Human condition and the passage from innocence to experience Essay Example for Free

Human condition and the passage from innocence to experience Essay In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley reflects her views on the faults and weaknesses of human beings and the disasters these imperfections can cause through the personalities and actions of the characters in the novel. The results of the characters personalities and actions show how significant certain undesired traits can be. Through the journeys of the individual characters Mary Shelly shows how we, as human beings, develop in the path from innocence to experience. Surprisingly, the majority of Shelleys obvious criticisms are divulged through the hero, Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein is used to fulfil this purpose in a multitude of ways: In her 1823 Introduction, Mary Shelley suggests that Victors main crime is his presumption in displacing God. The works of Milton could have inspired this; by way of her parents, he would have been a natural choice of inspiration for Shelley. Milton believed that power corrupts human beings and distrusted anyone who could claim power over anyone else. Therefore, Frankenstein does wrong in claiming power over the monsters life by creating him. We see a change in Victors views on this subject; at the beginning of the novel Frankenstein is fixated with the idea of creating a new being from the remains of dead people and bringing this new being to life by means of electricity. As the novel develops, through his experiences he begins to see the true repercussions of his actions and finally sees the magnitude of what he has done in his thoughtlessness (innocence. ) This can also be seen as an attack on human nature. As the creature opens his eyes for the first time, facets of Victors character become revealed. Whereas the read expects Victor to reflect the joy of having finally received his goal, his reaction is on of horror: now that I have finished, the beauty of the dream has vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. While one may assume that his repulsion is due to the physical appearance of the wretch (p56), Victor had created the monster and knew very well what the creature looked like before it awoke. Therefore, his terror seems to represent a sort of subconscious self-vision. This could be Shelleys way of criticising how we can become clouded by ambition and do not realise the consequences of our actions until it is too late. Towards the end of the novel Victor has learnt from his experiences and realises what the possible consequences could be of creating a companion for the monster. He knows the destruction of the female monster could result in his own death but for once he is selfless and takes responsibility. Unlike his first venture, he is thinking of the greater-good rather than his own happiness. In the beginning of the novel we see the development of Victors ambition from healthy to obsessive. Fired by his enthusiasm during his first experiments, he imagines how A new species would bless me as its creator and source No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs(p54). A possibly interpretation here would be to presume that this is a criticism of mans belief that he is indestructible and he can thus take on the role of God and do whatever he likes. This could have sprung from the death of Marys mother; human beings believe themselves to be all-powerful and virtually invincible but they cannot avoid death. On the other hand, perhaps the crime upon which Shelley focuses is not what he does, but what he fails to do: nurture his creation. Victors ambition and achievement may be heroic, problems only occur in his inability to bear responsibility for his creation. In Brannaghs film interpretation, Frankensteins soul motivation for the creation of the monster is to cheat death (possibly an honourable purpose which would not suggest that Shelley meant Victor to be disliked). However, in the novel, there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. Frankenstein is also portrayed to wish to undermine the power and position of women. By this we see him rebelling against the normal family unit and the responsibilities that belonging to such a unit entails. This could be interpreted as a fear of the natural process of birth, possibly echoing Shelleys own mixed feelings towards childbirth. First pregnant at sixteen, and almost constantly pregnant during the next five years, Shelley lost most of her children soon after they were born. Victors workshop of filthy creation (p55) may have womb-like suggestions. Following this argument, Helen Moers likens the description of the newly created monster to that of a newborn baby in her book Female Gothic. Shelley also uses Frankenstein, and his failure to comply with social expectations in his creation of his creature, to criticise society on many different levels. When Frankenstein gives life to the monster, he is so disgusted with its appearance and its deviation from a normal human being that he rejects and abandons it. This reflects how society shuns anyone or anything that does not conform to their idea of normality. This particular criticism probably sprung from Shelleys up bringing. With two revolutionary parents, Mary Shelley was certainly not born in to a conformist family. A particular example of this is the fact that Mary Shelleys parents were not married. At the time this would have been virtually unheard of in decent families. Mary was possible criticised by her peers as having radical parents, or being bullied because her parents were not normal. She shows her anger at their ignorance by showing Victor be uncaring, and leading the reader to sympathise with the monster rather than his cruel creator. After the conviction of Justine we see a possibility that Victor will admit to being responsible for the death of Justine. However, he is cowardly. He claims Justine to be innocent, and claims to know Williams murderer but does not confess. Again, it is his failure to act that results in disastrous consequences. However, by announcing his faith in Justines innocence we are endeared to him. Shelley used this to show us how he improves with the experience he gains. Towards the end of the novel the monster requests that Frankenstein grant him a companion to end his misery. We see a blinker of sympathy and consideration for the monster in Victor at this point. He has improved himself slightly by this point. When the monster makes his proposition, Frankenstein actually considers with the monster. We can, therefore, see that by this point he becoming prepared to reason with the monster like an equal. We begin to think he is going to take responsibility for his actions by taking pity on the monster. After all it cannot be forgotten that the monster could have honoured his promise and disappeared with its mate, thus preventing the death of Clerval, Elizabeth and possibly Victors own father. But on the destruction of the female monsters body Victor fails to take true responsibility and virtually caused the deaths of Clerval and Elizabeth. Again, his experience has made improved him, almost to the point where he could redeem himself of the crime that is abandoning what is effectively his child. At the end of the novel, although Victors dying wish is that the deaths of his loved ones be avenged, we can see how his journey has changed him. His last expressed feelings are that of fatigue and exhaustion. This shows how Shelley hopes human beings will become tired of their flawed ways of thinking and learn from their experiences. In a direct contrast, the monsters passage from innocence to experience only produces negative results. In spite of his unnatural creation, the monster can be seen to symbolize a new start. However, as he proceeds with his education, as he moves from nature to culture, the monster learns more and more about the injustices of society. He learns about human emotions and comes to desire compassion and love but is rejected on account of his repulsive physical appearance. He masters language, but language fails him; rather than allowing his entry into human society as he had hoped, it only serves to make him more fully aware of his unique origin and alien nature. His education is part of what makes him miserable. It is only when he is exposed to, and suffers from the viciousness of human society that he himself begins to demonstrate violent behaviour, to act as the monster his appearance suggests him to be. What I perceive to be the monsters most vicious act is the murder of Elizabeth on Victor and Elizabeths wedding night. Without his primitive human emotions he would never have known what he was missing out in a female companion. With his experiences with the DeLaceys he saw how strong the family unit could be and felt even more bitter when he was rejected. Without such knowledge or experience he would never have had the determination to enact such a terrible crime. It is his human emotions that finally cause his misery to consume him at the end of the novel. When Victor dies, the monster if found by his body crying. This is a common human characteristic; in most cases, even if two people did not get along well in life or had not spoken in years, if one is to die, the other forgets the past and exonerates their dead friend, acquaintance or family member by mourning their loss. They regret things that they may not have said or done, and wish they could turn back time to put things right before the other passed away. It is the monsters sadness at the death of his creator and his regret for the events of the past that finally consume him and tear from him his desire to live. Without these human emotions, the monster may not have destined himself to such a tragic end. It could be argued that Shelley was criticising the power of human emotions and the negative results they can produce. As I mentioned before, Shelley lost many of her children, this must have caused her great depression misery. These may have affected her ability to live her life; thus, she may have been suggesting that if she could have been less humane, her life may not have been as miserable. In conclusion both the monster and Frankenstein show Shelleys feelings towards human behaviour, how we learn from our experiences, and how we deal with things in the future. However, it is arguable whether she is intending to show that knowledge or ignorance is bliss through he contrasting passages of Frankenstein and his creation.

