Principle of Convergence and the Theme of Disempowerment Essay

The Principle of Convergence and the Theme of Disempowerment In this paper, I propose to present interpretations of six works by French artists, three painters (Watteau, Delacroix, and Manet) and three novelists (Zola, Proust, and Camus), and to report on the unexpected discovery (if it deserves to be called such) that these disparate works have certain principles of structuring in common. Let us eliminate from the outset a possible source of distraction : these studies are interdisciplinary in character, but that seems to have nothing to do with the discoveries made. One way to throw light on the meaning of a novel or a painting is to view it in the light of a concept drawn from another discipline. Thus the various modes of structuralism borrowed from structural linguistics, either directly (e.g. via certain seminal works of Roman Jakobson, such as his famous essay on metaphor and metonymy) or indirectly (e.g. as mediated by the structural anthropology of Claude LÃ ©vi-Strauss). Such is the nature of interdisciplinary research. It is especially appropriate and valuable when a key element or a central aspect of a text has manifestly not given up its secrets to any of the traditional or conventional modes of analysis. In analyzing these works, I have had recourse to psychology, psychoanalysis, transactional analysis, group behaviour theory, feminism and control theory. However, the discovery I am presenting does not appear to depend in any way on the interdisciplinary character of the perspectives used. Rather, it depends on the plausibility of the interpretation and the central character of the aspects of the work being interpreted. Complexity in L’Embarquement pour Cythere. — The rococo is generally though... ...often without any obvious link between these two features having been noticed previously, is unexpected, both for the art critic and the literary critic. Equally intriguing is the discovery that each of the works we have examined here leads the viewer/reader through a two-part drama of disempowerment and re-empowerment that takes very different forms but in its essence recurs over and over again. As far as I know, this has never even been suspected by any critic or historian. It would be very interesting to know just how many great works of art and literature can be better understood in the light of such concepts or clusters of concepts as those used here. When we have noted that all these works appear to represent variations on one and the same drama, we are left with an intriguing question that remains to be answered : do they all have the same function?

