Abstract This paper is a discussion on Patrick O'Brian, the literary genius of nautical-fiction who died in 2000. It looks at elements of O'Brian's naval fiction and the 21 Aubry / Maturin novels including characterization, plot and style.
Tags: Patrick O'Brian, Aubry / Maturin Novels, Naval fiction, novels
Examining Susanna Moodie's autobiography "Roughing it in the Bush", about living in Canada in the early 19th century. The paper focuses on the one chapter that she dedicates to the special character of Brian, a hunter.
2,810 words (approx. 11.2 pages), 0 sources, 2002, $ 83.95
Abstract This paper discusses how in "Roughing it in the Bush" Moodie has not only documented a life story, but has done so in an entertaining manner. Her story reads like a novel; interesting characters and captivating events make up the majority of her life. The paper explores the character of Brian, the still-hunter, to which Moodie devotes an entire chapter. The writer writers of a man who is kind to her family and whom she befriends, who helps her as she struggles with life in the bush. He makes for an interesting character, especially when one takes into account that he is completely fictitious and, in fact, dead.
From the Paper "Moodie first prepares us for the idea of a dead character by the poem that opens the chapter. Recognizing that the poem is open to interpretation, is it not possible that she is referring to a living dead man? She speaks of a "shadow... gathered to the silent dust long years ago" , happy in a land without social life or companionship. A spirit doomed to haunt the earth would fit this category, and the connotative words of "gleamy" and "gloomy" give the poem an eerie quality that might set a reader's mind along the road of the supernatural. Obviously there is more than one possible interpretation, as the poem could literally be the memory of a man who lived his life outside of the social sphere. One thing is for certain, however; no matter how the poem is read, it is in reference to the character of Brian. The mentioning of a strange man and his dog and gun, as well as being placed directly underneath the title "Brian the Still-Hunter" is enough evidence of this. If one chooses to read this poem as being about a dead man, the connection between the dead and Brian will be initiated, and that connection would certainly coincide with the evidence that follows."
Abstract Over the years, numerous musicians have offered alternatives to popular music and have begun a new wave of experimentation. This paper focuses on the composition and production of one of these artists, the contemporary British musician and producer Brian Eno. After looking at how Eno's musical career began in 1972, it then begins to analyse the development of his ambient music genre with particular reference to his solo album "Music For Airports" (1978). It then looks at two of Eno's most successful collaborations, that of David Bowie and U2, while concentrating on his different styles of production for each artist and the effect of his own compositional process on the final outcome.
Outline
Introduction - A Brief History
Eno - Ambiance and Composition
Collaborations - To Influence and Inspire
Working With Bowie
Working With U2
Summary
Bibliography
Discography
Websites
From the Paper "Brian Eno is not only known as a musician and producer but also as a composer who is not afraid to draw on the assets of many types of music and musical ideas. He has been described as an artist, professor and a thinker who stretches the confines of rock music with his use of mixing popular genres with experimentation and minimalism. His compositions range from progressive rock to what Eno calls ambient music, where he concentrates on experimenting with the colour of sound and texture, with the use of what he calls his "real instrument" the recording studio. Also using this instrument Brian Eno has collaborated as a co-composer and producer with a large amount of rock and non-rock musicians, resulting in various combinations of styles at different levels of influence. "
Abstract This paper explains that the notion of change, both of the Irish nation through colonizing British politics and the character of the central protagonist Owen of Brian Friel's play "Translations" (1980) is continually debated throughout the play, which is set in Baile Beag during the 19th century, then an Irish-speaking community in County Donegal. The author points out that, between Act II and Act III, Owen's attitude towards the Irish begins its most fundamental change as he realizes that the true purpose of the English solicitation of translation is not to modernize or improve Ireland but to make taxation of Irish provinces easier for the Mother Country and to make sites of potential military unrest more easily identifiable in the case of military turmoil. The paper relates that the play "Translations" is presented as a series of conflicts between the Irish and English military as well as between ancient and modern attitudes to the world beyond Ireland.
