What I Talk About When I Talk About Carver

Document abstract : «Some might insist that Raymond Carver's short stories prove hopelessly post-modern-and that may be. However, his work remains the first that ever pulled me out of the writing into a deep pondering of the reality he creates in junction with the kind...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Raymond Carver's portrayal of a minimalist world. Carver's uses of a combination of ambiguity and familiarity . The girl: As passive as the language used to describe her. The giving away of material possessions. His 'enriched...»

My Apologies

Document abstract : «At first it seems daunting, attempting to fill four to six pages with insight pertaining to just one topic: apologies. However, as I reflect, I realize the true difficult task proves summing up the entire universe a single apology unlocks into a...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. A better writer and a better reader. Thomas Scheff's theories about an apology. Shame: The most frighteningly vulnerable sentiment . Apologizing and the multiple offenders. Conclusion....»

A Fine Balance of Potential and Kinetic Energy Establishes Relationship

Document abstract : «In Dream Work, Mary Oliver's poetry delivers a balance of potential and kinetic energy. One poem in particular, "Starfish," demonstrates that establishing clear relationships within a poem lies in regulating both passive and active language....»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The descriptive language. The use of passive verbs . The energy of the poem . Conclusion....»

Choosing Language that Avoids Sentimentality Elicits Emotional Resonance

Document abstract : «Avoiding sentimentality means writing to fight cliché and elicit emotion through originality of language. In Dig Safe, Stuart Dischell presents poetry that resonates emotionally without breeching melodrama. One poem in particular, "Children of the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Manipulating words to create an air of uncertainty . The use of dismissive language. The image of the couple kissing in the bathtub . Conclusion....»

God: Creator or Created?

Document abstract : «Ever since the Renaissance movement, when the question was finally free of its taboo status, there has been widespread and public debate among philosophers, theologians, and scientists as to the existence of God. With the exception of theologians,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The article in Time magazine: God in Our Genes. The famous twins study conducted by the University of Minnesota in 1971 . Conclusion....»

Reactions to a Life and Death

Document abstract : «The account of Jack Turner's life, as shown in William Warren Rogers Sr. and Robert David Ward's August Reckoning, demonstrates the drama that occurred in Choctaw County, Alabama in the late 1800s. Jack Turner, a well-known Republican leader and...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Making friends and enemies in the political world. The newspapers and Turner . Political reaction to Turner's lynching . Conclusion. Bibliography....»

More Than a Title

Document abstract : «Webster defines "mother" as "a female parent." While in some cases that may be all there is to a mother, more commonly, a mother has many more qualities than simply being "a female parent." One mother in particular who has an array of qualities is...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The early life of Amanda Wingfield . Her conflict with Tom. Amanda's conflict with her daughter. Feeling sorry for Laura . Conclusion. Works cited....»

The Uncovering of Granny's Disappointments

Document abstract : «Throughout "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," Katherine Anne Porter makes Granny sound like she has not done poorly for herself. In reading the first couple of paragraphs of the short story, Porter makes it known that Granny doesn't have it easy....»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. George is a heavy topic in Granny's life . A tough but kind and loving Granny. Granny's realization of her death. Conclusion: Reflecting on the displeasures in Granny's life....»

Book Report: Wise Blood

Document abstract : «The Flannery O'Connor novel, Wise Blood, is a tragic story set in the declining south. The characters of the novel, the main character, Hazel Motes, in particular, struggle with their religious identity and suffering throughout the course of the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The role played by suffering. Asa and Lily Hawks characters dealing with suffering. The major religious symbols . Conclusion....»

The Evolution of The Joy of Cooking

Document abstract : «In 1931, while most housewives were raising children and trying to maintain order and a strict budget in the Great Depression era United States, Irma von Starkloff Rombauer (1877-1962) was facing a dilemma. Following her husband's 1930 suicide, the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The first edition of The Joy of Cooking had . The evolution of the book. The second revision . The nutrition section . An entertaining section . The Joy of Cooking franchise after Marion's death . The 2006 edition of The Joy of...»

