Friday, November 29, 2019

The play Skellig Essay Example For Students

The play Skellig Essay I got the chance to watch the play Skellig at the Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham. The play is about Michael, a boy who has to cope with a house move, a newborn baby sister fighting for life and old Skellig, the ungrateful, arthritic tramp discovered in the garage of the new house who is also thought to be an angel. In this essay I will talk about how the actors used the stage, voice and movement to show the characters feelings and emotions throughout the play. The play begins with the familys first day at the house. The towering spiral of junk that depicts the house from basement to attic is used for every scene in the play. If looked at in detail, the spiral of junk wouldve included: an old freezer; piles of old newspapers and books; cardboard boxes; old furniture and ripped up clothes. The whole set was just dark browns, darks blues and dark greens which portrayed the gloom of the play. We will write a custom essay on The play Skellig specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The first one to enter the scene is Michael. Whilst he does a monologue that tells his story so far the rest of the cast pick up instruments to play the music and effects during the monologue. This perhaps portrays the closeness of the family on which the play is based because everyone is on stage at that part of the play. It added a contrast of cheerful music to the dark set and it also included the audience in the play. Michaels voice changes as he begins to talk about his sister. He speaks with a nervous tone of voice as he begins to move very carefully, suggesting perhaps that his sister needs very gentle care at the moment. His father tries to repair and clean the danger-filled garage as best he can which includes a horrible toilet. However, the garage is so wrecked that Michaels father warns him not to go inside. His tone of voice, at that moment, is louder but only shows an attempt to threaten his son and not to suggest that he has power over Michael because later on in the play Michael goes into the garage regardless of his fathers warning. When Skellig is introduced into the play, he is seen by Michael as a strange human-like creature that seems to have almost wasted away. Neal Foster (Skellig) spends most of the play sitting still to emphasise the severity of Skelligs arthritis. When Michael asks him what he is, he simply answers, Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He uses this answer to almost any question asked by Michael and he always expresses this line with stiffness and anger in his voice. This could also represent his arthritis condition. Michael decides to take care of Skellig and asks if there is anything he could do for him. Skellig demands aspirin and states two numbers, 27 and 53. Michael doesnt understand the meaning of he numbers but decides to help in any way he can. There is a big change in levels of the characters in the play. At the beginning of the play, when Skellig is vulnerable and in pain, he is always lower than any other character. Skellig gradually gets higher and at the end of the play, Skellig is the highest and therefore with more power over other characters. Later on in the play Michael meets a girl named Mina who lives next door. She is home schooled, and is very interested in nature and poems by William Blake. They become very close friends and Mina takes Michael to an abandoned house where a lot of owls live. The top of the towering spiral is used as the abandoned house. As Skellig becomes accustomed to and more tolerant of Michael, Michael decides to introduce him to Mina. They decide its best to move him into the abandoned house, due to the fact that Michaels father is going to tear down the garage in a matter of days. This is a very emotional scene, because for the first time Skellig is moved in the play and the audience understand his fear and pain. .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .postImageUrl , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:hover , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:visited , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:active { border:0!important; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:active , .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73 .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u789fe207ba98f5eeec40fcd09bc67e73:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Act 4 Scene 1 is the dramatic climax to the play EssayMina is a very important character in the play and has a lot of impact on how the play progresses. At the first meeting with Michael, she is standing higher then him. However, during the play they change levels so that Michael is sometimes higher but at the end of the play they are on the same level.  Skellig begins to heal and become what would appear to be an angel. He gives Michael and Mina a mystical experience in which they can see ghostly wings sprouting from each others shoulder blades. The three walk in a circle holding hands and looking directly into each others eyes. This scene is based purely on mystery and religious imagery. Although we do not see any wings appear, both Michael and Mina say they can see each others wings which could suggest that they are imagining the wings or maybe angel wings would not be seen to the human eye. The final scene is the most emotional one. Michaels baby sister comes dangerously close to death. Her mother comes to stay at the hospital and prays. That night something mysterious happens and her mother dreamt of seeing a man come in and pick up the baby. She tells Michael and his father about what happened. Cross-cutting is the technique used in this scene to show the audience what happened in her dream. As the mother speaks of the dream, everyone else is silent and very still. Skellig makes all the movement and gestures Michaels mother describes. His facial expressions change from deep thinking to being happy for the baby girls survival. Skellig walks up on the top of the towering spiral in the middle of the stage and disappears from the scene. The flashback is over and Michael realizes Skellig was an angel.  In conclusion, the play Skellig is a very emotional play and the actors use voice to show the feelings of the characters. They use the stage to a full extent to show how Michael grows up throughout the events of meeting Skellig to having to choose between friends to receiving a pair of angel wings. Raw emotion contrasts with moments of great tenderness, and an audience of schoolchildren gave it noisy applause.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Learn German Sentence Structure

