The Lost Generation free essay sample

A look at the group of writers, poets and artists who rejected American materialism in post WWI America and relocated to Paris. This paper discusses the group of writers referred to as The Lost Generation, among them Gertrude Stein, who coined the phrase. It examines the commonalities between these writers including their search for meaning, their moves to Paris, and the themes of their writings. The works of Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Elliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein are examined. The name The Lost Generation comes from an epigraph to Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises. In this epigraph, Gertrude Stein wrote you are all a lost generation. This name stuck and refers to a group of writers, poets and artists who left post World War I America and relocated to Paris to live the Bohemian lifestyle (Kaiser). The years following World War I are described as bringing a highly vocal rebellion against established social, sexual, and aesthetic conventions and a vigorous attempt to establish new values (Encyclopedia. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Generation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page com). These writers had several things in common including that they searched for meaning, drank excessively, had love affairs, and created some of the finest American literature to date (Kaiser). The Lost Generation also refers to the fact that these writers were culturally lost. Unable to find meaning they moved to Paris to try to find something greater. This is one of the common themes of their writing, with these themes being described as spiritual alienation, self-exile, and cultural criticism (Kaiser).

Formalistic Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay Example

Formalistic Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay Example Formalistic Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay Formalistic Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay In an analysis of the story â€Å"Hills like white elephants† by Ernest Hemmingway, one is forced to take a deep look at the hidden meanings embedded in the story. Considering the point of view, the significance of the location and its relevance to the story, the structure of the text, the symbolic meaning of the two landscapes and the title of the story, the entrails of the story are exposed. Hemmingway’s story is written in an objective or dramatic point of view. The story is told primarily through dialogue. The narrator has emotionally distanced himself from the characters, and the true feelings and opinions of the characters are revealed in little clues as the story progresses. The narrator acts solely as a reporter of the chain of events as they occur. No personal inflection is implied. This allows the reader to formulate their own conclusions. Also I believe at the time, the topic of abortion may still have been taboo and sensitive, and this was Hemmingway’s clever device of dealing with a societal issue in a nontraditional way. The structure of the text primarily takes the form of a dialogue. : This is in stark contrast with the characters inability to communicate effectively. The man has his own agenda planned and tries forcefully to convince Jig of accepting his way of dealing with the conflict. Jig is trying to access the situation by asking the man if they will be alright as a couple after the abortion, â€Å"everything will be fine,† and end up answering her own question, â€Å"I’ll do it and everything will be fine. † Due to his lack of desire to go through with any other plan than his own, he forces her to deny her own desires and she find her present situation to be unsure at best. The man however has made up his mind and is determined to make up her mind for her as well, but he uses subtlety, â€Å"I dont want you to do it if you dont really want to. † He then contradicts himself and betrays his true feelings when he says, â€Å"But youve got to realize they are both speaking but not really communication their true desires. Jig is really against the whole situation and denies it within herself. She says, Everything tastes of licorice. (Sweet)†¦all the things youve waited so long for, like absinthe (bitter), the combination is bittersweet. A deeper reading leads to a new understanding of the symbolic meaning of the two landscape descriptions. They were in stark contrast to each other. One side was barren and arid, the other green and fertile. â€Å"The valley of the Ebro was long and white there was no shade and no trees†¦ On the other side, â€Å"were fields of grain and trees. † These opposing landscapes symbolize the contrasting options available to the couple. The dry side of the valley represented the choice to abort the unborn child and continue with an empty life filled shallow experiences, â€Å"(looking) at things and (trying) new drinks. The fertile side of the valley represents the life the woman desires, one filled with family and meaningful moments. The story then shifts to the station which was between two lines of rails† this represented the two opposite directions in which they could have traveled, and the choice that lay in each direction, Madrid being the place of abortion, and the continuity of the ‘empty’ life they were used to together, or toward Barcelona, a new start, a new beginning, with a new life. So railroad station represented a crossroads or junction at which they had to cross. The title of the story was simile. The title â€Å"hills like white elephants† also represented the choice that the couple had to make. A white elephant is symbolic of an unwanted item that may be costly or burdensome to maintain. This would have aptly described the view of the man concerning the unborn child. To him it would have been unwanted and a burden considering their flighty lifestyle. It would cramp the constant traveling as indicated by the multiplicity of stickers on the luggage. Some believe that in other cultures, a white elephant can also be viewed as something rare and something to be cherished. This interpretation would be more representative of Jig’s perspective, as she longed and desired to become a mother and start a family. After reviewing the point of view, the significance of the location and its relevance to the story, the structure of the text, the symbolic meaning of the two landscapes and the title of the story, the true and deeper meaning of the store has been made plain, and what was once a simple narrative story has now become an in-depth revelation of human conflicts and the often difficult decisions that lay before us.