Failure of Religion in Moby Dick

Document abstract : «Herman Melville crafts Moby Dick as a microcosm of American society in the pre-Civil War era. Melville's microcosm of society is often an allegorical and ironical society in that, while his characters speak to the state of the microcosm, their words...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Ahab's similarity to Father Mapple. The visible distress of Father Mapple. The White Whale . Melville's ability to sway the minds of his crew . Conclusion....»

The Politics of Reticence and Paralysis

Document abstract : «Why are we sometimes unable to speak to others? In our societies, why are we sometimes unable to communicate - or, communicate truthfully or effectively? We are thrown into cities, let's say, teeming with unimportant people, blank faces, uncaring,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The conceit of social alienation . Connell's main character. Bridge: Alienated from the person that she. The unhappiness . Wade's failed political career. Kathy's relationship with Tony Carbo . Georgie's portrayal as acting...»

Masculine Physicians and Prescribers: Assignations for Women in Daisy Miller and "The Yellow Wall-paper"

Document abstract : «Both Henry James' Daisy Miller and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall-paper" depict male characters that are unable to understand their female counter-points. In Daisy Miller, the suitor Winterbourne fails to comprehend Daisy's true...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The role of the male as physician and prescriber in 'The Yellow Wall-paper'. His assurance that there is nothing wrong. Her 'personal' disagreement with this prescriptions. Daisy Miller' value for her independence . Winterbourne's...»

On Contemporary American Literature and Subversions of the Canon

Document abstract : «Toni Morrison's claim that "Canon debate . . . is the clash of cultures" rings true to me. This statement can be looked at in a few ways. One can look at it and say that Morrison is referring to a hypothetical debate between cultures on what works...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction: Race and canon subversion. The phallic pun in 'canon defense'. The link between phallus building and empire building . Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. American beats. Conclusion....»

A Fever and Fervor in John Donne's Elegy

Document abstract : «Donne's poem "A Fever" is an elaborate blend of narrative designs. Donne uses the venerable poetic device of elegiac stanza to express mourning for the (anticipated) death of a lover from a fever. There is an explicit surface meaning to this poem...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The aim of an elegy . The speaker's corrupting love . Conclusion....»

Ambivalence and Photography: Resistance or Exchange in Edward Said's After the Last Sky

Document abstract : «In his essay Picture Theory on the relationship between photograph and text, W.J.T. Mitchell refers to concepts he coins as the "rhetoric of resistance" and the "rhetoric of exchange and cooperation" (Mitchell, 41). The terms "rhetoric of...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The dialectic of exchange and resistance between photograph and text . The rhetoric of resistance and of exchange in 'States'. Conclusion....»

Innocence Lost: The Soldier Poets of World War I

Document abstract : «Before the Great War, "it had been almost fifty years since any major European power had attacked any similar country" (Childs 40). England did not remember what war was really like; the people knew nothing except for the romantic notion of war. ...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Wilfred Owen's poem 'Disabled'. The Latin phrase at the end . Sassoon's 'On Passing the New Menin Gate'. Conclusion. Works cited....»

A Comparison of Coleridge's "The Eolian Harp" and Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind"

Document abstract : «"The Eolian Harp" and "Ode to the West Wind," both poems by two of the most celebrated poets of their time, each fall under the category of the "greater romantic lyric," as termed by M. H. Abrams (77). Both are written in the first person and are...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The imagery used in 'The Eolian Harp' and 'Ode to the West Wind'. The images of nature. Wind as a key image. The image of the wind-harp. The concept of a universal spirit or oversoul. The differences between Coleridge and Shelley's...»

Animal Analysis: The Role of Pigs in O'Connor's "Revelation"

Document abstract : «"Despite her brief life and relatively modest output, [Flannery O'Connor's] work is regarded as among the most distinguished American fiction of the mid-twentieth century," writes Michael Meyer, author of The Compact Bedford Introduction to...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The Compact Bedford definition of a character . The pigs: Characters and antagonists. Mrs. Turpin's trouble comprehending how she is like a hog. Conclusion....»

Two Common Purposes of American Literature

Document abstract : «Two common purposes of early American literature are didacticism and introspection, and a minor purpose is entertainment. Most works written in this time period fulfill one of these purposes, and many fulfill more than one. Works from Franklin,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The 18th century Neoclassical period. The Romantic period of the 19th century. Poe's short stories. Conclusion....»