With Close reference to at least two poems, examine how the poets have

With Close reference to at least two poems, examine how the poets have explored the theme of parent-child separation. In your response you should deal with * The contexts of the poems. * The contrasts and similarities in the poet's methods and approaches. * The use of language. * You personal reaction to the poems including your preference. Many poems have been written on the basic theme of parent-child separation. I have chosen to write about two poems. The first of these is "The Slave Mother" written by Frances E.W. Harper, written in the mid 1800's. It explores the idea of a black slave mother having her son stolen from her. The second poem I will study is "Walking Away" by C. Day Lewis. Both show the difficulties of Parent-Child separation. However "The Slave Mother" is much more violent and disturbing as oppose to "Walking Away" where there is no mention of violence at all. Frances E. W Harper wrote "The Slave Mother" at a time when blacks were being severely discriminated against. Society and American Law at the time promoted slavery. She was orphaned as a child and therefore has some background on parent-child separation as, similarly to "Walking Away", it is an experience she has gone through. Harper was totally against this and therefore used a polemical style of writing, as she wanted to point out this controversial issue to the public and to persuade people against it. Harper had a pioneering spirit and was prepared to be the first of a kind. She was an active part in the anti-slavery movement and used various poems including "The Slave Mother" to get her point across. When she was speaking up for what she believed her poetry became part of her efforts to campaign against slav... ...f what ahs happened. Both poems have explored the common theme of parent-child separation very well. They also both had an effect on me, although both in different ways. In "The Slave Mother" I was quite shocked and almost disturbed at what the captors had done to this poor mother whose only possession was her son. I also felt a lot of sorrow for the mother. In "Walking Away" I also felt sorry for the parent who was loosing their son. However the whole poem did not sadden me, but rather comforted me by the fact that some losses are purely natural and that it is something that most of us can relate to. Both poems - especially "The Slave Mother" - help me to form a vivid picture in my mind of the two poems. Although both poems were outstanding my favourite out of the two would be "Walking Away" as I feel it is something I can or will be able to relate to.

