The Great Gatsby Destruction of the American Dream Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Destruction of the American Dream Essay The failure of the American dream can be seen through the main characters Gatsby, Daisy and Myrtle and Tom Buchannan. Gatsby is obviously the most important of the four, due to his significant roll in the book. Jay Gatsby is bent on getting his love interest, Daisy, his girlfriend before the war. Ironically, Gatsby, a decorated military officer, is so intent on getting Daisy back he involves himself in organized crime and bootlegging (Callahan 2). He moves in across the river from Daisy and throws lavish parties to try to get her to come and try to woo her back to him. These lavish parties and Gatsby’s inability to move on will ultimately lead to his downfall. Baska 2 Gatsby’s personality parallels with many items brought up in the book. Fitzgerald uses Nick to describe Gatsby mansion, â€Å"The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard—it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion† (Fitzgerald 7). When Nick enters Gatsby’s house to attend one of his parties he also describes its grand rooms with high empty ceilings. Gatsby, much like his mansion, puts of this elegant appearance but on the inside he is hollow and tiring to find people to fill that hollowness Daisy’s character is very static just like the Gatsby; she plays Gatsby off and only truly liked him because he was just something new (Callahan 2). Despite being from the upper elite class and having the â€Å"perfect lifestyle†, she still is the third wheel in her relationship. Tom, Daisy’s husband, engages in an affair with Myrtle and despite the thinking that the upper class is perfect and everyone should be like them Tom beats his wife and is very hot headed. Tom is also a factory owner and the New York factories have destroyed this valley known as the Valley of Ashes. In this Valley there is the sign of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg â€Å"The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their irises are one Baska 3 yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. Evidently some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternal blindness. †(Fitzgerald 24) The decaying face of Eckleburg is there to show the consequences of the American Dream in the twenties and how it had destroyed the lives of many people. It may also be seen as the death of God in this day and age of social decay. Much like Daisy in her youth Myrtle has decided the wealthy life is the way for her. Myrtle up till the end is an almost ideal picture of the American Dream despite cheating on her husband for Tom. Myrtle’s car has broken down and when she exits the car Daisy, who was coming down the road, hits her with her car. Myrtle had gone from the Valley of Ashes to the riches to being murdered by her love affair’s wife. This downward spiral continues when George Wilson, Myrtles husband, believes who ever hit Myrtle was the person she was having an affair with. Tom tells Wilson that Gatsby was driving the car that hit Myrtle. Wilson goes to Gatsby’s house were he finds him relaxing in the pool on a float. Wilson shoots Gatsby then turns the gun on himself, showing us the tragic ending to the books corruption in the American Dream theme. Corruption in the twenties illustrated in The Great Gatsby parallels with many other generations, one such one is the most recent. The world today is filled with consumerism and the idea that to be reat and to be the person in the spot light you Baska 4 must have money and glamour. In The Great Gatsby, there is also the apparent struggle between the â€Å"new money† and the â€Å"old money† just as there is today. The Roaring twenties was the first generation to change the American Dream from the strait laced puritan morals to living large in the mansion. Hollywood, celebrities and the television has imbedded the failures of the American Dream which Fitzgerald has exposed in The Great Ga tsby into today’s culture. The middle class has been given the privilege to have a home and have freedom, so the view of the American dream has been changed by society. Tyler Durden, from Fight Club, expresses the sentiments above â€Å"Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy stuff we don’t need† (Palahniuk 114). Despite all the ignorant prejudice the recent large scale Hispanic immigration hopefully will show America that The American Dream should not about having money and the perfect life, but having a safe haven to live your life free. The people who left everything to come to America not to be famous or the wealthy but for a better life for them and their children are the true idealization of the American Dream. From the Great Gatsby to the roaring twenties all they way up to modern times people look up to the American Dream for inspiration and try to make it their own. Greed and love may have corrupted the dream for Gatsby, though it is just human nature to want more than what you have and that is the true corruption Fitzgerald has shown his readers.