GRE Practice Essay: Evaluating Arguments

Document abstract : «"We need to increase the funding for the movie Working Title by 10% in order to ensure a quality product. As you know, we are working with a first-time director, whose only previous experience has been shooting commercials for a shampoo company....»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The fact that the assistant directors and producers are relatively inexperienced . Conclusion....»

Feminism in Ibsen's A Doll's House

Document abstract : «According to Joan Templeton, author of Ibsen's Women, Ibsen's inspiration for Nora in A Doll's House came from a family friend, Laura Peterson Kieler, also a writer (135). Kieler, the "real-life Nora," likewise borrowed money for her husband, who...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Debate about A Doll's House. Ibsen's support for feminism. Critics' refusal to accept Ibsen as a feminist . His concern with 'the woman question'. Torvald's treatment of Nora . Nora and the stereotype of women as helpless, weak,...»

Transcendentalist Theory in Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"

Document abstract : «Walt Whitman, a well-known Transcendentalist, believed that humans are an intrinsic part of nature and that they share in an intimate relationship. His poem "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" illustrates communion with the natural world, which...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The definite rhythm of the poem. The use of the diction of the poem to develop his theme. Other patterns of sound in the poem. Conclusion....»

The Futurist Movement and its Impact on Book Design

Document abstract : «Futurism (1909-1944), which actually owes its inception to poetry, was the first major art movement of the 20th century. It encompassed not only nearly every form of creative expression, including practical arts like architecture, advertising, and...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction . Italian futurism. Italian futurist books. Russian futurism. Russian futurist books. Conclusion. Works cited....»

How to Start and Run a Small Book Publishing Company by Peter I. Hupalo

Document abstract : «The author of this book, Peter Hupalo, self-published his first book, Thinking Like An Entrepreneur in 1999, thus beginning his company, HCM Publishing. This book appears to be the second book he has self-published, though he does not mention how...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The book. The begining of the book. The pricing section . The brief section on sales tax . Methods of inventory accounting . The next to last section: Record keeping. Conclusion....»

Mother Jones Magazine

Document abstract : «Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting founder Jeff Cohen once said, "If it's in the New York Times today, it was probably in Mother Jones six months ago" (4). Contrary to what one might believe, the staff at Mother Jones thoroughly enjoy their status...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Namesake. History. Humble beginnings. The first few years. The 1980s. The 1990s. Current. Website. Works cited....»

Travel Magazines: What Readers Want

Document abstract : «The retail industry is flooded with products and services, all vying for market share and revenue. In order to succeed, the different firms must carefully understand and analyze the market they are in. They must ask questions about their rivals...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Target audience. American Express Publishing's Travel + Leisure. The difference between NGT and Travel + Leisure. Conclusion....»

Towards New Grand Narratives in Postmodern Fiction

Document abstract : «In Niel Brügger's essay "What about the Postmodern?" Brügger relates Lyotard's idea of the narrative of emancipation, writing that "[in such narratives] it is not only important to legitimate denotative statements, which fall into the sphere of...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. DeLillo's White Noise and its resemblance to Lyotard's emancipation narrative . Jack and Murray's style of speech . The hyperreferential style of life . DeLillo's structuring of the narrative. The naming of the time for which intimacy...»

Some Narratological Moves and Their Effect in End of Alice

Document abstract : «Let it be known that in End of Alice there is no ANP, only an ENP, and the ENP is the time during which Chappy is imprisoned. The "prison" time moves forward steadily and occasionally will jump backward in an analepsis to, roughly, two points in the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Chappy's projections about the Correspondent. What is real and what is not real . The Correspondent narrative ENP. Another subnarrative about the Correspondent . The Correspondent ENP and the girl's home life. The Correspondent's...»

The Trip Turns Dark: From Abbey Road to Paranoid

Document abstract : «From the summer of 1967 through 1969, rock-and-roll floated on a cloud of acid and love. The formerly mop-topped teen idols the Beatles did not miss the magic bus, first dabbling in psychedelia on 1965's Rubber Soul. The Fab Four continued to...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The Beatles and being challenged by Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. Black Sabbath's body of work. The darkness of their decaying blue-collar town . Conclusion. Works cited....»

