Literature

Nausea is a fine exampleof Sartres train of thought. It delves into the profound and difficult questions of reality and existence through the eyes of an ordinary man.

Antoine is a very observant man. He writes very detailed accounts of what he sees and how interprets them based on his experiences and paradigm of thought. That is why, the text comes to the reader as rather boring and plain. The details are so fleshed out in his journals that it gives the reader the same atmosphere and feeling of complete and utter boredom that Antoine feels. Furthermore, it is because of this very observant nature that Antoine falls into despair.

From the start of the journal, we see that most of Antoines life is spent alone.. He frequents cafes where he observes other people, chatting away with their friends about all sorts of stories. Antoine becomes bitter and lonely as he continued to watch these youths happily weave their tales. However, he is frequented by the self-taught man. The self-taught man is always quite eager to ask and bug Antoine about various subjects such as adventures, ideas and opinions. Antoine despises the man for no apparent reason. It would always seem that Antoine is lonely but at the same time, feels boredom and irritation as he meets and converses with others. Anny, however, seems to be an exception to his apparent lack of enthusiasm for others. He holds on to the memories of times so spent with Anny but it does not ease his pain. As he delves deeper into his memories and dissects his encounters and letters to her that Antoine realizes the truth Anny does not love him even though he love her with all his heart.

Anotine is unemployed and spends most of his time writing a book about de Rollebon, a famous politician and alleged assassin of Paul I. Through his pre-occupation, he is able to counter the feeling of loneliness to some extent and alleviate boredom. However, as he continues his work, he starts to question validity of his sources. He notices the fact that some sources draw conclusions from the same facts. As the journal progresses, this questioning of the truth evolves into a question of reality. He becomes even more aloof, bored and despaired by the fact that reality is subjectively defined. The way he sees himself and the way others see him will always be different. The existence of one can be affirmed or denied by another.

Towards the end, Antoine comes to grips with the problem of defining existence. He soon realizes that existence can be defined by ones self. As he reads the paper regarding the raped girl, he understands the existence of this girl is no longer defined by her. Instead, the girl exists as people define that she does exist. In the same way, the street which he walks on or the apartment that he stays in exists not because of the fact that one can detect these objects with the five senses. Rather, these objects exist because Antoine recognizes them to exist. Finally, Antoine starts to feel somewhat at ease.

In summary, Nausea details the various existentialist concepts of Sartre. By using a story, Sartre is able to depict the elusiveness and troublesome nature of truth and existence.

Hamlet, one of William Shakespeare work is no qustion the most renowned play in English medium. The tragedy is a significant stage in the Shakespeares theatrical development. The playwright attained creative and aesthetic problem in this play through his gifted and masterly portrayal of the man of courages endeavour with two conflicting strengths, ethical and behavioural rectitude and the crying out for revenge for his begetters extermination.

Act I, scene 1. After twelve, Barnardo and Marcellus relieved Francisco of his observance. The two fellow men requested Horatio to be on ones feet with them that nocturnal to testify the impression and materialization of the deceased kings phantom. The hallucination become visible and disappears two times however does not manage to utter to the men. The four pronounced to tell Hamlet concerning the event in the following hours. Hamlets friend and the sentinels accounted that ghost usually appears for a purpose. Act II, scene 2. King Claudius reported that inspite of his sorrow for his brothers latest death, he has lay hold Gertrude as wife. While Denmark is in ultimatum of seizure from Fortinbras (the young find to reowned the missing land to Hamlets father), Hamlet simulates insanity with his family and companions, including Ophelia, his beloved (Shakespeare, 1603).

The author used intriguing, symphathetic and annoying tone to fortell the terrifying occurence to follow. Since the characters nature is uncertain, probably the next scenes would be questioning and verifying for the other significant characters motives. However, because of the uncertainty presents by Hamlet, the next to come is quite hard to foreshadow. Shakespeare used his artistic imagination to unfold and then excite his audience for the next scene.

The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was considered the last part of the Stone Age. Neolithic culture started in the Levant (Jericho, modern-day West Bank) about 9500 BCE and flourished in the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys from c. 7000 BC. It developed directly from the Epipaleolithic Natufian culture in the region, whose people established the use of wild cereals, which then evolved into farming. It is regarded as by the use of stone tools, taking care of plants or animals, the establishment of permanent villages, and the tradition of such crafts as pottery and weaving.

During this age, they lived in small tribes consisting of 1502000 members that were composed of multiple bands or lineages. Neolithic pastoralists who controlled large shepherd gradually acquired more livestock, and this made economic inequalities more evident and distinct. Livestock custody allowed rivalry between households and resulted in inherited unfairness of wealth.

Mud brick houses coated with plaster started appearing as a picture of the shelter in this early period. The growth of agriculture made stable houses possible. Doorways were made on the roof, with ladders positioned both on the inside and outside of the houses. Beams from the inside supported the roof of the house and the rough ground was covered by platforms, mats, and skins on which people slept.
In the Neolithic age, most clothing appears to have been made of animal skins. This is indicated by finds of large numbers of bone and antler pins which are ideal for fastening leather, but not cloth. Nonetheless, woolen cloth and linen might have become available during the British Neolithic, as suggested by finds of perforated stones which may have served as spindle whorls or loom weights.

The story of Huck Finn is one of the literary pieces that has become a cornerstone or foundation of American Literature. The book, written by Mark Twain, has become one of the most acknowledge yet controversial classic literatures ever written in the history of world literature. This argument has been emphasized further by a well  known writer, Ernest Hemingway, who argued that majority of the contemporary literatures in American literature has been inspired by the story of Huckleberry Finn (Johnson xi). Another author, Walter Dean Howells has stated that What Twain has given America in Huckleberry Finn is nothing more or less than its first indigenous literary masterpiece(105). This would imply that authors have recognized the important role of the book in the history of American literatures. However, despite its contributions, the book has been criticized, banned and was poorly acknowledged due to certain issues. Contrasting facts, opinions and articles have been read in connection with this literary piece which has triggered the researcher to study further how the book has been considered as a cornerstone of American Literature.

The goal of this research was to address the main thesis of the paper How does the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been considered as a Cornerstone of American Literature In order to prove this thesis statement, the following framework has been used Literary Analysis of the book which would cover the plot summary, the author and issues American Literature in terms of the trends, history and evolution  Huck Finn and the American Literature Discussion of the main thesis based from the literature review and Conclusion.

Literary Analysis of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book that revolves to the story of Huck, a fourteen year- old boy, who has been seeking for adventure and freedom (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn). In the story, it has been narrated that Huck has been kidnapped by his very own father because of the 6000 dollars treasure. His adventures have started from his escape to his father and live alone in the forest near the river to find freedom from his imprisonment and civilization that he has experienced. He came across the people who have been together in search of freedom (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn).

Huck and Jim has experience things and circumstances that were not naturally experienced by young boys of their age. Along with the negative experiences that these young boys have experienced, Huck has been able to learn lessons that have improved his personality and attitudes. He was able to develop good character and conscience that made him a better person (Plot Summary of Huckleberry Finn).

This short plot summary of the adventures of Huck in the Mississippi River has shown that the novel was not a typical book for young boys nor can be describe as an innocent and happy tale (Johnson xiii). Taking into consideration the tranquility of the river were most scenes has took place, it could not replace the fact of a brutal world of Huck and Jim which has been described by the following scenes a mistakenly identified drowned person who has been believed as the father of Huck Hucks capability to fake his own murder and drag a dead body in the river Hucks cruelty the murder of Hucks friends and others with his naked eye torture or cruelty done with animals a discovered naked body of a man who has been shot on his back in a shack that has been used by prostitutes and thieves the thieves threatened one of their gang members with pistol in a boat that has drowned them all shooting or killing of a drunk man who was unarmed during the daylight and many more (Johnson xiii). It could be inferred that though the novel has a good ending that shows reformation or change of personality, the negative aspect of the novel has a bigger impact to the readers.

In terms of structure, Johnson has written that the novel lacks unity on its characters, plot and setting. It does not conform to a dramatic structure which most novels follow (2). The novel has many characters, different settings and subplots on which the actions has become randomly episodic. The episodes which have been presented randomly were held together or tied together by Huckleberry Finn as the narrator and the Mississippi river (2). This implies that the novel has poor but unique structure of plot which has been new in American Literature.

The uniqueness in the style of plot structure has been traced by Johnson who has stated that Mark Twain, the author, has his own ways of putting together the various stories a repudiation of traditional forms of plot structure, the rules and manners of genteel society, and the restraints civilization places upon the free spirit (1). This could be seen in the tight dispensing of the episodic narrative in the form derived from nature the Mississippi River (1).

