The Conquest in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Conquest in Heart of Darkness    â€Å" The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.† (Conrad 65)   So stated Marlow as though this was his justification for ravaging the Congo in his search for ivory.   Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness shows the disparity between the European ideal of civilization and the reality of it as is evidenced by the domination, torture, exploitation and dehumanization of the African population.   Heart of Darkness is indicative of the evil and greed in humanity as personified by Kurtz and Marlow. These emissaries of light are shown to be crude, sordid and violent.   They had no regard for the destruction of Africa’s natural environment, wantonly destroying hills in a feeble attempt to establish a railway, â€Å"No change appeared on the face of the rock....the cliff was not in the way or anything; but this objectless blasting was all the work going on.† (Conrad 76)   This statement reveals the real motive for venturing into the Congo which was not to bring a better, more civilized lifestyle to the poor, underprivileged Africans; but to satisfy their lust for power. â€Å"It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness.† (Conrad 65) Just as Victor Frankenstein in the novel Frankenstein created a monster that was a manifestation of his inner turmoil and demons, so too Kurtz and Marlow’s journey into Africa is an unveiling of their inner darkness which we are all afraid to face.   Like Grenouille, in Perfume and Victor Frankenstein, Kurtz sought power, adoration and godlike status both among his European counterparts and the native Africans.   Just as Grenouille bottled and collected special fragrances so too Kurtz collected human heads displaying them around his hut as trophies.   Kurtz’s journey into Africa, as well as his inner journey, can be likened to Grenouille’s hibernation in the cave for seven years or Victor’s search for his monster across the icy slopes.   During this period each individual underwent a transformation and a realization of the horrors they have created. Kurtz’s final words â€Å"The horror! The horror!† are comparable to Victor fleeing the scene when faced with the manifestation of his handiwork.

TEMPEST Essay -- essays research papers

The Other in the Tempest In order to understand the characters in a play, we have to be able to distinguish what exactly makes them different. In the case of The Tempest, Caliban, the sub-human slave is governed largely by his senses, making him the animal that he is portrayed to be and Prospero is governed by sound mind, making him human. Caliban responds to nature as his instinct is to follow it. Prospero, on the other hand, follows the art of justifiable rule. Even though it is easy to start assessing The Tempest in view of a colonialist gaze, I have chosen instead to concentrate on viewing Caliban as the monster he is portrayed to be, due to other characters that are not human, but are treated in a more humane fashion than Caliban. Before we meet Caliban, we meet Ariel, Prospero’s trusting spirit. Even though Ariel is not human either, he is treated kindly and lovingly by his master who calls him â€Å"my quaint Ariel.† Caliban, on the other hand, is called a â€Å"tortoise† and a â €Å"poisonous slave† by Prospero. As Caliban enters in Act 1 Scene 2, we realise his fury at both Prospero and Miranda. He is rude and insulting and Prospero replies with threats of torture. Prospero justifies his punishment of Caliban by his anger at the attempted rape of his daughter, something Caliban shows no remorse for. Miranda distinguishes herself from Caliban by calling him â€Å"a thing most brutish† and inadvertently, a thing that has only bad natures. She calls his speech â€Å"gabble,† but doesn’t stop to wonder whether it was she that didn’t understand him because she didn’t know how to speak his language. Surely Caliban communicated verbally with his mother for the twelve years before Prospero killed her? It seems that Prospero and Miranda expect Caliban to be grateful for the knowledge of their language, but Caliban has just learned â€Å"how to curse† and justifies his anger by claiming rights to the island. Even thou gh they obviously detest each other, Prospero needs him, as he tells Miranda: â€Å"We cannot miss him: he does make our fire/Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices/That profit us†¦,† Caliban stays on because he is afraid of Prospero’s â€Å"art†¦of such power,† making Prospero the feared conqueror ad dictator. Prospero is the â€Å"right duke of Milan† and Caliban is the â€Å"savage and deformed slave.† They represent two different extremes on the social spectrum: that of the natural ruler,... ...e will let Stephano rule- showing himself to be naturally ruled, not ruler. At the end of the play, when he recognises that his choice of Stephano as ruler was foolish, it is not mental reasoning that has led him to this conclusion, but the evidence of his senses and experience. Caliban had mid enough to function as part of society, but training him to become part of that society cannot be abstract, like Prospero’s failed attempt at educating him with Miranda – Caliban’s education must be practical and hammered home with his own senses. If the senses represent something natural and the mind represents an art like knowledge or in Prospero’s case, magic, then we can say that Caliban represents Nature and Prospero Art. While the need for control over nature is asserted continually, the ending suggests that art must ultimately come to terms with nature (hence Prospero’s â€Å"this thing of darkness I/Acknowledge mine†); for while Caliban†™s limitations are apparent, his wish to improve himself is promising, and his new relationship with Prospero seems to be more stable and more reassuring than the resentment-filled and extremely uneasy jailer-prisoner/master-slave relationship shown earlier

