Rereading Atwoods Surfacing :: Atwood Surfacing Essays

Rereading Atwood's Surfacing The class touched on a multitude of different subjects during the class time for the second discussion of the novel, Surfacing. These discussions were much deeper than the previous one, asking questions on motivation and symbolism rather than plot and language. Two of the most popular subjects were characterization and the validity of the narrator and the information she gives the reader. Other topics were discussed including religion, the bird motif that has appeared throughout our readings this semester, and the narrator's artistic frustration among many others. To begin with one of the most prominent subjects, the class discussed character-ization at length. Many students wondered what the narrator's friends added to the story, whether they were symbolic of something, reflections of the narrator's characteristics, or representatives of other individuals. Daniel suggested that the narrator was projecting the identities of her parents onto her friends. For instance, David was representative of the narrator's brother ("fascist pig yanks") with his militancy and Joe was the narrator's father, capable of love and close to her heart. Erin echoed this idea, saying that Anna was representative of the narrator's mother who concealed all of her pain and unhappiness throughout the story. Other students, though, had different ideas. Stephanie thought that the narrator's friends were symbolic, Joe as nature, David as the city, and Anna as the "icky" things about being a girl. As these were discussed, other ideas "surfaced" and the narrator's brother was thought to represent absolutism while her mother, like Joe, represented nature. Judy expanded on this, saying that David was perhaps representative of the narrator's previous lover. All of these ideas were well backed and well stated, leaving each individual student to decide which characters represented who or what. Another topic that was discussed at length was the narrator herself. In Forum II, Mandy began by questioning the narrator's humanness and what, exactly, constitutes being human. The discussion picked up these thoughts and began to question whether the narrator was actually domesticated or wild. She cooks and cleans for the others, taking care of them basically the whole time, but it was argued that she seemed to be hardly one predisposed to subservience.

Analysis of Robert Frosts Desert Places Essay -- Robert Frost Desert

Analysis of Robert Frost's Desert Places Robert Frost's 'Desert Places' is a testament to the harrowing nature of solidarity. By subjecting the narrator to the final moments of daylight on a snowy evening, an understanding about the nature of blank spaces and emptiness becomes guratively illuminated. The poem's loneliness has the ability to transcend nature and drill a hole through the mind of the narrator so that all hope for relationships with man and nature are abandoned. In the first stanza, ?snow? and ?night? are juxtaposed to create a sense of loneliness and emptiness. Meaning is derived from the effects they have on their surroundings and on the narrator. Here, snow has the qualities of an arid and formless white sheet. Anything it covers immediately loses shape and form. Snow blankets the ground to hide what is there, leaving nothing but a blank slate where more vigorous objects have been seen before. Night parallels the snow in that it obscures vision and generates an absence of light. These two stark agents of oblivion occupy their surroundings to create the effect of emptiness. The effect of speed upon the nature of the snow and night startles the narrator in the first line: ?Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast? (1). They both fall with such rapidity that the narrator almost misses the effects of the pair on the field he ?looked into going past? (2). The envelopment of the narrator?s surroundings becomes a jarring experience, as he/she only has a few moments to observe what is happening. The narrator is able to observe only the ?few weeds and stubble showing last,? (4) as the dense blanket created by the ominous pair becomes apparen... ...nkind is doomed by his/her own thought. The ability of nature to obstruct vision mirrors mans? ability to displace meaning. Man can eliminate nature, god, or fellow man using this method, though this will leave us to be as lonely and meaningless as the blank spaces that surround the void of infinity. The poem calls into question mans? ability to create meaning from his/her surroundings. Is mankind really so desolate and lonely? ?Desert Places? shows us that loneliness dominates in the absence of light. A frightening statement about the bottomless pit of loneliness is found within the repetition, absence of description, and domineering nature of internalized despair in Robert Frost?s ?Desert Places.? Works Cited: Frost, Robert. The Poetry of Robert Frost, ed Edward Connery Lathem. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1969.

