...Becoming the Dragon by Alex Sapegin Sixteen-year-old Andy Keromov was on a simple errand to deliver some papers to his father at work. He accidently got caught in a force field from a scientific experiment and transported away to another planet. While still on earth, Andy had survived a lightning strike that caused electronic devises to go wonky around him. He didn’t know that strike would be the catalyst for soon-to-be discovered magical abilities--magic powers he will need in his new life on planet Ilanta. Far from home, surrounded by strange beings, Andy finds himself viewed as the alien. He is taken prisoner, sold as a slave, and a torturous existence begins. He is beaten, caged, and hunted. Through it all, he fights to survive in a land where his very life is dependent upon his survival skills, lots of luck, and the friendship of a tender-hearted dragon named Karegar. Finally, harnessing his magical powers, he escapes. They return to Karegar’s home and he meets the dragon’s special friend. Critically wounded while escaping, Andy is talked into undergoing an ancient ritual…to transform his broken human body into a dragon. From there, once reborn, Andy has a long way to go to learn how to be a dragon. And eventually of his important role in an upcoming conflict soon to impact his new home and his old earth planet....
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...has surpassed the constraints of the human condition and achieved a point of freedom – limitless and allowing for creativity. This condition can be viewed as the status of a person in his entirety, an individual unfettered by the pressures and societal requirements of civilization and other people. Furthermore, the overman wills his own destiny, creates his own values, and dances with the game of life to the tune of his own spirit. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra¸ Nietzsche writes of three spiritual metamorphoses that must be undergone for the individual to reach the state of the overman. These transformations are somewhat narrow in nature, and thus can be seen as a type of guide to becoming the overman, or liberating one’s spirit. In this paper, I will interpret the three stages in the metamorphosis to becoming the overman, and provide an evaluation of how the concept of an overman can apply to us specifically. The first metamorphosis described by Zarathustra – Nietzsche’s mouthpiece – is that of the camel. He asks: What is difficult? asks the spirit that would bear much, and kneels down like a camel wanting to be well loaded. What is most difficult, O heroes, asks the spirit that would bear much, that I may take it upon myself and exult my strength? Is it not humbling oneself to wound one’s haughtiness? Letting one’s folly shine to mock one’s wisdom? (138). Subsequently, Zarathustra proceeds to list multiple items that can be included amongst the most...
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...Komodo Dragons Research Paper The komodo dragon is one of the largest lizard species, also known as the Monitor Lizard. The lizard has a prototype of a dragon body and a venomous bite as a snake. Komodo Dragons are amazing animals, with interesting characteristics, limited habitats, and few predators. According to the article” Komodo Dragon” the komodo dragon is an enormous reptile that can grow up to three meters long and weigh 150kg ( Komodo Dragon). The komodo dragon is a heavy reptile that very muscular with a long thick head and neck. There skin colour is a grayish- brown cover in small rough scales that looks beaded . It already come equipped with razor-sharp claws, lighting reflexes, and teeth notched like streak knives (“Komodo Dragon has Poisonous Bite?”). Komodo Dragons have relatively small heads compared to their large body size and wide, powerful jaws that conceal a mouth that is fulled with deadly bacteria. Although the komodo dragon has good eyesight, the majority of it’s surroundings are sensed to smell which the komodo dragon does with it long and deeply forked tough(“ Komodo Dragon”). So where exactly does these Monitor Lizards live? Although the komodo dragon would have once been widespread across many of the Indonesian islands, they are today confined to just five which all lie in the Komodo National Park(“ Komodo Dragon”). Most of theses lizards are inhabit in these islands named Flores, Rinca, Gillimontang, Padar, Rintia, and...