Applying Richards' Relational Theory of Value to Animal Rights

Document abstract : «The debate concerning the rights of animals has mostly been confined to assertions of absolute moral value. Before Peter Singer, nearly all philosophers declared animals inherently devoid of rights on various grounds. Traditional religious...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The moral dispute over the rights of nonhuman animals. The arguments against the rights of animals . The arguments for factory farming . Conclusion. Works cited....»

Tarleton, GA: Dead or Alive?

Document abstract : «For those caught up in the Southern Myth, antebellum southernmost Georgia is a lot like Heaven. F. Scott Fitzgerald follows a Confederate dreamer to the North and back home to Tarleton, Georgia, in his short story "The Ice Palace." The Southern...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The Tarleton of 'The Ice Palace' and 'The Last of the Belles'. The acting of Sally Carrol and Ailie . The South to which Sally Carrol and Ailie's roles belong . Conclusion. Works cited....»

The Church's Grasp: Captivity in Joyce's Dubliners

Document abstract : «It is easy to recognize when one is held captive by the unfamiliar, but the crippling effect of familiar forces is not so easily realized. Throughout American captivity narratives, typically female Anglo-Americans are ensnared by Native Americans,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The character of Joyce. The Catholic Church's controle of the boy. The story of Father Flynn and his young companion . Conclusion. Works cited....»

Love: Better Lost or Unfulfilled?

Document abstract : «While unrequited love is typically viewed as among the most torturous emotions one can imagine, when compared to experiencing the decay of a once fulfilled, true love, the ever-longing heart may have its merits. Thomas Hardy's "Neutral Tones"...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The visions and the faces of the narrators' loved ones. The tragic outcomes of the two narrators' relationships. Conclusion. Works cited....»

The Call of the Orient for Joyce's Dubliners

Document abstract : «When the body is unable to physically escape from the familiar, the mind will journey to the land of the "other," the unknown that promises relief from everyday, prosaic existence. For the captives of Dublin in Joyce's Dubliners, the paralyzing...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introdcution. The Dublin of 'The Sisters' and 'A Little Cloud'. The hopelessness of the city shared by Little Chandler and the boy . Little Chandler's vicarious trip around the world. Conclusion. Works cited....»

Masking the Profound: Yeats and Nietzsche's Masks

Document abstract : «Though it is impossible to measure the degree of influence that the work of Friedrich Nietzsche had upon William Butler Yeats, a definite change in Yeats' poetry occurred soon after the point in which the Irishman received a copy of Thus Spake...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The poet of 'Adam's Curse' and 'philosophers and friends'. Types of nobleness exemplified in Helen according to Nietzsche. The decline of the other lover. Yeats suggestion that he may be leaving Nietzsche's masks behind in 'A...»

Selling Books in a Niche Market: Boys' Love Manga

Document abstract : «Marketing is a crucial element of any successful publishing enterprise, especially for a book that is intended for a niche market. When the target audience is small, it is infinitely more important to market the books strategically. Otherwise, a...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The yaoi genre of manga . Manga books . The usual trim size. Publishing manga . The target audience . The woman and the stereotype that older people are afraid of new things. Some interesting marketing issues. Selling comics containing...»

Consequences of the Encounter

Document abstract : «When the Europeans first made contact with the natives of the Americas, religion played a large part in the encounter. The two groups underwent many stages such as native destruction, native conversion, and the suppression of native voices. In this...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Las Casas: A thorough account of European violence against the natives . The encounter between the Spanish and the natives . The tension between the Europeans and the Native Americans . Conclusion....»

Pīthās: The Seats of the Goddess And Their Hindu and Buddhist Connections

Document abstract : «In India, there are many cities and other sites that are considered especially sacred to the Goddess and her devotees. These places are called pīthās. Pīthās provide unique insight into Goddess worship and what the Goddess; the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Pithas for beginners. What the Pithas mean. Pithas as actual places. Who let the Buddha in?. The tantric connection. Review and concluding remarks....»

