Fate in Medea Essay -- Classics Medea Greek Essays

Observation and Interpretation: Throughout the text, fate and the gods are blamed for the cause of the problems, however subsequent choices made later on by the characters appear to be free will, however are actually influenced by fate and the gods. So what?: This makes the audience blame the gods for the overall out come, but still blame the main character for her choices. Quotes: P48 l. 1014-1015 â€Å"The gods/ And my evil-hearted plots have led to this.† P39 l. 717 â€Å"What good luck chance has brought you.† P61 l. 1416-1419 â€Å"Many matters the gods bring to surprising ends./ The things we thought would happen do not happen;/ The unexpected God makes possible;/ And such is the conclusion of this story.† To an ancient Greek, fate was thought of as the power that determined all of our destinies, although a person could make choices along their life to change small outcomes, which was the extent of free will. In the play Medea, fate is used as a scapegoat to blame some of the problems happening to the characters, despite the fact that most of the characters had free will. In some instances the characters are not even aware of the causes behind the causes of their problems. Therefore, throughout the text, fate and the gods are blamed for the cause of the problems, however subsequent choices made later on by the characters appear to be free will, however are actually influenced by fate and the gods. The characters in the play make many references to...

Night World : Huntress Chapter 14

Did you have trouble getting away?† Hugh said It was the next morning, a very different sort of day from yesterday. The sky was overcast and the air was heavy. Everyone Jez had passed at the Concord BART station looked a little depressed. â€Å"Eh, a little,† she said, and sat down by Hugh on the platform. They were at the far end of the station, beyond the covered area with benches, beside a little concrete security house. It was a safe and private meeting place since the station was almost deserted after the morning commute. â€Å"They chained up my bike with this huge chain. Claire drove me to school-she's been watching me like a werewolf guarding dinner. And Aunt Nan called the office to make sure I didn't cut† Hugh shifted in concern. There was a tiny breath of warm wind, and it stirred his fair hair. â€Å"So what did you do?† Jez grinned. â€Å"I cut.† She shrugged and added, â€Å"I got a guy from my auto shop class to drive me here. It wasn't hard.† He smiled at her sadly, his gray eyes distant. â€Å"But they're going to find out. Jez, I'm really sorry for completely messing up your life.† She shrugged again. â€Å"Yeah, but if I don't do it, everybody's life is going to be even more completely messed up. Every human's.† â€Å"I know.† He shivered slightly. Then he drew up his legs, clasping his arms around them. He looked at her with his chin on his knees. â€Å"So what did you find out?† â€Å"That the girl Morgead thought was the Wild Power isn't.† He looks so cute that way, Jez thought helplessly. So-compact. Morgead would never sit like that. Hugh winced. â€Å"Great. You're sure?† â€Å"Yeah. It was a little kid, eight years old, and she was something special-but not that. She was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jez tried to think of a way to describe it. Hugh watched her with eyes that were clear and fathomless, sad and wry and gentle all at once. And suddenly Jez got it. She gasped. â€Å"Goddess-I know! She was like you. That kid was an Old Soul.† Hugh's eyebrows went up. â€Å"You think?† â€Å"I'm sure of it. She had that same way of looking at you as if she's seen all of history and she knows that you're just a little part. That†¦ trig picture' look. As if she were beyond stupid human things.† â€Å"But not a Wild Power,† Hugh said softly. He looked half discouraged and half relieved. â€Å"So then the Morgead connection is useless.† â€Å"Actually, no. Because he's got evidence for the Wild Power on videotape.† Jez explained about the movie and the fire and the blue flash. â€Å"So somebody around that kid is probably it. I know that area and so does Morgead. We may be able to find out who.† Hugh chewed his lip. Then he looked directly at her. â€Å"It sounds dangerous. Just how is Morgead taking tins-you coming back and all?† Jez stared out across the BART tracks. They looked like regular train tracks, except for the big one labeled danger electric third rah.. There was a sound like faraway thunder, and then a train came whizzing up like a sleek futuristic white dragon. It stopped and a few people got on and off in the distance. She waited until it left again to answer. â€Å"He†¦ wasn't very happy at first. But then he kind of got used to it. I don't think he's going to make any trouble-unless he finds out, you know.† She wasn't sure what else to say. She didn't want to talk to Hugh about Morgead-and she certainly didn't want to explain what had happened. Especially not when she was so confused about it all herself. â€Å"You still think he'd hate you if he found out you were half human?† Hugh's voice was quiet. Jez laughed shortly. â€Å"Believe it. He would.