Agon Absurdism and Life Sisyphus Essay

Agon Absurdism and Life Sisyphus Essay Agon: Absurdism and Life Sisyphus Essay In Albert Camus’ â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus,† the reader is presented with a completely new way to look at this ancient story. Rather then looking at the life Sisyphus led while he was on Earth, Camus presents the life Sisyphus led while in the underworld. More specifically, Camus doesn’t focus on Sisyphus’ struggle or punishment, but instead focuses on his ability to overcome his punishment and be happy in spite of it. Through out the reading Sisyphus makes several different attempts at dealing with the demands and punishment placed upon him; the first being simple defiance, and the second, and most profound, is acceptance. Through out his life Sisyphus has many demands placed upon him by the gods, all of which he meets with defiance; such as when Aesopus asks Sisyphus about the disappearance of his daughter, Aegina. Sisyphus would only tell who did it if Aesopus would give water to the citadel of Corinth. Instead of being forthcoming with the information he had, Sisyphus decides rather to blackmail Aesopus so that he could gain something for the people of Corinth. His only motivation for doing this act was to gain something for his people and himself; which is why he chose the gift of water over the celestial thunder bolts. He chose the water because it was something they could get the most use out of. Sisyphus’ defiance of the gods wasn’t just for the benefit of the people but also for his own personal gain. In addition to defying the gods for the benefit of his people he also defied the gods for his own benefit. For example, â€Å"When he had seen again the face of this world, enjoyed water and sun, warm stones and the sea, he no longer wanted to go back to the infernal darkness. Recalls, signs of anger, warnings were of no avail.† Despite constant warnings from the gods Sisyphus remains hard nosed and stubborn and only focuses on himself and what he wanted to do. Because of his stubbornness he earns himself what could be considered the harshest of punishments, an eternity of futile labor; in which he has to push a stone up a mountain, but he was even able to overcome this and defy of the gods. As one looks at Sisyphus, he sees someone, â€Å"straining to raise a huge stone, to roll it and push it up a slope a hundred times over, one sees the face skewed up, the cheek tight against the stone, the shoulder bracing the clay-covered mass, the foot wedging it,† and a smile on his face. One may ask how someone can still smile in the face of adversity. How he can smile even when he is condemned to an eternity of futile labor. This isn’t something that just came to Sisyphus; it is rather something that he has come to realize. At first, Sisyphus undertakes his task begrudgingly; as he is going back down the mountain he has a â€Å"heavy yet measured step toward the torment of which he will never know the end.† As a result of this punishment Sisyphus suffers from a melancho ly that stems from his longing to see the world again and his passion for life, which causes him to go through his life in and almost robotic, unconscious, manner. It is in these moments that the gods have won; the rock has won. But this is not Sisyphus, he is not one to lie down and let fate be his master. He has conquered death before, and even placed him in chains. Similarly, he will overcome his punishment he will conquer

Enjoy the Career to the Full or 10 Grants for Writers You May Also Gain Being at College

Enjoy the Career to the Full or 10 Grants for Writers You May Also Gain Being at College Enjoy the Career to the Full or 10 Grants for Writers You May Also Gain Being at College Being able to write well can be a great benefit to you in your studies. If your writing really impresses the readers, it probably means that writing is not just a useful skill, but your forte. You may not be aware that there are many different grants available for college students who are excellent writers, but with a little research, you can get ahold of extra money for school. Take a look at the following 10 grants for writers that you can apply for while you’re still in college. 1. Artist Trust If you are a resident of the state of Washington and you are skilled in the literary arts, you may be awarded up to $1,500 to develop, continue, or complete a writing project. $7,500 fellowships are also available, so take a close look at all of the opportunities they can suggest you. 2. Sustainable Arts Foundation Award This $2,000 award for parents with at least one child under the age of 18 goes to writers in the fields of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, long form journalism, playwriting, picture books, early and middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, and the graphic novel. Parenting topics may be mentioned in the submitted portfolio. 3. Speculative Literature Foundation Award Awards for writers in the speculative fiction genre are given to writers who are older, working class, diverse, or who travel for research. Deadlines and the amount of the award varies according to the category, but the application is straightforward and easy to complete. 4. The Awesome Foundation Grant These $1,000 award is given by local Awesome Foundation chapters. It is offered to individuals and groups of people who create amazing works of art in various disciplines decided by the local chapters. Check your location on their site to see what they are looking for. 5. Build Your Own Blog New Writer Scholarship New writers at age 16 and up can apply with new, contradict works. There is no age limit – only a requirement that the writer have never been published (or only published a couple times) and that they are hoping to get noticed. 6. National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowships This government funded award is available for writers of prose and poetry. It’s an impressive $25,000 award that allows the recipient time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. 7. Go on Girl! Unpublished Writer Award You can receive a $1,000 scholarship in addition to publication, attending an awards ceremony, and promotion on Go On Girl!’s website if you’re an unpublished black woman with the desire to write creatively. 8. Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship The National Press Club offers scholarships to students with impressive creative writing abilities and demonstrated involvement in their communities. If you are chosen, you will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 9. Don and Gerel Nicholls Fellowship in Screenwriting New and amateur screenwriters can receive a $35,000 grant as long as they’re over the age of 18 and haven’t made more than $25,000 from screenwriting in any given year. 10. Creative Capital Awards Creative Capital offers awards to a variety of artists including literary artists, giving up to $90,000 in direct project funding and career development services. As you can see, your great writing skills can lead you on to being independent person, who earns money by him/herself at any age. Remember, none of these grants enjoins you on anything. So, why not to try your efforts and take part? If you ever need professional academic help, you can visit our professional grant proposal writing service .