Titanic History

As the Titanic sped across the North Atlantic on Sunday 14th April, 1912, it picked up a series of messages from other ships in the area warning about ice. Captain Smith was firm in hid belief that his ship was in no danger, and was urged on by Bruce Ismay the ship's owner, to prove the vessel's speed and reliability by setting to New York earlier than expected. â€Å"Full speed ahead,† remained the instruction, and although the captain steered the ship 25.7 km (16 miles) to the south before turning towards New York, no other notice was taken of the increasingly detailed reports about ice ahead. Where did these reports of icebergs ahead come from? From other ships by the use of wireless radio. The use of wireless on board a ship was still a novelty at the time of the Titanic's maiden voyage. Two radio operators were employed by Marconi rather then White Star Liner. Their names were Jack Phillips and Harold Bride. Radio operators spent their time dealing with personal messages and did not need to be on 24 hour duty. As the Titanic steamed westwards towards the ice it received nine messages – by telegraph and signal lamp – warning of danger ahead. Although not all of these messages reached the bridge the message from the German steamer Amerika sent about 4 hours before the Titanic hit the ice berg, was passed to Captain Smith in person. The night of 14th April was clear and bitterly cold. As a routine precaution, the lookout men up in the crow's-nest were warned to watch out for icebergs. Because it was such a clear night everyone thought there would be plenty of time to avoid any obstacle in the sea. But large ships at full speed do not turn quickly or easily, and when lookout Fredrick Fleet spotted an iceberg, at about 11:40 pm, it was too late to avoid a collision. As the ship approached Fredrick realised that the iceberg was considerably bigger than what he first saw. The titanic struck the iceberg at a glancing blow on the starboard side (right) of its hull and damaged appeared only slight. The iceberg was supposedly 30 meters over the deck but did little damage to the upper decks. However, below the waterline, and out of sight of the crew on the bridge, the iceberg punched a series of gashes and holes along 76 meters of the hull. The ship had 42 watertight bulkheads, but only 12 at the very bottom of the ship, could be closed electrically from the bridge. The rest had to be closed by hand. Some were left open, and others reopened to make it easier for the water pumps. Should a collision occur, the theory was that the ship would still float with two compartment flooded, or even with all four of the smaller bow compartments flooded. However, the bulkheads only reached three meters above the waterline allowing water to slop over from one compartment to another, thereby defeating the purpose of the bulkheads. At 12:05 am, 25 minutes after the collision, Captain Smith realised the extent of the damage to the Titanic and gave the order to abandon ship. For the next two hours total confusion reigned. There had been no lifeboat drill since leaving Southampton, and neither passengers nor crew knew where to go or what to do in the circumstances. Many felt it was safer to remain on deck than to be lowered into the freezing Atlantic aboard a lifeboat. Tragically, not one officer realized the lifeboats could be lowered fully laden. Had they done so a total of 1,178 people could have been saved rather than 706. As the lifeboats slid down the side of the Titanic, a flurry of activity took place on deck. The radio operators sent out distress signals. Officers on the bridge flashed messages by Morse signal lamps and fired rockets high into the sky to attract the attention of any passing ships. Yet despite all these actions, it was hard for many people to believe that this vast liner was capable of sinking. In order to attract any nearby ships, Fourth Officer Boxhall fired the fired of about eight powerful rocket signals at 12:45 am. Each signal sent up at five minute intervals was launched from the bridge and soared 240 meters into the air before exploding into a shower of light. As the Titanic slipped lower and lower into the water those left on board when the last of the lifeboats had departed were either gripped by a sense of panic or resign to their fate. As the ship plunged deeper into the sea, the stern rose up into the air, causing a tidal wave of passengers to fall of deck, some into the wreckage, others into the icy sea. The Titanic met it's horrific ending. It was Captain Smith's fault It was the shipbuilder's fault It was Bruce Ismay's fault It was Thomas Andrew's fault Why did the Titanic Sink? â€Å"We have struck iceberg †¦ sinking fast †¦ come to our assistance.† The ship was doomed and it was slowly sliding into its watery grave. But why did the largest, most advanced ship of the century sink? Recommendations on how a disaster could be avoided in the future. * That the provision of lifeboat and raft accommodation on board such ships should be based on the number of persons intended to be carried in the ship and not upon tonnage. * That all boats should be fitted with a protective, continuous fender, to lessen the risk of damage when being lowered in a seaway. * That in cases where the deck hands are not sufficient to man the boats enough other members of the crew should be men trained in boat work to make up the deficiency. These men should be required to pass a test in boat work. * That the men who are to man the boats should have more frequent drills. That in all ships a boat drill, a fire drill and a watertight door drill should be held as soon as possible after leaving the original port of departure and at convenient intervals of not less than once a week during the voyage. Such drills to be recorded in the official log. * That every man taking a look-out in such ships should undergo a site test at reasonable intervals. * That all such ships there should be an installation of wireless telegraphy, and that such installation should be worked with a sufficient number of trained operators to secure a continuous service by night and day

Women in the 1900s essays

Women in the 1900s essays Looking back and comparing life during the 1900s in Canada to todays life, I can see how much the past 100 years have left us in a completely different world. I can not even begin to describe how much things have changed since then. My life would have been entirely different. First off, I would probably be going to school only a couple times a week! There would be a lack in my school attendance since I would be spending my days helping my parents on the farm, cooking, keeping the house tidy, sewing, and looking after my baby sister which is not all fun and games. I would have very little time for myself. Meanwhile, my brother would be out fishing for the nights dinner and my mother would stay at home with me and my little sister. Only would my father go to work, being that back then, they had distinct gender roles where as today, there is equality. My father would come back very late at night after working those long hours to support my family. In addition, if I would be l iving in the 1900s, the housing would be very different. I would be living in a sod hut made out of mud, where there would be very cold nights and leaking water left from the rain. But looking at todays life, we live in brick homes with heaters to keep us warm. Moreover, traveling would require more time and would be very uncomfortable. Only the rich would have the luxurious accommodations for those long journeys. Today we have become very dependant on automobiles and subways to transport us to places for we are a car culture. But if I would be living in the 1900s, horses and carriages would play a significant role in my everyday life. I would be taking the horse to school instead of the TTC, which is what I use now. Also, religious values seemed to have had such an important role so I would have been attending church and reading the bible more often. Furthermore, if I would be living in the 1900s and wanted to communicate with a re...

