The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1841 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/11 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Things They Carried Essay Did you like this example? This quote is impactful because it reveals not only the physical baggage that the soldiers carry but also the mental burden. They have to live on with what the outcomes of the war are even after its over. â€Å"They carried the soldiers greatest fear, which was the fear of blushingThey died so as not to die of embarrassment.† (OBrien 20) Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien" essay for you Create order This quote was impactful for me because it shows that men risked their lives to go to war just to save their reputations. They would rather fight in the war because refusing would mean cowardice and men, according to society can’t be that. â€Å"Some carried themselves with a sort of wistful resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal. They were afraid of dying but they were even more afraid of showing it† (O’Brien 19) This quote is impactful because most of these men showed pride during the war to hide their true fears under the mask of humor or enthusiasm. The soldiers could be terrified of being in the war but they still wouldnt show it because it would show lack of bravery. OBrien wrote this to show that they carried much more than guns and equipment, they mostly carried burden in their heads. The outcomes of the war were far worse than they appeared because war changes a person not only physically but psychologically as well. The soldiers were risking not only their lives but their reputations and names as well. Being a coward wasn’t an option, hiding their fears, showing bravery and pride was far more important than showing how they truly felt. Pride, bravery, discipline, good humor, all examples of how they hid those negative feelings they had towards the war. All the weight they carried mentally and emotionally was far worse than it appeared to be on the outside. â€Å"The Man I Killed† â€Å"His jaw was in his throatthere was a slight tear at the lobe of one earhis forehead was slightly freckledthe skin at his left cheek was peeled back in three ragged stripsthere was a butterfly on his chin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 118) This quote is impactful for me because it shows how unusual OBrien’s response was when he took a life. Instead of expressing the guilt, he just stared at the body and grasped every amount of detail he could to prevent himself from thinking about his actions. â€Å"The young man would not have wanted to be a soldier and in his heart would have feared performing badly in battleHe loved mathematicsat school the boys sometimes teased him about how pretty he was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 121) This quote is important because it shows how OBrien deals with the guilt of killing the Vietnamese soldier, by imagining how life was like for him. He does this to hide what he actually feels and maybe also to put himself in his shoes in a certain way. â€Å"there was a butterfly on his chinThe butterfly was making its way along the young mans foreheadAlong the trail there were small blue flowers shaped like † (OBrien 118 120-121) This quote is important because it shows how OBrien repeats the physical features of his victim and references a butterfly on the dead body and blue flowers next to the dead body which is ironic. It shows me that even in death, there is life. O’Brien chose this story to show the effect of death and beauty of life even in death. The effect he wants to invoke on the reader is to put them inside a soldiers head and show them what theyre going through. O’Brien wants the readers to feel how he felt in the moment he took a life and understand the horror of facing death. It also shows the reader how OBrien distanced himself from the death, by creating a life for the soldier. He feels safer by focusing on other things rather than thinking about his actions and feeling guilty. Mentioning the butterfly and flowers near the dead body also shows how there is still hope of life among the war. This story helps develop the next story, â€Å"Ambush†. â€Å"Ambush† â€Å"He was a short, slender young man of about twenty. I was afraid of himand he passed me on the trail I threw a grenade that exploded at his feet and killed him.† (O’Brien 125) This quote is important because it shows how O’Brien has a clear memory of what happened even though it occurred very fast. O’Brien’s repetition of the physical details of the man show how the death was very impactful on him and how he was afraid of him because the effect still haunts him. â€Å"When she was nine, my daughter Kathleen asked me if I had killed someoneSomeday, I hope, shell ask again. But here I want to pretend shes a grown-upThis is why I keep writing war stories†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Brien 125) This quote is impactful because it shows how O’Brien wants to protect his daughter from the horrors of the war. He wants to let his daughter know he did what he felt was right when she is old enough so she understands why he keeps writing war stories and why it is necessary. â€Å"It was not a matter of live or die. There was no peril. Almost certainly the young man would have passed by. And it will always be that way.