Foreword What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, How Do I Write One

Foreword What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, How Do I Write One Foreword: What is a Foreword, Do I Need One, and How Do I Write One? If youre confused about what a foreword is, youre not alone.A new writer, especially someone looking to self-publish a book, has a steep learning curve ahead of them.There are so many new skills to learn- building and managing a book launch team, finding a book cover design, making Amazon Marketing Services work for you, et cetera- and new vocabulary words to go along with them.Here are the questions about forewords we answer:What is a forewordHow to write a forewordDo I need a foreword for my book?Who should write a foreword?What should be included?Whats the difference between a foreword and introduction?Whats the difference between a foreword and a preface?Whats the difference between a foreword and a prologue?NOTE: Dont sweat the small stuff like this! We cover all of what you need (including forewords) in VIP Self-Publishing Program that helps you not only publish your book, but do so for long-term success. Learn more about it hereWhat is a Foreword? A foreword is a piece of writ ing that serves to introduce the reader to the author and the book, usually written by someone who is not the author or an editor of the book. Forewords can also serve as a sort of endorsement for the book.If the author does write the foreword, it might be to explain how the book came to be, or their connection between the work and themselves- like Stephen King often does for his novels.The foreword always goes at the very front of the book (with one exception, which I’ll get into below), and it’s rarely more than a couple of pages long. You may see a foreword with either lowercase Roman numerals or typical Arabic numerals, or without any page numbering whatsoever. That is between you and your book formatter.How to Write a ForewordYou’re pretty sure you’ve seen forewords in books before, or maybe your favorite classic piece of literature has a foreword in the front. You’ve got a book now, or you’re well on your way to finishing it.Do you nee d a foreword, too? Do you need front matter at all?Then again, maybe you’re not new, and you’ve been around the proverbial block enough times to know your way around. Maybe you’ve gained enough recognition to be asked to write a foreword for someone else’s work.And maybe youre someone looking to write a foreword for someone elses book and have no idea where to start.Heres how to write a foreword:Understand what the author is looking forKnow the tone and style of the bookStart with a list of what you want to cover in the forewordMake sure to mention your credibilityTie your own experience back into the worth of the bookGet feedback from others and the authorMake any necessary changes to comply with what the author is looking forBe honest about the book and its impactDo I Need a Foreword for My Book?Now that we know what a foreword is, it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of whether your book really needs one. This is what you’ve been waitin g for!The first thing to note is that a foreword is certainly not necessary. Plenty of books don’t have forewords, and never have them added on. Unless your book needs the elaboration and context a foreword provides, you won’t miss it.What you really need to consider is whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.A nonfiction book is far more likely to need a foreword than a novel, especially if the topic is dense or interesting, or the author has passed on. Again, Stephen King does tend to produce forewords for his own fiction novels but this is seen far less in authors who arent as established.For example, the fourth edition of The Elements of Style has a foreword by Roger Angell arguing that the guide is just as relevant today as it was the day Strunk and White turned the manuscript into the publisher.But if you are writing fiction, are you covering a period of history, or some other topic, in depth?A foreword may be helpful if the reader needs a bit of back ground knowledge to sink their teeth into your book. Charles Todd wrote a foreword explaining just who was the titular character of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories.It’s also not uncommon for works of great literary renown to have a foreword added onto the original manuscript, or added as a way of explaining the difference between the current edition and past editions.Alice L. George’s foreword in the 150th-anniversary edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was written to illustrate why the book is so beloved all these years later.Who Should Write a Foreword?A foreword could be written by several people, but not by just anyone.If you’re of the opinion that your work needs a foreword, approach an expert in the topic of the book or one of your peers in your field, especially if this person is well-known.This lends the book social proof.Unless you have something especially noteworthy to say, it’s probably best not to write your own book’s foreword. You may want to write a preface instead.That being said, if you’ve established yourself as an expert in your field, you may be asked to write a foreword for someone else.What Should Be Included in a Foreword?If you’ve been invited to write a foreword for a book, congratulations! What an honor, and what an impressive accomplishment to add to your resumà ©!Of course, every foreword will have needs as unique as the text that comes after, but here are some ideas for what you could include should you need to write one:Your relationship to the author (if you are or were contemporaries)How the author’s work affected you personallyYour opinion of the book, its protagonist, and/or themeThe book or author’s historical impactDifferences between the current and past editions of the book (if applicable)It’s also important when writing the foreword to strike the same tone as the rest of the book. Avoid writing a witty, hum orous foreword if the book is more serious, and vice-versa.You don’t want the writing styles to clash, or you risk jarring the reader when they turn the page.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and an Introduction?The introduction is reserved for a book of non-fiction. It can be used to explain the content, but they can also be used to summarize the work.The introduction is sometimes comprised of everything that comes before the bulk of the text, meaning the foreword would be nestled within the introduction.Other times, the introduction is a separate section written by the author themselves.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and a Preface?If you’re looking to write something like an introductory statement to your own book, you may want to write a preface.In a preface, you can include what your aim was in taking on the project and thank the people in your life who helped to make the book a reality.Unlike forewords, prefaces are always written by the author, and they’re not signed. If your work happens to include both, the foreword comes first.What’s the Difference Between a Foreword and a Prologue?A prologue is always written for fiction, and it takes place within your story’s world.Forewords never take place within your story’s world, unless you’re writing a fictional forward by one of your characters. You might do this if you’re writing as a fictitious person a l Daniel Handler.If your work happens to include both a prologue and a foreword, again, the foreword comes first.And again, a prologue isn’t signed. (You can probably guess why!)Forewords Can Be an Important Part of Your BookWhether or not to include a foreword in your book is- as is most of the art of writing- a matter of personal preference, but not preference alone. Consider what your particular work calls for.Only you can make that call.Trust yourself that you’ll make the right one.Ready to catapult your book to REALL success?Writing and publishing a book on your own isnt always enough.Yes, you have the full capability to make it happen but without extensive knowledge of the internal workings of Amazons search algorithm and a method to make sure your book lands on the top of lists, the long-term success of your book will suffer.We have exactly what for you.