Henry Nash Smith in his book Mark Twain The Development of a Writer, states that the struggles or difficulties encountered by Mark Twain as a writer has emerged from the conflict between the gentility cult (the dominant culture during his time) and the evolving attitudes of the Americans rooted to the developing vernacular language. This conflict has

been traced from Twains individual works that has resulted to his problems on structure and style in writing. Furthermore, it has been argued that his progress as a writer was an interplay of dialects on which his imaginations has brought strain or problems in his innovations or creativeness, resources and technical method (Champion 61). This would imply that the author of the book, though successful in tying up its several episodes in unusual plot in the form of river, has his own struggle that has been apparent in his style of writing.

Huckleberry Finn has been condemned by reviewers of the book because it has been seen as an immoral that should not be read by young boys. The issues of immorality has been rooted on the attitude or behavior that has been portrayed by Huck for his smoking, repeated lying, stealing, no interest of going to school and church, drunkenness, atrocious grammar, joining unauthorized associations or gangs in the society and many more (Johnson xii). This would imply that the book has been banned and considered as a poison to young boys minds has been based on the attitudes portrait by the main character. These are attitudes that have not to be followed and not a good influence to the developing minds of youth because of its nature. This was the primary reason why the group of Concord Library Committee (The Concord Library Committees Banning of Huckleberry Finn 6, Mark Twains Last Book Excluded from a Public Library, 1).

Immoral, irreligious, obsolete, inaccurate, racist, mindless, and etc, these were only some of the words that the critics of the novel have used in describing it (Leonard et al 2). However, to an extent the book has tackled social issues that has been happening or experience during this time. This argument has been supported by Barbara Jackson who has emphasized that the story of Huck Finn has shown the dilemmas or problems in American society. These dilemmas were related to issues on the language use, race, labeling and hypocrisy during the 19th century (63). In fact, the novel has been a subject of debate for decades.
Thus, the book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been both controversial, banned and was poorly recognized because it has touched social issues that has arise during this period in the American society. Despite these critics, the novel still has been recognized as a cornerstone in American Literature.

Huck Finn and American Literature
George Garza has stated that Mark Twains Adventure of Huckleberry Finn has been considered as one of the best written literary piece in the Great American Novel. It has been considered as the first American novel that has used ordinary speech, first person and vernacular or dialects. This has been supported by Johnson which states that the book was considered the first true American novel. This has been claimed not because the novel was the first to have an American setting nor the very first American novel. This has become the big question Why does it have become the first truly American Novel

There are many factors that could lead to the answer of this question. One could be the language used in the novel. Mark Twain was the first American writer who has used vernacular language in his novel. The language as vernacular or natural language that has been spoken by Americans is different from a literary language that has been used by majority of the writers. The used of such language is a representation of the various dialects from differing races, classes, cultures, etc (Jordan 5).

This would imply that the book conveys universal meaning. Furthermore, the author has expressed clearly that the novel was uniquely American in nature. This is one of the major contributions of the novel in American Literature a shift from a literary language to a vernacular language that has touch the dialects spoken by Americans that came from differing classes, races and cultures. This has happen despite the fact that during this period, the use of such language was not allowed. It was during this era that sameness of language or the uniformity of language contributes to the political harmony (Webster 1920).

Another interesting point that has to be considered was the main setting of the novel the Mississippi River. During the period of the novel, the river has become the boundary of society were in slavery, feuding, gambling, outlaws and many more happens. The river, situated at the heart of America, has become the symbol of tranquility and freedom for the main characters in the novel. The river has reflected the bad or negative situations and the slavery from the southward coast of America. This implies that the used of the river was to manifest the quest for freedom and peace of mind amidst the negative circumstances in the American society during the 19th century.

The themes racism, slavery, intellectual and moral education and the hypocrisy of civilized society have something to do with American Literature. It is trough history or experiences that literature evolved. It would be necessary to look back to the history of America during the time of Mark Twain since this would give a holistic and objective interpretation of his book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Mark Twain, the author, has lived during the period that racism and slavery has been a long time problem and illness of American society. Racism has been defined as an act of prejudice or animosity to people who belong to other race (Racism). The novel was considered a racist book as being emphasized in the person of Jim. In the American society, during the period that the novel was written, racism has made the black men and women slaves (Barksdale 49).

This would imply that the issue of racism towards the novel was based from the real situations that have happened in the history of American nations. It has become the mirror of the cruelty done to the black man and woman because of racism. Jims quest for freedom would mean a journey towards equality, a journey towards freedom from racism and slavery. Barksdale has emphasized that the set point of the novel has been traced during the slavery - time Missouri which has been considered a slave state.

This would explain the authors theme of slavery on the novel which has been very apparent for those who have chosen to leave across the tunnels (e.g Mississippi River) (49). The negative attitudes lost of conduct or good moral characters as portrayed to the story was a result or effect of the slave society.

Thus, it can be inferred that the story or the novel itself has become a major contribution to the development of American Literature. It has holistic and unique presentation of the history of American society during the slavery time. Furthermore, the quest for freedom has represented the hearts and thoughts of every American citizen who had dream equality, peace and unity.

Discussion
The character of Huck Finn symbolized as a metaphor for young Americans. Although Huck stays with Jim, he sees Jim as a slave and not as human. Other Americans as well recognize the inhumane character of Jim as a slave, only the difference between slaves and other walk of life, the skin color, culture, and other aspect that would describe people from other people. Through the friendship that has been built, Huck was able to recognize Jims human perspective. Huck has his own mind being a grown up and manage to help Jim to escape his slavery. The character of Huck evolves into a better human by seeing the humanity that his friend is going through (Garza).

What could have been the contributions of the novel have rooted from the authors uniqueness in his style of writing and experiences in his society. Barksdale has indicated that the reasoning or purpose of the Mark Twains literary pieces when he had written the novel Adventures of the Huckleberry Finn was to show the psychological impact of the social issues in American Society (Barksdale 53). Furthermore, it has been stated that with the preexisting condition, Civil War in America, the novel was an attempt of the author to show the possibilities of developing ironic or impossible friendship between a black man and white man (Barksdale 54). Thus, it can be drawn that the novel was an attempt of the author to ironically present the racism that has been slaving the black man (Wall 209).

Conclusion
Based from the discussion and review of related literature of Mark Twains Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, the following conclusions were made

The novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has played significant role in the American Literature because it was an ironic representation of the American society during this period.

The novel was written as an attempt to discuss the social issues of racism, slavery, need for education and freedom of the people.

The brutality of the world that has been manifested in the novel has mirrored the severity and the psychological impact of these social issues to the life of the people.

The novel has been condemned due to the use of its language that does not conform to the uniformity of the political factors. This would indicate the fact that vernacular words used in the novel was a hindrance to the uniformity of politics.

John Keats in Ode on a Grecian Urn seems to both celebrate and to lament the human minds capacity to envision beauty in an existence that is inevitable temporary.  The beauty represented by the urn is permanent whereas the beauty the observers mind is able to comprehend is more temporary and will fade as the human mind turns its attention to other duties, ages, and dies with the body.  In this way, the urn and its art symbolize a type of transcendental beauty which the human mind is capable of grasping intermittently but a beauty which can only be immortalized in art.   Human beings therefore can be immortalized in the form of artistic productions in ways that transcend human existence.  Art is an ideal expression of human aspirations and human longings.

In the first stanza, for example, the urns admirer seems marvelously transfixed on the etchings or pictures.  More than anything, this stanza is very much akin to a quest in which the observer longs to know and to understand who these pictures are about and what they might mean.  More than any other stanza, this one is tightly organized around questions rather than mere observations or extrapolations.  The observer queries about place, for instance, when states In Tempe or the dales of Arcady (Keats 7), about character when he states What men or gods are these What maidens loth (Keats 8), and about motive and plot when he states What mad pursuit What struggle to escape (Keats 9).  There is a beauty, indicated by word choice such as flowery and sweetly, that the observer is trying to understand and this beauty is fixed in time as is implied both by the existence of the pictures on an inanimate urn and by the poets reference to slow time (Keats 2).  The poet thus frames this poem in terms of a wondrous quest, of beautiful people and places, and of a beauty that is not constrained so much by the passage of time.

In the second and third stanzas the poet celebrates art as a type of permanent beauty and seems to place the ability to grasp this beauty firmly in the powers of the human mind rather than in the physical world.  This separation of mind and body is made explicitly when the poet writes that Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard (Keats 11) and Not to the sensual ear, but, more endeard (Keats 13).  The beauty, in effect, cannot be discerned through the sense of sound and must be perceived and processed by the mind alone.  This is a profound thought as it implies some connection between the human mind and the beauty represented by the pictures on the urn.  The observer therefore hears the sounds of the pipe with his mind rather than with his ears.  History is as a result made permanent and the people and the activities on the urn are thereby immortalized.  This notion of immortality is reinforced when the poet subsequently writes that For ever piping songs for ever new (Keats 24).  This ever new language expresses that the sounds of the pipes heard in the human mind persist despite the passage of time and they are forever fixed in time.  The first three stanzas, in sum, accomplish a merging of art and the human mind that transcend time, the physical body, and the inevitability of death.

