Essay on Obsession in Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr....

Obsession in Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydenbsp;nbsp; Webster defines obsession to be Compulsive, often anxious preoccupation with a fixed idea or unwanted emotion.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Or, A compulsive, usually irrational idea or emotion.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The strange thing about obsession is the absolute inability of the person, once obsessed, to understand their own actions in retrospect. Both Victor Frankenstien, of Marry Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Henry Jekyll, of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fit the criteria of one who is obsessed. With Victor Frankenstien, obsession came in the form of a lust for fame. Victor’s own word reflect his inability to understand or control his†¦show more content†¦In his own words, Jekyll had a certain impatient gaiety of disposition†¦ which he found hard to reconcile with (his) imperious desire to carry (his) head high, and wear a more than commonly grave countenance before the public.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Here was a man torn by his desire to be seen as a good and pure man, yet unable to control his desire to be bad.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Henry was obsessed with deviance and hated himself for it.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; He was so obsessed with the desire to indulge his darker side, that he was willing to die in an attempt to give free rein to his deviance.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Henry admits freely that he undertook the actions which lead to his end for pleasure sake alone.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; As with Victor Frankenstien, Henry Jekyll’s obsession led him to disaster.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; By the time he recognized the absurdity of his actions, he had already forfeit his identity; he had lost himself. What can I say about obsession?nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; As I stated in the beginning,Show MoreRelated Science Fiction Explored in Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Invisible Man2057 Words   |  9 PagesThe Legacy of Science Fiction Explored in Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Invisible Man Science Fiction is a branch of literature that explores the possibilities of human scientific advances, especially technological ones. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (published in 1818) was a precursor of the genre which was established by Jules Vernes novels of the late 1800s. HG Wells at the turn of the twentieth century brought more scientific rigour in his works, such as The Time Machine

The Heart Of Reagan s Foreign Policy - 867 Words

When Ronald Reagan to the oath of office on January 20, 1981, he called upon Americans to â€Å"begin an era of national renewal.† In response to the serious problems facing the country, both foreign and domestic, he asserted his familiar campaign phrase: Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem. His dream was to make America the beacon of hope and freedom for those who do not have freedom. Reagan advanced domestic policies that featured a lessening of federal government responsibility in solving social problems, reducing restrictions on business, and implementing tax cuts. Internationally, Reagan demonstrated a fierce opposition to the spread of communism throughout the world and a strong distrust of the Soviet Union, which in 1983 he labeled an evil empire. The heart of Reagan s foreign policy was to prevent the expansion of communism and at the heart of communism was the Soviet Union. Reagan often referred to the Soviet Union as the â€Å"e vil empire.† Reagan believed that the United States should negotiate with the Soviet Union from a position of strength. The administration embarked on a modernization program which included the production of intercontinental missiles and the Strategic Defense Initiative. He increased military spending and forces, while holding negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev- the General Secretary of the Soviet Union. After a number of meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev, the two men signed an IntermediateShow MoreRelatedPresident Ronald Reagan s Foreign Policy1147 Words   |  5 PagesReagan’s Foreign Policy Some may say, President Ronald Reagan was defined by his foreign policy. Some may also consider that he made difficult decisions during his presidency in America. Unfortunately, he also made many mistakes as a president. Some think that his foreign policy is one of the errors that he made. Even though he was an important factor in ending the Cold War, people on his foreign policy team ended up killing American soldiers. Historically, many considered that a person eitherRead More Ronald Reagan Administration Essay1308 Words   |  6 Pagesadministrations that were not trusted, America elected Ronald Reagan by a landslide margin of victory. At sixty-nine years old, he was the oldest President to be elected. He was born in a small town in Illinois and served two terms as California governor starting in 1966. Reagans track record proved to be very strong and included welfare cuts, decreasing the number of state employees, and halting radical student protesters. Like other GOP members, Reagan came into office promising to limit the power of governmentRead MoreRonald Reag As Government Expands, Liberty Contracts Essay1628 Words   |  7 PagesEthan Martin Martin 1 Mrs. Langerot English 4 October 14, 2015 Ronald Wilson Reagan â€Å"As government expands, liberty contracts(Ronald Reagan Quotes). Those who know anything about Modern Politics in the United States know that Ronald