How To Tell Time in Spanish

How To Tell Time in Spanish You can tell time in Spanish if you can count to 29 and learn a handful of words. Its that easy. Basic Rules for Telling Time in Spanish The basic way of telling time in Spanish is to use the singular form of ser (to be), which is es, for one oclock and the plural form, son, for other times. Minutes can be stated simply by separating them from the hour using y, the word for and. Es la una. (It is 1:00.)Es la una y dos. (It is 1:02.)Son las dos. (It is 2:00.)Son las tres. (It is 3:00.)Son las seis y cinco. (It is 6:05.)Son las siete y diez. (It is 7:10.)Son las once y diecinueve. (It is 11:19.) To indicate the half hour, use media (a word for half). Use cuarto (meaning fourth) to indicate the quarter hours. Es la una y media. (It is 1:30.)Son las cuatro y media. (It is 4:30.)Es la una y cuarto. (It is 1:15.) It is customary to use menos (a cognate of minus) to tell time during the second half of each hour, stating the number of minutes until the following hour. Es la una menos diez. (It is 12:50. It is 10 until 1.)Son las cinco menos cinco. (It is 4:55. It is 5 until 5.)Son las diez menos veinte. (It is 9:40. It is 20 until 10.)Son las ocho menos cuarto. (It is 7:45. It is quarter until 8.) Key Takeaways: Telling Time in Spanish The most common way of telling time on the hour in Spanish follows the pattern of es la una for 1:00 and son las [number] for later times.For incremental times, add y [number of minutes up to 29] after the hour and menos [number of minutes up to 29] before the hour.You can also use media and cuarto for the half-hours and quarter-hours, respectively. How To Include Time Periods of the Day In most of the Spanish-speaking world, both 12-hour and 24-hour clocks are used, the latter being common in schedules and similar printed materials. To indicate time of day when using the 12-hour clock, use de la madrugada for the wee hours of the morning, de la maà ±ana from then until noon (mediodà ­a), de la tarde between noon and early evening, and de la noche from evening to  midnight (medianoche). Es medianoche. (Its midnight.)Son las siete y cuarto de la maà ±ana. (Its 7:15 a.m. It is 7:15 in the morning.)Es mediodà ­a. (Its noon.)Son las cuatro menos cinco de la tarde. (Its 3:55 p.m. It is 5 before 4 in the afternoon.)Son las ocho y media de la noche. (Its 8:30 p.m. It is 8:30 at night.) The abbreviations a.m. (from the Latin ante meridiem) and p.m. (from the Latin post meridiem) can also be used as in English. Son las 4 y media a.m. (It is 4:30 a.m.)Son las 2 p.m. (It is 2 p.m.) Time in the Past When talking about the time that events took place, use the imperfect tense of ser. Era la una y cuatro de la madrugada. (It was 1:15 in the morning.)Era medianoche. (It was midnight.)Eran las once de la noche. (It was 11 at night.) Other Time Expressions Here are time-related expressions and words that can be useful: Son las tres y cuarto en punto. (Its 3:15 exactly.)Son las seis y media ms o menos. (Its about 6:30.)Salimos a las nueve. (We are leaving at 9:00.)Ser la una. Sern las tres. (It will be 1:00. It will be 3:00.)Buenos dà ­as. (Good day, good morning.)Buenas tardes. (Good afternoon, good evening (until about 8 p.m.).)Buenas noches.(Good evening, good night (as either a greeting or a farewell).) ¿Quà © hora es? (What time is it?) ¿A quà ©Ã‚  hora ...? (At what time ... ?) ¿Cundo ...? (When ... ?)el tiempo (time)el reloj (clock)el despertador, la alarma (alarm clock)el reloj, el reloj de pulsera (wristwatch) Sample Sentences Los Bombers de Mallorca llegaron a la zona a las dos y media de la tarde. (The Mallorca Bombers arrive in the area at 2:30 p.m.) Era ms oscuro que la medianoche. (It was darker than midnight.) La clase comienza a las 10 de la maà ±ana y termina a mediodà ­a. (The class begins at 10 a.m. and ends at noon.) El sbado tengo que levantarme a las cinco y media de la maà ±ana. (On Saturday I have to get up at 5:30 a.m.) Eran las siete de la tarde y no habà ­a nadie. (It was 7 p.m. and there was nobody there.)