paper -- essays research papers

â€Å"Lets go smoke some weed man† now when that question gets asked to you, you might have to say no. Why is that? You think of the consequences that could come to you if you do it and get caught. As of now pot is illegal and most parents don’t accept there kid smoking weed. So in this paper I will tell you why pot should be legal. I will also give some things that have been said negative and I will disprove them. I will also discuss about hemp, what marijuana is and where it comes from. Also as you are reading this I will use two other names for marijuana these are pot and weed. If you smoke pot you will get high. Pot can do other things for you other then just get you high, you can benefit from marijuana . Pot comes from an all natural plant. Using marijuana and the growing of hemp (ingredient in marijuana making) are illegal in the US. Pot can be used for just the enjoyment of being high and feeling very relaxed. It also can be used as medicine which is legal and other things which I will discuss later. As for hemp it can be used for things like necklaces which you all have seen most likely. Hemp is sold all over the world. It is sold so often because of the things you can make with it. So why is weed illegal in the US. People just use it to feel more relaxed and in a calmer state of mind. Tobacco and alcohol are both used for the same reasons, but with many more negative side effects than pot. Tobacco and alcohol can create cancer and other things to harm you body. In many people alcohol brings out the worst of them. This usually happens when someone becomes an alcoholic. Many people become violent when they hit this point. In Maxim it said that more then seventy million Americans have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives. If you think about that statistic it isn’t hard to believe. At least for me because most people I know have at least tried it and that also includes older people like adults. Pot really has no true affects that will really harm you. I have never heard of any deaths caused by pot. Have you ever heard on the news that man died from an overdose of marijuana? I know I haven’t. Now think of how many deaths come from tobacco and alcohol about a half million. That is only deaths that doesn’t say how many people have lip cancer and things that aren’t going to kill them. People say marijuana is addicting, but marijuana is not an addict... ...ed to you as much. I know if I am at a party or just out I usually have people come up to me and ask if I want to by any weed. I do think it might make more people try it because they won’t worry about getting in trouble. I also think though that there isn’t a big thing if someone try’s it at least there trying it on there own free will and not being pressured. I also think that right now people use a drug like pot to rebel against there parents. Now I don’t think that it would be rebellion if it were legal. If that were so people would rebel against there parents by chewing come or eating a hamburger. So in conclusion why do we have this drug still being illegal. Pot has many positive effects which I discussed during this paper. Think of the things that would be better if pot was just legal and sold over the counter. Think how much cigarettes get sold I think pot would be sold twice as much and for more money. We should help are selves and let the kids get high and have are cops stop harassing these people, and find something that is hurting someone. People aren’t getting hurt from smoking some natural green weed. So everyone fight for your right to get high and have a good time.