Criminal profiling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Criminal profiling - Term Paper Example hat the â€Å"religious† aspect brings to the equation of profiling of terrorists prompted me to investigate further on how criminal profiling practices and theories, learnt in the class are applicable to such multi-dimensional problems. These complexities include deconstructing political motives from extreme religious beliefs, interpreting historical feuds with a neutral outlook, understanding whether profiling should be conducted for a person (the terrorist), a sect (terrorist group), a religion or a process (training camps). United Nations Conventions targeting Terrorism have been occurring since the 60s, and national anti-terrorism laws have been conceptualized since 1970s-80s. UN and other international conventions have focused their responsiveness to protection of civil aviation and embassies’ staff, protection against abuse of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destructions, rigid monitoring and control on trans-national terrorist acts, restrictions and control of money directed towards financing terrorism. Following the terrorist attacks in numerous parts of the globe, each country (and collectively as International bodies) has developed anti-terrorism laws, policies and practices to combat terrorism. However, it is interesting to note that UN and nation-states are still struggling to gain consensus on â€Å"defining† terrorism (or justification of violence), especially religious in nature. The geopolitical nature of â€Å"religious† terrorism acts as a double-edged sword that on one hand provokes the risk that such behavior is criminalized, while on the other hand falls under the protection of fundamental rights (or freedom of expression). This paper would look into the sociological, neurobiological, and psychological theories of crime and build parallels, hypothesis and conclusions in context to acts of religious terrorism. Understanding such parallels would highlight the similarities (relevance) and deviations between criminal profiling and terrorism

My Bus Tour from South Dakota, Pierre and to Mount Rushmore Essay - 9

My Bus Tour from South Dakota, Pierre and to Mount Rushmore - Essay Example The bus trip set off from South Dakota. Driving along the main road in South Dakota graced the cruise with the beautiful scenery of the Mythic Mount Rushmore. Driving across South Dakota to its outskirts covered over 200 miles across what was nothing less than jaw-dropping and cool scenery. The day-long drive took us to Pierre. As the bus cruised in the main road, we ogled at the beautiful sight of the mountain ranges cascading over each other, throughout the entire stretch. The green leafy vegetation and forest overgrowth complemented the beauty of the mountains and serve as homes of reindeers which occasionally leaped out and into the road. We could not be any closer to nature and its captivating beauty. In instances where the manmade activities interfered with the end trail of natural vegetation, we cited an array of dining joints, small-scale and large-scale casino saloons and lodging which testified of the industriousness of the people of South Dakota. From Pierre, we followed the US Route 83 to get across the Missouri River. As we turned westwards, the striking beauty of grasslands that accompanied us to Interstate 90 appeared to dance beautifully against the gentle breeze. From this juncture, we turned off to Murdo for tantalizing buffalo burgers. From Murdo, we drove to the Badlands National Park. One of the most memorable encounters in Badlands National Park was the dusty canyons therein. The Rapid City for dead American presidents also clearly served as another feather in Badlands National Park’s cap. The images of the dead American presidents are carved into the Black Hills and its high aesthetic presentation of America’s four great men and founding fathers served as the trip’s denouement.  Ã‚  

