Abstract This paper explains that, although John Berryman in his poem "Dream Song 14" occasionally uses exciting or interesting words and phrases, he does so only in the pursuit of higher boredom by showing that even these words can be sucked into a context, which ultimately yields a wish for death. The author points out that by structuring his poem in a modern conventional fashion, by maintaining a detached and uninterested tone throughout and by setting the work within a thoroughly decrepit and stale upper-class European environment, Berryman explores the hideous depths of a truly boring life and boring poem. The paper states that, although Berryman was an American, the poem has a certain culture sense, which recalls the post-decadent, post-World War II despair and overarching apathy seen in the works of many European writers of this period.
From the Paper "As far as the structure of this "Dream Song 14" goes, the crafting is both straightforward and uninvolved. The poem is comprised of three stanzas of six lines each. These stanzas vary in length and complexity, generally following a tri-line pattern in which each stanza is broken into two mini-stanzas, each beginning with two longer lines followed by a shorter third line. The seeming irregularity of the stanzas, alternating long and short phrases within the stanza and frequently practicing enjambment, are designed to give the illusion of a jagged, edgy, and exciting poem. However, the way in which this irregularity is actually formulaic and regular belies its claim to excitement, and in so doing underscores the narrator's point that life, like this poem, is indeed boring. The rhythm too seems to mimic better works, yet fails to have any greatness of its own. For a moment it seems to be defying convention with a sort of arhythmic, jazzy feel."
Abstract This paper explains that the poems "Hard Work" by Stephen Dunn and "What I Wouldn't Do" by Dorianne Laux describe work, which is menial, repetitive and boring in atmospheres that are less then ideal, experiences so common as to be nearly universal. The author relates that, in "Hard Work", which is set in a Coca Cola bottling plant in the 1950s before total automation and robots, the narrator's job is to carry empty bottles to the line; whereas, in "What I Wouldn't Do", the narrator tells of a whole string of quite different "drifter" jobs. The paper concludes that the poems present valuable information that working for awhile at a low-status jobs give a sense of what a person wants to accomplish and how to proceed or, at least, a sense of what a person does not want to do for the rest of his or her life.
From the Paper "Later, the boy himself with a sense of anger, and emulating what he saw earlier, breaks some of the bottles deliberately, again for revenge and to impress the other men he works with. His "petty act of free will" is a way to get even for all the mindless hours spent on the line working for the riches of someone else. Coke, after all, is the quintessential American product. The Company reaps billions of dollars a year in profits, selling Coke in every country in the world, while the workers suffer hours on end of boredom, low pay, and a body that "hurt with that righteous hurt men have brought home for centuries." The term righteous hurt implies that "hard" work is supposed to be noble, a myth the narrator's father seems to have internalized but the narrator rejects."
Abstract The paper discusses the reasons for the decline in attendances at British premier football matches. The paper says that there are a variety of reasons; namely high ticket prices, the game is boring or teams are out of form, and too much violence on the grounds. The paper also tells us that there are economic reasons such as the law of supply and demand and the key variables are price and quantity. According to the paper, T.V.coverage plays a part in the decline of attendance as well. Several tables and graphs are included with the paper.
From the Paper "In view of falling attendance, the clubs will soon have to look at pricing strategy of tickets and bring them in line with the market demand. In this case factors other than market forces are also involved as alienating fans by keeping them out of the grounds due to unacceptably high prices will be harmful for their image. It is obvious that in order to restore the attendance, the clubs will have to look at their pricing policy among other factors for restoring attendance to previous levels. The fans are already switching to lower division clubs and at the present level of prices in the Premier League, the lower division clubs will be able to increase their ticket prices as well as attendance as their tickets would still be substantially cheaper than the Premier League rip off."
