Articles of confederation Essay -- essays research papers

Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, although vastly different in their philosophies of governing the nation, both played a big role in setting the stage for America’s economy in the upcoming nineteenth century. A few years after the Articles of Confederation were drafted many politicians and economists, such as Alexander Hamilton, began to see problems with the decentralized form of government that was created by this document. These advocates of a more centralized government were referred to as federalists, and although they were not in favor of a dictatorship, like that of England’s, they saw the need for a central governing system to reside over the individual states.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Federalists’ opinion some of the detrimental consequences of the confederate system were the lack of an organized treasury, military or government system. Furthermore, the nation suffered from poor commerce; a result of insecure financial transactions, non-regulated interstate trade, and poorly enforced tax laws. They believed that instead of ridding the country of oppression by a superior government, the Articles of Confederation creates conflict between the states and hinders economic prosperity. The emergence of these difficulties early in the life of our nation indicated, to those in favor of the constitution, the fundamental imperfections and the dire need for reform. Hamilton a...

Evaluation/Analysis on Alice Walker: Everyday Use Essay

Alice Walker, an African American author and activist born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1944 (p. 69). Walker was like most African Americans in her time raised by hard-working underpaid parents, this is reflected in her writing. Alice Walker and her now removed husband were the first interracial couple in Mississippi. Once a poet, Walker worked with other influential authors including Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Everyday Use tells the reader about the life experiences and struggles of heritage and acceptance through the eyes of African Americans. Sociology books do not explore the relationship of Americanized African American heritage vs. that of those that never left the motherland. Kate Chopin was apart of the revolutionary African American era, which is not prevalent today. This cultural aspect is reflected in her story Everyday Use when her character fails to see the family heritage symbolized in varies items in her house. You can relate to the story no matter what your nationality because everyone has culture and heritage of some sort. This story is very engaging, and the reader is able to see many points of view. Summary Everyday Use is centered on the homecoming of Dee. Anticipating her arrival, mother and her youngest daughter Maggie â€Å"wait for her in the front yard† which for them is an extension of the living room (p.69, 1). Maggie is intimidated by her sister and is very nervous about the home coming of her more assertive sister. While the mother is waiting she has a vision of her and Dee being reunited in the same way that â€Å"a child who has made it is confronted, as a surprise by her mother and father who are backstage† (p.70, 3). She is knocked back to reality when she realized that she could never, unlike her daughter â€Å"look a white man in the eye† (p.70, 6). Maggie is nervous about the whole ordeal and when Dee finally arrives she â€Å"attempts to make a dash for the house,† but her mother held her by her side (p.72,  19). When Dee and her boyfriend get out of the car, they greet Mother and Maggie in Arabic â€Å"Asalamalakin† meaning peace be with you (pg.72, 22). Dee advised her mother and sister of her name change, which symbolizes the death her â€Å"slave name† and the rebirth of a more culturally aware woman (p.70, 4). Dee takes pictures of her surroundings, and begins to see the items of â€Å"everyday use† as cultural decoration for her house. Eventually she asked her mother if she could have the old quilts (p. 75, 55). She told her mother that she wanted to hang them, but her mother has already promised the quilts to Maggie when she got married. Dee did not get the quilts that she felt Maggie would not appreciate. She left the house advising her loved ones to explore their heritage, and to Maggie â€Å"make something of [herself]† (p. 76. 80). . Analysis In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† the main conflict is over which daughter will get the quilt. This is not just an ordinary quilt; it has been in the family for years. The quilt was made from â€Å"pieces of dresses Grandma used to wear, and â€Å"she did all the stitching by hand† (p.75, 60). Dee wanted the quilts so that she could hang them up, but her mother had already promised the quilts to her younger sister Maggie. The quilt is a symbol of the mother’s love and acceptance of her child and the value that is placed on the relationship. In the story there are two daughters, Dee is very intelligent, and went off to college and has become successful. Her mother is proud of her and often brags on her accomplishments. Maggie on the other hand was shy and simple. She was burned as a child and has scars on her arms and legs. She lives with her mother, and is very nervous about Dee coming home. The quilt is a symbol of the families’ heritage in Dee’s eyes, but most importantly it is a symbol of materialism. The use of the phrase â€Å"everyday use calls attention to the two daughter’s different views of the quilt and other family heirlooms. Dee wanted the quilt to take home and protect it, where as Maggie would, â€Å"put them on the bed and in five years they’d be rags (p. 75, 66). Dee acts superior to her family, she believes that her education has been eye opening and she is living and seeing life through open eyes. She pities her mother an sister for â€Å"choosing† to live the simple life. What Dee has failed to realize it that her mother and  sister have a deeper connection to heritage because they understand their own personal heritage and not just the overall heritage of a group of people.