The Time Machine and the Modern World Essay Example for Free

The Time Machine and the Modern World Essay The Time Machine, written by H.G. Wells, focuses on contemporary social questions. Through the progression of the story Wells delineates various interrelated social issues that existed in Victorian England. Wells reflects on the exploitation of the working class and the negative effect of modern technology on class struggle in a capitalist society. He also puts forward a rather contradictory opinion about how the advent of communism can render humans into being frail, weak and not so innovative like the Elois. In my opinion, Wells’ Marxist critique of capitalism can prove to be a plausible factor in the demise of our civilization and steer us towards the dystopian future that is depicted in the novel. As paraphrased from Comparing Economic Systems in the Twenty-First Century, â€Å"Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview†, developed by renowned German political economist and socialist revolutionary, Karl Henrich Marx. It mostly focuses on class struggle due to the â€Å"alienation and exploitation of the working class in a capitalistic society†. (Gregory, Stuart 62) Class inequality, class struggle or exploitation of the working class has always been a motivating factor for every historical revolution. Karl Heinrich Marx, a German political economist and socialist revolutionary, in his publication â€Å"The Communist Manifesto†, describes the nature and history of the conflict between the Bourgeoisies and Proletarians due to class inequality and struggle. In the initial introductory line he writes, â€Å"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles (01). Marx’s based his publication on the derogation and exploitation of the working class Proletarians by the ruling class, the Bourgeoisie, in a capitalist society. In the manifesto, he depicts how the Bourgeoisie rule over the Proletarians by the control of private property and class the Proletarians as the labor force with no such value as humans. The Proletarians are enforced to work with minimum wage and extended hours. Although the Proletarians a re portrayed as the slaves of the Bourgeoisies, Marx represents the proletarians as a unique class. They have the miserable existence they share in common, which also aids in good communication and brotherhood among them. After being subjected to such alienation and discrimination: the Proletarians revolt, overthrow the Bourgeoisies and assume control over all private property. The distinct characteristic of this revolution is that in previous revolutions, which were caused by social issues, property was relocated in favor of the new ruling class. However, the Proletarians had no way of differentiating class among themselves since they all belonged to the same class, and hence no way of relocating property. Therefore, when the Proletarians assume control, they destroy all ownership of property and in the process abolish the class system, thus bringing about the communist society that is based on common ownership. â€Å"The Communist Manifesto† points this out as the â€Å"march of history† (42, Sec 1, Part 1). The analytical approach of Marx’s manifesto about class struggle and exploitation in capitalist society is echoed throughout The Time Machine. The Morlocks are the working class in this tale of two humanoid species. And Wells indicates that after being exploited by the Elois, the Morlocks, like the Proletarians, start the â€Å"march of history† and relieve the Elois, of their private ownership (Marx 42). But since the Morlocks were so derogatively exploited and alienated from normal society, they evolved into different beings that can’t survive in bright light conditions. The Morlocks had to move underground. Therefore, with no existing class system and abolition of capitalistic society, both the races began living a communal lifestyle. I agree with Wells’ theory about a similar sort of event taking place in the future that would divide humans in a more distinctive and irreversible way and bring about the demise of civilization. Wells very astutely manages to tell us how the use of modern technology can cause class struggle and also at the same time hinder human capabilities. In The Communist Manifesto, Marx stresses on the negative effect of introducing modern technology into a capitalist society. He writes that the Proletarians can survive as long as they are employed. They are treated as commodities, whose price fluctuates with the supply and demand of the market. With the invention of machines and introduction of division of labor, the proletarians are rendered less efficient. The Bourgeoisies opts for more specialized machines which produce higher output than manual labor. The Proletarians are made redundant and are without any money or food. This causes the Proletarians to plummet further down the class system which adds to their brewing turmoil. This later incites their revolt or as quoted by Marx himself, â€Å"March of history† against the ruling Bourgeoisies. (Sec. 1, Part 2) Wells shows, the possibility of an event like this, in his book by the time traveler’s deduction of the Elois, being the ruling class, pushing the Morlocks further down the class system due to the introduction of technology and their over dependence on it. In the beginning of the novel, The Time Machine, the time traveler thinks that the Elois are frail and their communal lifestyle is what is keeping the world so trouble free. To him it seemed desirable, as it is something every society thrives for. But at the same time it seemed strange. The advent of communism among the Elois and Morlocks has made their life easier. Since property has common ownership and an easy life has made them strive less for innovation and change. This is evident in most of the communist countries today. As compared to their capitalist counterparts, most of the communist countries are still hindering behind in terms of social, cultural and technological advancements. This actually puts forward the question, â€Å"Which socio-political order is more useful? Capitalism or communism?† From what I have derived from Wells novel is that both socio-political orders have their own pros and cons. But history has shown that every time any of these orders have pushed a class of people to their extreme, the pendulum swings back and balance is restored to the system by any of the opposing classes. For Example: The French Revolution, The Slave revolt of Spartacus, Hungarys Revolt against Communism in 1956. Wells portrays this restoration of balance but he also shows how due to that, the pendulum swung in a completely opposite direction for the Elois and Morlocks and thus causing a demise of the modern human civilization. In my opinion, from this repetition of restoration of balance, there will come a point in time when a change would be so devastating that it would totally alter the world and its socio-political order. In a nutshell, I would say that the adventure story of Wells’ novel includes many archetypal elements. The tale of 802,701 is a political commentary of late Victorian England. He recommends that current society must change its ways if it doesn’t want to end up like the Elois, terrified of an underground race of Morlocks. In the book, Wells lampoons the decadence of Elois caused by communism and provides a Marxist critique of capitalism that incited the dawn of the Morlocks. I concur with Wells views, in The Time Machine, are relevant to our world and can bring about the breakdown of the human culture. Works Cited: Wells, H.G. The Time Machine. Penguin Books, 1895. Print. Gregory, Paul R., and Robert C. Stuart. Comparing Economic Systems in the Twenty-First Century. 7. South Western, Cengage Learning, 62. Print. Marx, Karl, and Engels, Friedrich. The Communist Manifesto. Section 1, Bourgeois and Proletarians (Part 1 2), 42. February 21 (1848). Web.

