Act One Plot Summary of Pygmalion

Act One Plot Summary of Pygmalion George Bernard Shaw wrote over forty plays during the course long life of 94 years. Pygmalion, written in 1913, became his most famous work. Check out our article on Shaws biography to learn more about his life and literature. Quick Synopsis Its the tale of a conceited professor of linguistics, Henry Higgins, and the brash, incorrigible young woman named Eliza Doolittle. Higgins sees the cockney girl as a great challenge. Can she learn to speak like a refined English lady? Higgins endeavors to transform Eliza in his own image, and he gets much more than he ever bargained for. Pygmalion in Greek Mythology The title of the play is derived from ancient Greece. According to Greek Mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who created a beautiful statue of a woman. The gods grant the artist a wish by making the sculpture come to life. The main character in Shaws play is not a sculptor; however, he does become enamored with his own creation. Plot Summary of Act One Professor Henry Higgins wanders the streets of London, absorbing the local color and studying the various dialects those around him. A crowd of people huddle together, due to the sudden downpour of rain. A wealthy woman tells her adult son, Freddy to hail a taxi. He complains but obeys, bumping into a young woman selling flowers: Eliza Doolittle. She asks a man to buy flowers from her. He declines, but gives her spare change, for charitys sake. Another man warns Eliza that she should be careful; a stranger has been writing down every word she has been saying. The stranger is Prof. Henry Higgins who reveals his shorthand notes. She is distressed, thinking that she is in trouble. Henry rebukes her: HIGGINS: Dont be ridiculous. Whos hurting you, you silly girl? The crowd gives Higgins a hard time when they realize he is a gentleman instead of a policeman. At first, the citizens are quite concerned about the poor flower girl. Eliza expresses her distress (and reveals the nature of the crowd) in the following quote and subsequent stage direction: ELIZA: I aint done nothing wrong by speaking to the gentleman. Ive a right to sell flowers if I keep off the kerb. (Hysterically) Im a respectable girl: so help me, I never spoke to him except to ask him to buy a flower off me. (General hubbub, mostly sympathetic to the flower girl, but deprecating her excessive sensibility. Cries of Dont start hollerin. Whos hurting you? Nobodys going to touch you. Whats the good of fussing? Steady on. Easy, easy, etc., come from the elderly staid spectators, who pat her comfortingly. Less patient ones bid her shut her head, or ask her roughly what is wrong with her. (...) The flower girl, distraught and mobbed, breaks through them to the gentleman, crying mildly.) Oh, sir, dont let him charge me. You dunno what it means to me. Theyll take away my character and drive me on the streets for speaking to gentlemen. Prof. Higgins listens to peoples accents and cleverly recognizes where they are from and where they have been. The crowd is both impressed and perturbed at his uncanny abilities. The rain stops and the crowd disperses. Colonel Pickering, the man who gave Doolittle spare change, is intrigued by Higgins. The professor explains that he can identify a persons origins based solely on phonetics, the science of speech. Meanwhile, Eliza is still nearby, sulking and muttering to herself. Higgins complains that the flower girls speech is an insult to the majestic English language. Yet he also boasts that he is so skilled in phonetics that he could train her to speak like royalty. Pickering reveals his name, explaining that he has written a book on Indian dialects. By coincidence, Higgins had been hoping to meet the distinguished Colonel, just as Col. Pickering had been hoping to meet Higgins. Delighted by their chance encounter, Higgins insists that Pickering stay at his home. Before they leave, Eliza begs them to buy some of her flowers. Higgins drops a large amount of coins into her basket, amazing the young woman who very likely has never paid so much. She celebrates by taking a taxi cab home. Freddy, the wealthy young man who originally hailed the taxi says Well, Im dashed, in response to the flower girls confident attitude.

English Pronunciation Exercises - U Sounding Vowels

English Pronunciation Exercises - U Sounding Vowels The following series of pronunciation exercises combines words beginning with the same consonant sound followed by similar vowel sounds. Voiced and voiceless consonants are paired (b - voiced / p - voiceless, d - voiced / t - voiceless, etc.) to help students compare and contrast similar consonant formation.   Repeat each line slowly, listen for the minor differences between the vowel and consonant sounds.Repeat each line three times. Each time repeat more quickly trying to keep the sounds distinct.Find a partner and listen to each other repeat the lines.Try to invent sentences using each sound at least once. For example, The butcher put on his boots but he forgot his hat.   Dont worry too much about the sentence making much sense! long uh as in put short uh as in up oo as in shoe butcher but boot put pup poof! duh duck do Tokay tough tooth good gulp Google cook cup cool soot supper suit Zeus Wazup? zoom shook shut shoot jut jump June churn Chuck choose hook hub who Sentences to Practice with Minimal U Sounds B - The butcher wanted to cook, but he forgot to wear the right boots. P - My teacher put the pup into the magic circle and it went poof! D - Duh! I shouldnt have let the duck do the dishes this evening. T - If you think the Tokay was OK, youll find the Chardonnay tough on the tooth. G - Just gulp your beer, and youll be good enough to Google the answers on the quiz. C - The wonderful cook cooled the cup of tomato soup before he served it.   S - The man walked in and shook the soot off of his suit before he sat to supper.   Z - Zeus said wazup to Thor as he zoomed through the Greek heavens.   SH - The boy wanted to shoot the kid who had shook him and told him to shut up. J - He jut his chin out and jumped into the air on a beautiful day in June. CH - Chuck told the students that they should choose carefully, and not churn through the mess. H - Janes mom, who was the hub of gossip in town, hooked everyone into something.    Vowel Sounds eh - as in let, ih - as in hit, ee - as in see, and ae- as in catlong ah - as in car, short ah - as in gotlong uh - as in put, short uh - as in up, oo - as in through Diphthong Sounds ay - as in day, ai - as in skyou - as in home, ow - as in mouse, oi - as in boyieh(r) - as in near, ehi(r) - as in hair