The final two stanzas, attempting to tie this merging of art and mind together, are used to express the observers desire for the art to be more accessible and for the art to be recognized as a human manifestation of the greatest beauties and the highest truths.  In terms of accessibility, for example, the poet writes Why thou art desolate, can eer return (Keats 40).  The notion of a desolate art unable to return seems a plea for human beings to embrace art, to understand art through the mind, and to avoid treating it as an irrelevant relic of ancient times.  The poet then attempts to equate the beauty of art with the highest truths by stating that Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought (Keats 44) and Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all (Keats 49).  The purpose of art is to illustrate human ideals and these ideals are known by the mind rather than mundane forms of transient thought constrained by the pressures of quickly passing time.  In conclusion, Keats seems to be celebrating the power of the human mind to transcend the physical world and to be proposing artistic endeavors as one means for accomplishing this type of transcendental intellectual state.

To the admissions department,
I am (place name) and I am interested in attending (place name of school) under your (place degree) program. I have done a lot of research online as well as through brochures and the advice of my friends and family as such I have come to the conclusion that if I were to attend (place name of university) that I would grow as a person and I would be able to become a success.
 
When applying to your institution I do not just bring myself as a person rather I also bring with me many years of professional and academic experience. I have been working for (place name of specific government organization) for (put number of years). Throughout those years I helped (place name of company or companies) respond to rapidly changing technologies and practices by providing profession language interpretation services both over the phone and through personal interactions with our clients. I can assure you that I can keep up with the demands of the course and even excel due to my experiences.

When it comes to my use of the English language I can assure you that I am a fluent English speaker and that I can write in a manner that is clear and well understood. I happen to be multilingual I can speak, read and write in Bosnian, German and English interchangeably. I actually rather enjoy reading and writing in different languages and I plan to one day have a side career as a professional translator working for government and nongovernmental organization as well as the private sector.

I happen to have to have lived a very interesting life wherein I have lived in Germany for several thus enabling me to have a broader understanding of the different cultures that are out there and giving me the ability to both tolerate and accept the different cultural differences between individuals of different ethnic origins.
 
I graduated from (place name of high school) wherein I completed the course with a good academic record and without incident. Through my experiences there and what I learned while working I realized that in order for me to improve myself and get ahead in the world I will need to improve what I already know and learn new things. I enjoyed my high school experiences and going back to them would be like revisiting an old friend. I decided that there would be nothing wrong with going back to studying and achieving a Bachelors degree.  I want to be able to earn a BA in order for me to become a high school teacher in Victoria Melbourne. It has always been my dream to do so and I will do all that I can and all that I must in order to achieve this goal. With this in mind I am determined in entering (name of university) and I assure you I will succeed and even thrive in an academic environment.

In conclusion I am confident in my skills and I know that should I be accepted I would be able to finish my degree and become an alumnus the school would be proud of.

Thank you and I hope that I will accepted

Animal Farm by George Orwell is similar to the fairy tales and fables created to mystify and charm audiences all over the world. Animal Farm is similar to Aesops story of The Eagle and the Arrow and Hans Christian Andersons fairy tale of The Brave Tin Soldier. All three stories use characters that cannot exist, yet each of them has elements that allow the reader to relate to quality of life today.

Animal Farm uses animals to show the roles played by humans today. Animals depict the greed for power and lust for success that exists in every individual waiting to emerge at the slightest opportunity as is proven by Napoleon Napoleon is always right. This is coupled with the goodness and loyalty those who refuse to lower themselves to selfishness and indulgence, choosing instead to follow their conscience as is evident by Boxers continuous belief in a better end I will work harder. The Eagle in Aesops fable is thinking and living being that can decipher the good and bad done unto him it found that the shaft of the Arrow had been feathered with one of its own plumes. The sense of inane justice is a concept that is perfectly understood by this animal. Hans Christians tale uses toys to add a mystical but deep feeling in the plot. By employing ordinary toys, a tale of love and woe is created, imprinting a deep impact on the reader. Human feelings are incorporated with the toys as the soldier thinks That is the wife for me, as he looks at the dancing doll.  Thus, all three writers employ magical characters or animals to create a plot that is humanistic and moving.

Each story has a plot and a moral. Be it Orwells novel or Aesops short fable. The stories add a human element which implicates a moral to the story. However, each moral is similar or prevalent in the story, fable or tale placed against it. Animal Farm discusses how by removing one evil, an individual should not find it replaced by a similar one. The animals threw out Jones just to find him replaced by a member of their own community, Napoleon who claimed All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. This moral also rings as a deep undertone in the story of the tin soldier. While pursuing his dream to win over the dancing doll the soldier failed to heed the words of the goblin, eventually leading to his melting. Another moral of the three stories is the vulnerability an individual reveals about themselves, leading to their own doom. This is evident in the Animal Farm where the hard-working animals show their desire to live and fight for a cause, leading to those lusting for power to manipulate them and lead to their eventual death. In Aesops fable, the eagle is killed by an arrow that is unwittingly decorated with its own feathers. The Tin Soldier is also killed not because of any personal defect but because of his frailty when trying to win the heart of the dancing figure. By revealing their emotions or characters be it pride, love or hard-work, each character of these works is rewarded accordingly.

Thus, each story works hard to incorporate the idea that while human feelings need not exist in a human alone, life is difficult for every rational and emotional being.

Gorgias uses a mixture of ethos, pathos, and logos in his Encomium of Helen.  The primary use of logos is Gorgia illuminating the simple fact that history has no definitive reason why Helen was taken to Troy she could have been forced by the gods, physically compelled, mentally compelled through persuasive speech, or emotionally compelled by her love for her captors.  Walking his audience through these possibilities, Gorgias begins imposing his own narratives upon the Helen mythology.  In the face of these myths, the audience faces uncertainty about their view of Helen for perhaps the first time.

The use of logos continues in his discussion of the gods fating Helen to go to Troy.  This same argument has plagued theologians for centuries, and for good reason the belief in fate andor gods pre-ordaining events necessarily removes human agency, for good or for ill.  It is impossible to condemn a mortal for his or her actions if they were compelled by an immortal.

The next argument is one of pathos.  Paralleling the discussion of Helen being forced against her will by the gods, Gorgias discusses the notion of Helen being forcibly kidnapped and brutally raped by her captor.  This cleverly reframes the common view of Helenthat she willingly left with Paris, with little to no regard for the chaos that would be caused in her wake.  Rather, Gorgias brings in a healthy dose of reality when the armed man with an army behind him wants an unarmed woman to come with him, she has very little choice.  The threat of violence as a form of coercion is just as effective as the violence itself.

Gorgias then moves to the ethos of speech itself.  Delivering a kind of mini-prayer to speech and its powers to move individuals in body and spirit, he creates an argument that is hard to attack after all, attacking the rhetorical power of words is to attack several fundamental aspects of Greek societyit would undercut the meaning of stories, the power of politicians, and even the power of prayer to sympathetic gods.  Gorgias points out that if speech can move gods and men, it is absurd to think it couldnt move one mortaland a weak individual being overpowered by strong words is not dissimilar from a weak individual being overpowered by strong arms or stronger gods.

The final argument returns to one of pathos, as Gorgias addresses the notion that Helen may have truly loved Paris.  He points out that through the lens of love, eyes can perceive the inner greatness of a person.  This, he says, is the basis of sculpture individuals wish to recreate the greatness they have seen in others, and audiences are drawn to this beauty.  He says that Helen viewing Paris may not have been that dissimilar from someone viewing a great statue of Alexander the Greatin that scenario, her leaving with Paris was not an intentional crime against the Greeks, but was simply her following the mandates of her heartmandates which, of course, are set by the gods, and individuals cannot be held responsible for.

Though all of these arguments are very thorough and articulated very clearly, the glue that holds them together is logosspecifically, the audiences lack of certainty about Helens actions.  Gorgias forces his audiences to realize they were imposing a narrative upon Helen, a narrative that was fueled by their own patriarchy and misogyny.  By imposing his own narratives, Gorgias did not necessarily have to prove how amazing his own arguments were, he simply had to prove how easy it was to provide an alternative.  Faced with all of these alternatives, one is left uncertain if they can ever definitively judge Helen.

Jawaharlal Nehru once said, We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell (Williams, 2009). This statement is discussing the new free country of India in 1947 when dreams were still alive. Despite the greatest of dreams, some of the realities plaguing the country are living nightmares, and above all, children cannot freely dwell. There is an existing problem in the world today with illegal human trafficking. Many people do not even know this is an issue however, in recent years, there have been numerous accounts of young women in Nepal and other remote areas being sold into slavery and taken to India.