Talk Radio :: essays papers

Talk Radio In Talk Radio, Oliver Stone brings together all venues of filmmaking to capture the story he wants to tell. With tremendous collaboration from the DP, the production designer, the writer, and the performers, Stone calculated a tight, moving film in high style. Beginning with the script, Stone and Bogosian formed a laborious respect in the nature of the piece. They each understood the underlying theme that Barry repeats over and over again. â€Å"If you don’t like it, why don’t you turn it off?† (sic) They went after the build up of Barry’s paranoia and need for voice/attention, knowing all along he would have to die for the film to mean anything. We start the film off in the clutches of its finale; the crazed fan waiting for his prey in smoke. It is only until Barry can recognize the error in his ways that he can be taken from the world to speak louder than any airwave or radio signal. This is wonderfully shown in the voice montage of callers. The idea of the radio station being a safe world unto its own, where no light penetrates and no one from the real world can gain access, is a wonderful metaphor for Barry himself. A loud talking, overly proud shock jock, who cannot afford to let anyone in. The world of the station has no windows, no warm light, and no ties to the ugly city around it. Barry dresses in black, like the studio, which is set in contempo-modern deco blacks and grays. He talks about subjects no one wants to admit is true. We are constantly in shadow, always hearing and watching two different stories, and wondering where it’ll go. Stone keeps us constantly aware of how Barry affects those around him and at the center of attention. Using moving shots, reflection focus pulls, dimming lights, and split diopters we never lose sight of the choices Barry is making and what it’s doing to those around him.

Choosing and Describing Applications and Hardware Essay

Hardware is any piece of computer equipment which can be physically touched. All hardware can then be split into four major categories: o Input o Output o Processor o Storage Some examples of hardware are: o Mouse – Input device o Keyboard – Input device o Monitor – Output device o Tower – Processing/Storage device o Printer – Output device o Scanner – Input Device Software is a coded program which can only be used while the computer is running. It is a non-physical thing which cannot be physically touched. Without the software, a computer would be useless. Some examples of software are: o Microsoft Word o Microsoft Excel o Pain Shop Pro o Microsoft Access o PhotoFiltre HARDWARE: 2. Input Devices The types of input devices available to me were: Input devices Advantages Disadvantages Keyboard – Allows the entry of number, letters and punctuation by the user pressing keys corresponding to each symbol. o A wide range of different symbols can be produced o It is quick and easy to do it you can touch-type o It is simple to learn how to use one o Speciallist keyboards can allow more detailed and comfortable typing o Most computers have one attached as default o Inputting data can be a very tedious process, especially if the user is not a touch-typer o Errors can easily be made by accident by the user’s hand/fingers slipping o It cannot be used to easily access menus and change settings of the software Mouse – A standard pointing device which allows the cursor to move by moving the physical object. A ball is placed in the base of the mouse, and it’s movements are proportionate to the movement of the cursor. It also has two buttons on it to press on-screen buttons. o It comes as standard with most desktop computers (not laptops) so no additional cost is incurred o It is very simple for the user to learn how to use one, which means the majority of users can use them o They are normally attached by a wire to the computer, so the mouse needs to be near the computer o A flat space is needed to use it properly o It is not compatible to use with all types of hardware e.g. notebook or palmtop computers Digital Camera – This is a device which allows the user to take photographs of scenes. It works by a array of light sensors, and when a picture is taken the colours are converted to digital signals by these sensors. These picture can then be transferred to a computer when necessary, and they can also be printed. They come is a variety of resolutions. o Pictures can be taken, and then deleted immediately if they are not liked/needed o No film is needed, and it contains RAM which is good because it allows pictures to be taken off the camera, and more pictures can be put on again in the RAM o Editing the images is very easy and quick o Images are easily transported from one piece of software to another o They are becoming more and more easy to buy in shops (commercial) o The cameras are more expensive than normal ones, and the price is normally proportionate to the resolution, which means good quality cameras are extremely expensive o Memory is expensive, so images often have to be compressed to allow a suitable number of pictures to be stored, the pictures are normally very large (e.g. 3KB) Or only a few pictures can be taken if they are not compressed Scanner – A scanner copies text or pictures which are placed inside the lid. It works by shining a beam of light onto the paper you are copying and the light is then changed into a digital image. This device comes in lots of different resolutions and the pictures can the be stored onto the computer and special software can modify the picture to make different effects. There are two types of scanner: flatbed scanner and handheld scanner. o They can be very accurate because they normally have a very high resolution, far higher than digital cameras o Any of the images produced can be put onto the computer and enhanced to make different formats of picture and to produce different effects of the picture o It is one of the only ways to get a detailed picture of a piece of paper onto a computer o Images are normally very large and tend to take up a lot of space, which either means they have to be compressed to allow more pictures to be stored or only a few images can be stored o The quality of the final image is normally dependent on the quality of the original piece of paper, which has some limitations