Micro Economics in the Real World Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Micro Economics in the Real World - Term Paper Example The unrestricted mobility of resources and factors of production has made the unbalanced economic performance worse as the developed countries control and regulate economic activities of the lower tier economies at their benefits (Kunz, 56). As reported by the World Bank, the economic performance of India and Germany significantly vary. This can be measured by focusing on GDP, inflation, rate of employment and poverty index. HOW THE GPD OF INDIA COMPARE TO THAT OF GERMANY Being the largest economy in Europe, Germany benefits from a pool of technically gifted labour force, hence her dominance in chemical and machinery industry. GDP which is the key determinant of growth and development is defined as the â€Å"the total market value of all goods and services produced in a country during a given year† The GDP of Germany has been positive over a couple of decades. However, following the 2008-2010 global financial contagion, the steady gross domestic production of Germany significa ntly declined. In the first quarter of 2012, the GDP of Germany increased by 0.5%, while in the second quarter, it increased by 0.3%. Over the same period, government and household expenditure and exports increased. On the contrary, fixed investments reported a decline in real value. Private investment and consumption fell following the Euro financial crisis. Amid the global financial and economic crisis, in 2009 Germany posted purchasing power parity (PPP) of $2.182 trillion (Oecd Economic Surveys: Germany, 23). Even during the recession, Germany’s economy recorded positive returns with its GDP ranking sixth globally. 2009 reported the worst economic performance for Germany after posting a GDP of -5%. The economic growth rate and development (2007-2009) are as graphically represented above. Over the same period (2007-2011), India’s economy posted a positive return with a 5.5% GDP in 2011 and 4.1% in 2007. A report by the KPMG’s executive in India stated,  "Whether it (GDP growth) is 5-5.5 per cent or 7-8 per cent, the most important part is that the country is still growing. If you look at the rest of the world...India is still growing at 5-5.5 per cent, it’s a slower growth but it’s a growth† (Kajal, and Moore, 67) In the first quarter of 2012, the performance of the Indian economy slipped because of decline in mining, quarrying, and manufacturing sectors. This performance was much better than that of the world’s largest economy, United States which posted an economic growth of approximately 1.5% in the gross domestic production (Oecd Economic Surveys: Germany, 87). Measured in purchasing power parity (PPP), the GDP of India was US $2.996 trillion during the 2008 financial period. In official exchange rates, this represented $1.099 trillion. The real economic growth rate for 2008-2009 was approximated to be 9%. INFLATION RATE IN GERMANY AND INDIA Inflation is the persistent rise in the general price level of goods and services in economy measured as a proportion of the base period records. Inflation is measured using the consumer price index (CPI), which is the critical indicator of inflation. It therefore represents the changes in retail prices of commodities for a specific consumer basket. It is the measure of the purchasing power of the local

