Thursday, September 5, 2019

Gambling legalization Essay Example for Free

Gambling legalization Essay Gambling is the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize). (Oxford dictionary) Many have their own opinions about gambling and at this time gambling is not legally practiced here in The Bahamas. â€Å"Such a move would bring an end to an illicit industry that makes tens of millions of dollars a year and which employs hundreds; but which contributes little to the general good of the Bahamian people. † (The Bahama Journal 2008). There are many aspects of gambling that can indeed be looked upon positively. â€Å"Gambling comes in many forms, including betting in casinos, racetracks, sporting events, lotteries, bingo games and even virtual gambling on the Internet† (Oddo 2007) Gambling should indeed be legalized, because it will help our economy and society in many ways. If gambling is practiced it’ll give persons with idle time on their hands, something to do and it can also boost our tourism industry. The legalization of gambling here in The Bahamas will lead to an increase in the Bahamas’ Gross domestic Product (GDP), an increase in employment, and finally it can contribute to our entertainment industry. The legalization of gambling would be of grave benefit for our Government as it relates to the Gross Domestic Product In an article titled ‘Legalizing gambling in The Bahamas’ written by Craig Butler his argument for gambling was that the Prime Minister Rt. Honorable Hubert Ingraham should enforce gambling and put an independent company of auditors to oversee this new development. â€Å"If gambling is to be legalized then he must cause the infrastructure to be put in place that will avoid the inevitable attempts at tampering and manipulation by ingenious persons. † (Butler 2008). Once this takes place the Government will be able to implement a taxing system with our own internal revenue service (IRS) so that a certain percentage of the money i. e. twenty five percent will go to the Government in result more money would be spent on more capital goods, meaning more school’s will be built and more work infrastructure on our roads will be carried out. In America, Statistics show that approximately 92. 27 billion dollars comes from gambling on a yearly basis. If this same scenario would apply to us here in The Bahamas that will mean that gambling would be of benefit to our revenue and finance sector. Some believe that legalizing gambling would only allow the Government a free share of the money, and that share will only be spent on their own needs. They will use this money to purchase more cars for them to be chauffeured around in, to have more ‘business’ dinners for themselves, and to spend on five day trips all around the world and the economy won’t feel a dime of it. They are partially right because most people are used to politicians being voted in the House of Assembly and never coming around to visit their constituents, therefore they lack the trust in believing that the Government will deliver once they start to receive the percentage of winnings. However, they are misguided because the Government forecasts a certain percentage of money to go into capital goods every year during the budget and the normal percentage that is set aside for education and health care can rise and can be use more significantly. â€Å"But the legalization of this habit will not lead to an exponential rise in the number of gamblers. It will, however, allow government to fund programmes that can have a positive impact on our youth, such as community centres, sports and education facilities. † (Butler 2008) Mr. Butler makes it evidently clear in his analysis in the Bahama pundit that if the Government had the extra funds they would use it wisely. For example, there’s now a system set up by National Insurance for the unemployed. The unemployment benefit pays 100 dollars a week to those unemployed and if the Government receives more money this can to go up. Not only Bahamians will be getting taxed but foreigners as well. Therefore all of the foreigners that are here now using our casinos and going back with everything, would have to leave that twenty five percent tax fee for the government. Legalizing gambling would also lead to a decrease in the unemployment rate. In an article entitled ‘Gambling Entertainment’, it states that â€Å"The large percentage of employment provided by the Gambling industry, including the land based casinos as well as the Online casinos, puts gambling industry on the top of society chart straight away. † Having gambling legalized would automatically mean that employment will increase. At present Gambling is in the ‘underground economy’ mark when it comes to calculating the unemployment rate. Since it’s illegal workers are considered to be employed, however legally they’re counted as unemployed when it comes to the unemployment rate. In an article written by Olivia Saunders, Saunders illustrated the unemployment rate in a diagram that showed an unemployment rate of 7. 8 percent. Out of this 7. 8 percent count are the people that are already presently working for number houses, if we legalize gambling that rate would automatically decrease. Many are lead to believe that legalizing gambling won’t decrease the unemployment rate, because there are already a substantial amount of lottery houses opened already and there are still many unemployed, it’s impossible for this to help our unemployed, and even if it does, it won’t completely take care of the problem. They are partially right because legalizing gambling won’t lead to a complete decline in the unemployment rate, and it won’t be able to employ everyone without a job, however they are misguided because it will help tremendously. Legalizing gambling means that more lotto shops will be able to open, not only in Nassau but also on the family islands which will attract more tourists. Therefore they’ll need more staff, this will also lead to more casinos and more people will be hired in many different aspects. For example they’ll need cleaners, cashiers, coupe and hostesses. The real truth is there are many different aspects in our economy that contributes to the unemployment rate both increasing and decreasing and this rate can never be steady. However once gambling is legalized and there are more venues opened then it’s a necessity to hire people to work in them, and these people will then count towards the unemployment rate and it’ll then decrease. Finally the legalization of gambling can be used as a sport and a form of entertainment. The only form of gambling is not purchasing numbers from the