The eNotes Blog Ten Worst Novel Cover Art of AllTime

Ten Worst Novel Cover Art of AllTime Authors rarely have any say in what cover art is chosen to adorn their works. The interpretations can often be down-right ridiculous. Here, for your viewing pleasure/horror are the worst-of-the-worst, the baddest-of-the-bad, and the silliest-of-the-silliest. Here we have Jane Eyre, apparently channeling Jane Russell.   Janes supposed to be homely   Thatll never sell. And perhaps her oddly formed hand is a result of the tragic, and little known, farming accident so frequently passed over by students. Want to trick teens into reading classic literature? How about making the cover of Wuthering Heights look like Twilight ? Of the few gullible teens who fell for the ruse, 100% returned the novel when,  after about fifty pages,   Heathcliff failed to sparkle. And here we have Melvilles classic Billy Budd, re-invisioned as a 70s adult-movie star. My innocence has been shattered by this blatant tourist trap. I want my money back. ~ Max, Tobacco Road Whats that sound I hear? Is itwhy, yes, it is! Its Faulkner turning over in his grave! Behold the young, be-haired Yul Brenner as he lovingly strangles Joanne Woodward. This image comes from great site Pop Sensation, whose author comments: I love the hand-drawn font on the title. Makes the book look like an adaptation of a wacky Disney movie. And heres the back cover! Best things about this back cover? DECAY Why would I read any farther after that? That is perhaps the best single-word tagline Ive ever seen on a book. And the bright, whimsical font! Inspired. By the picture, I would surmise that this is the story of an aging pirate with a bad hairpiece and massive pit stains who wants nothing more than for Maria from Sound of Music to admire his chest hair. The creepiest rendering of Richard Wrights classic, Black Boy, you will ever see. Guaranteed. Although it is kinda cool the way his open collar is shaped like Africa. Again, kudos to Pop Sensation, who aptly notes: Love the way Abridged is used as a major selling point - Finally, our most important Founding Father, in a dose you can manage! Floating Head of Thomas Jefferson backed by the Floating Declaration of Independence. My Most Powerful, Floatingest cover ever. This planting season, why not outfit your team with Dr. E. J. Samuelsons newly patented Invisible Oxen Rigging! Amaze your friends as your oxen appear to pull your plow by sheer force of mind alone Next to music, beer was best, Carson McCullers wrote in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Beer, or alcohol of some sort, seems to have been involved here. If that old codger William Shakespeare just didnt deliver enough debauchery and sensuous women in his version of Julius Caesar, then youll surely want to read the much more exciting The Private Life of Julius Caesar. And come to think of it, that yawner Hamlet leaves a lot to be desired as well.