Learn German Sentence Structure Knowing when to use the dative and accusative in a German sentence is a major hurdle for many students. Equally as important is the sentence structure when using the accusative and dative cases. Compared to English, there are more options, depending on your word choice. For instance, Im giving the mouse to the cat translates to Ich gebe die Maus zur Katze. (Maus is in the accusative, Katze is in the dative.) If you struggle with remembering which prepositions are dative or accusative, heres some good news. In some cases, like this one, you can omit the preposition altogether and still clearly express the intention of the sentence by using proper noun cases and word order.   German Sentence Structure Without the preposition zur (zu der), you would write the sentence as follows:Ich gebe der Katze die Maus. (Katze is dative, Maus is accusative.)Or with a pronoun:Ich gebe ihr die Maus. ( Ihr  is dative, Maus is accusative.)Ich gebe sie der Katze. (sie is  accusative, Katze is  dative.)Keep the following rules in mind when positioning your dative and accusative objects in a sentence: The dative object will always come before the accusative object.If the accusative object is a pronoun, it will always be before the dative object. Applying these rules with the correct grammatical case endings is essential. It will help avoid misconstrued sentences, such as Ich gebe der Maus die Katze. Unless, of course, you really did mean to say that you wanted to give the cat to the mouse. A few more examples:   Gib dem Hasen die Karotte.  (Give the bunny the carrot.)   Gib ihr die Karotte.  (Give her the carrot.)   Gib es ihr. (Give it to her.) Refresher on German Noun Cases Before even worrying about the order of a sentence, make sure you know your noun cases. Heres a rundown on the four German noun cases.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Our Perception of Beauty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Our Perception of Beauty - Essay Example Nehamas (2005) in his article â€Å"Beauty: Skin-Deep, in the Eye of the Beholder and Valuable?† discusses beauty where he said: â€Å"There is such a thing as the beauty that is only skin-deep.   It is the beauty of appearance, what we call "looking good."   It has little to do with personality, character, wit or morality, and that is because anything that applies to how things look is not a reliable guide to many of their other qualities.† This the kind o beauty that people attributes to contest like the Miss Universe pageant. Psychologically in our minds, we do process the information. Nehamas (2005) said: â€Å"The beauty of appearance -- what we can judge, say, by looking at a photograph of a face -- is something that psychologists have been investigating a lot recently.   In general, they show people photographs of faces and ask them to rank them in terms of their beauty.   Since these are digital photographs, it is possible to combine them into composite photographs.   What seems to be the case is (1) the larger the composite photograph (the more features of individual faces it combines) the more people are likely to consider it beautiful and (2) there is remarkable agreement, both within and between different cultures, about which faces are more beautiful than which.† Nehamas (2005) stated that several hypotheses have been offered to account for these phenomena, and it seems agreed that they have something to do with the likelihood of reproductive success.   Thus, he said that the more features a face combines, the more average it is.   In explaining further, he argued that now it is very counterintuitive to say that the average is what strikes us as beautiful (since the people or works of art we find beautiful usually stand out against their background), but it turns out that average members of groups are less likely to be subject to external evolutionary pressures and more likely to be healthy and survive in the long run (Paraphrasing made). Agreement among different groups produces beauty, that could be passed on to others and media could actually do something about it.  Ã‚  