lotto shops as some Bahamians are blindsided to believing, however it is also a sport. There was once a horse racing venue that was used as a sport over here in 1976 but had to leave because gambling wasn’t legal. Legalizing gambling would allow this form of entertainment to once again be practiced. In a journal named ‘Gambling The cost of our future,’ it indicates that ‘Those who participate in gambling activities do so voluntarily and, in return, receive intrinsic benefits from their consumption. Furthermore, if consumers are gambling for entertainment purposes, they are purchasing gambling just as they would purchase tickets for the cinema or a symphony. † (Basham, White). This statement raises a thoughtful argument because gambling is indeed a risk however this risk is on the same level of buying a cinema ticket and you’re not sure if the movie will play or a symphony and you’re not sure if you’ll enjoy it. Opponents believe that having gambling as sports can only lead to more financial problems for an unstable financial home. They may argue that gambling is an addictive game and some families aren’t ready for the strain that this addiction entails, and some people may be willing to do anything to satisfy this addiction like commit robbery. Gambling addiction is also referred to as compulsive gambling or pathological gambling. Medical Author Roxanne Dryden-Edwards raise a valuable point in her article ‘Gambling Addiction’ stating that â€Å"The number of people who gamble socially qualify for being diagnosed with a gambling addiction range from 2%-5%, thereby affecting millions of people in the United States alone. † (Dryden- Edwards) Some may debate that If The Bahamas population is only 316,000 compared to the United States, then our percentage will be more harmful if gambling is practice. But they are misguided because this entertainment and sport may not be addictive but relatively fun and exciting and a good family event for most, even though there may be some bad apples the pros may outweigh the cons. The real truth is that almost everything we do as a form of gaming exercise is pleasurable and having more opportunities will make gambling more enjoyable. The Government can also implement a system so that gamblers that develop the addiction can be fully taken care of and receive psychiatric help called Gamblers Anonymous’ (GA). According to the the 12 step recovery program statistics â€Å"Of those in their fourth month of AA meeting attendance (i. e. have stayed beyond 90-days) 56% will still be attending AA at the end of that year. † (Holding all others constant if this system is practiced here with addicts treatment will be beneficial. In conclusion, gambling can contribute to our economy significantly. Many feel as though gambling will cause more harm than good, however if it’s practiced correctly and everyone abide to the laws that would be put in place, gambling will be more than just an easy way to win a substantial amount of money it’ll be a form of entertainment for many, it’ll be a sport that can be family orientated and finally it can be a way for our economy to jump back into the expansionary boom period and no longer claim that we are in a recession. Works Cited Gambling: http://wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn? s=gambling Gambling Revenue: Current year data, Fact Sheets Statistics. 2003 American Gaming Associations http://www. americangaming. org/Industry/factsheets/statistics_detail. cfv? id=7 Saunders Olivia. ‘Unemployment in The Bahamas’ Gambling Entertainment. 2006 Royal World Casinos http://www. royalworldcasino. com/gambling_entertainment. html Oddo, Alfonso. The Economics and ethics of casino gambling. Review of Business. March 22, 1997. http://www. allbusiness. com/specialty-businesses/653985-1. html Patrick Basham and Karen White. Gambling with Our Future? The Costs and Benefits of Legalized Gambling. http://oldfraser. lexi. net/publications/digital/gamblingwithourfuture. pdf http://www. bahamapundit. com/2008/02/legalizing-gamb. html http://www. jonesbahamas. com/? c=128a=15872 http://www. medicinenet. com/gambling_addiction/article. htm http://www. 12step. com/statistics. html.

Hobbes And Plato On The Ideal State Philosophy Essay

Hobbes And Plato On The Ideal State Philosophy Essay Hobbes and Plato both constructed images of an ideal state, based on their accounts of human nature. Hobbes had a more negatively skewed view of human nature; a materialistic view, while Plato essentially believed that humans are inherently good. This essay will discuss how their differing views are conveyed in their imagined states, and subsequently will critically compare the two. Thomas Hobbes had a materialistic philosophy; he held a mechanistic view of the universe. In his opinion, human nature is the the combined result of mechanic desires and aversions, arbitrated by constant power struggles.He posited that there is no true right and wrong but that morality is subjectively relative, He states that there is no good but the object of a mans desire, no evil but an object of aversion, and that there is no absolute right or wrong, but merely a relative morality that favors the reason of the user ( Tyluski, associatedcontent.com). In Hobbes view, mans natural condition or state of nature is innately violent and aggressive, saturated with fear. He illustrates his belief with the hypothetical image of the natural state of mankind, prior to a government ruling society, as one of constant war, aggression, fear and death. He proposed that since resources are limited, as soon as two people want the same thing, a power struggle results and inevitably war erupts. If men were to live in this state of nature then all lives would be solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.