Creating meaning in TV documentaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creating meaning in TV documentaries - Essay Example Thus, documentaries stand for 'Truth'. The three documentaries this write up attempts to analyse, belong to varied sub-genres of themes of documentaries. The first one is titles, the Fallign Man, the second one is Nanking, a documentary on war and the last one is called The Silent World, which is based on nature. Thus, all three documentaries belong to varied set-ups. The treatment of each documentary is different, in spite of the common elements that exist in all three documentaries. The Falling Man is a documentary based on a picture clicked by a photographer, during the September 11 attack on the twin towers. It is basically a depiction of a man falling from the one of the top stories of the twin towers, who chose to escape death caused by the burning fo the story and decided to end his life by jumping down, rather. The very purpose of this documentary is debatable. On one hand, it caused an uproar about how the media portrayed this picture, since it did not attach importance to the sanctity of the dead. On the other hand, as the documentary maker says, it captured the 'life' of a man who is dead now. It captured the very essence of his life, wherein he chose to die a death that was better than what it would have been! On a diverse note, The Falling Man is a revelation into the aftermaths of terrorism, and how society can be devastated and lives destroyed, by a single act of terror. The documentary is an authored one, with a voice-over. Therefore, the sound effects coincide more or less with the intonation and stress in the voice-over artiste's narration. The performers are real-life victims of the terrorist attack, and therefore, the depictions are very heart-rending and hit the audience directly. The images used are controversial, as mentioned above, regarding what the media should permit and what it needs to withhold. The colour used is very natural, since it is a depiction of a real life occurrence. Latest technology has been used to capture the moments, but the editing is very minimal, owing to the fact that the real fall cannot be doctored. NANKING The Documentary film, Nanking is based on the atrocities that are committed during war. The underlying message is certainly regarding the futility of war and how the motive behind war certainly causes distraught in man's life. It is based on the Japanese massacre at Nanjing, the Chinese capital, which killed numerous people. The genocide is the core theme of the documentary. Here again, the picture depiction is realistic. The background sound effects are quite moving, since they depict war. The colour used is black-and-white, since it was set during World War II. The images do depict violence, which is the very negative essence of war. This certainly creates a

