Personal Commentary On The Lives Of People Different From...

No one person sees the world in the same way, and no one person can completely understand the way someone else sees the world. This is why personal narratives are such an important piece of writing. They allow us to gain an understanding of things that we may never experience ourselves. This allows us to gain insight into the lives of people different from ourselves. By listening to the life stories of other people, we learn to better communicate with others. Every human on this planet has a unique and distinct story that defines who they are. This becomes most true in regards to family. I am currently looking out the window to the bustling street and every single person I am seeing has a story of their own, has a family story that I could never begin to imagine. I have no way of knowing the way in which in a family may have shaped a person’s life, but everyone s family will affect the way in which they perceive the world. The way in which they perceive the world will likely b e different than mine, but this does not mean I can not understand them. Autobiographies allow for us to begin to understand a story and a perspective that is different from our own. In Ricardo Rodriguez’s, â€Å"Achievement of Desire† he uses his own personal narrative to explain the effects that family had on his life. I will never have those same experiences, but by reading his narrative I can begin to understand the way his family influenced him. I have had always had a very close relationshipShow MoreRelatedEssay about Basquiat, Bansky and the Power of Discourse1023 Words   |  5 Pagesvirtually neo-anarchist emergent art discourse. Basquiat used challenging social commentary to â€Å"springboard to deeper truths about the individual† but at the same time firmly challenge the divisive nature of Manhattan capitalism. His form of expressionism was vivid, colorful and not at all corporate. Similarly Banksy, whilst often using street art as a direct attack against big money and the exploitation of people by capital also acts as a â€Å"springboard to deeper truths about the individual† asRead MoreScripture Analysis: 1 John 5:13-21 Essay1917 Words   |  8 Pagesdaily lives. 1 John 5:13-21 fits within the larger flow of the whole book of First John by reinforcing themes sounded throughout the previous chapters. It is interesting to note that the word groups surrounding the Greek â€Å"to know† (oida and ginosko) make their strongest appearance in this passage than in any other part in First John. This section also fits quite nicely within the larger flow of the whole Bible. For example, John also wrote the gospel John which is directed to bringing people toRead MoreAn Animal s Sense Of Spirituality1298 Words   |  6 PagesHumans do not often think that creatures other than ourselves can possess the same emotional range that we do, even though we are provided with evidence of it in various forms over numerous species. When studies are announced, claiming that x animal was found performing a â€Å"human† emotion or social practice—i.e. certain species of penguins providing their mates with rocks, similar to humans providing rings f or marriage (Sea Life Melbourne Staff)—humans are often shocked, and find it, usually, adorableRead MoreThe Ugly Duckling1186 Words   |  5 PagesEichler English 102 B16 10/18/2011 Essay 2 The Ugly Duckling Analysis The tale of â€Å"The Ugly Duckling† has been told for many generations. It is the story of a little swan that is mistakenly hatched in a duck’s nest and because of his strange and different appearance he is teased and ridiculed. Even his mother can’t understand how this â€Å"ugly duckling† could be one of her own. The ugly duckling goes through many hardships and a long, lonely winter. Then upon seeing his reflection in the pond he realizesRead MoreSpiritual Gifts, What Is Their Purpose?1062 Words   |  5 Pagesgifts are the same in the Spirit and they are made to serve others, not exalt God or ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 12:4, there are many gifts and only on Giver, this Giver may bequeath various gifts, which create a variety of effects. (4) This brings up yet another point, someone who doesn t receive the power of spiritual gifts through out their life time, yet they have witnessed the Holy Spirit and have a close personal relationship with God, are they not as close to God as someone who has experiencedRead MoreNeil Postmans Amusing Ourselves to Death: A Review1566 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿No Longer Fun Neil Postmans Amusing Ourselves to Death is a trenchant piece of social commentary about the very nature of society at the time of his writing in the final decades of the 20th century. The book assesses the importance of television in the lives of its viewers, and denotes how that importance itself shapes those lives and, by extension, the surrounding world. The particular time in which this manuscript was published is immensely significant, since it occurred a year after 1984Read MoreMedia Bias Of The United States1389 Words   |  6 Pagesviewpoints with little variation on their beliefs, but I must disagree when you say all journalists and writers are biased because, â€Å"they push their agenda in news and entertainment.