( Hobbes, pg.186). Based on this diabolical image, Hobbes contends that the best solution to this state of nature is his Leviathan. He argues that in order for mankind to exist and live in peace and harmony, they must first submit to a sovereign power. Hobbes truly believed that control by an oppressive government was infinitely better than living under the threat of war. In order to alleviate the constant fear, mankind must enter into a social contract in a commonwealth ruled over by a sovereign head. Thus the Leviathan is formed in order to overcome the fear based lives of men in the state of nature. However, ironically the Leviathan is only possible if it uses fear itself as a weapon. Therefore fear is never completely dismissed. However fear under the Leviathan at least brings the promise of peace and protection of life, in contrast to fear in the state of nature. Following from this, the Leviathan seems immensely more desirable a condition to live in. It appears that it is only under a sovereign p ower that people have actual liberty. Certainly there are rules and regulations to live by, but as the subjects actually wrote the social contract they find themselves under, they are indeed authors of the sovereigns power. It seems that freedom can only really exist under a soverieign power permitted by its people, establish a Leviathan whose power is assigned to it by its subjects (Tyluski, associatedcontent.com). In Platos Republic, Glaucon and Adeimantus have entreated Socrates to explain that the best life a man can live is a just one, and that it will ultimately lead to happiness. Socrates must show that justice should be chosen for its own merit and not for the results that derive from it. Since a city is larger than a man, it is easier for Socrates to first look for justice at a political level within a state, and following from that to see whether the virtues found can be transferred to an individual. Morality might exist on a larger scale in the larger entity and be easier to discernAnd then we can examine individuals too, to see if the larger entity is reflected in the features of the smaller entity ( Plato, pg 58). Therefore the collective justice found within a state will be reflected in the justice of an individual. Plato saw justice not as a set of behaviours, but rather as a structural entity. The structure of a city holds political justice while in an individual justice can be f ound in the structure of the soul. Plato explains that in his ideal state there must exist the four virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. His imagined state will be divided into three classes of people; producers, auxilaries and guardians. The producers are the lowest class, such as farmers, artisans, and craftsmen. They must use the skills which nature honoured them with. Auxilaries are the warrior class who must defend the rulers beliefs and doctrines. The guardians are the highest class and they are the rulers of this imagined state. When the balance and relationship between these three classes is correct then this is a just society. Plato then takes his image of a perfect state and starts searching for each of the previously mentioned virtues. He begins by discovering that wisdom resides in the class of the guardians. They are the smallest class in the city. The guardians have had the best education, and have been finely honed for this role. They have a thorough knowledge of running a city. They are rational and desire what is in the best interest for the city as a whole. Therefore with the city in their hands, it is made wise, the wisdom it has a whole is due to the smallest grouping and section within it and to the knowledge possessed by this group, which is the authoritative and ruling section of the community ( Plato, pg. 135). The next virtue Plato comes across is courage and this is found in the auxilaries. The auxilaries must fight for the city and defend the wishes of the guardians. More specifically, the type of courage which is found in the auxilaries is civic courage. That is to say, it is a type of courage which is based on belief rather than knowledge. He defines courage in this instance as, the ability to retain under all circumstances a true and lawful notion about what is and is not to be feared (Plato, pg. 137). Plato places great importance on the significance of education and thorough training.He emphasises how imperative standing by the specific role of performing with courage as an auxilary is, regardless of the pressures which arise keeping it intact and not losing it whether one is under the influence of pain or pleasue, diversion or aversion. (Plato, pg. 136). Moderation is the thrid virtue, and is found throughout the state, self-discipline(moderation) literally spans the whole octaval spread of the community, and makes the weakest, the strongest, and the ones in between all sing in unison( Plato, pg. 139). While courage and wisdom are essential qualities which are found in only specific parts of the community, moderation is a virtue which reconciles and brings together all the parts of the city. Moderation comes about by the acceptance that all are in agreement concerning who should rule the city. It is found in all classes, and is attained by a common understanding of what is best for all people. With regard to justice in the state, again it is found throughout the state. Justice complements moderation in the city. Plato deems that morality(justice) is doing ones own job and not intruding elsewhere (Plato, pg. 140). Plato believes that justice best comes about when everyone attends to the role that they are most suited to. As a just society is made up of three classes, similarly a just soul parallels it and is tripartite in its structure; the rational, the spirited and the appetitive. A just soul constantly attempts to achieve and live completely in truth. Therefore the rational part of the soul rules, and the spirited part supports the rational, with the appetitive part submitting and following reason. That is to say the whole soul is geared towards satisfying the desires of the rational, just as in the imagined state everyone fulfills the rulers desires. Within the society, each class is dominated by the corresponding part of the soul. Producers are ruled by their appetites; their urges for money, material things and pleasure. Warriors are ruled by their spirits; they are brave and courageous. Rulers are influenced by their rationale. Therefore justice in a soul as in the state, relies on the the appropriate power relationship between each part, Morality, then is an inner state.It is harmony between the parts of a persons mind under the leadership of his or her intellect ( Plato, pg. 152). In this way Platos account of human nature directly informs his theory of an ideal state. Platos Republic and Hobbes Leviathan both share the common understanding that without a state or governing body in place, all mankind would disintegrate into a state of chaos; with desires, appetites and aversions being the dominant cause behind behaviour. They reflect each other in that both believe submission to and acceptance of a ruling body will result in harmony. However beyond this similarity, the views of these philosophers greatly differ. The Republic is based on a quest for justice in both the state and individual; in Platos view people are inherently good. Plato constructs his ideal state,and then searches for virtues within it, which will also be present in the tripartite soul of individuals. By this method, he shows that in a just state or soul, these virtues must be present and each class or reciprocal part of soul must have the correct balance of power. In this way harmony is attained. Although men may commit some terrible acts, this is due to their appetitive desires rather than an innate negative drive. Although Hobbes also believes that men are dominantly driven by their desires and aversions, he does not think that men are ultimately driven to do good but rather by what will give them power and will ultimately protect them. Hobbes builds his state on a foundation of fear of war and terror. He does not consider that what is correct and just is found naturally in humans, The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have there no place ( Hobbes, pg. 188). He does not look for virtues in men but instead only seeks , those qualities of man-kind that concern their living together in Peace, and Unity.