The Epic Of Gilgamesh The Goddess Aruru, The Temple...

There are three important women in the epic of Gilgamesh: the goddess Aruru, the temple prostitute Shamhat, and the unnamed bride. Each of these individuals give unique insight into the culture of the Sumerians in the time of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The goddess Aruru exemplifies that, despite being a deity, all women were subjected to certain constraints based solely on their gender and societal norms. Shamhat demonstrates that women held various functional roles in society, including roles within religion and religious practices. Finally, the unnamed bride is the most essential woman to reveal gender roles in Sumerian society; her presence in the epic defines several functions of the normal woman. The first woman mentioned is Aruru, a Mesopotamian goddess. The people of Uruk pray to her, and portray her as the creator of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The description of Enkidu and Gilgamesh gives the impression that Aruru is a powerful goddess because both of her creations are described as lar ge, and having â€Å"stormy hearts†. She is also a very earthly goddess, having created Enkidu from â€Å"earth clay and divine spittle† (Ferry 5). Traditionally, the earth and its forces are considered feminine, and take on ‘womanly’ characteristics. This largely stems from another early story of the creation of the Earth and mankind; the story of Enlil and Tiamat. According to one article, Tiamat was an enormous dragon who had covered the Earth in water, and Enlil controlled the wind: The Sumerians

Traditon in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay

The author of â€Å"The Lottery,† Shirley Jackson, creates suspense and tension to convey dramatic irony. In a person’s life, a lottery, or raffle, is thought of something fair, because sometimes, you win prizes or money. This would be the raffle that you do NOT want to win. In Jackson’s short story, it is not about what the townspeople win, but it is about what is lost. I would have to say that the theme of this story would be â€Å"Not all traditions are always good.† The title of Jackson’s story contains suspense and tension to convey irony. Jackson’s use of words keeps the reader on the road that there are no problems and everything is great. For the townspeople’s behavior as they wait and when the lottery is chosen, the†¦show more content†¦The story took place of the morning of June 27th. The day is described as â€Å"clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day.† â€Å"The flowers were blossomi ng profusely, and the grass was richly green.† Those statements describe a lot, and it is almost too good to be true. The tension and suspense part of this story was well constructed. If you read the story without knowing the ending, you would think that something good would happen. In this case, the ending was terrible for one person but in reality, the way that the ending was chosen was not right. The quote I would choose it â€Å"Life’s not fair, is it?† That is an amazing quote to analyze. When I scream at my mom â€Å"That’s not fair,† she usually replies â€Å"Life’s not fair,† and then I get really mad because that was not the answer I wanted to hear. There are many ways to think about that quote. That quote is very true. In this case, life was not fair. Poor Mrs. Hutchinson, she got â€Å"stoned† because of a lottery that they thought would change their lives. Well, the lottery did change some of the townspeople’ s lives. Another quote would be â€Å"Never regret. If its good, its wonderful. If its bad, its experience.† Since Mrs. Hutchinson was â€Å"stoned† by everyone by surprise, including her own family, she and everyone, should think about that every night before they go to sleep. So that they will go to bed knowing that they did the