Macro economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macro economics - Essay Example 9.7 %. The declined level of disposable income would result in slowing down of the consumption rate as well. Higher disposable incomes are prerequisite to boost the economy of a country. This is because higher level of disposable income facilitates to augment consumption and greater rate of consumption in turn leads to enhanced spending which is necessary for economic development (Orlik and Davis, â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption†). RETAIL SALES Chinese retail sales have been lowered to 12.7% in the first half of 2013 against the impressive rate of 14.4 % on YoY (Year-on-Year basis) in 2012 (Orlik and Davis, â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption†). ECONOMIC GROWTH Chinese economic growth also decelerated to 7.5% in the second quarter of 2013 against the previous year’s rate. Apart from the Chinese economic growth rate, this article revealed the growth rate related to the United States. The QoQ (Quarter on Quarter) annualized basis g rowth rate related to the United States came out as 6.9% in 2013 which is slightly up from the previous year’s (2012’s) growth rate i.e. 6.6%. However, this rate was far below than the government target growth rate i.e. 7.5% (Orlik and Davis, â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption†). INFRASTRUCTURE The article has revealed that the new residential properties under construction in China have grown to 2.9 % YoY basis in the first half of the year 2013. It also revealed the fact that the real estate prices in China especially in the cities such as Beijing as well as Shenzhen have grown by double-digit (Orlik and Davis, â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption†). 2. GOVERNMENT ROLE IN THE ECONOMY Government plays a vital role towards the economic development of a country. Government roles involve developing various economic policies for the country, defending the nation’s borders, operating courts and legal systems. Government pla ys an important role to regulate tax system of the country along with investing capital for developing various infrastructures within the country. Government has three major roles in the economy. Firstly, it establishes and upholds various property rights. Secondly, it offers nonmarket mechanism for allotting limited resources and thirdly it implements provisions that redistribute wealth and income (Parkin 371-372). In case of Chinese economy as well, the government has strived to take certain measures in terms of preparing economic restructuring plan through laying its focus on investment related to ensuring energy efficiency along with information technology. It has also encouraged different institutions to provide lending to the country’s smaller sized organizations (Orlik and Davis, â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption†). 3. IMPRESSIONS DERIVED FROM THE ARTICLE The article i.e. â€Å"China Falters in Effort to Boost Consumption† published in Th e Wall Street Journal provides an explanation to the latest economic developments in China. It has revealed vital facts relating to the growth rate of China with regard to various fields especially unban household. Beijing’s plan to cut focus on undependable exports also creates a hindrance to growth as urban households level of disposable incomes reduces. Initial part of the article discloses various in

Beryls Chocolate Essay Example for Free

Beryls Chocolate Essay Chocolate is a key ingredient in many foods such as milk shakes, candy bars, cookies and cereals. Chocolate is a processed delicacy made from the beans of the cocoa tree. The cocoa tree, native to the tropical Amazonian forests, is an evergreen tree of the cola family. Chocolate is a mixture of roasted cocoa, cocoa butter, and very fine sugar. Unsweetened or called bitter chocolate is available in squares and is the natural rich chocolate ground from the cocoa beans. It has a full-bodied flavor and is ideal for baking and cooking. Sweetened chocolate and chocolate with various other ingredients are also increasingly available. As we know, the type of chocolate refers to three types which is milk chocolate, plain chocolate and white chocolate. History Of Chocolate The Timeline 2000 BC, Amazon: Cocoa, from which chocolate was created, was said to have originated in the Amazon at least 4,000 years ago. Sixth Century AD: Chocolate, derived from the seed of the cocoa tree, was used by the Maya Culture. Maya called the cocoa tree cacahuaquchtl †¦ ‘tree’, and the word chocolate came from the Maya word xocoatl which means bitter water. 1200, Aztec Culture: The Aztecs attributed the creation of the cocoa plant to their god. In both the Mayan and Aztec cultures cocoa was the basis for a thick, cold, unsweetened drink called xocoatl†¦ believed to be a health elixir. Since sugar was unknown to the Aztecs, different spices were used to add flavor, even hot chili peppers and corn meal were used! Aztecs believed that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the cocoa tree, and it had nourishing, fortifying, and even aphrodisiac qualities. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma drank thick chocolate dyed red. The drink was so prestigious that it was served in golden goblets that were thrown away after only one use. 1502, Columbus landed in Nicaragua: On his fourth voyage to America, Columbus landed in what is now called Nicaragua. He was the first European to discover cocoa beans being used as currency, and to make a drink, as in the Aztec culture. 1513, A slave was bought for Beans: Hernando de Oviedo y Valdez reported that he bought a slave for 100 cocoa beans. It was at this time, the name of the drink changed to chocolatl from the Mayan word xocoatl and the Aztec word for water, or warm liquid. 1519, Hernando Cortez began a Plantation: Hernando Cortez conquered part of Mexico had a vision of converting the beans to golden doubloons. While he was fascinated with Aztecs bitter, spicy beverage [he didn’t like the cocoa drink], he was much intrigued by the beans’ value as currency. Later, Cortez established a cocoa plantation in the name of Spain. 1528, Chocolate Arrived in Spain: Cortes presented the Spanish King, Charles V with cocoa beans from the New World and the necessary tools for its preparation. And no doubt Cortes taught him how to make Chocolate. 1544, Dominican Friars Got into the Swing: Dominican friars brought a delegation of Mayans to meet Philip. Spanish monks, who had been consigned to process the cocoa beans, finally let the secret out. It did not take long before chocolate was acclaimed throughout Europe as a delicious, health-giving food. The beans were still used as currency. 200 beans bought a turkey cock. 100 beans was the daily wage of porter, and would buy a hen turkey or a rabbit. 3 beans could be traded for a turkey egg, a new avocado, or a fish wrapped in maize husks. 1 bean bought a ripe avocado or tomato. 1657, even London succumbs: Londons first chocolate shop was opened by a Frenchman. London Chocolate Houses became the trendy meeting places where the elite London society savored their new luxury. The first chocolate house opened in London advertising this excellent West India drink. 1674, Eating solid Chocolate was introduced in the form of chocolate rolls and cakes, served in chocolate emporiums. 1704, The Germans imposed a Tax on Chocolate: Chocolate made its appearance in Germany, and Frederick I of Prussia reacted by imposing a tax. Anyone wishing to pay homage to its pleasures had to pay two thalers for a permit. 1765, First Chocolate factory in the USA: The production of chocolate proceeded at a faster pace than anywhere else in the world. It was in pre-revolutionary New England. 1800, Chocolate was an Industry: Antoine Brutus Menier built the first industrial manufacturing facility for chocolate. 1819, the pioneer of Swiss chocolate-making, Francois Louis Callier, opened the first Swiss chocolate factory. 1828, The Cocoa Press was invented by Conrad Van Houten: The Press helped to improve the quality of the beverage by squeezing out part of the cocoa butter. Drinking chocolate had a smooth consistency and a more pleasing taste. 1830, The Drink Became a Confection: Solid eating chocolate was developed by J. S. Fry and Sons, a British chocolate maker. 1849, Cadbury Brothers Exhibited Chocolate: The exhibition was at Bingley Hall at Birmingham, England. 1851, Marked a First for Americans: Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert orchestrated The Exposition in London. It was the first time citizens of the United States were introduced to bonbons, chocolate creams, hard candies (called boiled sweets), and caramels. 1875, Milk Chocolate Came of Age: After eight years of experimentation, Daniel Peter from Switzerland put the first milk chocolate on the market. 1879, Chocolate Literally Melts in Your Mouth: Rodolphe Lindt of Berne, Switzerland, invented conching, a means of heating and rolling chocolate to refine it. After chocolate has been conched for 72 hours and more cocoa butter added to it, chocolate became fondant and melted in mouth! 1913, A new Star is Born: Jules Sechaud of Montreux of Switzerland introduced the process for filling chocolates. 1923, The CMA was established: The Chocolate Manufacturers Association of the United States of America (CMA) was organized. 1925, Cocoa is Big Business: The New York Cocoa Exchange, located at the World Trade Center, was begun so that buyers and sellers could get together for transactions. 1938, World War II: The U. S. government recognized chocolates role in the Allied Armed Forces. It allocated valuable shipping space for the importation of cocoa beans which would give many weary soldiers the strength to carry. Today, the U. S. Army D-rations include three 4-ounce chocolate bars. Chocolate has even been taken into space as part of the diet of U. S. astronauts.

