Maiden Voyage

Fawzi El Ansari English A1 12/12/09 Maiden Voyage (Denton Welch) The passage begins by clearly indicating many things about the character, time and setting. First of all, we can notice that the character is not in his natural surroundings. The passage begins with "foreigners are not very popular here" which indicates that the characters are in a different country where outsiders are not welcomed. It gives us a sense of danger and hostility. It tells us that the character is in an environment that is very unwelcoming and this will be reinvigorated later on. We can also tell that it is around morning time as the character says things like "it was too hot" and "after lunch I decided". The beginning paragraph gives us an overall sense that the character is stubborn and spoiled. He is used to always getting what he wants and does not take no for answer. When Mr. Butler says that the character ought not to go out alone, the boy (who has no name) goes outside and smashes balls with the tennis racket against the stable doors until he was too unhappy to go on. This tells us the boy lives in a rich surrounding or used to live like that. As we later read the boy is staying at a European villa in a Chinese city. This can mean that boy was given a home similar to his environment but in a different country however the boy does is bored and would like to go out and explore the Chinese

  • Word count: 1007
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Macbeth Essay

Michel de Montaigne once said that "Wickedness sucks in the greater part of its own venom, and poisons itself therewith." This truth is essential in understanding the consequences of malicious pursuits. The rancor found in the nature of a path of dissent can be discovered when the serpent's bite is scrutinized. The venom of the snake once injected causes many immediate and extraordinarily excruciating effects. Panic, fear, shock, and pain all result from the initial assault. Meanwhile as the poison flows through the veins of its victim it deteriorates the internal composition of the body. The toxin devastates the cells and causes the tissue and the muscles to collapse. The venom then attacks the essential structures of the body that are absolutely necessary to survive. One vital structure falls and the others soon follow. This leads to the imminent casualty of the afflicted individual. There is a devastating effect incorporated with this wound, but when this venom is rooted in wickedness the bite is often self-inflicted. When one domino has fallen the others quickly ensue. It exhibits an unstoppable course that defines how one action could directly influence so many actions that occur after it. If this path began with evil it will continue and leave in its wake a melee of destructive capability. This was manifest in William Shakespeare's theatric tragedy "Macbeth". The Thane

  • Word count: 2085
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Lord of the Flies Essay

Lord of the Flies Essay "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy." Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores instinctive human evil. At the end of the novel, Ralph realizes his loss of innocence and the evil that exists in each and every human being. This is portrayed in the above quote. In this novel, William Golding writes about the human struggle to be civilized such as obeying laws and to act morally, or to be savage by using power with evil, acting selfishly and being violent. The novel starts off with young British schoolboys unexpectedly arriving on a stranded island after their plane crashes. Two of the main characters, Ralph and Piggy, find a conch shell on the beach and use it to gather all the boys in an assembly. Ralph is appointed as the Chief and Jack is appointed as the leader of the hunters. The first weeks were well; everyone cooperated with each other and mostly contributed to the common good of everyone. One day, Ralph noticed a ship in the horizon and realized that the signal fire was out. The signal fire was to be maintained by the hunters, but Jack had taken them all on a hunt. Jack, angered by the accusations of Ralph, left the group and created his own tribe. The members of Jack's tribe grew very savage and violently killed a pig, offering its head

  • Word count: 804
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Langston Hughes

"I swear to the Lord, I still can't see, why democracy means, everybody but me." These were spoken words of desperation from Langston Hughes. Today I will discuss how Langston Hughes represents the recurring theme of injustice of the African-Americans through his racial protest in the poems; I Too, Sing America, Democracy and A New Song. Hughes represents the theme of injustice by utilising emotive writing, expression of tone and making references to the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes reveals the injustice past of the African-Americans and calls for unity amongst society by reflecting on the Harlem Renaissance in the poem, A New Song. The Harlem Renaissance was a significant influence in Hughes writing. This era was the first time ever that African-Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage. Langston Hughes explains that the African-American society is ready to take action from the first line of the poem, "I speak in the name of the black millions / Awakening to action" (1). A New Song was written as a free verse and Hughes constructs this poem chronically in regards to the history of African-Americans. Hughes positions the readers to feel the injustice of slavery when he African Americans were sold as commodities and mistreated when he explains in lines 7 to 9, "Bitter was the day, when I bowed my back beneath the slaver's whip" (7-9). However Hughes