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...Rick never stopped trying to save the city until he died trying to defend his village. By the time he was defeated he saved a countless number. Without his service the village would have been destroyed. His final battle was the biggest battle that he had ever participated in. It was a war between him and a dragon. Rick thought that if he attached his tongue to the dragon he could swing him down to the ground like an anchor. Instead, the dragon picked him up and flew into the ocean. Rick weighed down the dragon and made it very difficult for him to fly. The dragon tried numerous times to launch Tick off of him, but they were all unsuccessful. Rick realized that even if he killed the dragon he would never make it back home, because of this he was less concerned about living and just wanted to kill the dragon so that his village would never sufferer. Rick learned to control the dragon while he was in air and flew it directly into an active volcano. They both were vaporized in the heat immediately ending the war. When the city heard of the news they were very saddened and worried. They feared that they could not be safe anymore and there village would be destroyed swiftly. They built a wall made of stone and wood to keep anybody else out. The wall held up for a while until the army of sheep returned and burned Rick’s precious city to...
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...Red Dragon by Thomas Harris: A Look Inside The Serial Killer’s Mind Red Dragon by Thomas Harris is a dark piece of psychological fiction that was published in 1981. The novel is the first in a trilogy featuring the infamous character Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and psychopathic serial killer. However, Lecter is not a main character in this novel. Rather, the antagonist and killer is Francis Dolarhyde, whom the police jokingly refer to as the Tooth Fairy because of the bite marks he leaves on female victims. Harris does a masterful job of creating background on the killer that delves into the makings of a serial killer. Thomas Harris gives the reader an understanding of Dolarhyde’s mindset when committing his horrific crimes by detailing the abuses the killer suffered as a child (Sexton). Harris takes the reader from the infant born with a cleft palate so disfiguring he was left to die through the cruelty of a childhood that included abandonment, a mean and mentally unstable grandmother, and taunts from his stepsiblings. In doing so, the author provides significance to some of the killer’s actions (Cowley). This research paper will examine the underlying psychopathology of serial killers that often stems from abuse in childhood, turning the human into the monster. Red Dragon begins with the FBI and the police on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whom police have nicknamed the Tooth Fairy because of bite marks left on victims. The public is duly alarmed as the...
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...How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation loosely based on the English book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. The film was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the duo who directed Disney's Lilo & Stitch. It stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and David Tennant. The story takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance at finally gaining the tribe's acceptance, he finds that he no longer has the desire to kill it and instead befriends it. The film was released March 26, 2010 and was a critical and commercial success, garnering a positive response from film critics and audiences and earning nearly $500 million worldwide. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards, but lost to Toy Story 3 and The Social Network, respectively. The movie also won ten Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature. Two sequels are currently in development, both to be written and directed by Dean DeBlois; they are scheduled to be released on June 13, 2014, and June 17, 2016.[2][3] The film's success has also inspired other merchandise, including a video game and a TV...
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...In the epic poem “Beowulf” the protagonist, Beowulf, portrays a tragic hero in a variety of ways. Although Beowulf was not a perfect being, he embraces many characteristics of a tragic hero. Beowulf’s ego put him into many difficult situations. For example the battles he fought against Grendel, Grendels Mother, and the dragon. Other then his enormous ego along with his cockiness that put him into bad situations, he also embraced the characteristics of a great leader that many looked up to. In many parts of the poem Beowulf performs many courageous tasks that no one else would even try, making him one that should be idolized. To start off, Beowulf plans out his battle with Grendel. In the very beginning Beowulf tells his people and Hrothgar that he wants to battle and kill Grendel with his owns hands. This part shows his over confident ego because he thinks he is so mighty and strong. While Grendel made his way to attack Herot, Beowulf pretended that he was asleep just as Grendel would see. As it says in lines (739-746) Grendel snatched at the first Geat… (Line745) He then stepped to another still body, clutched at Beowulf with his claws. Beowulf suddenly leaned up against Grendel’s arm attempting to get back at him. Grendel was very fearful and at that very moment he didn’t even want to kill, he wanted to get away. Grendel struggled until he was free, but he ran free without his arm. Beowulf ego once again ties into this because he claims that it was “fate” that he got away...
