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Art Theory and "The Abuse of Beauty", 2008.
This paper discusses theories of art and studies "The Abuse of Beauty" by Arthur Danto.
939 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the central intention of "The Abuse of Beauty" by Arthur Danto is an investigation of art theory and aesthetics that can be unpacked in terms of two central and related trajectories. The writer discusses that Danto firstly explores the assumption that beauty is a measure of what art is or should be. In the exploration of this assumption, Danto explains how the ideal of beauty has been derided and opposed in modern art theory. The writer points out that related to this is the second trajectory, which is an analysis of the changes in the definition and meaning of art.
From the Paper
"The fact that art is in a state of crisis and flux in terms of its meaning, definition and status is clear from the analysis of modern theoretical concerns and contemporary aesthetics that Danto provides in this work. He uses the central subject of beauty not only to elucidate on this state of crisis but also to advocate a more open ended and inclusive understanding of art; that is not only circumscribed and determined by the concept and ideal of beauty. While clearly showing in his analysis of the changes in thinking about art why beauty cannot be the determining factor in art, he also pleads for the inclusion of beauty as an aspect of the definition and understanding of art - but only as one aspect and not the sole determining factor.
"Throughout this piece, Danto is clear in his view that the development of movements, innovations and understanding in art are closely aligned to theory and philosophical discourse."
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William Blake's "The Tyger", 2008.
This paper discusses the structure and theological questions posed in William Blake's poem, "The Tyger".
1,414 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses William Blake's poem "The Tyger", explaining how he structures his poem upon a series of questions that similarly compel the reader to ask penetrating theological questions and to enter a state of uncertainty about the goodness of the world that is never resolved.
From the Paper
"How can the world be good, if there is evil in the world? How can the creator of the world, God, be good, if evil beings and evil actions exist in the world? The existence of evil animals, in William Blake's "The Tyger" motivates the poet to ask potentially sacrilegious questions about the natural goodness of the earth's creation, and, by extension, the goodness of the world's creator. The poet Blake structures his poem upon a series of question that similarly compel the reader to ask penetrating theological questions, and to enter a state of uncertainty about the goodness of the world that is never resolved.
"Blake suggests at times that Lucifer is responsible for the tiger, and for evil in the world. But by refusing to say definitively that the devil is responsible for evil and God and Christ are responsible for the nature of the lamb and the holy parts of the world, Blake implies the possibility that all of the world may not be good. The nursery-rhyme-like tone of the poem posits a certain level of comfort that is continually undercut by the powerful images of the central image and animal. There is no answer to who is the tiger's creator, unlike the creator of the lamb."
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"Chronicle of a Death Foretold", 2008.
A look at the role of women in "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
1,116 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
The paper analyzes the place of women in society, specifically that of Angela, the protagonist, in the novel "Chronicles of a Death Foretold". The paper discusses the death of Santiago Nasar and the story of Angela's pending wedding to Bayardo. The paper shows how women like Angela were oppressed by the patriarchal system in which they lived and the false moral values that infused this system.
From the Paper
"The time of the novel is 1951, long before any feminist impact on the social order in America or in Latin America. The story of the novel is based on a real murder case that took place in that year, and the focus of the novel is made clear in the opening paragraph as the coming death of Santiago Nasar is announced at the outset. The story of Angela's pending wedding to Bayardo is a secondary storyline, but in this social order, women are secondary in any case."
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Edna Pontellier: An Unhappy Woman, 2008.
An analysis of Edna Pontellier and her marriage in Kate Chopin's "The Awakening".
754 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 0 sources, $ 26.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the character of Edna Pontellier in Kate Chopin's "The Awakening". The paper compares her character to those of the other female characters, Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Lebrun.
From the Paper
"Edna Pontellier in Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a archetypical unconventional woman that appears in so many other works of Chopin's. Edna symbolizes a caged woman who finds freedom and holds on to it for dear life. But is she a unique figure? In the story, she might be but not in Chopin's works. Chopin's women are usually characterized by a sincere desire to seek their own identity and they want freedom badly. Most of them are suffering in institutionalized marriages and seek freedom with desperation."
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Power and Corruption, 2008.
An analysis of the theme of power in John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of Wrath", Arthur Miller's play "All My Sons", P. J. Gibson's "Long Time Since Yesterday" and Susan Hazen Hammond's short story "The Women Warriors".