In Sold by Patricia McCormick, a young Nepali girl reaches a breaking point when she is visited by an American. Throughout the entire novel, she does not lose her spirit to live or her will to survive. She does not know whether to trust him or not however, his relief efforts are relentless to save these young women. She does not know English, and it is hard to communicate with him, thus adding to her cause for concern. In the end, though, with the efforts of a non-profit relief organization she runs towards her freedom saying the little English she knows her name, her age, and where she is from (McCormick, 2006).  Although illegal child trafficking is a key issue that needs to be focused on, there is a much deeper issue at hand. It is extreme poverty that forces these families to abandon all reason and send their children away for a little sum of money. The conditions of the slaves are harsh. Lakshmi says, Tonight when Mumtaz comes to my room, she sees that her strap has left raw sores on my back and neck, arms and legs. So she hits me on the soles of my feet (McCormick, 2006). It is unbearable to know a little thirteen-year-old girl is enduring these conditions right now because her family does not have food to eat.

The target audience consists of individuals looking for a cause to donate to or to act on, immediately. In recent years, there have been novels written, such as Sold, as well as an HBO special called The Red Light District to shed light on this growing epidemic. There are small accounts of child prostitution in Slum Dog Millionaire also. The audience age ranges, but young adults can be a key target since the people interviewed are typically between the ages of nine to twenty. The target audience can also be adapted with additional means of getting the message out about this issue such as songs or videos. What ever the means, there is a great effort to document these accounts and share them globally.

The solution for child trafficking is somewhat costly because it involves a task force in the country to save them and resources to take care of them after they are saved, but there are ways to raise funds to assist with the problem. There are currently many non-profit organizations that are raising awareness and funding for this specific issue. Although this solution is costly, there are less expensive efforts to stop the underlying cause of these incidents. For starters, there are many charitable organizations such as www.freerice.com that are enjoyable games for young people to practice basic skills and raise funds for impoverished countries. As seen with the efforts in Haiti, there should be funds that can directly connect to peoples needs in poverty-stricken areas during natural disasters such as the monsoon. Lastly, there should be education resources for those living in remote areas, like Nepal. Young people from America can teach basic English skills to these children and create an alliance with them. This would be a life skills lesson for Americans, plus, the children in these areas would not be taken away from all they know with no means of communication. As Nehru says, as long as there are tears and suffering, our work will not be over (Williams, 2009).

The Lamb by William Blake is one of the authors most acclaimed work along with another poem of his of having a title named after an animalThe Tiger. The Lamb is a poem that relates the creation of humans to God, explaining that everyone on this planet came from the source of all things, and that is God. The following paragraphs are explication of the lines of the poem.

Line Analysis
Little Lamb ,who made thee (Line 1) Notice that the Lamb is capitalized suggesting that it is proper noun. Another first interpretation that can be done on the line is that it is referring to Christ since Jesus is known in the Christian world as the Lamb of God. The speaker is asking The Lamb who created Him but he knew very well who did as seen on the lines of the second stanza. The rest of the lines in stanza one bears the same question of asking the Little Lamb who created Himgiving examples of the wonderful things that the Creator has done for Him. Gave thee, life and give thee feed, (3) This particular line states that the Creator of The Lamb is the one that gave The Lamb the gift of life and the food that requires this life to be sustained. This part of the poem goes with belief of the dual identity of Christ, that Christ became man and that He is also God.  But it is not just the gift of life that God has given His Son, Christ. God has also given Christ another basic need, which is clothing. But not just any other kind of garment since, Christ is the son of God after all. Gave thee clothing of delight  Softest clothing woolly bright (5-6). Of course the line does not mean that Christ wore expensive clothes. The line is more likely to be an allusion for the cloth that wrapped Jesus when he was born because new born babies are wrapped in soft cloth after being born. And it is also probably because of the depictions of the baby Jesus on images and sculptures that Blake based his assumption. The last two lines that the first stanza holds is found on lines 7-8 where the speaker talks about the voice of Christ. Gave thee such a tender voice,  Making all the vales rejoice (7-8). What tender voice means is the work that has dome through his teachings when He came down to Earth. Christ spread the word of God through his preaching. His good news that He has spread made His voice tender. His voice is so tender that even the all the vales rejoice which is a generalization of all the places on Earth.

On the second stanza, the speaker finally tells the Little Lamb who His Creator is although this is done indirectly. He is called by thy name  For He calls Himself The Lamb It is only through this line that the identity of the Little Lamb is made clear. The Little Lamb that the speaker is talking about is us, all of Gods children. Christ, as mentioned is also known as The Lamb. The story of how Christ became a lamb (or a child) is then mentioned in the next line. He became a little child (16).  The story of Jesus is that God the Father sent The Holy Spirit to Earth and through the Holy Spirit that Mary conceived Christ, thus God Himself, in the person of Christ became a child. The relationship that men have with God is then explained on the last part of the poem. I a child, and thou a lamb  We are called by His name. (17-18). Man (being represented by the speaker) is the child while the lamb is Christ both being referred to in the poem as The Lamb.

Conclusion
Blake has a written a religious poem through The Lamb. But his greatest accomplishment with this poem is his ability to show the close relationship that man has with his creator. Though God is supreme creator, He also became man through the person of Christ.

The Tiger by William Blake is a sort of contrast to the authors other but equally popular poem The Lamb. The Tiger is a poem that asks readers that How could the powerful and good Creator, who is God, make such a fearsome creature like the Tiger if the same Creator has the ability to create a docile and perfectly harmless creature like the lamb This paper aims to explain the poem through close reading of the lines.

Analysis of Lines
Tiger, tiger burning bright  In the forest of the night. (Lines 1-2).  In the first two lines of the poem, the speaker introduces the subject of the poem which is the Tiger. Blake describes the tiger as a creature that is burning. This allusion to the tiger burning is due to the skin of the tiger which is made of golden brown with black stripes that makes the a tiger look like it is on fire especially during the night. The next two lines on the other hand, the speaker wonders who could possibly have the power or the willingness to create such a creature of paradox. What immortal hand or eye  Could frame thy fearful symmetry (3-4).  The existence of a tiger is a paradox because it is such a beautiful creature, as noted by its symmetrical figure and yet it is feared creature that is capable of tearing most other creatures into shreds.

In stanza two, the speaker continues to wonder on the origin of the creator of the tiger. In the first two lines of stanza two, the speaker ponders on whether the creator of the tiger is from hell or whether the creator of the tiger is from heaven. In what distant deeps or skies  Burnt  the fire of thine eyes (5-6). The distant deeps is pertaining to hell while the sky is of course the heavens. The speakers doubts over the creator of the tiger shows on the 7th and 8th lines of the poem. On what wings dare he aspire  What hand dare seize the fire (7-8). The speaker wonders if the creator have wings, how could he have reached the fire that was used to create the tiger This line shows that the speaker is thinking that the creator of the tiger maybe from hell or at least it is not someone who is from heaven since the fire is located in hell. Even if the supposed creator of the tiger has reached hell for the necessary fire, how could he have ever worked with an element such as a fire

On stanza three, the speaker admires the creator of the tiger because of the combination of both strength and beauty of the tiger. And what shoulder and what art  Could twist the sinews of thy heart (9-10). The speaker likens the creator of the tiger as someone who is like a blacksmith because of his reference to fire being used to make the tiger and the twisting of the tigers person.

On the fifth stanza, the speaker questions the creator of the tiger whether he is happy with his creation of not. Did He smile His work to see (19). The speaker wonders whether God, like a true artist that He is, is pleased with creating such a paradoxical creature of having both beauty and fearsome characteristics. And as a final question, he asks whether the same God has created tiger who also has created the lamb, a harmless creature incapable of doing all the violent things that a tiger could do.

Conclusion
The Tiger is one of those poems that go best with another poem of the same author. In this case, The Tiger is best read and contrasted to Blakess other work which is The Lamb. A close reading of the lines of The Tiger would reveal that the author despite his religious nature still has a lot of questions about his faith.

Drama began in Ancient Greece and at the time, they were featured in two categories   tragedy and comedy, underscored by the masks worn by the performers which later on became the iconic symbols of the performing arts of theater and even movies.  As the names suggest, tragedy is characterized by a sad ending where one or all the main protagonists  die  in the end, or the dreams or goals are left unfulfilled. Comedy, on the other hand is meant to entertain people through humor and feature scenes that are funny which are interspersed with sobering scenes. William Shakespeare is one of the most renowned playwrights the world has ever known, and he wrote a plethora of plays both in tragedy and comedy.

Romeo and Juliet is a well-known case of a play written with a tragic end. It  is set in Verona, Italy and the plot is centered on two young lovers, Romeo of the Montagues and Juliet of the Capulets who are in love with each other in the midst of the feud between their families. Romeo is immediately smitten by Juliet whom he met at a masquerade ball, and he becomes totally and nearly madly in love with her despite the fact she belongs to the  enemy.  They secretly get married, but their road to complete marital bliss is fraught with many obstacles which tend to sabotage or scuttle their relationship, thereby breaking them apart. The first instance is the scene where Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliets cousin who kills Romeos friend Mercutio when the latter challenges Romeo to a fight which he refuses to accept, prompting Mercutio to intervene on behalf of his friend.  This incident makes Romeo a wanted man and further stalls the happiness he and Juliet seek as he is forced to go into hiding lest he be arrested and executed (Shakespeare,  Romeo and Juliet  3.1.195-197).