A Study On Literature on Vampires

Document abstract : «This paper will deal with immortality and the fear of death as embodied in the vampire: its construction, its body, and its pop culture eminence. The impetus for this line of thought began with our reading of White Noise, where Jack and his wife are...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Mere modernity cannot kill: The construction of the vampire. The journal of Jonathan Harker. The birth of the vampire as a popular icons. The role of the unnatural character of the new Capitalist system . I may be dead, but I'm still...»

The House Behind the Cedars: A Summary

Document abstract : «The Charles Chesnutt novel, The House Behind the Cedars, is the tale of a young woman of mixed race trying to make it in the antebellum South. She ultimately fails, dying mere months after an unsuccessful romance with a white man. Chesnutt's views...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The character of George Tryon . Speaking through other characters to shed some light on the case . Speaking out in opposition to black rights and interracial marriage. Conclusion....»

The Dharmaraja Ratha

Document abstract : «The temple site of Mamallapuram contains many impressive examples of mostly unfinished south Indian architecture. The Dharmaraja ratha is one of the better, if not just bigger, examples. It's unfinished as well, but the telltale signs of South India...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The plan of the temple. The temple's details of elevation. The reason behind the placement of the superstructure. Conclusion....»

Comparative Study: The Awakening and The Beloved

Document abstract : «This is a study of two books, The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Beloved by Toni Morrison. Both authors are women, and the main characters in their novels are also women. However, Chopin is writing from the nineteenth century about the nineteenth...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Mothers: Children as background vs. possessions. The attitudes of Edna and Sethe towards their children . What does the treatment of children say about the characters' gender identity? . Lovers: Wives vs. not wives. A series of...»

Comparison of Two Essays on Goddess Identity

Document abstract : «The book Seeking Mahādevī: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess, edited by Tracy Pintchman, contains ten essays dealing with the different ways Hindus construe the distinct image of Mahādevī. I will compare...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The stories that Menon records in her essay. The identity of the goddess . Seeking Mahadevi. Conclusion. Works cited....»

Transcendentalist Theory in Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"

Document abstract : «Walt Whitman, a well-known Transcendentalist, believed that humans and nature share an intimate relationship. His poem "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" illustrates this communion with the natural world. It contrasts this view with the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introductio. The patterns of stressed syllables in both halves of the poem. Using the diction of the poem to develop the theme for the reader. Whitman's uses of few rhymes . The poetic elements helping to establish the poem's tone. ...»

Essays on Jewish Culture

Document abstract : «This paper includes two essays: -A Jewish-Christian Symbiosis: The Culture of Early Ashkenaz, Ivan G. Marcus : Ashkenazic Jews living in Northern and Eastern Europe differ from Sephardic Jews from Southern Europe in their respective...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Anti Jewish persecutions . The ambivalent behaviour characteristic of the process of the differentiation between Jews and Christians. Characterization of the Jews living in Ashkenaz land . The urban acculturation as the first...»

Essays on Works by American Expaitriate Writers

Document abstract : «The first essay is a short analysis of Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises". The second essay is a critical essay treating "Action is character"- F. S. Fitzgerald. The work is discussed in relation to "The Sun Also Rises" and "Tender Is The...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The characters of The Sun Also Rises. Jake Barnes: a direct inspiration of Hemingway himself. Cohn: An almost detestable character. Jake's desperate love for Brett. The important role that sex plays. Characters that may be viewed as...»

Book Report: Romantics, Rebels & Reactionaries by Marilyn Butler

Document abstract : «Offering a precise and coherent definition of artistic movements has always been a tempting prospect for whoever seeks to make sense out of our historical and cultural background. One has to confess, that it is equally tempting to approach the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The Arts in an age of revolution: 1769-1790. Britain: Questioning the influence of its aristocracy . The emergence of discussion clubs and various societies. Writers and poets and the conservative reaction. Art for the people in the...»

The Magazine Press in Britain

Document abstract : «The British are often imagined as newspaper addicts impatiently waiting for the postman to deliver their paper on Sunday morning. Yet, it would be wrong to believe that they do not share a similar interest for the booming world of the magazine...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. An industry characterised by its dynamism and diversity. A thriving sector. A variety of publishers and publications. An overview of the different types of magazines . Women and men's magazines. TV listings. Customer...»