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Consumer Purchasing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consumer Purchasing Process - Essay Example The activities involved in the process include identifying and evaluating vendors, selecting specific products, placing orders, and resolving arising issues (Schneider, 2010). All these activities facilitate the acquisition process from either the supplier or producer. The purchasing process takes six steps which are need recognition; supplier identification and selection; contract negotiation; purchase order placement; purchase order follow-up; and order receipt and fulfillment (Li, 2007). Each of these steps involves several purchasing activities. In the first step of the purchasing process, a company identifies a need for a certain material. The step involves purchasing activities like identification of materials and their delivery time. It also involves quality, quantity, and attributes identification. The second step goes on to identify specific sellers or distributers for the materials identified in the first step. This step involves purchasing activities like price trend analy sis, supplier availability analysis, and market conditions analysis (Li, 2007). The third step involves negotiation of the terms and conditions of the purchase process thus opening sale. Upon agreement on the terms and conditions, a purchase order is placed. ... In the six steps, the purchaser receives the order and verifies both quality and quantity supplied. It is in this step where the sale is closed and the company gets ownership of the purchased materials. In most situations, purchasing process involves interaction between the purchasing personnel of a company and key account managers of the supplying company. The account managers should have skills like planning and marketing, relationship building, problem solving, negotiating, opportunity creating, organization, communication, and presenting skills (Cheverton, 1999). In some situations, the suppliers use global accounts management instead of key accounts management. These situations require the vendor company to be global and coordinated. Competences required for personnel in global accounts management is identical to the ones required in key account management. The reason for this is the similarity in the activities undertaken in each of the cases. Analysis Purchasing process involv es the purchasing company and the selling company. These companies have conflicting interests. Each of them tries to maximize benefits derived from a purchase while minimizing both risks and costs. Negotiations are always required in order to achieve these objectives. This indicates that the persons selected to represent a company in a purchasing process should have good negotiation skills. Negotiation skills are in line with communication skills and therefore, these persons need to have good communication skills as well. If persons representing a company lack negotiation skills, the other company may take advantage of the weakness in the purchasing process. Due to this, the weaker company may make loses while the other company

Monday, November 18, 2019

Manfold Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Manfold Case Study - Essay Example The plastic airbeds were a huge success and formed about 12.3 % of the company’s sales (Van den 1). However, in 2007, Joseph, who was the founder wanted to retire from business and in connection to this, he wanted to sell his shares that were about 68 % to Mitchell & Meyer, which is an American equipment manufacturer. It is at this point that the conflict of interest arose between the key players in the Manfold Toy Company. Conflict of interest occurs in work environment when a person is in a place where they can be influenced. The influence can be because of personal interest that an individual has on something. A conflict of interest can be because someone is avoiding personal disadvantage, or it can be because someone wants to take advantage of a particular situation. There are three different types of conflict of interest. The first one is the actual conflict of interest; this is where an employee is in a position to be influenced by their own personal interest when carrying out their responsibilities. The second one is perceived conflict of interest, in this case the employee appears to be influenced by their private interest when doing their job. Finally, is the potential conflict of interest, in this case the employee is in a place where they may influenced in the future by their private desires when carrying out their work. In the case of study there are various conflict of interests, for example, Fred who was an independent non-executive director (INED). He was also the chairman of the audit committee is in a position where his job seems to put him in a conflicting of interest with his boss; Joseph, who is also the founder of the company. Given that Joseph have told him about his intention of selling the business to Mitchell and Meyer Company. However, he knows that Yee Exports that are the sole distributor of Manfold Toy Company in New Zealand and Australia is almost becoming bankrupt. However, he is not sure about

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning Essay Teachers need to understand how poverty can affect a student in the classroom. Some students who suffer from poverty may come from homes with very young, single or low educational level parents. Their parents may be unemployed, have substance abuse problems or generally may not be good role models. Students might live in dangerous neighbourhoods or suffer from homelessness. They might move areas often; their parents may have had bad experiences with schools themselves and see schools as threatening institutions and do not value education. Perhaps they come from households where the parents are family orientated and loving, their only problem being lack of money. Teachers need to understand the family background to understand how to best assist the student. Teachers must be aware of the problems and difficulties poorer students face and make allowances and adjustments to the curriculum to provide them with relevant learning without detracting from other students needs. Pellino (2007) writes of the lack of confidence many children of poor families have and how many see the curriculum as irrelevant to their lives. She suggests modifying the curriculum in interesting, simple ways that will have value to all students in the class. This may include doing work on the effect of poverty, getting involved in community projects such as soup kitchens or simply studying the question What is poverty? It is important that these activities be followed with both group discussion and individual reflection to help children think critically about their experiences (Chafel, 1997). A good education is often the only means of breaking the cycle of poverty for poor children therefore a teacher must provide a curriculum that is relevant and challenging to motivate students and increase their opportunity for higher education and greater opportunity in life. Many students from low socio-economic households feel they have no choice or control over their destiny. They may be depressed, have a fear of failure or low expectations of their academic ability. An important task for teachers is to help students develop conative attitudes (Pellino, 2007). These are a desire to improve their life and an understanding that it is indeed possible through the creation of goals, plans and perseverance. It may be beneficial  to develop conative attitude exercises designed to help students identify what is important to them personally. Incorporating personal reflection in the curriculum may be beneficial (Pellino, 2007). This could include encouragement to write journal entries imagining what they would do if time and money was no object (Waitley, 1996, cited by Huitt, 1999) and then reflecting back on a mission statement. Students from low income families often need help to develop self-efficacy and a desire to be proactive in their life (Baumeister, Bratslavsky, Muraven Tice, 1998; Emmons, 1986). These are traits that are often lacking in low achieving students, particularly those from poorer backgrounds (Huitt, 1999). It is important for teachers to develop lessons that result in success to show students that they are capable of altering outcomes and do not just accept what life throws at them (Pellino, 2007). I found Karen Pellinos paper to be extremely helpful. It is comprehensive and includes an extensive reference list that directs the reader to a vast array of articles for further study. Reference list Baumeister, R., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., Tice, D. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252-1265. Retrieved from CSA Illumina 14 June 2008. Chafel, J. (1997) Childrens Views of Poverty: A Review of Research and Implications for Teaching, The Educational Forum, 61:4, 360 371. Accessed from Informaworld 15 June 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131729709335282Emmons, R. (1986). Personal strivings: An approach to personality and subjective well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1058-1068. Retrieved from CSA Illumina 14 June 2008. Huitt, W. 1999. Conation as an important factor of mind. Website for Valdosta State University, GA. http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/conation.html. Accessed 14 June, 2008. Pellino, K. (2007). The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning. Teachnology. Retrieved 14 June, 2008, from http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/poverty/print.htm.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Many Benefits of the Parole System Essay -- provisional release fr