  • Word count: 1226
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Siddhartha

Through Siddhartha's Eyes Siddhartha is a story by Hermann Hesse about a young man, Siddhartha, who is on a quest for self discovery and completion. The novel describes Siddhartha's search for the meaning of life. Unfortunately the meaning of life is not easy to find and Siddhartha encounters several conflicts during his journey. However, these conflicts only make his success even greater. Through his viewpoint the reader can fully appreciate the conflicts Siddhartha encounters and his success despite these encounters during his maturation. Siddhartha undergoes three struggle, which the reader gets a first had account of. The first set of struggles are inner conflicts and conflicts with society. Through Siddhartha's the reader can easily see Kamala is the catalyst for Siddhartha's inner-conflict struggle. After all it is Kamala who corrupts Siddhartha by teaching him how to gamble and lust, which "his heart rejoiced" (28) after their meeting. Through Siddhartha we can see his character lessens due to this and his moral and intellectual achievements begin to come undone. Siddhartha also encounters Vasudeva, who teaches Siddhartha to listen to the river's voices. Via Siddhartha the reader learns of the mystical powers of the "beautiful" (55) river, the river comes to symbolize the entire existence of the universe. Here Siddhartha receives his revelations and becomes

  • Word count: 566
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Speech standing against gambling

Speech standing against gambling - Lan 12e Gambling! Have you ever thought of it? Have you ever known that such a tiny and simple action could lead to problems that are rather worrying and dangerous? Stealing, robbing, lying, bribing or even killing! That's not yet all of them but we better start thinking now, of how not to have more. There have been thousands and thousands people suffering then and now from the results of gambling. Hundreds of children have been left neglected, without home, care nor education just because their parents have devoted their lives, their time and effort for gambling. More than a thousand of suicidal deaths resulted from gambling. Plenty of businesses and firms went bankrupt whose owners and staffs have involved in gambling. Many students, teenagers or young people at our age have been into serious cases of stealing and robbing or even going to court for committing an offence just to feed their habits of gambling. I'm pointing directly at those who think they would be a "good and professional" gambler and also those who are having an attempt to gamble or to bet in any other ways. Think again! Would you want to waste the rest of your life behind the bar? Would you want to have your heart being torn apart by the thoughts of guilt and regret? Would you want to see your families, your friends or your relationships all fall apart at one point?

  • Word count: 911
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Personal Essay

"Poor Little Tink Tink!" was shouted whenever someone started to trash talk someone in the musical "Grease." I discovered this when I was cast as a chorus member at the beginning of the school year. Because this was my first theatre performance, I was unsure if I should even do it, it was an entirely different type of performing than I was accustomed to. I'm glad I did because I gained a myriad of new talents and experience from it. Due to a shortage of male participants, I was asked to audition after rehearsal started; thus, I had to pick up on all the theatre jargon quickly. I was a quick study, and as a result, I became not only part of the chorus -a part many people undervalue- but also a critical member of the production. Coming into this production I thought that as chorus my only job would to sing harmonies in the background while the principals shone in the spotlight. However, being a part of the chorus, I became immersed in the entire production. Not only did I have to learn how to memorize almost ten different dance routines in the span of a month and a half, but as an understudy and back up for two of the principle characters, I also had to learn their parts and solo songs. My learning experience didn't stop there however. I learned where all the set pieces were required to be, memorized what pieces were needed for each scene and by production week I had become