Unger's Views on Skepticism and Certainty

Document abstract : «Peter Unger applies a unique approach to skepticism. In his essay, "An Argument for Skepticism", he endorses the concept by insisting that if one is not a skeptic, he/she must be (more or less) dogmatic. The way in which he supports this is by...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Unger's attempts to argue in favor of skepticism . Unger's argument: Treating certainty as a sort of dogmatic attitude. Conclusion....»

Jane Eyre's Preservation of Self

Document abstract : «Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a novel that focuses heavily on the protagonist's sense of self-respect and her insistence on remaining true to her principles and standards despite all odds. One of the most fundamental aspects of Jane's character...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The most apparent changes in Rochester . Rochester's internal transformation. Rochester marrying Jane while he was still married to Bertha Mason. Jane's need to have established her independence and her own identit...»

The Presence of Walt Whitman in "A Supermarket in California"

Document abstract : «Allen Ginsberg's poem "A Supermarket in California" is a vivid depiction of the contrast between a lighted, populated American supermarket and the dark, solitary streets outside; a contrast between the youthful American generation and the aged,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Ginsberg relates to Whitman immediately: as he experiences his ?headache self-conscious? . Each person in the supermarket that Ginsberg mentions is somehow connected to another person. Ginsberg is left behind with Whitman, who in ?A Supermarket in...»

Hilary Putnam on Realism and Relativism

Document abstract : «Perhaps one of the most widely and longest-held issues that have been debated in the study of philosophy, is that of the dispute over the way in which we as humans can accurately describe the external world with regards to our everyday lives. ...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Explaining Putnam's views on realism and relativism. Putnam differing from descriptive relativism. Putnam application his theory of relativism to every property. Humans going against their natural and most innate beliefs . Turning his...»

Divine Flaws

Document abstract : «The question of whether gods are capable of being flawed has long preoccupied theologists and philosophers alike. The mythological deities of the ancient Greek pantheon possessed a myriad of humanistic attributes, including a wide range of notable...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Clear evidence that God feared the increasing power of ambitious men. God's vulnerability: Evident due to his fear of humans' worshipping a different deity. Tension in the assertion that God is vulnerable. Suggestions that God showed...»

The Road to the Good Life?

Document abstract : «Today, when people use the word stoic, they often are not referring to the philosophical tradition, but to a type of person who does not show much outward emotion, someone who is strong in the face of tragedy or pain. However, in a culture in which...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The stoics believe that people should only concern themselves with things that are up to them. Seneca's leniency on the issue of relationships. A dangerous preoccupation with the self. Conclusion....»

A Defense of the Capabilities Approach

Document abstract : «There is no country in the world where women are treated equally to men. Women are consistently fed less than men, given fewer educational opportunities, and fewer freedoms. Situations in developing countries are often more overtly detrimental to...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Nussbaum argument on an effective feminist. Nussbaum and other feminists. Nussbaum's view of the anti-Western critique . Devalue women's contributions and abilities. Nussbaum and relativism . The idea of relativism in todays...»

Butterfly or Bumblebee?: The Sting of Satire in The Importance of Being Earnest

Document abstract : «Oscar Wilde said that his play, The Importance of Being Earnest, subtitled "A Serious Comedy for Trivial People" was "written by a butterfly for butterflies" (qtd. in Stokes 115). Although this statement may be true, the subject of the play itself,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The word 'earnest'. The main characters of the play belong. The lives of the characters . The actions of the characters in the play. Lane's comment regarding the sacred Victorian institution of marriage. Prism's confusion between a...»

The Enlightenment of Sir Gawain

Document abstract : «In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is a model knight in all things material; he excels in his physical prowess as well as the arts of conversation and courtly love. Although he also exhibits outward signs of devotion and piety, his...»

Synopsis abstract : «Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Green Knight's appearance at the court of King Arthur. Gawain's spiritual education. The beheading of the Green Knight . Gawain's arrival at Sir Bertilak's castle. The use of the word 'gaze'. As in Shakespeare's...»

