Richard Adams Writings Essays - British Films,

Richard Adams Writings Richard Adams was born in Newbury, England in May of 1920. He was the youngest of three children, a sister, Katherine, and a brother, John. (Richard had had another brother but he died at the age of three from influenza.) Richard was his father's favorite. George Adams (his dad), spent most of his time with young Richard teaching him about all the nature in the area. Richard grew up a few miles from the town of Newbury on a three acre piece of land with a house named "Oakdene." Richard's father was a doctor at the local hospital in Newbury and his mother, Lilian Rose Adams, was a nurse. Richard spent most of his childhood at home and out wandering around Newbury, enjoying its beauty. At about the age of 10, he was sent to the Horace Hill boarding school. After a few years, he was sent to another prep school, Bradfield, and at the age of 18, received a history scholarship to Oxford University. At the age of 21 he was enlisted in the British Army. Adams has produced a variety of different writings. Along with his numerous novels: Watership Down, Shardik, The Plague Dogs, The Girl in a Swing, Maia, and Traveller, Adams has also written books of short stories: The Iron Wolf and Other Stories, and The Unbroken Web. As well, he has done picture books in verse: The Tyger Voyage, and The Ship's Cat, and books on nature: Nature Through the Seasons, Nature Day and Night, and A Nature Diary. Adams' first novel, Watership Down, is about a group of rabbits who leave their home because of disaster, and go out in search of a new home. On the way, they encounter two other groups of rabbits. One group lives life with a constant knowledge that they are just food for the neighboring farmer, neglecting their own culture. The other group lives so as to never be found by man and to protect itself from predators. When, at last, a new home is found, the rabbits have to undertake a journey in order to find some females so that their colony will grow and prosper. Throughout the novel, Adams puts in various ideas and themes that are meant to make the reader think twice about their relationships with nature and themselves. This novel sets up the themes of freedom and survival, which are also found in two of his other novels, and the theme of the stupidity and cruelty of man to the earth and her creatures. The Plague Dogs, Adams' third novel, is about two dogs who escape from an animal research station and try to fend for themselves in the hills of England. Rowf, a large, black, strong mongrel who has a mean temper and who has a deathly fear of water due to the experiments performed on him. Snitter, a fox terrier who has fits and has the power to see the future because of the brain surgery performed on him in the research station. Together, they meet up with a tod (fox). The tod helps them survive while reporters follow the dogs and spread dangerous rumors of the plague, getting politics involved. The themes in this novel are similar to the ones in Watership Down: survival, freedom, and human cruelty, but added to this list is the theme of rights. In this case, the right of animals, but, in some of his other works the theme extends to those people who are less fortunate and are in awful situations. The Girl in a Swing, his fourth novel, talks about a young man, Alan Desland, who has devoted his life to the business of fine ceramics and who is completely swept off his feet by a young German woman, K?the. They get married, in Florida, after a very short courtship and return to England, where Alan returns to his business and K?the holds spellbound his friends, family, and even him, with her beauty and charm. Inside K?the, though, is a secret which Alan finds out about too late. The main theme in this novel is completely different from his other novels. Adams concentrates mostly on guilt - A guilt that K?the held inside her and eventually caused her destruction. He also explains how guilt affects those around the guilty. Adams' fifth novel, Maia, is a story about a young, beautiful girl who is thrown into slavery by her jealous mother. She makes friends with an exotic girl, Occula, who is sent on a mission from

Muslim bin al

Muslim bin al Hadith is a report of the maxims and acts of the prophet (Peace be upon him). Compilation of these reports began during the era of the prophet and continued after his death. Ahadith (plural of Hadith) are classified according to their authenticity, mode of transmission, and chain of narrators. Muslim bin-Hajjaj al-Nisaburi endeavored to collect Ahadith by establishing the authenticity of other reports (Siddiqui). He worked closely with other teachers of religion to develop an exceptional methodology of compiling AhadithAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Muslim bin al-Hajjaj al-Nisaburi and his Methodology of Compiling Hadith specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Imam Muslim was born in Nishpuri in the year 204 A.H and was brought up in a religiously minded family. That left an ineffaceable religious intuition on his mind. His parents prepared him to spend his life serving God and holding fast to righteousness. According to Siddiqui, the religious atmosphere