o Some scanners can be large and take up a lot of space o A flat area is needed for a flatbed scanner which may not always be available It is important that data is entered correctly because accuracy is extremely important. If telephone numbers are entered incorrectly, this would mean that customers would be unable to contact the organisation if needed. This could be detrimental to the number of enquiries it would receive. This could be harmful to the amount of profit gained by the organisation, which could have been easily prevented if this human error was picked up earlier. It also makes the organisation become sloppy and unprofessional if problems like this are not spotted, and if work is not proof read before it goes to print. I could check that the data has been correctly entered by proof reading everything several times, and getting an unconnected person to read it through to spot any errors. This would prevent any misunderstandings and confusion. I could also use the ‘Spelling and Grammar Checker’ which is on most of the Microsoft programmes, which could pick up lots of mistakes. But this does not pick up missed letters or missed words which would cause even more confusion. This can again be resolved by proof reading. The choice of data entry method can affect speed and accuracy because typing is normally a very slow and tedious process which takes up a lot of time. This method of entry means that it is also easy to make a typing error, which not always be picked up upon, which is inaccurate. If a microphone was used, alongside a voice recognition programme, it would be a much quicker and efficient method of entering data. But this software is expensive to purchase but once up and running, it is easy to use for most people. 3. Output Devices The types of output devices available to me were: Output devices Advantages Disadvantages Monitor – This is the most common piece of equipment for displaying information, and the picture is made of pixels, and the resolution is dependent on how dense the pixels are. Typically they are of 17inch size, but some are larger, and more expensive! o They normally come default with a standard computer o They are very reliable o It allows to user to know what they are doing o It can display text and graphics all at the same time, in complicated layers o Flat screens do not take up excessive amounts of space o New screens are normally light and they do not reflect a lot of sunlight because of the specially designed screens o It is not a permanent copy, if items are not saved they will be lost when the computer is switched off o The screens are normally made of glass so they can be fragile and reflect a lot of light which can make the screen hard to read o They are not suitable for users with visual problems o The screen is only a certain size, which limits the amount of information that is able to be shown at one time Laser Printer – Their function is to put ink onto paper, so that a hardcopy of the document can be produced. It works by fusing powdered ink onto paper. o They can produce a very large quantity of prints in a very short amount of time e.g. 10 – 20 ppm sot hey are very efficient o The quality of the printouts are very good, with a high resolution e.g. 600 – 1200 dpi o The device is almost silent when running and when printing, which is good because it means it doesn’t disrupt work o Even though the toner cartridges are expensive, they last a very long time which means the running costs are relatively low o The printers nearly always have a high start-up cost, especially the colour ones o The hardware used is very complex and they are hard to repair if they break, which can be costly o They are very bulky and take up a lot of space which means not everyone would be able to have them o Only certain sizes of paper can be used in them, which can cause problems Inkjet Printer – Its function is to put ink onto paper, so that a hardcopy of the document can be produced. It works by letting ink flow out of a nozzle onto the paper. o They are cheap to buy and run, which means they are suitable for most householders and small offices o They have a relatively good resolution, which means their prints are of a good quality e.g. 300 dpi o They are quiet so they don’t cause a nuisance to workers o They are not as bulky or heavy as Laser Printers which makes them easier to store and use o They are slower compared to Laser Printers, which means they are not necessarily suitable for bigger offices, colour prints can take up to 30 seconds per page o The general cost of the cartridges is more than those of the Laser Printers o Cartridges also need to be replaced much more frequently than Laser Printers o The ink takes a few minutes to dry and it can easily be smudged if the wet ink is touched o Cartridges can easily dry out if left for a long period of time The similarities and differences between these are 4. Hardware used (for input and output) The hardware I used to make my system included In the computers that I used, they all had a 40GB Hard Drive which means that the computer can store 40GB worth of programs and games for it to function properly. The Hard Drive stores all the computer’s information and protects it all when the computer has been turned off. The computers also had Pentium 4 Processors in them, which are microprocessors, which allows a much higher bandwidth than on computers with the old Pentium 3 Processors. It also has 256MB RAM, which allows the computer to do all the necessary tasks needed, when the computer is turned on. All these components are more than are actually needed, but they just allow the user have an easier time while carrying out tasks on the computer. 