Parole can be defined as the provisional release of an inmate from prison after serving a portion of a prison sentence. Within the United States, parole was originally used near the end of the American Civil War when the United States would talk discuss releasing the people that they currently had in captivity if they had verbally promised along with a written contract not to return to the enemy base to continue to fight in the war efforts. During the 19th century in England, parole was known to have been called â€Å"transportation, which entailed sending the offender away to live in exile† (Whitehead, 101). Nowadays in the United States, parole is utilized in many states and nearly 853,900 had a current status of being on parole in the end of 2011(United States). There are many terms and conditions that must be followed while on parole and if these rules are disobeyed, then the parolee will be sent back to prison to finish their prison sentence that they were give n at the beginning when first serving their time. Another way parole can be beneficial to the Criminal Justice System is because it allows prisons to budget out there money by keeping a fewer number of non-dangerous offenders in prison and allowing the more violent and dangerous offenders’ space in the prison. Parole should not be abolished because it allows for non-violent offenders a second chance living in the community while providing society with many financial benefits. There are specific rules and restrictions that a parolee must agree to and abide by in order to be eligible for parole. The decision whether an inmate is eligible for parole is a decision made by a parole board which is part of the Department of Corrections, making the parole system all... ...help of their parole officer and also the community. Parolees are allowed to live in their community with strict restrictions so they are less likely to commit a crime. Overall, parole has many positive benefits and if it were to be abolished I think that it will cause more harm both financially and physically due to the stresses that it would cause in the jails. Works Cited Martinez. Abolishing Parole For Offenders Sentenced To Prison For Violent Offenses: Impact Analysis. n.p.: 1995. Criminal Justice Abstracts. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). By Erika. N.p., 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 02 Oct. 2014. United States. Department of Corrections. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Frequently Asked Questions about the DOC. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. The Many Benefits of the Parole System Essay -- provisional release fr Parole can be defined as the provisional release of an inmate from prison after serving a portion of a prison sentence. Within the United States, parole was originally used near the end of the American Civil War when the United States would talk discuss releasing the people that they currently had in captivity if they had verbally promised along with a written contract not to return to the enemy base to continue to fight in the war efforts. During the 19th century in England, parole was known to have been called â€Å"transportation, which entailed sending the offender away to live in exile† (Whitehead, 101). Nowadays in the United States, parole is utilized in many states and nearly 853,900 had a current status of being on parole in the end of 2011(United States). There are many terms and conditions that must be followed while on parole and if these rules are disobeyed, then the parolee will be sent back to prison to finish their prison sentence that they were give n at the beginning when first serving their time. Another way parole can be beneficial to the Criminal Justice System is because it allows prisons to budget out there money by keeping a fewer number of non-dangerous offenders in prison and allowing the more violent and dangerous offenders’ space in the prison. Parole should not be abolished because it allows for non-violent offenders a second chance living in the community while providing society with many financial benefits. There are specific rules and restrictions that a parolee must agree to and abide by in order to be eligible for parole. The decision whether an inmate is eligible for parole is a decision made by a parole board which is part of the Department of Corrections, making the parole system all... ...help of their parole officer and also the community. Parolees are allowed to live in their community with strict restrictions so they are less likely to commit a crime. Overall, parole has many positive benefits and if it were to be abolished I think that it will cause more harm both financially and physically due to the stresses that it would cause in the jails. Works Cited Martinez. Abolishing Parole For Offenders Sentenced To Prison For Violent Offenses: Impact Analysis. n.p.: 1995. Criminal Justice Abstracts. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). By Erika. N.p., 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 02 Oct. 2014. United States. Department of Corrections. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Frequently Asked Questions about the DOC. N.p., Aug. 2012. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.