at home helped Muslim to become a saint of high caliber. He says that Muslim acquired respect at a young age because he never indulged in backbiting, which is a common human weakness. In addition, Imam Muslim excelled because he had the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world. The main regions he visited are Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. He attended classes of some of the famous Tradition lecturers such as Harmalah b. Yahya, Ishaq b. Rahwaih, Ahmad b. Hanbal, among others, whenever he visited the regions. After finishing his studies, he travelled back to Nishapur and began teaching Traditions. Nevertheless, he maintained an interest in researching (Quran Sunnah : Saheeh Sitta†). While in Nishapur, Muslim met with Imam Bukhari and was amazed by his exceptional comprehension of Ahadith and Tradition that he attached himself to him until he passed on ( Muhammad an Sunnah.). Imam Muslim was also a disciple of another prominent Ah adith teacher Muhammad b. Yahya al. Dhuhali. Their relationship, however, did not last for long. When Imam Muhammad and UIma Bukhari differed in the belief on the subject of creation of the Holy Qur’an and the discrepancy generated into antagonism, Imam Muslim ditched Muhammad b. Yahya but remained a true supporter of Imam Bukhari (Quran Sunnah : Saheeh Sitta†). After the death of Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim resorted to compiling his Ahadith. He incorporated new insights into his mentor’s work and produced an exceptional Hadith. Some religious commentators say Imam Muslim produced highly authentic reports on the subject than most imams, including his teacher Imam Bukhari. He worked hard, collected and examined 300, 000 traditions, out of which he retained only four thousand (Muhammad an Sunnah). He, therefore, used authentic collections to produce books and treaties on his Ahadith. People still benefit from some of these collections to date. For example, â€Å"Ja mi’† of his â€Å"Sahih† still offers outstanding insight on religion (Quran Sunnah : Saheeh Sitta†). The distinctive quality has attracted immense interest on his methodology of compiling Hadith.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Imam Muslim observed several principles of the science of Hadith that Imam Bukhari, his mentor, ignored. Muslim classified his collection into three different groups: authentic (sahih), good (hasan), and weak (da’eef) information, just as Imam Bukhari. Nevertheless, he was unique because he did not incorporate both weak and good information in his final work (Siddiqui). Muslim made use of traditions that he found to be both genuine and authentic. He considered that accurate traditions must have been passed on to him by unbroken sequence of trustworthy authorities. They must have been in ideal agreement with what had been narrated by other trustworthy individuals. In addition, they must have been unanimously acknowledged to be without imperfection (Siddiqui). Moreover, Imam Muslim kept away from causing confusion when describing the sequence of narrators. He did not mention the â€Å"kunya† and in many cases avoided giving names of narrators. He applied this rule especially when dealing with Syria narrators (ShiÃÅ'„hÃÅ' £aÃÅ' 15). He also took extraordinary care to record the most accurate accounts by according the exact words of the narrators. He achieved this by pointing out even the least significant disparities in the wording of the narrators’ reports. Imam Muslim took considerable steps to connect the chain of narrators. This was helpful in eliminating confusion and recording factual encounters. He only recorded Ahadith that at least two trustworthy narrators had heard from at least two trustworthy companions. Subsequent chain of narrators has observed this principle (Siddiqui). Another key methodology was using simple language. He put a difference between the two main modes of narration: â€Å"haddathana â€Å"and â€Å"akhbarana.† These terms mean he narrated to us, and he informed us, respectively. He required the first mode to be used when the teacher is narrating the Hadith while the student is listening and the second when the student is reading before the teacher (Quran Sunnah : Saheeh Sitta†). He constantly indicated the different modes he used to collect all the traditions. Muslim bin al-Hajjaj al-Nisaburi’s early lifestyle and encounter with Imam Bukhari inspired him to compile his Ahadith with proper care. He also produced one of the best Ahadith because he was hardworking, creative, and observant. These traits helped Imam Muslim to develop better research methodologies than those of his mentor Imam Bakhari. Quran Sunnah : Saheeh Sitta. IslamiCity.com Islam The Global Muslim eCommunity . N.p., n.d . Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Muslim bin al-Hajjaj al-Nisaburi and his Methodology of Compiling Hadith specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More ShiÃÅ'„hÃÅ' £aÃÅ'„, KhaliÃÅ'„l MaÊmuÃÅ'„n. SÃÅ' £ahÃÅ' £iÃÅ'„hÃÅ' £ Muslim. al-TÃÅ' £abÊ »ah 1. ed. BayruÃÅ'„t, LubnaÃÅ'„n: DaÃÅ'„r al-MaÊ »rifah, 1994. Print. Siddiqui, Abdul Hamid . Imam Muslim. History of Scholars. N.p., n.d. Web. Muhammad an Sunnah. www.maaref-foundation.com. N.p., n.d. Web.