Ann Radcliffe and the Gothic movement behing her literature Research Paper

Ann Radcliffe and the Gothic movement behing her literature - Research Paper Example Ann Radcliffe due to her reclusive nature was made the brunt of her contemporaries’ imagination and was accused of being a mad genius, a sorceress and a madwoman haunted by ghosts etc. Considered the most significant writer of the English Gothic genre, Ann Radcliffe changed the Gothic novel from a mere medium for the depiction of terror into a tool for exploring the psychology of terror and suspense. Her stress on emotion, insight, and the connection between atmosphere and sensibility helped make the way for the Romantic Movement in England. Radcliffes most famous novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), is one of the principal examples of Gothic literature. (Onorato& Cengage, 1997)1 Ann Radcliffe was extremely popular in her day. Her application of Gothic techniques, her talent to rouse terror and curiosity in her readers by setting up events which were seemingly supernatural, but which were afterwards logically explained by ordinary means, was widely imitated by other writers but never surpassed. Her construction of tastefully imaginary horrors (taste was equal to quality) and her stress on the supernatural was modern and Romantic, whereas her logical explanations belonged to the ordered world of eighteenth century England. Thus her novels offered contemporary readers a chance to indulge their penchant for the bizarre, the outrà © and the unusual by generally hinting at the immoral, decadent and the supernatural while in due course rectifying matters ,from a societal viewpoint , by vindicating the old world virtues of a submissive woman. The nature of Ann Radcliffe’s novels was startling to her readers and she was reviled by some critics as a misleader of youth and women. But her admirers called her the mighty enchantress. Ann Radcliffe was born in a lower-middle class family in Holborn, London. Her father was William Ward, a haberdasher and her mother was Ann Oates.troubled with asthma from youth, she was reserved by nature and read widely. In 1787,

Environmental Pollution Essay Example for Free

Environmental Pollution Essay 1. Effects on Climate Land pollution can affect the general environment of the Earth. Land pollutions leads to loss in the forest cover of Earth. This is in turn going to affect the amount of rain. Less rains mean lesser vegetation. The effect of all different kinds of pollution will eventually lead to problems like acid rains, greenhouse effect, global warming. All of these problems have already initiated and need to be curbed before the situation runs out of control. 2. Extinction of Species One of the major causes of concern is the extinction of species. Species are pushed towards endangerment and extinction primarily by two processes. Habitat fragmentation is the fragmentation of the natural habitat of an organism; cause primarily by urban sprawl. Habitat destruction, on the other hand, is when land clearing adversely affects animals special such that their natural habitat is lost. Both the actions can cause some species to go extinct and others to become invasive. 3. Biomagnification Biomagnification is the process in which certain non-biodegradable substances go on accumulating in the food-chain (in one or more species). The most common example is of methylmercury in fish and mercury in eagles. Not only does biomagnification put the particular species at risk, it puts all the species above and below it at risk, and ultimately affects the food pyramid. 4. Effects on Biodiversity Species extinction and biomagnification is going to overthrow the balance of nature very significantly. The main reason for this is disturbance created in the food chain. To give you a very simple example on account of biomagnification of mercury in eagles, they might go extinct in the subsequent years. However, we know eagles prey on snakes. Less (or no) eagles will then result in more number of snakes! As you may have realized, land pollution is indeed going to affect a lot more things than we though it will. Hence, I leave you with some corrective measure you can take on a personal level to reduce land pollution. Encourage organic farming buy organic food. Proper garbage disposal separate your garbage before you give it to the garbage collector; and strictly say NO to plastic. Encourage recycling buy recycled products, notebooks, paper, etc. Restrict use of herbicides and pesticides they are not only used in farm, but in your own backyard as well. If we reduce our contribution to garbage and litter, therein itself we will be able to significantly reduce land pollution and probably curb it entirely in the near future. Also do realize this isnt only about land pollution; it is about all kinds of pollution. We need to take steps to prevent damaging our Earth. We have no other place to go. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/causes-and-effects-of-land-pollution.html