( Hobbes, pg. 160). Hobbes does not believe there exists a state of happiness in the soul, that it is a state that is a constant, that can be held on to, Felicity is a continuall progresse of the desire, from one object to another (Hobbes,pg. 160). Plato builds his state on the principle of specialization, At the center of his model is a principle of specialization: each person should perform just the task to which he is best suited. (Brown, SEP). Every man has a place, and does the job for which he is deemed most fit for. In this way all jobs in the state are done to the highest standard, and the needs of the state are met adequately, resulting in a healthy state. This ensures each class remains in a fixed state of power and influence. In contrast, Hobbes does not see men as being any different from each other, rather he believes that we are all completely equal, Nature hath make man so equal in the faculties of body and mind; as that though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind than another; yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man and man is not so considerable (Hobbes, pg. 183). Plato believes that there exists an elite few that possess a greater knowledge and absolute truth. It is these few who convey the moralistic way of life to the rest of society. Converesly, Hobbes does not think that there is any one who is in possession of truth, and does not see the state as responsible for moral reasoning within society. Rather the only role the government plays in his eyes is a lawful one, a peace keeping role to avoid the harm one man may cause another. While Platos state is often referred to as an unattainable Utopia, it is still a model which can be aspired to, as an existence with order, meaning and harmony, both within the individual and on a larger scale. Hobbes Leviathan contrarily, is built out of fear and chaos, rather than being something to aspire to, it seems to be more something that is settled for, when there is no other alternative.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

A Comparison Of Two Poems About Soldiers Leaving Britain To Fight In T :: essays research papers

The two poems I am comparing are "Joining The Colours" by Katherine Tynan and "The Send Off" by Wilfred Owen. " Joining The Colours" is about a regiment of soldiers leaving Dublin in August 1914 to go to France to fight. This was at the beginning of the First World War and all the soldiers were happy because it was an opportunity for them to show their girlfriends and their families that they were brave. "The Send Off" is about a regiment of young soldiers who are departing later in the war. This poem was written a few years after "Joining The Colours". The mood of each occasion is different because "Joining The Colours" was written when the soldiers and their relative's thought that the war would be over by Christmas but instead it finished much later on and millions of soldiers got killed. The mood in "The Send Off" is totally different because the soldiers were already afraid. They knew how dangerous the war was because of what so many people had experienced since "Joining The Colours" was written in 1914. There was no celebration for them because most of the people knew what was going to happen. The structure and the style of each poem varies in different ways. "Joining The Colours" is more positive. The structure of this poem is simple. Even though there are some words which convey an image that war is bad, most of the style of writing is positive and even happy. "The Send Off" is a more serious and frightening poem. The style of writing throughout the poem is sad and conveys an image that war is completely bad. The structure of this poem is more complicated than "Joining The Colours". This is because the poet is trying to convince the reader that war is the most terrible thing that ever happened.In "Joining The Colours" the soldiers seem happy as they march to war. In stanza 1 for example "There they go marching all in step so gay". This quotation shows how they enjoy marching, all together. Their attitude towards war is very carefree. They look almost as though they are "going to a wedding day". In stanza 2 the soldiers "are singing like the lark". In stanza 3 they make noises with "whistles, mouth-organs". The soldiers are carefree because they are brave. They don't understand how dangerous war is because they are too young.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Scarrlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarrlet Letter As citizens of the United States and members of the most open society in the world it is difficult for us to picture a world where the phrases woman's rights, equal opportunity, and religious freedom have little meaning. When the surface of American history is scratched, not necessarily deeply a past of limited rights for women is soon revealed. The challenge to any author comes in painting a picture of this colonial past to both current readers and readers to come. Nathaniel Hawthorne In his book ' The Scarlet Letter'; successfully meets this task through the character of Hester Prynn. Hawthorne describes a woman with independence ahead of her time and a social order unprepared to accept her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester's independence was promptly demonstrated at the novel's beginning. The court has ruled as punishment for her adultery she must wear an 'A'; upon her chest, that to the colonist served as a reminder of the punishment they would suffer if their sins were to be discovered, and to Hester a reminder of sin. Hester stands alone outside the court house as the close minded colonial eyes stare at her and the baby in her arms. Many women during this era of American history would look for a way to run. Hester shows little sign of uneasiness, with exception to her firm hold on the infant. At the conclusion of this scene the reader knows that this is a strong woman trying to maintain dignity in a land were a woman's independence ranked right above blasphemy on the hierarchy of values.