5. Reasons for choosing this hardware. I decided to choose this hardware because it was the only option available to me in school. But the 6. Alternative hardware. I could have chosen different hardware to use: Hardware Advantages Disadvantages Suitability for my problem Track Ball – This is similar to a normal mouse but instead of moving the object to make the pointer on the screen move, your fingertips move the ball which is on top of the object. It also has two buttons on it so buttons on screen can be clicked. It is normally used with CAD. It is an input device. * It uses up very little space when being used, because the actual object just stays in one place and does not move around like a mouse does * They are useful for computers that have limited spaces as the ball can be built into the keyboard * The user has to learn how to use it which can be difficult if they are used to a normal mouse * They do not come standard with a computer and have to be bought separately at an extra cost It would be very suitable to use when doing my project because once the user is used to using it, the process would be much quicker. It would also be useful because it is small and can carried around to be plugged into various computers at different locations. Graphic Tablet – This is a flat pad which is placed on the worktop and a special pen is used to write on it. This allows much more accurate/detailed pictures to be produced on the computer compared to a mouse. Designers normally use this hardware and it is a input device. * It is an easy way to input hand-drawn pictures into the computer without using a scanner * It is easy to use, just like writing on paper * Letter/word recognition software can be installed to make a easier method of inputting text * They can be expensive to buy * It is harder to click on menu buttons than with a regular mouse * The pictures they produce will normally be a â€Å".jpg† file which can be hard to edit once on the computer This wouldn’t be very suitable because there is no need for detailed pictures top be put on the computer that can’t be created via another method. It would also be too expensive for me to buy personally so it would have to be provided by a second party. Speakers – These are a type of hardware which is used to listen to sounds and music. They either come within the computer (internal) or they can be placed next to the computer and attached with wires (external). * Everyone can hear the sounds, so it is especially good for making and presenting presentations. * If special software is used, text can be converted into sound which is especially helpful for sight-impaired users. * Headphones can normally be attached * External customers can end up being very expensive * Space is needed next to the computer for external speakers to sit * The speakers could disturb other people working This piece of hardware would be helpful to use because it would have allowed me to add sounds to my presentation which I could hear in the making of it. SOFTWARE: 7. Software used The software I used to create my system was: Software Advantages Disadvantages Microsoft PowerPoint – This is normally used to make basic presentations, and animations and sounds can be added to make the presentation more effective. This was used to make my main presentation. * The program comes with the standard package of Microsoft Office, so no extra charge is incurred to purchase it * Most people are familiar with the program * The controls on the program are relatively easy to use, so many people can use them * The program does not have very good graphic settings, so normally another program had to be used to manipulate pictures etc * Illiterate users may find it hard to use * It is easy to make mistakes when producing presentations PhotoFiltre – This is a complex graphics package, which is used to make and manipulate pictures, and is often used to create logos etc. I used this program to produce my logo for the Health Centre. * The controls on the program are very easy to use * Pictures can be manipulated easily, as to improve the effect of the graphic * This is not a default program of the Microsoft package, so an extra charge is incurred for the user to purchase it * Many users are not familiar with the program, so they may have to learn to use it or they may turn to an easier program 8. Alternative solutions. Software Advantages Disadvantages Suitability for my problem PaintShopPro – This is another graphics program and could be used instead of PhotoFiltre. It could be used to create my logo. * This program is more well known than PhotoFiltre, so more people would be able to use it * There is more advanced versions available which allow more complex manipulation to take place * This is more expensive than PhotoFiltre, and can often cost hundreds of pounds * It is hard to use unless you have been trained in using it This would be very suitable for my problem as it does the same job, just in a more efficient and quick way- because the controls are a lot more complex. But this program was not available in school.

Analysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh - 1284 Words

Perhaps one of the earliest pieces of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh is a tale about a Mesopotamian king named Gilgamesh who crudely dominates the natural world surrounding his gleaming society. Juxtaposing Gilgamesh’s godlike stature, Enkidu is a wild beast used to counterbalance the king in a literary sense. The hierarchical dichotomy expressed in the epic has appeared thematically within numerous mediums, including the revered artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Raised in the Lower East Side (LES) of Manhattan, Basquiat created art that harshly critiqued the status of black individuals in America during the late 20th century. In particular, two of Basquiat’s paintings—Untitled and Irony of Negro Policeman—parallel the domineering†¦show more content†¦Yet, when the gods learn that the king is a crazed despot, they decide to challenge his influence. Forged using raw clay, Enkidu is Gilgamesh’s near equal. Living in the untamed woods surrou nding Uruk, Enkidu is raised by animals and causes significant issues for the king’s subjects. Created from the earth, the savage is born and shaped by natural forces—until a prostitute is sent into the wilderness to tame him. During the Mesopotamian era that Gilgamesh was written, women were considering a calming force. Lusting for sex has always been part of the human condition, and Enkidu is unable to resist assimilation. The animals who raised the beast begin to reject him, causing Enkidu to divorce nature and embark on a journey to confront the king’s rumored excess. After a brawl, Enkidu and Gilgamesh settle their differences and become companions throughout the remainder of the epic. Enkidu’s friendship does not calm Gilgamesh entirely, who is nevertheless eager to