Another instance that leads to tragedy is the failure of Friar Laurences messenger to tell Romeo of an elaborate plan he devised to help the young couple live happily. The plan calls for Juliet to take a special drug that would render her unconscious for several hours but giving the impression she died. Romeo is supposed to meet her at her grave and once she is revived, they would forever leave Verona and live happily together to Mantua (4.1. 93-96).  Unfortunately, trouble emerges and the messenger fails to get the message through as Romeo hears the other version through his servant (5.2.17).  It is from these scenes that the stage is set for the tragic end as Romeo feels his world fall apart due to the death of his one and only love, takes his own life, not knowing Juliet regains consciousness and she too feels distraught seeing her love dead that she takes her own life as well.  As the members of both families gather at the tomb and see the two lifeless lovers, they finally make peace with one another after being admonished by the Prince who says,  Capulet Montague See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate  (5.3.291). As a tragedy, there is no  happily ever after  in this story.  The lovers, instead of a happy life together, are joined in death.  They did not live to have a chance to experience the joys of togetherness and marital bliss.  The irony of this tragedy is that it finally brings peace to their feuding families.

On the distaff side, A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedic play. Some of the characters are based on personalities in Greek mythology. The story begins with Egeus coming to the court of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to help him persuade his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius.  The reason behind Hermias intransigence is that she is in love with Lysander. In addition, Demetrius originally had a relationship with her friend Helena whom he jilts in order to pursue Hermia. Theseus gives Hermia until his wedding to decide lest she be sent to a convent or be executed. In a bold move, Hermia and Lysander elope to be married at the house of his aunt. Their departure does not go unnoticed as Lysander follows them who is in turn, followed by Helena into a forest. In this forest is the kingdom of the faeries ruled by Oberon and his estranged wife, Titania.  Embittered by her refusal to give him her Indian changeling, he instructs Puck to use a special drug called  love-in-idleness.  What would happen is when this is sprinkled over ones eyes, the affected person would fall in love with the first thing the eyes see. Oberon intends to punish Titania by making her fall in love with something vile and hideous. When Oberon sees the two couples in the forest noting Demetrius cruelty to Helena, he decides to punish the man by instructing Puck to give him the same treatment. Unfortunately, Puck mistakenly applies the drug on Lysander who immediately falls in love with Helena (Shakespeare,  A Midsummer Nights Dream  2.2.65, 84). This is where the comedy begins as the relationship between these couples take a strange turn. Puck finally applies the drug on Demetrius to rectify his mistake, and what happens now is both men are pursing Helena much to the consternation of Hermia who could not seem to understand what is going on. While this is going on, Puck decides to have some fun as he chances upon a group of  hempen home-spuns  rehearsing for a play.  He plays a trick on one of the performers, Bottom, by changing his head into that of an ass which frightens his colleagues (3.1.103).  Thinking it is a joke, he carries on and sings his song to prove he is not scared of their tricks. His singing awakens Titania who by that time is already drugged and immediately falls in love with the clueless weaver and takes him into the forest (3.1.197-201).

Going back to the two couples, Oberon and Puck see the rather convoluted predicament they caused and move in to do damage control before someone gets killed. Puck mimics one anothers voices to confuse them and keep them confused in the forest until they fall asleep to allow him to rectify the problem. With that done, he leaves saying,  all shall be well  (3.2.463). They are discovered the next day by Theseus and his hunting party and here, he realizes that Hermia and Lysander love each other, as well as Demetrius and Helena who are back in each others arms he enjoins them to celebrate their wedding with his own. The play ends with Puck giving the parting shot by saying he will restore amends (5.1.438). What makes the story hilarious is the convoluted relationship caused by Puck who serves as the plays comic relief owing to his bungling of the task which has set everything in motion. There is of course the separate scene where Bottoms head turns into that of an ass which also provides comic relief as well as the scene where Titania, under the spell of the drug, fawns over him.

In terms of similarity, both stories by Shakespeare have romantic themes and the lovers involved are young people. The only difference is the outcome. Being a tragedy, Romeo and Juliet ends on a sad note as the two lovers did not live to be together to enjoy martial bliss but were rather joined together in death. It should be noticed that a series of misfortunes have led to this end. In contrast, A Midsummer Nights Dream ends happily, though the path leading to the happy ending is amusing given the convoluted plot that follows after Pucks mistake which makes for a very good entertainment. The lovers go through ridiculous situations especially Lysander and Demtrius who were under the influence of Pucks potion, appearing to lose all sense of reason as shown by their being madly in love with Helena. The same is also true with the case of Titania who was also under the same spell fawning the clueless Bottom who played along. In conclusion, Shakespeare provided us with plays that show the different aspects of life, in this case, love, and he did so by presenting it in two ways it can happen, tragically or hilariously.

The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls, is a shocking exploration of the formidable years of the Walls children, and the dynamic between them, particularly that of Jeannette and her parents.  From the beginning of the book, where we see three-year-old Jeannette horribly burned while cooking hotdogs on the stove by herself, it becomes clear that Rex and Rose Mary Walls are not your average parents.  Jeannettes burns conjure no guilt or serious emotional distress for either parent.  Rather, the reader sees right off that Rex and Rose Marys involvement with their children seems to consist of little raising and nurturing, and more tough love and trial-by-fire.  They teach that life is full of lessons to be learned, experiences to be had, and the consequences that result belong to the children alone.  There is no stability in the life of the Walls family, few necessities such as food, clothing or acceptable shelter, and an abundance of hardship.

The relationship between Jeannette and her mother is complex.  Rose Mary Walls is a free spirit, artistic and flighty.  She shows little maternal instinct and is painfully uncaring of the effect that this has upon her children.  Relying solely on her husband to provide for the family, Rose Mary allows her children to go without food for days or even weeks at a time when the family has no money to purchase groceries.  The children are left to starve, rely on the kindness of others, or forage to feed themselves.  Jeannette, as a sixth grader, begins taking food from the trash cans at school when other students discard bits of his or her lunch.  When food is available at home, it is often spoiled, which also does not seem to trouble Rose Mary, as seen when she is caught by Jeannette and Jeannettes brother, Brian, eating a slice of ham that has long gone bad.  When Jeannette points out to her mother that the meant is full of maggots, Rose Mary responds with, Dont be so picky.  Just slice off the maggoty parts.

As the memoir reveals one incident after another, it becomes apparent that Rose Mary is not only free-spirited and non-maternal, but also self-centered and terribly impractical.  On one occasion, Jeannette and Brian, who have been literally starving for weeks, catch their mother with a stash of Hershey bars that she has hidden from the children and secretly eats when they are not around.  At another time, starving yet again, the children can find nothing to eat in the house except a stick of margarine.  When Rose Mary comes home, she becomes wildly angry that the children ate the margarine because she claimed to be saving it to butter bread.  The children point out that they have no bread, at which point Rose Mary responds that she was thinking of baking some bread if a neighbor would loan us some flour.  When it is mentioned that the gas has been turned off, Rose Mary is still insistent that the margarine should have been saved, stating, Miracles happen, you know.  Throughout it all, Jeannette takes her mother in stride, with a begrudging, if embarrassed, acceptance.  Jeannette and her siblings are just as much parents as their mother is, and that is a reality that they have come to terms with, even if they do not enjoy it.

The relationship between Jeannette and her father is just as complicated and tumultuous as her relationship with her mother.  As a child, Jeannette puts her father on a pedestal, saying in my mind, Dad was perfect,  believing that Rex is a brilliant man just one step away from making a fortune and saving them all, as he constantly claims will be the case.  Though an irresponsible alcoholic who allows his children to go without most of what they need for much of the time, Rex is also, when sober, an upbeat dreamer who teaches his children to treat hardships as adventures.  When Rex skedaddles yet again and the family is left without a home, Jeannette takes after her father and waxes poetic about how lucky they are to be able to sleep under the stars.  During this time, Rex claims that someday he will build his family a Glass Castle and all their worries will be gone.  The idea of this Glass Castle becomes a metaphor for hope to Jeannette, as she tries hone the optimism and self-preservation that seem to be the main qualities that Rex attempts to instill in his children.  Even as Rex abandons the family cat, Quixote, offers Jeannette no protection when she is beaten by a group of Mexican girl, has one raging alcoholic episode after another, or abandons the family repeatedly to fend for themselves, Jeannettes eternal worship of her father never wavers.

The magnitude of Jeannettes adoration of her father is especially obvious when the children are left with their grandmother, Erma.  Erma is described as cantankerous (146), a mean-spirited woman who mistreats the children in a number of ways.  One evening Jeannette catches Erma molesting Brian, and calls for her sister Lori who rushes to the room.  Lori and Erma engage in a physical altercation.  A couple of weeks later, Rex and Rose Mary reappear at Ermas house to collect the children and Rex verbally assaults them for causing Erma grief.  When they protest and mention the molestation, Rex says, Brians a man, he can take it.  Yet even after this incident, Jeannette still respects and admires her father.