Dangerous Abortion Laws Essay -- essays papers

Dangerous Abortion Laws Does the sovereignty of a minor’s body also belong to their legal guardians and mainstream societies views of morality? The only answer to this question is absolutely not. Currently 28 states in the U.S. require parental consent or notification in order for a minor to receive abortion services.(Net 3) This is not a federally mandated law, but if the right-wing religious groups get their way it will become just that.(Net 3) Requiring parental involvement in a minor’s decision to abort is unacceptable due to; personal choice, birth control, and health risk, issues. Although a judicial bypass can over-rule a parental involvement law, a minor must prove either extenuating circumstances or her maturity in this decision.(Net 4) It must be understood that this bypass is not nor will it ever be, an antidote for the terrible consequences a parental involvement law can hold towards a minor. When a minor applies for a judicial bypass a multitude of sources may influence the judge’s ruling. That is if the judge chooses to hear her case. Amongst these influences lurk variants of all kinds. Variants that may encumber the minor’s chances of having her petition approved may include: There are no set guidelines for a judge to follow, therefore personal discretion, bias, religion, and or opinions, may sway the judge to a truly unfair decision.(Net 4) When ruling on a minor’s level of maturity no set criteria designates a judges determinate factors. Having to go through the legal system can prolong a young women’s pregnancy, which in turn increases cost, health risks, and emotional strain. The judicial system is an intimidating infrastructure for most adults.(Net 4) Therefore it imposes a frightening experience for a minor who has already taken so much upon herself in order to obtain an abortion. A severe drawback to judicial bypass is there is absolutely no guarantee of privacy.(Net 4) An excellent example of this occurs quite frequently in small close-knit towns where parental involvement laws are strictly enforced, and shot-gun weddings are used as an alternative to abortion. Judges who handle these situations are often local elected officials,so their decisions may be altered for campaign purposes.(Net 4) In local municipal courts a minor chances of being recognized by someone is all too likely. So a minor’s chances of having her ... ...ential abortion are logically the same as birth control dipensation. 3. Dangerous health risks make laws that may force teens to endure more than they choose or are able to, therefore such laws are never appropriate. Cons: 1. Judicial bypass can make parental involvement laws more feasible. 2. Possible side effects. Bibliography: Work Citation Page 1. Barans, T. â€Å"Women’s Reproductive Self-Determination.† Pro-choice Right to Abortion. (www.wordwiz72.com/choice.html) *(Net 1) 2. Harris R, Yvette. â€Å"Adolescent Abortion.† Society. July-Aug.1997 v34. p20-22. *(Mag 1) 3. â€Å"Health Risks.† March of the Dimes Foundation. (www.noah.cuny.edu/pregnancy/march_of_dimes/pre_preg.plan /teenfact.html) *(Net 2) 4. â€Å"Judicial Bypass.† (www.prochoice.about.com/newsissues/prochoice/msub12.htm) *(Net 4) 5. â€Å"Parental Consent for FamilyPlanning.† APHA Fact Sheet. (www.apha.org/legislative/factsheets/fs10.htm) *(Net 3) 6. â€Å"Republican leaders vow to take quick action on Child Custody Protection Act.† National Right to Life News. June 9,1998. v25. p1. *(Mag 2)

