Friday, January 31, 2020

John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

John Steinbeck Essay John Steinbeck is simply one of Americas finest storytellers. He is an accomplished author and a Nobel Laureate in Literature. However, his road to success was not easy. His earlier novels failed to attract attention, and it took many years before he got the recognition he deserved. Like most writers, his experiences and his hometown were crucial in the creation of his stories. Thus, Steinbecks works were greatly influenced by his life and the environment in which he lived. John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California (National Steinbeck Center [NSC], n. d. ). His parents were John Steinbeck, Sr., and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck. His father was a County Treasurer and his mother was a school teacher (NSC, n. d. ). It was his mother who was responsible for his love of reading and writing (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His favorite books included Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Paradise Lost by John Milton (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He usually spent his summer vacations working on ranches and farms (NSC, n. d. ). It is from this experience where he derived his knowledge of the countryside and its people, which he later used in his stories (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbeck graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 (NSC, n. d. ), and proceeded to study marine biology in Stanford University (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). To pay for his education, he took many jobs, which led him to miss several quarters of school (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He was already a writer in college, with several poems and short stories included in university publications as proof (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1925, Steinbeck left Stanford University and proceeded to New York to start his writing career (NSC, n. d. ). He began his writing career in New York as a reporter for American (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Despite this brief writing stint, Steinbeck was still unsuccessful in terms of fiction. He failed to publish any of his written works, forcing him to return to California (NSC, n. d. ). He was still a writer, but he also had other jobs as well. His jobs included fruit picking, painting, surveying, being an estate caretaker and a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1929, Cup of Gold was written when Steinbeck was a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It failed to return the publishers investment (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His next two novels, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown, were also unsuccessful (NSC, n. d. ). In 1930, Steinbeck married his first wife Carol Henning. The 30s also marked an improvement in his writing career, as his first literary success Tortilla Flat was published in 1935 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Tortilla Flat was later adapted into a movie. Steinbecks success continued, with the release Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Grapes of Wrath in 1939. Soon after, he won a Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath. During the Second World War, he went back to his journalistic roots, as a correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune (NSC, n. d. ). In 1942, Steinbecks relationship with Henning ended (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He then married Gwyndolyn Conger, but the marriage did not last (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1950, he married again, this time to Elaine Scott (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It was also in the 50s when he published another great book of his, East of Eden in 1952 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1962, Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (NSC, n. d. ). Four years after, he passed away, in the 20th of December (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbecks literary pieces are filled with references to his own life. The most prominent reference was the setting. Most of his stories, if not all, feature his hometown of Salinas. This is only proof that his hometown was very significant for him, that he refused to exclude it in his works. The Pastures of Heaven is a great example. There is a valley in California, which is located between Salinas and Monterey (Paik, 2006). The name of the valley is Corral de Tierra, but Steinbeck referred to this valley as â€Å"pastures of heaven,† hence the title of his book (Paik, 2006). Moreover, it was also found that since The Pastures of Heaven consists of short stories, Steinbecks intention to unify them may bear a similarity to Miltons Paradise Lost (Meyer, 2007). This is no surprise, since it was one of his favorite books. Tortilla Flat is another Steinbeck novel which referenced his hometown. Tortilla Flat is another town in California, near Monterey. The theme of the story was based on King Arthur and the Round Table (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Steinbeck might have derived this idea from another favorite book of his, Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. In addition, he included the plight of farmers within the story (Pollock, 2006), the inspiration of which was probably taken from his summers as a farmhand. The Log from the Sea of Cortez is another Steinbeck text that, despite having no connection with California, was still a result of his life experiences. When Steinbeck was married to Carol, they lived in Pacific Grove (NSC, n. d. ). It was in Pacific Grove were he met Edward Ricketts, a marine biologist (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). They quickly became friends, probably because they shared the same interest in biology, which Steinbeck took in college. In 1940, Ricketts and Steinbeck boarded The Western Flyer, a fishing boat they hired for the expedition (Weiss, 1999). Both men explored the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbeck published the book Sea of Cortez, which was re-released as The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbecks maturity as a writer is difficult to trace, simply because he started out as a journalist and later became a fiction writer. News writing and fiction writing are two different fields, both of which