Civil engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Civil engineering - Essay Example the railroad is completely flat (en.rian.ru, 2011). It was built to integrate the nation into a modern rail network and is a part of the Alp Transit Railway Project which can afford the citizens the ease to travel in a better and faster manner. The tunnel site was filled with hard rocks posing a significant challenge to the excavation staff and causing immense disturbance in the surrounding area (Leung, Zhou, 2006: 153). It is known to be one of the greatest feats of engineering considering the fact that it was built at 4000 feet above sea level, on an uneven route comprising of steep gradients and sharp curves and exposed to dangerous environment which included snow and avalanches. Furthermore it was built under a mountain range which is nearly 8000 to 11000 feet high (Williams, 1968: 176). It took almost fifteen years to construct this spectacular engineering feat, costing billions of dollars. The construction of this tunnel is not only a significant engineering achievement but is also laudable for its major contribution in easing traffic and connecting various areas by enabling road transport at cheaper and faster rate. However, various problems were encountered during and after the construction of this tunnel, which presents a significant opportunity for study, and the same is discussed in the following sections. Figure 1: St. Gotthard Base Tunnel – Geographic location Source: World Records (2011) Geological setting The St. Gotthard Base Tunnel, as mentioned in the previous section is one of the largest tunnels in the world and is constructed in the Alpine mountain range. The construction of a tunnel of this magnitude and length, entails application of special state of the art techniques and technology. The tunnel was divided into five sections depending upon the geological structure of the site. These five sections include: Erstfeld, Amsteg, Sedrun, Faido, and Bodio which were approximately 7.4 km, 11.4 km, 6.8 km, 14.6 km, and 16.6 km in length, re spectively (as shown in Figure 3 below). Boring machines were used in all the sections other than in the Sedrun section, where the conventional blasting technique was used, since the rock formation in that area was highly unstable and could have posed a significant danger (NA, 2011). Figure 2: Geographical Setting Figure 3: Sedrun Tunnel The method applied for tunneling depends largely on the rock type in the area in which the tunnels are being constructed. Thus, it is of utmost significance for the engineers to devise various alternate strategies for tunneling and align the same with the rock types encountered by them on site. Almost 90 per cent of the rock type in the Gotthard Base Tunnel comprises of rock which is suEhrbarble for mining thus, the boring techniques were used in the areas such as Erstfeld, Amsteg, Faido and Bodio and the traditional mining techniques were used to blast the area in the Sedrun section (NA, 2011). Figure : Geological formations – St. Gotthard B ase Tunnel Temperature in the tunnel: Furthermore, the temperature in tunnels is also drastically different and hence must also be taken into consideration. When rock is exposed in the tunnels during excavation, a significant amount of heat is generated depending upon various factors such as the virgin rock temperature i.e. VRT; the thermal properties, the amount of water contained in the rock, the

Corporate Finance Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Finance Coursework - Essay Example It is a given business and finance objective to maximize shareholder value. It appears that there are also non-financial objectives of business hence the debate on shareholder value and stakeholder society rages on. The application of corporate finance theory will therefore will dwell in determining how real is the debate in relation to investment decisions in China under the new draft of Chinese employment contract law? Tirole, Jean (1996) dissected corporate governance on a debate between shareholder value and stakeholder society. He mentioned that corporate governance could be framed in terms of â€Å"shareholder value† using the economists assertion that â€Å"prices reflect the scarcity of resources that management should aim at maximizing shareholder wealth.† On the other hand, he narrated that stakeholder society would approximate the non-economist view of what may appear as â€Å"oblivious to redistributional issues† narrow-minded- or â€Å"out of touch with social realities† as consequences of limiting corporate governance to shareholders’ value maximization. To support the stakeholder society concept, he cited a prevalent view in politics and public opinion that â€Å"corporations should serve a larger purpose and â€Å"be responsible† that is they should reach out to other stakeholders not only to shareholders† (Tirole, 1996) (Paraphrasing made). In discussing therefore â€Å"The Corporate Social Responsibility View†, Tirole (1996) discussed ways under which an â€Å"economist would rephrase the position of the proponents of the stakeholder society† as could recommending â€Å"that management and directors internalize the externalities that their decision impose on various groups.† He thus cited examples of such externalities and concomitant duties toward stakeholders, according to the proponents of the stakeholder society. One is the duties toward employees where he argued that â€Å"firms should refrain from laying off workers when they make