The Glass Castle is a moving book full of complicated emotions.  Walls manages to relay her childhood to the reader without giving the impression that she wants anyone to pity her for the way that she was raised, and the struggles that she encountered.  Though Rex never gave his family a literal glass castle, Walls still took what she had and made the best of it, becoming not only one who survived, but also one who thrived.

In the rich literary tradition of the United States, The Great Gatsby stands out as a great American tragedy.  Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is one of the most celebrated novels of the twentieth century.  The novel is not extensively wordy, nor is it unnecessarily complicated.  In fact, it tells a very simple story of rags-to-riches and unrequited love that is presented clearly and directly with a traditional structure.  The novel owes part of its appeal to its simple, traditional narrative structure that consists of, in order, the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

The Great Gatsby begins as many great novels begin by laying out the background to the story.  Known as the exposition, this element of the traditional narrative structure introduces the reader to the major and minor characters and establishes the setting of the plot.  In the first chapter, we learn that the novel is set in the summer of 1922 in two communities of Long Island, New York called East Egg and West Egg, named so because they appear to be two unusual formations of landa pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay.  The reader is also introduced to the main characters.  Nick Carraway is the wealthy young narrator.  His West Egg neighbor, Jay Gatsby, is the title character.  Other characters include Daisy Buchanan, Nicks cousin and Gatsbys love interest, her husband Tom, and her friend Jordan Baker.  The reader also begins to get a glimpse of the major conflicts that will develop within the novel, namely, Daisy and Gatsbys obvious acquaintance and Toms affair with another woman in New York.  Thus, by the end of the first chapter, the narrator has provided the reader with all the information needed to move forward with the plot of the novel.

After the exposition, the plot moves into rising action.  The rising action is comprised of the events that lead up to the climax.  Fitzgerald devotes each chapter leading up to the climax to a specific event or occurrence that further develops the novels conflicts and advances the plot.  In chapter two, Nick accompanies Tom to the dismal valley of ashes where the minor characters of the novel all reside.  Notably, the minor characters are all poor, in contrast to the vast wealth of the Long Islanders.  This chapter introduces the reader to Toms mistress Myrtle Wilson and her husband.  In chapter three, Nick attends one of Gatsbys lavish parties, and the mysterious Jay Gatsby finally appears.  Gatsby has an amazing conversation with Jordan Baker, in which he reveals that he is in love with Daisy, and moved to Long Island to be close to her.  The two had met and fallen in love when Gatsby was soldier and Daisy a teenager, but when Gatsby went off to war, Daisy married Tom Buchanan instead of waiting for him.  Finally, the connection between Daisy and Gatsby is revealed, and the remainder of the rising action essentially passes in a blur as the reader anticipates the inevitable climax.

Gatsby soon convinces Nick to arrange a reunion with Daisy, at which Gatsby and Daisy seem to reconcile and return to their former love for each other.  Gatsbys mysterious past subsequently begins to unfold.  As Daisy and Gatsby continue to rekindle their relationship, they grow indiscrete Tom soon figures out where his wifes affection lies.  In chapter seven, the tensions between the characters begin to erupt and the reader reaches the novels climax the argument between Tom and Gatsby.  When Tom convinces the other characters to accompany him to the city, he and Gatsby finally confront each other.  Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy never loved him and that she is leaving him.  Daisy, however, reeling from the revelation that Gatsby made his fortune as a bootlegger and lacking the courage to follow her heart, rejects Gatsby and sides with her husband.  Undoubtedly heartbroken, Gatsby leaves as Daisy storms out at Toms command.  
After the climactic confrontation between Gatsby and Tom, the novel moves into the falling action, or the events in a plot that lead to the resolution of the conflict.  After Daisy and Gatsby depart, there is a ruckus in the street, and Nick, Jordan, and Tom find out that Myrtle Wilson has been struck by a car and killed.  When a witness describes a yellow car as the death car, Tom assumes that Gatsby has hit Myrtle in his trademark yellow Rolls-Royce.  The same night, Nick tries to convince Gatsby to leave town to avoid the aftermath of Myrtles death.  Gatsby refuses, insisting that he must stay in Long Island for Daisys sake.  He reveals to Nick that Daisy was the one driving the car when Myrtle was killed, but he will take the blame to protect her.  Gatsby tells Nick about the first time he met Daisy, which brings Gatsby and Daisys relationship full circle.  The reader is painfully aware that Daisy is too shallow to ever leave Tom for Gatsby, so their love has essentially been reduced to Gatsbys memories.  As the falling action comes to an end, Myrtles husband George Wilson, believing that the driver of the death car was Myrtles lover, seeks Tom out to find out who was at the wheel of the yellow car.  After Tom tells him that it was Gatsby, George goes to Gatsbys home and finds the man lounging in his swimming pool.  He fatally shoots Gatsby before turning the gun on himself.  Gatsbys death marks the end of the falling action and the end of his own dream.

In the last chapter of the novel, Nick narrates the resolution of the plot.  Nick gives Gatsby a funeral, although the throngs of friends that used to frequent his parties are absent.  Nick also meets with Gatsbys distraught father.  Tom and Daisy Buchanan move away from Long Island, and Nick and Jordan Baker end their relationship.  With nothing left to keep him in West Egg, Nick decides to move back home.  Later, he runs into Tom, who insists that Gatsby had it coming to him.  Nick realizes that Tom and Daisy are careless people who smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness.  Disillusioned, he goes to Gatsbys house one last time, where he laments the loss of a friend, of love, of the American dream.

The Great Gatsby is an American classic.  Since its publication, countless readers have appreciated its simple rags-to-riches love story.  The novel is enhanced by its clear, relatable plot, which follows the traditional narrative structure that so many readers are familiar with.  From exposition to climax, The Great Gatsby is the quintessential American tragedy.

The Plumber is a short story written by Boris Vian it tells of a man whom has required the services of a plumber since he thinks that there is something wrong with his plumbing. Although the story seems to be merely about a plumbing job at first, it eventually unravels into something much more about the principal character, whose name remains unknown to the reader.

It is to be assumed that the principal character is living in an apartment with his neices and nephews there is no mention of a wife or other relations apart from his neices and nephews whom contribute to the pandemonium in the apartment. The principal character keeps talking about someone named Jasmine, whom he claims to be not a part of the story and that she, perhaps, may be non-existent however, he keeps telling things about her all the same, which makes the impression that the principal character of the story is either quite delusional or merely playing with the minds of his readers.

It is quite unclear on why the principal character keeps talking about Jasmine, when he, in fact, has stated that he does not think that she is a real human being, or if she is, she does not know him at all however, he then contradicts his statements by saying that  Jasmines image haunted me to distraction, and I cursed her mother for taking her from me with the bad conscience that nothings justified.

Although the character named Jasmine never surfaced in the story, it could be said that she played a role on making the principal character look quite disoriented disoriented enough to not see that the plumber was actually not supposed to be working on his bathroom.

This is quite a revelation, since in the first paragraph of the story, it seemed that the principal character was waiting for someone and when someone knocked on the door, he thought that it couldnt have been Jasmine, his uncle, or his dog and he thought that  it had to be the plumber which gives the reader the impression that the principal character was, indeed, waiting for the plumber.

Upon a thorough reading of the story, it can be said that the plumber didnt know anything about plumbing, since for some reason, he detached the pipes of the plumbing and merely reattached them again. In the story, the plumber said  I redid everything exactly as it was. I added a few welds because thats what I do best and I like work well done. There was a point wherein the principal character had wanted to say something about what the plumber was doing instead, he  held back one crucial comment, which can be presumed to be a comment regarding the whole absurdity of fxing the plumbing by merely taking removing the pipes and setting them back to the way they were before.

However, in the end, it turns out that the plumber should not be working in the principal characters bathroom in fact, the plumber shouldnt even be on his floor. The principal characters apartment is on the third floor and it turns out that the plumbers services was actually needed by some other woman on the fourth floor. The woman had gone to the principal characters apartment, presumably to ask for help, and said that her  seven children have drowned and that  the two oldest still are breathing because the waters only up to their chins.

This, of course, is absurd, since it is impossible for the fourth floor to flood and drown people since laws of gravity would state that the water would eventually flow down to the other floors of the building it can be said, therefore, that Vian has employed exaggeration on his story. This exaggeration can either provide further confusion or amusement to the reader, and it likely that the reader will find the whole story quite ridiculous, unless, of course, the story carries some sort of subliminal message.

Vian has a  refined sense of logical absurdity and it can be said that The Plumber is one of the manifestations of his surrealist style. The story is, indeed, a mixture of all sorts of confusions, but the detailed descriptions and the absurd logic gives the reader a feeling of an amusing lightheadedness. It may not be the most logical story around, but the disorienting streak of the story sure gives the reader something to think about afterwards.

