Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Great Sheep Debate :: essays research papers fc

The Great Sheep Debate My high school was relatively small. To put it into perspective, I graduated with eighty-six people. In my class there were the usual cliques. There were the smart kids, the athletes, the cheerleaders, the drug users, and the slackers. But somehow I didn’t fit into all of this. I wasn’t, and still am not, the smartest person in the history of the world. I’m way too clumsy to play any sports. I wasn’t the right size to be a cheerleader. I wouldn’t even consider using drugs, and I certainly am not a slacker. I was just Nikki the girl that no one liked. I just wasn’t like them. I dressed differently, and had my own opinion, and that just didn’t fly with them. Day in and day out, I saw the struggle. It happened most with the incoming freshman every year. I saw people almost killing themselves with dieting so they could fit the cheerleader mold. I saw some of the most intelligent people not apply themselves, just because it’s not â€Å"cool† to be smart. I really think that is sad. These people could really have made something of themselves, but instead they chose being â€Å"cool† over having a future. I was teased and mocked for attempting to be an individual. Even one of my teachers told me one day that I only dressed differently so I could get attention. Her saying that really made me think. Is it really so bad to not want to be a conformist sheep? Has the world really come to either being alike or being miserable? I hope not. I’ll admit to sometimes wishing I could be like them. But I know that I wouldn’t be here now if I had been. As Doris Lessing said, â€Å"It is the hardest thing in the world to maintain an individual dissident opinion, as a member of a group† (334). She also said, â€Å"the hardest thing in the world is to stand out against one’s group of peers† (334). I don’t exactly find this to be true. High school wasn’t exactly the easiest time for me, but I got by. I would have rather gone through it without friends, than to have changed whom I was just to belong. I was relatively happy just being myself. I liked wearing clothes that had color, and I liked for people to notice me. People who change to fit into a mold aren’t happy as themselves. The Great Sheep Debate :: essays research papers fc The Great Sheep Debate My high school was relatively small. To put it into perspective, I graduated with eighty-six people. In my class there were the usual cliques. There were the smart kids, the athletes, the cheerleaders, the drug users, and the slackers. But somehow I didn’t fit into all of this. I wasn’t, and still am not, the smartest person in the history of the world. I’m way too clumsy to play any sports. I wasn’t the right size to be a cheerleader. I wouldn’t even consider using drugs, and I certainly am not a slacker. I was just Nikki the girl that no one liked. I just wasn’t like them. I dressed differently, and had my own opinion, and that just didn’t fly with them. Day in and day out, I saw the struggle. It happened most with the incoming freshman every year. I saw people almost killing themselves with dieting so they could fit the cheerleader mold. I saw some of the most intelligent people not apply themselves, just because it’s not â€Å"cool† to be smart. I really think that is sad. These people could really have made something of themselves, but instead they chose being â€Å"cool† over having a future. I was teased and mocked for attempting to be an individual. Even one of my teachers told me one day that I only dressed differently so I could get attention. Her saying that really made me think. Is it really so bad to not want to be a conformist sheep? Has the world really come to either being alike or being miserable? I hope not. I’ll admit to sometimes wishing I could be like them. But I know that I wouldn’t be here now if I had been. As Doris Lessing said, â€Å"It is the hardest thing in the world to maintain an individual dissident opinion, as a member of a group† (334). She also said, â€Å"the hardest thing in the world is to stand out against one’s group of peers† (334). I don’t exactly find this to be true. High school wasn’t exactly the easiest time for me, but I got by. I would have rather gone through it without friends, than to have changed whom I was just to belong. I was relatively happy just being myself. I liked wearing clothes that had color, and I liked for people to notice me. People who change to fit into a mold aren’t happy as themselves.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Creon’s Soliloquy: A Cathartic Ending Essay