Reagan is the poster child and founder of today s Conservatism. Today s Conservatism is at its core a hybrid between the Conservatism of Theodore Roosevelt and that of the Libertarianism of Thomas Jefferson. Libertarians believe that theRead MoreThe Presidential Campaign : Ronald Reagan And President Jimmy Carter1667 Words   |  7 PagesPresidential Campaign was between Ronald Reagan and President Jimmy Carter. In this campaign several key issues were discussed. Reagan provided solutions for the armed forces, the Nuclear Arms Race, terrorism, the nation s economy, and urban policies. He used several tactics to wage a successful campaign. By appealing to Republican values, Reagan received the votes of many heartfelt Americans and is still admired by many to this day. One of the key issues Reagan brought up throughout his campaign wasRead MoreA Study on Conservative Resurgence1171 Words   |  5 Pagesexcesses, political instability and economic turmoil that the liberals of the late 1960s and early 1970s created, led to a resurgence in conservative thinking. Americans began to reject the complete dependence on the government, and the inefficiency and corruption associated with it, in favor of a more independent and politically conservative way of thinking. As a result, 1980 saw the election of Ronald Reagan, a hard-core conservative Republican as President of the United States. Reagans victoryRead MoreThe Iran Contra Affair1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Iran Contra affair is historically defined as the â€Å"Reagan administration scandal that involved the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for its efforts to secure the release of hostages in Lebanon and the redirection of the proceeds of those sales to the Nicaraguan Contras.† As the Nicara guan counterrevolutionaries, known as the Contras, began their efforts to retaliate against the Socialist Sandinista Regime, American government forces stepped in to support the Contra cause in a hope to supportRead MoreRonald Reag Rough Draft Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesRonald Reagan Rough Draft Intro. INTRODUCTION Imagine, being the President of the United States of America, you are in charge of everything in the nation, being responsible for the well-being of your country. And imagine being on the verge of nuclear war with the Soviet Union and only having six minutes to decide whether or not civilization as we know it could continue. This is the type of stress Ronald Reagan was under almost every day of his eight year presidency. EARLY LIFE Read MoreThe President Of The United States1611 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical party’s main candidate where they offer their views on running the country then citizens decide who should be the president of the United States. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale participated in their second debate against each other. Four panelists on the topic of defense and foreign policy issues would prompt the two candidates to certain issues of their concern. Some issues in the dispute that were discussed were over the Soviet Union, use of military force, and illegalRead MoreThe Great Communicator By Ronald Reagan1491 Words   |  6 PagesAs stated in an article from Newsmakers, Ronald Reagan was known as â€Å"the Great Communicator† because he was able to clearly speak to the public due to his unusual experiences before presidency (Newsmakers). Every president of the United States has a unique story, but Reagan possessed many remarkable characteristi cs. Today, many people recognize Reagan as a former president, but few know about the struggles he faced and his success before presidency; his political party transition, handling economicRead MoreA Biography Of President Ronald W. Reagan s Life1587 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical wisdom and collected nature, even in high pressure situations. Peggy Noonan, the author of this book, keeps a consistent praising tone for Reagan throughout the novel, and her love and appreciation for the man is obvious. Reagan went on to win the hearts of many Americans with his charming personality and undeniable charisma, qualities of Reagan that even some of his political adversaries have pointed out. Summary At the very beginning of the book, Noonan includes a quote by the distinguished

Chinese and Greek Mythology Free Essays

The Diverging Commonalities of Creation Myth’s Long ago, people wanted to acquire a better understanding of the beginning of the universe which ultimately resulted in the establishment of religions, beliefs and most pertinent, creation myths. Mythology provides explanations for the worlds mysteries especially in regards to the creation of Earth, Humans and the environment. This comparative paragraph analyzes the similarities and differences between a Greek myth entitled, The Beginning of Things, and a Chinese myth named, Heaven and Earth and Man, contrasted in the aspects of conflict, solutions, heroic action, and the education of the first humans. We will write a custom essay sample on Chinese and Greek Mythology or any similar topic only for you Order Now Conflicts arise for different concerns but after the battles cease, peace is restored because of supernatural intervention, the world advances and progresses to prevent future misfortune. Firstly, if peace is kept in the heavens of Greece then there will be less despair on Earth. The battle of authority results in a punishment system being enforced to confine cruel people and prevent rebellions. In ancient Greece there was a constant power struggle for the gods because of the underlying fear that their children would replace them in the chain of command. The text supports the argument of development and enhancement after unreasonable decisions are made by the deities; If any of them breaks the