Iron Crowned Chapter 2

I retreated to my bedroom as soon as etiquette allowed, collapsing onto the bed the moment I entered. Dorian had followed me in, and I tossed an arm over my eyes, groaning. â€Å"Do you think that display helped win us over with Ranelle or scared her off?† I felt Dorian sit on the bed beside me. â€Å"Hard to say. At the very least, I don't think it'll turn her king against us. We're too terrifying and unstable.† I smiled and uncovered my face, looking into those green and gold eyes. â€Å"If only that reputation would spread to everyone else. I heard a rumor the Honeysuckle Land might join with Katrice. Honestly, how anyone could call their kingdom that and keep a straight face is beyond me.† Dorian leaned over me, lightly brushing hair from my face and trailing his fingers along my cheekbone. â€Å"It's quite lovely, actually. Almost tropical. I mean, it's no barren wasteland of a desert kingdom, but it's not half bad.† I was so used to his jibes about my kingdom that there was almost something comforting about them. His fingers ran down to my neck and were soon replaced by his lips. â€Å"Honestly, I'm not worried about this Honeysuckle place. It's other potential allies worrying me. Hey, stop.† His lips had moved down to my collarbone, and his hand was starting to lift my shirt. I wriggled away. â€Å"I don't have time.† He lifted his head, arching an eyebrow in surprise. â€Å"You have some place to be?† â€Å"Yeah, actually.† I sighed. â€Å"I have a job back in Tucson. Besides, I'm filthy.† Dorian was undeterred and returned to trying to get my shirt off. â€Å"I'll help bathe you.† I swatted his hand away but then pulled him over so that I could put my arms around him and hold him against me. I knew he wanted more than cuddling, but I didn't have the energy. Considering his fastidious nature, I was surprised he consented to resting his head on my chest, seeing as how dirty and ragged the shirt was. â€Å"No offense, but I'll take human showers any day over some servant lugging water up to a tub.† â€Å"You can't leave without talking to Ranelle,† he pointed out. â€Å"And you can't see her like this.† I grimaced and ran my hand over his brilliant hair. â€Å"Damn it.† He was right. I was still bad at this queen thing, but I knew enough about gentry customs to know that if I really did want the Linden King's help, I would need to look and sound good. So much to do. Never enough time. All so wearying. Dorian lifted his head and looked back down at me. â€Å"Was it bad?† He was referring to last night's battle. â€Å"It's always bad. I'm still not okay with people fighting and dying for me. Especially over one insult.† The living suffered from this war too. I often had refugees coming to me for food and shelter. â€Å"Their kingdom's at stake,† he said. â€Å"Their homes. And that was more than an insult. Letting it pass would make the Thorn Land look weak – like prey. It would make you open to invasion, which is the same as surrendering to Katrice. Your people don't want that. They have to fight.† â€Å"But why do yours fight?† Dorian looked at me like that was a crazy question. â€Å"Because I tell them to.† I left the conversation at that and called for a servant to fill the bathtub in the chamber adjacent to my bedroom. It was a tedious task I hated making them do, though Dorian would no doubt argue it was their duty to. The magic I'd inherited from my tyrant father gave me control over storm elements, so I could have summoned water straight to the tub, rather than making my servants haul it up one bucket at a time. The Thorn Land was so dry, however, that pulling that much water magically would both dry out the castle's air even more and possibly kill surrounding vegetation. The servants had their own entrance to the bath chamber, and as soon as we heard them hauling and pouring water, Dorian grinned and pulled me back to the bed. â€Å"See?† he said. â€Å"Now we have time.