From the Paper "Towards the end of the play, as Owen's views begin to change, he also begins to rediscover his Irish roots through his new immersion in Irish culture. The town has changed-it has grown more radically opposed to Britain. At first, Owen is purely frustrated with individuals such as Manus, who can speak English, yet chooses not to, to demonstrate his local rather than national pride and says, "What's 'incorrect' about the place-names we have here?" Magnus rages against the enforced renaming. Manus is far from uneducated-as a student from a local hedge school he can speak Irish, Latin, and Greek. Magnus prefers, however, to dwell in the Classical rather than the present day, something that Owen first believes is simply ludicrous, even while he gradually begins to appreciate the difficulties of translation more fully, as he attempts to give County Donegal English names."
Abstract Patrick O'Brian's novel "Master and Commander", brings life at sea to life by focusing on strong characterization and themes that accentuate these characters. The paper explains how O'Brian introduces us to Jack and Stephen, two main characters that are strong, complimentary, and different enough from one another to provide a different take on life at sea. The paper shows that, in addition, O'Brian employs the theme of man versus man and man versus nature to build the plot and enhance the action of the novel. These elements operate together to create a novel that provides us a realistic sense of what life at sea was like during the nineteenth century.
From the Paper "Another theme O'Brian uses is man versus nature. Because they are at sea, they are at the mercy of the elements. The crew endures the elements of the weather as they sail. For example, in one scene, the ship encounters a storm with intense rainfall as the "seas mounted higher and higher: they were not the height of the great Atlantic rollers, but they were steeper, and in a way more wicked; their heads tore off streaming in front of them so as to race through the Sophie's tops" (153). Here we see how the men at sea had to be courageous not only with other men but they also had to be strong when it came to withstanding the harsh elements of nature, over which they had no control."
Abstract This paper examines the book "An Evil Cradling" by Brian Keenan which relates his story as a hostage of Shi?ite militiamen in Beirut for four and a half years. It discusses how his persuasive style invites the reader into this story: To the scene, to the feelings and to a world of inner strength from which Brian Keenan's survival in a world of terror and violence comes. It shows how the book is an heartening and stimulating experience and how in the face of utter fear and despair the human psyche has mechanisms such as humor and warmth for a fellow human being, which sustain us. It looks at how Keenan's sanity was retained by his ability to retreat into his mind-his thoughts and dreams gave strength and is abilityto step outside of himself and the situation and become an observer, attempting to understand but refusing to let his mind become part of it.
From the Paper "Keenan deliberates that to be truly humanized it is necessary to share his experience honestly with another person. He sees that this means in its entirety, including the thoughts, which trouble him and the irrational musings. When madness hovers, created by fear, it is the imaginings of the mind that saves McCarthy but only as Keenan leads him through an experience of imagining a room and the minute details of all it contains. Humor is a way of distancing themselves from the violence- after the particularly savage beating of Keenan by Abed they resort to humor as a way of keeping control. They identify the guard Saafi as having something that makes him human- a sense of humor."
Abstract This paper details the rise, fall and rise again of the Beach Boys, one of the most influential rock bands in the U.S. This paper delves into the birth of the Beach Boys which took place in Hawthorne, California in 1961. The original members were brothers, Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, cousin Mike Love and Al Jardine. The Beach Boys are known for having invented "California Rock," a style that celebrated and idealized California teen life, which was comprised of surfing, driving and dating. This writer of this paper cites many of the band's musical hits, including "Surfin' Safari," released in 1962, "I Get Around," "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Help Me, Rhonda." In 1968, the Beach Boys became the first American rock band to perform in Russia. This paper also delves into the personal lives of the band members, including Brian Wilson's mental state. During the band's rise to fame, Wilson's ambitions, neuroses and drug intake were on the rise and negatively affecting the band. This paper examines the various reasons behind the band's five year hiatus which began in 1970 and its eventual re-grouping in the 1980s. Despite the positive reviews surrounding the comeback of the Beach Boys, the 1980s would prove to be anything but positive for the band. This paper also touches on the various internal conflicts between the band members. The writer contends and explains why the essence of the band is still popular today.