† (OBrien 127) This quote is impactful because OBrien wants to justify and give a reason as to why he killed a man so people dont think he acted without reason. He believes that if he hadnt thrown grenade at the man he would have just passed by and his death wouldnt have haunted OBrien. Tim OBrien wrote this story to show the readers what effect death can have on soldiers. He also writes to address to his daughter the reasons why he wrote it and to justify his actions. He keeps writing war stories hoping that someday his daughter when she’s older, understands the difficult decisions that had to be taken during the war. The purpose of this story is to show the aftermath of death. It depicts the instinct to survive. OBrien acted out of fear and didnt comprehend his actions until it was too late. This story helps readers understand the impact of rapid decisions that have to be made. â€Å"The Dentist† â€Å"He didnt mind blood or pain-he actually enjoyed combat-but there was something about a dentist that gave him the creeps†¦He fainted before the man even touched him.† (OBrien 83) This quote is important because it shows how Curt Lemon isnt bothered by violence and death but is afraid of a someone touching his teeth. This means that he is more comfortable being in the midst of chaos and war than going to a dentist. â€Å"Anyone else wouldve laughed it off, but for Curt Lemon it was too much. The embarrassment mustve turned a screw in his head.† (OBrien 84) This quote is impactful because it shows how shame starts to drive a tough soldier crazy. It shows how he values his reputation and doesnt want people to see him as a coward. â€Å"The dentist couldnt find any problem, but Lemon kept insisting, so the man finally shrugged and†¦ yanked out a perfectly good tooth.† (OBrien 84) This quote is important because it shows how Lemon believes getting a tooth pulled out and coming over his fear of the dentist would keep his reputation intact. It also shows how he is more worried about his reputation than dying in the war and it becomes too much to handle so he decides to act on it. OBriens purpose of writing this story is to show a different side to the soldiers and the society they live in during his time. It portrays how a tough soldier who is always doing dangerous things is afraid of the dentist. In order to keep up his reputation, Lemon goes as far as to getting his teeth pulled out because it would keep his brave soldier reputation intact among other soldiers. He also does this to prove to himself that he isnt a coward and to overcome the fact that he fainted. This story helps develop other stories in the book such as â€Å"On the Rainy River† by talking about reputation and cowardice. Society expects men to be strong and insensitive, therefore, showing any emotion is a sign of weakness to the soldiers. â€Å"On the Rainy River† â€Å"I feared the war, yes, but I also feared exile†¦ I feared losing the respect of my parents†¦ I feared ridicule and censure.† (OBrien 42) This quote is important because OBrien doesnt want to go to war but he cant decide between his fear of losing his familys respect and his reputation in town. He doesn’t want to flee the draft and disgrace his name among everyone because they would think of the act as lack of bravery and love for their country. â€Å"I think he meant to bring me up against the realities, to guide me across the river and to take me to the edge and to stand a kind of vigil as I chose a life for myself†¦ I couldnt act†¦ all I could do was cry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 53-54) This quote is impactful because Elroy brings OBrien to the river and without saying anything he wants to face the reality and decide the path he wants to take in that moment. OBrien is ashamed of this story because he believes crying is a failure of masculinity and him not being able to make a decision shows lack of brave. â€Å"And what was so sad, I realized, was that Canada had become a pitiful fantasy. Silly and hopeless. It was no longer a possibility.† (OBrien 55) This quote is important because it is the moment of realization for OBrien and what he believes is the right thing to do. He won’t escape to Canada because it would be seen as cowardice, and he would rather not bring disgrace upon his family and town.? Tim OBrien wrote this story to express the inner struggles he dealt with upon receiving the draft. The author wants the reader see how he is compelled into making the decision of going to Canada or staying and fighting for his country and how he decided on it. The old man OBrien meets when he’s on his way to Canada plays a big part in the way he decides on what he wants to do, whether he will stay or escape. Elroy forces him to make a choice at the river of what he thinks is right, and never passes judgment onto him. Elroy’s presence forces OBrien to confront Canada and freedom from the war without him actually speaking. OBrien’s purpose of writing this book is to justify his decisions and also to put the readers in the position he was in on the rainy river.