† There was a silence, while Hugh looked at her. Suddenly Jez found her mind posing an odd question. If it were Hugh or Morgead, which would she take? Of course, it was a completely ridiculous question. She couldn't have either of them. Hugh was an Old Soul, and beyond her reach. Not to mention that he only thought of her as a friend. And Morgead might be her soulmate, but he would murder her if he ever discovered the truth. But still, if she did have a choice†¦ Hugh or Morgead? A day ago she'd have said Hugh without question. How strange that now it came up the other way. Because, impossible as it was, deadly as she knew it to be, it was Morgead she was in love with. And she had only just understood that this moment. What a pity that there was no hope in the world for them. Jez found herself giving another short laugh- and then she realized that Hugh was still looking at her. She could feel color rise to her cheeks. â€Å"You were miles away again.† Tm just foggy. Not enough sleep, I guess.† Plus all that fun yesterday. She was still sore from the stick fight and the fall with Iona. But that wasn't Hugh's problem. She took a breath, groping for another subject. â€Å"You know, there was something I wanted to ask you. Morgead said the Council had dug up another prophecy-about where each of the Wild Powers is from. Have you heard it?† When he shook his head, she quoted: â€Å"One from the land of kings long forgotten; One from the hearth which still holds the spark; One from the Day World where two eyes are watching; One from the twilight to be one with the dark.† â€Å"Interesting.† Hugh's gray eyes had lit up. † ‘One from the hearth'†¦ that's got to be the Harman witches. Their last name was originally ‘Hearth-Woman.' â€Å" â€Å"Yeah. But the line about the one from the Day World-that one's a human, right?† â€Å"It sounds like it.† â€Å"That's what Morgead thought-that's why he thought the little girl might be a Wild Power even though she was human. But what I can't figure out is what it means by ‘where two eyes are watching.'† â€Å"Mmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh gazed into the distance, as if he liked the challenge. â€Å"The only thing I can think of that combines the idea of ‘Day* and ‘eyes' is a poem. It goes something like ‘The Night has a thousand eyes, and the Day only one.' The one eye being the sun, you know, and the thousand eyes the stars at night.† â€Å"Hmpf. What about the moon?† Hugh grinned. ‘I don't know. Maybe the author wasn't good at astronomy.† â€Å"Well-that doesn't help much. I thought it might be a clue. But the truth is that we don't even know if it's the human Wild Power we're after.† Hugh put his chin on his knees again. â€Å"True. But I'll let Circle Daybreak know about that prophecy. It might help eventually.† He was silent a moment, then added, â€Å"You know, they dug up something interesting, too. Apparently the Hopi Tribe predicted the end of the world pretty accurately.† â€Å"The Hopi?† â€Å"I should say, the ends of the worlds. They knew that it had happened before their time, and that it would happen again. Their legend says that the first world was destroyed by fire. The second world was destroyed by ice. The third world ended in water- a universal flood. And the fourth world-well, that's ours. It's supposed to end in blood and darkness- and end soon.† Jez murmured, â€Å"The first world-?† â€Å"Don't remember your Night World history?† He tched at her, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. â€Å"The first civilization was the shapeshifters'. Back when humans were scared to go out of their caves, the shapeshifters ruled and the humans thought of them as gods. Animal spirits, totems. It was Shapeshifter World. That lasted for about ten thousand years, until a bunch of volcanoes suddenly became active-â€Å" â€Å"Fire.† â€Å"Yeah. The weather changed, people migrated, and the shapeshifters lost control. After that it was really Witch World. The witches did better than everybody else for ten thousand years, but then there was an Ice Age-â€Å" â€Å"And the Night Wars,† Jez said, remembering. â€Å"When the vampires fought the witches.† â€Å"Right. And after all that, the vampires were in control; it was Vampire World. Which lasted about another ten thousand years, until the flood. And after the flood, human civilization really started. It was Human World, and it has been for a long time. The Night People have just been hanging on around the edges, hiding. But. . .† He paused and straightened. â€Å"That started about eight thousand B.C.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Yeah. The millennium marks the end of our ten thousand years.† He gave his gentle, half-mocking smile. â€Å"We humans are about to lose our lease. Something's going to happen to bring blood and darkness and then there'll be a whole new world.† â€Å"Only if we don't stop it,† Jez said. â€Å"And we will- because we have to.† Hugh's smiled changed, softening. â€Å"I think we're lucky to have people like you trying.† Then he lost the smile completely. He looked uncertain. â€Å"Jez- you know, Old Souls aren't really beyond ‘stupid human things.' We're as human as anybody. And we †¦ I mean, and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jez's heart was beating uncomfortably fast. The way he was looking at her-she'd never seen Hugh look like that at anything or anyone. Another rumble in the distance, and then a train came rushing in. Hugh blinked, glanced up at the digital clock display above the platform, then checked his watch. He cursed. Tm supposed to be somewhere. I'm late.† Jez's heart gave a strange thump. But not of disappointment. Weirdly, it was more like relief. â€Å"Me, too,† she said. â€Å"I'm supposed to meet Morgead before everybody else gets out of school. I ought to take the next train to San Francisco.