (1883), and Tom Sawyer (1876). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn outlines the different experiences and developing friendship of the novel’s two main characters, Huck and Jim. Huck, a young boy trying to escape from his life, and Jim, a black slave, wanting to escape from being sold to a farmer in the deep South, join together to sail on the Mississippi River to the Ohio River, which would lead to their freedom, but they miss it in the dark. Huck faces a moral dilemma in helping a slave, but never finds a good enough reason to turn him in, and as a result, the two develop a special bond. Written with much dialogue from the southern dialect, the story depicts a southern society from the mid-1800’s, which is very gullible, and easily manipulated. The tale is full of humor in its accounts of the pair of escapees, but it is full of underlying meaning.

A Flea in Her Ear Essay

‘A Flea In Her Ear’ is a play written by the French playwright Georges Feydeau. It tells the story of Victor Emmanuelle Chandebise, played by Nasri El-Sayeh, chairman of a large insurance company, and his wife Raymonde, played by Stephanie Reed. The play is an excellent farce about misinterpretations, confusion and humour, which captures the audience in style. Georges Feydeau was born in Paris in 1862 and lived until 1921. This play is regarded as his best. It was written in 1907, and was known as ‘Une Puce i l’Oreille. ‘ Although his plays were excellent, Feydeau started gambling in 1918 and contracted syphilis, slowly descending into madness, eventually dying and being buried in Paris. I am writing a review, analysing the mediums and elements of drama used in this production. The costumes had been chosen specifically from the National Theatre for this production. They were perfectly suited to the character’s roles and added a touch of eloquence. For example, Stuart Onslow, playing the part of Romain Tournel, a notorious womanizer, is so excellently portrayed from the beginning. His suit is smart, yet not formal, and he is displayed as a somewhat arrogant fellow. His excellent acting added to this and he played a key role in the play. The female roles were wearing flamboyant, evocative costumes. The audience spontaneously stared when they were first seen, as they were ‘over the top’ and stood out. The choice of music and sound, from technical director Ben Sehovic was superb. ‘A Flea In Her Ear’ is a piece of drama that does not require a lot of music or sound, if any. Yet the small sound effects, added at certain intervals, added a great deal of emphasis to the play. During the end of Act Two, a short piece of ‘jumpy,’ disjointed music was played. During this short period the cast moved about the stage, encapturing the moment, mimicking a ‘Charlie Chaplin’ sketch. The play was set at the same height as the audience. There was tiered seating, but the stage had not been raised. I personally felt that this was a fantastic idea, as it involved the audience more. To have actors performing in front of your eyes is much more momentous than to be staring up at them on a stage. There were many exits on this set; an archway, four different sets of doors and a flight of stairs. This was adamant for this farcical play, as the ludicrousness that is acted out is sharp and quick, thus needing many exits and entrances. As one of the actors, or indeed as a member of the audience, you have to be able to imagine that the outside space is real in order to perform or understand the play to the best of your ability. For instance, in Act Two, when in the Hotel Coq d’Or, The stage right exit door is a bathroom, as opposed to Act One, where it is a hallway. We need to believe that, in each scene, the space behind the door is what the actors say it is. This increases our knowledge of the play, makes the speed and identity tracking slightly less confusing. The set, hired from The Royal National Theatre, was fabulous. I particularly liked the revolving bed in the hotel scene, and the French windows. I felt it added a touch of glamour to the Chadebise’s home. There were not a huge number of props used in this play. However, small things, for instance; Doctor Finache (Nathan Ireland) continuously had a stethoscope around his neck. Without anyone speaking, you could immediately see that he was playing the role of some kind of doctor. Small details like this, added to the play so well presented, made it something which was extremely enjoyable to watch. The pace of the play was one of the aspects that everyone was amazed by and indulged in. The interactions of the characters were short, quick and snappy. The language used was extremely witty and all parts were spoken well, the accents used adding to the emotional performance. The actors were extremely confident in performing and this shone through. The only major criticism I have of this play is its length. I appreciate how hard it must’ve been to take anything out, as without one thing you cannot have another. The first two acts went past in a flash, and because there was no interval between the second and third acts, it was hard for many audience members; particularly young children and the elderly to keep focused and listen to each minute detail. The performance as a whole was superb. Nasri’s portrayal of Victor was excellent. His acting was top-notch. He had many quick and difficult costume changes, as well as having to remember when to use his posh voice and when not to. It was truly magnificent The social, cultural and historical content of the play very much relates to today. The farcical confusion, a mixture of people running in and out of the right and wrong rooms, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time is very much loved by people today. World famous television shows such as ‘Frasier,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Only Fools and Horses’ are brilliant examples of this. One problem with the speed of the piece was that, not for me but others, it would have been a blunder of bewilderment and perplexity. The John Lyon School’s production of Feydeau’s ‘A Flea In Her Ear’ was an outstanding performance. It really helped my understanding of the medium of drama. I can relate the movement to my own work, picking up new ideas as well as improving what I currently know. I can see how a few small props can totally enhance a piece of theatre, also seeing that space and levels are entirely needed to show a piece’s full potential. Deborah Gibbs has created a masterful drama performance from a play which is complicated and complex.