Pollution in New York Free Essays

Alberto A. Ortiz Bio 112 May 13, 2010 Pollution is all around us, everywhere we go, every day we experience some sort of pollution. Babies in the womb are more vulnerable than their mothers to DNA harm from air pollution, in spite of the additional protection that the placenta is thought to supply in removing toxins. We will write a custom essay sample on Pollution in New York or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a study of babies and their mothers in New York City, scientists found that babies had accumulated a relatively high amount of mutations, and they connected the mutations to vehicle emissions. The babies also had more toxins from secondhand smoke than their mothers, who didn’t even smoke. This information is listed in Environmental Health Perspectives. For many years, scientists have believed that a fetus may be more susceptible to toxins than an adult. Yet, new research among a handful of large studies has analyzed the genetic effects of pollution. It is not known what the health effects of this DNA damage, if any, are for newborns. Exposure to these types of pollutants and tobacco smoke has been linked to increased risk for cancer in adults. This finding raises concern about fetal susceptibility and underscores the importance of reducing air pollution,† says Frederica Perera, who led the study at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health in New York City. The study included 265 pairs of nonsmoking African-American and Latina mothers and newborns in New York City. The researchers collected cord blood samples from the babies at the time of delivery and blood samples from the mothers a day after giving birth. Mothers and newborns had the same level of DNA damage from air pollutants, but the researchers estimate that the fetus is exposed to a ten-fold lower dose of pollutants than the mother because the placenta serves as a filter. Thus, fetuses appear to be particularly susceptible to environmental toxins and may not be able to clear them from their bodies or repair damaged DNA. The finding that newborns had higher levels of cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, in their blood than did their mothers reinforces he concern that babies are more affected by secondhand smoke. The scientists were able to measure the level of DNA damage from air pollutants in mothers and newborns by analyzing stretches of mutated DNA, called biomarkers, that have been associated with exposure to diesel emissions and other air pollutants. In a previous study of Caucasian women and their newborns in Krakow, Poland, Perera and her colleagues found similar prenatal susceptibility to air pollution. Because New York City has much lower levels of pollution than Krakow, they wanted to see if the same damage occurred. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put forward legislation, which will provide the first comprehensive overhaul of the New York City Noise Code in over 30 years. Noise is the number one complaint to the City’s 311 citizen service hotline, currently averaging nearly 1,000 calls a day. The proposal provides a flexible environment to keep New York’s businesses thriving while addressing the number one quality of life complaint in New York. Mayor Bloomberg said that his new proposal, which was announced in June 2004, was the first overhaul of the Noise Code in over 30 years and would maintain the City’s vibrancy by balancing the need for construction, development and an exciting nightlife with New Yorker’s well deserved right to peace and quiet. â€Å"Building on the success of our enforcement initiative, Operation Silent Night, we are proposing a comprehensive revision to the noise code that will make New York quieter and more livable without stifling growth,† the Mayor added. The new Noise Code will remove outdated code sections and replace them with ones that use the latest acoustic technology and will provide for flexible and reasonable enforcement. The new code provides updated and sensible means of limiting noise from construction sites located near residential neighborhoods. By establishing uniform best management practices for all work sites, using greater discretion in granting permits for night and weekend work and mandating ‘noise management plans’ that include portable sound barriers, noise jackets for jackhammers at all construction sites the code will decrease noise pollution. Neighbors apply special lotions after showering because their skin burns. Tests show that their tap water contains arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system. â€Å"How can we get digital cable and Internet in our homes, but not clean water? † said Mrs. Hall-Massey, a senior accountant at one of the state’s largest banks. She and her husband, Charles, do not live in some remote corner of Appalachia. Charleston, the state capital, is less than 17 miles from her home. â€Å"How is this still happening today? † she asked. When Mrs. Hall-Massey and 264 neighbors sued nine nearby coal companies, accusing them of putting dangerous waste into local water supplies, their lawyer did not have to look far for evidence. As required by state law, some of the companies had disclosed in reports to regulators that they were pumping into the ground illegal concentrations of chemicals — the same pollutants that flowed from residents’ taps. But state regulators never fined or punished those companies for breaking those pollution laws. The vast majority of those polluters have escaped punishment. State officials have repeatedly ignored obvious illegal dumping, and the Environmental Protection Agency, which can prosecute polluters when states fail to act, has often declined to intervene. Because it is difficult to determine what causes diseases like cancer, it is impossible to know how many illnesses are the results of water pollution, or contaminants’ role in the health problems of specific individuals. But concerns over these toxins are great enough that Congress and the E. P. A. regulate more than 100 pollutants through the Clean Water Act and strictly limit 91 chemicals or contaminants in tap water through the Safe Drinking Water Act. Research shows that an estimated one in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways. Those exposures include carcinogens in the tap water of major American cities and unsafe chemicals in drinking-water wells. Wells, which are not typically regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, are more likely to contain contaminants than municipal water systems. Because most of today’s water pollution has no scent or taste, many people who consume dangerous chemicals do not realize it, even after they become sick, researchers say. The broadest definition of thermal pollution is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature. Thermal pollution is usually associated with increases of water temperatures in a stream, lake, or ocean due to the discharge of heated water from industrial processes, such as the generation of electricity. Increases in ambient water temperature also occur in streams where shading vegetation along the banks is removed or where sediments have made the water more turbid. Both of these effects allow more energy from the sun to be absorbed by the water and thereby increase its temperature. There are also situations in which the effects of colder-than-normal water temperatures may be observed. For example, the discharge of cold bottom water from deep-water reservoirs behind large dams has changed the downstream biological communities in systems such as the Colorado River. http://www. controllingpollution. com/pollution/thermal-pollution/ http://www. nydailynews. com/topics/Noise+Pollution http://www. dec. ny. gov/chemical/281. html http://www. nytimes. com/2009/12/17/us/17water. html How to cite Pollution in New York, Papers