† He still hesitated. â€Å"Jez-â€Å" â€Å"Go on,† she said, standing up. â€Å"Ill call you if I turn up anything. Wish me luck.† â€Å"Be careful,† he said instead, and then he was hurrying away. Jez watched him go. She couldn't help wondering what he had been about to say. Then she turned to walk back to the central part of the station. She was partway around the concrete guardhouse when she heard a noise on the other side. A stealthy, sneaking noise. Not the kind a security guard would make. Jez didn't hesitate. Smoothly, completely soundless herself, she changed course, turning back and going around the structure the other way to get behind the sneaker. The instant she had a clear view of the intruder's back, she jumped. She landed on top of her quarry, with a control hold on the person's wrist. But she already knew that this wasn't going to be a fight to the death. â€Å"Jez-ow-it's me!† Claire spluttered. â€Å"I know it's you, Claire.† â€Å"Let go of my arm!† â€Å"I don't think so, Claire. You having an interesting morning? Hear any good jokes?† â€Å"Jez!† Claire struggled, hurting herself, then got mad and hurt herself more trying to hit Jez. Jez allowed her to sit up, still keeping hold of her. Claire's face was flushed and wrathful, her dark hair sticking in strands to her cheeks. Her eyes were shooting sparks. â€Å"Okay, so I'm sorry for eavesdropping. I followed you when Greg Ludlum drove you here. I wanted to know what you were doing. I didn't know that you were completely freaking insane!† â€Å"Well, it's too bad you didn't figure it out earlier. Because unfortunately I have to kill you now to keep you from talking.† Claire's eyes widened and she choked. Jez suddenly realized that underneath all the sparks and the yelling her cousin was terrified. She let go of Claire's arm and Claire slumped away from her, rubbing it. â€Å"You-you are insane, aren't you?† Claire looked at her sideways, through clinging strands of hair. â€Å"I mean, all that stuff about the world ending-it's some kind of bizarre game you're playing with your weird friends, isn't it? Some kind of Dungeons and Dragons stuff†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What do you think, Claire?† Jez stood up and offered Claire a hand, worried that someone might notice them. She kept that hand on Claire as she herded Claire back behind the guard house. The truth was that this situation wasn't funny. Claire really was in trouble-because Jez was in trouble. Her entire cover was blown. Everything she'd worked for in the past year-Claire could destroy it all. Claire knew way too much, and Claire hated her enough to use it. â€Å"I think †¦ I don't know what to think.† Claire swallowed. â€Å"Who was that guy?† â€Å"One of my weird friends. Right?† â€Å"He didn't seem so weird. When he said things- I don't know. They sounded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Claire's voice trailed off. Finally it came back, almost inaudibly. â€Å"Real.† â€Å"Great.† I am going to have to kill her. What else can I do? â€Å"It's not a game, is it?† Claire said, looking at her. All the anger was gone from the dark eyes now. They were simply bewildered and frightened. Then Claire shook her head. â€Å"But, I mean, it's impossible. Vampires and shapeshifters and witches-it's all just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off again. Jez was simply looking at her, with eyes that might be less silvery than a year ago, but that she knew were still pretty strange. And after a few moments Claire's gaze lost its focus and her whole body seemed to fall in on itself, as if it had lost something vital. Innocence maybe, Jez thought grimly. â€Å"Oh, God, it is true,† Claire whispered. ‘I mean, it's really true. That's why you're gone all the time, isn't it? You're off-doing something.† Jez said, â€Å"Yeah.† Claire sagged against the guardhouse. â€Å"Oh, God. I †¦ God. I feel so strange. It's like-nothing is what I thought.† Yeah, I know the feeling, Jez thought. When the whole world turns around and you have to adjust in two seconds flat. It happened to me, too, a year ago. But none of that was going to help Claire. All she could say was â€Å"I'm sorry.† Claire didn't seem to hear her. She was speaking in a voice that was just a breath. â€Å"That's why†¦ that's why all that weird stuff with your father. Nobody knowing anything about his family and all. I knew from the beginning that there was something about you; I just couldn't tell what it was.† Oh, great, Jez thought. Here it comes. She tried to keep her face impassive as Claire faced her squarely, raising her eyes with a look somewhere between wonder and dread. â€Å"That guy-he said you were only half human. Which means you're half†¦ something else?† â€Å"I'm half human and half vampire,† Jez said quietly. The interesting thing was that it was so easy to get out. She'd only ever spoken the words aloud to one person before: Hugh. Now she looked to see if Claire would actually faint or just fall down. Claire did neither. She just shut her eyes. â€Å"You know the really insane thing? I believe that.† She opened her eyes again. â€Å"But-I didn't know you could be. Half and half.† â€Å"Neither did anybody else, till I was born. I'm the only one.† Jez examined her cousin, realized that she really wasn't going to faint. When she spoke again, her voice came out more challenging than she meant it to. â€Å"So now that you know, Claire, what are you going to do about it?