Friday, May 31, 2019

Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland :: Gravitys Rainbow Essays

Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland From the author of Gravitys Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of earthly concern War II, comes Vineland (1990), a cancel into the calcium of 1984 a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, diet-preservatives and, above all, the Tube the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravitys Rainbow, A screaming comes across the sky, which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchons latest work, albeit transformed Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming strike down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece. One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, exclusively misleading. Some readers may fling at first at Pynchons subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vinelands connection to Gravitys Rainbow. The newer work a cts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd bicyclist waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestles Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly raving mad (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the slice of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and married woman to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60s until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her assist he manages to destroy the Peoples majority rule of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Progra m because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for overt reasons. Vond, still the charismatic diminished psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But theres more, like in any Pynchon novel Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and hes not done hounding guys like Zoyd.Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland Gravitys Rainbow EssaysComparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland From the author of Gravitys Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of World War II, comes Vineland (1990), a trip into the California of 1984 a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, food-preservatives and, above all, the Tube the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravitys Rainbow, A screaming comes across the sky, which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchons latest work, alb eit transformed Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece. One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, but misleading. Some readers may scoff at first at Pynchons subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vinelands connection to Gravitys Rainbow. The newer work acts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd Wheeler waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestles Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly crazy (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the disappearance of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and wife to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60s until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her help he manages to destroy the Peoples Republic of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Program because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for obvious reasons. Vond, still the charismatic little psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But theres more, like in any Pynchon novel Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and hes not done hounding guys like Zoyd.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Upon the Edge of My Endeavor : Understanding How to Learn. :: Free Essays Online

Upon the Edge of My Endeavor Understanding How to Learn.I stand awake and alert. A starting division college student with my sights fixed firmly ahead and my goals just within reach. A positive light is cast upon my future endeavors. Yet, as I smoothen upon my readingal experiences, I find myself drawing parallels between the direction in which my life is headed now and the similar paths I have traveled along sooner. I am forced to ask myself if I am truly prepared for what lies ahead. I have asked myself the same thing more times. I was erstwhile in a similar position. A fledgling student wavering just between the lines of hesitancy and motivation. I was beginning my freshman year at Oakmont regional High School in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. Ashburnham Massachusetts is the stereotypical image of the small New England town. Its boundaries are drawn not by geographic limitations precisely by the unspoken societal messages that all students are exposed to at some point during their educational experience. Dress a certain way, dont ask to a fault many questions, dont ask the wrong questions, always follow the directions, etc Most of the incoming freshman had been born there and had experienced similar opportuni wagon-lits from the day they all learn to tie their shoelaces to the day they received their high enlighten diploma and shook hands with the superintendent. I was the exception to the rule in some respects for I had move to Massachusetts from the Philadelphia area at the end of elementary school. I had not had the same experience as my peers. Not to say that my previous education was in any way superior to the one I was about to receive. However, I did encounter a bit of a culture shock upon my arrival. fresher year of high school careened past my very eyes before I had the maturity to fully comprehend the knowledge and life experience that was being imparted to my youthfulness impressionable intellect. The somewhat nebulous idea of high sch ool loomed before me, acting as both a mirage and a reality. The atmosphere itself was cramped. each power point about the school was small, building size, classrooms, the student population. Yet in a broader sense I was overwhelmed by the enormousness of the task that lay before me. I was more concerned with surviving the first year than with anything else. Quite obviously I did survive, but not entirely because of the welcoming and nurturing environment that everyday school systems are expected to adopt.Upon the Edge of My Endeavor Understanding How to Learn. Free Essays OnlineUpon the Edge of My Endeavor Understanding How to Learn.I stand awake and alert. A first year college student with my sights fixed firmly ahead and my goals just within reach. A positive light is cast upon my future endeavors. Yet, as I reflect upon my educational experiences, I find myself drawing parallels between the direction in which my life is headed now and the similar paths I have traveled al ong before. I am forced to ask myself if I am truly prepared for what lies ahead. I have asked myself the same thing many times. I was once in a similar position. A fledgling student wavering just between the lines of hesitancy and motivation. I was beginning my freshman year at Oakmont Regional High School in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. Ashburnham Massachusetts is the stereotypical image of the small New England town. Its boundaries are drawn not by geographic limitations but by the unspoken societal messages that all students are exposed to at some point during their educational experience. Dress a certain way, dont ask too many questions, dont ask the wrong questions, always follow the directions, etc Most of the incoming freshman had been born there and had experienced similar opportunities from the day they all learned to tie their shoelaces to the day they received their high school diploma and shook hands with the superintendent. I was the exception to the rule in some respect s for I had moved to Massachusetts from the Philadelphia area at the end of elementary school. I had not had the same experience as my peers. Not to say that my previous education was in any way superior to the one I was about to receive. However, I did encounter a bit of a culture shock upon my arrival. Freshman year of high school careened past my very eyes before I had the maturity to fully comprehend the knowledge and life experience that was being imparted to my young impressionable intellect. The somewhat nebulous idea of high school loomed before me, acting as both a mirage and a reality. The atmosphere itself was cramped. Every detail about the school was small, building size, classrooms, the student population. Yet in a broader sense I was overwhelmed by the enormousness of the task that lay before me. I was more concerned with surviving the first year than with anything else. Quite obviously I did survive, but not entirely because of the welcoming and nurturing environment that public school systems are expected to adopt.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Essay on the Characters in The Awakening -- Chopin Awakening Essays

Importance of the Characters in The Awakening The Awakening was a very exciting and motivating story. It contains some of the key motivational themes that launched the womens movement. It was incredible to see how women were non only oppressed, but how they had become so accustomed to it, that they were nearly oblivious to the oppression. The one wo globe, Edna Pontellier, who dared to have her own feelings was looked upon as being mentally ill. The pressure was so great, that in the end, the only way that she felt she could be truly free was to take her own life. In this reputation I am going to concentrate on the characters central in Ednas life and her relationships with them. Leonce Pontellier, the character portraying Ednas husband was a man very traditional in his thinking. He was self-absorbed and honestly did not see the fault in his own ways. He sincerely believed that Edna was the most grievous person in his life. However we notice throughout the story that his behavio r was in direct contrast with that statement. Edna is only important to him, as in how she do him and the effect her actions has on his life. If we look at chapter three, Leonce comes home in the middle of the night, awakening his wife whom is fast asleep. He immediately beings to give her the details of his day. When she is unable(p) to fully reply, because she is half asleep, he becomes upset. He states that she is the mend object of his existence and he is upset that she takes so little interest in his concerns. If she was indeed the sole object of his existence, he would have been more considerate than to awaken her in the middle of the night, because he wanted to talk. Also look at chapter 32, when Leonce, learns that Edna is mov... ...e will neer have a taste of lifes delirium. Could this mean that as long as you do not take risks, float on the process and cease being content, you do not truly live or enjoy the craziness of life? More similar to Edna is Mademoiselle R eisz. Like Edna, Mademoiselle. Reisz was a free spirit who did not agree with oppression of women at that time. She was looked upon as being weird and mentally disturbed. Something was definitely wrong with a woman who did not care what others thought and whom chose her own path in life. Mademoiselle Reisz inspired Edna to be true to herself and defy the norms. It was very appropriate that the ending scene took aspire at the sea, for it was ion the sea when Edna experienced her first taste of freedom (see Chapter ten). Edna finally empowered herself by deciding her own fate, instead of allowing others to choose it for her.