oath, for one year he lies breathless, and cannot partake of sweet nectar and ambrosia; after that year he is cut off from the meeting of the gods for nine years more, and then only may he come back and join their company. Rouse, 3) During the destruction of the battles, evil is unleashed and causes chaos in the land. The justice system, which is created in response to Cronuses’ rebellion, is essential for any society to continue successfully. There is heroic involvement in both myths, with Zeus in particular in Ancient Greece. Zeus defeated his father and saved his brothers and sisters after being swallowed and trapped in his stomach. Cronuses’ awful deed deserves punishment which results in Zeus creating the Underworld and a standard of the amount of time spent punished. In fact, the Chinese story also includes a quarrel, different in rationale but improvement after the disagreement is a prevalent theme in both. Subsequently, in respect to the Chinese myth, after the war between fire and water, the pillar was destroyed; Nu-Kua repaired the gaps in the sky by supporting the sky with additional blocks. The literature provides evidence to confirm this line of reasoning; Block by block, she patched the holes in the sky. Lastly, she killed a giant turtle, and cut off its powerful legs to make pillars between which the sky is firmly held over the Earth, never again to fall. Birch, 7) After chaos returns for the second time, when the elements fight against each other, involvement from spirits resolves the crisis and mitigates harm from humans. The irrational and aggressive clash between fire and water causes destruction but also provides reasoning for the position of the oceans and world geography. Apart from the similarities, there are many discrepancies c irculating around the topic of conflict. In the Greek myth, conflicts originate from the desire to establish power and authority by rebelling. First, Cronus rebelled against his father Uranus and Zeus against Cronus followed. The competition is caused because children inherit their parents’ position and both gods prevent this from happening by swallowing or imprisoning them. On the contrary, the Chinese dispute is against the elements fire and water. In Chinese mythology, fire is masculine and symbolizes strength, aggression, impulsiveness. Water is considered feminine and symbolizes fluidity, downward energy but has the potential to be noisy. The conflict is probably caused because the elements are opposites and naturally enemies. This clash of the elements is a result of senseless hostility and not a fight for control. The difference in culture is what causes the significant differences in myths. Evidently, in Greek mythology acquiring status and supremacy is valued whereas there isn’t a sense of hierarchy but instead teamwork in China. According to the Asian myth, the spirits all work together towards a common goal which is to enhance and protect the Earth. Another obvious commonality in relation to either conflict is the presence of a supreme being which triggers and assists the chain of events which form the World. The Greek mythology had many different supreme beings which were responsible for various forces on Earth. The Chinese version, only included two main beings, one which was the result of the environment and the other was the creator of the human race. Comparative mythology also requires examining the distinction between the ideas of how both cultures though the Earth was created. An indication of how diverse the culture and beliefs of people is demonstrated in the topic of the formation of Human beings and the surrounding eco-system. The creation of humans, wildlife and geographic landscapes varies with the idea of the Greek Gods sculpting most organisms hemselves whereas the Chinese believe Pan’Ku’s body transforms into the environment. The aspect of creation and the environment is portrayed very differently in both legends. The number of dissimilarities outweighs the number corresponding ideas surrounding the mystery of the beginning of the Universe and our existence. In ancient Greece, after a period of chaos and disagreement between the deities a clever titian named Prom etheus establishes the first human and provides luminosity and warmth in a world, swallowed by darkness after the sun sets. Prometheus sculpts animals and accidentally, the first human out of clay and began to teach them how to survive including hunting and making fire; Prometheus was very much pleased with his new pet. He used to watch men hunting for food and living in caves and holes, like ants or badgers. He determined to educate men as well as he could. (Rouse, 2) After rebelling by taking responsibility for the Earth underneath the heavens, Prometheus entertains himself by making models out of clay. Accidently, he creates humans and spent most of his time teaching humans how to continue to exist. Prometheus sculpts humans by accident whereas Nu’Kua from the Chinese myth wants to produce beings that will aid to cure her solitary state. To contrast, in the Chinese myth, the weather conditions, mountains, rivers and vegetation are all created by Pan’Ku’s body. Additionally, after humans are created by Nu’Kua, they are taught many vital skills in addition to simply the ability to survive; â€Å"Who in his life [Pan’Ku] had brought shape to the universe, by his death gave his body to make it rich and beautiful†¦ to the Earth he gave his body† (Birch, 6). In the Chinese story, the environment is not created by a specific spirit but instead transforms from a god into the surrounding nature and landscape. A further comparison against the Greek tale is the little explanation about how the land and plants are created except for the separation of sky and ground which reveals an already existing ecosystem. Moreover, the humans in the Chinese myth are taught