Evil in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart :: Things Fall Apart essays

Evil in Things Fall Apart Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the reader feels evil. Evil is a concept that is hard to define. The dictionary defines it as " morally bad; wicked" (Funk & Wagnalls 220). But is the definition of evil really as simple as that? Many would say that there is more to defining evil than just a few words. Evil can also be defined by a culture. If one were to study various cultures around the world, he or she would discover that each culture has a different way of defining evil. Even world politics sometimes plays a role in defining evil. But one's personal definition seems to have the most impact on what one thinks is evil. Theology has played a strong role in defining evil for thousands of years. The Bible teaches Christians that Satan is evil, and not to follow his teachings. Evil as a concept in Christianity developed in the third and fourth centuries. During that time, St. Augustine determined that "Evil is the privation, or absence, of good, as darkness is the absence of light." (Funk&Wagnalls19) In modern times, theology has had a difficult time defending the existence of God in light of the many atrocities that have occurred in the last 100 years, such as the Holocaust, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo. As a result, theology is now having to redefine what evil is. Cultures and politics among cultures have a way of defining evil for their own inhabitants. The Europeans who visited the Ibo culture in Things Fall Apart viewed many of the customs that the natives practiced as evil or barbaric or primitive. The Ibo concept of the "Evil Forest" was one of them. It was something that each village had and "In it were buried all those who died of the really evil diseases, like leprosy and smallpox." (Achebe 148) Another belief held by the tribe in the novel is that if a woman has children, and each dies under "evil" circumstances, then she is under attack by an evil tormentor. The remedy to this problem is to " Let her not sleep in her hut. Let her go and stay with her people. In that way she will elude her wicked tormentor and break its evil cycle of birth and death" (Achebe 77).

Antioxidants and Skin Care Essay -- Dermatology Beauty Health Essays

Antioxidants and Skin Care Aging is a natural process of life. However, retailers today are publicizing that their products can reduce or even eliminate the signs of aging. Many cosmetic companies advertise age-defying makeup, which they claim will erase the wrinkles on the skin and produce a newer, fresher look. The most recent age-defying product on the market is antioxidants. Claiming that their products will diminish the signs of aging, companies sell volumes of antioxidants to consumers. Their claims offer the controversial questions: Can a drug stop the effects of aging? How many capsules does it take to eliminate facial wrinkles? Are these pills simply placebos? Outline Antioxidants and free radicals How Do Antioxidants Work? Claims about Antioxidant Products The Scientific Foundation of Antioxidants Antioxidants - The Real Hype What Should You Do? Advice for the Consumer References Antioxidants and Free Radicals What are Antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemicals that protect cells by neutralizing external forces (such as damage from the sun, pollution, wind, and temperature) and internal factors (for example, emotions, metabolism, and the presence of excess oxygen). Common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene. These special chemicals assist in skin repair and the strengthening of blood vessels. Why do we need them? Antioxidants are necessary because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts that are formed when oxygen is used by the body (http://ificinfo.health.org/antidox.htm) . Free radicals start a chain reaction under the skin's surface, and outlined below is the process of destruction. They have an unpaired electron in their outer orbital... ...ll, B. (1994) Antioxidants in nutrition, health, and disease. 