Cask Of Amontillado Essay Example For Students

Cask Of Amontillado Essay Cask of Amontillado The Cask of Amontillado By Jennifer Grimes English 102 Professor Robby Prenkert 11 April 2000 Grimes ii Outline Thesis: The descriptive details in The Cask of Amontillado not only appeal to the senses of the audience, but also show that the narrator has a memory that has been haunted with details that he can recall fifty years later. I. Introduction II. Auditory Appeal III. Humor Appeal IV. Visual Appeal V. Conclusion Grimes 1 The vividness with which Poe transcribes his sensory experiences contributes powerfully to the response his stories invoke (Fagin 202). In The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe uses captivating images to descriptively tell a tail of revenge, while appealing to the senses of the audience. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montressor seeks to have revenge on Fortunato for an unknown insult. Montressor confesses at the beginning of the story, The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge (Lowell 214). Montresor wants to not only punish, but punish with impunity(214). The nature of this insult is not made clear; however, the reader is led to believe that the insult changed Montresors social status. Montresor says to Fortunato You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. This leads the reader to believe that Montresor once had high social status, but that status has changed due to the insult by Fortunato. Fortunato, entering the scene wearing a jesters costume, is unaware of Montesors evil intentions of murder. Montresor persuades Fortunato, who prides himself on his connoisseurship in wine, to go into the family vaults so he can taste and identify some Amontillado (Lowell 215). Along the way Fortunato becomes extremely drunk and unaware of Montresors evil plot of murder. Montresor then proceeds to lead him through the catacombs and finally buries him alive behind a wall. Montresor calls to Fortunato, but the only reply that he rece ives comes in the jingling of the bells from Fortunatos cap (222). Grimes 2 II. Auditory Appeal The fact that the narrator mentions the jingling of the bells several times after fifty years indicates that he is haunted with a memory of their sound. Poe knew that the audience would relate the terrifying sound of the bells to premature burial. Premature burial is a concern during the 19th century when Poe writes this short story (Platizky 1). Live burial is practiced during this time as a form of capital punishment in Europe (1). It was a Rite of social purification (2). Being buried alive was the severe punishment for sexual offenses and grand larceny (Van Dlumen 6). With Poes fear of being buried alive these bells have a horrifying sound to him. Being buried alive is such a fear during this time that many people (especially the wealthier classes) have special coffins made (Platizky 1). These coffins have special sounding devices so that if a person is buried alive they can set off t his type of alarm (1). Also, another common practice during this time involves the placing of bells on the limbs of the recently dead(1). Poe uses the horrifying sound of the bells to appeal to the auditory senses of the audience. The sound of these bells has a freighting effect on the audience. Every time Montresor takes special notice of the sound of the bells the audience is made aware of the surrounding silence. Poe knew well the electrifying effect of sudden silence in the midst of revelry, revelry stages as escape from intolerable fear. His silences are as eloquent as those of Chekhov, except that the emotional lava with which Poes silences are charged is different (Fagin 202). His silences are eloquent because they alternate with sound(202). Grimes 3 The bells upon his cap jingles as he strode is one sentence in which Montresor takes specific notice of the sound of these bells. The audience is made extremely aware of the specific notice of the sound of these bells. After Mont resor finishes building the wall there came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. The ironic jingling of the bells which marks the end of The Cask of Amontillado is as perfect a curtain as could be devised (Fagin 204). The reader is left ..with only the sound of the bells, a sound that even they cannot help but recall after reading the story. One can imagine the effect the sound of these bells would have when the story is performed. The final and most memorable sound would be the jingling of the bells. II. Humor