† Media bias comes from a multitude of factors, who enters careers in writing and journalism, where journalists get information from, and how audiences receive news and media. When looking at how written work is biased, one must look at who is doing the writing. On the whole, journalist are white, upper class individuals (Williams)Read MoreThe Musings Of A Romanticist1188 Words   |  5 Pagesfree the soul from the clutches of society? I thought that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s commentary on uniqueness was compelling. In the Scarlet Letter, he highlights the pros and cons of being yourself. In that, he shows how the lack of individualism can kill a person on the inside. Examples include Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale, both characters who had succumbed to becoming overwhelmingly different than the norm and yet tried to hide it, thus destroying their respective lives at the end ofRead MoreA Quick Glance Into Joan Didion s Life2234 Words   |  9 Pagesfamily, along with personal observations during her adulthood, made her who she is and how she writes. Didion uses personal narrative and observation to document life in America, with a particula r focus on the interactions between herself and society. Throughout her life, she wanted to explore and document the social disorder â€Å"of a world where self and society seemed on the verge of chaos† (Fabian 2). Her first collection of essays called Slouching Towards Bethlehem involves a commentary on the cultureRead MoreThe Musings Of A Romanticist1195 Words   |  5 Pagesflow free, corrupting human morals? Or does it free the soul from the clutches of an oppressive society? I thought that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s commentary on uniqueness was compelling. In the Scarlet Letter, he highlights the pros and cons of being yourself. Given that, he correspondingly shows the lack of individualism that can kill a person on the inside. Arthur Dimmesdale was a person who had succumbed to becoming overwhelmingly different than the norm and yet tried to hide it, thus destroying his

Essay on Theme of Conflict in Romeo and Juliet - 583 Words

‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare incorporates the theme of conflict through many different characters and situations. The definition of conflict is â€Å"a fight, battle, or struggle; especially a prolonged struggle; strife† The play mainly focuses on the tragic lives of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet; the two characters belong to the Montague and Capulet households respectively, which have held ongoing grudges against each other for years. The play ends with both main characters committing suicide, to be together in heaven. As with many of Shakespeare’s works, the theme of conflict is a strong one. For a start, there is the ongoing conflict between the two families; the Montagues and the Capulets. The audience is unsure how this†¦show more content†¦Despite the obvious conflict between the pair of families, Shakespeare still shows conflict through other ways. Capulet argues with his daughter Juliet over her refusal to marry Paris, for example. Of course, there are other themes included within the play, and these often inter-relate or contrast with the prevailing theme of conflict. For example, there is a relatively strong theme of love, mostly between Romeo and Juliet, however this is affected by the conflict between Capulet Juliet and Romeo Tybalt amongst others, making Romeo and Juliet relationship a struggle; this is vital to the play’s storyline. So therefore, without this element of conflict, the storyline is less effective. The play starts with Sampson and Gregory, two of Capulet’s servants, beginning a quarrel with two servants of Montague. This shows that from the working-class to the upper-class in the two families, they still hold a grudge against the opposite family. Tybalt arrives at the scene, speaking of his loathing of the Montagues, â€Å"I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee†. A furious riot develops with Lords Capulet and Montague joining in and officers clubbing both sides of the fight, only for it to be stopped by the neutral Prince Escales. The riot further emphasises the vast level of hate between the two families. In essence, the play is a love story; it would work well even without any elements of conflict. However, this love story isShow MoreRelatedTheme of Conflict in Romeo and Juliet781 Words   |  4 PagesRomeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeares most famous and popular plays. It tells the story of two starcrossd lovers and addresses such themes as Romance but also tragedy. However it also contains themes of violence/conflict/death. The play begins with a prologue which is kind of a summary of the play but doesnt give all the details of the play away to the audience as it includes the setting of the play and a bit of background information. Then a fued is introduced straightRead More Themes of Violence and Conflict are Central to Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare1519 Words   |  7 PagesRomeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare who was born in 1564 and died in 1616, during his time he wrote many plays which were prolific including Macbeth, Othello and The Tempest. Theatre in Elizabethan times was marvellous entertainment. Plays would be performed almost anywhere, the theatres were new and extremely popular places for people to meet up socialise. All sorts of people went to watch plays, from the poorest people to the richest. The poor people would stand at theRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Romeo And Juliet And West Side Story1025 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Romeo and Juliet and Arthur Laurents West Side Story both have a lot in common as well as major differences that set them apart. Although West Side Story is a direct rendition of Shakespeares original play, many of the themes such as love, and conflict are altered to fit the modern perspective. The idea that blinded love and sheer hatred can lead to rash decisions is very present in both storylines. Romeo Juliet and West Side Story both portray love and conflict throughout theirRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1400 Words   |  6 PagesTitle: Romeo and J uliet Author: William Shakespeare Genre: Romance and Tragedy. Setting The story is taking place in Verona, Italy, it is a midcentury-1590s background story, and the cultural context was that there is the feuds between the two families; Montagues and Capulets, which were giving attentions to all the people living in Verona. It is really important to know the setting of the story to know the social background of the time that the story was written so that