† I stopped protesting. And as our clothes came off and I felt the heat of his lips, I had to admit to myself that I wasn't averse to sex, not really. This war really did put our lives constantly at risk, and he had worried about me. Having me here, merging physically, seemed to reassure him that I truly was all right. And I took comfort in it too, being with this man I'd fallen in love with against all reason. I'd once feared and hated the gentry – and it had taken me a long time to trust Dorian. Sex was surprisingly tame for us this time. Usually, we found ourselves caught up in bad, kinky sex, sex that was a game of power and control I both loved and felt dirty about. Now, I sat on top of him, wrapping my legs around his hips as I drew him inside me. A sigh of bliss escaped his lips, his eyes closing as I began to slowly move my body and ride him. A moment later, his eyes opened and held mine with an expression of such affection and lust that a chill ran through me. It always amazed me that he found me so desirable. I'd seen his past lovers – sexy, voluptuous women with curves and cleavage reminiscent of classic Hollywood starlets. My body's build was lean and athletic from all the activity I did, my breasts pretty nicely shaped – though hardly porn star quality. Yet, since we'd officially become a couple these last few months, he had never looked at another woman. It was me he watched, his gaze hungry even at the most unromantic times. I increased my pace, tilting forward and rocking us so that more of my body rubbed against his, bringing me closer to orgasm. I came shortly thereafter, my lips parting without a sound as a sweet ecstasy wracked my body, and every nerve in my skin seemed to ignite. I leaned forward, kissing him, letting his tongue explore my mouth as his fingers stroked my nipples. The door to the bath chamber suddenly opened, and I jerked my head up as a servant peered in. â€Å"Your Majesty? The bath is ready.† Her words were bland, and she disappeared as quickly as she'd come. My being naked on top of Dorian hadn't seemed like any big deal to her – and probably, it wasn't. The gentry had much looser sexual mores than humans, public displays being very common. It probably would have been weirder for her if she hadn't found her monarchs immediately going at it upon my return. This sexual ease wasn't something I'd picked up, and Dorian knew it. â€Å"No, no,† he said, feeling me slow down in my shock. The hands cupping my breasts moved down to my hips. â€Å"Let's finish this.† Dragging my eyes from the door, I turned my attention back to him and found my arousal returning. He rolled me over, not holding anything back now that I'd come. He pushed his body into mine, thrusting as hard and fast as he could. Moments later, his body shuddered, his fingers digging in where he gripped my arms. I loved watching it happen, loved watching this smug, confident king lose his control between my thighs. When he finished, I gave him another long, lingering kiss and then slid over to lie beside him. He exhaled in contentment, regarding me again with that mix of hunger and love. He wouldn't say it, but I knew he always secretly hoped that somehow, some way, our lovemaking would result in me getting pregnant. I had explained to him a hundred times how birth control pills worked, but the gentry had difficulty with conception, making them obsessed with having children. Dorian claimed he wanted a child just for the sake of having one with me, but the prophecy about my firstborn son conquering humanity had always been alluring. Obviously, I wasn't in favor of that idea – hence my emphasis on contraceptives. Dorian had ostensibly let go of that dream for my sake, but there were days I suspected he wouldn't mind fathering such a conqueror. As it was, our alliance already made us dangerous. He loved me, I was certain, but he also craved power. Our united kingdoms put us in a good position to conquer others, if we chose. It was difficult leaving him, but there was too much to be done. I retreated to the bath, washing both sex and battle off of me. Life and death. The tub was only big enough for one, but Dorian seemed perfectly happy watching me and lounging in the afterglow. He was less excited about my wardrobe choice. As queen, I had a closet filled with elaborate dresses, dresses he loved seeing me in. As a human shaman, I'd also made sure it was stocked with human clothes. He looked at my jeans and tank top with dismay. â€Å"Ranelle would be more impressed with a dress,† he said. â€Å"Especially one that showed your lovely cleavage.† I rolled my eyes. We were back in my bedroom, and I was loading myself up with weapons: charmed jewelry and an iron athame, along with a satchel containing a gun, a wand, and a silver athame. â€Å"You'd be more impressed with that. And anyway, it'd be a waste now.† â€Å"Not true.† He got up from the bed, still naked, and gently pushed me against the wall, cautious of the athame's sharp blade. â€Å"I'm ready again.† I could see that he was, and honestly, I probably could have gone back to bed too. Whether that was from lust or a reluctance to fulfill my impending tasks, it was hard to say. â€Å"Later,† I told him, brushing a kiss against his lips. He regarded me suspiciously. â€Å"Later means a lot of things with you. An hour. A day.