are essential parts of Steinbecks career. Nonetheless, regardless of genre, Steinbecks talent is undeniable. Only he could write with a balance of â€Å"realistic naturalism† and â€Å"moral optimism† within his stories (Phillips, 2006). Consequently, Steinbecks writing strength lies on his social commentary, the focus of which was the economic struggles of laborers in the rural areas (Nobel Foundation 1962). His love for the California landscape is also another Steinbeck trademark, which is not always compatible with his straightforward sociological kind of writing (Nobel Foundation, 1962). Despite this, John Steinbeck remains a remarkable author whose legacy will stay for generations. He was one of the many who created literary masterpieces that was extremely influenced by his own life and the surroundings in which he lived. References John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. kirjasto. sci. fi/johnstei. htm Meyer, M. J. (2007). The Pastures of Heaven. The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. litencyc. com/php/sworks. php? rec=trueUID=7353 National Steinbeck Center (n. d. ). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. steinbeck. org/Bio. html Nobel Foundation (1962). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio. html Paik, F. (2006). Pastures of heaven. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. forbes. com/2001/11/09/1109how. html Phillips, B. (2006). SparkNote on East of Eden. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/eastofeden/context. html Pollock, F. J. (2006). SparkNote on Tortilla Flat. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/tortillaflat/context. html Weiss, D. (1999). The log of the sea of Cortez. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. ecotopia. org/about/cortez. html.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Discussing Literary Genre Essay -- essays research papers

To define genre is to embark on a conjectural journey within a theoretical minefield. Genre theory has drawn immense debate and contemplation throughout literary history, however, several conclusions have emerged. Genre types are unfixed categories whose characteristics differ considerably among the specific genres; furthermore, the role of literary history plays a significant role in discussions of genre, for genre types evolve and shift with each new literary text. An approach to the discussion of genre, family resemblances, illustrates similar conventions among texts within a genre, but there are significant problems in this approach. There are several ways to discuss genre, and although problems abound in any approach, the subjective nature of the literary experience calls attention to the importance of the interaction between reader and text to provide the final word on genre.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although there is considerable theoretical debate about the definition of specific genres, the conventional definition tends to be based on the idea that texts within a genre share particular conventions of content and form, such as themes, settings, structure and style. However, the nature of genre leads to several problems inherent in the defining of genres. Certain genres are looser and more open ended in their conventions than other genres and some genres have many conventions while others have very few. Furthermore, literary texts that overlap and mix genres blur the distinction between them. Genres are not discrete systems consisting of a fixed number of list able items. Consequently, the same text can belong to different genres in different countries or times. For example, Latin poets categorized the elegy mainly in terms of its meter, while poets during the English Renaissance regarded the subject matter and tone to be determinate of form. History and cul ture play a role in the ever changing status of genres, which are difficult to define because the concept encompasses so many different literary qualities and conventions that can be broken or accepted, overlapped or mixed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rather than define genre, some theorists approach the discussion of genre using Ludwig Wittgenstein’s concept of “family resemblances'; among literary texts. Although a literary text rarely has all the characteristics of... ... are interpreted, and expectations and emotional outlooks are the individual results of reading literature. The expectations prompted by conventions in a literary text play a large role in the discussion of genre. For example, Mavis Gallant’s “From the Fifteenth District'; cheats the expectation that arises from the first sentence, “[a]lthough an epidemic of haunting...'; (Gallant 115), and surprises readers with the discovery that the story is a reversal of the ghost story. A reader’s personal interaction with a literary work is decisive of genre, for what we think a genre is and the individual’s impression of a literary text often serve to classify a literary work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The individual’s response to literature plays a vital role in the discussion of genre, for literary texts are created for an audience of one. The various means to discuss genre provide insightful observations; however, significant problems are inherent in these discussions. The constantly changing categories of genre and the emergence of new literary works make defining genre a daunting task better left to the individual reader.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Agenda Setting