Monday, November 11, 2019

RV CV

I have good communication and ‘people' skills. I am flexible and enjoy learning new skills and have enjoyed working in different environments. This has given me so much experience. I would welcome the opportunity to further my education/ training to ensure can do any job to the best of my ability. The Heathens Animal Rescue Group, Cat Sanctuary -July 2014 to date Volunteer helping in the sanctuary. BOW (Business Working with Watershed) – May 2014 Volunteer Organizes. Organizing networking events for a charitable organization that brings together businesses to do work in the community.Setting up event, meeting delegates, compiling information on attendees, making sure delegates are looked after at the event. Babysitter – January 2012 to date babysat for neighbors and friends, giving them the opportunity to socialism and attend events. This has taught me how to organize a diary, network and learn a little about running a business. Prep Dam School India – Febr uary 2014 Volunteer was given an amazing opportunity from college to fly to India to take part in volunteer project helping in Catholic schools and orphanages in Iambi.This was a life changing opportunity. We attended different schools. The first was a girls orphanage with ages ranging from 6 – 16 years. We played a few simple games with them, sang songs and then worked with them to produce a presentation on Nelson Mandela and freedom. They made posters inspired by the presentation. This gave me a chance to hear some of the girls life stories, and how coming to the boarding school was a way out of the slums for them for a while, like a long holiday.The second school was similar, but girls and boys aged 5 years old. On our final day with the charity, we reached our hardest challenge, looking after 200, 5 year olds. We decided to do lots of arts and crafts, bracelet making painting and mask making along with sports such as cricket and football. We hope we made a difference to t hem, they certainly made a difference to me. Zoom Play Centre Stockpot – June 2012 to June 2014 Party Host/Waitress Whilst working at Zoom, have had many roles. My main role is a Party Host for young children.This involves serving hem food and drink, as well as organizing different games for them. My other roles include working on the till, serving drinks and confectionery. Taking food orders, waiting on tables, and cleaning the equipment, cafe and party area. SST Michaels Primary School – Work Experience – July 2012 Teaching Assistant While I was in year 1 1, I was offered the opportunity do my work experience in a primary school. I learned to control different situations, planned lessons, interact with teachers and pupils, and was involved in organizing trips out.Miss Selfridges – The Tradeoff Centre – October 2014 – Present Whilst working at Miss Selfridges, I was responsible for working as part of a team to reach the stores sales and cus tomer service targets. Some of the roles I contributed to included making sure that each and every customer was satisfied and has found everything they needed, offering expert knowledge and fashion advice, handling all customer responses and being able to deal with them in a calm and professional manner and ensuring that all standards are up to scratch ND maintained throughout the day.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