Overview of Childrens Literature

It has been reported that around 5,000 childrens books are published every year in the United States. The number increased from around 4,500 in 1994 up to 5,500 in the year 2000 and beyond. With the addition of the publications from smaller and independently owned publishers, the number of published children books is continuously growing. We cannot also deny the award-giving bodies such as the Coretta Scott King Award, Americas Awards, Pura Belpre Award, and the Tomas Riviera Mexican American Childrens Book Award in the expansion of the publication of childrens books (Cooperative Childrens Book Center CCBC)

The world has seen the importance of literature in setting an example for the children. The governments, schools, and parental communities now acknowledge the role of the stories in these books in shaping the character of children. The publishing industrys fastest growing and most lucrative market today is the childrens literature industry.

ith this in mind, I would like to focus my study on one of the most important uses of children literature, the bibliotherapy. In a nutshell, bibliotherapy is the use of books to help the patient recover, cope, or prepare to lifes challenges. In this paper, we are going to tackle some of the most basic and most profound issues in bibliotherapy.

What is Bibliotherapy
Bibliotherapy, in its simplest sense, is the use of books and stories for the therapy of the patient. Its meaning stretches in different directions and widens its scope even to the use of movies and the use of self help manual and books for adults.

The History
Since time immemorial, the earlier people used stories and poetry to inspire and educate their citizens especially the children. In the ancient Greece for example, there is a carved message in the library entrance saying, The Healing Place of the Soul.

In the modern times, reading books are used to treat patients. In America for example, the history can be traced back even in the early years of the 19th century. Benjamin Rush was regarded as the first American to recommend the use of bibliotherapy assist in the treatment of patients. In many cases, reading seems to be the best method for therapy, as manifested in the establishments of libraries in different mental hospitals in the United States in the middle of 19th century.

Many studies were done after World War I to determine what kind of reading will appeal to the soldier and patients in the hospitals to help in their healing and recovery. Studies had approved the effectiveness of bibliotherapy which managed the establishment of the New York Junior League of a Control Bureau for Hospital Libraries which circulates more than 70,000 volumes to the patients in the hospital. Nurses and librarians greatly help in recommending what books will be good for the patients. Ideally, the books that were recommended are the books that are light and diverting rather than too heavy and serious.

The Philosophy
The philosophy behind bibliotherapy is the acknowledgement of the patient that whatever problem he or she is experiencing at the moment, that problem was already encountered by someone in the past and had success in dealing with it. The thinking that we are not the only people who have experienced that particular situation and the thought that it is possible to succeed can be one of the greatest elements that will help in breaking the limiting belief of a patient.

The case of Roger Bannister for example is a good example in strengthening this claim. Roger Bannister is a former English athlete who first run a mile under four minutes. It is important to note that in the recorded history, no human was able to complete a full mile track below four minutes, yet Roger Bannister broke that record. What is important here is the number of people who ran under four minute months and years after Bannister broke the four minute mile. Since he broke it, thousands of people broke the four minute mile
People who had acknowledged that other people managed to succeed in the same problems they are encountering gained a new sense of hope that they can resolve their situations.

The Use of Bibliotherapy
In childrens literature, bibliotherapy is primarily used in assisting children in overcoming problems by having them read stories about characters who have successfully resolved a dilemma similar to their own. Situations like war, poverty, illness and death can bring resolution with the use of bibliotherapy.

However, the use of bibliotherapy is not limited in these situations. According to Leah Davies, bibliotherapy is directed to the following goals
identify and validate their feelings
realize that other children have problems similar to their own
stimulate discussion
foster thought and self-awareness
discover possible coping skills and solutions and
decide on a constructive course of action.

Almost the same goals were targeted by a course in Bibliotherapy taught in the summer of 2002 at Western Connecticut State University taught by Dr. Darla Shaw and Dr. Aram Aslaninan
identity and character building (Self concept)
family and culture (Understanding divorce and Blended Families)
the socialization Process (Social reasoning and problem solving)
the grieving process (Coping with death and loss)
prejudice (Aggressions and violence). (5)

Methods of Bibliotherapy
As stated earlier, the methods of bibliotherapy is quite simple. First is the selection of  books by a trained or knowledgeable party for the patients to read. Second is the reading itself and lastly, the reflection of the patient to the story with himself or herself or with other people.

However, the methods in Bibliotherapy had evolved dramatically since it was first used in the ancient times and with its introduction in the early 19th century. Most especially in schools, it undergone different developments in its implementation. Though reading of the story is still required and necessary, many other elements are introduced to increase the effectiveness of bibliotherapy.

In the paper of Dr. Darla Shaw and Dr. Aram Aslaninan entitled Bibliotherapy A Cross Discipline Course for Teachers and Counselors, they recommend the following techniques in using bibliotherapy in the classrooms.

Anticipation Guide a non-graded quiz will be given to the student for the teacher and student to acknowledge how much information they will need to learn.

Quick Write students are asked to write everything that comes to their mind on a given a topic within one minute. Later on, ideas are categorized and use in focus questions

Word Splash writing key words on the board wherein students are asked to use those works as they relate to the story.

Think a Loud students are asked to read the story in the class or with a partner for the first time. They are asked to stop from time to time to insert insights, predictions, and questions.

Literary Circles students are divided into groups wherein they are given roles such as leader, vocabulary or quote person, illustrator, application person, and summarizer. Students are asked to do what is assigned to them.

Socratic Seminar a one open-ended question is posed by the teacher. Students are encouraged to take their side in the argument and asked them to defend their stance.

Mind mapping students are asked to make a map of a character of the story to be able to understand its way of thinking.

Eight Key Question the eight key questions on which to focus are the following story title, theme, characters, how they address conflict, were the characters correct in their actions, and comparison of characters, application of story to self or other events, important quotes or vocabulary words from the story, and was the story good literature.

Character Sketch examination of the inside and outside elements of the character. Comparison to themselves is also encouraged.

T Chart organization of the story into paired segments such as problem and solution, causes and effects, characters and characteristics, facts and opinions, vocabulary and definitions, chapter title and summary
Venn Diagram organizes the similarities and differences of the character in the story and the reader. The middle portion or wherein the circles intersect show the similarity of the character and the reader.

Letter Writing and Diaries encourage to take the students insights about the story and to reflect and connect them to themselves.

Discussion Webs students pose a key question from the story and then later take and develop a critical stance based on the key question.

Reader Response Journals encourage students to take note of the issues in each chapter and back them up with necessary evidence.

Readers Theater students are grouped and they are tasked to retell the story. The writer of the script can insert his or their point of view in retelling the story.

Poetry and Music encourage the creation of literary pieces such as poetry and music while taking a stance in the story line.

Bibliotherapy for Child Patients
We have learned earlier that the most common use of bibliotherapy in its earliest years is its assistance and for treatment and therapy of the patients. While the scope of the use of bibliotherapy has already expanded, its significance to the ill patients especially children is indispensable.

Other than the classical giving and reading of particular books to patients, the practice of bibliotherapy in patients has developed. The use of tours, puppets, and medical play have been described as effective interactive methods of familiarizing the child with the procedures in the hospital. However, these practices and methods are only advisable to be done with the patients that are able to do them. Otherwise, the patients will have to go back to the classical method of reading particular books.

Criteria for Judging and Evaluating Books
Stories and books have to be evaluated before being approved to be distributed for children. There are many cases where reading the stories became counterproductive in the treatment of children. In this reason, an evaluation of the stories and books is necessary. Among the criteria that are considered in the evaluation are the following

Developmental Appropriateness
This includes the specified elements necessary to consider for every patients. Among these are
cognitive abilities
language development
literary preferences

Content Accuracy
The evaluation using this category will be based on the current operating procedures and practices. Among these are
the depiction of nurses and their roles
parental visitation policies
preoperative preparation requirements
the depiction of inpatient surgeries that are currently performed on an outpatient basis

Other Criteria
The following are some of the additions that are also vital in the evaluation and assessment of a material that will be used for bibliotherapy.
Can be completed in one sitting
Clear and uncluttered pictures
The age of the characters in the books should correspond or relate to the reader or to the patients age

Recommended Books
Below are some of the recommended books categorized in accordance to their utility and use according to Dr. Darla Shaw and Dr. Aram Aslaninan
Self-concept  The Berenstain Bears-No Girls Allowed by S. Berenstain
Self-esteem  Dinosaurs are 568 by J. Rogers
Divorce and blended families  My Father is Far Away by R. Ballard
Social reasoning and problem solving  The Recess Queen by A. ONeil and L. Hulisks-Beith.
Death and Loss  10th good things about Arney by Judy Voirst
Aggression and Violence  Rainbow Fish by Marcus Feister
Skills for understanding the relationship between school and work  After Fifth Grade, the World by C. Mills.