1. Agenda Setting Theory the creation of what the public thinks is important History and Orientation Agenda setting describes a very powerful influence of the media – the ability to tell us what issues are important. As far back as 1922, the newspaper columnist Walter Lippman was concerned that the media had the power to present images to the public. McCombs and Shaw investigated presidential campaigns in 1968, 1972 and 1976. In the research done in 1968 they focused on two elements: awareness and information.Investigating the agenda-setting function of the mass media, they attempted to assess the relationship between what voters in one community said were important issues and the actual content of the media messages used during the campaign. McCombs and Shaw concluded that the mass media exerted a significant influence on what voters considered to be the major issues of the campaign. Core Assumptions and Statements Core:  Agenda-setting is the creation of public awareness a nd concern of salient issues by the news media.Two basis assumptions underlie most research on agenda-setting: (1) the press and the media do not reflect reality; they filter and shape it; (2) media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues. One of the most critical aspects in the concept of an agenda-setting role of mass communication is the time frame for this phenomenon. In addition, different media have different agenda-setting potential. Agenda-setting theory seems quite appropriate to help us understand the pervasive role of the media (for example on political communication systems).Statement:  Bernard Cohen (1963) stated: â€Å"The press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about. † Agenda Setting   as   defined in â€Å" Mass Media, Mass Culture† is the process whereby the ma ss media determine what we think and worry about. Walter Lippmann, a journalist first observed this function, in the 1920’s. Lippmann then pointed out that the media dominates over the creation of pictures in our head, he believed that the public reacts not to actual   events but to the pictures in our head.Therefore the agenda setting   process is used to remodel all the events occurring in our environment,   into   a simpler model before we deal with it. Researchers Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw have then followed this concept. McCombs and Shaw as pointed out by Littlejohn have best described the agenda setting function   in their book  Emergence of American Political Issues. In this book the authors point out that there is abundantly collected evidence that editors and broadcasters  Ã‚   play an important part   as they go through their day to day tasks   in deciding and publicizing news. This impact of the mass media- the ability to effect cognitive ch ange among among individuals, to structure their thinking- has been labeled the agenda-setting function of mass communication. Here may lie   the most important effect of mass communication, its ability to mentally order and organize our world for us. In short, the mass media may not be successful in telling us what to think, but they are stunningly successful in telling us what to think about. (McCombs and Shaw, 5) The common assumption of agenda- setting is that the ability of the media to influence the visibility of events in the public mind   has been apart of our culture for almost half a century. Therefore the concept of agenda setting in our society is for the press to selectively choose what we see or hear in the media. 2. Development Communication You must also know that communication is used as an empowerment tool. In other words, communication is used as a tool to facilitate the participation of people in development activities.Knowledge and information are essential for people to successfully respond to the opportunities and challenges of social, economic and technological changes. But to be useful, knowledge and information must be effectively communicated to people. Millions of people in developing countries are excluded from a wide range of information and knowledge, with the rural poor in particular remaining isolated from both traditional media and new information and communication technologies which would improve their life. Here, in ‘development communication’, you see that there are two words- ‘development’ and ‘communication’.By now, you know what communication means. You have also learnt that communication is a message understood or sharing of experience. When we refer to communication, in the context of development, we refer to various types of communication like interpersonal, group and mass communication. Now let’s try and understand the term ‘development’. It is not easy t o define this as it depends on the context. Development is about change. It is about changing for the better. It could be about social or economic change for improvement or progress.When we refer to development communication, it is about such communication that can be used for development. It is about using communication to change or improve something. Here we use different types of messages to change the socio-economic condition of people. These messages are designed to transform the behaviour of people or for improving their quality of life. Therefore, development communication can be defined as the use of communication to promote development. Those who write or produce programmes on issues related to development are called development communicators.Role of a development communicator The development communicator plays a very significant role in explaining the development process to the common people in such a way that it finds acceptance. In order to achieve this objective a devel opment communicator: – has to understand the process of development and communication; – should possess knowledge in professional techniques and should know the audience; – prepare and distribute development messages to millions of people in such a way that they are received and understood, accepted and applied.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Contract agreement - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1231 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Narrative essay Tags: Contract Law Essay Did you like this example? Introduction A contract is an agreement between the two or more parties in which an offer is made and accepted for the mutual benefit. In this report we will take a real life contract agreement and would familiarize ourselves with legal issues involved. Well will study and explain the terminologies involved in a Lease Agreement in this report. The legal outcome is to understand what a contractual agreement is and what are legal terms and implications in particularly UAEs laws interpretation. Discussion key element and general definition In this main section of the report would take out key legal terms form the agreement, lease Agreement, and explain each briefly. We would use contract based definition of the terms and would also take help from Wikipedia dictionary (Wikimedia Inc, 2009), Dictionary (Dictionary.com, 2009), and US, Lectric Law Library (LECTRIC LAW LIBRARY, 2005). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Contract agreement" essay for you Create order Agreement Title It is simple and one sentence statement mentioning leasing company or owner name and duration of contract reached. Agreement Statement It is simple and generally one sentence statement about the agreeing parties with date and names mentioned. Witnesses He is a person who generally comes in court or under written statement swears under oath to give truthful evidence about soundness of agreement parties. The agreement usually explain both Witnesses Third person involved in the agreement, a simple present form of witness. Landlord This is the owner and possessive of the property to be leased and referred in the contract agreement. Premises This is the property to be leased by the landlord and handed over to the second party involved. Tenant It is who pays fees or charges in return of using the land, property, building owned by others. Covenants It is third person, singular simple present indicative representation of covenant. Obligations It is terms and condition comes after one binds itself by social, legal or moral tie, here we refer it lease agreement and its bindings both on landlord and tenant. Receipt Any proof of receiving or having been received some property or payment. Appurtenances The equipment used for specific task or purpose Rent Payment made by the tenant at some interval in order to occupy or use landlord property. Reservation The act of reserving, leasing or withholding or keeping back Deposit As per agreement it is asset that was left to the care of the other, i.e., tenant or renter. Termination of This Agreement The condition upon which execution the agreement may be considered void, like end of term of agreement or volition of it. Utilities Plural of utility, the state of being useful like land lord property over the time. Use of Premises The privileges granted to the tenant after agreement is done. Written Consent This is willingness of he Landlord in written statement. Quasi-Governmental Authorities It is an organization, corporation, business or agency that is treated by national laws and regulations to be under the government guidance or protection, but also separate from the government. They may receive charges for their services as they are government private ventures. Maintenance and Repair This term in the agreement is put forth the responsibility of tenant to maintain the premises in good condition and do repair if needed or thought necessary. Sanitary Condition This is condition of the premises that is ensured as hygienic means of promoting health through the prevention of human contact with the hazards of the wastes. This is made the responsibility of tenant after premises is handed over. Agents Here it refers to Landlords servant or subordinates that could visit or inspect the condition of the premises. Mortgages It is the transfer of the interest in property to a lender as a security of the debt, a loan, while mortgage itself is not debt. Liens In general it is a form of security interest granted over an item or property to secure the payment of the debt or performance of an obligation. Cumbrances The Burdon or trouble in case of damage Tenants Hold Over This is official taking over of the premises for occupation and use of it after legal agreement. Eviction Proceedings In general legal terms, eviction is the removal of the tenant from the rental or leased property by the landlord. The proceedings follow the step as in agreement to be taken to evacuate it. Surrender of Premises It is the handing over the premises by the tenant to the landlord after the termination or expiry of the agreement. Commencement This is an act of commencing or beginning of start or end of a legal contract and steps afterward to ensure it. Indemnification As per laid down in the agreement in case of legal dispute, Landlord shall not be liable for any damage or injury of or to the Tenant, Tenants employees, agents, or consumers or to any person entering the Premises or the building of which the Premises are a part or to goods or equipment, or in the structure or equipment of the structure of which the Premises are a part, and Tenant hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Landlord harmless from any and all claims or assertions of every kind and nature. Attorneys Fees In case of Landlord employs an attorney to enforce any conditions or covenants hereof, including the collection of rentals or gaining possession of the Premises, the expenditure shell be the responsibility of the tenant, including a reasonable attorneys fee. Governing Law This Agreement as per spirit and agreement in the leasing contract, be governed, construed and interpreted by, through and under the Laws of Dubai. Severability If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof shall, for any reason and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, neither the remainder of this Agreement nor the application of the provision to other persons, entities or circumstances shall be affected thereby, but instead shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law. Binding Effect The covenants, obligations and conditions herein contained shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legal representatives, and assigns of the parties hereto. Descriptive Headings For the above key term mentioned in the agreement writing, the headings used herein are for convenience of reference only and they are not intended to have any affect whatsoever in determining the rights or obligations of the Landlord or Tenant. Construction This key term refers about the references made like pronouns used herein shall include, where appropriate, either gender or both, singular and plural. Notice For the steps taken by Landlord for protecting, serving, inspecting, and vacating the premises, a prior notice should be served. As agreement says, Any notice required or permitted under this Lease or under Dubai law shall be deemed sufficiently given or served if sent by Authorities certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed as follows: Conclusion As an objective outcome of the above exercis, we have learned what a contract is, what the body of it and key legal terms and conditions associated with it. In this report we understood the Lease Contract agreement, how it is written and what its legal and social binding on Tenant and Landlord as per UAEs government regulations. Reference List Dictionary.com (2009). Welcome to Dictionary.com. https://dictionary.reference.com/ [On-line]. LECTRIC LAW LIBRARY (2005). Welcome to LECTRIC LAW LIBRARY. https://www.lectlaw.com/d-w.htm [On-line]. Wikimedia Inc (2009). Wiktionary, the free dictionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page [On-line].