Consumer Resistance to Innovations

Consumer resistance to innovations: the marketing problem and its solutions This article describes the major barriers which create customer resistance to innovations. This understanding is important because of the high rate of new product failure. A major cause for this is consumer resistance, although consumers are pro-innovation. It’s a normal, instinctive response of customers. This article suggests marketing strategies to overcome these barriers. Innovation resistance can appear in customers because it disrupts their established routines and they can be happy with the current status quo.The higher the discontinuity of an innovation, the higher the resistance is likely to be. Also, consumers have their own belief structure. An innovation can conflict with this which can results in resistance. There are various characteristics of innovation resistance. First, there are different groups regarding to the timing of adoption of an innovation (Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Ma jority, Late Majority and Laggards). Second, resistance varies in degree; (1) inertia (they may feel disinclined to adopt the innovation), (2) active resistance, (3) very active resistance.Third, resistance is influenced by the degree of change/discontinuity and/ or the extent to which it conflicts with consumer’s belief structure. There are two kinds of barriers which create consumer resistance. The article gives some explanation how to undo these barriers: 1. Functional barriers Usage barrier: the most common reason for customer resistance to an innovation is that it’s not compatible with existing workflows, practices or habits. The more existing habits have to change, the more the resistance will be. UNDO: develop a systems perspective to market the innovation.The innovating firm has to estimate how its new product will fit into the existing system, by looking at the whole operation. A second strategy is to integrate the innovation into the preceding activity or pro duct. Finally, overcome usage barriers by making the innovation mandatory through government legislation: lawmakers have to say they are convinced that customers will benefit from the innovation. Value barrier: there has to be a good performance-to-price value compared with product substitutes, otherwise there is no incentive for customers to change.UNDO: provide significant performance value over existing alternatives. Second, reduce the manufacturing costs of the innovation and decrease the price of the product. Third, add value to the innovation by successful positioning the product. Risk barrier: every innovation can have potential side effects that cannot be anticipated. Customers will try to postpone the innovation until they can learn more about is. There are 4 main types of risk inherent in an innovation. (1) physical risk: harm to person or property (2) economic risk: the higher the cost, the higher the perceived economic risk. 3) functional risk: customers can worry that t he innovation may not work properly because it’s not been fully tested. (4) social risk: customers can feel scared to face peer ridicule when they adopt the innovation. UNDO: Offer the innovation on a trial basis to potential customers. Second, show testimonials from experts who objectively evaluate the innovation. Third, package the innovation under a well-known name. 2. Psychological barriers Traditional barrier: innovations can create a cultural change for the customer. The more the customer deviate from traditions, the more resistance there can be.UNDO: understand and respect cultural traditions. Second, educate customers/market education. Third, use change agents. Once industry leaders adopt the innovation, the rest will do the same. Image barrier: this is a perceptual problem that arises out of stereotyped thinking. If associations the product class or where its manufactured is unfavorable, there can be created a barrier to adoption. UNDO: Suggest to people that its sil ly to carry such stereotypes and make fun of the image. Second, create a unique image for the product of service (for example using a cowboy theme).Third, associate the innovation with someone/something with a positive public image. Each of these strategies for countering the barrier for innovation may be classified into one of the five types: product strategy, communication strategy, pricing strategy, market strategy and coping strategy. The answer to successful innovation lies in understanding the causes of resistance and cope with these causes. S. Ram & Jagdish N. Sheth (1989) â€Å"Consumer resistance to innovations: the marketing problem and its solutions†, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 6 Iss: 2; pp. 5-14