Chemical Reaction - Chemistry Definition

Chemical Reaction - Chemistry Definition A chemical reaction is a chemical change which forms new substances. A chemical reaction may be represented by a chemical equation, which indicates the number and type of each atom, as well as their organization into molecules or ions. A chemical equation uses the element symbols as shorthand notation for the elements, with arrows to indicate the direction of the reaction. A conventional reaction is written with reactants on the left side of the equation and products on the right side. The state of matter of the substances may be indicated in parenthesis (s for solid, l for liquid, g for gas, aq for aqueous solution). The reaction arrow may go from left to right or there may be a double arrow, indicating reactants turn to products and some product undergoes the reverse reaction to reform reactants. While chemical reactions involves atoms, typically only the electrons are involved in the breaking and formation of chemical bonds. Processes involving the atomic nucleus are called nuclear reactions. The substances that participate in a chemical reaction are called reactants. The substances that are formed are called products. The products have different properties from the reactants. Also Known As: reaction, chemical change Chemical Reaction Examples The chemical reaction H2(g)  ½ O2(g) → H2O(l) describes the formation of water from its elements. The reaction between iron and sulfur to form iron(II) sulfide is another chemical reaction, represented by the chemical equation: 8 Fe S8 → 8 FeS Types of Chemical Reactions There are countless reactions, but they can be grouped into four basic categories: Synthesis Reaction In a synthesis or combination reaction, two or more reactants combine to form a more complex product. The general form of the reaction is: A B → AB Decomposition Reaction A decomposition reaction is the reverse of a synthesis reaction. In a decomposition, a complex reactant breaks into simpler products. The general form of a decomposition reaction is: AB → A B Single Replacement Reaction In a single replacement or single displacement reaction, one uncombined element replaces another in a compound or trades places with it. The general form of a single replacement reaction is: A BC  Ã¢â€ â€™ AC B Double Replacement Reaction In a double replacement or double displacement reaction, the anions and cations of the reactants trade places with each other two form new compounds. The general form of a double replacement reaction is: AB CD  Ã¢â€ â€™ AD CB Because there are so many reactions, there are additional ways to categorize them, but these other classes will still fall into one of the four main groups. Examples of other classes of reactions include oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, acid-base reactions, complexation reactions, and precipitation reactions. Factors That Affect Reaction Rate The rate or speed at which a chemical reaction occurs is affected by several factors, including: reactant concentrationsurface areatemperaturepressurepresence or absence of catalystspresence of light, especially ultraviolet lightactivation energy

Racism in the Air Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racism in the Air - Essay Example To bring change on a large scale, we not only require leaders who portray and possess quality of good, but also individuals from different cultures and races for a prejudice free society. Minimizing the racial issues government has been playing its role and has worked hard to eliminate the causes of discrimination. But it’s high time for individuals to realize of their responsibility, especially the people from media who have huge impact on the audience by their thoughtless words. Our approach has to learn the right direction to deal with such intriguing matters. Author has tried to show us how people of different cultures and sects can leave significant mark on others due to their reactive and proactive approach.In this article there are two personalities with biracial identities. Barack Obama and Hella Berry, though they have been pronounced black but they both have traces of two races. There’s an urgent need to understand the multiracial background they are coming fr om and personal experiences. In the intergroup relationship with other social categories and the class becomes evident. Though interracial marriages are common since 1967 they are commonly accepted and frequently occurred. Multiracial backgrounds represent minority group in USA.   People who have biracial identities understand the racial discrimination with better understanding.The author points out in the article that how people of the same culture outcast the   biracial personalities thus keeping a low regard for other races and culture.

Body Politics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Body Politics - Coursework Example The mothers influence their daughters to begin thinking about how they could shape their bodies. According to the article, a section of mother complains about their body appearance in front of the children (Heidi). Notably, weight tops the list of the complaints. Heidi asserts that a huge percentage of women intend to lose. The women associate heavy weights to poor body shape. The article raises an interesting question whether the contemporary culture places emphasis on only women’s physical attributes and disregards the body shapes of men. The complaints about the body shape are prevalent in the society. Women seem to focus more on their appearance. Edlin and Eric contend that some women skip meals in order to attain the perceived right image (50). It appears that the world tends to promise girls and women that the societal judgment is based on their looks. The girls have learned to be self-critical, and will do everything to keep their image presentable (Heidi). The article connects well with the lecture for this week. Notably, the article shows that body image is a concern of one gender. The contemporary body fashion seems to be small-breasted, slimness, and narrow-hipped. Flabbiness is associated with poor body shape. The media have affected the women’s perception of their body configuration. In essence, the article has extended on what was covered in the lectures about the women’s preoccupation with their image. Heidi , Stevens. â€Å"When moms dis their own looks, their daughters are listening-too well†. Chicago Tribune 21 May 2014. Web. 6th Nov 2014