as a reader I can understandRead MoreHow Does Conflict Manifest Itself in Romeo and Juliet?1509 Words   |  6 PagesRomeo and Juliet is a classic romantic tragedy that portrays the conflict of love between young teenagers and rival houses. It was written by William Shakespeare and is considered one of the most popular plays he wrote during his lifetime. However although it one of his most popular plays, it is unknown what year the play is set or what year it was written. Throughout the play we follow the two main characters Romeo and Juliet. Romeo who is a Montague and Juliet who is a Capulet are me mbers of twoRead MoreEssay on The Inner Struggles of Romeo and Juliet1019 Words   |  5 PagesIn the tragedy Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the inner struggles of Romeo and Juliet, the two protagonists as one of the main themes. This is clearly shown at the end of Act 3 Scene 2 when Juliet receives the news that Romeo has been banished and Tybalt has been killed. Juliet is distraught at the conflict of her loyalties. Should she express love for her family or should she express love for Romeo? By using many different language features, such as oxymorons, paradox, antithesis and dramaticRead MoreSimilarities Between Romeo And Juliet And West Side Story1342 Words   |  6 PagesThe dramatized plays of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare and West Side story by Arthur Laurents both portray the primary themes of love and conflict. The themes love and conflict can be explained as love is a strong feeling of affection for another, and conflict is unfavourable disagree ment upon an issue involving another party or person. This essay will identify how love and conflict is portrayed in Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story with the mutual similarities and differencesRead MoreRomeo and Juliet Is Still Important Now Essay621 Words   |  3 PagesRomeo and Juliet was written about 400 years ago. Although it is old, Romeo and Juliet is still relevant and important to peoples’ lives. The themes used in it are the themes that people enjoy, Shakespeare invented a lot of words people use today, and good for education. Romeo and Juliet is still a great play, still has a impact and entertain contemporary audience. In Romeo and Juliet, there are many themes. Love, rivalry, arguing with parents, friendship, and fate and destiny. These themes areRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1549 Words   |  7 PagesOne of Shakespeare’s most eminent plays, Romeo and Juliet is a tale revolving around a pair of star-crossed lovers whose premature relationship must go undiscovered because of their feuding families. However, in the arduous process of protecting its secrecy, several essential figures including Romeo, Friar Lawrence and the theme of fate play decisive roles that hold responsibility in the turnout of events that lead to a tragic conclusion. Romeo, the lover himself is rebellious and desperate for loveRead MoreEssay on Fate in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet1096 Words   |  5 PagesFate in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet When William Shakespeare wrote ‘Romeo Juliet’ he told a tale of â€Å"A pair of star crossed lovers†. The role of fate plays an important role in the play. The themes of conflict, love, revenge, religion destiny all tie in with the role of fate. Romeo Juliet were both born into and â€Å"ancient grudge† fuelled by two formidable families, the Capulets and Montagues. Fate plays a very important role in the play, and at the

Man’s Best Friend Free Essays

The dog, or man’s best friend as we call them, is an animal that turns out we can comprehend much better than we think. Their behavior actually isn’t too different from our own, since for both humans and dogs, emotion causes our certain behaviors. Although technically speaking, there is no exact way to tell if a dog tends to feel emotion or not, but with a bit of common sense and observation, the majority of people agree that animals do have feelings and scientists are even accepting the idea. We will write a custom essay sample on Man’s Best Friend or any similar topic only for you Order Now Jennifer Arnold, a service dog trainer, has experienced watching a dog become depressed, angry, and even embarrassed. As she states, â€Å"time has taught me that dogs, like humans, are emotional creatures. Just watch a dog whose beloved owner returns home from a trip – the dog jumps for joy. † (Arnold, Jennifer. Through a Dog’s Eyes. 2010. ) Any dog who loves their owner would do that, which is enough proof to show that the dog is feeling an emotion: happiness. Studies even show that it seems to be that a dog will behave a certain way depending on their owner’s emotion, as if they can somehow sense or understand what we feel. Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, also agreed with those who believed animals have emotions. In his book, â€Å"The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals,† he records every expressive movement he observed in animals. For almost every observation, it included the entire appearance of the face and the appearance of the dog’s tail, which seemed to reflect what emotion the dog was feeling. For example, Darwin noticed that when dogs want attention they tend to rub against or lick their owners, they slightly wag their tail, and also lower their ears to exclude any noise and concentrate on only their owner’s affection. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, emotion was one thing that changed animal behavior. Not only does the aging process affect the physical appearances of an individual, but it also affects people and dogs mentally. Like humans, dogs age too and the older they become they begin acting and feeling like their age. As a child, everyone is always so full of energy and as we get older we seem to get lazier and loss interest in everything around us; well the same goes for dogs. Some of us become handicapped, lose hair, and our senses just become weaker. The aging process does not affect all dogs though, for there have been dogs at ten years of age who have not had any physical or mental incapacitation, while others suffer internal organ failure, failing senses, or orthopedic problems. It mainly depends on dog breeds, health, and simply just luck. It turns out that dogs are the most common victims of animal cruelty, with the percentage of 64. 