† I smiled and kissed him again. â€Å"Not more than a day.† I reconsidered. â€Å"Maybe two.† I laughed at the face this earned me. â€Å"I'll see what I can do. Now get some clothes on before the women around here are driven into a frenzy.† He gave me a mournful look. â€Å"I'm afraid that'll happen with or without clothes, my dear.† When we finally managed to part, I headed off toward Ranelle's room, my post-sex good humor fading. A little air magic left me with only semi-wet hair by the time I reached her. Once admitted, I found her writing a letter at her room's desk. Seeing me, she leapt up and curtsied. â€Å"Your Majesty.† I motioned her down and took a nearby chair. â€Å"No need. I just wanted to have a quick chat before I returned to the human world.† Her face twitched a little at this, but ambassador training quickly moved her past how strange she probably found that. The ease with which I jumped worlds wasn't normal for gentry. â€Å"I'm sorry for the grisly display this morning. And that I haven't been around much during your visit.† â€Å"You're at war, Your Majesty. These things happen. Besides, King Dorian has been quite hospitable in your absence.† I hid a smile. Ranelle was hardly in a frenzy, but it was clear Dorian had charmed her, as he did so many women. â€Å"I'm glad. Were you writing your king?† She nodded. â€Å"I wanted to send him my report right away, although I'll be leaving later today.† Magic filled the Otherworld and the gentry, and there were those among them with the power to expedite messages. A magical e-mail, of sorts. It allowed gossip to spread fast and meant her letter would get back to her homeland before she did. I eyed it on the desk. â€Å"What will you tell him?† She hesitated. â€Å"May I be blunt, Your Majesty?† â€Å"Of course,† I said, smiling. â€Å"I'm human. Er, half human.† â€Å"I empathize with you. I understand your grievance and know King Damos will too.† She was carefully skirting the explicit details of Leith raping me. â€Å"But tragic as your situation is †¦ well, it is your situation. I don't believe it's one we should risk the lives of our people for – begging your pardon, Your Majesty.† Delivering bad news obviously made her uneasy. My father, honorifically referred to as Storm King, had been known for his power and cruelty. I wasn't as ruthless, but I'd had my share of frightening shows of power as well. â€Å"No offense taken,† I assured her. â€Å"But †¦ if I may also be blunt, your king is in a precarious situation. He's growing old. His power will eventually fade. Your kingdom will be open for others to move in on.† Ranelle went perfectly still. The lands of the Otherworld bound themselves to those with enough power to claim them. â€Å"Are you threatening us, Your Majesty?† she asked quietly. â€Å"No. I have no interest in another kingdom – especially one so far away.† Distance was relative in the Otherworld, but the Linden Land did take a bit longer to get to compared to some of the kingdoms nearer to me, like the Rowan Land and Dorian's Oak Land. â€Å"Perhaps not,† she said uncertainly. â€Å"But it's no secret King Dorian has wanted to expand his territory. That's why he took you as a consort, right?† Now I stiffened. â€Å"No. That's not it at all. Neither of us have interest in your land. But your neighbors – or people within the land itself – probably do. From what I've heard, Damos would like his daughter to inherit.† Ranelle nodded slowly. Inheritance was by power here, not by blood – but most monarchs still longed for family succession, if they were lucky enough to have children at all. I gave Ranelle a knowing smile. â€Å"Her control of the land depends on her own power, of course. But if Damos helped us now, we could certainly help later against any †¦ usurpers hoping to claim the Linden Land.† Assassination, outright war. The methods were less important than my meaning. Ranelle stayed silent, no doubt turning this over in her mind. Was a promise like that worth committing their armies to? Unclear. But it was certainly worth bringing to her king. â€Å"And,† I added casually, shifting us from that dangerous topic, â€Å"I'd be happy to negotiate very favorable trade agreements with your king.† By which I meant my staff would negotiate it. I hated economics and the politics of trade. But, my kingdom had literally and figuratively become a hot commodity. My shaping it in Arizona's image had created harsh conditions – but also brought along tons of copper deposits. Copper was the chief metal in a world that couldn't work with iron. Ranelle nodded again. â€Å"I understand. I'll bring this to his attention.