From the Paper "Despite the positive comeback, the eighties would be a decade that would prove to be anything but easy and musical. Carl Wilson quit the band to work on his solo career. According to Romanowski, he was the one band member that opposed how the band was reverting to a nostalgic sound instead of moving forward. Romanowski maintains that the band was indeed an "oldies-but-goodies act, albeit an extraordinarily successful one." In 1983, Wilson joined the band again but the year was marked with tragedy as brother Carl drowned. After a short while, Brian left the group again and the band enjoyed another success with the single "Kokomo" without him. In the meantime, Wilson's solo effort did not sell well and in 1994, he was touring with the band again. More troubles lay ahead, however, as Love sued Wilson for defamation of character in 1994."
Tags: music, carl, brian, mike, love, wilson, california
Abstract This paper explores how O'Brian's novel exposes his successful writing technique. It discusses, through example from the text, the novel's historically successful representation of naval adventures, its accurate and authentic language and its realistic characters. This paper explains how O'Brian constructs "Master and Commander" into a successful novel using these methods.
From the Paper "Master and Commander is also a successful novel because O'Brian takes the time to create realistic characters. At the beginning of the novel, we are presented with an image of Aubrey that prepares him (and us) for his adventure. We read that he knows men that are younger than him that were "lieutenants in command of brigs or cutters, or who had been promoted to master and commander" (9-10). His initial disappointment over the Sophie is quickly replaced by the connection he makes with Maturin and the others. Aubrey is in every sense what we would expect when we envision a British seaman. O'Brian also does an excellent job of describing Aubrey as he faces court-martial near the end of the novel."
Abstract The paper describes how the character of Brian in Paulsen's "Hatchet" grows to manhood as he learns to adapt to his environment in order to survive. The paper explains that Brian feels anger and despair but understands that he must depend on himself. The paper therefore shows how his survival has stimulated his emotional growth and development.
From the Paper "After his initial shock at the pilot's death, Brian panics, as just about anyone would in that situation. He finally gains control of the plane and makes radio contact with someone, but he realizes he is going to have to land the plane himself. He is frightened, but this is the first sense of his will to survive - he begins to realize that he will be safer if he lands on water, and he begins to plan, as much as he can, his descent so he can live through the crash. Although the crash itself is extremely dramatic and emotional, Brian survives, and that is his first adaptation of many that will occur throughout this novel."
A paper which compares the issue of communication in ?American Son,? by Brian Ascalon Roley, ?Tortilla Curtain,? by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and ?Day of the Locust,? by Nathanael West.
Abstract This paper introduces discusses, and compares communication, miscommunication, and dysfunctional communication in ?American Son,? by Brian Ascalon Roley, ?Tortilla Curtain,? by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and ?Day of the Locust,? by Nathanael West. The paper touches on the issue of cultural differences as a cause of miscommunication.
From the Paper "While all the stories have different themes, they all share a common thread, and this thread is the lack of communication of the characters, along with a tendency to miscommunicate who they really are. Each story deals with its own miscommunication, in that the characters in effect lie about who they are, they miscommunicate about who they are to observers. Tomas appears to be Mexican, and does not deny it. Mossbacher appears to be a "do-gooder" left-wing nature freak, but in reality, he is a racist snob who buys off a Mexican because he can. In "Day of the Locust" everyone is someone they are not, they all pretend to be important, prominent people when they are not."
Tags: Mexican, gangsters, Tomas, Gabe, Mossbachers, Candido, America
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses and analyzes the murder novel "Secret Sanction" by Brian Haig. Specifically, it analyzes the beginning, middle and the end of the microcosm of the novel and discusses the way the microcosm ends. The author of the paper also discusses why the book's ending was a disappointment.
From the Paper "Haig uses microcosm as a compelling and worthwhile tool is his first novel, "Secret Sanction." The beginning microcosm sets the stage for what is to come, and gives some background on the book's protagonist, Sean Drummond. He is a lawyer for JAG, the Army Judge Advocate General. In the beginning, Drummond receives "orders" from General Partridge, "Don't be na"ve and think there's any way you can win. Got my drift"" (Haig 11). Therefore, from the beginning the reader knows there is something not right here, and no matter what Drummond discovers about the raid and massacre in Bosnia, he cannot win the final trial, or if he does, he will suffer."