1,017 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
The paper examines John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of Wrath", Arthur Miller's play "All My Sons", P. J. Gibson's "Long Time Since Yesterday" and Susan Hazen Hammond's short story of the Tewa tribe "The Women Warriors". The paper shows how these texts focus on the economic and political power of individuals or societies and how this power is transformed into abuse and corruption.
From the Paper
"John Steinbeck's classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, describes the period of economical transition during and after the Great Depression in America. The novel revolves around the traditional American leitmotif: the American Dream. It thus offers a glimpse of the changing society, which shifts from tradition to modernism: the land is no longer owned by individuals but by large companies that manage and control it with the sole purpose of obtaining the profit. The book is thus fraught with examples of the way in which the people that hold an economic advantage can transform this advantage into a form of ruthless abuse."
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Themes in "Bless me, Ultima," by Rudolfo Anaya, 2008.
This paper explores the themes of magic and religion in Rudolfo Anaya's novel, "Bless Me, Ultima."
1,562 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses some of the themes in the novel "Bless Me, Ultima," by Rudolfo Anaya. The writer describes several of the important symbols in the novel such as the owl, which symbolizes the power of magic and Antonio's connection with the world of magic and spirituality. The symbolism of the carp and the river are also explained. In addition, the writer describes the inner conflict in Antonio between Catholicism, the religion of his mother, and the polytheistic Llano religion of his father, and explains how his relationship with Ultima, the healer, leads to the resolution of this conflict.
From the Paper
"The golden carp is another symbol of spirituality representing wisdom, comfort and moral guidance. Nonetheless, it reinforces the idea that moral percepts are equally valid irrespective of the religion they operate in. In fact, the carp is the symbol of the core of all religions, i.e., the morality of faith. At first, Antonio rejects the carp because he thinks its calling means betraying his own God, i.e. the God of the Catholic faith. In time, Antonio learns hat the carp can actually help him build his own identity, and find answers to his personal questions. In this sense, the carp is much more than a magical fish. It represents moral authority which is capable of providing answers, very much like the power of any religion to comfort and help its followers."
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A Review of Mary Lovell's "The Sound of Wings", 2008.
This review of Mary S. Lovell's "The Sound of Wings" discusses Lovell's views of Amelia Earhart's achievements and her significance as an aviator as well as her husband's influence as to how she is perceived today.
992 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
In this review of Mary S. Lovell's book, "The Sound of Wings", the writer suggests that Lovell is not so much interested in Amelia Earhart's aviation career and accomplishments, but rather in the developing cult of personality in America of the 1920s. The reviewer describes Lovell's treatment of Earhart's relationship with her husband, George Palmer Putman, and his impact on her career. Furthermore, the writer suggests that by concentrating on Earhart's relationship with her husband and his attempts to promote her for commercial reasons, and by not examining her contributions to the development of aviation, Lovell denigrates Earhart's legacy.
From the Paper
"Lovell's work chronicles the evolving implications of Amelia Earhart's husband George Palmer Putnam on her career. Putnam emerges in the text as a pure showman, eventually divorcing his first wife, heir to the Crayola empire, to pursue a more lucrative career exploiting Earhart's supposed technical prowess at an aircraft's controls. In fact, Lovell suggests that even before Earhart became an aviatrix, Lovell had already begun to pen the supposed autobiography of Amelia's first flight, which would propel her to world fame. After gaining fame as a pioneer of women's liberation, Earhart was called to speak to countless audiences, and became a tireless endorser of everything from cigarettes to clothes."
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The Impossibility of Utopia, 2008.
A discussion of utopia and dystopia in George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four", Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories".
2,493 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 75.95
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Abstract
The paper explains that in utopias the world is absolutely good, while in dystopias the universe becomes an absolutely evil place. The paper first compares Orwell's famous utopia "Nineteen Eighty-Four" to Huxley's famous dystopia "Brave New World". The paper then examines the utopian and dystopian elements in Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories". The paper shows how all three works hint at the possibility of the future existence of a dystopian world and that our present world may be a dystopia where we are controlled without being aware of it.
From the Paper
"It can be said therefore that these two notions are more or less correspondent to the two Christian concepts of heaven and hell, respectively. Also, it should be noted that utopias and dystopias are both totalitarian: the purpose is to imagine a world in which the balance provided by the existence of opposites, such as good and evil or beauty and ugliness, has been completely erased. Instead of nature there is only a totalitarian state which is 'perfect', either in its goodness or in its evilness. In a way, although utopias and dystopias are virtually opposites, it should be noted that they both design a world in which possibility and change are impossible, and where there is no respite from either the absolutely positive or the absolutely negative state of things."