Appeal Through the ironic naming of the characters Poe gives visual images to the readers. The naming of Fortunato, which is ironic since he is anything but fortunate, suggests a lucky or fortunate person (Womack 5). He is given the name Fortunato though to make him appear as a fool (4). Montresor says that Fortunato, like his country men, was a quack (Lowell 214). Montresors name being associated with treasure gives the reader an image of a rich and powerful man (Gr uesser 1). Throughout the story Montresor uses verbal irony numerous times to foreshadow his intentions to the audience. One use of this verbal irony is in Montresors concern for Fortunatos health. Montresor tells Fortunato that his health is precious and they should Grimes 4 turn back so Fortunato does not become ill. Fortunato responds saying, The cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. Montresor knowing how Fortunato will die responds True-true. Another example of verbal irony is occurs when Montresor toasts to Fortunatos long life. Verbal irony is also apparent when Montresor calls Fortunato friend. When he makes it clear to the reader that he is seeking revenge on an enemy. Montresor also referred to him as the noble Fortunato. He heard a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognizing as that of the noble Fortunato(Lowell 221). In the fact that he is retelling this story after fifty years, one is led to believe that Montresor must feel guilt for the murder that was comm itted. III. Visual Appeal Fortunato enters the scene wearing a jesters cosume. This jesters costume coincides with the setting of the carnival. The costume is also appropriate for the story because Montresor wants to make a fool out of him (Womack 4). The audience can picture Fortunato in this foolish costume. Montresor wears a roquelaure which is a cape making him appear evil and mysterious. Montresor also puts on a mask of black silk which adds to his horrifying and evil appearance (Lowell 216). While Fortunato is dressed as a fool Montresor dresses as an executioner (Platizky 1). Montresor must dress as this executioner to let the audience know that he is planning on murdering Fortunato. Grimes 5 Another instance where the narrator is remarkably descriptive occurs in the depiction of the nitre filled catacombs. The picture the narrator paints a picture in the audiences mind that captivates the imagination. The picture appeals to the readers visual sense in such a way that we enjo y reading the story even more. V. Conclusion The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe, is an extremely enjoyable story to read and study. Poe captures the audiences attention by using descriptive details in that appeal to the senses of the audience. The descriptive details in this story not only appeal to the audiences auditory and visual senses, but also to their sense of humor. Through the extraordinarily memory of the narrator as he recounts these details, the audience is able to see that he is haunted with details that he can recall fifty years later. Grimes 6 Works Cited Benton, Roger P. Poes The Cask and the White Webwork Which Gleams. Studies in Short Fiction (1991): 183-195. Fagin, N. Bryllion. The Historic Mr. Poe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1949. Gruesser, John. Poes The Cask of Amontillado; Criticism Interpretation. The Explicator (1998): 129-130. Lowell, James R. Tales of Mystery and Imagination. New York: The Book league of America, 1940. Moss, Sidney P. Po es Literary Battles. North Carolina: Kingsport, 1963. Platizky, Roger. Poes The Cask of Amontillado; Criticism Interpretation. The Explicator (1999): 206-210. Thompson, G.R. Cask of Amontillado: A Case for Defense Van Dulmen, Richard. Rituals of Execution in Early Modern German. The Social Dimension of Western Civilization. 4th Ed. Ed. Richard M. Golden. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1999. Womack, Martha The Cask of Amontillado. http://www.poedecoder.com/essays/cask/ .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .postImageUrl , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:hover , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:visited , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:active { border:0!important; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:active , .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396 .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u20242fdc3e464bb704085e6b5661a396:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Forgiveness Essay