British Romantic Poetry As A Revolutionary Part Of England...

British romantic poetry was remarkable for a myriad of reasons. Not only did it vouch for a focus on nature in literature, but also showed an increased interest in both the emotion of the average person, and a heightened esteem for imagination as well as the wonder and amazement that accompanied children. Of course, it showed a darker side of the world as well, with some of the more distinguished writers focusing on the poor and how they lived. Stylistically, there was also a clear influence from Greek culture, with many poems taking inspiration from Greece’s literature and culture, along with other supernatural aspects that were added in. In a place where many types of literature found their start, what made British Romantic poetry a revolutionary part of England’s culture? The answer is simple. Because the genre was so unique, it attracted many different kinds of people, some of whom would never have been accepted in any other literary genre. For example, Lord Byron was, by all accounts, an eccentric. His unique mannerisms and his reportedly very flamboyant attitude earned his hordes of fans who both devours his work and kept track of his life. Of course, there were more straight-laced people as well, such as John Keats, who started studying to become a doctor and wound up growing into one of the most loved British poets after his death. Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was the father of the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelly, and also a very controversial figure in EnglishShow MoreRelatedBritish Arts5612 Words   |  23 PagestishTOPIC 14: BRITISH ARTS Outline: I. Introduction II. Content 1. Overview of the arts in Britain 1.1. What are â€Å"the arts†? 1.2. The arts in society 1.3. The characteristics of British arts and letters 1. Types of arts 2.4. Theatre and cinema 2.5. Music 2.6. Literature 2.7. The fine arts III. Conclusion 1. Overview of the arts in Britain 2.1. What are â€Å"The arts†? 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Three Days to See by Helen Keller free essay sample

Blending the world of Special Education with General Education Constructivism vs Behaviorism In Behaviorism, it focuses in one particular view of learning: a change in external behavior achieved through a large amount of repetition of desired actions, the reward of good habits and the discouragement of bad habits. In the classroom this view of learning led to a great deal of repetitive actions, praise for correct outcomes and immediate correction of mistakes. In the field of language learning this type of teaching was called the audio-lingual method, characterized by the whole class using choral chanting of key phrases, dialogues and immediate correction. Within the Problem Based Learning (PBL) environment, students may be encouraged to engage with the learning process and their peers within the group by positive reinforcement from a skilled facilitator to increase positive actions of engagement, contributions and questioning. Negative behaviors e. g. lack of engagement, negative contributions, could be minimized by the facilitator using negative reinforcement. We will write a custom essay sample on Three Days to See by Helen Keller or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Within the behaviorist view of learning, the teacher is the dominant person in the classroom and takes complete control, evaluation of learning comes from the teacher who decides what is right or wrong. The learner does not have any opportunity for evaluation or reflection within the learning process, they are simply told what is right or wrong. The conceptualization of learning using this approach could be considered superficial as the focus is on external changes in behavior i. e. not interested in the internal processes of learning leading to behavior change and has no place for the emotions   In Constructivism, it explains how knowledge is constructed in the human being when information comes into contact with existing knowledge that had been developed by experiences. It has its roots in cognitive psychology and biology and an approach to  education  that lays emphasis on the ways knowledge is created in order to adapt to the world. Constructs are the different types of filters we choose to place over our realities to change our reality from chaos to order. Von Glasersfeld describes constructivism as â€Å"a theory of knowledge with roots in philosophy, psychology, and cybernetics† Constructivism has implications for the theory of instruction. Discovery learning, hands-on, experiential, collaborate, project-based, tasked-based are a number of applications that base teaching and learning on constructivism. Bruner (Kearsley, 1999) provides the following Summary of the principles of constructivist learning: . Readiness—the child must have the skills needed to complete a task and instruction must be concerned with the experiences and contexts that the child needs to be able to learn. 2. If the task or activity is too difficult or if the child does not have the past experiences to help her process what she needs to do to complete the task, it can essentially set the child up to fail and discourage futur e exploration of new activities. 3. Past knowledge and problem-solving skills help the child solve new problems that are more complex.