King Mongkut: Man, Myth, and Misrepresentation

Document abstract : «Fewer stories of a Western encounter with the "Other" have been more popular than that of the English governess Anna Leonowens and King Mongkut (Rama IV) of Siam, now Thailand. The fascination began with the two books written by Anna herself, The...»

Synopsis abstract : «The real King Mongkut . Anna claim to having been born in Carnarvon. The portrayal of King Mongkut in The King and I . The king: Not the only character to receive ill treatment at the hands of the script writers. The general untruths found in the...»

Transcending the Fallacy of the Binary Through Ambivalence

Document abstract : «A thought process that appears to be common to all humans is that of setting up binaries. It is a tendency that exists across cultures and since "the beginning of time." This may be because it is easier to define what something is not than what it...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Bauman claims: 'The gift of God was, so to speak, the knowledge of ambivalence and the skill of living in this knowledge'. Equating the flesh of humanity with sin. The Divine and the anti-Divine. The poetic language of the entire...»

Alatiel and Helen: War Caused by Beauty?

Document abstract : «Few storylines are more familiar than that of the woman so beautiful that men cannot resist her and will stop short of nothing, even murder or treachery, to possess her. The most famous of these women is of course, Helen, with "the face that...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The first evidence that Euripides' play is not going to follow the traditional account of Helen. Abrupt change in the story from its expected course. Euripides' Helen and the question of the relation of language to metaphor. The divine...»

The Problematic Third Speech of the Phaedrus and Ficino's Neoplatonic Reinterpretation

Document abstract : «There has been much scholarly debate concerning the relative merit of the three speeches in Plato's Phaedrus; the third speech, in particular, is much contested. While the first two speeches are undeniably mired in self-contradiction and...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The situating of the entire work in a numinous pastoral setting . Describing a focus on the transcendent. When intimacy is established . Love based purely on physical attraction or lust. A blatant sensualism. The description of how a...»

How (if at all) do you know that you are not a brain in a vat?

Document abstract : «Our whole life (attitudes, reactions, actions) is based on knowledge. Depending on our present state of knowledge, we are going to react to different situations in different ways, give different answers to different questions. To do that however,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Defining the 'brain in a vat' hypothesis . The causal theory, developed by Goldman. The failure of the conditional and the causal theories of knowledge . Conclusion. Bibliography....»

"Araby", James Joyce

Document abstract : «This short story was written by James Joyce who lived from 1882 to 1941; it is an extract from Dubliners, published in 1914. The book is compound with several short stories which take place in Dublin, and deal with the monotone life of some...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Characters involved in the story. Description of the author's style of writing. The chronological order in the story. Description of the important scenes in the story. Narrator as the romantic hero. The lexical fields of the text . The...»

Welfare and Ideology by Vic George and Paul Wilding

Document abstract : «Political debates are often driven by what we call ideology. Nowadays we refer to ideology as a set of values and beliefs which influence individuals, politics, groups or even societies as a whole. The "critique of existing socio-economic systems,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The Marxist point of view. Proposals centred on the creation of a socialist society. This universal provision of welfare. The feminist and environmental movements. Conclusion....»

"The Last Crusade. Religion and the politics of misdirection" Barbara Victor

Document abstract : «Barbara Victor is a journalist and a frequent lecturer on women's issues and the Middle East. She worked for CBS television for fifteen years, where she covered the Middle East. Her books include Terrorism, an account of the Lebanon war from 1975 to...»

Synopsis abstract : «The author. Summary. The Born again doctrine. How George W. Bush managed to seduce Evangelicals. The most basic belief that Evangelical or Fundamental Christians hold. The Jewish American community in the United States . The very public religiosity...»

Comment from the essay "Culture and anarchy" written by Matthew Arnold published in 1869

Document abstract : «Matthew Arnold, in his philosophical essay Culture and Anarchy, published in 1869, exposes his view of culture in a generally way, that is to say, that this view could and should be applied to any society or any group of men on the earth. He wrote...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Arnold's detailed description of the contemporary state of the world. A love of perfection. Humanism in Arnold's work. Conclusion....»

Margaret Drabble, "The Millstone": part of the « Angry Young Men » movement?