Wilderness vs Civilization

Wilderness Versus Civilization In â€Å"The Place, the Regions, and the Commons,† Gary Snyder discusses the importance of place when dealing with the environment and establishment of ideological hearths. The contrasting sides between the natural world and synthetic societies play a large part within the essay, for we must take a stand when determining our own personal place. Snyder cites many examples of how humanity's search for place leads to the destruction of the natural world around us, such as overgrazing in the commons.This clash between the necessity for a stable â€Å"place† and the universal needs of nature force us to find an equilibrium in which a comprehensive happiness can be reached. Snyder follows up on this environmental critique with a deeper philosophical mindset. He eagerly suggests the idea that our longing for â€Å"place† severely reflects our subconscious tendencies and realities. There are a frustrating number of examples of bioregional s elfishness, such as the tragedy of the commons.However, there are also a delightful abundance of examples that demonstrate the optimistic and altruistic deeds completed in order to insure the health of the habitat within. There are two sides of a coin when dealing with the darkness and purity of mankind as a whole. This same coin exists within us individually, and it is up to us to decide which side lands facing up. It is a difficult task to describe the inner conflicts that occur within myself solely through text. In order to properly express my true feelings and thoughts, another medium must be used.In this scenario, it would be best to demonstrate my newfound resolve and terror through the eyes of a camera lens. Ever since I moved to Boone to begin my college career, I have begun a new personal era of introspection. I seek to know why I commit the corrupt sins that I succumb to, and why I choose to aid subjects that I could optionally neglect. By observing these hidden demons and saints within my soul, I am able to emulate it onto the surface and understand the world as a whole. As Susan Sontag eloquently points out: â€Å"As photographs give people an imaginary possession of a post that is unreal, they also help eople take possession of space in which they are insecure†. In essence, I feel that this picture aptly describes the state of wildness within our fabricated society. The leaf is being consumed by the manufactured acts of humanity, and I feel helpless as I gaze onto it's decaying structure. My mind immediately begins to take responsibility for nature's impending fall into this desolate land. The wildness within us inhibits our sympathies towards the habitats that we constantly surround ourselves with. Civilization is being dominated in this photograph.The trees stand tall, the bushes lay as a shroud of eloquence atop a seething boredom of concrete. The mountains extend their hand to the sky, greeting it with a warm resolve. The wild side to m yself would scuffle this minor victory for nature under the carpet and continue onwards, however the civilized side recognizes the absolutely exquisite act of defiance by the cosmos. As Snyder states: â€Å"The State is destroyed, but the mountains and rivers remain†, the wilderness ignores our presence almost as much as we tend to ignore it. rom the cataclysmic tendencies that plague most. In this fleeting moment of nonsensical entertainment, serenity is achieved and balance is restored; leaving the rest to remain asunder. The war between wilderness and civilization rages inside all of us. The guilt of our selfish actions is only matched by our desire for a better â€Å"place†. These individual conflicts add up to a cumulative impact on the region that we live in. It is apparent that the cruelty of man has influenced certain areas for the worse.My exploration of Boone has led me to conclude that a somewhat stable symmetry between both sides has been formed. There is a sense of order within this town, for many advocates have cascaded a protective sheath around the weakening wild. Even as the nature dwindles away, it is merely retreating and waiting to have the last laugh. The resilience of nature will surely outlast the overabundance of man. This conclusion leaves me hollow and optimistic at the same time, clouding any absolute fulfillment within myself individually.When mankind has free reign, the oversaturation of our greed typically poisons the vulnerable. This is why Snyder urges us to take great efforts in order to restore the equilibrium between civilization and the wilderness. Our time is beginning to run thin as the battle between both sides continue, but Snyder urges us to stay positive and learn from our mistakes in order to reach complete attainment in the future. ———————– I took this picture after the conclusion of my final class on Thursday.I was in the process of contemplation when I looked down and noticed this lonesome leaf surrounded by the artificial landscape. I immediately felt that this small act of symbolism was worth capturing for eternity. It occurred just outside of the Central Dining Hall. I gazed upon the mountain skyline and noticed the rampant growth of trees from my lowered perspective on the ground. This observation made me smile, which led to the capturing of the photograph. By altering my perception of the world around me, I was able to obtain this earthly image.I was extremely delighted to spectate my first game of Quidditch since arriving to my new home. The rambunctious cheers of both sides were only rivaled by the serene beauty brought upon by the landscape on Sanford Mall. I felt like this universal victory should be documented as a model for co-dominance between the wild and civilization. The leaves fall from the trees, as if they are jumping from the stands in an attempt to join the game. The men and women pay respect to the worl d around them by refraining