John Bardeen Essays - Nobel Laureates In Physics, John Bardeen

John Bardeen Bardeen, John 1908-91, American physicist; b. Madison, Wis. He was known for his studies of semiconductivity and other aspects of SOLID-STATE PHYSICS. The first to win a Nobel Prize twice in the same field, Bardeen shared the 1956 physics prize with Walter Brattain and William Shockley, for work in developing the TRANSISTOR, and the 1972 physics prize with Leon Cooper and John Schreiffer, for their theory of SUPERCONDUCTIVITY. Bardeen, John (1908-1991), American physicist born in Madison, Wisconsin. Working at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, Bardeen was a member of the team that developed the transistor. For this work, he shared the 1956 Nobel Prize in physics with American physicists William Shockley and Walter H. Brattain. In 1972 he shared the Nobel Prize in physics with American physicists Leon N. Cooper and John R. Schrieffer for the development of a theory to explain superconductivity. He was the first scientist to win two Nobel Prizes in the same category.

The Stick-Built House (In Situ)

The Stick-Built House (In Situ) A stick-built home is a wooden framed house constructed on a building site piece by piece (or stick by stick). It describes the process or how a home is built. Manufactured, modular, and prefabricated homes are not classified as stick-built, because they are made mostly in the factory, transported to the site, and then assembled. A custom home and a home made according to stock building plans may both be stick-built, provided that they are constructed board-by-board on the land where they will remain. Stick-built describes the construction method and not the design. Other names for stick-built homes include site built, hard construction, and in situ. What Is In Situ? In situ is Latin for in place or in position. It can be pronounced a number of ways, including  in-SIT-oo, in-SITCH-oo, and most correctly in-SEYE-too. Because commercial architecture is not generally made out of sticks of wood, the Latin in situ is often used to describe a process of building commercial properties or, more often, producing construction materials on site. For example, in situ concrete means cast-in-place concrete. That is, the concrete is molded and cured (i.e., cast) on the construction site, as opposed to pre-cast concrete (e.g., columns or beams made in a factory and transported to the construction site). One of the green methods used for the London 2012 summer Olympic Games was to provide a batching plant onsite, a one-source supplier of low-carbon concrete for all of the builders of Olympic Park. Concrete was mixed and poured in situ. In situ construction methods are thought to be more environmentally friendly. The main reason behind this belief is reducing the harmful effects of transporting beam after beam and pier after pier. Pros and Cons of Stick-Built Homes A common perception is that stick-built homes are better constructed, last longer, and have a better resale value than prefabricated or modular homes. This perception may or may not be true. Comparisons depend on the quality of the manufactured product versus the workmanship of a builder or carpenter. The major advantage for the home builder is in control. The contractor is in command of the materials and how they are assembled. Likewise, home owners also have certain administrative rights as they can oversee the piece-by-piece construction of their investment when its built in situ. Disadvantages: Common perceptions against stick-built homes involve time and money - that is, stick-built homes take more time to build and they cost more than house pieces built off-site and simply assembled onsite. Competitors also claim that continuous construction traffic to and from the building site makes the stick-built process less than a green building environment. These perceptions may or may not be true. Pushback From Prefabricators Stick-building is a traditional method being challenged by the marketers of modular and prefabricated methods. American Custom Builders, an independent modular home builder in Defiance, Ohio, describes why a system of prefabrication is better than stick built for these reasons: Stick built home have no controlled environment like a factory does - building outdoors in humidity and water can damage wood and cause delays. They say: A stick builder cannot control the weather....Our homes are all built indoors under a temperature controlled environment.Frame carpenters can take short-cuts youll never know about. They say: With An All American Home they use jigs to make sure the walls are straight and square.Stick-built homes take three times longer to build than prefabricated homes. They say: When the house is delivered, we will have it up in aprox. 9 hours.Homes built off-site are less expensive. They say: Will match our prices against his, any day! In Situ Architecture In situ architecture is a structure designed for a particular place, a specific environment, and a known site. Stick-built houses may be constructed onsite, but that doesnt mean that the building was designed architecturally for that land. Portland, Oregon architect Jeff Stern seeks to create architecture that is site specific....to capture the experience of a particular place; how the sunlight falls, and the rise and fall of the land....maintain and create strong views, maximize daylight and natural ventilation, and generally create a place better than when we began. The name of his architectural firm is In Situ Architecture. Resources and Further Reading BOCA Built, American Custom Builders, americancustombuilder.com/bocabuilt.htm [accessed September 8, 2015]About In Situ Architecture, insituarchitecture.net/about/ [accessed September 8, 2015]