† â€Å"Good.† I rose from my chair. â€Å"I'm sorry I have to go now, but definitely let anyone here know if you need anything else. And send my greetings to Damos.† Ranelle told me she would, and I left her, feeling rather pleased with myself. I disliked these sort of diplomatic talks almost as much as economic ones, mostly because I didn't think I was very adept. But that one had gone well, and even if the Linden Land didn't join us, I felt certain Dorian had been right: they wouldn't fight against us either. I was walking toward the castle's exit, intending to go to the nearest gate back to the human world, when I passed a certain hallway. I hesitated, staring down it as I waged a mental war. Then, grimacing, I altered my destination and turned the corner. The room I sought was easy to find because two guards stood outside of it. Both were Dorian's soldiers, chosen because if anyone was going to father the heir to Storm King's legacy, they wanted it to be their own lord. And everyone knew I was the mother he wanted, not the room's occupant. One of the guards knocked and then opened the door slightly. â€Å"The queen is here.† I didn't need permission to enter any room in my own castle but still waited for a response. â€Å"Come in.† I entered and found Jasmine sitting cross-legged on her bed, attempting some kind of embroidery. Seeing me, she irritably tossed it aside. â€Å"This is the stupidest thing ever. I wish the shining ones had more fun things to do. I wish I could go horseback riding.† That last part was spoken with a knowing tone, and I ignored it. Jasmine was under house arrest, and I wasn't about to allow an activity that might let her slip her guards. I picked up the green velvet she'd been working on and studied her stitches. â€Å"Goldfish?† I asked. â€Å"Daffodils!† she exclaimed. I hastily set it down. Really, considering the loose iron chains she wore on her wrists to stunt magic use, it was impressive that she could sew at all. â€Å"I'm going back to Tucson,† I said. â€Å"I wanted to check on you.† She shrugged. â€Å"I'm fine.† Despite her young age, Jasmine had wanted – and still did want, I suspected – to be the mother of Storm King's heir. The prophecy hadn't been specific. It simply said his daughter's first son would be the conqueror. That made it a race between the two of us – except I wasn't playing. Her forced stay here ensured she wasn't either. She'd hated me for this initially but had grown more civil after the war started. She considered Leith's actions an insult to our family. It was bizarre logic, but seeing as it had stopped her temper tantrums, I welcomed it. â€Å"Do you †¦ need anything?† I asked. A stupid question to ask someone who wanted freedom. She pointed to the iPod lying beside her. â€Å"It needs charging again.† It always needed charging. Normal battery life aside, the Otherworld interfered with electronics. â€Å"Books or magazines or something. I'd kill for a TV.† I smiled. That one was out of my reach. â€Å"Sometimes I would too when I'm here.† â€Å"How'd it go with that Linden lady? Is she going to help us beat up Katrice?† Jasmine's moping face suddenly turned fierce. She had powers similar to mine, and while not as strong, they could still cause a lot of damage. If I'd let her loose, Jasmine would probably march right over to the Rowan Land and try to bring the castle down. â€Å"I don't know. I'm not getting my hopes up.† Jasmine's gray eyes turned calculating, making her seem wiser than her fifteen years should be capable of. â€Å"As long as you and Dorian stay together, you're the badasses around here – especially you.† Surprisingly, there was no sneer as she said this. â€Å"But you've gotta make sure Maiwenn doesn't join Katrice. You know she's thinking about it.† Yes, despite her often pouty and childish attitude, Jasmine was smart. â€Å"You're right,† I said. â€Å"But thinking and doing are two different things. You said it yourself: Dorian and I are badasses. I don't think she's going to want to mess with us.† There was something comfortable about being able to have a discussion with someone not using the gentry's formal language construction. â€Å"Probably not. But she's scared to death you're going to have our father's heir.† Jasmine eyed me carefully. â€Å"You haven't changed your mind, have you? You and Dorian certainly do it enough.† â€Å"That's none of your business,† I said, wondering if that servant had already talked about what she'd seen in bed. â€Å"Tell that to Dorian. He brags about it all the time.