Native American Literature Essay

Native American literature is made up of two different types of literature, the oral traditions and the newer written traditions. From these two types are many different styles that make up the many different tribes of the Native American culture. Storytelling has long been an important aspect of all Native American cultures. It is through storytelling that the Native Americans are able to pass down their traditions and cultural identities. Oral traditions as well as the newer written traditions play an important part in understanding the cultural make-up of a tribe as well as establishing the historical significances of each individual tribe. The oral traditions of a tribe provided the heritage and memories of the tribe. It contained the actions, behaviors, relationships, and practices that encompass the social, economic, and spiritual identities of the people. These stories were related to each generation, keeping intact the beliefs and important aspects of the tribe. Storytellers learn their stories from other storytellers and from experience. Their stories change with the speaker and with time and with circumstance. Each story is told from a subject-position which affects the telling of the story (Leen, 1995). Storytelling is an event in which the people gather and information is shared through orations for both social and educational purposes. The same tale told in different tribes will be significantly different because each tale contains the important beliefs and stylistic differences of the individual tribe. An example of this can be found in the Trickster tales. Throughout just the Plains Indians, the Trickster takes many forms, such as the spider for the Dakota tribe or the coyote for the Kiawa tribe. However, the story or the moral of these stories is often the same, serving to teach or provide information necessary to keep the beliefs of the tribe intact. Oral traditions of storytelling change not only from tribe to tribe but also from generation to generation. Each storyteller will alter or change pieces of the traditional story to allow the stories to continue to captivate and entertain the audience. It is important that each story be relatable to the generation in which it is being told so that the information and histories found within the story will be considered relevant and be remembered. In John Roger’s Return to White Earth he speaks of his mother relating a story to him and his siblings. He writes, â€Å"As Mother talked, we children forgot all about what we were so eager to hear†¦ We listened eagerly to know what would happen next in the story. † (Return to White Earth, p. 56). That movement of stories through generations and the evolving of stories over time thread all the individuals’ experiences together to weave a shared identity. Trying to capture the essence of the oral tradition in written form is a near impossible task. Vizenor tells us, â€Å"Some of these diverse oral narratives have been translated and of course, is that written translation, even when the languages are similar, is not a representation of oral performances, and even the best translations are scriptural reductions of the rich oral nuances† (Native American Literature, 1995, p. 6). It is impossible to recreate the emotional and visual aspects associated with the oral storytelling of the American Indian. When the oral traditions were first written, the white man was usually writing these tales through an interpreter. These written works lost much of their meaning through the translation. Even though the white man had begun to recognize the historical importance of the oral tales of the Native American, they still often viewed them as primitive. With the inability of the white writer to fully understand the traditions, heritage, or social morality found within the tale, many oral traditions were presented as being silly or incredible tales told by an uneducated people. Luther Standing Bear wrote: White men who have tried to write stories about the Indian have either foisted on the public some bloodcurdling , impossible â€Å"thriller†; or if they have been in sympathy with the Indian, have written from knowledge which was not accurate and reliable. No one is able to understand the Indian race like an Indian (My People, The Sioux, p. 33). The definition of Native American literature is closely tied to what people think constitutes the essence of Native American identity. Three views stand out in this highly contested debate: those of legal bloodlines, cultural traditions, and bicultural production. According to the Annenberg Foundation, Native American literature, then: Would be those works written by someone who legally is Native American, regardless of their content or style. A second perspective links Native American identity and literature with the preservation of cultural traditions. Literary critics who rely on this view focus on aspects of â€Å"traditional† Indian culture in contemporary American Indian literature, such as the continuance of oral traditions. A third trend in Native American studies defines American Indian identity and literature not in terms of what it preserves (whether it be blood or culture), but rather as a bicultural mixture of Native and European American people and traditions (Native Voices, 2013). Luther Standing Bear believes that the only true knowledge about Native American’s lives, beliefs, and cultures must come from Native Americans immersed in cultural traditions. He says: The American Indian has been written by hundreds of authors of white blood or possibly by an Indian of mixed blood who has spent the greater part of his life away from a reservation. These are not in a position to write accurately about the struggles and disappointments of the Indian (My People, The Sioux, p. 33). Some Native Americans have argued that since their indigenous cultures have always assimilated aspects of other cultures, even aspects of other Native American cultures, to be Indian is to be bicultural, or multi-cultural. Many American Indians define themselves not primarily as â€Å"Native Americans† but as members of a specific tribe, each with their own separate history and culture, yet still very much Native American. There is a strong belief that the Native American culture is disappearing, being replaced by aspects of other cultures, particularly those of the white man. N. Scott Momaday reflects: Now that I can have her only in memory, I see my grandmother in the several postures that were and hope, having seen many things†¦ I do not speak Kiowa, and I never understood her prayers, but there was something inherently sad in the sound (The Way to Rainy Mountain, p. 63). Even though he relates strongly to his Native American ancestry, Momaday admits that aspects of his own tribe are already lost to him. The Native American literary tradition has multiple layers, encompassing the historical traditions of old while addressing the struggles and inaccuracies found today. Le Anne Howe best addresses the struggles of the Native American to find their place in the literary world as well as the struggle to maintain their own cultural identity within a society that sees them as the minority. She quotes Edward Galeano saying, â€Å"Throughout America, from north to south, the dominant culture acknowledges Indians as objects of study, but denies them as subjects of history. Indians have folklore, not culture, they practice superstitions, not religion, they speak dialects, not languages, they make crafts not arts†¦ † (Mocassins Don’t Have High Heels, p. 202). It is through these thoughts that today’s Native American writers try establish understanding of their people through their works while trying to maintain the cultural traditions of their history, passing them on for the next generations. References Annenberg Foundation. (2013). Native Voices. http://www. learner. org/amerpass/unit01/pdf/unit01ig. pdf retrieved August 19, 2013 Howe, Le Anne. (1995). Moccasins Don’t Have High Heels. Native American Literature. A Brief Introduction and anthology. New York, NY: Addison-Wesley p. 199 Leen, M. (1995). An art of saying: Joy Harjo’s poetry and the survival of storytelling. American Indian Quarterly,19(1),http://search. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=lkh&AN=9508220366&site=ehost-live retrieved August 19, 2013 Luther Standing Bear, (1928) My People, The Sioux. Native American Literature. A Brief Introduction and anthology. New York, NY: Addison-Wesley p. 33 Momaday, N. Scott. (1969). The Way to Rainy Mountain.