† â€Å"What do you mean, what am I going to do?† Claire glanced around, then her voice dropped as her eyes glinted with interest. â€Å"Look-do you, like, have to drink blood and everything?† â€Å"Not anymore,† Jez said shortly. What was this? Who would have thought that studious, straitlaced Claire would have such an interest in vampires? â€Å"But you mean you used to?† â€Å"Before I came to live with you guys. I thought I was a full vampire then. But I found out that I could live without it, as long as I didn't use my powers.† â€Å"You've got powers? Really? What kind?† â€Å"No kind. Look, enough with the questions. I told you, I'm not a vampire anymore.† â€Å"And you're not evil.† Claire said it flatly. Jez looked at her, startled. â€Å"What makes you say that?† â€Å"I heard what you were talking about, saving the world and all. I didn't understand it, but it sounded like you were on the right side. And-† Claire hesitated, then shrugged. â€Å"And I know you, okay? I mean, you're arrogant and stubborn and you never explain anything, but you're not evil. You just aren't-inside. I can tell.† Jez laughed. A real laugh. She couldn't help it. Of all people, Claire. She'd misjudged this girl who was her own age but had nothing else in common with her. Her cousin had unexpected depths. â€Å"Well, thanks,† she said. â€Å"I try not to be too evil- these days.† Then she sobered. â€Å"Look, Claire, if you really think that, and if you really believe that the stuff you heard was true-â€Å" â€Å"About the end of the world? I don't believe it. I mean, I heard it, and I believe you believe it-and when I first heard it I kind of believed it, but-â€Å" â€Å"Just-skip the rest and plain believe it, Claire. It happens to be the truth. And I'm trying to do something about it.† â€Å"Something about a Wild Power, right?† Claire wasn't sagging anymore. She looked almost excited. â€Å"But what's a-â€Å" â€Å"You don't need to know. The point is that if you want to, you can help me.† â€Å"I can? Really?† â€Å"You can help me by going back to school and forgetting that this ever happened. You can help me by keeping my secret and not ever saying a word about this to anybody. And, incidentally, you'll be keeping your family safe at the same time.† Claire looked away, worked her jaw. â€Å"This stuff you're doing is pretty dangerous.† It wasn't a question. â€Å"Very dangerous.† Jez stepped back. â€Å"And I'm late for it right now. So do we have a deal? Will you help me or not? Can I trust you?† â€Å"Or otherwise you're gonna kill me, right?† Claire looked at her sarcastically. Jez rolled her eyes. â€Å"Don't tempt me. Seriously, are you going to help?† â€Å"No.† Jez froze, looking down at the shorter girl. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Jez-don't get mad, but I don't think I can. Not that way.† Claire was looking back up steadily, her small face serious and surprisingly determined. ‘I mean how can I possibly just walk away, after hearing all that? If everything you said is true, how can I forget?† â€Å"You can because you have to. We all do what we have to do.† Jez looked around the station. Another train should be coming any minute. She simply didn't have time to spend convincing a human to stay out of business that would kill her. To properly explain it to Claire would take days. All she could do was ask for something she never would have imagined Claire could give her. â€Å"Claire†¦ there's no way I can convince you or make you do what I want. But I'm asking you-† She let out her breath and went on: â€Å"I'm asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to walk away and at least try to forget this. And to believe that I'm trying the best I can to do the right thing.† Claire kept looking at her steadily for a moment. Then, all at once, the dark eyes filled. They turned away, and Claire's throat moved once as she swallowed. Then, slowly, she nodded. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered. â€Å"I mean-it's okay for now. I mean, I guess I can talk to you later about it.† Jez let out her breath. â€Å"That's right.† Claire stood there for another second, then straightened her shoulders and turned away. But just as suddenly she turned back, looking tense and almost explosive. â€Å"There's something I have to say to you.† Jez glanced down the tracks. No train. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"It's-it's†¦ that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I bugged you and tried to get Mom mad at you and everything. I was just-I was jealous because they let you get away with anything, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shook her head fiercely and then went on, shrugging grimly as if she hated to admit it. â€Å"And, yeah, because you're so gorgeous and confident and everything. It made me feel bad and I wanted to hurt you. So. Anyway. There. I'm sorry.† She started to walk away, wobbling a little. â€Å"Claire.† Claire paused, then turned around. Jez spoke a little hesitantly around the obstruction in her throat. â€Å"It's okay. And thank you.† â€Å"Yeah.† Claire grinned and gave a little shrug. â€Å"See ya later.† She turned around and started walking again. See ya, Jez thought. She felt suddenly tired and strangely emotional. There was too much inside hen sadness and relief and worry and a new feeling for Claire. She crossed her arms and looked around the station, trying to relax, taking deep, even breaths. And saw two werewolves coming straight for Claire.