† I groaned, knowing it was true. â€Å"Well, regardless, I'm not having kids anytime soon.† â€Å"You should,† Jasmine said. â€Å"Or let me. Katrice would totally back off.† â€Å"And then Maiwenn really would come after us.† Maiwenn ruled the Willow Land and was very much against Storm King's prophecy coming true. She also had a few other reasons for not liking my alliance with Dorian – or rather, her associates did. â€Å"Yeah,† said Jasmine. â€Å"But you could still kick her ass.† I rose and scooped up the iPod, putting it in my satchel. â€Å"Let's stick to one ass-kicking at a time.† An awkward silence fell. How odd that we'd just had a civil conversation. I'd grown up an only child, sometimes wishing I had a sister. The one I'd ended up with was hardly what I'd expected, but maybe I should be grateful for even this. â€Å"Well,† I said at last. â€Å"I'll see you soon.† She nodded and picked up the velvet, scowling at it as though it had given her personal offense. I was almost at the door when she suddenly said, â€Å"Eugenie?† I glanced back. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Will you bring me some Twinkies?† I smiled. â€Å"Sure.† She didn't look up from her embroidery, but I was almost certain she smiled too.

Silver Wedding By Vernon Scannell Essays

Silver Wedding By Vernon Scannell Essays Silver Wedding By Vernon Scannell Paper Silver Wedding By Vernon Scannell Paper Essay Topic: Poetry A poem that I feel relates to the topic of Marriage and Birth and Death is Silver Wedding by Vernon Scannell. This poem deals simultaneously with the themes of marriage and death. The poem is about Vernons feelings in the aftermath his Silver Wedding anniversary. He starts with a very dramatic, depressing introduction. The party is over This is meant both literally and metaphorically as it suggests his marriage is over, also the dull, melancholic tone of the introduction emphasizes the death of his marriage. Another line that continues the dull depressing theme is Outside a black wind grieves The personification of the wind also suggests death because it is like the wind mourns for his marriage and also the colour black relates to a funeral and symbolises death. The introduction also has a sarcastic tone because it is supposed to be a joyous time of celebration but the poets words suggest that he is reflecting on his marriage and feeling a sense of regret. And yet I find I have scant knowledge of youths ebullient song this further confirms the sense of regret as it shows he feels that his youth was short lived or even lost through taking on the responsibility of marriage too young. The poets words in stanza 3 emphasize the idea that his marriage dyeing is also affecting his children in a negative way. David, my son, my loved rival suggest that he is competing with his son for the love of his wife, the tone also suggests jealousy because his wife pays more attention to his son than him. And Julia, my tapering daughter this shows that she is Laura McLean rowing up and distancing herself from him, they are gradually getting less close and just like him and his wife their relationship is dyeing. I turn their wine to water. The tone of sarcasm is used here once again because it reverses the well-known phrase water to wine. It shows that he feels he is making their enjoyment tasteless and spoiling their lives and worsening the situation through his relationship with his wife. Another tone adopted by the poet is a cold tone against his wife. And Helen, my partner of all these year, He uses the word partner to show that she is no longer considered a lover. My sack of sighs suggests she is a burden to him, and the alliteration and onomatopoeia used in this sentence emphasizes the fact that she complains all the time but yet she still hurts, I think she loves him still but hurts because their love is fading away. With injured, bovine eyes. Another piece of evidence that he no longer considers her a lover is there must have been passion once this shows that there is no real physical contact anymore, maybe because of an indifference or because they are antagonistic towards one another. But neither she nor I could bear to have its ghost come prowling from its dark and frowsy lair. I think this is an important sentence in the theme of death and marriage because it shows that none of them could stand any physical contact, and he compares their love to a ghost, something rotten, decomposing, dead, buried and gone. I feel that this strongly emphasizes how dead their marriage is