affect his will over nature. Admittedly, the connection thus far between Gilgamesh and Basquiat is seemingly ambiguous; however, a closer inspection of the LES reveals several immediate similarities. Basquiat’s neighborhood was once occupied by the native American Lenape tribe, which existed until the Dutch rapidly colonized the region. Traditionally considered an â€Å"immigrant†Show MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And Analysis1436 Words   |  6 Pages The Epic of Gilgamesh –Summary and analysis Introduction The Epic of Gilgamesh is an excerpt of the original text of the Epic listed in the Sources of the Western Tradition, 5th edition, by Perry, Peden and Von Laue (2003). The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story of King Gilgamesh who is the powerful king of Uruk, the incidents in his life, the associations he makes, the encounters he has, and the transition that occurs in his life in relation to his gainingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1647 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of heroes fighting a war not in a battlefield but within their own selves and amongst each other, struggling with their own emotions and attributions to attain the best version of themselves and to fulfill the utmost quest of life. With the use of two very different yet so similar characters: Enkidu and Gilgamesh, the epic explains two aspects of same psyche, and different imageries, one of which is door, have been used in the text to explain interactions betweenRead MoreAnalysis Of The E pic Of Gilgamesh Essay1361 Words   |  6 PagesHERE As readers delve into the depths of The Epic of Gilgamesh, they perceive the allure to dreams which has captivated humanity for centuries. The epic poem uses dreams as a symbolic representation of the human mind and its ceaseless bounds. Given the Mesopotamian culture’s importance in regards to their religion, dreams provide the only means of one connecting with their future and deities. Furthermore, each mental fantasy referenced within the epic delineates the rationale of all beings to actRead MoreAnalysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1122 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh The epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest primary document discovered in human history dating back to approximately 2,000 B.C.E. This document tells a story of an ancient King Gilgamesh, ruler of Sumer in 2,700 B.C.E. who is created gloriously by gods as one third man and two third god. In this epic, Gilgamesh begins his kingship as an audacious and immature ruler. Exhausted from complaints, the gods send a wild man named Enkidu to become civilized and assist GilgameshRead MoreEpic Of Gilgamesh Literary Analysis1837 Words   |  8 Pagesmortality, divinity, punishments are told through stories of individuals and societies. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian book that was written long before the Bible. A comparison of the literary elements show several similarities that lead many religious and cultural scholars, as well as historians to contend that the accounts in the Old Testaments were derived from the Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Bible were both written as sources o f moral messages for religious practices and guidesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1311 Words   |  6 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is a very popular epic that is difficult to understand at first, which is why there is different translations of the same book. Although Foster and Sander’s translations have a lot of similar words and the stories are basically the same, there are also a lot of differences between the two. One of which is more straightforward and easier to understand, whereas the other is more of an in depth thoughtful read for the reader. Both translations differences have their own particularRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1449 Words   |  6 Pagesbeginning in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is a bully king who frightens and annoys the people of Uruk. After the gathering with Enkidu and becoming his friend does Gilgamesh transform, into a hero worthy of history. The brotherly or â€Å"bromantic† ( considering the questionable r elationship they have) love the two have for each other helps Gilgamesh become an better leader to his people by permitting him to better understand and identify with them. Even though the myth of Gilgamesh is very ancientRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 979 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh tells the legend of King Gilgamesh of Uruk and his adventures with the feral human Enkidu. At the beginning Gilgamesh shares a lot of similarities to Egyptian Pharaohs. He’s worshiped by his people in a way that’s almost pious and holds himself up with a certain arrogance. The only difference with Gilgamesh is he is one part deity and two parts human. Over the coarse of the Epic we see Gilgamesh’s demeanor change to a more humble one. This change can be attributed to the trialsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 738 Words   |  3 PagesBaily Broussard Mr. Guidry World History 4 December 2015 The Epic of Gilgamesh In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh terrorizes the people or Uruk. Because of this, they call out to the sky god Anu for help. Anu decides to turn to the goddess of creation, Aruru whom makes an equal for Gilgamesh. Aruru created Enkidu to be just like Gilgamesh and for them to contend together and leave Uruk in quiet. When Gilgamesh got up and went to the house of a bride waiting for the bridegroom, Enkidu stepped outRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1119 Words   |  5 PagesTranslation Comparison Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh has been read and reviewed/ critiqued by numerous authors. I took the articles’ ‘Angiology in the Epic of Gilgamesh’ by Th. Jacobson, and compared it to Benjamin Fosters ‘A New edition of the Epic of Gilgamesh’ These two articles both critique the writings of The Epic of Gilgamesh but in different ways. Foster’s article is a critique on a critique that has been written about The Epic of Gilgamesh, where as Jacobson critiques the epic itself, so we are