Haimons Covert Scheme Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Haimon has a certain tendency to be overlooked in Sophocles’ Antigone. At first he appears to be a minor character, an accessory to the overt conflict occurring between Kreon and Antigone. We see Haimon supporting his father, but soon thereafter in conflict with him. Haimon expresses disregard for the life of his cold bride to be, yet is defined as being driven by lust. Several questions come up: who does Haimon really support, what drives his actions, and what is his ultimate intent? Unraveling these issues is a tricky task, but what we find is Haimon is far more than an accessory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Haimon is introduced in third-person, making his character easily overlooked and marginalized from the start. Ismene says â€Å"oh dearest Haimon, how your father dishonors you,† yet he isn’t even present (573). When Haimon does enter, his father assumes he knows of the situation, meaning he had time to plot his actions. Haimon begins by showing Kreon that he is really on his side, a very common technique for disagreement that can be found in such books as Dale Carnegie’s. The general idea is to start by wining a person’s favor so he will be more open to criticism later. It not uncommon to hold the view that Haimon isn’t using such a technique but actually does support Kreon, however there are problems with such a view. Haimon says an interesting ambiguous statement: â€Å"your judgments, being good ones, guide my path aright† (636). The ambiguity is subtle, but it can imply Haimon follows only when Kreon’s judgment is good.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of yet no disagreement has surfaced, but when it does it also shows a degree of planning. Haimon maintains distance from saying his father is wrong, by mentioning that the city favors Antigone’s actions and â€Å"things might also turn out well some other way† (687). Haimon then presents a parable: â€Å"on a ship, if he who holds the power strains the rigging tights and does not yield, he turns his rowing benches over and completes his voyage upside down† (715). The refinement of the parable does not imply an improvised remark but something premeditated. At this point the reader should ask what motivated this change in Haimon’s views – or was it even a change at all? Within a short span of time Haimon’s stated views change, but there is no clear motivator for the change. Perhaps that... ...character, to consider motivation and intent. Changes in a character’s view don’t occur spontaneously, motivation for change or previous deception regarding the view must be considered. If one moment Haimon supports Kreon and the next opposes him, what causes this change? Likewise, the reader should consider what the character is doing while not the focus of attention. Haimon knew about the events that were unraveling, what can he plan while the focus is elsewhere? Ambiguous terms factor greatly into an interpretation of Haimon’s motivation. Lust and passion are associated with women, but can just as easily be applicable to power or money. Looking at these issues combined we can answer the original questions; whom does Haimon support, what drives his actions, and what is his ultimate intent? Haimon does not support Kreon; he does support Antigone’s views, but is not bothered by threats of her death. As the chorus states, Haimon is driven by lust, but t his lust is for power rather than for Antigone. Combine these issues together and what we find is Haimon’s intent – he seeks to exploit a situation where Kreon is in poor standing to fulfill his lust for power by taking the throne.