What features of Cloudstreet contribute to its textual integrity Essay Example

What features of Cloudstreet contribute to its textual integrity Essay Example What features of Cloudstreet contribute to its textual integrity Essay What features of Cloudstreet contribute to its textual integrity Essay Essay Topic: Literature True Grit Cloudstreet, written by Tim Winton, has all the requirements and qualities of a text with textual integrity. Textual integrity consists of structure, form and language which create a meaning. Cloudstreet is a family saga which employs a generally linear and sometimes circular structure. It meets the criteria of a saga in two ways. Firstly, it takes place over 4 generations, and even though the oldest generation is only embodied through memories and dreams it does help the narrative achieve resolution by bringing the reader closer to the Cloudstreet characters. Secondly the novel takes place over 25 years and speaks of events that actually took place in the time the novel was set; WWII, Nedlands Murders. Through Wintons use of chapters and sub headings the readers do not notice time passing but the important details instead. The structure is mostly linear but there are times which incorporate flashbacks or are in dream-mode. These modes are important for the reader to fully understand each character and their way of thinking. It is important that past events be recognised as they are an essential part of the story. Such is when Quick is out shooting roos and Fish comes to him in a Harvey oranges box with tomato stakes for oars. Across the still waters of the sunburnt crop wherein lies Quick Lamb breathing without help He took my bloody dog (page 201). This shows that the water essence is always with each character. The fact that the house was originally inhabited by Indigenous girls who subsequently were abused, helps the reader to understand why Spiritual Fish hears the house breathing and crying and how he talks to dark ghosts. All of Wintons characters are restless and seek meaning in a world where an explanation isnt easy to find. Their dialogue defines their class of people; the characters use idioms like carn in place of come on and the recognisable events such as the Nedlands Murders give the text, textual integrity. Winton creates viable, believable and realistic characters by using dialogue, specific language techniques and point of view. Winton uses multiple narrators; Omniscient, stream of consciousness (Fish, Oriel) and interior monologue (Rose, Lester). Its Fishs spiritual narration that lets the reader in on otherwise inaccessible information which is unattainable from the other often inarticulate characters. Inarticulateness, Australian vernacular and alcoholism, were Australian traits evident in many novels and plays written about Post-War Australia such as The Touch of Silk by Betty Roland and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler. This shows Cloudstreet was a true depiction of Post-War, poorly educated, working class, Aussie battlers and shows its viability and textual integrity. Winton enhances the textual integrity of his novel by giving the characters distinctly Australian qualities and they fit the Western Australian war time period they are placed in. The characters are all laconic and use colloquialisms such as that on page 399; Lon Lamb has taken a sickie off work Dolly is sarcastic and cynical. When Sam lost his fingers all Dolly could say was; His bloody working hand. A man could hardly pick his nose with a thumb and half a pointer. They were done for; stuffed, cactus. Thank you, Lady Luck, you rotten slut. Wintons Characters carefully chosen names evoke an image into the readers mind of what the character should be. These ideas are immediately vanquished. Take Rose, a rose is a delicate flower with fine features and a beautiful aura but Rose Pickles is a hateful woman, though beautiful she is spiteful and hard. Dolly is just like her daughter, in that she is hardened. Dolly is also an alcoholic and sex-crazed woman who spends most of her time at the pub drinking and vying for male attention. These two strong women contradict their pleasant names and also hate each other. Fish, like the creatures, observe the immeasurable depths of experience and all he can think about is the river. The surnames of the two Cloudstreet families are Pickles and Lamb. A club sandwich with so many characteristics all piled under the same roof of Cloudstreet. Cloudstreet is written using a paradox. Although Fish is intellectually disabled he is the main narrator in the book. Once favourite, who after the accident became stuck somewhere like hes half in and half out. Not all of Fish had come back and in his half state of life hes become a spiritually liberated and insightful being. His refusal to acknowledge his mothers presence is ironic because it if wasnt for her stubborn and sheer will power Fish would never have come back at all. Winton uses symbolism and themes (the black man, house and river) as a central part of Cloudstreet, especially the river. All the major life changing events take place at the river; Fish drowns then gets brought back to life, Rose and Quick acquaint themselves, Quick and his mother open up to each other and then finally Fish dies there. The setting has been given life by Winton as he explores Australia. He uses personification to show a connectedness between humanity and the land. He also uses personification when he writes about the house that moans and groans with the lost souls of the indigenous Australians. The house along with the river is the place where everything starts and finishes (circular structure). The house brings the two families together and its the place where the two families really are brought together when Quick and Rose make love to each other and Dolly and Lester have sex. Fish also understands the room that nobody else can bear to enter. He hears the house crying at night and he feels its pain. Winton also in a way personifies the pig. There is no real reason for the pig except comical relief but Fish understands it, for its his spiritual side that allows this. The pig speaks in its own tongue much like the Glossolalia of Pentecost in the New Testament. Another biblical reference. Cloudstreet has many biblical over-tones such as: The Lambs are believers in the bible, Beryl, and even a sub heading, Disciples on page 247 relates to the bible. Another theme Winton explores is women and men in this time. Australia was a male centred society and the values of women were restricted to their sexuality and ability to be nurturers. Dolly and Oriel have opposing views about the men in their lives. Dolly desires the mens attention where Oriel battles through life despite men. The women are the rock in the unstable lives of their families, they shape the children, and men and make everything function while the men create predicaments and problems. Oriel and Dolly; however different their views, are the symbols of the plight of women in a manly world. Beyond Cloudstreet lies a world that is male orientated, where within the walls of their home, everything is shaped by women. The men live in their past and memories and are largely unaware of the real world around them. E. G: Lester relieves his glories at the ANZAC club. Although when an emergency arises, the men find the answers because they are spur-of-moment characters. Such is when Lester lends Sam money for his debt. The men may be good with physical encounters but they make themselves scarce for emotion catastrophes. Cloudstreet has textual integrity. It does not chop and change its ideals throughout the novel and its main themes stay the same. Everything Cloudstreet entails is true and viable. There is no doubt that Cloudstreet has textual integrity.