Stoichiometry Questions and Answers

Concordant titer values would allow for precise results. Repeat the experiment with fresh/new equipment so identify whether there are any inherent faults in the equipment. D) Water, to ensure all of the Noah is sitting at the bottom of the conical flask. Water itself does not affect the number of moles of acetic acid in the flask, which is what reacts with the acetic acid in the vinegar. 4. A) Burette b) – rinsed with distilled water first to remove any impurities. Passed water through the tap as well. – then rinsed with solution to be transferred I. E. Acetic acid solution.Again, rinsed through the tap as well. – filled up the burette (with a funnel at the top) to the appropriate volume. Measured the volume at which the bottom of the meniscus was and recorded this as the initial value. C) Concordant titer values are 22. 30 and 22. 40 ml Average titer d) Mann_ + 0. 0750 M = 22. 35 ml UH+ fee+ Mrs.+ +UH 25. 0 ml = 0. 0250 L V = 22. 35 ml = 0. 02235 L Inman- = C. V = 0. 0750 x 0. 0250 = 0. 00188 mol Neff+,t-lemon- = 5/1 5 x nerving- = 5 x 0. 00188 mol = 0. 00938 mol 0. 00938/0. 02235 = 0. 419 M (3 SF) 5. NO + UH -+ NH (a) ann. M = 1. 0 / 28. 02 = 0. 036 mol (2 s. ) CUFF+ NH M = 1. 0 / 2. 016 = 0. 50 mol ann. : NH mixed = 1 : 14 = 0. 036 : 0. 50 Given reacting ann. : NH NO is the limiting reagent H2O is the excess reactant (b) Using ann. = 0. 036 mol ann. / ann.=2/1 ann. = 2/1 x ann. = 2 x 0. 036 = 0. 071 mol Therefore, ranch = 0. 071 x 17. 034 = 1. 2 gees. F. ) 6. 4 AAA + 302 (a) anal = m/ M = 20. 0 / 26. 98 = 0. 741 mol (3 s. F. ) 2 AWAY non = 20. 0 / 32. 00 = 0. 625 mol = 0. 741 : 0. 625 = 1. 2 : 1 = 3. 6 : 3 Given reacting anal : non =4:3 AAA is the limiting reagent 02 is the excess reactant (b) Using anal = 0. 741 mol Manama / anal = 2/4 Manama = 2/Exxon 0. X 0. 741 = 0. 371 mol Manama = n x M = 0. 071 x . 96 = 37. 8 g (3 s. F. ) 7. 2 AAA + CUSCUS = 8. 09 / 26. 98 = 0. 300 mol (3 s. F. ) incurs = c. V = 2. 00 x 0. 0750 = 0. 150 mol anal : incurs mixed = 0. 300 : 0. 150 Given reacting anal : incurs Cuscus is the limiting reagent AAA is the excess reactant = 0. 300-0. 100 3 cue Determine the number of moles of AAA reacted by using mole ratios I. E. anal anal = 2/xx incurs = 2/3 x 0. 150 = 0. 100 mol Therefore anal (excess) : incurs = 0. 200 mol (b) using incurs UNC / incurs = 3/3 UNC = incurs Mac = n x M = 0. 150X63. 55 = 9. 53 g (2 s. F. )

Goshe Corporation, Acorn Industries, Continental Computer...

Group 5: Acorn Industries, Continental Computer Corporation, and Goshe Corporation Goshe Coporation In the case study on the Goshe Corporation, we are introduced to the head of the organization, Banyon. He announced that there would be an average salary increase of 7% for workers. The problem began to arise when the Finance division only received a 5.5% salary increase. The scientific programmers in the Finance division felt that their Electronic Data Processing (EDP) efforts should be duly rewarded, at least as much as any other employee at the Goshe Corporation, considering that this software shortened work schedules and lowered manufacturing costs. This inherently contributes directly to the bottom line, corporate profitability.†¦show more content†¦In order to do this, they decided to initiate a strong acquisition program in which they acquired smaller firms through purchasing them and subsequently brought them under Acorn’s wing. Upper management felt that this acquisition strategy would secure future growth and development, as well as permit them to diversify into other fields. The major problem with all these acquisitions was inherent in the fact that Acorn Industries had never applied or utilized any form of Project Management. In July of 1996, after years of research and development and intensive competition from a major defense company, Acorn Industries was awarded a major defense contract. Just as they operated in the past, they obtained this contract through their superior technological prowess and strong marketing efforts. Acorn followed three factors in their marketing strategy: 1. Know exactly what the customer wants 2. Know exactly what the market will bear 3. Know exactly what the competition is doing and where they are going These contracts were granted to them, amounting to $80 million each and they would last from seven to ten years, reaching into early 2009. As a result of this enormous task ahead of them, Acorn was forced to change general managers, and brought on someone who had an extensive background in Project Management and was previously heavily involved in research and development. This new manager began to face many underlying problems thatShow MoreRelatedproject management case studies 4th edi1056 Words   |  5 PagesManagement. Case Studies. 4th Edition Description: A new edition of the most popular book of project management case studies, expanded to include more than 100 cases plus a super case on the Iridium Project Case studies are an important part of project management education and training. This Fourth Edition of Harold Kerzners Project Management Case Studies features a number of new cases covering value measurement in project management. Also included is the well-received super case, which coversRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesPROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION - PROJECT MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES, SECOND EDITION HAROLD KERZNER, Ph.D. Division of Business Administration Baldwin-Wallace College Berea, Ohio John Wiley Sons, Inc. This book is printed on acid-free paper. @ Copyright O 2006 by John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in