An Evaluation of Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers is about two twins who are separated at birth. One is sold and one is kept. They then meet later on but do not know they are twins until ‘the day they die'. It is told throughout the play, by the interventionist narrator, with songs as soliloquy's, to assist telling the story and explaining the characters thought and feelings. One key theme throughout is superstition. It starts with Mrs Johnstone and her superstitious nature but then develops throughout the narrative as Mrs Lyons then becomes superstitious and things, happenings start to evolve around the superstitious nature. It begins to affect the play, as the characters start to behave differently, Mrs Lyons as she approaches a mental breakdown changes and her change in behaviour is effected by the superstition of having a sold child, and not only a child but a twin, if ever two twins shall meet and know of there brother hood both shall die on that same day. The portrayal of all the characters was extremely good. Especially Mickey. Played by the understudy; Richard Munday. His portrayal of the character I thought was incredible, I knew being a professional actor he would be good and good at playing small children but I was very, very surprised. The way he portrayed his character was (to me) extraordinary. His use of body language was great, the way he moved and walked and talked you could see his seven year old character shining through, so clearly I was amazed, that anyone could use such simple things to completely change their persona. They way he changed from a small child to a teenager, was great, everything changed about him except his true character and Mickey was still very much there, you could just see he had grown up. His character changing in age helped me understand the story more, I knew they grew up but seeing his age and character change and his relationships with different people I understood, the later themes in the play. Mickey and Eddie growing up with Linda. I could really see there relationship change as Linda fell in love with Mickey, his maturity was funny, the way he acted around her but it was distinctively different from when he was a younger child. His body language, speech but most of all the atmosphere was very different between the characters as they grew up especially Mickey's towards Linda. Another character that surprised me was the teacher played by Paul Dallison who played the teacher. The transaction between the two different teachers was really good and surprised me. As well as very good (and quick) change of costume, the change in body language, voice and facial expression was extraordinary. As the posh teacher he was very smart and spoke very properly, articulating all words, standing up straight and being very respectable, then changing to the scruffy, worn down, teacher, who speaks very commonly, body language and posture change is very evident, he slumps, showing wariness and exasperation. His portrayal of the two different characters is great; the very quick change makes it even more impacting. The interventionist narrator plays a very important role in Blood Brothers. Throughout the play he tells the story, but a lot more than that. Being an interventionist narrator he intervenes and interferes with the characters and the play. Simply by bringing on most of the set and props, he becomes a very important part of the play. As the play goes on he beings to affect the play more and interfere. When Mrs Johnstone agrees to sell Mrs Lyons one of the twins, the interventionist narrator hands Mrs Lyons the bible so as to make Mrs Johnstone swear upon it. This is a good example of when the narrator interferes. Not only this but he plays on the characters conscious, playing with their minds, this is where, the songs as soliloquies come in, the narrator whispering in the characters ears, telling them what's right, telling them what's wrong. This adds a lot of dramatic tension to the play, because the narrator becomes very influential. One of the most powerful drama techniques used in blood brothers is the action before narrative. It has such a powerful ending that at first I thought it would take away from that but from seeing it I understand that it doesn't and even gives more to the play and ending. It's all done in silence, which adds dramatic tension in its self because it leaves the audience thinking and questioning. Even though the audience know what happens at the end, it is still shocking when it comes. There is a lot of dramatic irony, the audience know that Eddie and Mickey are twins separated at birth but the characters do not; this adds great tension because every time something serious happens you begin to wonder if their going to find out their twins. This is a very simple yet affective device because it adds more layers to the complex plot but not in a bad way, it positively keeps the audience really attentive. The songs used throughout the play help to enhance the production and add effect. With the narrator being the characters conscious and playing with there minds. Using the songs as soliloquy's I thought was very powerful because it gives them more meaning and impact. Blood Brother being a play with songs and not a musical makes it better, because it not songs for the sake of it, it songs to convey feelings, emotions and happening making it more influential. Connecting to the audience in a different way entirely. They are more engaged and attentive. Listening for meaning and depth. There were many symbols used in blood brothers, the strongest of all being that blood brothers hand clasp. It being so strong and powerful, symbolising unity, love and bonds is used throughout the play. This helps to enforce the themes of unity and love which are shown throughout the play. The bond between Eddie and Mickey being blood brothers is the key symbolism of the hands clasping and is so powerful its and symbolic it's used to enhance the themes and messages throughout the play. The lighting is very impacting on the performance as it changes throughout the play, as the play open there is red lighting; this creates a very sombre feeling. The red being symbolic of blood and death, creates tension, mystery and fear. This helps to convey the mood of the play. The action before narrative begins the show, with the death of both twins; the red light adds great affect and setting to the mood of the scene, as it does throughout the play. The change in lighting from dark to light at different points in the play is well used, the lights darken a lot when the narrator speaks to add dramatic affect, to his normally powerful but solemn speeches, being and interventionist narrator, always interfering this adds greater affect making his role even more mysterious. The lighting when he hands Mrs Lyons the bible is very affective, the narrator in darkness with his back to the audience and his hand and Mrs Lyons spot lighted gives great affect like a grave idea or action being planted so darkly from the shadows. The lighting I think as well as adding affect, gives to the audiences' response more, so they enjoy the play to a greater extent. I thought the play was very, very powerful and I really loved it. You can tell that everything in the play is there for a reason, every prop and every lighting effect is obviously thought out, it adds so much effect and drama. Everything has a meaning and purpose, the play is very symbolic and influential. It has a very powerful ending, with a lot of dramatic potential. I thought Eddie and Mickey not finding out they were twins was very good, as it used a lot of dramatic potential, prolonging the drama, making the ending more impacting and shocking when it happened. I loved the entire play but I thought the ending was so unexpected that it made the play incredible and dominating.