Discussion Questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Discussion Questions - Coursework Example Queries could be used to locate information from a database. Also, they could be used to delete information from the database especially if there is redundancy or similarity of codes and information. Lastly, queries could be used to update databases and existing body of information in a database. This is to say that all the three functions would be used and done effectively within a short time using the codes or inquiry or the query (Gupta & Sarawagi, 2006). For instance, one would locate an employee through unique identification code from the many employees. Similarly, where and when the specific information has been located within the database, the related information would be highlighted and managed or deleted according to the requirement or specific need of the user. In the same line of thought and argument, once the relevant information has been picked or selected, there is the option of update, which could be done once a user enters a change in the database. In order to effectively and properly create a database form, it is imperative to note and mention that the user need to define and articulate a bound. A bound refers to the connection that expressly links the data source to the whole database such as through queries or tables. It is important to maintain the buttons of command and controls which are required to operate the whole application process. It is a good practice and standard to create a form using the form tool. Once a user locates it, it is critical that he or she finds the navigation pane which would encompass information and details that the user wishes to view and see at the final stage of output. It is common to create a split form which means that a user would wish to see from the navigation pane. This could easily be done and accomplished by clicking on the create tab then move to the forms therefore move to the next step of more forms and finally clicking on the split forms. A split form looks more appealing

The Concept of Cultural Diversity is Society Assignment

The Concept of Cultural Diversity is Society - Assignment Example As Jane Elliott's "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" experiment teaches, there are many criteria of distinction like racism and prejudice. Racism and Classism which are inextricably tied together are the two most common criteria of conceptualization of social class. David Wellman defines racism as a "system of advantage based on race." (Wellman1977). Color is the other main criterion that determines the social class and this may well be defined as the diction made between people on the basis of the color of their skin. The power of the money that one owns also determines the social class of the person and thus we have the rich and the poor. In modern society we see the rich becoming the richer and the poor the poorer. All these elements go into the making up of the social classes. A. Two of the basic distinctions that we find in the social class system are that of race and ethnicity. These are the two major kinds of class discriminations that we face in modern society, especially in the US. Racial group and ethnic group, often considered as the same, have many similarities as well as differences. Before we make the detailed distinction between the two, let it be remembered that any kind of distinction made on the basis of race and ethnicity is the most harmful situation in the world today. The "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" experiment of Jane Elliott teaches us how important it is to rise above the barriers of such distinctions made on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, and so on. Nobody is more privileged than others on the basis of the color of the skin, the ethnic group or the particular race or class one belongs to. Let us also remember the great voice of Martin Luther King who pleaded for the racial equality of all the people. "History is cluttered with the wre ckage of nations and individuals who pursued [the] self-defeating path of hate." (Sklar 1997). There are striking similarities between racism and ethnicity. A racial group is one that is distinguished from that of other groups on the basis of some well defined and salient features of its own. This type of classification is a general categorization on the basis of color and other types of distinction. On the other hand, when we speak about an ethnic group, we are particularly identifying the distinction based on the individual cultural aspect of that community or group. The members of an ethnic group identify themselves on the basis of their descent, ancestry, and lineage. They have a distinction on the basis of the culture, religion, language and other characteristics. Thus, in the racial discrimination of the Blacks from the Whites, we see the racial group formula working out. In the case of particular ethnic group existing on its own to sideline the other cultural, national, and racial groups we find the distinction based on the individual ethnicity. The impact of these diff erences whether it is racial or ethnic begins even at a very young age. The racial caste system is a way of life that subjugates one race of the community to another. Jim Crow was such a racial caste system and under this system, the Afro-Americans were treated as the second class citizens.  