because he compares it to a ghost, something that no longer exists in real life. In stanza 6 the poets word choice suggests that they are only still together because of their marriage vows, and because of familiarity. And we, to keep our nuptials warm, still wage sporadic fireside war this shows that they keep their relationship interesting with arguments, but each of their Laura McLean words are like bullets, but the arguments have become that regular they are numb to each others insults. Numb with insult each yet strives to scratch the other raw. The writers violent language paints a picture in words of the strong verbal battle between him and his wife. Also the conversion of the word raw to war in the second and fourth lines this draws attention to the strangeness of the way they keep their relationship going. In the final stanza the writers language confirms that he has never been happy in his marriage. Twenty five yeas weve now survived the word survived shows that it has been a struggle, it has been something that he hasnt enjoyed. Im not sure either why or how here the writer seems surprised, he doesnt quite understand why his marriage lasted so long because he feels it was dead long before their silver wedding anniversary. Finally the last two lines the writer used a ply on words with A wreath of quarrels set he uses the irony here to show a play on the laurel wreath given to victors. In a way he is questioning himself here. Is there a victor? Will anybody win? The final line also shows hat the poet is getting older and more stressed, the relationship has taken its toll on him physically, mentally and emotionally. On my tired and balding brow I think that this poem of reflection is the writer questioning himself on why he is keeping something going that clearly died a long time ago.

Gagadon - Facts and Figures

Gagadon - Facts and Figures If youre announcing a new genus of artiodactyl, it helps to come up with a distinctive name, since even-toed mammals were thick on the ground in early Eocene North America (about 55 to 50 million years ago). Enter Gagadon minimonstrum, aka the Lady Gaga-toothed mini-monster, the lower jaw of which was discovered in Wyoming in 1988, but which wasnt announced to the world until May of 2014- presumably when paleontologists Richard K. Stucky and Herbert H. Covey deemed the roster of high-powered pop stars to be suitably impressive. (See a slideshow of 10 Real-Life Dinosaurs Named After Celebrities) The most notable feature of Gagadon was the unique accessory cusps on its teeth, which was doubtless an adaptation to its preferred grass diet (though presumably Lady Gaga herself enjoys a more varied menu). Described by Stucky and Covey as a dramatic departure from the other ungulates of early Eocene North America, these teeth were clearly a speedy evolutionary development, as early hooved mammals rapidly adapted to the changing conditions on earth a mere 10 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct. In fact, small, inoffensive mammals like Gagadon were fated to evolve, tens of millions of years down the line, into such varied creatures as elks, camels, deers and giraffes- rather the way Lady Gaga herself has spawned countless imitators, idolaters and high-powered pop stars. Name Gagadon  minimonstrum  (the Gaga-toothed mini-monster, after pop star Lady Gaga); pronounced GAH-gah-don  mih-nee-MON-strum Habitat Plains of North America Historical Epoch Early Eocene (55-45 million years ago) Size and Weight Undisclosed, but small Diet Grass Distinguishing Characteristics Petite size; quadrupedal posture; unique tooth structure

Evaluation of James McNeil Whistler's Crepuscule in Flesh Colour and Essay

Evaluation of James McNeil Whistler's Crepuscule in Flesh Colour and Green - Essay Example This means that a perusal of most of Whistler’s work will reveal little else than an artist’s creative impulses gone wild. Tonalism can be seen as a result of these creative impulses of Whistler. Whistler’s 1866 Crepuscule in Flesh Color and Green: Valparaiso (910 x 1080 x 100 mm painting, oil on canvas, London: Tate, N05065) is perhaps one of the earliest works that reflects the artist’s desire for tonalist attitudes. The painting is the first piece in a large number of similar works that followed at the hands of Whistler. This indicates that the Crepuscule in Flesh Color and Green: Valparaiso (Figure 1) cannot be evaluated in isolation from these other related works because they share similar traits and characteristics that eventually came to define tonalism. Another major