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the novel Hester demonstrates her independence of living. Her husband never comes forward, and her lover does the same. With everyone denying relations Hester is forced to live alone. She raises the child by herself and is successful in her enterprise of sewing and hemming. Hawthorne informs us that this lifestyle of isolationism is unique to her, and convinces us that an average colonial woman could not survive under these conditions. At this point in the book Hester has shown her independence in dealing with life's crisis, and in her style of living.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best way to understand a parents personality is to examine how they raise their children. This idea holds true when one examines closely the techniques Hester uses to raise Pearl. In this era of religious totality, independence of thought, and the teachings of those ideals commanded little

Monday, September 2, 2019

Joseph Andrews Characters

Joseph Andrews A handsome and virtuous young footman whom Lady Booby attempts to corrupt. He is a protege of Mr. Adams and the devoted but chaste lover of Fanny Goodwill. His adventures in journeying from the Booby household in London back to the countryside, where he plans to marry Fanny, provide the main plot of the novel. Mr. Abraham Adams A benevolent, absent-minded, impecunious, and somewhat vain curate in Lady Booby’s country parish. He notices and cultivates Joseph’s intelligence and moral earnestness from early on, and he supports Joseph’s determination to marry Fanny.His journey back to the countryside coincides with Joseph’s for much of the way, and the vibrancy of his simple good nature makes him a rival of Joseph for the title of protagonist. Fanny Goodwill The beautiful but reserved beloved of Joseph, a milkmaid, believed to be an orphan. She endures many unsuccessful sexual assaults. Sir Thomas Booby The recently deceased master of Joseph and patron of Mr. Adams. Other characters’ reminiscences portray him as decent but not heroically virtuous; he once promised Mr.Adams a clerical living in return for Adams’s help in electing Sir Thomas to parliament, but he then allowed his wife to talk him out of it. Lady Booby Sir Thomas’s widow, whose grieving process involves playing cards and propositioning servants. She is powerfully attracted to Joseph, her footman, but finds this attraction degrading and is humiliated by his rejections. She exemplifies the traditional flaws of the upper class, namely snobbery, egotism, and lack of restraint, and she is prone to drastic mood swings. Mrs. SlipslopA hideous and sexually voracious upper servant in the Booby household. Like her mistress, she lusts after Joseph. Peter Pounce Lady Booby’s miserly steward, who lends money to other servants at steep interest and gives himself airs as a member of the upwardly striving new capitalist class. Mr. Booby The nephew of Sir Thomas. Fielding has adapted this character from the â€Å"Mr. B. † of Samuel Richardson’s  Pamela; like Richardson’s character, Mr. Booby is a rather snobbish squire who marries his servant girl, Pamela Andrews. Pamela AndrewsJoseph’s virtuous and beautiful sister, from whom he derives inspiration for his resistance to Lady Booby’s sexual advances. Pamela, too, is a servant in the household of a predatory Booby, though she eventually marries her lascivious master. Fielding has adapted this character from the heroine of Samuel Richardson’s  Pamela. Mr. Andrews The father of Pamela and, ostensibly, Joseph. Mrs. Andrews The mother of Pamela and, ostensibly, Joseph. Two Ruffians Highwaymen who beat, rob, and strip Joseph on the first night of his journey. PostilionLends Joseph his greatcoat when Joseph is naked following the attack by the Ruffians. Mr. Tow-wouse The master of the inn where Joseph boards after being attacked by the R uffians. He intends to lend Joseph one of his own shirts, but his stingy wife prevents him. Later he is discovered in bed with Betty the chambermaid. Mrs. Tow-wouse The frugal, nagging wife of Mr. Tow-wouse. Betty A chambermaid in the inn of Mr. and Mrs. Tow-wouse. Her initial care of Joseph bespeaks her basic good nature, but she is also lustful, and her association with him ends badly.Mr. Barnabas A clergyman who never passes up a drink and halfheartedly attends Joseph during his recovery from the attack by the Ruffians. Surgeon Belatedly addresses the injuries Joseph sustained during his attack by the Ruffians. Bookseller A friend of Mr. Barnabas, declines to represent Mr. Adams, author of several volumes of sermons, in the London book trade. Tom Suckbribe The Constable who fails to guard an imprisoned Ruffian and may have some financial incentive for failing in this office. LeonoraThe reclusive inhabitant of a grand house along the stage-coach route, a shallow woman who once jil ted the hard-working Horatio for the frivolous Bellarmine and then was jilted in turn. Horatio An industrious lawyer who intended to marry Leonora but lost her to the wealthy and flamboyant Bellarmine. Bellarmine A Frenchified cavalier who values Leonora’s beauty enough to steal her away from Horatio but who finally rejects her when her father refuses to supply a dowry. Leonora's Father A miserly old gentleman who refuses to bestow any money on his daughter during his life and thereby causes her to lose Bellarmine as a suitor.Leonora's Aunt Leonora’s chaperone during the period of her courtship by Horatio and then Bellarmine; encourages Leonora to pursue her financial self-interest in choosing a mate. Mrs. Grave-airs A snobbish stage-coach passenger who objects to traveling with the footman Joseph but turns out to be the daughter of a man who was once a lower servant. Sportsman Encounters Mr. Adams while out shooting one night; extolls bravery when conversing with Adam s but flees the scene when the cries of a distressed woman are heard. The JusticeA local magistrate who does not take his responsibilities very seriously. He handles the case of Mr. Adams and Fanny when Fanny’s attacker accuses them of having beaten and robbed him. Mr. Wilson A gentleman who, after a turbulent youth, has retired to the country with his wife and children and lives a life of virtue