Identify a lobbying group and critically evaluate the impact they have Essay

Identify a lobbying group and critically evaluate the impact they have had on either a specific tourism initiative or general tourism policy - Essay Example association also aims at providing best quality travel and accommodation services to the customers at an affordable price through maintaining sustainability. Apart from sustainability policy, ABTA is also aiming at creating awareness among the tourists regarding the welfare of wildlife, as tourism and wildlife are closely interlinked with each other for the betterment of the nation. Thus, ABTA has been playing a major role in promoting travel and tourism of the United Kingdom and thereby helping in the growth of the economy (1ABTA, 2014; International Centre for Responsible Tourism, 2014; Elliott, 1997). ABTA is an association, which works for the benefit of the tourism industry by maintaining certain ethical considerations. ABTA provides support, expertise as well as protection to their members and tourists. It helps in providing greater experiences to the tourists in a cost effective manner by maintaining ethics and good practices. The impact of the ABTA has been critically evaluated below stating its importance in the tourism industry. ABTA follows a sustainable tourism policy along with providing proper services to the consumers. The aim of the association is to create a better place to live and to visit without harming the environment much. In order to adopt this policy, it is vital to reduce the harmful impacts on the environment through tourism. It ensures that the economies of the locality as well as the local communities are being benefited by the tourism to a considerable extent. Contextually, in the present day context tourism industries are adopting policies to promote eco-friendly tourism in order to protect the environment by providing a green environment. ABTA highly focuses on providing a sustainable holiday destinations for the people. Holidays are now a day considered as an important part of life and it is believed by ABTA that in order to make these holidays more enjoyable and pleasurable for the people, it is required to concern for the nature