Diction, Syntax and Imagery Essay

Have you ever listened to a young child talk? I mean really listened? They don’t sound like a teenager or an adult, do they? In Eleven, Sandra Cisneros uses different techniques to help Rachel’s age come out in her speech and thoughts. Diction, syntax and imagery help the reader to better interpret Rachel’s youthful thoughts and feelings. Sandra’s use of diction helps the reader understand how Rachel is feeling when she is accused of the sweater belonging to her. â€Å"†¦She sees I’ve shoved the red sweater to the tippy-tip corner of my desk†¦all over the edge like a waterfall†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cisneros 20) Not many adults would say â€Å"tippy-tip†, so the use of the phrase helps get Rachel’s point across. Rachel’s youthful tone is shown through this choice of words. â€Å"†¦The sweater is still sitting there like a big red mountain†¦not mine, not mine, not mine.† Cisneros’s use of repetition here helps show how upset Rachel actually is. This helps show the youthful tone in her sadness. The use of diction throughout the story helps the reader comprehend Rachel’s sadness and embarrassment when the sweater is put onto her desk. The use of syntax in Eleven helps you see the youthful voice in Rachel’s thoughts. â€Å"Not mine, not mine, not mine, not mine.† (Cisneros 20) The short, repetitiveness shows the quick thinking of a child. It’s easy to see this small argumentative line coming from an eleven year old in comparison to a fifteen year old or a thirty year old even. â€Å" – Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one -†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cisneros 20) The continuous counting could be seen as a child counting down on its fingers. This is a way of showing the youthfulness in Rachel’s thoughts. Sandra Cisneros’s uses of syntax make it easier for you to notice Rachel’s youthfulness throughout the story. Sandra’s use of imagery also helps you see the youthful tone throughout Eleven. â€Å"My face all hot and spit coming out of my mouth because I can’t stop the little animal noises from coming out of my mouth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cisneros 21) This example from the text makes it easy to picture a young girl being this  flustered. It makes it makes it easier to see Rachel sitting there becoming more and more overwhelmed and upset. â€Å"†¦And it’s hanging all over the edge like a waterfall, but I don’t care.† (Cisneros 20) Cisneros’s use of imagery here helps the reader see just how far Rachel is going to prove that the sweater isn’t hers. It gives a more youthful vibe to the story with this use of imagery to help show the reader how she is feeling. There are several examples of imagery throughout Eleven that help show a more youthful tone. Age is very important in stories, and how the author presents the age is important as well. Young children and adults have such different opinions and vocabularies and ideas. Using different techniques such as proper diction, syntax and imagery help define a characters youthful voice, and help the reader have a better understanding of what is going through a character’s mind.

Ethnic Nationalism and Social Mobilisation in a Globalising World †Anthropology Research Paper

Ethnic Nationalism and Social Mobilisation in a Globalising World – Anthropology Research Paper Free Online Research Papers The rapid expansion of institutions of global capital, coupled with the spread of neoliberal democracy throughout the nations of the so-called Third World present a number of problems for discussion. The process of globalisation has resulted in massive changes to social, economic and cultural norms in developing countries and has consequently encountered significant resistance from peoples increasingly concerned with the present and future ramifications of this form of globalisation. It is my contention that the rise or resurgence of nationalism in countries experiencing the effects of development programs and economic globalisation is directly linked to these factors. This essay will discuss how and why nationalism has become so prominent in â€Å"modernising† states, as well as the implications of increased nationalist identification on other forms of social mobilisation. I will first outline the scope of this essay. Nationalism as a movement and ideology has been subject to considerable criticism – many have pointed to the justification that nationalism has historically provided for genocide, in Germany, Turkey and Israel for example. The history of the nation as an instrument of social organisation is in fact characterised by violent conflict, between and particularly within states. This essay will not, however, dedicate any substantial space to the ideological or moral problems that surround nationalism. The aim of this essay is not to point out the â€Å"folly† of developing countries adopting such a potentially problematic form of identity building, instead it is to discuss the role of culture in the creation of the nation and relate this to processes of globalisation. From a functional-analytical perspective then, we can avoid the potential problems inherent to rationalism and cross-cultural criticism, namely ethnocentricity and un iversalism. One further difficulty in writing this essay involves the use of terminology. Though extremely prevalent in the discourse, â€Å"development†, â€Å"modernisation†, â€Å"third world† and variants of these terms create the implication that non- or partially industrialised countries of the South are backward, or inferior to the (post) industrial North. Indeed, these terms articulate an idea of historical and cultural linearity; i.e. that these backwards nations must inevitably undergo the same processes of industrial development experienced by the North in order to modernise their economic and social institutions. This idea is fundamentally refuted by the majority of anthropologists. To Franz Boas, for example, all cultures are equally developed according to their own priorities and values; none is better, more advanced, or less primitive than any other. Despite the importance of this notion of cultural relativism, I will persist with the (albeit cautious) use of these terms. When discussing â€Å"developing† or â€Å"modernising† nations, my usage will not be normative; instead I will simply be referring to the processes of top-down industrialisation that are being undertaken in a given country. The rise of nationalism Nationalism and the nation, as contested concepts prove difficult to define. As previously mentioned, nationalism can be viewed as the cause of hugely destructive wars, the justification for racial hatred – an intrinsically irrational movement that has created irrational, illiberal and oppressive political regimes. Yet the nation-state system; a conceptualisation of the world as divided geographically on the basis of national identity in order to bring about and maintain peace and democracy, is also a crucial fundament of liberal-rationalist thought. The origins of the nation are also contested, with nationalists and perennialists arguing that nationalism is a universal, naturally