A Comparison between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Vladimir Paral’s Essay Example for Free

A Comparison between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Vladimir Paral’s Essay Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic, Crime and Punishment, and Vladimir Paral’s Lovers and Murderers describe a world of murder, dejection and profound human unhappiness. The two authors explore moral abjection and the destiny of mankind, as ruled by lust, jealousy and immoral instincts. As it shall be seen however, the two novels differ considerably in the way in which they treat the subject of crime, as well as in their point of view and the tone of the narrative. Thus, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is centered on the idea of moral ambiguity. The Russian author uses an omniscient point of view in order to recount Rodyon Raskolnikov’s experiences before and after he commits the murder. The tone of the narrative is serious and meditative, as questions of morality and justice are interspersed throughout the events and dialogues in the novel. Vladimir Paral’s Lovers and Murderers treats the theme of murder in conjunction with that of love. The narrative enters a world full of promiscuity and violence, focusing on a great number of characters and the interactions among them. Unlike Dostoevsky’s book that focuses on the portrait and experiences of the main character, Paral’s work is concerned with the plurality of voices. Moreover, the point of view shifts frequently from the omniscient narrator to the first person narrative, sometimes within the same phrase. Lovers and Murderers is a grotesque mosaic, with a discontinuous narrative and a satiric tone. While Dostoevsky’s work raises questions of morality and social justice, Paral’s novel represents the spectacle of human life with resignation. There is no ethical conclusion to Paral’s analysis of human life and character: he chooses to describe the dynamic of humanity in its bleakest and most ironic aspects. For Dostoevsky, human life is also full of coincidences and accidents. Although, the limit between right and wrong is relative, ultimately, the novel emphasizes the belief in punishment and redemption. In Paral’s novel, there is no clear delimitation between innocence and guilt: the characters are all fanatics, consumed by passions, jealousy and greedy cravings. Significantly, love and violence intermingle throughout the novel, marking the majority of the relationships among different characters. Paral shows therefore that human interaction is never completely innocent: people devour and are devoured sadistically by destructive relationships. Instead of ending in union and harmony, each affair ends in destruction and crime. In Crime and Punishment there is the possibility of salvation and the triumph of love. Lovers and Murderers shows murder to be the companion of love, with no possibility for moral cleansing. Both novels therefore analyze morality in the context of the dynamics of society, emphasizing the interactions among different characters but with different conclusions. Sin and morality are seen as paradoxes in Dostoevsky’s work, but, ultimately sins can be redeemed after having been committed. Paral’s novel illuminates the tableau of human relationships and the relativity of moral principles very differently: all the characters are fallen men and women, who abuse or are abused by others. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is concerned primarily with moral paradoxes, exemplified through the stories of various characters. The central story, that of Raskolnikov, is paradoxical. The protagonist is an extremely poor student, who struggles with his enormous debts to his landlady and with constant hunger and misery. A proud and noble character, Raskolnikov is tormented by his unjust and humiliating social standing. Despite his intelligence, he lives poorly and is constantly besieged by material concerns. As the novel opens, Raskolnikov has already developed the philosophy that would lead him to murder: he muses that there are superior men who should be able to punish others for their sins. Interestingly therefore, the murder is intended as a punishment of the mean pawnbroker, in the name of social justice. The first part of the novel captures Raskolnikov’s inner tension as he struggles to discern right from wrong. There follows the critical moment of the actual, double murder and afterwards his punishment and final redemption. The cyclical nature of his experience is symbolic: Dostoevsky points here to the paradoxes of morality. Raskolnikov’s act of murder is in itself meant as a punishment and may seem right in its context. To enhance the ambiguity however, Dostoevsky arranges for a double murder: the circumstances force the protagonist to kill Lizaveta as well, the pawnbroker’s innocent sister. The novel offers yet other instances of moral ambiguity, such as the saintly and innocent Sonia who is forced to become a prostitute in order to earn money and save her hungered family: â€Å"And then I saw, young man, I saw Katerina Ivanovna, in the same silence go up to Sonia’s little bed; she was on her knees all the evening kissing Sonia’s feet, and would not get up, and then they both fell asleep in each other’s arms †¦ together, together†¦ yes †¦ and I †¦ lay drunk† (Dostoevsky 30). Her mother in law, who had previously maltreated her, is now grateful and reverent towards the girl. Sacrifice and generosity are therefore accepted and appreciated in the novel. Her father, Marmeladov, is another example of moral equivocalness: a hopeless drunk, he is a good man who loves his family yet cannot conquer his own vice in order to save them. Marmeladov’s employer also acts generously, although he does so in vain: he offers him his job back, despite his dependence on alcohol, out of pity for his family. Throughout the novel, morality is questioned, but there is sufficient evidence of the existence of good alongside