Abstract This paper explains that the full-length documentary film "Brats: Our Journey Home" demonstrates that military life for children can make for a trying childhood because of the constant traveling and lack of stability. The author states that he is not a military brat but sympathizes with these families and understands the personal trials and tribulations that these children face. Living up to expectations, the separation and the stress of danger are problems of these children discusses; however, the author sees the opportunity to travel as an advantage of being a brat. In comparing his life to that of a military brat, the author says that his own life may be boring but blessed.
From the Paper "I do envy a military brat's ability to see the world. I have always wanted to travel and have never really had the means to do so. The experience of seeing so many different cultures would seem exciting but I imagine would leave an American child feeling like and outsider in a vastly different world. After being out of the United States for a while, I can see how coming back to the country would also make you feel like an outsider in your own hometown."
Abstract This paper looks at the problem of fracture sociale in France. The author examines this problem as seen in "Le D"ner du Cons? and "La Haine" and compares the two with particular attention to class and social barriers in modern France.
From the Paper:
""Le D"ner de Cons? is a farcical comedy about a club of bored, successful and obnoxious Parisians whose lives revolve around a male adolescent game of one-upmanship. Pierre Brochant is an arrogant publishing executive who livens up his upper class existence by attending idiot dinners. The concept is discomforting, rooted as it is in an attitude of arrogant superiority."
Tags: alienation, class, cons, dinner, du, d?ner, france, francis, game, haine, idiot, la, le, race, veber
Abstract This paper describes how Lyndon B. Johnson, with the help of J. Edgar Hoover and mob boss Carlos Marcello, was the only person with the motive, means and opportunity to assassinate John F. Kennedy.
From the paper:
"Just as with any other murder investigation, to uncover President Kennedy's killer, one must find the person(s) with the motive, means, and opportunity to commit the crime. As presented in class, Lee Harvey Oswald had none of these. Oswald possessed no motive. Despite his "defection" to the Soviet Union in 1959, Oswald bore no malice toward Kennedy or his administration. Oswald did not have the means to commit the actual murder, especially on his own. The official records of the assassination state that three shots were fired in 5.6 seconds from 60-80 yards away."
Abstract This paper is set up as a newspaper from the Civil War era. It spotlights the life of abolitionists, Soujourner Truth, William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott, and Harriet Jacobs. It also includes articles on the daily life of slaves and the Underground Railroad.
From the paper:
"Sojourner Truth, famous abolitionist and women's rights advocate, died early in the morning of November 26, 1883 at the age of 86. She had long suffered from painful ulcers that had begun to cover her body in recent years. On November 28, in one of the largest funerals her hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan had ever seen, nearly 1,000 people gathered, forming a procession behind the hearse. Her casket bore the images of a cross, grain, a sickle, and a crown, all of symbolic significance to Truth. The services, at a nearby church, were well attended by fellow activists, many of whom eulogized about their fallen leader's strength and dedication (Krass p.103)."
Abstract This paper is a comparison of the two pieces of music. The author examines the way the social discontent at the time is portrayed in these writings. A look at the way American culture impacted the making of these at the time.
From the Paper "In 1965, Woody Guthrie's most apparent heir turned his back on the folk community and, in his desertion, remarked that he didn't want to write "fingerpointing" songs anymore. He wanted to turn the focus inward. But as he did so, Bob Dylan left his spurned constituency with some parting words of advice. With the release of the landmark collection, Bringing it All Back Home, Dylan unleashed a sneering, visceral ode to the American Dream in "Subterranean Homesick Blues." And in a fashion only befitting of Bob Dylan, he was not simply passing the entrance exam into the world of rock and roll with this jarring electric riot. Rather, he was initiating rock to its new path, opening an as yet undiscovered gateway both lyrically and musically. Clocking in at a wheezy and exhausting two minutes, twenty-one seconds, it has been most aptly described as Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" on amphetamines. And if that's true, than the punk movement that would snarl out of London in the late seventies may just be Bob Dylan on Bass Ale and heroin. Where Bob Dylan pioneered the sneer, The Clash wore it on their sleeve. On their self-titled debut in 1977, the quartet took rage to a level rivaled at that time only by the Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop of course. In doing so, they also forged a blueprint for the punk aesthetic with the furious thrash of "I'm So Bored With the USA."