occurring, timeless human characteristic, while others posit the nation as a relatively recent, culturally constructed entity. Indeed, it has been suggested that there are different types of nationalisms; for example distinctions have been made between â€Å"Western† and â€Å"Eastern† , â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† , â€Å"civic† and â€Å"ethnic† nationalisms, while others maintain that there is only one set of nationalist modular forms originating primarily in Western Europe, which have been appropriated by nationalist elites in Africa, Asia and Latin America. On top of this, there is debate between the modernist and post-modernist camps over how much analytical weight should be placed on ethnicity and primordial factors – i.e. the past – when looking at nation-building and nationalist movements. An excellent starting point for any discussion of the nation is Benedict Anderson’s characterisation of â€Å"imagined political communit[ies]†. In this sense, the nation is not a historical given; instead it is the product of socio-historical processes. The very fact that though the vast majority of members of a nation will experience no direct – or even indirect – contact with one another, that they feel a consciousness of kinship with their national fellows highlights the imagined, constructed nature of national identity. This is not to say that the community of nation is false, or fabricated in comparison to other, â€Å"real† communities – indeed the notion of community can be seen as essentially imagined itself; that communal identity itself only exists in the mind. Despite its fundamentally imagined, constructed nature, the nation has proven to be a powerful force in constructing collective identity and social mobilisation. How, then , can we come to terms with the power that this constructed identity exerts over the citizens of a nation, such that they would be willing to die in order to protect their imagined community from an external threat? A historical perspective will perhaps prove enlightening. If we are to accept that the nation and nationalism are the result of socio-historical circumstances, rather than part of the immutable human condition, then one must be able to trace the roots of this construction. Nationalism as an ideology, whereby the world is considered as already divided into independent nations; where an individual’s first loyalty is to the nation; where belonging to a nation is a prerequisite for freedom; and the autonomy of nations is the only path to peace, can be traced to eighteenth century Europe. The first modern mass nations formed later, in the nineteenth century. This sits comfortably with Gellner’s view, that nations are constructed from the top down, whereby elites manipulate mythic history in order to further their own interests – to him â€Å"it is nationalism that engenders nations, and not the other way round.† This modernist perspective suggests that nation building is purely a result of nationalist thought, which in turn stems from facets of modern industrial society (i.e. the creation of the nation-state system) and can be achieved independently of cultural or ethnic pasts. When looking at early Western nations, this view may hold true – the formation of Great Britain, as well as the French and American republics, it is argued, were achieved through a focus on civic structures, that is, the rule of law and shared political practices and values (i.e. neoliberal democracy). In this sense the ethnic and cultural heritage of these nations played only a peripheral role in their proactive construction. This, however, does not explain later forms of nationalism which are undoubtedly ethnic in origin. It is difficult to suggest that the Mayan neo-nationalist movement for example results purely from an elitist manipulation of the masses – there is undoubtedly a preexisting communal worldview which is shared by the movement’s leaders and the Mayan people. Though this shared cultural connection is constructed, imaginary, it provides a definite framework upon which a nation can be constituted. According to Clifford Geertz, kin connection, being born into a particular religious community, speaking a particular language or dialect, and the following of particular social practices are primordial, or deep cultural meanings upon which nationalism is built. Furthermore, these meanings represent a more convincing basis for the creation of neo-nationalisms than the economic and social factors presented by modernists. Though these play a considerable role, the fact that the rise of â€Å"ethnic† nationalisms does not strongly correlate with economic trends suggests a deeper cultural basis. So too, the suggestion that early Western nationalisms were voluntarily adopted and civic in nature and transgressed ethnic or religious backgrounds is dubious at best – American nationalism for example began with a racially and religiously restricted core community of white Catholics, and then proceeded to expand to the civic structures now apparent. Clearly the perennialist viewpoint, that nations are immutable entities that have existed forever in various forms is not particularly useful in understanding the formation of new nationalisms, particularly given the focus on â€Å"medieval† history as it informs the present. Nations, as cultural constructs are clearly able to be both manipulated, and to naturally change –just as history itself is capable. The modernist viewpoint, though it may (or may not) account for nationalisms of the nineteenth century, is also limited as it tends to ignore the cultural basis of new nationalisms and fails to adequately explain the resurgence of nationalism in developing nations. The postmodern explanation of nation building, where existing cultural (primordial) elements are used to construct collective identity is perhaps the best equipped to deal with neo-nationalisms, though it may tend to exaggerate the control that is exercised by elites in selecting and constructing history. It would appear that there is a clear distinction between new nationalisms, which are primarily ethnic in origin, and old nationalisms which are based on civic and political structures. This idea has been articulated by many, including Kohn who equates â€Å"civic† with â€Å"Western† and later with â€Å"good† forms of nationalism, as opposed to its â€Å"ethnic†, â€Å"non-Western†, â€Å"evil† opposite. This ethnocentric conception of nationalism is flawed insofar as it ignores the history of modern civic states and ascribes normative values through othering non-Western forms; an idea which can be seen to stem from a â€Å"liberal-rationalist dilemma† whereby a fundamentally â€Å"good† idea (nationalism) can create illiberal movements and regimes. However from an analytical or functional perspective, it is clear that many of the new nationalist movements are primarily ethnic in nature, and in fact are more about creating i dentity than manufacturing a civic nation state. And even though it is arguable that Western nations do not solely exhibit the characteristics of purely civic nationalism, there is a clear emphasis on the state and its political