and simplicity. His eldest son, who turns out to have been Joseph, was stolen by gypsies as a child. Mrs. Wilson The wife of Wilson. She once redeemed him from debtor’s prison, having been the object of his undeclared love for some time. PedlarAn apparent instrument of providence who pays one of Mr. Adams’s many inn bills, rescues Mr. Adams’s drowning son, and figures out the respective parentages of both Joseph and Fanny. Mrs. Adams The wife of Mr. Adams and mother of his six children, prone to nagging but also appreciative of her husband’s loving nature. Parson Trulliber An entrepreneurial and greedy clergyman, more dedicated to hog farming than to the care of souls, who refuses to lend Mr. Adams money for his inn bill. Mrs. Trulliber The downtrodden wife of Parson Trulliber. Hunter of MenAn eccentric and rather sadistic country gentleman who sets his hunting dogs on Mr. Adams, allows his friends to play cruel jokes on him, and attempts to abduct Fanny. Captain One of the Squire’s friends, abducts Fanny on the Squire’s orders but is himself taken prisoner by servants of Lady Booby. Player One of the Squire’s friends, a failed actor who pursues Fanny on the Squire’s orders but flees when the Captain is taken prisoner. Poet One of the Squire’s friends, a failed playwright who pursues Fanny on the Squire’s orders but flees when the Captain is taken prisoner.Quack-Doctor One of the Squire’s friends; comes up with a Socratic practical joke that exploits Mr. Adams’s pedantry. Priest Discourses on the vanity of riches before asking Mr. Adams for money to pay his inn bill. Lawyer Scout Tells Mr. Adams that Joseph has worked long enough to gain a settlement in Lady Booby’s parish, but then becomes a willing accomplice in Lady Booby’s attempt to expel Joseph and Fanny. Justice Frolick The local magistrate who cooperates with Lady Booby’s attempt to expel Joseph and Fanny from her parish.Beau Didapper A guest of Lady Booby’s, lusts after Fanny and makes several unsuccessful attempts on her. Pimp A servant of Beau Didapper’s, attempts to persuade Fanny to accept his master’s advances and then makes a few attempts on his own behalf. Dick Adams A son of Mr. and Mrs. Adams, nearly drowns in a river but is rescued by the Pedlar. He then reads the story of Leonard and Paul to his parents’ guests. Leonard A married man who argues frequently with his wife while entertaining his friend Paul in their home.Like his wife, he eve ntually accepts Paul’s advice always to yield in disputes, even and especially when he knows himself to be right. Leonard's Wife The wife of Leonard, with whom she argues frequently while they are entertaining his friend Paul in their home. Like her husband, she eventually accepts Paul’s advice always to yield in disputes, even and especially when she knows herself to be right. Paul Leonard’s friend, separately advises both Leonard and Leonard’s wife to adhere to the â€Å"Doctrine of Submission. †

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Descriptive Words

Descriptive Words Smile, grin, beam, smirk . . . Frown, scowl, glare, glower, grimace . . . Stare, gaze, gape, watch, gawk, ogle, look, examine, leer . . . Flinch, recoil, balk, cringe, shy away, pull back, wince, cower, shrink, tremble . . . Incredulous, disbelieving, skeptical, doubtful, dubious, uncertain, suspicious, questioning, vague . . . Quizzical, questioning, puzzled, surprised, perplexed, inquiring Interested, curious, involved, attentive, concerned, attracted, fascinated, engrossed . . .Sad, gloomy, cheerless, depressing, dark, dull, thick, dreary . . Happy, content, pleased, glad, joyful, cheerful, blissful, exultant, ecstatic, delighted, cheery, jovial . . . Scared, frightened, terrified, petrified, afraid, fearful, nervous, anxious, worried, timid, shy . . . Strong, burly, brawny, strapping, muscular, beefy, tough, fervent, intense, zealous, avid, eager . . . Coy, bashful, timid, modest, reserved, demure . . . Indifferent, apathetic, unresponsive . . . Remote, aloof, d etached, distant . . Threatened, intimidated, alarmed, worried, anxious, troubled, upset, distressed, shocked, startled . . . Crash, thud, bump, thump, bang, thunder, smash, explode, roar, shout, scream, screech, shout, whistle, whine, squawk, blare, slam, stomp, stamp, noise, clap, bark, meow, moo, boom, yell, whisper, hum, snap, hiss, crackle . . . Taut, uptight, immobilized, paralyzed, tense, stretched, hollow, alarmed, strong, weak, sweaty, breathless, nauseated, sluggish, weary, tired, alive, feisty . . .Angry, resentful, irritated, enraged, furious, annoyed, inflamed, provoked, infuriated, offended, sullen, indignant, irate, wrathful, cross, sulky, bitter, frustrated, grumpy, boiling, fuming, stubborn, belligerent, confused, awkward, bewildered, empty . . . Angrily, anxiously, brightly, cheerfully, comfortably, curiously, delightfully, eagerly, enormously, excitedly, faintly, falsely, fearfully, foolishly, frightfully, gently, gracefully, gratefully, greedily, grumpily, helple ssly, heroically, hungrily, impatiently, joyfully, kindly, luckily, magically, majestically, merrily, remarkably, splendidly, strangely, swiftly, unusuallyAfraid, fearful, frightened, timid, wishy-washy, shaky, apprehensive, fidgety, terrified, panicky, tragic, hysterical, cautious, shocked, horrified, insecure, impatient, nervous, dependent, anxious, pressured, worried, doubtful, suspicious, hesitant, awed, dismayed, scared, petrified, gutless . . . Bad, worse, poor, terrible, horrible, evil, wicked, corrupt, heinous, inferior, inept, ill, unfortunate , distressful . . .Big, huge, giant, gigantic, monstrous, tremendous , gargantuan , large, wide, important, influential, immense, massive, bulky, heavy, voluminous . . . Eager, keen, earnest, intent, zealous, ardent, avid, anxious, enthusiastic, proud . . . Fearless,, encouraged, courageous, confident, secure, independent, reassured, bold, brave, daring, heroic, hardy, determined, loyal, proud, impulsive . . . Good, excellent, fine, s atisfactory , kind, generous, worthy, humane, pure, benign, benevolent , proper, valid, favored . . Happy, brisk, buoyant, calm, carefree, cheerful, cheery, comfortable, complacent, contented, ecstatic, elated, enthusiastic, excited, exhilarated, generous, glad, grateful, hilarious, inspired, jolly, joyous, lighthearted, merry, optimistic, peaceful, playful, pleased, relaxed, restive, satisfied, serene, sparkling, spirited, surprised, vivacious . . Hurt, injured, isolated, offended, distressed, pained, suffering, afflicted, worried, tortured . . Little, small, tiny, microscopic, miniscule, minute, inconsequential, Lilliputian, insignificant, narrow, thin, paltry, modest, slender, slight . . . Looked, gazed, peered, starched , stared, glanced, sighted, regarded , attended , viewed, inspected , directed, followed . . Nice, friendly, helpful, gentle, warm, inspiring, good-natured, kind, generous, cheerful, loving, happy, funny, peppy, relaxed, thoughtful, cooperative . . .Ran, trotted, skipped, hurried, moved, sped, operated, progressed , glided, flowed, traced, pursued, galloped, loped, fled . . . Sad, sorrowful, unhappy, depressed, melancholy, gloomy, somber, dismal, heavy-hearted, mournful, dreadful, dreary, flat, blah, dull, in the dumps, sullen, moody, sulky, out of sorts, low, discontented, discouraged, disappointed, concerned, sympathetic, compassionate, choked up, embarrassed, shameful, ashamed, useless, worthless, ill at ease . . .Said, acknowledged, acquiesced, added, addressed, admitted, admonished, advised, advocated, affirmed, agreed, alleged, allowed, announced, answered, approved, argued, asked, assented, asserted, assumed, assured, attested, avowed, babbled, bantered, bargained, barked, began, begged, bellowed, beseeched, boasted, bragged, brought, called, cautioned, charged, chided, cited, claimed, commanded, comment, commented, complained, conceded, concluded, condescended, confessed, confided, consented, contended, contested, continued, contrad icted, counseled, countered, cracked, cried, debated, decided, declared, decreed, demanded, demurred, denied, denounced, described, dictated, directed, disclosed, disrupted, divulged, drawled, droned, elaborated, emphasized, enjoined, entreated, enunciated, estimated, exclaimed, explained, exposed, expressed, faltered, feared, foretold, fumed, giggled, granted, granted, grinned, groaned, growled, grumbled, haggled, hedged, held, hesitated, hinted, howled, imparted, implied, implored, indicated, inferred, informed, inquired, insinuated, insisted, instructed, nterjected, interrogated, intimated, intimidated, itemized, jested, judged, lamented, laughed, lectured, lied, lisped, listed, made, maintained, mentioned, mimicked, moaned, mumbled, murmured, mused, muttered, nagged, narrated, noted, notified, objected, observed, opined, orated, ordered, petitioned, pleaded, pled, pointed, prayed, predicted, proclaimed, professed, prompted, pronounced, proposed, propounded, protested, proved, pu blicized, queried, questioned, quibbled, quipped, quoted, rambled, ranted, reaffirmed, reasoned, reassured, reciprocated, recited, recommended, recounted, referred, refuted, regretted, reiterated, rejoiced, rejoined, related, relented, remarked, reminded, remonstrated, repeated, replied, reported, reprimanded, requested, responded, restated, resumed, retorted, returned, revealed, roared, ruled, sanctioned, scoffed, scolded, screamed, shouted, shrieked, snapped, sneered, sobbed, solicited, specified, spoke, sputtered, stammered, stated, stipulated, stormed, stressed, stuttered, suggested, taunted, testified, thought, threatened, told, twitted, unbridled, urged, uttered, vowed, wailed, warned, went, wept, whispered, whistled, whooped, wrangled, yawned, yelled . . . Amazing, Attractive, Authentic, Beautiful, Better, Big, Colorful, Colossal, Complete, Confidential, Enormous, Excellent, Exciting, Exclusive, Expert, Famous, Fascinating, Free, Full, Genuine, Gigantic, Huge, Informative, In structive, Interesting, Lavishly, Liberally, Mammoth, Professional, Startling, Strange, Strong, Sturdy, Successful, Superior, Surprise . . .Crammed, Delivered, Directed . . . Brave, Angry, Bright, Busy, Clever, Cold, Cozy, Deep, Flat, Foggy, Free, Fresh, Frozen, Gentle, Giant, Glad, Grand, Hollow, Hungry, Hurt, Lucky, Neat, New, Old, Polite, Proud, Rough, Serious, Shiny, Short, Shy, Smooth, Spotted, Strong, Tall, Tough, Weak, Wide, Wild, Wise, Bumpy, Careful, Cheerful, Chilly, Clean, Cloudy, Crisp, Damp, Enormous, Fancy, Flashy, Flowery, Frosty, Fuzzy, Huge, Icy, Kind, Marvelous, Merry, Messy, Mighty, Misty, Moldy, Plaid, Plain, Quiet, Scented, Selfish, Sharp, Slim, Slippery, Sloppy, Sly, Soggy, Spicy, Stormy, Striped, Sweet, Tasty, Thinly, Tiny, Velvety, Twinkling, Weak, Worn, Young . . .

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Sergei Prokofiev

Ashley Owens Professor Lleweylln Music Appreciation 13 November 2012 Sergei Prokofiev How does music make us feel? Not what do we feel when we listen to music but more specifically, what is it about Music that triggers our human emotions? What effect did hearing those sad country songs on the radio during my morning drive to school have on the rest of my day? Why does upbeat hip hop music always make me nod my head with the beat? Why does a song like â€Å"Go rest high on that mountain† by Vince Gill always make me cry?Music is a large part of most of our everyday lives. Sergei Prokofiev understood that considering the feelings and emotions of the listener was vital in the production of music, and demonstrates in â€Å"Peter and the Wolf† how musical properties can persuade us emotionally. The road to Prokofiev’s growth to being one of the most unique composers of his time started in Sontsovka, Ukraine in the year 1891. His mother was a pianist and his first pian o teacher. Prokofiev began writing piano pieces at age five and by age nine had written his first opera.He studied at the St. Petersburg conservatory starting at ten years of age from 1904 to 1914. Prokofiev performed as a virtuoso starting in 1910 and began making a living in music. At his graduation recital he played his own first concerto. In 1915 during World War I he composed Scythian Suite and his first classical Symphony in 1917 (David Nice). In 1918 Prokofiev moved from Russia to the United States in search for greater artistic perspectives. After mixed experiences he moved to Paris in 1922 and finally returned home to Russia to be with his family in 1936.One of his first compositions upon returning home was Peter and the Wolf. Written in April of 1936, Peter and the Wolf were written as an introduction for children to the orchestra and were narrated by Prokofiev himself at the children’s theatre in Moscow. The story takes place in a meadow near young Peter’s h ouse. After watching the wolf swallow the duck, the young boy devises a plan with help of the bird, to capture the wolf and take him to the zoo. Each particular character in the story is represented by a musical instrument performed in the piece.The bird is played by the flute, high in pitch and quick in tempo. The duck is played by an oboe, slow in tempo and giving him a clumsy feel. The clarinet represents the cat, sneaky and methodical. Grandpa is represented by a bassoon deep in pitch giving him