Accounting Entity

An accounting entity is any organizational unit for which financial and economic data are gathered and processed for the purposes of decision making (Hillman, Kochanek and Norgaard, 1992, p. 15). The purpose of an entity is to work for the good of all the stakeholder groups and obtain funds at favorable rates to create future profits (Boland, 2010, pp. 41-44). †¢Rights of the stakeholders of an entity. Stakeholders are individuals and groups that are affected by an organization's policies, procedures, and actions (Advameg, 2011). The stakeholders include creditors, employees, customers, government bodies, special interest groups and the local community. Stakeholders, such as employees and owners, may have specific legal rights and expectations in regard to the organization's operations and them include (Boland, 2010, p. 44). the right to equal opportunity and non-discriminatory treatment †¢the right to security of persons; the rights of workers and their families; consumer rights and protections; and environmental rights and standards †¢require corporations, within their respective spheres of activity and influence, to promote †¢encourage corporations to consult with stakeholders and communities about their activities, influence and impact †¢Our group’s general ethical philosophy. In addition to being aligned with the ‘Stakeholder’s theory’ and ‘reporting’, Group A’s general ethical philosophy also focuses on sustainable development of an entity, specifically on how organizations need to make commitment to sustainable business practices towards communities. For the reason that reporting and providing information about social and environmental performances of an entity increases the trust that communities have in the organization ( Deegan, 2006).

Natural Selection and North Carolina

Natural Selection Case Study QuestionsName _______________________________ Part I 1. Which state has more plain clover? North Carolina 2. Which state has more striped clover? Minnesota 3. Which state has a warmer average temperature? North Carolina 4. Which state has more days of freezing temperatures? North Carolina 5. Which state has drier conditions? Minnesota 6. Which state has more mollusks? North Carolina Part II 7. Why are the two gene products that are needed to produce active cyanide stored in different parts of the cell?They are stored in different cells because one is covered in stripes which the striped clover contains cyanide while the other is plain which the plain clover don’t contains cyanide 8. What are two ways that the cells can be disrupted causing the two components to come together and produce active cyanide? 9. What would be the advantage of producing cyanide? It allows perennial plants to survive which it grow again in the spring 10. Is there any disadv antage to producing cyanide? Explain.Yes, It can be damage caused by freezing and plant eaters can harm plant cells 11. What do these results tell you about the interaction between the snails and the clover? 12. It takes extra energy to produce the white stripe in the clover. Why would a clover expend the extra energy to produce a stripe rather than using the energy for growth? It would expand the extra energy because of Fitness. Part III 13. Which factors might contribute to / or inhibit the growth of the plain clover in MN?Bacteria that produce vaccines and hormones 14. Which factors might contribute to / or inhibit the growth of the striped clover in MN? Crops that resist herbicides and diseases or contain natural pesticides 15. Which factors might contribute to / or inhibit the growth of the plain clover in NC? Plants which can be eaten as vaccines 16. Which factors might contribute to / or inhibit the growth of the striped clover in NC? Growth hormones to produce lager faster o ffsprings 17.Which factor do you think caused the most selection pressure on the clover population in MN? 18. Which factor do you think caused the most selection pressure on the clover population in NC? Part IV 19. Which type of clover will be more abundant in the shallow depressions? Why? Plain because it covers the area behind the oceanfront dunes 20. Which type of clover will be more abundant in on the hill and why? Stripes because water drains quickly