apparatus in the loyalties of civic nationals. Thus, we may use this ethnic-civic opposition – not to criticise ethnic nationalisms or to celebrate civic nationalism – but to understand their creation. Globalisation and the new nationalism Having looked at the rise of nationalism, we will turn to the effects of globalisation in developing countries and how these effects have contributed to the new nationalist revival. In particular, I would like to focus on Latin America, the countries within which have experienced recent nationalist ascendancies. While it is well beyond the scope of this essay to explore globalisation or its impacts in any significant way, I will briefly address a few of the key concerns as they relate to the neo-nationalist movements. As global capitalism spreads via supranational organisations like the Bretton Woods institutions (the neoliberal economic policies of which are adopted by national leaders in the South), the social, cultural and economic conventions of traditional societies are uprooted. The dislocation of peasant communities to urban areas as a result of increased competition requirements and susceptibility to fluctuations in the market, as well as reductions in peasant land rights has resulted in a changed social base in Latin America. On top of this, peasants are able to observe changing (Westernising) values in their communities. For example: kinsmen and neighbours may be less likely to extend help to one another; traditional behavioural practices may disappear; the rewards for traditional social participation may be discarded in favour of monetary reimbursement. This change in peasants’ identity and communal relationships contributes to a sense of helplessness, a lack of control of thei r own identity. Overall, globalisation – particularly in the rapidly expanding form that we have observed through the 1990s – has contributed substantially to the loss of cultural and social individual identity in peasant communities, which has been supplanted by nationalist communal identity. Nationalism and social mobilisation Given the fundamental importance of identity in affecting social mobilisation Manuel Castells provides an excellent framework for interpreting identity. Of three types of collective identity creation, he locates ethnic nationalism (though he prefers the term â€Å"cultural nationalism†) as a resistance identity. In this sense identity is generated by people experiencing domination and lack of agency, where an oppositional paradigm is created to resist this domination. In the case of nationalism, and given what has been discussed prior, we can see that it is the rapidly changing cultural, as well as social and economic factors being imposed on these countries as they are dragged into â€Å"modernity† that are seen as repressive. As Western elites push for internationalisation and the expansion of global capitalism, and elites in developing nations (as per resource mobilisation theory ) create national identity based on – and often exaggerating – existing cultural traditions, Western capitalist hegemony is in a sense resisted. The cr eation of communes of homogenous resistance based on previously existing, though often latent cultural identities is, however, a defensive strategy that seeks to preserve a sense of the status quo by embellishing upon cultural and ethnic heritage, not an active resistance that seeks to affect systemic and political change. The actual process of mobilisation is not as clear-cut as highlighted above, though this conception of it will suffice given the scope of this essay. As suggested earlier, the postmodern conception of nation building as elites â€Å"picking and choosing† from history to construct mass national identity is an oversimplification, and does not account for the variations between different nationalist movements in terms of elite-mass relationships and interaction, or for the â€Å"uneven ethno-histories† articulated by Anthony Smith. In terms of understanding the role of the nation and nationalism in social mobilisation, though, it affords us the ability to contrast this reactive, reactionary form of identity with the more progressive form described by Castell as â€Å"project identity†. Project identity involves a redefinition of a group’s position in society in order to achieve societal change – specifically through challenging the overarching systems of dominance (i.e. capitalism). To Castells, given the primacy of identification in social mobilisation, nationalist identity serves to diminish the potential for project identity creation, although this is not to say that a resistance identity like that created through cultural nationalism cannot transform into a positive project-based identity. Conclusions Though the nation is a culturally constructed phenomenon it provides its members with a powerful source of identity and as a result is a potent instrument of social mobilisation. The contemporary nationalist movements in developing nations are not the result of top-down elitist manipulation, nor are they simply appropriations of Western nationalisms. When analysing the causation and construction of new nationalisms, the distinction between civic and ethnic nationalism is a useful, though problematic one. Ethnic or cultural nationalism is a reactive form of collective identity-building, where the creation of cultural communities (trenches) is essentially a resistance to changing social, cultural and economic systems. These changes are a direct result of economic globalisation, particularly the development and modernisation processes imposed by elites upon peasants. Finally, the formation of national identity as a comfort zone for disenfranchised peasants can be seen to inhibit the cre ation of more progressive or proactive social movements which would seek to transform overall social structures, and therefore address the problems associated with the spread of global capitalism. Bibliography Anderson, Benedict (1993) Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. 2nd Revised Edition ed. London: Verso Boas, Franz (1948). The Mind of Primitive Man. New York, Macmillan, p. 52 Castells, Manuel. (1996) The Power of Identity. Oxford: Blackwell, p.29 Chatterjee, Partha (1986) â€Å"Nationalism as a Problem in the History of Political Ideas†. Nationalist Thought and the Colonial World. London: Zed Books, p.2 Eckstein, Susan (2001) â€Å"Where Have All the Movements Gone? Latin American Social Movements at the New Millennium.† Power and Popular Protest. California: UCP, pp. 351-407 Geertz, Clifford (1973) The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, p. 14 Gellner, Ernest. (1983) Nations and Nationalism. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 6-7. c.f. Smith, Anthony D. (1995) op. cit, pp. 2-8 Ignatieff, Michael (1994) Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism. New York: Norton Kohn, Hans (1946) The Idea of Nationalism. New York: Macmillan Robbins, Richard (1999) Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. MA: Allyn and Bacon, ch. 4 Smith, Anthony D. (1994) â€Å"Gastronomy or geology? The role of nationalism in the reconstruction of nations.† Nations and Nationalism 1, no. 1: 3-23. pp. 18-19 Smith, Anthony D. (1995) Nations and Nationalism in a Global Era. Oxford: Blackwell, p.52 Wickham-Crowley, Timothy (1989) â€Å"Winners, Losers and Also-Rans: Toward a Comparative Sociology of Latin American Guerrilla Movements† in Susan Eckstein ed. Power and Popular Protest: Latin American Social Movements Berkely, CA: University of California Press Wolf, Eric (2002) â€Å"Peasants and Revolution† in Pathways of Power. Berkely, CA: UCP, pp. 230-231 Research Papers on Ethnic Nationalism and Social Mobilisation in a Globalising World - Anthropology Research PaperAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeBringing Democracy to AfricaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and CanadaDefinition of Export QuotasAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Analysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital

SQ3R Method of Reading †Retain More Information

SQ3R Method of Reading - Retain More Information Throughout college and graduate school, you can expect to be assigned a great deal of reading,  and students who arent comfortable with reading or who feel like their skills are deficient will find it hard to succeed.  Attend class without having read and youll hurt only yourself. The most efficient students read with purpose and set goals. The SQ3R Method is designed to help you read faster and retain more information than ordinary reading methods. SQ3R stands for the steps in reading: survey, question, read, recite, review. It might seem like it takes more time to use the SQ3R method, but youll find that you remember more and have to reread less often. Lets take a look at the steps: Survey Before reading, survey the material. Glance through the topic headings and try to get an overview of the reading. Skim the sections and read the final summary paragraph to get an idea of where the chapter is going. Survey - dont read. Survey with purpose, to get a background knowledge, an initial orientation that will help you to organize the material as you read it. The surveying step eases you into the reading assignment Question Next, look at the first heading in the chapter. Turn it into a question. Create a series of questions to be answered in your reading. This step requires conscious effort but is worth it as it leads to active reading, the best way to retain written material. Asking questions focuses your concentration on what you need to learn or get out of your reading  -   it provides a sense of purpose. Read Read with purpose - use the questions as a guide. Read the first section of your reading assignment to answer your question. Actively search for the answers. If you finish the section and have not found an answer to the question, reread it. Read reflectively. Consider what the author is trying to say, and think about how you can use that information. Recite Once you have read a section, look away and try to recite the answer to your question, using your own words and examples. If you can do this, it means that you understand the material. If you cannot, glance over the section again. Once you have the answers to your questions, write them down. Review After reading the entire assignment, test your memory by reviewing your list of questions. Ask each one and review your notes. Youve created a set of notes that provide an overview the chapter.  You likely will not have to reread the chapter again. If youve taken good notes, you can use them to study for exams. As you review your notes, consider how the material fits with what you know from the course, experience, and other classes. What is the informations significance? What are the implications or applications of this material? What questions are you left with? Thinking about these bigger questions helps to place what youve read within the context of the course and your education - and is likely to lead to better retention. The extra steps of the SQ3R method may seem time-consuming, but they lead to a better understanding of the material so youll get more out of the reading with fewer passes. How many of the steps you follow is up to you. As you become more efficient you may find that you can read more - and retain more - with less effort. Regardless, if an assignment is important, be sure to take notes so that you dont have to reread it later.

Film and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Film and Religion - Essay Example The theological perspective effectively captured the narrative of mans interaction with his surroundings, the errors that could inevitably came with it, and his struggle to determine what is real and true and what he is going to do about it. A more contemporary text informed us with the same insights, The Truman Show. It is a film about a man who lived in a make believe world where everyone was acting and everything is contrived. Again, knowledge and ignorance became the center of the struggle to find truth and resolve the dilemma of free will. The Truman Show is actually closer in form with another religious/philosophical text, which is Platos Allegory of the Cave. Here, fictitious prisoners were forced to live in a cavern and watch shadows of objects and people, which became reality for them. The Truman Show and the Allegory of the Cave both demonstrated mans capacity to perceive reality, to determine truth as well as in coping with each. In the end, they were able to depict an ability and persistence in human nature to seek truth and be free and they served as the ultimate purpose, not unlike the religious salvation

Photorealism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Photorealism - Essay Example Through photorealism, the use of sketches as the primary means of gathering information has been replaced with photography, with the photograph being the subject of the painting. Through this process, photorealism complicates the notion of realism by mixing the together the real and the unreal, making their canvas painting of the image look exactly as if they were made from actual observation. The author takes note of how Eddy, got fascinated by the double layer of information offered by the features of window panes, that of being reflective and at the same time transparent. While it was apparent that any ordinary painter would eliminate the reflective property of the window as being insignificant or worse still confusing in the resulting painting, the author points that Eddy found the apparent confusion as the major intriguing factor, thus worth maintaining in the painting. The resulting artwork also exposes the ability of photography to capture the dizzying amount of information that can, later on, be analyzed for magnificent effects that in the words of the author, some sort of hallucinatory super realism. The author also explores another parallel development to photorealism typical of the works of Duane Hanson, a type of realism based on sculptors. Hanson’s photorealism substituted casting from a live model, thereby molding artworks directly on the body of an individual, as opposed to the substitution of photography for traditional sketching, characterized by modeling in clay, plaster or wax.