Abstract
This paper counters the popular conception that author J.R.R. Tolkien is known for his lack of irony in his writings by proving that this particular novel exemplifies irony in its finest form. The basis of this irony consists in Tolkien's depiction of the dwarves' spiritual impurity which becomes apparent upon their pilgrimage. The writer of this paper describes the plot and main characters of Tolkien's novel "The Hobbit." This paper details the areas of the novel in which the text is replete with examples which illustrate the dwarves' repeated failure to rise to the occasion when confronted with the assorted tests, trials and tribulations demanded of all heroic quest seekers.

From the Paper
"The cyclical nature of the dwarves' crusade reflects, in turn, the circular plot-structure of all Quests, in which an action that is initiated in the concrete present-here, the scheme to conquer Smaug and recover the dwarfish hoard-is brought to fruition in an (often-idealized and mythologized) past. In addition, the grandiosity of the dwarves' mission replicates "the epic spirit and grandeur" of the traditional Quest by pitting the questors against the "forces of greed, cruelty, and aggression" while situating them before the sweeping backdrop of an imagined world-Middle-earth-that is replete with "its own theology, myths, geography, history, paleography, languages, and orders of being."
Unfortunately for the dwarves (and, ultimately, for Middle-earth itself), the impurity of their crusade precludes the manifesting of another seminal convention of the heroic Quest: the social, psychological, and/or spiritual development of the hero(es). Their chronic inability to transcend the limitations of their original personae is illustrated both in the dwarves' childlike inability to defend themselves against the various perils which they encounter as they journey toward the Lonely Mountain and in their nearly-disastrous, initial refusal to share their treasure with the men of Esgaroth."

Tags:literature, analysis, english, fiction

Abstract
This paper examines how Tolkien's study of philology and creation of languages had a large impact on "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It looks at how many of the different societies and civilizations of Middle-Earth were shaped by these languages, including the societies of Hobbits, Elves, Men, Dwarves, Ents and Mordor. It discusses how this influence can be seen through a close study of the background and beliefs of J.R.R. Tolkien. Although he believed that language and literature were influential on one another, his love of language and disdain for the term "literature" influenced the way he wrote "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

From the Paper
"The Black Speech used by the minions of Mordor shaped Tolkien's creation of Mordor as a bleak, ugly, and evil land. There are two forms of the Black Speech; one form representing the more powerful villains and one representing the baser villains. The more powerful evils include Sauron and the Nazguls. The baser evils include the Orcs and other servants of Sauron. The Black Speech is a harsh-sounding, violent language, that Tolkien did not like to write in as much as others. He meant for it to be unpleasant ("Black Speech"). This influenced the society and culture by making noises like grunts and shrieks or body language more common communication than language. Tolkien did give the villains their share of intelligence, however. "

Tags:hobbit, lord, rings, dwarves, elves, middle, earth

Abstract
The paper discusses Disney's creation of the feature-length movie, "Snow White and Seven Dwarves", and how it showed the great merchandising potential of animated characters. The paper further discusses how television has become today the major source of new characters for the children's toy industry. The paper looks at the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF), and its goal of providing Australian children with quality, age-specific, culturally relevant television. Finally, the paper looks at the expansion of animation into computer graphics and identifies the differences between dramatic, lyrical, didactic or comic animation, as well as the differences in Disney, Warner Brothers and Japanese animation.

From the Paper
"Commercial Alert, a consumer watchdog group, has repeatedly asked the FTC to investigate product placement in TV shows for guidelines that would require an on-screen disclosure when a product placement appeared. The organization argues that consumers do not always know if a product placement is an ad unless they are told. In 2005, the FTC stated that failing to tell consumers that a product placement is an advertisement does not violate Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bans unfair and deceptive acts or practices. However, the organization is trying again. The FCC is presently asking for comments on whether to make it more obvious to TV watchers that some shows are filled with embedded ads. According to the Nielsen Company, American Idol logged an impressive 4,636 product placement shots only during the first half of one year."

Tags:programming, ads, commercials, storyline, characters

Abstract
To this day the works of J. R. R. Tolkien are considered pinnacles in the realm of fantasy and adventure writing. From his elves, hobbits, dwarves and brave men all fighting evil and aiding in the ultimate triumph of good, Tolkien based his world and its histories upon adventure. This paper examines Tolkien's first hobbit novel, "The Hobbit", explaining that, while it is just as full of adventure as any of his other works, "The Hobbit" also centers around the central theme of the common ordinary being encountering adventure and thus becoming an uncommon hero.

Tags:hobbit, tolkien, baggins

Abstract
This paper seeks to compare and contrast two fairy tales - Walt Disney's movie version of "Snow White," based on the German version by the Brothers Grimm and the Italian folktale of "The Crystal Casket." This paper also analyzes how myths and fairy tales evolve through time to remain relevant to the populations which tell them.

From the Paper
"The "Snow White" tale can be found in many cultures, although instead of being familiar with the versions of our ancestors, we must now actively search them out. The version I choose comes from Italy and is entitled "The Crystal Casket." In this version, a young unnamed girl of a nobleman is sent to boarding school. The nobleman is very fond of his daughter, as her mother died many years ago. Knowing this, the young girl's teacher repeatedly requests that the girl introduce her to her father. After much pestering, the girl arranges a meeting between her father and her teacher, where upon they decide to wed. The new stepmother becomes jealous of the girl and her father's relationship, so she sends the girl to water the garden on a dangerous terrace overlooking a river. The girl cries in fear and is overheard by an eagle passing by. The eagle offers to save the girl and take her to a fairy castle, and the girl readily accepts the help. The fairies provide for the girls every need and she is happy with them. "

Tags:myth, fairy, tale, prince, dwarves

Abstract
This paper covers the following topics: what are supernovae; the history of the supernovae; supernovae in our Galaxy: how they are formed; nomenclature; how they affect us.

From the Paper
" A supernova is the cataclysmic explosion of a big mass star, which releases a huge quantity of light instantaneously, occurring approximately twice per century. Astronomers have been observing supernovae in our skies since the times of Christian Huygens, Simon Marius, Messier, Brache and Kepler. Fritz Zwicky was the first to use the term supernova to describe lights that were much brighter than any other star or planetary body visible in the sky. "

Tags:dwarves, magnetic, remnants, solar, wind