Learn About NASAs Pathfinder Mission to Mars

Learn About NASAs Pathfinder Mission to Mars Meet Mars Pathfinder The Mars Pathfinder was the second of NASAs low-cost planetary Discovery missions to be launched. It was an ambitious way to send a lander and a separate, remote-controlled rover to the surface of Mars and demonstrated a number of innovative, economical, and highly effective approaches to spacecraft and mission design of a planetary landing mission. One reason it was sent was to show the feasibility of low-cost landings at Mars and eventual robotic exploration.   Mars Pathfinder was launched on a Delta 7925 on December 4, 1996. The spacecraft entered the Martian atmosphere on July 4, 1997 and took atmospheric measurements as it descended. The entry vehicles heat shield slowed the craft to 400 meters per second in about 160 seconds. A 12.5-meter parachute was deployed at this time, slowing the craft to about 70 meters per second. The heat shield was released 20 seconds after parachute deployment, and the bridle, a 20-meter-long braided Kevlar tether, deployed below the spacecraft. The lander separated from the back shell and slid down to the bottom of the bridle over about 25 seconds. At an altitude of about 1.6 kilometers, the radar altimeter acquired the ground, and about 10 seconds before landing four air bags inflated in about 0.3 seconds forming a 5.2-meter-wide diameter protective ball around the lander. Four seconds later at an altitude of 98 meters the three solid rockets, mounted in the backshell, fired to slow the descent, and the bridle was cut 21.5 meters above the ground. That released the airbag-encased lander, which dropped to the ground. It bounced about 12 meters into the air, bouncing at least another 15 times and rolling before coming to rest approximately 2.5 minutes after impact and about a kilometer from the initial impact site. After landing, the airbags deflated and were retracted. Pathfinder opened its three metallic triangular solar panels (petals) 87 minutes after landing. The lander first transmitted the engineering and atmospheric science data collected during entry and landing. The imaging system obtained views of the rover and immediate surroundings and a panoramic view of the landing area. Eventually, the landers ramps were deployed and the rover rolled onto the surface.   The Sojourner Rover The Pathfinders rover Sojourner was named  in honor of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and champion of womens rights. It operated for 84 days, 12 times longer than its designed lifetime of seven days. It investigated rocks and soil in the area around the lander.   The bulk of the landers task was to support the rover by imaging rover operations and relaying data from the rover to Earth. The lander was also equipped with a meteorology station. Over 2.5 meters of solar cells on the lander petals, in combination with rechargeable batteries, powered the lander and its onboard computer. Three low-gain antennas extended from three corners of the box and a camera extended up from the center on a 0.8-meter high pop-up mast. Images were taken and experiments performed by the lander and rover until 27 September 1997 when communications were lost for unknown reasons. The landing site in the Ares Vallis region of Mars is at 19.33 N, 33.55 W. The lander has been named the Sagan Memorial Station, and it operated nearly three times its design lifetime of 30 days. Pathfinders Landing Spot The Ares Vallis region of Mars is a large flood plain near Chryse Planitia. This region is one of the largest outflow channels on Mars, the result of a huge flood (possibly an amount of water equivalent to the volume of all five Great Lakes) over a short period of time flowing into the martian northern lowlands. The Mars Pathfinder mission cost approximately $265 million including launch and operations. Development and construction of the lander cost $150 million and the rover about $25 million. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.