with evil. The ambiguity that Crime and Punishment describes is one of form rather than substance. In Paral’s Lovers and Murderers morality is permanently mixed with sin. Women and men, coming from the dregs of society as well as from its highest ranks, live in utter disorder and promiscuity. Innocence and guilt are neither relative nor circumstantial. Significantly, the book is divided in numerous fragments bearing two alternative titles: â€Å"Conquerors† and â€Å"Besieged†. In Paral’s vision, the world is not divided in right and wrong, but rather in abusers and abused. These basic roles are moreover easily interchangeable. The relationships seemed to be weighed on a scale, which always tips in favor of one of the partners. The relationship between Alex Serafin and Dasa is a relevant example: Alex conquers and even enslaves the rich woman but he is eventually rejected by the same woman that seemed totally dependent on him. The world of the inhabitants of building 2000 is devoid of moral principles and reasoning. The men and women are driven only by impulses of self-gratification. Their affairs are violent and each partner, either abused or abusive, derives selfish pleasure from the communion. Love is rapacious, lustful and possessive: â€Å"Love is prey and everyone longs for his own destruction – let’s not want them to expose the necks themselves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Paral 187). If Raskolnikov’s world is marked by sin and punishment, Paral’s characters pursue their own pleasure and interests without having to pay for their deeds. Raskolnikov murders the two women in his pursuit of justice, without deriving any personal gain from the deed, despite having found a considerable fortune in the ladies’ flat. In Paral’s novel, murder is only perpetrated as a crime of passion. In the case of Borek and Zita, murder is even gratuitous. The comparison between their story and that of Julien Sorel and Madame de Renal in Stendhal’s Red and Black, is extremely significant. While in Stendhal’s morality is extensively explored, Borek and Zita’s affair is devoid of any compunctions of guilt despite the fact that Zita is a married woman. The line between love and murder is very thin: one of the partners is always the hunter who chases his victim. The moment when Borek finally conquers Zita and possesses her body is very relevant. The man feels that, instead of loving thoughts he develops murderous ones, without being able to discern between the two categories anymore: â€Å"I realized I was standing there like a murderer, insane because as a murderer I could not act otherwise, even though I had come as a lover, like a murderer or a lover, insane because I no longer saw any difference† (Paral 188). If Crime and Punishment discusses moral ambiguity, Lovers and Murderers comments on the ambiguity of love and murder. Sexuality is always mixed with sadism and violence in Paral’s novel, so as to emphasize the fact that love is in fact abusive and possessive rather than disciplined and saintly. Marriage itself is a failure in the novel. An early scene in the novel points to the ultimate moral degradation of the characters. Thus, the poor working woman Madda pays a visit to Frank in his rich and sumptuous apartment. When he asks her to put on a wedding dress as part of the ritual of lovemaking, the woman muses on her previous sexual degradation: â€Å"†¦and you don’t have to apologize for madman anything, my earlier lovers wouldn’t even take my clothes off, or even their own, a white wedding dress to church; I’ve made love with the dirty strap of contemptible overalls between our bodies† (Paral 32). Ironically however, her romantic hopes are bitterly deceived by her heartless partner. Instead of offering the wedding dress as a symbol for love and purity, he uses it as part of a humiliating trick: when Madda is dressed and kneeling before him, Frank’s wife enters the room and it becomes clear that the woman was only used as amusement by the rich couple. In Paral’s world the beautiful dreams disintegrate very fast. Lovers and Murderers shows that moral choices and principles have to be settled among people and thus no intention or action is definitely pure. Raskolnikov acts in the name of a higher principles, which he sees as commanding: â€Å"I didn’t kill a human being, but a principle! I killed the principle, but I didn’t overstep, I stopped on this side†¦. I was only capable of killing† (Dostoevsky 389). Raving with a guilty conscience, Raskolnikov tries to convince himself of the moral justifications of his deed. He didn’t kill another human being, his violence was directed solely against an erroneous principle. Besides Raskolnikov, the novel abounds in generous characters. For instance, Dounia, Raskolnikov’s sister is willing to sacrifice her own happiness in a marriage she does not desire, in order to help her family. When the same Dounia is accused of trying to attract her employer and make him commit adultery, she escapes by her own generosity and nobility. Moreover, it is the employer’s wife that actually mends the girl’s reputation after having marred it, by showing the proof of her innocence to the world. There is no redemption and generosity in Paral’s novel. The characters act upon their personal interests, without considering each others’ feelings. The life that the characters lead is the life of a jungle, where there are no rules other than personal survival and gratification: â€Å"They live only for the fulfillment of their eternal appetites: like animals running free in a jungle. For pleasure alone: like the courtiers of Louis XV† (Paral 164). People are not concerned with judgments of value and with ethical principles. Paral introduces his readers to the psychological jungle of humanity, where people follow only their instincts. In Crime and Punishment, on the other hand, Dostoevsky explores sin and crime from a religious and ethical perspective. As critic Alfred Bem notes, Dostoevsky proceeds from the idea