Side Effects of Computer Addiction

Side Effects of Computer Addiction Computer Addiction: Side Effects and Possible Solutions Since 1979 when the first microcomputer started coming to the United States and Great Britain there has been a very extensive growth in the areas of computers and drugs. The simultaneity of these two occurrences and the scales of peoples involvement with computers gave way to emergence of the term ‘computer addiction in the early 1980s. The word ‘addiction stands to emphasize the seriousness of the problem and implies the possibility of drastic consequences that computer mania might have. In the current paper we will explore the problem of computer addiction with the emphasis made on its bad effects and possible solutions that might be offered to reduce them to minimum or, if possible, to get rid of computer addiction at all. Our claim is that computer addiction exists, humanity needs to be extremely cautious of its bad effects and it has to work out appropriate treatment to help computer dependent people to solve their problems. The reality of modern life is such that personal computers and Internet access have been proliferating across the world. Everyday activities at home, work, and school are increasingly dependent upon computers. Computers are used to organize data, word process documents, send e-mails, and search for new information via the Internet. Between 9 and 15 million people use the Internet daily, and it is estimated that every 3 months the rate of use increases by 25% (Cooper 181). Through Internet computer becomes a useful tool for communication. No one would deny the importance of computer in modern life and the importance of Internet, in particular, but their properties that promote addictive behaviors and in case of Internet pseudo-intimate interpersonal relationships should not be neglected. Cyberspace that computers and Internet create may result in cyber disorders such as virtual relationships that evolve into online marital infidelity or online sexually compulsive behaviors. An increa sing mental health concern, cyber disorders such as Internet addiction disorder (IAD), also known as pathologic Internet use (PIU) have been identified to diagnose serious issues related to Internet use (Young Rogers 25). The side effects of Internet addiction will be discussed below, whereas at the beginning the general considerations as for the term ‘computer addiction are offered. In the doctoral research concerned with computer dependency Margaret Shotton suggests that the term ‘computer addiction should not be used merely concerning the relatively small proportion of computer users who become intensive computer devotees, but, instead, it should stand to denote ‘the state of being given to a habit or pursuit (Shotton 7). The researcher defines a computer dependent person as a hobbyist, ‘a person devoted to a hobby (sometimes used with a connotation of crankiness), where hobby denotes ‘a favorite occupation pursued merely for amusement or an individual pursuit to which a person is devoted out of proportion to its real importance (Shotton 7). One of the values of Shottons research is that the author conducts investigation that proves existence of computer dependency through obtaining the facts of this existence from a number of sources, namely, existing literature on the problem, the authors of the literature and other psychologists, computer studies teachers, and professional care agencies. Personal contact was made with people who worked with computers and average computer users. They all showed belief in the occurrence of the syndrome of computer dependency. Though the respondents did not consider the syndrome to be a widespread problem believing that it affected only a few individuals among the vast number of computer users but the research still confirmed the existence of the syndrome of computer dependency (Shotton 20). Dr. Maressa Hecht Orzack, the founder and coordinator of the Computer Addiction Service, singles out psychological and physical symptoms of computer addiction. Psychological symptoms are: Having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer; Inability to stop the activity; Craving more and more time at the computer; Neglect of family and friends; Feeling empty, depressed, and irritable when not at the computer; Lying to employers and family about activities; Problems with family and friends (Orzack 2003). Physical symptoms are: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Dry eyes; Migraine headaches; Backaches; Eating irregularities like skipping meals; Failure to attend to personal hygiene; Sleep disturbances, change in sleep pattern (Orzack 2003). Coming back to Shottons experiment with studying the side effects of computer addiction we should say that all these symptoms were observed with the interviewees. Though most of the dependents did not want to admit their addiction some did admit that they experienced negative effects from their activities. Some interviewees spoke of the negative effects that their computer addiction had on their employment. One person admitted that in the past he had spent time playing with the computer while he was at work. But the addiction disappeared when he bought his own home microcomputer upon which he had unrestricted access to program as he wished. Another interviewee admitted that it was difficult for him to concentrate at work, instead of handling the problems that appeared he found himself puzzling over computer problems which he could explore only while at home. This turned out to be especially problematic when he was cycling home from work as not once he had nearly ridden into parked ve hicles. The third interviewee spoke of the problems that occurred because of a poor match between his skills and those demanded by his bosses. He was responsible for management activity and could not perform it well because he spent a lot of his working time directly with the computer instead of working with people. What is important is that a lot of interviewees appeared to be reluctant to change their job positions just to remain in the posts that presupposed the frequent use of computers. If, on the contrary, promotion implied more time at computing interviewees spent more hours at work that caused in their intercourse with friends and families. Students of different age admitted that their academic performance suffered because of their devotion to computing. ‘My school work suffers, ‘It was an impediment to my degree, I should have been reading books, ‘It detracts from my schoolwork, ‘I did very poorly at university in the first two years it was detrimental to my coursework and I nearly got thrown out for hacking into the universitys Prime system were the most common answers of those who realized that they were achieving lower standards academically (Shotton 212). But along with these statements the students showed their certainty about the fact that they were more likely to find jobs related to computing than to the spheres they were prepared for at their educational establishments, due to constant work at computer they felt confident in this sphere. As it was mentioned above social lives of computer addicts are also affected. Computers take much of the dependents free time and, as a result, less time is spent communicating with others. Moreover, different misunderstanding appears on the basis of absence of the common interest to computing in case friends and members of the family do not share the interest in computers. Many respondents from Shottons research admitted that they found computing an escape from social interaction: they found it stressful in the past and computer enabled them to get rid of the undesired communication. Working on computer was a common excuse in case the dependants did not want to attend various social activities. Computer mania affected most of all those addicts who were married as they spent less time with their spouses and children. Domestic disharmony, problems in sexual relationships these were the commonest negative effects of computer addiction on a family scale (Shotton 213). Other side effects include those that computers have on the personalities of the dependents. People addicted to computers tend to be more intolerant and impatient with others. Computer becomes a sort of refuge from the real life for them and they become more reserved and restrained. Sometimes a computer dependent person loses interest in the world around and does not even care of ones personal happiness, this person sees computer as the only ‘creature in the world that can understand him or her. The negative physical effects that computer addiction can cause include restlessness, sleeplessness, tension, headache and backache. If computer dependents suffer from some disease the disease worsens while constant working on computer. As far as the problem of computer addiction is concerned Internet addiction deserves especial consideration. Different terms are used to denote this kind of computer addiction: pathological Internet use or problematic Internet use. An Internet addicted person loses the ability to control ones use of the Internet. This lack of control causes marked distress and/or functional impairment (Shapira et al. 270). The addiction may go along with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or alcohol and drug addiction. The most obvious symptoms of Internet addiction include social isolation, family discord, divorce, academic failure, job loss, and debt (Young et al. 475). Other symptoms are: neglecting responsibilities, feelings of depression, tension, anger when Internet is not accessible, a need for better computer programs, etc. There are five Internet-related issues that Internet addiction is composed of: cybersexual addiction, cyber relationship addiction, net compulsions, information overload, and addiction to interactive computer games (Young et al. 476). Side effects of Internet addiction of any type are the same as the ones of computer addiction in general. It influences negatively relationship within families, the members of which believe that they mean nothing to their relative as he or she spends hours sitting in front of the computer. Internet addiction might bring serious financial problems as the habit does not only require some financial provision but it leads to neglecting responsibilities by the dependent that, in turn, may lead to loose of job due to poor performance. Treatment options to computer addiction include: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. It is based on Becks (1976) theory that thoughts determine feelings. The theory encourages the dependent to recognize thoughts and feelings causing him/her to inappropriately use the computer to meet personal needs (Orzack, 1999 15). This is achieved through the following stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, maintenance, and termination. In the first stage the dependent does not recognize the problem that he or she has and, therefore, does not want to change anything. Thus, the therapists task at this stage is to help the patient understand that the problem exists and help him/her realize the necessity of solving it. In the second stage the individual recognizes the need for change but still does not have a substantial desire to change something. In the preparation stage, the individual is ready to establish a plan to address the problem. The dependent person realizes that he or she needs to establish control over computer use by setting time limits. The person seeks for other activities that can be done when the urge to use the computer exists. The maintenance stage begins when the dependent learns to control ones computer use. The goal of this phase is to prevent relapse. The final stage, termination, occurs when the individual has no more desire to overuse the computer. During the treatment the therapists task is to support the dependent in every stage encouraging his or her entering another stage (Wieland 153). Psychopharmacology. It is aimed at treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other anxiety disorders that computer addiction goes along with. Addictions Treatment and Self-Help Groups. The treatment is organized by special addiction services like the Center for Online Addiction, the Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, the Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital in Belmont, The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, etc. Solutions to computer addition may include keeping oneself busy by involvement into work irrelevant to the work of computer. Hobbies become of much importance when there is a desire to get rid or computer dependency. Psychotherapy, marital counseling, addition counseling, parent counseling, social skills training are among the solutions available. Though they are applicable depending on this or that particular case, the use of them in complex is also rather beneficial for the dependent if appropriately organized and controlled. Thus, the paper defined computer and Internet addiction, showed their side effects and offered the most effective ways of solving the problem. Though the solutions proposed are rather helpful, it is a computer users responsibility not to become a computer addict. Personal control over the use of control is required not to become a compute/Internet addict. Works Cited Cooper, A. 1999, ‘Sexuality and the Internet: Surfing into the new millennium, CyberPsychology and Behavior, no. 1, pp. 181-187. Lamberg, L. 1999, ‘Computers enter mainstream psychiatry, Journal of the American Medical Association, no. 278, pp. 799-801. Orzack, M. 1999, ‘How to recognize and treat computer addictions, Directions, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 13-20. Orzack, M. H. 2003, ‘Computer addiction services, Available at: http://www.computeraddiction.com Shapira, N. et al. 2000, ‘Psychiatric features of individuals with problematic Internet use, Journal of Affective Disorders, no. 57, pp. 267-272. Shotton, M. A. 1989, Computer Addiction? A Study of Computer Dependency, London, Taylor Francis. Wieland, D. M. 2005, ‘Computer addiction: Implications for nursing psychotherapy practice, Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, vol. 41, no. 4, p. 153. Young, K. 1998, Caught in the Net, New York, Wiley. Young, K. et al. 1999, ‘Cyber disorders: The mental health concern for the new millennium, CyberPsychology and Behavior, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 475-479. Young, K., Rogers, R. 1998, ‘The relationship between depression and Internet addiction, CyberPsychology and Behavior, vol.1, no. 1, pp. 25-28.