Abstract This paper compares various works of hypertext literature: "Radiant Textuality" by Jerome McGann, "The Gutenberg" by Steven Birkerts, ?From Text to Hypertext ?By Silvio Gaggi, "Hypertext" by George P. Landow, "Hypertext" by Geoffrey Nunberg, "Tolstoy Dictaphone" by Steven Birkerts. It describes the viewer's input when reading hypertext fiction and literature on the Internet, where a lot of their thoughts, views and opinions become involved in the story. The paper is critical of hypertext fiction and literature on the Web and describes its dreadful inscriptions, boring text and the unattractive style of writings and impassive categorization - not to mention its obvious grammatical errors and mismanagement of HTML technology..
Table of Contents
Radiant Textuality by Jerome McGann
The Gutenberg by Steven Birkerts
From Text to Hypertext By Silvio Gaggi
Hyper text by George P. Landow
Hypertext by Geoffrey Nunberg
Tolstoy Dictaphone By Steven Birkerts
Affects of Hypertext on Fiction And Literature
From the Paper "The writer, Jerome McGann in his book "Radiant Textuality" has attempted to illustrate that Digital media has the capability to do much more than categorize and classify the approach to the great and brilliant works and efforts of literals and artists. The writer asserts that the digital media has the capability to be a grave, fundamental and significant instrument of unparalleled supremacy, and this power is much further than its presently recognized perspective and documentation skill."
Abstract This paper discusses how the "Book of Judges" is an important section of the Old Testament both for its theological content as well as for its historical information. It studies its background from both an historical as well as liturgical standpoint, including an examination of the questions that the book leaves us with. It provides an overview of what is contained in the "Book of Judges" which is conventionally divided into three distinct sections and how derives its name from a class of temporary leaders in Israel who bore the title of judges during the historical period covered. It presents an historical examination of events in Israel beginning with the death of Joshua (one of the most important and visionary of Hebrew leaders) up to the point in Jewish thinking and Israel's history just before the birth Samuel, another of the most important of the prophets. This period thus corresponds with the time that extends from the end of the Israelite conquest of Canaan (which occurred about 3300 years ago) to the beginning of monarchy two hundred years later.
From the Paper "The second section of the Book of Judges (from 2:6 to16:31) relates a series of trials visited on the nation of Israel by God. This section describes how were the people of Israel were delivered into the hands of their enemies time and again for the explicit reason of testing the nation of Israel. Each time the Israelites are tested, a new hero comes forward (or sometimes a heroine) to save the nation, by which the Israelites learn to trust that God will not deliver them into a situation from which they cannot escape."
Abstract It is impossible to assign to any group--nobility, monarchy, bourgeoisie, peasantry, urban commoners, clergy, or philosophers--sole responsibility for creating the conditions that ended in the French Revolution of 1789. The paper shows, however, that in any of the dominant historical explanations, the role of the nobility remains the strongest element in setting the scene for the Revolution. This is true whether one considers the passive or active nature of its influence. A review of some common theories of the origins of the Revolution in this paper demonstrate that the nobility always bore major, and often primary, responsibility for setting the scene of Revolution.
From the Paper "The popular image of the French Revolution is that of the haughty, remote, untalented Louis XVI and the spendthrift, irresponsible Marie Antoinette driving the country to near-bankruptcy and causing a general reaction against the selfishness and autocratic ways of the absolute monarchy. There is, of course, some truth in the claim that the royal couple's ineptitude was the major cause of the Revolution. Bernier holds, for instance, that when, on the day Louis XV died, the new king dismissed the old ministers, because "Marie Antoinette insisted," the "seeds of the Revolution were sown" (52). Louis XV had started to change the tax system so that the rich would assume a more proportionate share of the burden. The nobility objected strongly and Louis XVI, to gain popularity with them, rejected the ministers and the reforms that might have saved his throne."