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Invisibility as an Escape from Racial Degradation, 2008.
A comparison of approaches to escape racial degredation in "the Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison and "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man," by James Weldon Johnson.
3,574 words (approx. 14.3 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 99.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses two opinions of ways to escape from racial degradation and the pain associated with it as an African-American male. It analyzes the views of Ralph Ellison and James Weldon Johnson in their works "The Invisible Man" and "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man," respectively. The paper compares their approaches to escape and how they are portrayed in their books.
From the Paper
"Both Ralph Ellison and James Weldon Johnson chose a life of invisibility over the pain and suffering related to living in American society as a black man. Ellison's narrator chooses to ignore his individuality for the time being and instead to reside within the larger stereotype as a way to avoid the unwanted attention of a white audience. Despite his association with several African American groups aiming at social reform, the invisible man realizes that it is much easier to stay invisible then to try and force the white community to recognize you. James Weldon Johnson's narrator chooses a different form of invisibility but with the same motivations. Due to his mixed heritage, he has the choice to be seen as a white man. After seeing how horrible American racism can truly be, he decides to abandon his African heritage and all the degradation which accompanies it to live a middle class white life. He becomes invisible in that he "passes" as Caucasian in white society. This opens up new doors for him and ensures he will not have to deal with the prejudice many of his fellow black Americans must deal with on an everyday basis. Both characters show cowardice in their choice to become invisible to American racism, but can anyone really blame them for their choice?"
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Mythology, 2008.
An examination of areas of mythology related to Atonism, Zarathustrism and Judaism.
1,302 words (approx. 5.2 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses mythology, particularly the major areas of mythology that have influenced the development of the collective mythological heritage - the concepts of Atonism, Zarathustrism and Judaism. The paper describes examples from these areas of mythology to understand their role in explaining or interpreting natural events as they pertain to nature, the universe and humanity in general.
From the Paper
"Historically, many scholars view this hymn as one of the earliest known examples of monotheistic mythology. In fact, the Pharaoh's thoughts were eventually found heretical by his own people and were quickly reverted to the more traditional polytheism of Egyptian mythology. However, this fact of both monotheism and atonement found in this hymn serve as an example of how mythology is passed on, as many scholoars argue that this hymn is an indication that Egyptians were the original source of Judaism and thus, the Judeo-Christian tradition."
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Justice Delayed, Justice Denied, 2008.
An analysis and comparison of Constance Curry's "Silver Rights" and Tim Tyson's "Blood Done Sign My Name".
866 words (approx. 3.5 pages), 8 sources, APA, $ 30.95
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Abstract
The paper compares Constance Curry's book "Silver Rights" to Tim Tyson's book "Blood Done Sign My Name". The paper relates that Curry's work is a tale about the ability of the human spirit to overcome and triumph negative forces of racism and mistrust, whereas Tyson's work, in contrast, is about how South Carolinian blacks, long socially and legally oppressed, eventually used street violence to ensure that the violence done unto them was punished.
From the Paper
"Silver Rights specifically grapples with the complicity of the state's legal system in African-American disenfranchisement. When Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 it prohibited "discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance" and its implications for student education were profound ("Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 2007, U.S. Department of Justice Website). In an attempt to circumvent the strictures of the federal law, the state government of Mississippi passed a "Freedom of Choice" law."
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William Shakespeare's "The Tempest", 2008.
Looks at the protagonist Prospero in William Shakespeare's drama "The Tempest".
2,000 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper relates that William Shakespeare's "The Tempest"
builds its suspense through the interplay of intricate characters. The protagonist Prospero must elude the treacherous Caliban who wants to usurp his bother's throne. There are those who claim that Prospero is just acting on the outside and that on the inside, he is a warm-hearted person. This paper supports the opinion that there is sufficient evidence in the play to suggest that Prospero is not hiding anything and is a selfish and uncaring as he appears on the outside.
From the Paper
"We learn of Caliban's physical appearance from other characters. The audience first learns of Caliban from Prospero's description to Ariel. We learn that Caliban is the child of the witch, Sycorax. Caliban's witch/mother is described as "A freckled whelp, hag-born--not honoured with / A human shape". Trinculo and Stefano describe Caliban as less than human. Trinculo asks if Caliban is "a man or a fish?". Stefano describes Caliban as a "moon-calf". A moon-calf is a medieval expression that refers to a deformed creature."