of a feeling of the original sin present in all minds: â€Å"To understand Dostoevskys thought one must allow for the presence in the human psyche of a feeling of sinfulness as such, independent of the existence of any concrete crimewhat we might call the feeling of original sin. We can assume, then, that the feeling of sin, of guilt can be present in the psyche unaccompanied by any consciousness of crime† (Bem 59). Hence comes the moral ambiguity of the characters: however saintly in their morality and character, they can succumb to sin because the seed is already planted in the human psyche. Paral’s world is also dominated by sinfulness, but, in this case, the characters lose their nobility. They are all fallen, abject people, who live by their instincts rather than by principles. Moreover, Raskolnikov performs an experiment more than an actual murder. He wants to apply his philosophical theory to reality and see its effects. Dostoevsky captures here the essence of humanity and its inherent rejection of murder. Ultimately, Raskolnikov is unable to commit his crime in complete cold bloodedness, despite the solidness of his arguments and theory: â€Å"Perhaps no work of literature presents so graphically a man testing and living, psychologically and even physiologically, a theory. Raskolnikovs theory, it will be remembered, is that crime is accompanied by sickness, by a loss of willpower and self-control, unless it is committed for sufficient reason by an ‘extraordinary man,’ in which case it is ‘no crime. ’† (Shaw 142). It is not so with Paral’s murderers: they virtually live in a jungle, where, besides instincts and passions, there is only pathos without real substance. The point of view and the tone chosen by the two authors are also relevant. Raskolnikov’s story is told objectively, from an omniscient perspective. This narrative technique does not obscure the character’s inner turmoil, however. Dostoevsky pairs his omniscience with indirect speech, a device which helps to reveal the hero’s thoughts and emotions. Raskolnikov often speaks to himself and, in this way, Dostoevsky gives us access to his unmediated reflections. For instance, he muses on his motivation for committing the murder, wavering between the feeling of guilty and the excuse he finds for his behavior: â€Å"I am putting my little brick into the happiness of all and so my heart is at peace. Ha-ha! Why have you let me slip? I only live once, I too want†¦. Ech, I am an ? sthetic louse and nothing more,’ he added suddenly, laughing like a† (Dostoevsky 389). Raskolnikov is indeed a criminal and an aesthete at the same time. While his crime is horrendous, his purpose gives it meaning to a certain extent. As Julian Connolly remarks, the way in which Dostoevsky decided to use the point of view in the novel is very significant: â€Å"Dostoyevsky had originally intended to write an account of murder from the perspective of the murderer himself. As he worked on the project in November 1865, however, he concluded that such a perspective might be too limited, so he chose an omniscient, third-person narrative mode instead. Yet traces of the original design remain: much of the novel offers direct insight into Raskolnikovs impressions and experiences. † (Connolly 144). Thus, the author’s decision to mingle omniscience and first person narrative shows that he was preoccupied to investigate the moral dimension of his characters as well as the psychological one. His technique ultimately merges psychology with philosophy. In Paral’s case, the frequent shifts of viewpoint, allow for a curious exploration of the stories from the inside and outside simultaneously. Moreover, Paral’s story is told fragmentarily, with an alternation of voices and points of view. The narrative shifts from the author to an interior monologue of one of the characters without warning, in the course of the same phrase. This provides readers with marks as to actual events and also to the thoughts of the characters at the same time. The novel features a great number of different narrative voices, as each of the characters introduced is also given a monologue. This technique enhances the novel’s mosaic structure and its grotesqueness. The characters’ interior monologues moreover show them to be egoistical and impulsive. Most of their speeches are delirious and self-centered. The tones of the two works also differ and influence the reader’s perception of the stories. Dostoevsky’s tone is serious and restrained, focusing on the events, the psychology of the main character and the numerous implications of the experiences described. Paral, on the other hand, uses irony, black humor and pathos is order to describe the events in his book. Lovers and Murderers is therefore written as a black comedy, transmitting the author purpose of satirizing humanity in its pettiness and abjection. The two novels deal with the common themes of murder and punishment, but do so in very different ways. Crime and Punishment investigates ethical, religious and psychological consequences of a crime, with an emphasis of humans’ liability to sin and moral ambiguity in the context of a society. Lovers and Murderers, on the other hand, emphasizes the human world as a grotesque spectacle, driven by the uncontrolled instincts and petty interests of men. Dostoevsky’s work analyzes and questions, while Paral’s observes and mocks. Works Cited: Alfred L. Bem, â€Å"Guilt in Crime and Punishment. † Readings on Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Ed. Tamara Johnson. Trans. Robert Louis Jackson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. 58 64. Connolly, Julian. â€Å"An Overview of ‘Crime and Punishment’. † Exploring Novels. Gale, 1998. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. New York: Vintage Classics, 2008. Paral, Vladimir. Lovers and Murderers. Trans. Craig Stephen Stevens. New York: Catbird Press, 2002. Shaw, J. Thomas. â€Å"Raskolnikovs Dreams. † Slavic and East European Journal 17, no. 2 (1973): 131-45.