A number of scenes in â€Å"Antigone† are equally significant. These include the confrontation between Antigone and Creone, the confrontation between Creon and his son, Haemon, and the death of Haemon, which signifies the fall of Creon. However, there is one scene that cannot be omitted from the play. In fact, it is the scene that everyone awaits, when the king cries in agony for the great tragedy that happens in his kingdom. This is the final scene showing Creon’s soliloquy as he reflects upon his ill-doings and his ill fate. The scene is very sensitive. Any actor performing it cannot overdo it or underperform because doing so would lead to a different interpretation. Considering that Creon is a king, the actor cannot overdo the performance because it will destroy the characterization that Sophocles established from the very beginning. Therefore, the actor should act it out with much intense demonstrating the depth of Creon’s emotional suffering and at the same time with some poise, somewhat showing the king’s apathetic nature. Some may argue that the final scene in the play demonstrates nothing but Creon’s remorse over the deaths of his loved ones but reading between the lines will give one the perception relating to his apathy towards his wife and the tragedy that happened. His inquiry about his wife’s death illustrates his apathetic nature. As he questions the messenger, â€Å"In what wise was her self-destruction wrought?† he shows an example of a hardened man, who can accept news about the death of his wife. Similarly, the inquiry he makes could also be due to the confusion he suffers from at the moment. He is taken aback by what happened, thus unable to accept it, he suddenly becomes tongue tied, unable to express his real emotions. This may be the reason why the author chose to end the play in this way, with some degree of silence, unlike other tragic plays or movies where characters scream upon discovering the death of their loved ones. Aside from the confusion that he experiences, Creon is subdued at the end due to his status in the kingdom. Because of his reputation as a king, he cannot express his agony by screaming or weeping out loud because he is trying to conceal his shame from all who would scorn at him. In his heart, this arrogant king knows that the tragedy in his own house would cause others to ridicule or laugh at him, especially since he once ignores the prophecy of the wise old man Tiresias, who warns him of his fall before it occurs. In this consideration, the scene showing Creon’s soliloquy must be performed exactly with some blend of temperance and agony to show confusion and pride. Despite the temperance that King Creon shows in his soliloquy, the scene is very important because it signifies Creon’s purgation of remorsefulness and fear. The scene adheres to Aristotle’s requirement for catharsis (as mentioned in Matthews) because it shows that despite the cruel and malevolent behavior of Creon, he is still capable of love, self-reflection, and sorrow. From the beginning till the death of Antigone, Creon is pictured as a fierce and strong’s king, which somehow dehumanizes the character. However, at the end, as he utters his sorrow for the deaths of his son and wife, the audience realizes that behind this man is a heart that can love, a mind that can bend when his loved ones’ welfare is at stake. Even though the remorse is expressed only at the end, it is very important and cannot be omitted. Without it, people will not be pleased by the ending, because they have to experience catharsis at the end. Catharsis is achieved by the king’s pouring out of emotions, although restrained to the very end. What happens is, as the character feels sorry for his fate, the audience reacts and agrees to his penitence, making them feel the catharsis at the same time. The cathartic ending will not be complete without the element of music. To make the scene convincing to the audience, it is important to choose a dramatic melody, one that suggests requiem not only for the deaths of the mother and son but also due to the fall of the king and his death-like sadness. Also, the scene will not be complete without dimming lights, which slowly vanishes on the part of Creon as the scene ends. Work Cited   Storr, F. Trans. â€Å"Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’.† London: Harvard University Press and William Heineman, Ltd, 1912. Matthews, H. â€Å"Catharsis in Antigone.† N.d. 19 May 2009 < http://www.bishops.k12.nf.ca/english/lit3201/cathrsis.html>.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Use Hasta in Spanish in Place of Until

The preposition hasta typically means up to, until or including and references similar concepts in matters of time, measurement, location and situation. Hasta is commonly used in expressions or idiomatic phrases. Hasta Referencing Time Since hasta means until, which is a preposition that references a time element, like up to a certain time, hasta  is used. For example,  Se  suspendià ³ la exportacià ³n de  carne  hasta el dos de  septiembre, which translates to, The export of meat was suspended until September 2. A common idiomatic phrase, hasta luego, which literally means until later, is a common way of saying, See you later. Hasta Referencing Measurements When hasta is being used to mean up to, in many cases, the word is being used to describe measurements. For example, olas  de hasta  cinco  metros,  means waves up to five meters high. Hasta Referencing Location Hasta can be used to mean as far as, which far gives an indication of place and location. For  example, Viajà ³ hasta Nueva York, which translates to, He traveled as far as New York. A common idiomatic phrase, hasta  aquà ­, means to this point, another reference to a location or situation. Hasta Referencing Situation As a preposition meaning until, hasta can be used to describe a situation, such as   Todo  iba  bien  hasta  que  salieron, which translates to, Everything was going fine until they left. A common idiomatic expression,  hasta no  poder  mà ¡s, references a situation, such as until no more could be done. For an example of a sentence using the popular expression,   Comià ³ hasta no  poder  mà ¡s, means, He ate until he could eat no more. Common Idiomatic Expressions Using Hasta Expression Translation Spanish Sentence English Translation hasta aqu to this point Cmo hemos llegado hasta aqu? How did we get to this point? hasta aqu until now Hasta aqu creemos que tienes una buena idea. Until now weve believed that you had a good idea. estar hasta la coronilla (or las narices) had it up to here/sick and tired Estoy hasta la coronilla de la corrupcin. Im fed up to here with the corruption. hasta despus, hasta luego, hasta la vista see you later Fue un placer hablar contigo. Hasta la vista! It was nice talking to you. See you! hasta entonces see you then Hasta entonces, pues. In that case, see you then. hasta maana see you tomorrow Ya me voy. Hasta maana! Im leaving. Until tomorrow! hasta el da del juicio until the very end All permanecern hasta el da de juicio They will stay there until the end.