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Ecotopia Imagined, 2008.
This paper analyzes Ernest Callenbach's work 'Ecotopia Emerging' and discusses living in such a society.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 31.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the world envisioned in Ernest Callenbach's text 'Ecotopia Emerging' seems both familiar and foreign, dated yet oddly prescient to a 21st century reader. The writer points out that the book was written during a period of rising conservative sentiment in the nation, and was meant to criticize an anti-environmentalist, pro-consumption, and fuel-wasting America around 1981. The writer pictures living in such a society and looks at what might be considered difficult and fulfilling. The writer maintains that in such a society there would be a greater sense of social responsibility to the community and to others because people would not be judged upon how they were able to accumulate the trappings of success. The writer concludes that those who are currently poor would likely flourish in Ecotopia, but life in Ecotopia would definitely come at a personal cost to people who are more affluent, or perhaps more iconoclastic, individual, creative and competitive by nature.
From the Paper
"Living in an entirely self-sustaining land that is not dependant upon dictatorships for fuel would be fulfilling on an emotional level, but the loss of freedom and mobility with the shift from cars to buggies would initially be difficult, especially since the rest of the world would still be using cars. Of course, there might be a certain amount of fun in learning how to drive a horse and carriage, and the emotional relationship provided by living so close to nature, and being dependant upon a warm and caring living being rather than a box of metal would be a bonus. But there would be added extra time every morning, to feed the horse, to hitch it up to a buggy or to saddle the animal, and to take the time to ride to work or school.
"Train travel would mean that an Ecotopian would not have to live like a 19th century dweller. But even though mobility across wide geographical expanses would still be possible, life would become recognizably different."
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Genesis and Incest, 2008.
This paper looks at the subject of incest while comparing and contrasting Genesis 12 and Genesis 20.
1,762 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper compares how Genesis 12 and Genesis 20 treat the subject of incest. The writer notes that one of the most taboo topics, even in our own society, is the question of what constitutes incest. The writer then relates that in Genesis, this topic is addressed not once, but twice, in Genesis 12 and Genesis 20. These incidents in the life of the patriarch Abraham (Abram) and his wife Sarah (Sarai) are, like other significant episodes in the first book of the Pentateuch, told and retold, virtually right after one another in ways that are similar but with some critical differences in plot and tone. The writer maintains that these two different versions of the same incident of the life of Abraham and Sarah are used to shed new light upon the meaning of the same anecdote. The writer concludes that although it has the same plot of the sister-as-wife, Genesis 12 is more interested in showing how God will intervene to protect Abraham on earth, and to show this is a demonstration of God's plan for Abraham to be a father of Israel. Further, the writer maintains that textual resonances with the later Mosaic covenant take predominance over character development, or even explaining basic details of the plot, like how Pharaoh understands the relationship between the husband and wife.
From the Paper
"Abraham believes that as a woman, Sarah's life (still Sarai) will be protected although very likely she will be violated, if the two of them are known to be married. He fears his own life will be at risk. But if the two are taken to be unmarried strangers, the Egyptians will be less hostile to them as foreigners. He anticipates her resistance to this idea (as it may still put her chastity in danger) but begs her to do so, so his soul might live. Abraham seems to make a plea that this is a God-fearing thing to do by invoking the soul, rather than merely asking his wife to engage in a potentially immoral deception to save his life.
"Interestingly, in both versions of the incidents, Abraham is not blamed for his deception by either his wife, the man he deceives, or the Lord, even though it places Sarai's life at risk, not his own."
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Voltaire's "Candide", 2008.
A review and discussion of Voltaire's book, "Candide".
985 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the book "Candide" by Voltaire. Specifically it discusses Candide's movement from a state of innocence to one of experience, and what Candide gains and loses through these experiences.
From the Paper
"Of course, Pangloss, who continually shows up throughout the novel, is responsible for Candide's attitude. He has taught the boy to be optimistic in the face of everything, and practices it himself. After the earthquake he says, "'For,' said he, 'all that is is for the best. If there is a volcano at Lisbon it cannot be elsewhere. It is impossible that things should be other than they are; for everything is right'" (Voltaire 21). Candide seems incapable of coming up with many ideas on his own, but he is quite good a parroting the ideas of others, and Pangloss is his mentor and idol, so he follows his thoughts blindly, never questioning them or developing true reasoning and deduction skills throughout his adventures."
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