5%. (â€Å"Animal Cruelty† Most Common Victims. 2. Humanesociety. org accessed October 15, 2012). Animal cruelty, both physical abuse and neglect, is a huge factor that changes dog’s behavior. It also reflects back on the topic of emotion, since neglecting dogs can cause extreme sadness or depression (which affects their behavior). Three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized, or killed, every year and five to seven million are usually put in animal shelters. (Sutherlin, Emily. â€Å"Animal Cruelty: Facts, Prevention, Statistics, and Action. † 1. Nowpublic. com accessed October 15, 2012). These numbers are due to the overpopulation of pets in America. Only 10% of dogs in shelters are spayed/neutered, which causes female dogs to produce puppies and lead to more dogs in shelters. Most of these dogs in shelters aren’t adopted because caring for a dog is just too much responsibility. The average cost of basic necessities for dogs (food, medical supply, training, etc. ) is around six hundred to nine hundred dollars a year and because of these high prices, people are practically forced to return their dog to a shelter. (ASPCA, â€Å"Pet Statistics. † Last modified 2010. Accessed October 29, 2012. aspca. org). Having those dogs in shelters is abuse, because they have them locked up in cages, and with so many dogs to watch not all of them get the amount of attention that is necessary. There are many other types of abuse that people might not even consider as neglect. Emaciation, obesity, dehydration, cuts, bruises, burns, lack of grooming, parasite infestations, abnormal urination, and defecation are all signs of neglect (Sutton, Emma Riley Sutton, eHow contributor, â€Å"Signs of Neglect in Dogs. † Accessed October 14, 2012. www. eHow. com). If you see dogs with these symptoms, they have most likely been abused by their owners. When dogs are abused it can affect them both physically and mentally. Those symptoms include: submissive urinating, hand-shyness, cowering, mistrust, social withdrawal, depression, aggression, and even separation anxiety with a new owner (Bettmann, Theresa Bettmann, eHow contributor, â€Å"Mental Effects of Abuse on a Dog. † Accessed October 14, 2012. www. eHow. com). Communication, another way of changing behavior, is the way people express each other’s thoughts, feelings, and information to one another and comprehending it easily. As Debra Horwitz say, â€Å"Communication is a behavior. † (Kesling, Joyce. CDBC, â€Å"Canine Communication. † Last modified 2005. Accessed October 29, 2012. Responsibledog. net). We humans all speak, although not all of us understand each other because different cultures speak different languages (Spanish, English, French, etc. ). Animals have their own system of communication, or it can be thought of as them having their own language. Communication allows us to understand what others are saying. Without knowing, there is a sense of panic and vulnerability because you have no idea what is going on around you and going back to the previous paragraphs, feeling a certain way causes a certain behavior. Through research I found that there are three components to communication: 1) the person sending the message, 2) the person receiving the message, and 3) the communication signal (Kesling, Joyce. CDBC, â€Å"Canine Communication. † Last modified 2005. Accessed October 29, 2012. Responsibledog. net). So, when an owner and dog cannot communicate it is difficult to know why your dog is acting a certain way. For example, if a dog starts whimpering or yelping, it could be trying to tell us it is in pain or distress. If a dog starts growling, it can be taken as threat, unless it is a playful growl. Dogs also use their body postures as a form of communication, also known as communicating visually. (Kesling, Joyce. CDBC, â€Å"Canine Communication. † Last modified 2005. Accessed October 29, 2012. Responsibledog. net). For example, when a dog has their ears flattened back and has their tail lowered in between their legs, that shows they are frightened. Along with humans, our body language is also a way that allows us to communicate with other people. If a student is sitting straight, has their eyes on the board, and is taking notes it sends a message to the teacher that the student is paying attention. There are also other types of communication between humans, which would be formal (where most people use a type of business or corporation speaking format) and informal (which is where people have more unrestrained conversations); and although it isn’t completely discovered yet, there might be the possibility of different types of communication between dogs, since there are several different barks, howls, and growls made among the conversation of a group of dogs. Although there are several differences between us and dogs, there also seems to be a great amount of similarities that can help us figure out more about domesticated animals. As you can see, emotions, aging, and communication are all prime examples. Scientists have a hard time telling why animals behave a certain way because we cannot just simply go up to a dog and ask them due to lack of communication. But, little by little we get closer to this information through assumption, common sense, and observation because even though we are not a hundred percent sure, the explanation is pretty clear. The dog is not as much of a complex animal as we thought. In fact, it seems to me that the dog is the one animal that we understand the most, but the one animal we have so much more to learn about. After all, a man’s best friend should be someone we truly know about. How to cite Man’s Best Friend, Papers