how to communicate, reproduce and to live in peace. The humans in ancient Greece are never taught skills beyond survival. Finally, there is an evident variation for the reasons to assemble humans. Nu’Kua intends to create a creature that will provide her relief from isolation meanwhile Prometheus is only amusing himself and the first human emerges entirely unintentionally. Nevertheless, both fairy-tales have a couple of resembling principles. To begin with, humans are formed and educated by the deities. The first humans were taught to hunt, gather food, and construct shelter to avoid perishing as a species. The principal objective is to aid humans to continue to populate and the justification in both fables was that supernatural intervention maintained the evolution of such a powerful species. Magical clay was used in both myths as the main material in the production of creatures and human beings. The motive for why these two parables are so similar is to emphasize how there is an external influence which assisted the formation of humans because it is difficult to believe that simple resources could have conceived such complex living, breathing creatures. Additionally, as a society in the present day, education is a requirement and essential for the genetic continuity of the human race, peace and maintenance of the Earth’s resources. By the means of education can one’s potential be used to maximum extent. It is natural for the authors of these short fictitious stories to assume the hero’s and goddesses teach humans because then there will be no foundation to carry on the sharing of lessons and information. In conclusion, it is in the nature of humans to wonder about the unknown and search for answers. At the foundation of nearly every culture is a creation myth which explains how the wonderful mysteries of the Earth came to be. Despite geographical barriers, many cultures have developed creation myths with the same basic elements and structure. However, there are many cultural and societal influences which cause variations in the beliefs and alter the overall creation myth from region to region. Apart from the fundamental similarities, the Greek and Chinese ideologies deviated in certain aspects of the myth because their values and morals as separate countries have impacted, adapted and evolved differently in response to world events. How to cite Chinese and Greek Mythology, Essay examples

Julius Caesar - Conflicting Perspectives free essay sample

Every text is constructed for a purpose; the composer is trying to convey and embed their agenda into the reader by persuading them to accept their perspective on key events, personalities and/or situations. Through the manipulation of various textual forms, structures and language composers persuade their audience to adopt their perspective. Composers often decide to present conflicting perspectives to truly engage their audience. By demonstrating the concept of conflicting perspectives the composer is able to glorify their perspective in contrast to another to enforce their agenda, they position the audience through language to side with them. The tight narrative â€Å"Julius Caesar† by William Shakespeare’s utilises the final days of Caesar’s rule and assassination as the catalyst for exploring the nature of political power, conveying conflicting perspectives on imperial and republican rule. Shakespeare’s context shaped the meaning of this play as he exploits people’s fears at the time to connect with the audience. In contrast, Miranda Devine’s political article â€Å"Felled by an Invidious Green Plot† 19/8/10 (SMH) tells the â€Å"chilling story† about how â€Å"green activists† used political maneuvers to build the support of the public to tear down the timber company ‘Gunns’ and devastate the life of Chief Executive John Gay and the Tasmanian economy. She uses various textual techniques and includes a provocative cartoon at the top, as well as quotes from those supporting her views to convince the reader of her perspective. Devine, known for her conservative view on political and social issues, is deliberately bias against the Greens as she has gained vas wealth through exploiting the countries natural resources such as deforestation. By demonstrating the concept of conflicting perspectives both composers are able to shape meaning to convey their purpose through the choice of textual forms, structures and language. The concept of conflicting perspectives presents the audience choice and involves them in the depiction of the message of the text and the composer’s agenda. In Shakespeare’s renowned play Julius Caesar the concept of political power in ancient Rome, and how political tactics are often used to manipulate the public is explored. The concept of conflicting perspectives is created in the play by the characterisation of Brutus and Marc Antony. Their perspective of Caesar and whether he should rule directly clash, one rguing the side of imperial rule and the other republican rule and hence provide the central conflict throughout the play. At the time the play was composed, this concept was a real threat as the Roman Empire sought new rule following the recent death of the Queen, allowing Shakespeare to toy with the emotions of his audience. With an engaged audience and the manipulation of structures, language and textual forms Shakespeare is able to shape the meaning of the play. The construction of their speeches after Caesar’s death, arguing both personal and public reasons for their views, demonstrates their individual perspective and their attempts to convince their audience of their view. Brutus, â€Å"having to show the reason of our Caesars death†, argues from a political perspective, believing imperial rule is the best model. His opening lines â€Å"Romans, Countrymen, and Lovers, hear me for my cause† uses inclusive language to