Tags: Sean, Drummond, Army, Judge, Advocate, General, Bosnia, General, Partridge
This paper presents a brief summary of Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus", Brian Friel's "Dancing at Lughnasa", Caryl Churchill's "Top Girls" and Caryl Churchill's ?Cloud 9?.
Abstract The paper explains that Peter Shaffer's play "Amadeus" offers a dramatic representation of a debate that has been waged for some time over the reason for the death of Mozart and the possible involvement of Salieri in that event. The author states Brian Friel's "Dancing At Lughnasa" is a memory play whose narrator, Michael, is reliving the summer of 1936 when he was a boy. The paper reviews two feminist plays by Caryl Churchill: "Top Girls", which shows her belief in a brand of feminism that is allied to socialism and ?Cloud 9?, which covers a long period of time to show ways in which society has changed and remained the same.
From the Paper "Michael, a love child, lives with his Mother and her four sisters in Ballybeg, Ireland. His Aunt Rose is slightly retarded. This particular summer his uncle, the priest Father Jack, returns from his missionary work with lepers in Uganda and rejoins the family. He has been sent home in poor health, most probably because he has "gone native." His spirituality is now as African as it is Catholic, and even the English language is strange to him since he has been speaking Swahili all these years."
Abstract This paper examines how two most notable authors Jack London and Gary Paulson, both discuss in their work, nature as a force that human beings must fight with, rather than be a natural and uncontested part of. It analyzes how Jack London's "The Call of the Wild", along with his famous short story, ?To Build a Fire,? both revolve around the fight of human beings to survive in a harsh, natural world that seems unnatural to civilized creatures because of its cold and extremity. It shows how although Gary Paulson is a contemporary author, his work "Brian's Song" is, despite the two author's different personal experiences and the separation of so many years of literary time, is nearly identical in its concerns to London's works.
From the Paper "In London's work, human beings are always clearly pitted against nature in a struggle. London did not view nature in a romantic vision. Human beings were not part of nature in the sense that the natural world supports their development and survival, like the civilized world. Human beings are part of the wilderness in that they are, like the dog Buck, forced to resort to their primal instincts when in the cold, when fighting against elemental forces. They are war with other creatures for their very survival as well, as the wilderness is full of predators. In London's works, human beings are not "reflected" in nature's wilderness. Rather nature offers a proving ground for humanity, an opportunity for human beings to demonstrate animal intelligence and cunning."
Abstract This essay explores what is needed to make a truly good leader. The book uses the works of popular motivational speaker Brian Tracy and his book "The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success", to convey the message. Included is a review of the eight categories for business success which are: Life, Success, Business, Leadership, Money, Selling, Negotiating and Time Management. The writer then explores how Tracy's principles can be applied to real world scenarios.
From the Paper "In the book, Tracy defines each of these laws (and others as well) and tells the reader the foundation of the laws in science, nature, philosophy and plain old-fashioned common sense. Tracey also provides the reader with helpful real-life examples that illustrate how the principles function in the real world of business. Finally, Tracy provides the reader with the tools they need to apply some of these laws of business success into their own lives with exercises that are easy to use and take only a few minutes."
Shows how both the Celtic king, Brian Boru and ex-New York City Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani moved from being mythological tricksters to heroes of their time.
Abstract In world mythology, tricksters make the world what it is. They draw outside the lines, think outside the box, are powerful, mischievous and often happy, despite the reversals their unorthodox behavior causes. The best of them transcend being tricksters and become bona fide mythic heroes. This paper compares the lives and achievements of two tricksters-turned-heroes, Ireland's first great king, Brian Boru who was killed in battle in 1014 and N.Y.C.'s mayor during the 911 tragedy, Rudolph Giuliani. The paper explores how these men made the transition from trickster to hero and how they ensured their myths would endure.
From the Paper "For Boru, it was his death. His martyrdom by a disgruntled and treacherous vanquished enemy ensured his fame for generations.
Giuliani did not have to die. In fact, he surmounted prostrate cancer, although it derailed his quest for the Senate, giving the position to Hilary Rodham Clinton instead. But then there was the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001. Giuliani's leadership after that horrific attack on his city took him forever out of Trickster in the popular mind to hero."