FRED STENSON’S - TEETH - :: English Literature

FRED STENSON’S - TEETH - Teeth, by Fred Stenson, is an interesting short story, with a plot spread between two hockey games and the childhood memories of the main character. The story is written in first person, through the eyes of a hockey player – the main character - and the setting is in western Canada, mainly around Canadian hockey rinks and the main character’s hometown. The story presents a player, who plays hockey for money rather than for pleasure. The author of this story tries to provoke the readers, by writing through the eyes of this player, who does not love the game he plays. The idea that a hockey player – a professional Canadian hockey player – would dislike the game of hockey and still play, is what shocks, confuses and keeps the reader interested in the story. This unusual characterization of a hockey player is also important to the development of plot. Finally, this story gives people advice about how to live and enjoy life more effectively. The story begins during one of Burns’s – the main character - hockey games, on a Tuesday night, not long after Christmas. The players in his team are quite fatigued and near the end of a game. They are supposed to change lines onto the ice, but Burns is lost in a daydream about his youth and the line change goes too slowly. For some seconds there is no one on the ice except the goalie and the six members of other team. The other team scores a goal before the line change is completed and Burn’s team goes on to lose the game 5-3 (93). The reader must conclude that the loss of the game is partly the fault of the main character. This conclusion comes from the fact that he is daydreaming about his childhood, and memories of being made to play hockey by his parents. It is at this point in the story that the reader learns of Burn’s dislike for the game of hockey, and through these daydreams that the reader discovers the main character’s motivation to play the game is the money he is being paid. After the game, in the dressing room, the manager is angry and threatens to send some of the players down to the minor leagues. When the main character hears this, his reaction is not what the reader would expect of a hockey player who loves to play the game. Instead, Burns continues to daydream and shows a lack of respect for his teammates and the manager. The manager mainly blames Burns for the team’s loss, because he did not put out, and his lack of enthusiasm infects the

The world’s industrial fisheries

The world’s industrial fisheries can be considered predatory, as they hunt fish and other marine life on the behalf of flesh-eating humans. Therefore, these fisheries can be considered as competitors of the natural predators that exist among marine wildlife, and the activities they perform adversely affect the population by reducing the number of fish available as prey. Industrial fisheries’ role as predator has been the cause of a major decline in the number of kittiwakes that exist in the North Sea (Frederiksen, 2004).Since the beginning of the 1990’s the population of these pelagic birds has declined by over 50%, and the black legged creatures (known scientifically as Rissa tridactyla) are thought to have succumbed as a result of a reduction in their food supply caused by an interruption of the food chain (2007). Another factor that has been instrumental in affecting the population of these black-legged kittiwakes in the North Sea has been the change in oceano graphic variables. Such factors as sea levels and temperature in the North Sea have been monitored, and their changes have been shown to correlate with the general changes in the kittiwake population (2004; Wanless, et al., 2007). Specific research done over a 15-year period from 1986 to 2002 has confirmed that not only has significant increase in industrial fishing of kittiwakes’ prey taken place, but also that significant oceanographic changes also occurred alongside these demographic changes.Kittiwakes and other pelagic birds demonstrate the existence of complex relationships between their feeding levels and their ability to produce offspring (Ollason et al., 1997). The most common form of prey for the black-legged kittiwakes is the sandeel, and it has been shown that during the most active period of sandeel (also known as sandlance) fishery (between 1991 and 1998) the survival of the adult population of kittiwakes showed a sharp and sustained decline (Frederiksen, 2004; W anless, 2007).The harvesting of sandeel has affected the population of kittiwakes in other ways, as the breeding of the species also declined for subsequent generations. Since the longitudinal monitoring of the black-legged kittiwake population has spanned several years before and after this sandeel-harvest period, research