120- 124. Halliwell, B. (1996). Vitamin C: Antioxidant or Pro-oxidant in vivo? Free Radical Research, 25, 439-454. Mares-Perlman, J., Klein, R., Klein, B., Greger, J., Brady, W., Palta, M., Ritter, L. (1996). Association of zinc and antioxidant nutrients with age-related maculopathy. Archives of Ophthalmolgy, 114, 991-997. Rice - Evans, C., Burdon, R. (1994). Free radical damage and its control. 14-19. Shear, N., Malkiewicz, I., Klein, D., Koren, G., Randor, S., Neuman, M. (1995). Acetaminophen-induced toxicity to human epidermoid cell line A431 is diminished by silymarin. Skin Pharmacology, 8, 279-291. Takema, Y., Yorimoto, Y., Kawai, M., Imokawa, G. (1994). Age-related changes in the elastic properties and thickness of human facial skin. British Journal of Dermatology, 131, 641-648. Antioxidants and Skin Care Essay -- Dermatology Beauty Health Essays Antioxidants and Skin Care Aging is a natural process of life. However, retailers today are publicizing that their products can reduce or even eliminate the signs of aging. Many cosmetic companies advertise age-defying makeup, which they claim will erase the wrinkles on the skin and produce a newer, fresher look. The most recent age-defying product on the market is antioxidants. Claiming that their products will diminish the signs of aging, companies sell volumes of antioxidants to consumers. Their claims offer the controversial questions: Can a drug stop the effects of aging? How many capsules does it take to eliminate facial wrinkles? Are these pills simply placebos? Outline Antioxidants and free radicals How Do Antioxidants Work? Claims about Antioxidant Products The Scientific Foundation of Antioxidants Antioxidants - The Real Hype What Should You Do? Advice for the Consumer References Antioxidants and Free Radicals What are Antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemicals that protect cells by neutralizing external forces (such as damage from the sun, pollution, wind, and temperature) and internal factors (for example, emotions, metabolism, and the presence of excess oxygen). Common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene. These special chemicals assist in skin repair and the strengthening of blood vessels. Why do we need them? Antioxidants are necessary because they combat free radicals. Free radicals are byproducts that are formed when oxygen is used by the body (http://ificinfo.health.org/antidox.htm) . Free radicals start a chain reaction under the skin's surface, and outlined below is the process of destruction. They have an unpaired electron in their outer orbital... ...ll, B. (1994) Antioxidants in nutrition, health, and disease. 120- 124. Halliwell, B. (1996). Vitamin C: Antioxidant or Pro-oxidant in vivo? Free Radical Research, 25, 439-454. Mares-Perlman, J., Klein, R., Klein, B., Greger, J., Brady, W., Palta, M., Ritter, L. (1996). Association of zinc and antioxidant nutrients with age-related maculopathy. Archives of Ophthalmolgy, 114, 991-997. Rice - Evans, C., Burdon, R. (1994). Free radical damage and its control. 14-19. Shear, N., Malkiewicz, I., Klein, D., Koren, G., Randor, S., Neuman, M. (1995). Acetaminophen-induced toxicity to human epidermoid cell line A431 is diminished by silymarin. Skin Pharmacology, 8, 279-291. Takema, Y., Yorimoto, Y., Kawai, M., Imokawa, G. (1994). Age-related changes in the elastic properties and thickness of human facial skin. British Journal of Dermatology, 131, 641-648.