Document abstract : «Margaret Drabble is a writer who was often assimilated to what is called the 'Angry Young Men' literary movement. But, as a lot of those writers of the 1950s who were put into the same category, she never claimed being fully part of this movement -...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The book 'The Millstone'. Publication of the book. The main theme . The class confrontation in the book. Eancipation of Rosamund through her motherhood . The principal character and social confro...»

Swinging London - 1963-1967

Document abstract : «The Sixties are usually seen as a period of joy and optimism, especially in England, where they take place between two tougher periods of British history. The Fifties had indeed been quite difficult in the United Kingdom, socially and economically...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Presentation of the Swinging London culture. The importance of music. Other aspects of the mod lifestyle. A critical vision of Swinging London: Blow-Up, by Michaelo Antonioni. Conclusion. Bibliograph...»

Orwell said in an essay titled Why I write : "It is my purpose to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole." How far does Orwell achieve this in 1984 ?

Document abstract : «Let us remember that, at the end of 1936, Orwell fought for the Republicans (against Franco) in Spain, where he was wounded. We know that Orwell's 1984 (published in 1949) was given this title because the novel was written in 1948, just after the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The main characters of 1984 . The most political aspects of the book . The destruction of the links between people. Orwell's greatest achievement . Conclusion. Bibliography....»

The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison

Document abstract : «The Bluest Eye contains a number of autobiographical elements. It is set in the town where Morrison grew up (Lorain), and it is told from the point of view of a nine-year-old girl, the age Morrison would have been the year the novel takes place...»

Synopsis abstract : «Toni Morrison's biography. Autobiographical elements in The Bluest Eye. Prologue. The Dick and Jane narrative. Second part written in italics: Narration by an unnamed narrator. Autumn: Chapter 1. Theme of injustice: Being a child, being poor, being...»

The Nineteenth Century's Middle Ages: Representation of the Middle Ages through nineteenth century novels or arts

Document abstract : «Henry Adams, Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres (1913). In Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres, Henry Adams depicts several well-known monuments and old sights of France, all of which were built during the Middle Ages. In this book, published in 1913,...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Adam's belief in the expressions of buildings. The Virgin's statue. His comparison of the Virgin to earthly queens . Conclusion....»

Does multiculturalism undermine the universal conceptions of justice?

Document abstract : «The Greek philosopher Plato believed that there was a parallel world: the world of Ideas . This world represented the true knowledge with the help of concepts, the Ideas. Each Idea corresponded to something that existed in the world that we...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Promoting egalitarianism. The liberal nationalist theory. The multiculturalism versus universal conceptions of justice debate. Kymlicka's solution. Diversity of cultures: Not necessarily a weakness. Cultural exchange due to increase in...»

Does History "stop", "start", and "accelerate"?

Document abstract : «The fall of the Berlin wall symbolised the end of communism, and the victory of liberal democracy. The suddenness with which the soviet empire collapsed, without any resistance, authorised the idea that democracy was going to triumph all over the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The technical end of the twentieth century. Speculation on the new beginning with the end of the twentieth century. The structural evolutions that occurred between the Roman Empire and during the 1600's in Europe. The period between...»

The double personality in Edgar Allan Poe's tales: William Wilson and The Cask of Amontillado

Document abstract : «Edgar Allan Poe's stories often reflect some of his own personal problems. William Wilson and The Cask of Amontillado are usually classified with the label "tales of the double (or evil) personality". They reflect one of the strangest aspects of...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. The narration of William Wilson. Clues to the fact that the 'other' William Wilson had no physical existence. The representation of Wilson's life in Eton and Oxford . William Wilson and The Cask of Amontillado. Montresor: The narrator...»

Life, death and politics : A run-down of the abortion debate

Document abstract : «Few issues have fostered such controversy as has the topic of abortion. The participants in the abortion debate not only have firmly-fixed beliefs, but each group has a self-designated appellation that clearly reflects what they believe to be the...»

Synopsis abstract : «Introduction. Beginning of human life. Immorality of abortion. The religious aspect. Justifying abortion. Abortion and personal choice. Abortion and the constitution. Legal status of abortion. Conclusion....»