The eNotes Blog Remembering Toni Morrison

Remembering Toni Morrison Toni Morrison, one of the most influential authors of the last century, passed away on August 5, marking the end of a long and prolific writing life. Although best known for novels such as Beloved, The Bluest Eye, and Song of Solomon, Morrison’s catalogue of work encompasses children’s stories, short fiction, plays, and non-fiction books exploring topics surrounding race, gender, power, and more. She held teaching positions in colleges and universities across the country, was the first African American to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American letters, and was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Morrison’s life and legacy are an inspiration to many. She was the first African-American woman to work as an editor at Random House. She made a strong impact on the literary world with her debut novel, The Bluest Eye, in 1970. Her works focus on the experience and perspectives of African Americans in order to draw attention to this underrepresented community. She provided American literature with insight into the dignity and richness of African American culture using language and a willingness to engage with often overlooked parts of history. When questioned about her decision to exclude the white perspective from her novels, Morrison outlined her literary creed:   I never asked Tolstoy to write for me, a little colored girl in Lorain, Ohio. I never asked [James] Joyce not to mention Catholicism or the world of Dublin. Never. And I don’t know why I should be asked to explain your life to you. We have splendid writers to do that, but I am not one of them. It is that business of being universal, a word hopelessly stripped of meaning for me†¦ If I tried to write a universal novel, it would be water. Behind this question is the suggestion that to write for black people is somehow to diminish the writing. From my perspective there are only black people. When I say â€Å"people,† that’s what I mean. Though no summary can quite do justice to the depth and complexity of her work, these excerpts will inspire you to explore Morrison’s rich and masterful prose on your own: Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye. - The Bluest Eye You cant own a human being. You cant lose what you dont own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You dont, do you? And neither does he. Youre turning over your whole life to him. Your whole life, girl. And if it means so little to you that you can just give it away, hand it to him, then why should it mean any more to him? He cant value you more than you value yourself. - Song of Solomon In this here place, we flesh; flesh that weeps, laughs; flesh that dances on bare feet in grass. Love it. Love it hard. Yonder they do not love your flesh. They despise it. They dont love your eyes; theyd just as soon pick em out. No more do they love the skin on your back. Yonder they flay it. And O my people they do not love your hands. Those they only use, tie, bind, chop off and leave empty. Love your hands! Love them. Raise them up and kiss them. Touch others with them, pat them together, stroke them on your face cause they dont love that either. You got to love it, you! And no, they aint in love with your mouth. Yonder, out there, they will see it broken and break it again. What you say out of it they will not heed. What you scream from it they do not hear. What you put into it to nourish your body they will snatch away and give you leavins instead. No, they dont love your mouth. You got to love it. This is flesh Im talking about here. Flesh that needs to be loved. Feet that ne ed to rest and to dance; backs that need support; shoulders that need arms, strong arms Im telling you. And O my people, out yonder, hear me, they do not love your neck unnoosed and straight. So love your neck; put a hand on it, grace it, stroke it and hold it up. And all your inside parts that theyd just as soon slop for hogs, you got to love them. The dark, dark liver- love it, love it and the beat and beating heart, love that too. More than eyes or feet. More than lungs that have yet to draw free air. More than your life-holding womb and your life-giving private parts, hear me now, love your heart. For this is the prize.† - Beloved