A Comparison of Moral Views Essay

When we think of ancient philosophies, we immediately think of the early Greek philosophers. Among them were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, considered as the Fathers of Philosophy. Although they have different views on some certain aspects, we all know that they are the most influential thinkers not only during their respective times but today. This paper will focus on the similarities and differences of the moral and ethical views of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates believed that self-knowledge will meet the conditions of having a good life. For Socrates, knowledge and virtue are of the same category. If a person could not learn knowledge, he cannot learn virtue. With this, he argued that virtue can be taught. â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† Socrates believed that the pursue of knowledge and wisdom should always come first before any private interests. For him, seeking knowledge is in accordance to ethical and moral actions. Socrates, considered to be the greatest philosopher of all time, assumed that reason will lead to the good life. He believed that the real happiness a person achieved was influenced mainly by doing what seems to be right. When a person’s true value and function is found, he will achieve happiness. The Socratic ethics can be categorized as teleological in nature. We humans act towards the good and these actions naturally have their purposes. Plato, like all the early philosophers, based his beliefs on ethics on virtues and human well-being. Plato’s beliefs on happiness diverged significantly from other philosopher’s views. Due to this, his time on describing his own concept of happiness was divided. He spent lots of time criticizing the customary beliefs of the good life. Plato also considered happiness as perfect and is not easily understandable since it is supported by metaphysical assumptions that appear to be vague and is impossible to be understood. The focuses on Platonic ethics are the problems and difficulties of an individual, not happiness as a factor of good-living. For Aristotle, ethical knowledge is considered to be a general knowledge and not a precise knowledge. He argued that ethical knowledge is not a theoretical discipline but rather practical in nature. Aristotle believed that to become good, a person should have experienced the actions of life and is in accordance to fine habits. He did not believe that merely studying virtues will make a particular individual virtuous. One should do righteous and honorable to be good and virtuous. Aristotle believed that reputation and respect only would give a person his happiness. He argued that an individual finds happiness by fulfilling his functions as a human being. For Aristotle, a human’s function is to utilize what he has that everything else does not, his capacity to think or reason, or logos. A person using his ability to reason fulfills his nature as a rational soul and therefore finds his absolute happiness. For me, Aristotle’s ethical philosophy is the most applicable and the most practical to adapt. Unlike Socrates’ belief that an individual will be virtuous if he studies the virtues, Aristotle believed that one should act good to be good – not by merely studying how to be good nor what is good. Plato, on the other hand, focused on what should not be done in order to make a person’s life good. Aristotle argued that understanding what is good does not make a person good. So I think, Aristotle’s concept on morality stands among the three of them, just like the saying goes â€Å"Actions speak louder than words.†

St Francis of Assisi essays

St Francis of Assisi essays Saint Francis of Assisi Saint Francis of Assisi was born in Assisi Italy in 1182. Francis was originally named Giovanni Francesco Bernardone and never received a formal education. Instead as the son of a wealthy merchant Francis led a worldly and carefree life He found his way into a battle between Assisi and Perugia and was captured and held as a prisoner for over a year While a prisoner Francis developed a severe illness It was during this ilness that Francis decided to alter his way of life When well enough Francis returned to Assisi He performed charities among the less fortunate and restored damaged churches These actions caused Francis father to reject him being a man who put money above all else Francis then gave all of his possessions to his father and devoted his time to caring for outcasts and lepers of Mount Subasio Francis also restored the ruined church of Santa Maria degli Angeli He held mass there for the outcasts that were not allowed in the other churchesone day during mass Francis heard a voice telling him to go into the world and to possess nothing but do good everywhere Doing just that Francis found himself preaching in Assisi later in the year He gathered about him twelve disciples who became the brothers of the First Order of Franciscans, with Francis as their superior Francis later accepted a young woma Clare into The Franciscan Order She went on to establish the Order of the Poor Ladies which later became known as the Second Order of Franciscans Francis attempted to travel to the Holy Land in 1212 but did not make it His missionary work in the late 1210s was anything but successful He was able to reach the Holy Land in 1220 He wanted to become a martyr and was proud to hear that five Franciscan friars were murdered while carrying out their duties He returned to Assisi to find dissension in the ranks of the friars He resigned as their...