Of Little Importance :: essays research papers

Of Little Importance In Alain DeBotton’s article â€Å"The Shame of Failure† she writes that â€Å"Our sense of an appropriate limit to achievement and wealth is never decided independently.† She continues to say that we ask others their thoughts on our lives and we are forever comparing ourselves to the successes of others. DeBotton sees this behavior as normal, acceptable. I believe that achievement and wealth is decided by the individual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DeBotton says that Americans have the freedom to choose their lifestyle and in doing so can comparatively be better than or worse than other Americans. In order to solve this ongoing dilemma, DeBotton suggests that people can choose to either make more money or restrain their desires. She goes on to say that â€Å"modern societies have succeeded spectacularly at the first, but†¦have negated their achievements.† Americans do fight to attain wealth, but will not say no to their desires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I do not believe that one can solve this status anxiety by making more money or restraining desires. Any given person will have desires for simple to ludicrous things. Money is a fact of life, a necessity. To fix status anxiety I believe that you should stop inflicting importance on not-so-important things. Why does you job make you a bad person? It doesn’t. Every job has importance and the key to fixing this is to make wages more equal. Why should the athlete who just plays a game all day be allowed to make millions when a teacher who gets these kids through to the real world makes a meager $30,000? (Starting teaching salary according to www.aft.org/salary/) Society brought itself to these standards and we are now unhappy with them. I also believe that their really should not be a problem with status. What does it matter if you make $25,000 a year and are a divorced father of 4 with a 1987 Jeep Wagoneer?