immediately build rapport. He agrees that Caesar was an honourable man â€Å"Brutus love to Caesar was no less than his†, yet his perspective and justification for assassinating him, is ultimately determined by his love for Rome, demonstrated through use of syntactical balance â€Å"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more†, and is demonstrated through use of rhetorical questions â€Å"Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? † which invites the audience to side with his opinion. Through Shakespeare’s use of patriotism in Brutus’ political speech, he is able to persuade not only the Plebeians but also the audience, demonstrating how language techniques are able to reinforce a particular perspective to shape meaning in a text. Putting Brutus’s speech first is a structural technique by Shakespeare to allow for rebuttal. Conflicting perspectives through the manipulation of language, textual forms and structure allows the composer to present two perspectives and give the audience choice in their depiction of the message of the play. The choice is ultimately determined by the context of the reader, which largely affects their interpretation of the text as they may have diverse experiences causing their depiction of the text to be altered. Marc Antony provides the conflict to Brutus’ speech, demonstrated through his passionate and melodramatic funeral oration, which provides a conflicting perspective on Caesar and the nature of his assassination. Antony walks on stage holding Caesars dead body, a dramatic device used by Shakespeare to heighten the effect of the speech. He scolds Brutus and the other senators, mocking, through use of sarcasm and repetition of their â€Å"honour† â€Å"For Brutus is an honourable man†. Antonys key tools at the beginning of his speech are his conspicuous ambiguity regarding Caesar and Brutus Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and use of rhetorical questions Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? He challenges Brutus’ perspective that Caesar was too ambitious â€Å"I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse†, expressing his perspective that Caesar was unjustly assassinated, and through his emotive language â€Å"it was a grievous fault†, is able to convince the plebeians that Caesar was an honourable leader â€Å"Methinks there is much reason in his sayings†. The deliberate structure of the play with, with Brutus’ speech being first, slightly glorifies imperia l rule and gives the audience the impression that Shakespeare believes that imperialism is the best political model. The reaction of the crowd to both speeches indicates how political power can shift opinions of people through the power of language. Firstly Brutus has full support of the crowd â€Å"let him be Caesar†, but Antony’s speech convinces them of a different perspective â€Å"We’ll burn the house of Brutus†. Hence, through the use of juxtaposed dramatic speeches and language techniques, Shakespeare shapes the meaning of the play, engaging the audience, involving them in the process of deciding whether republicanism or imperialism is the ultimate model for the Roman Empire. The concept of conflicting perspectives can be a great tool to give the reader choice in the depiction of the text, however, this concept can also be utilised as a way to glorify one perspective in contrast to another. In the news article â€Å"Felled by an Invidious Green Plot† , Devine is similarly making a statement about the nature of political power, however, through use of an emotive tone, she presents a far more confronting and persuasive argument. Devine effectively manipulates the medium of the article, enabling her to provide a conflicting perspective to the Greens principles as portrayed in the media, while simultaneously not allowing a conflicting perspective to oppose her view. Devine’s argument is very political and one sided, and this is demonstrated very clearly through emotive language â€Å"fought a relentless campaign to†¦ destroy Gay† and rhetorical questions â€Å"Who is actually going to believe that environmental management is going to be better in Indonesia or Malaysia? †. This, through the concept of conflicting perspectives, forces the reader to undertake her opinion, making the purpose of the article to accept a perspective rather than giving the reader choice. She selects information and statistics to support her view, â€Å"He†¦transformed Gunns into a top 50 company with a market capitalisation of $900 million by 2003† and, similarly to Antony and Brutus speeches, uses emotive language to manipulate the readers to agree with her perspective â€Å"(John Gay) became a hero of the working class people of Tasmania†. As she is writing a newspaper article, it could be argued that she should provide a balanced perspective, however through portraying a positive image of John Gay, she offers the perspective that the Greens victimized him for their political gain, and Devine is able to shape her agenda in the text and through conflicting perspectives, purposely glorifying her perspective to embed her message of the article in the reader. Similar to Antony and Brutus, Miranda Devine has a clear political perspective, which is made clear to the reader through her closing paragraph â€Å"those†¦people planning to vote for the Greens on Saturday had better understand exactly what they are voting for†¦moving backwards into the dark ages†. The use of hyperbole to finish an obvious political statement reflects how the article only portrays her perspective, rather than balancing conflicting perspectives, in to convince her readers to undertake her perspective, shaping meaning through deliberate glorification. Through the exploration of textual forms, structures and language both composers, using the concept of conflicting perspectives, shape the meaning of their text.