  • Word count: 745
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Nectar in a sieve

"One of my husband's male relatives had died and he had to attend the funeral. When he had gone I took the opportunity of going to see Kenny. I had not done so before because I was sure Nathan would not like his wife or his daughter going to a white man, a foreigner." (Kamala Markandaya, Nectar in a Sieve, London: The John Day Company, 1954, p.58) As a mother of a daughter who is known to be unfertile, Rukmani would go through any risk of curing her from her disheartening curse; however does not dare to let her husband, Nathan know about her past relationships with Kenny. She uses the excuse of Kenny being a white foreign man, however has another true reason behind it, which she denies even to herself. In the previous chapter, Nathan and Rukmani shares a night together with an unusual hint of true love, which has evolved from an empty relationship of arranged marriage. On this night, Rukmani becomes a mother once more. Although love is another word of trust and care, Rukmani in this chapter shows that there is no actual trust between them, for she cannot reveal the secret which she has kept from Nathan over the years. "'I waited all day,' I gasped. 'I must see you. My husband will be back soon and then I cannot come.' His frown deepened. He said coldly, 'You people will never learn. It is pitiful to see your foolishness.'" (p.59) As Rukmani rushes towards Kenny after she

  • Word count: 1048
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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Ode on Melancholy

Union of Joy and Sorrow Commentary on Ode on Melancholy Ode on Melancholy, a lyric poem by John Keats, written from a romantic's perspective, embodies the true ideals of this era, to live life to its fullest and experience everything. The speaker encourages his audience as an optimistic person who seems to have experienced melancholy and from his wisdom, he urges the audience to embrace their sorrow. The speaker's perspective shows him to be a romantic as he believes that experiencing everything includes the sadness in life as well. The speaker, in the first stanza, advises the audience on what not to do in order to experience the ups and downs of life and moves to describing the joys and sorrows in experiencing life in the second stanza and concludes counselling the audience to seek comfort in nature and its beauties. The speaker helps the reader comprehend the paths he must not take even in the face of distress in the first stanza. The poem begins with the repetition of 'No, no' (L.1.) and continues with 'go not' (L.1.), immediately establishing an urgent tone, first by the use of the repetition and the spondaic meter which increases the emphasis and thus, the impact of the negative diction. By the creation of the negative imperative, the speaker then follows with 'to Lethe,' (L.1.), which is an allusion to a river of forgetfulness in the Greek underworld. Here, the

  • Word count: 1624
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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El Perfume

El Perfume Análisis Literario 2/1/2008 David Lomeli Introduccion "El Perfume" relata la historia de Grenouille un hombre que tiene un muy desarrollado olfato. Esto lo utiliza para vivir y sobrevivir. Grenouille nace en un lugar no muy bonito y es abandonado por su madre por lo que termina pasando por diferentes tutores como Madame Gaillard y un curtidor de pieles llamado Grimal. A lo largo de la estancia con sus diferentes tutores se dedico solamente a mantenerse vivo hasta se fue con un reconocido perfumista (Giuseppe Baldini) con el cual aprendió a manejar todos los instrumentos de la elaboración de perfumes y lo básico en técnicas para ser perfumista. Dado que Baldini no savia todo para extraer los olores de las cosas Grenouille decide abandonarlo y viajar a donde le pueden enseñar las técnicas. En el transcurso de este viaje se da cuenta de que detesta al hombre y su olor y decide quedarse en una montaña solo y en un mundo creado con su mente. Esto durante 7 años hasta un día en que tuvo una pesadilla en la que su olor lo perseguía lo que lo molesto pues Grenouille no tiene un olor propio y decide ir a crearse el suyo propio así llega a un pueblo donde se topa con el marqués Taillade que es un noble que vivía en Versalles y se creía científico con el se reintegro a la sociedad luego se fue al pueblo que era como la Meca del perfume ahí entro a

  • Word count: 1168
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: Languages
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