Free Great Gatsby Essays: Deception :: Great Gatsby Essays

There are many American novels that yield insights into human nature, but few are as honest or intriguing as Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is brilliantly composed, and involves many different personalities, but it is at the core of this novel that we find the dark secret of humanity: deception. All of the inhabitants of East and West Egg use one another to get what they want, with little care as to how it will affect the people around them. Through the eyes of Nick Carraway, we see how the wealthy live: they live in a luxurious society surrounded by their own lies and deception. Looking in from the outside, their lives seem perfect; they have everything that money can buy, right? Wrong, the one thing that their money cannot buy them is happiness, and this is why each character deceives someone. Our story unravels early on in The Great Gatsby, Nick's very wealthy cousin, Daisy, simply has it all: she is beautiful and graceful; her bank account is large; she's traveled and knows people no matter where she goes. Her husband, Tom Buchanan, is without a doubt very lucky to be with her; but there's a ripple in this perfect couple: he's cheating on her. Not only is Tom cheating on her, but he's cheating on her with someone of a far lesser class; which makes the reader question why he's with her in the first place. Daisy had a very good reputation among the elite; she had never done anything that would have embarrassed her. "They moved with a fast crowd, all of them young and rich and wild, but she came out with an absolutely perfect reputation" (82). This illustrates how well put together Daisy is, he has used her, and continues to use her not only for her wealth, but also for her firm social standing. She could, literally, make or break Tom depending merely on whether or not she stayed with him; of course he'd remain with her, she defined his social standing. At the same time that Tom was using Daisy for her money, Daisy was using Tom, but for far different reasons. Nick reveals that Daisy doesn't need Tom in the same way that he needs her, she needs Tom to remain emotionally stable. As the story of Daisy and Gatsby's history unfolded, it became clear that they, at one point, loved each other very deeply, however, Gatsby had to leave Daisy to go to war.

How play activities are used to support the development of speech Essay

Play is an important part of developing language and young children learn through play. There are some very fun activities and games that you can play with children to support their language development, these may include; Role-play: Having a role-play area in your setting can be fun for the children and help them communicate with other children. For example, in the role-play area in our setting it was a cafà ©, one child pretended to be the assistant while one child pretended to be the customer wanting to order some food. There was lots of conversations happening and gave me a chance to observe how well the children communicated. Nursery songs and Rhymes/Song and Rhyme bag: This encourages children to listen, sing and communicate. With a song and rhyme bag, each child takes it turns to pick an object out of the bag and then encourage them to sing the song for that item. For example a bus for ‘wheels on the bus’, a doll for ‘Miss Polly had a dolly’, a spider for ‘incy wincey spider’. Books: Sharing story books with adults is considered to be one of the most important ways of developing children’s spoken and written language. Books that use repetition are most effective. Picture books with no words in are also good to encourage the children to make up and tell you their own stories according to what’s happening in the pictures.