thing to take note of is the relative unknown nature of Crepuscule in Flesh Color and Green: Valparaiso as not many treatises on art especially art from the tonalist genres have given it much focus1. However if the period immediately before this painting in Whistler’s life is looked at, it will become very clear that it defines a personal rebellion. In turn this personal rebellion from an already Maverick persona resulted in new nuances being painted into the heart of the world of art. The combination of various rebellious attitudes coupled with a distant past in the military gave birth to the Crepuscule in Flesh Color and Green: Valparaiso and its sister works that were all created in Chile and represented similar militaristic scenarios processed through the lens of an artist’s eyes. The sister pieces of the Crepuscule in Flesh Color and Green: Valparaiso include The Morning after the Revolution: Valparaiso, Nocturne in Blue and Gold: Valparaiso Bay (Figure 3) and the sketch for Nocturne in Blue and Gold: Valparaiso Bay (Figure 4). Whistler possessed an uncanny genius for art from an early age2 and this in turn affected his personal choices on life and career. Being a rebel from the start, Whistler was quick to abandon his career with the military at West Point but this in turn left some unfinished desires with Whistler3. As the rebellion in the Spanish colony of Chile took on the shape of a war, Whistler was attracted to revisit the military based part of his persona. Speculation remains to why Whistler went to Chile – some claim he was looking to satisfy his militarism based impulses from West Point4, others think that Whistler considered the rebellion of the Chileans as heroic5 while recent research suggests that he was selling arms to the Chileans. In any case, Whistler was an artist before he went to Chile and artists generally detest war because of its barbaric conduct. However Whistler still chose to go to Chile. Before this point in time Whistler had been rebelling from an ordinary life in order to achieve his life of artistic desire6. Yet his voyage to Chile reveals that now Whistler was rebelling from his art istic life in order to come to terms with a life where you have to work to make some money. This in turn indicates that Whistler was more or less at war with himself at this point in time and his accounts from the ship he travelled on show a Whistler who is disinterested in life and what happens around him. His personal infighting must have kept him well occupied on his journey from Spain to Chile. His first painting in this series of paintings, Crepuscule in Fle

Shall We Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shall We Dance - Essay Example People when exposed to the urban life have to strongly adapt the way the life must go in there. However, just like Sugiyama who lives in the suburb, way far beyond the very demanding city life, he must face the reality, and that is to create a balancing act between varying roles and the desired personal achievements. In this paper, the proponent tries to explicate the very point on how a built environment comes into existence on the basis of the movie film â€Å"Shall we dance?† For this reason, the proponent clearly elaborates the need to understand actual daily life’s activities and the places normally that have to be taken into account by the Japanese together with their existing culture in order to fulfill personal achievements and to go on with life. Substantial idea about the community environment, as a component of planning, is integrated in the discussion, prior to considerable understanding of the actual built atmosphere. Japanese people are known for their positive outlook, to make them move forward to ensure hard work with respect to their personal career and development. As a result, they need to face the demanding and challenging environment of the workplace. This is how they would respond to the way they should take everything. Job could have been so stressful for them, and as just what Sugiyama would want to point up in the film. They need to find something that could help them not to be exhausted by the very taxing nature of their work and working lifestyle conditions. As a result, Japanese people need to go around, not in an unproductive manner, but with full of sense just to release the tautness they must have acquired from work. For this reason, there are many places in Japan, especially somewhere in the urban areas where Japanese would call and find them as sakariba, the â€Å"zone of evaporation between work and home† (Hendry,