comedic properties. The wolf is played by a French horn which gives off a hominess and dark presence. The hunters are played by the Timpani and drums mimicking the sound of their guns as they try to shoot the wolf. Finally Peter is played by a mix of string instruments, Violin, Viola, String Bass, and Cello.Peter and the wolf show us how musical properties can persuade us emotionally. That we associate certain sounds with being happy or determined like Peter and the string instruments. W hile other sounds can be associated with sadness or generate fear like the wolf and the French horns. It is both the story, the composition of the music, and its ability to attach to parts of the story, that makes Peter and the Wolf so intriguing and timeless. These qualities also make it fun and enjoyable for multi age groups.The story itself quickly has us intently supporting our hero Peter as he is visiting animals in the nearby meadow. It builds a rapport with the core characters making us feel involved in the story, making us care for the bird as he narrowly escapes the clutches of the sly cat, and at the same time casting Peter as the hero in this story. It shows us the down fall of the duck, when he is swallowed by the wolf, pulling us in on the real danger there in the meadow. The climax comes when Peter, with help of the bird, capture the wolf and save the meadows animals from harm.True to his role of the hero Peter then stops the hunters from shooting the wolf and insists that he be taken to the zoo. The story seems to end on a happy note but leaves several questions unanswered and places for the story to continue. Questions like what happened on the way to the zoo, and would the duck ever escape from the belly of the wolf. The story is open-ended and allows us to form our own conclusions. The tune of Peter and the Wolf may be easily recognizable to some, since it is famous for its Disney interpretation and used regularly in classrooms for teaching.Personally I associate the style of orchestra with older cartoons in which a great deal of them were without much dialog and were backed by classical music, as was Looney Tunes – Pigs in a Polka which contained Brahms Hungarian Dances #5,7,6 and 17. It can be easily argued that Prokofiev is indirectly responsible for all of them, as his Peter and the Wolf were really the first of its kind. Over ten years after its original creation, an animated adaption was created by Walt Disney and released on Aug ust 15th 1946 introduced as part of its Make mine Music collection of shorts.Aside from narration by Sterling Holloway the cartoon is true to the original piece in that the characters are represented in sound by their respective musical instruments. The short animation does a great job of lining up the music with the art really bringing the characters and the music together. However trying to make the cartoon more child friendly the story is slightly altered and added to. During the introduction some of the characters are given names, â€Å"Sasha† the bird, â€Å"Sonia† the duck, and â€Å"Ivan† the cat.At the end of the Disney version we find that the duck was not really eaten by the wolf but instead had hid in a tree trunk and is happily reunited with Peter and the other pets once the wolf is captured. Since then Peter and the Wolf has been remade several times in various ways most recently in 2008 by Suzie Templeton. Having the music fit into the animations m akes it very easy for children of all ages to associate the sounds separately and really enjoy the story. Prokofiev’s music was sophisticated that almost a century later we are still using it to teach our children and entertain us all. Prokofiev was one of the great composers of the 20th century; arguably the greatest. I think the case for Prokofiev’s supreme greatness rests upon the likely premise that no other composer of the 20th century enriched the musical repertoire in as many different forms as did Prokofiev, and did so at such a consistently high level of quality and lyrical beauty† (Turlish). Though he is famous for only very few pieces of his work, the power of those pieces remains nearly unparalleled even to this day. Many artist credit Prokofiev for artistic inspiration in their creations.Unfortunately Sergei Prokofiev was in many ways a man out of time. He was product of 19th century music that had his own way of writing and composing. For many who l ived in the era this made him misunderstood and not taken seriously as a composer. In a recent interview, Barbara Nissman said, â€Å"he was such a natural talent, he followed his nose. Nobody ever dictated to him how to write and he wasn’t a member of any school of thought or academic theory. His music went where he thought it was supposed to go. You couldn’t put him in a box. Some people thought he was conservative but others thought he was way too out there.I think his unique approach to the instrument – his sense of originality – frightened a lot of people, especially the critics who had no idea which box to put him in. † Music, even if forgotten or put into the back of our subconscious for a long period of time can often trigger a memory or a feeling we had the first time we had heard it. Maybe an important time in our lives that we lived out while the radio was playing, we may or may not have even known it was there. However at any point we m ay stumble across that song on the radio, waiting in line at the bus station, or shopping at the local grocery store.For however brief a moment it allows us or forces us depending on how you look at it, to go back in time a memory and recall it with enhanced clarity. Sergei Prokofiev realized these things and implemented this epiphany into his music, which to me seems more than obvious in the classic piece Peter and the Wolf. For years to come both children and adults may associate the hominess sound of the French horn with the frightening wolf, they may hear a flute and be over taken by their first memory of watching the classical Disney short, where they were, or who they were with.Through concentrated listening we can learn to separate musical properties of any piece. However attaching those pieces to a character or a feeling is something that Sergei did way before his time. Prokofiev has touched so many lives, and through his music changed the landscape of how we all perceive it . Works Cited Turlish, Bruce. Kith. Org. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. Nice, David. Prokofiev: From Russia to the West, 1891-1935. Columbus. MT. Yale University Press Publication. 18 Oct. 2012. Print Nissman, Barbara. Adventures. In. Music. Biz. Web. 18 Oct. 2012