has been able to demonstrate that the kittiwake population was actually on the rise before industrial fishing of sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) began. The change registered a 19% fall in the growth rate of the population, from +8% to -11% in just eight years (2004).However, sandeel fishery has had more than just an immediate effect on the population of the kittiwakes. In recent years, this form of industrial fishing has experienced a decline that has proven favorable for the population of black-legged kittiwakes in the North Sea. Nevertheless, the current decline in industrial fishing of sandeel has failed to improve the situation for the kittiwake to a significant degree, as the population continues to fall.Even the newly elevated breeding rates have still proven insufficient to bring the population growth back up to what it was before it was adversely affected by industrial fishery (Frederiksen, 2004). In statistical models developed by researchers, the population decline promises to continue even if sandeel harvesting is low (2004). In order for the kittiwakes to flourish, such industrial fishing would need to cease altogether for an extended period of several years.More recently, it has been demonstrated through research that the sandeel that do survive have also been undergoing changes that may reduce their quality and nutritional usefulness to the kittiwake population (Wanless, 2007). This is particularly important, as kittiwakes tend to go through an extensive and technical, yet very critical feeding stage prior to breeding (Ollason et al., 1997). Analysis of the body composition of these sandeel has rendered low levels of lipids.The sa ndeel have also been appearing significantly later in the season than usual, and their body sizes have shown significant decline in the past three years (2007). While it is not clear to what extent these changes may be attributed to industrial fishing, it might be hypothesized that pollution may have a bearing on these variables. Oceanographic factors may also come into play in this area.The global warming changes to climate have affected oceanographic factors, and these effects have also resulted in a decline in the kittiwake population of the North Sea (Frederiksen, 2004; Wanless, 2007). The correlation between the survival of adult kittiwakes and the increased temperature of the winter seas has been negative. In fact, the success of kittiwake breeding has been recorded as showing a one-year delay (2004). The fact that the decline in industrial fishing of sandeel has been only minimally successful in causing the recovery of the kittiwake population indicates that the increased win ter sea temperatures have taken a heavy toll on these pelagic birds.The association of the decline in kittiwakes with warm winter sea temperatures and increased industrial fishery has led to some difficult choices for humans. Since it is unlikely that global warming can be reversed quickly or easily enough to decrease winter ocean temperatures and improve the condition of black-legged kittiwakes, changes to industrial fishery is the most feasible solution. These changes will have to be drastic in order to garner any improvement in the kittiwake populations, considering that the damage to the population and its breeding processes have proven to be extensive.Therefore, the complete closure (for now) of the section of the fishery industry that harvests sandeel has been considered the only measure that will lead to the recovery of the kittiwake population (Frederiksen, 2004; Wanless, 2007). It might also be considered that reduction in marine pollution is likely to lead to the improveme nt of the condition of the sandeel, which may in turn aid the growth of the kittiwake population by providing them greater nutrition. Therefore, decreasing its use of pollutants is another way in which the fishing industry may help the recovery of the black-legged kittiwake population in the North Sea.ReferencesFrederiksen, M. S. Wanless,  M. P. Harris,  P. Rothery,  L. J. Wilson. (2004). â€Å"The role of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   industrial fisheries and oceanographic change in the decline of North Sea black-legged   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   black-legged kittiwakes.† Journal of Applied Ecology, 41(6): 1129-1139.Ollason, J. G., A. D. Bryant, P. M. Davis, B. E. Scott & M. L. Tasker. (1997). â€Å"Predicted seabird   Ã‚   distribution in the North Sea: the consequences of being hungry.† Journal of Marine   Ã‚  Ã‚   Science. 54(4): 507-517.Wanless, S., M. Frederiksen, F. Daunt, B. E. Scott & M. P. Harris. (2007). â€Å"Black-legged   Ã‚   kittiwakes as indicators of environmental change in the North Sea: evidence from longterm studies.† Progress in Oceanography, 71 (1). 30-38.