The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault

The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault Although much lesser known than his literary heirs the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, 17th-century French writer, Charles Perrault, not only solidified the fairy tale as a literary genre but wrote nearly all of the genres most signature stories, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Tom Thumb, and the larger designation of Mother Goose stories. Perrault published his Stories or Tales from Times Past (subtitled Mother Goose Tales) in 1697 and arrived at the end of a long and not entirely satisfying literary life. Perrault was nearly 70 years old and, while he was well-connected, his contributions had been more intellectual than artistic. But this slim volume comprised of three of his earlier verse stories and eight new prose stories achieved a success that hadnt seemed possible to the man whod long made his main living as a civil servant.   Impact on Literature   Some of Perraults stories were adapted from oral tradition, some were inspired by episodes from earlier works, (including Boccaccios The Decameron and Apuleius The Golden Ass), and some were inventions wholly new to Perrault. What was most significantly new was the idea of turning magical folk tales into sophisticated and subtle forms of written literature. While we now think of fairy tales as primarily childrens literature, there was no such thing as childrens literature in Perraults time. With this in mind, we can see that the morals of these tales take on more worldly purposes, despite their slyly clever packaging within the fantastical universe of fairies, ogres, and talking animals. While Perraults original tales are hardly the versions that were fed to us as children, they also cant be expected to be the feminist and socialist alternate versions that we might wish them to be (see Angela Carters 1979 story collection, The Bloody Chamber, for this kind of modern twist; Carter had translated an edition of Perraults fairy tales in 1977 and was inspired to create her own versions as a response). Perrault was an upper-class intellectual during the reign of the Sun King. Unlike the fable-writer Jean de La Fontaine, whose rich narratives often criticized the powerful and took the side of the underdog (in fact he himself was not in favor with the megalomaniacal Louis XIV), Perrault didnt have much of an interest in rocking the boat. Instead, as a leading figure on the modern side of the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns, he brought new forms and sources to literature to create something that even the ancients had never seen. La Fontaine was on the side of the ancients and wrote fables in the vein of Aesop, and while La Fontaine was much more lyrically sophisticated and intellectually clever, it was Perraults modernity that lay the foundation for a new kind of literature thats created a culture all its own. Perrault may have been writing for adults, but the fairy tales that he first put on paper spawned a revolution in what kinds of stories could be made into literature. Soon, writing for children spread throughout Europe and eventually across the rest of the world. The results and even his own works may have gone far out of Perraults intent or control, but thats what often happens when you introduce something new into the world. It seems that theres a moral somewhere in that. References in Other Works   Perraults tales entered culture in ways that far transcend his own personal artistic reach. They permeated virtually every level of modern art and entertainment- from rock songs to popular films to the most sophisticated stories by literary fabulists such as Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood. With all these tales forming a common cultural currency, the clarity and intent of the originals have often been either obscured or contorted to serve sometimes questionable meanings. And while a film like 1996s Freeway creates a brilliant and necessary twist on the Little Red Riding Hood story, many more popular versions of Perraults works (from the saccharine Disney films to the grotesquely insulting Pretty Woman) manipulate their audiences by promoting reactionary gender and class stereotypes. Much of this is in the originals, though, and its often surprising to see just what is and what isnt in the original versions of these seminal fairy tales. Tales by Perrault In Puss in Boots, the youngest of three sons inherits only a cat when his father dies, but through the cats wily scheming the young man ends up wealthy and married to a princess. Perrault, who was in favor with Louis XIV, provides two interconnected but  competing  morals to the  tale, and he clearly had the machinations of the court in mind with this witty satire. On the one hand, the tale promotes the idea of using hard work and ingenuity to get ahead, rather than just relying on your parents money. But on the other hand, the story warns against being taken in by pretenders who may have achieved their wealth in unscrupulous ways. Thus, a tale that seems like a didactic childrens fable actually serves as a double-edged send-up of class mobility as it existed in the seventeenth century. Perraults Little Red Riding Hood reads much like the popularized versions that we all grew up with, but with one big difference: the wolf eats the girl and her grandmother, and nobody comes along to save them. Without the happy ending that the Brothers Grimm supply in their version, the story serves as a warning to young women against talking to strangers, especially against charming wolves who seem civilized but are perhaps even more dangerous. Theres no heroic male to slay the wolf and save Little Red Riding Hood from her own gullible innocence. Theres only danger, and its up to young women to learn how to recognize it. Like Puss in Boots, Perraults Cinderella also has two competing and contradictory morals, and they likewise discuss questions of marriageability and class connection. One moral claims that charm is more important than looks when it comes to winning a mans heart, an idea that suggests that anyone can achieve happiness, regardless of their conventional assets. But the second moral declares that no matter what natural gifts you have, you need a godfather or godmother in order to put them to good use. This message acknowledges, and perhaps supports, societys profoundly uneven playing field. The most strange and amazing of Perraults tales, Donkey Skin, is also one of his least known, probably because its shocking grotesqueries have no way of being watered down and made easily palatable. In the story, a dying queen asks her husband to remarry after her death, but only to a princess even more beautiful than her. Eventually, the kings own daughter grows to surpass her dead mothers beauty, and the king falls deeply in love with her. At the suggestion of her fairy godmother, the princess makes seemingly impossible demands of the king in exchange for her hand, and the king somehow fulfills her demands each time to both shimmering and terrifying effect. Then she demands the skin of the kings magic donkey, which defecates gold coins and is the source of the kingdoms wealth. Even this the king does, and so the princess flees, wearing the donkey skin as a permanent disguise. In Cinderella-like fashion, a young prince rescues her from her squalor and marries her, and events transpire so that her father also ends up happily paired with a neighboring widow-queen. Despite the tidiness of all its ends, this is the story that contains the messiest and wildest of Perraults invented worlds. Perhaps that is why posterity has been unable to tame it into a version that feels comfortable presenting to children. There is no Disney version, but for the adventurous, Jacques Demys 1970 film starring Catherine Deneuve manages to capture all of the storys perversity while casting the loveliest and most magical spell on its viewers.