The Purposes of Per

The Purposes of Per The Purposes of â€Å"Per† The Purposes of â€Å"Per† By Mark Nichol Per (from a Latin word meaning â€Å"by,† â€Å"by means of,† or â€Å"through†) is widely employed in English, but it or a phrase in which it appears isn’t necessarily the best option. Here’s a guide to using (or not using) per. In popular usage, per is appropriate in relation to figures (â€Å"65 miles per hour,† â€Å"24 points per game,† â€Å"three items per person,† and so on). It can also, alone or preceded by as, mean â€Å"according to,† as in â€Å"Per your instructions, I deposited the check† and â€Å"She complied as per the usual procedure.† Per is also an adverb synonymous with apiece; though its use in this form may seem like dialect in which the final word of the sentence is dropped (â€Å"I’ll let you have them for five dollars per†), it’s standard usage. In its most common function, however, it is sometimes easily replaced by a, as in â€Å"The position pays $75,000 a year† rather than â€Å"per year† or â€Å"I exercise three times a week† rather than â€Å"per week.† Per as part of a set phrase taken directly from Latin is usually pedantic in popular usage; see the list below for recommendations about the use of such phrases: Per annum: This is an unnecessary substitution for the perfectly useful phrases â€Å"a year,† â€Å"each year,† or even â€Å"per year.† Per capita: This direct borrowing of the Latin phrase meaning â€Å"by the head† is commonly employed in financial and demographic contexts, but â€Å"per person† is better in general. Per centum: The Latin precursor of the semiabbreviation percent more clearly signals the original meaning (â€Å"for each hundred†) but is obsolete. Per contra: This phrase, meaning â€Å"in contrast to,† is best reserved for legal contexts and only technical ones, at that. Per diem: The translations for this phrase are â€Å"by the day† or â€Å"for the day,† and except in reference to a daily stipend, there’s no reason not to use daily (especially as an adjective). Per mill: In this phrase, mill is from the Latin term mille, meaning â€Å"a thousand,† so the term is akin to percent but spelled as two words. It’s appropriate only in technical usage, however. Per se: Outside of legal usage, this term sometimes misspelled â€Å"per say† by those who mistakenly assume that it refers to the act of speaking means â€Å"in itself,† as in â€Å"I don’t object to the idea per se.† (Note that, unlike as is the case when the English form is used â€Å"I don’t object to the idea, in itself† no punctuation frames the term.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceHow to Pronounce Mobile8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS Research Paper

HURRICANES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS - Research Paper Example Hurricanes are one of the most devastating natural phenomena known to man. They are chactacterised by strong winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfalls, all of which when combined, leads to extensive loss of human life, destruction of property and ecosystems and the alteration of landscapes. Definition of hurricanes and an exploration of their formation process A hurricane is a spiralling and powerful form of a tropical cyclone, which originates from warm sea surface and then moves towards the mainland. In order for hurricanes to be formed, the sea water must have surface warmth of more than 27 degrees. This temperature level results in the release of moisture and heat into the atmosphere. As the sea moisture rises it condenses to form storm clouds. During condensation, heat (latent heat of condensation) is released into the atmosphere. It is this heat which propels the hurricane. The latent heat makes the atmospheric air warm thereby causing the air to rise further. The void left by the risen air becomes occupied by additional moist air from the surface of the ocean in a continuous, cyclical pattern. This results in the formation of a wind pattern which is circular in nature. This is what is known as a hurricane. Provided that a hurricane remains above a sea surface of 27 degrees and higher, it keeps on pulling moisture from the sea, there by becoming larger in size and in momentum. Propelled by the latent heat and wind patterns in the sea, the hurricane may then head towards land where it finally loses its momentum.