Merchant of Venice Critical Essay

Merchant of Venice Critical Essay Merchant of Venice Critical Essay Merchant of Venice Critical Essay Merchant of Venice is of the most popular plays written by Shakespeare. Undoubtedly, every literature teacher includes this play into the syllabus. Below is a short sample Merchant of Venice critical essay written by our writer. This sample essay is a good example of professional writing. Our essay blog has numerous free sample essays on plays by Shakespeare. One of the main disadvantages of the free samples is lack of originality and unrestricted access. If you want to get an original critical essay on Merchant of Venice written from scratch specially for you, you have found the right site to get help - writers will not let you down! We can handle all types of assignments and we are never late with paper delivery. Merchant of Venice Critical Essay Sample One of the most persistent and pernicious factors in confusing the interpretation of The Merchant of Venice is the common assumption that the play is built around a race theme. This assumption has thrust the racial problem into the foreground of the play. It has implied that the very introduction of Shylock inevitably necessitated a choice of sides in a lively and pressing social controversy. And from it has sprung the interminable discussion of Shakespeare's alleged sympathy or antipathy for the Jew. That Shakespeare intended, or could have intended, a deliberate defense of the Jew has been effectively controverted in E. E. Stoll's exhaustive study of Shylock. Therein he has established beyond reasonable doubt the existence in England of a common tradition of antisemitic prejudice, and has adduced abundant evidence-of its persistence throughout the Renaissance. This prejudice clearly conceived of the Jew as an object of distrust, dislike, and contempt. To assume that Shakespeare departed radically from the common convictions of his time is to deny the known facts about the man. To assume that he ignored the sentiments of his audience to champion a disreputable cause is to impugn his intelligence as a practical playwright, to set at defiance all probability, to commit a critical anachronism, and, finally, to contradict the patent evidence of the play itself. Unfortunately, in his laudable work of demolition Professor Stoll has gone to the opposite extreme of assuming the prevalence in Shakespeare's time of a rampant and energetic antisemitism. Unless I misinterpret him, he would have one believe that the average Elizabethan nursed an active grudge against the Jew which found congenial expression in the popular sport of Jew-baiting. Accordingly the contemporary dramatist could count upon the insulting of a Jew to prompt a round of spontaneous applause, and the protracted humiliation of a Jew to provide the Elizabethan equivalent of a Roman holiday. In consequence of this assumption Professor Stoll interprets Shylock as a comic figure and finds much of his conduct somewhat amazingly ludicrous. The hypothesis of the persecuted Jew has found favor with most of the Jewish writers upon Shakespeare. It has served as a text for miscellaneous lamentation over Elizabethan injustice and the particular damage to the race wrought by Shakespeare's play. Unfortunately no very conclusive evidence has come forth to support the hypothesis. Evidence there is that Jews were persecuted in England prior to their banishment in 1290; that the Middle Ages were hostile to Jews; that enmity toward the Jew persisted in European countries throughout the Renaissance; and that agitation arose in England during the decade preceding the readmission of the Jews in 1653. Merchant of Venice Critical Essay Custom Writing Looking for custom written essay? Want to get truly professional essay help? Get it here! Our writers are working hard writing a critical essay! We offer essay writing from scratch as well as editing services. Our writing services are affordable.

Hell-Heaven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hell-Heaven - Essay Example Aparna was â€Å"even in her bleakest hours of homesickness she was grateful that my father had at least spared her a life in the stern house of her in-laws, where she would have had to keep her head covered with the end of her sari at all times and use an outhouse that was nothing but a raised platform with a hole† (DiYanni 350). Aparna’s husband and she were thrown together by chance. This part of her life was one of her metaphorical Hells. a release for Aparna. Since the outings were supervised by the narrator, Aparna’s husband felt â€Å"freed from the sense of responsibility he must have felt for forcing her to leave India† (DiYanni 351). Although the narrator did not realize it at the time, she later came to the realization that â€Å"It is clear to me now that my mother was in love with him† (DiYanni 351). Aparna had more in common with Pranab Kaku than with her husband. For example, â€Å"They had in common all the things she and my father did not: a love of music, film, leftist politics, poetry† (DiYanni 350). This relationship was Aparna’s Heaven. Another Hell for Aparna was the foreign atmosphere of America. Even in America Aparna wore Indian clothes. The narrator wrote, â€Å"given that my mother was wearing the red and white bangles unique to Bengali married women, and a common Tangail sari† (DiYanni 348). Aparna clung to her old Indian ways. She constantly chided Usha about the Bengali ways. Aparna admonished, â€Å"Don’t think you’ll get away with marrying an American, the way Pranab Kaku did† (DiYanni 356). The balancing act of raising an Indian daughter in America was Hell for Aparna. Bangladesh was Heaven for Aparna. That is why Aparna fell in love with Pranab Kaku, not for who he was, but what he represented. Pranab Kaku reminded Aparna of â€Å"cheerful songs of courtship, which transformed the quiet life in our apartment and transported my mother back to