For Reasons Unknown

They are framed within the situation. However, the problem of Vladimir and Estrange in Waiting for God begins with their world and themselves. In fact, it is the beginning Of the play as well. They cannot realize the world nor can they realize themselves-?a characteristic of the typical absurdity as defined by Albert Campus in The Myth of Sisyphus. Like Campus in The Myth of Sisyphus, Go and Did do not know whether God exists or not. Their world without certainty promises only despair. They find a universe without moral restraint, so the universe is meaningless.The characters in the mentioned plays of Becket, Waiting for God and Act Without Words l, are condemned to move within the fixed framework of futility and hopeless labor. In The Myth of Sisyphus Campus observes: I see many people die because they judge that life is not worth living. See others paradoxically getting killed for the ideas or illusions that give them a reason for living (what is called a reason for living is also an excellent reason for dying). 1 Actually, Vladimir and Go have no reason to live nor have they any reason to commit suicide.They have a world which cannot be related with their idea of the past. They are driven by a nostalgic longing for the past that is unexplainable through the present. As Did says: the good of losing heart now, that's what say. We should have thought of it a million years ago, in the nineties. 2 Moreover, they have a present that is inexplicable through their idealism. Sago's boot, Dido's hat, the tree, the place, the day, Lucky and Bozo, the boy (or boys) and at last, God-?everything is incomprehensible to them. As a matter of fact, they are captured in the frame of their situation.Hence, for hanging themselves, the iris problem to Go and Did is the lack of rope and strong tree, that is, the devices and tools of committing suicide are absent here. Secondly, they cannot leave each other. If one hangs oneself successfully, whereas the other cannot, the other wil l remain lonely. So, they mar their plan of committing suicide. Thinking and talking of suicide, even trying it, may be a vision to them. It may be a way to pass the time. In fact, never do Vladimir and Estrange in Waiting for God think of suicide in a realistic context-?though suicide might have been an escape from the ennui Of life.Throughout the lay Vladimir and Estrange invent many devices to prove their existence and to pass the time. Taking off boots, Vladimir problem with his hat, their effort to commit suicide, their waiting for God-?all gives way to passing their time. It is an interesting fact that Vladimir and Estrange never search for other devices and processes for committing suicide. Maybe, a knife, a pistol, and starvation could suffice their purpose. Even, when they observe Lucky driven by rope, they forget all about it. They might have taken the rope forcibly for hanging themselves.In the second act it is easier for them to snatch it cause Bozo is blind and both of the two are helpless here. Moreover, they forget about when the devices are before them. In reality, they are not serious about killing themselves. They are only thinking of it, as many poets thought about and loved to die in imagination, but never committed suicide. Suicide for them, therefore, is just another diversion of fantasy. It is a strong consolation; it helps them to forget the boredom of everyday life where nothing can be done at all.They find it impossible for the two to kill themselves. They first realize that the only tree in their world, a weeping Lillo, will not support Vladimir weight on the noose and therefore will not break his neck. The second day, Vladimir and Estrange cannot hang themselves because they do not have the requisite piece of rope. By the second day, however, they have forgotten that they cannot hang themselves from the only available tree, and therefore their complaints about the lack of a suitable piece of rope are unnecessary.They observe a world that is devoid of the tools required for committing suicide. Accordingly they come, again and again, to the realization of nothing-to-be-done. Suicide might have been n end to this meaningless absurd life. They contemplate about hanging themselves on the tree. Suicide can be thought of the ultimate conclusion to a meaningless life. Campus claims that suicide is an attempt to escape from the consciousness of absurdity. But ultimately Campus proposes man to live. They do not commit suicide physically, yet they surrender to the captured situation.Whatever they do is to give the impression that they exist. But this sort of existence only calls for pity. Hanging from the tree would have proved that they have the guts at least to do something. This ontological problem is, no doubt, the main issue of the play. They are indecisive whether to go on this nothing-to-be-done life or to commit suicide. They are tired of living (Estrange says: I'm tired breathing. 3), yet they come to the realiz ation that ‘To be dead is not enough'. 4 They have no doubt that they are living beings. But they need a meaning to exist.So their realization will never let them commit suicide, rather they will be waiting for God until he comes. Again, their view of life is not to resign from life but to resume it. Vladimir, at the very outset of he play, clarifies it: â€Å"All my life I've tried to put it [Nothing to be done] from me, saying, Vladimir, be reasonable, you haven't yet tried everything. And I resumed the struggle. â€Å"5 After some time Go comments that Did always waits till the last moment. The big nothingness in their world has nothing to do with their life. They are hopeful in the depth of their minds of a bright future.So, Did says in the end of the first act, â€Å"Tomorrow everything will be better That is why they notice that the tree has sprouted leaves in the second act. Whether one says that in the two acts in the play nothing appends Nice or everything happens twice, Vladimir and Estrange are sentenced on the stage (symbolic of the life itself). They cannot escape it. They are habituated to such absurd life-?to talk, to eat, to wait and to live an meaningless life. Campus rightly puts it: â€Å"We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking. ‘7 In this way all the character hopes to carry on living.Moreover, suicide itself may be considered as a vigorous aspect of life. When Go reminds Did of their plan of hanging, Did tells him that it them an erection. Suicide is considered in sexual term here. Though suicide as a sexual term may seem to be funny, it is, in fact, their view of life. They never consider suicide as the annihilation of life; rather their thought of suicide strengthens their bond and increases their yearning to live, as sexuality begets new life. In the mime play, Act without Words l, the only character is captured in the dust, symbolic of the uncomfortable life.In the beginning the man is see n trying to escape from this captured life, but he never can-?he is repeatedly thrown in the dust whenever he tries to escape. Gradually he becomes hopeless to flee, and surrenders himself to the taxation. In this play we find several steps. The entire action of the play takes place in a desert under the scorching sun, suggested by ‘dazzling light'. The unnamed man is directed by a whistle to move right or left. He can never escape the unbearable sun, though he is given a tree for shade. When he becomes intolerably thirsty he is shown water.But whenever he wants to catch it, it is lifted up somehow. He is forced to go without food and drink. The play seems a behaviorism experiment within the framework of the Greek classical myth of Tantalus, who stood in a pool of water which receded every mime he bent to drink it, and stood under a fruit tree which raised its branches every time he reached for food. The mythical Tantalus was punished for his own act. Whereas Godson's existenc e remains uncertain, in Act Without Words there is a God-like force, represented by a sharp whistle which will not permit the man to leave.The play is a parable of resignation from life; a condition one reaches only after a series of disappointments. The man has learned hardship that there is nothing he can depend on in life other than himself, even to commit suicide. Interestingly he cannot commit suicide also. Unlike Vladimir and Estrange, he has all the tools to kill himself-?tree, rope and noose, and box to stand on it. Yet he cannot commit suicide because whenever he needs the tools they somehow become unreachable.As a result, he has to submit to the situation without any effort to live or die. In this dumb show the man is not allowed to commit suicide, yet he is not allowed to be living. He is only granted inertia. AY last he is seen to lose hope to quench his thirst with water in the carafe. He remains defeated, having opted out Of the struggle. We observe here a man in frust rated efforts. The man in Act Without Words I possesses only two natural tools, mind and hands, which distinguish him from other animals, he tries to survive, to secure some water in the desert.The mind works, at least in part: he learns – small cube on large; he invents, or is given inventions – scissors, cubes, rope; he reacts and tries to end his life. But when he learns to use his tools effectively, they are confiscated: the scissors, when he reasons that in addition to cutting his fingernails, he might cut his throat; the blocks and rope, when he discovers that they might make a gallows. However, the man's effort to commit suicide s not a vision, rather he tries to escape a life that seems to be a nightmare. Yet he is seized in ‘no-exit' situation.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Are you stuck in a rut Choose your adventure!