Major Pollutant: Ammonia Essay

Ammonia is one of the most widely produced chemicals in the United States. In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia. Ammonia has the formula NH3 which is a compound of hydrogen and nitrogen. Ammonia is also produced in the human body and is commonly found in nature. It is essential in the body as a building block for making proteins and other complex molecules. In nature, ammonia occurs in soil from bacterial processes. It is also produced when plants, animals and animal wastes decay. The properties of ammonia includes the following information. Ammonia is a colorless highly irritating gas with a sharp suffocating odor. It dissolves easily in water to form ammonium hydroxide solution which can cause irritation and burns. Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear, colorless liquid under pressure. It is usually shipped as a compressed liquid in steel cylinders. Ammonia is not highly flammable, but containers of ammonia may explode when exposed to high heat. Ammonia is lighter than air, its density being 0.589 times that of air and is miscible with water. Ammonia’s molecular mass is 17.03 g/mol and is a gas at room temperature. Its melting point is at -77.7 degrees celsius while its boiling point is at -33.35 degrees celsius. Its flash point is at 11 degrees celsius while its decomposition point is at 500 degrees celsius. Ammonia as a gas has a density of 0.7710 g/L whereas when in liquid form has the density of 0.6818 g/L. Ammonia is a weak base and has a very high affinity for water. When it comes into contact with anything containing water, it becomes very caustic and this can be very dangerous as it can attack moist parts of the body if it comes into contact with them. Despite the high affinity for water, ammonia has limited reactivity with water. Most people are exposed to ammonia from breathing its gas or vapors. Since ammonia exists naturally and is also present in cleaning products, exposure may occur from these sources. The widespread use of ammonia on farms and in industrial and commercial locations means that exposure can also occur from an accidental release or from a deliberate terrorist attack. Ammonia gas is lighter than air and will rise, so that generally it does not settle in low-lying areas. However, in the presence of moisture, ammonia can form vapors that are heavier than air. These vapors can spread along the ground or other low-lying areas. When ammonia enters the body as a result of breathing, swallowing or skin contact, it reacts with water to produce ammonium hydroxide. This chemical is very corrosive and damages cells in the body on contact. Ammonia is corrosive. The severity of health effects depends on the route of exposure, the dose and the duration of exposure. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage or death. Inhalation of lower concentrations can cause coughing, and nose and throat irritation. Swallowing ammonia can cause burns to the mouth, throat and stomach. Skin or eye contact with concentrated ammonia can also cause irritation and burns. If you have been exposed to a large release of ammonia such as from a tanker truck rollover or from a leaking tanker rail car, you must quickly move away from the area where you think you were exposed. If the release was indoors, go outside. If you are near a release of ammonia, emergency coordinators may tell you to either evacuate the area or to â€Å"shelter in place.† To â€Å"shelter in place† means to remain indoors to avoid being exposed to the chemical. While indoors, shut and lock all doors and windows; turn off air conditioners, fans and heaters; and close fireplace dampers. If exposed to ammonia, you must also quickly remove any clothing that may have ammonia on it. If possible, clothing that is normally removed over the head (like t-shirts and sweaters) should be cut off the body to prevent additional contact with the agent. Follow these steps for the removal of clothings that have ammonia on it. First place your clothing inside a plastic bag and seal the bag tightly. Do not handle the plastic bag, and wait for instructions on proper disposal. Disposing of your clothing in a sealed bag helps protect you and other people from any additional exposure. Then store the bagged clothing in a secure location away from people, especially children. As soon as you finish performing these steps, quickly wash any ammonia from your skin with large amounts of soap and water, and flush your eyes with large amounts of water by following these steps. First you must remove and dispose of any contact lenses then wash eyeglasses with soap and water before wearing. Do not use bleach to remove ammonia from your skin. If serious problems occur and the previous steps did not ease the situation, it is important to seek medical attention right away.

Book pseudo-philosophical

The book of job is indeed a difficult book (particularly because it is structured like a poem, which i think made it all the more boring. ) But going beyond that, it has some interesting pseudo-philosophical discussions going on. Job is a brave man, given the circumstances and the general assumptions about the nature of the universe at the time (a universe where god occasionally makes his presence known through a whirlwind or some such device).Job is good and brave, but I think there is an inherent assumptions in his arguments that make them fail (in my book): the assumption of the validity of the rationale behind the rules under which God seems to operate. Since Sin is also, ultimately, God's invention, I think an appropriate response to such a condition as Job's would have been â€Å"Why are You playing around with us? † When Job finally acknowledges God's justice, Job gets his good life back! (Someone was just being childish and just wanted some appreciation, after all. )I don't believe that there is a direct correlation between good actions and†¦ divinely bestowed awards. A bit of work and a bit of luck are what it takes to get a good life. As for Genesis chapters 1-11, I cannot take these as an authentic record of historical events. While reading, I kept getting a feeling, in the back of my mind, that there is something inherently wrong in the rationale and explanations of the behaviors of the characters (God included). The story presented in Genesis has the makings of a myth, and is in the same level as that of other creationist stories of other beliefs.As Darwin says, the concept of God is quite beyond the scope of my abilities. Genesis 1-11 is an â€Å"explanation† of the origins of the world, which I believe must be a lot more complex than the chapters relate (at least on the surface). It also â€Å"explains† the origins good and evil in modern mankind. Boring also. Primarily because the story has been recounted countless time s, and, understandably, the sentences are structured as dissimilarly as possible from everyday speech, while still retaining grammatical correctness. But it is still nice to understand ancient (and modern) cultural and religious mentality.