Assessment of Bibliotherapy
In a paper entitled Medicine for the soul Bibliotherapy and the Public Library written by Elizabeth Brewster, it was concluded that it was agreed unanimously that bibliotherapy has positive effects to the community. The benefits that have been received from self-help books, lessons in coping with emotions and problems, or even just the self discovery from fictions outweigh any difficulty and expenses in implementing bibliotherapy. As he pointed out, bibliotherapy is the the real medicine for the soul.

In relation to this, Dr. Darla Shaw and Dr. Aram Aslaninan concluded that literature is best used in the application to the real problem in the real world. As directly stated, The world is interactive and functions through networking and collaboration. The same is true for literacy and counseling. Literacy works better when it relates to the real world and counseling is about the realities of life.

Conclusion
It was Charles W. Eliot that said, Books are the quietest and most constant of friends they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. In many respects, these few words illustrate how the use of books has helped humanity to survive and prosper. One may wonder how a piece of literary piece can transform a sick body or a troubled mind to an able one, but the answer is simple It is because ideas move people. Books move people.

The invention of bibliotherapy is one of the most successful intersections of both leisure and practicality, and I believe that the use of books for both healing and recovery is just a start of how things we just consider as leisure can help us in our daily lives. As a student of bibliotherapy, I believe that in the future, more and more things that we just consider as leisure today will later be discovered as something that can save our lives.

Amidst the falling cherry blossoms of the Temple of the Heavenly Kings or under a blooming wisteria trellis, they fall head over heels with love with some handsome fellow.

Reflecting on this idea, the author showcases the other side of how love can corrupt and destroy a once fruitful relationship. In here, it does not only look into the value of how ones perception of romance and relationship can be shattered when someone whos better comes along the way. I chose this because I seek to expound the sanctity of a relationship or marriage.

Despite the idea that individuals can commit mistakes, the relevance of choices come into the picture. It is through this that the idea of overcoming boundaries comes into place. It seeks to foster that the idea surrounding any romantic relationship can reach its eventual climactic end.

Seeing this, I do believe that the work of Saikaku fosters a deeper sense of love. It transcends over its traditional boundaries of romanticism and encompasses the ability of individuals to withstand these obstacles and trials along the process. It is through this that it greatly coincides with the themes presented in the work as well as the two readings in the way it introduces and handles relationships.

In love, the gods will assure my success, without having to solicit protection for my heart is true, true as the road we shall travel together.

I chose this passage because of the truthful nature of the persona in identifying who shall direct the relationship process. In here, the value of every relationship circumvents on the capacity of couples to tread the path they sought to take and decide on what avenues are appropriate to grow in the process. This is particularly essential since it is not mainly an individuals religious affiliation that can bind people together. Rather, it is the understanding between couples that makes such process valuable and true.

Seeing this, I adhere to the themes presented by Saikaku that it is ones personal principles that dictate the outcome of every relationship. Love transcends over common misconceptions and obstacles and it becomes a valuable aspect that shapes the process of carefully building such partnerships. It is through such ability that individuals can strike the balance of both the positive and negative realities brought about by love.

This set the flames of love burning more fiercely in the coopers heart and he cried My lady, I will supply you with all the firewood you will need to make tea for the rest of your life (Saikaku, p.595).

I particularly liked this passage because of the intensity and devotion showed by the man to win the womans heart over. In the process of the story, it can be seen that the man recognizes that it through not money alone or material possessions that can win a womans heart. Rather, it is the commitment to becoming a part of that person and willingness to submit to both her positive and negative traits. This passion towards something is what I believes lights the fire among people to pursue what they want and becomes a good motivation in achieving their objective.

Relating to the theme of Saikaku, the value of measuring compatibility surely does not rest on material possessions alone. Love cannot be bought nor measured by ones material possessions. Rather, it is the ability to showcase truth among the distinct crowd that becomes vital in creating something out of the ordinary. Sometimes, it is rather the simple things that can make a woman fall for one man. Thus, one can clearly decipher the comparison of love to the notion as being simple and complicated facets that though are in contrast with one another go together with the term.

The Narrow Road of the Interior

The sun and moon are eternal voyagers the years that come and go are travelers too.

I really like this analogy by Matsuo Basho because it helps provide readers with the insight towards our ability as co-travelers. Under this idea, it seeks to promote the idea of life  one that is constantly changing and a continuous voyage. This then becomes an essential insight that one should consider. In such essence, one may then turn to believe in our own individual capacities. Regardless of the decisions and paths we take, the voyage shall continue, life shall continue to pass.

Seeing this, the question now of how we live it becomes extremely important. In here, different ideas may come to ones head in the effort to find purpose and meaning. However, I do believe that the mere idea of taking part in such travel is meaning to itself. It is the ability to experience and feel something becomes the driving force to continue moving forward. This is one particular theme that can be seen as one progresses reading the text by Basho.

Ah awesome sight
on summer leaves and spring leaves,
the radiance of the sun

Reflecting on this particular passage, I really felt the simplicity but depth of this poem. It greatly showcases the value of nature on its grandest. Though limited in words, the choices made in each line correspond to something rich that one cannot seek to explain. It is this idea that captures ones imagination and experience and builds it altogether to produce something extraordinary. Such capacity then infuses a better understanding on as to how one appreciates the value of our environment.

Analyzing this passage further, it can be seen that it coincides with Bashos theme surrounding life. Since we are constantly travelling in a voyage, it is through this that we can experience the wonder and greatness of nature. Despite our busy time accomplishing our tasks and objectives, we tend to forget and realize the relevance of the things around us. If we can just stop for awhile and wonder at the magnificence of these, one would then realize its relative sense and purpose.

Although we hear about many places celebrated in verse since antiquity, most of them vanished with the passing of time.

Reflecting on the passage, I chose this because it greatly resembles the way time can change things. In here, regardless of its depth, longevity, or age, nothing remains to be permanent. Everything has their corresponding time limit. The only reality that cannot change is the process of change itself. It is through such that the value of how we live our life becomes an essential part. In here, choices that we make continue to matter and become an instrument towards finding fulfillment and satisfaction.

Assessing the perspective of Basho, I do feel that his theme centers on the ability of one to appreciate life. It is the essence of engagement and constant value of its significance that people can find the relevance of life. Seeing this, it does not mainly coincide with the perspective of living selfishly. On the other hand, it is the process of engaging towards finding purpose and meaning with the value of culminating decision making. This theme remains valuable in generating insights on readers especially on the value of ones journey to find what they are looking for.

Bewitched

I felt certain that you are a sincere man, and that I should devote the rest of my life to you.

I chose this passage due to the value and sincerity of the woman to the man. In here, the idea of partaking towards a relationship can clearly be seen in the manner as the relationship is taken to the next level. Such capacity to engage in such manner becomes essential in sealing a relationship. It is through such element that the nature of relationship becomes realized and seen.

Analyzing the theme of Akinari, it can be seen that it seeks to justify the relevance of relationships. Under the perspective of the author, the value of engagement and love becomes significant. This was highlighted to the fact that careful consideration and authenticity was made in the analogy of how people interact with one another. At the same time, such intricacies do connote how precious and valuable relationships are to the characters.

Such theme can be related to the idea of Basho towards marriage and how such conventions allow relationship to blossom and degrade. In here, the purpose of such act then resounds on the capacity of people to facilitate and handle the situations.

Such a thing is hardly appropriate in fishermans house. If Father hears about it, he will surely give you a sound scolding.

I chose this element because of the idea of how Akinari portrays the idea of establishing customs and traditions within the nature of society. Though he may have attributed the condition of relationship between a man and a woman, the nature of customs and practices continue to dominate individual decision making. Such approaches then become existent within the nature of Japanese society. In a relatively patriarchal setup, standards are in place to stabilize appropriate ways to behave and foster greater ways for people to interact.

With these, such facet then showcases the theme of Akinari. In essence, he seeks to redefine that despite the attempt of characters to address the individual aspect of relationships, it caters towards adherence to societal standards. Such functions then hinder people from freely pursuing their needs and wants. Seeing this, the value of individual decisions become less significant and what people do is succumbing to these realities accordingly.

My dear husband, there is nothing strange about all this. Even if you have forgotten your pledge to me, made across the seas and over the mountains, we meet again because it has been predestined.

The chosen quote personifies the value that husband and wife show each other. In here, it seeks to cultivate new ideas on how each handle their relationship. At the same time, consideration can be seen in the way they believe in superstition and destiny. This principle becomes an essential facet that shapes the ability of couples to determine the course and outcome of their relationship. In here, Akinari provides a good analogy of how marriage can be viewed in the lens of Japanese.

Reflecting on the theme of Akinaris theme, the overall process of marriage and relationship showcases the approach in harnessing its value and significance among couples. Under the process it gives readers the ability to decipher important ideas on what matters the most. Seeing this, it induces learning and appreciation of the culture and its relevance towards actions. Such approach can then be related towards the idea provided by Basho as he seeks to compare the value of relationships.