Are you stuck in a rut Choose your adventure! Do you ever feel like life is an incredible adventure and absolutely anything is possible? I had a week like that. I noticed it particularly on Friday when I went for my normal swim and had so much energy I swam an extra quarter mile past my regular routine, then chased the swim with 30 push-ups. The entire time I felt energized and capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to. Mental attitude is the biggest factor in producing results. I was reminded of this truth last Thursday night, when, at the Wild Scenic Film Festival, I watched a video about three climbers who scaled Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan. What made this climb particularly impressive is that all of the climbers were disabled. One had been born with just one arm (a â€Å"minor inconvenience† according to him); the two others had lost a leg each, one due to a climbing fall and the third from bone cancer. Said one of the men: â€Å"The right attitude and one arm will beat the wrong attitude and two arms, every time.† If you have any doubts, watch this inspiring film: Mind you, I am not planning on scaling any peaks even with all my limbs- not in this lifetime. But the sense of excitement that spurs these climbers is accessible to all of us at every moment. For me, it started with an assignment I was given during a workshop with the Wright Institute in Chicago. Prior to the workshop, I was in a rut. Daily tasks were feeling like a grind and I thought that maybe I needed to travel out of the country for a while to break my routine. Then came the homework for the first night of the workshop: to create an adventure! The adventure begins†¦ It was already midnight and class was starting up again at 8am the next morning. What adventure exactly was possible in that short a time frame? I found out the next morning. I woke up before my alarm sounded with cramps, in an empty house that belongs to my cousin Zack. I thought to myself, â€Å"I could lie here trying to sleep or I could get up and have an adventure!† I decided to get out of bed. As soon as I entered the shower I remembered that Zack had mentioned a big bathtub with whirlpool jets somewhere in his house. I don’t normally take baths, but this time I decided to interrupt my regular pattern. I got out of the shower and began searching for the whirlpool, towel wrapped around me, leaving a trail of wet footprints. In the basement, I found a bathtub †¦ full of cleaning supplies. The search continued, and I finally found the whirlpool, which I filled up †¦ but I couldnt figure out how to turn on these fabled jets. I got into the tub anyway, but thought, â€Å"Hey Im on an adventure! This won’t do!† So I got out of the tub, looked at all the switches on the walls, and finally figured it out. Back in the tub, I noticed a line of tea light candles along the side of the bath. But no matches. My refrain: â€Å"Im on an adventure!† So I got out of the tub, looking everywhere until I found matches. I was going to do this thing the right way! After a few minutes the jets turned off and suddenly I was relaxed and floating in a self-made paradise, being held gently by warm water, surrounded by glowing candlelight. I was so glad I had chosen this adventure, rather than sleeping another hour or going to my default of â€Å"I don’t take baths.† Unexpected treasures, unprecedented energy†¦ When I went to hang up my towel, for some reason I decided to look behind the door rather than hang the towel where I had put it before. I found two beautiful dragonfly hooks which I hadn’t noticed before. Who knows what can show up out of a sense of adventure? Who knows what else I had been missing? My adventures continued in the days following the workshop. Out of a conversation with a friend that felt a bit scary at first, I unexpectedly drove to Minneapolis and stayed two days, all because I decided to take some risks and not let anything stop me. Today, a week after the conclusion of that workshop, my energy is still high and I can’t wait to discover what’s next. So how about you? Are you living an adventure at every moment or are you stuck in a rut? Are you letting anything stop you from creating an exciting and energized life? Whether your challenge is staying upbeat while facing unemployment, creating joy within your current circumstances, or scaling a rock face- it’s all in your frame of mind. The right attitude, moment by moment, means you can have the adventure of a lifetime right in your own backyard.