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the book "The Tin Drum" by Gunter Grass. Specifically, the paper focuses on two particular chapters. Firstly, Chapter 27 (Inspection of Concrete, or Barbaric, Mystical, Bored), and Chapter 28 (The Imitation of Christ). Gunter Grass' "The Tin Drum" is an historic look at a Polish family with a young son stunted by an accident. Oskar turns out to be a performing midget, who is ludicrous and yet endearing. The writer claims that the themes of the book are complex and the style is demanding, but it is a rewarding read that causes the reader to think, to feel, and to sometimes agree with the author's clearly defined themes.
From the Paper "Chapter 27 of "The Tin Drum" is entitled "Inspection of Concrete, or Barbaric, Mystical, Bored," and in it, Oskar's theatre troop inspects several German concrete bunkers along the Atlantic Wall. During their visit, the groups inspects the fine concrete of the bunkers, (inlaid with shells from the nearby beaches), and discovers one of the soldiers was an artist before the war. The artist, named Lankes, titles one of his "Oblique Formations" (pillboxes) "Barbaric, Mystical, Bored" (Grass 337), and the troupe leader Bebra replies, "You have given our century its name" (Grass 337). Grass uses the pillboxes as an art form to signify the sheer waste of war."
Abstract This paper reviews "Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past? by Sam Wineburg to help explain why the subject of history is so boring to most students. It discusses Wineburg's main point, which suggests that history is taught in such an uninteresting manner because teachers have not been trained to teach it properly and concludes with a brief summary of the basic concepts in the book.
From the Paper "When someone mentions a historical fact, we more or less accept it as just that-a fact, without ever questioning the authenticity of the source, analysis and interpretation process applied to it and the accuracy of the conclusion. We assume that since a historian wrote it down carefully after thorough research in a published book, it must be correct and should not be questioned. But do we have to blame ourselves of our uncurious minds. Sam Wineburg thinks not. He believes that it is not our minds that are just too uninterested in history, but actually the way historical facts are transferred to us that completely kill our desire to question them. In other words, he blamed the history teaching methods applied in schools and colleges for our absolute lack of interest in history and the fact that most Americans posses little knowledge of historical past."
Abstract This six-page undergraduate paper is a book review of the book, Chicago Divided: The Making of a Black Mayor, by Paul Kleppner. The author summarizes the book, discusses its interesting and boring aspects, and suggests how the book could have been better.
Abstract This paper looks at the idea that evolutionism is tied to an idea of primitive society that crystallized in the 1860's and 1870?s. It discusses Darwin's Origin of the Species which appeared in 1859 and how over the next two decades a plethora of books appeared about primitive society. It analyses how these books assumed a unilineal progression from "primitive" society to modern society and how although these thinkers were called evolutionary, their thinking bore little resemblance to Darwinian evolutionist theory. It explores the thought of evolutionary anthropologists and attempts to discover the methodological and theoretic problems with their arguments. It also examines how evolutionary ideas are transmitted, in an attempt to discover the secret of the longevity.
From the Paper "One can note that way evolutionist schemata's are constructed as a gradual progression away from "nature" as constituted by the west. For instance, all primitive societies are based on kin, and in Morgan's scheme, it is only after the creation of the monogamous society that private property becomes a possibility. The postulation of an original type by evolutionist theorists is problematic now because such ideas are seen as mere speculation. Furthermore, we are aware that there is a heterogeneous mix of each group that the theorists took to be original types. One methodological criticism underlying all the theorists we will look at is that they took modern hunter-gatherer societies to be representative of prehistory, even though we are now aware they are dynamic societies shaped and changed by their contact with colonialism and agricultural society."
Tags: colonialism, evolution, racism, darwin, origin, species