Monday, November 4, 2019

What shall I Render unto God (psalm 116) Speech or Presentation

What shall I Render unto God (psalm 116) - Speech or Presentation Example In response to all the blessing that God bestowed on the psalmist, he offered to be His servant for the rest of his life. He promised to do what God asked him to do for the rest of his life, as he according to him he would serve the Lord on this earth as long as he lives (Psalm 116:12-18). There are several physical and spiritual benefits that God bestows on us every day. Physical Needs: God has bestowed numerous blessing on us, even after all the disobedience and sin we do. Our physical needs that are fulfilled by God on the daily basis include the need for food, safety and other physiological needs. Responding back to God through our love: We may respond back to God for all His blessing by loving him. This can only be done if we follow the commandments that were sent to us through Moses and the teaching of Jesus (John 14:23). Responding back through praise: Lord our God likes it when we praise him through different hymns and other means. We can show Him our loyalty by praising Him and praying to no one but Him. In psalm 116, the psalmist promise to offer a cup of wine to the Lord as a gesture of gratitude (Psalm 116:8). Responding back through worship: We have been instructed in the Bible that we must obey the day of the Sabbath. The Lord, our God, listens to the worships and bestows upon us His blessings in return (Psalm 68:4-5). Responding back through Body: We have been created to serve a purpose on earth. Serving the Lord by serving His creations and worshipping Him is how we can respond to His blessings through our bodies. In return of our sacrifice God blesses us with a long and healthy life (Proverb

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Key Strengths Related to Potential Employment Options Essay - 181

Key Strengths Related to Potential Employment Options - Essay Example Civil engineering is a dynamic field with new information being introduced every day. It is important for a person in the field to focus on finding new information and employing them in becoming competitive in the job market. As a result, when I go to work in a particular place either on a voluntary program or internship, I try to learn from the experiences in the place. Consequently, reading books and some modern literature have helped me in improving on my strengths. I am a creative individual and seeking new alternatives to solve problems is always my ambition. Creativity has helped me become an outstanding individual in my field of study and various engagements. Ideally, I always employ the art of creativity to introduce new ideas that can ensure efficiency and effectiveness. While working as an intern in an electricity station, I managed to introduce new steps in checking the electrical devices and instruments within the organization. For example, I developed an automated model that determined if there were faults in the system. I have tried to improve on this strength by ensuring that I constantly and progressively provide solutions to problems and dealing with inefficiencies. Taking control and being assertive are some of the areas that require attention as I move through my career journey. Working as a civil engineer is marred by certain complexities and a person needs to take charge and push the ideas that are crucial for success. My desire is to become assertive in every instance by proposing solutions and ideas that provoke positive outcomes. Being timid and less assertive cannot make an individual succeed in different situations. To achieve this, I intend to participate in many events and read some books that provide directions on how people can be assertive and take control of situations as well as circumstances.