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...Cruelty The prophet David from the Bible who spoke of false accusations people make, an angry dragon from Scandinavia whose fury could not be withheld, and a man who knows the brutality of human nature. Though all different situations, they share a common theme, cruelty. Cruelty in gossip, cruelty in temper, and cruelty in nature. Cruelty can be found in all types of literature even as old as the Bible. “Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up risen up against me, and such as breath out cruelty” (Psalms 27:12). This quote is asking God not to let us give into our enemies, and for us to not believe the brutality of people’s false accusations. The prophet David was the one who conveyed this quote. By speaking out about the cruelty of people he is indirectly saying that God is the only person you need to seek approval from. He is also saying that no one else’s words or savageness should matter. Though David’s message is centuries old, it proves that a verse, or phrase can contain the same significance even centuries later. Only decades later cruelty was still evident with World War II and the Nazis, and in modern day situations such as terrorism. Many other works of literature are also proof of this same idea. One example of a piece of literature that conveys cruelty well is the story of Beowulf. “And the signs of its anger flickered and glowed in the darkness, visible for miles tokens of its hate and its cruelty...
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...responsibility of tearing apart the culture, and fights with the dragon about his meaning in life and his values, the dragon arguing, “‘Nothing interests you but excitement, violence.’ ‘That’s not true!’ I said… ‘You tell me what’s true?’”(67). Through the conversation where the dragon tears apart Grendel’s meaning of life based upon his definition of meaning. Grendel did not have a goal when he first met Hrothgar, and did not see that his very existence could shape the world around him. But after he speaks to the dragon, his ‘pile of gold’ is revealed, and he relishes in fulfilling his purpose of altering the existing society to create a better one, at least in his eyes. Once Grendel understands the effect his actions have on the Hrothgar’s people, he continues to attack them, but uses the assaults to teach them lessons he sees fit, whether that be expressing his annoyance or throwing the people away from the lifestyle Hrothgar built. The dragon is the gateway to this realization of power, urging Grendel to continue to torment the people. As he convinces him, he argues, “You improve them...you stimulate them! You make them think and scheme. You drive them to poetry, science, religion, all that makes them what they are for as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves”(73). While Grendel argues that his thoughtless attacks have no meaning except for violence, the dragon retaliates that his attacks are the most beneficial thing...
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...Throughout much of the novel Grendel, Grendel faces a defining struggle- that between good and evil. He spends much of his years attempting to discover, and even fight his destiny. Grendel starts out the same as all humans, innocent and curious. He spent his childhood alone, his mother being the only creature that would keep him company. Grendel repeatedly tries to communicate with the humans. As he becomes older and wiser, he starts to realize that he won’t ever be able to get the Scyldings to see eye to eye with him. They would always see him as a disgusting, terrible monster. Eventually, Grendel is able to embrace this and fulfill his destiny as the Destroyer and Wrecker of Kings. At first, Grendel is a young, naïve creature, exploring the world around him just as young things do. He is not yet aware of his evil destiny; he is just lonely. During his first interaction with the Scyldings, Grendel is stuck in a tree, dying. The men discover him, and decide that he is hungry for pig. They are unsure if he is friendly or not: “‘Pig!’ I tried to yell. It scared them… the king snatched an ax from the man beside him and, without any warning, he hurled it at me” (27). The humans attacked until Grendel’s mother saved him, and Grendel came to a horrible realization “‘The world resists me and I resist the world… That’s all there is…I exist, nothing else’” (28). At this point, Grendel is starting to view the world very differently, and is discovering how the other creatures on Earth...
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...continually enfolds throughout the book. To Grendel, the value of human life has no meaning. He is constantly killing Hrothgar's people as if it was a mechanical thing he does. An example of how Grendel disvalues human life is when he storms Hrothgar's mead hall determined to kill Wealtheow after seeing how much she means to the king and his people. "I would kill her and teach them reality" (110). He does however change his mind because he concludes that killing her would be as pointless as not killing her. It would have had no meaning in the end. "I changed my mind. It would be meaningless, killing her. As meaningless as letting her live" (110). This in turn expresses Grendel's nihilistic view of life, one that was influenced by the dragon himself. The dragon is the definition of nihilism. When Grendel seeks his advice about...
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... The article states, "You know, because Suzie Wong was a prostitute a lot of Americans got the wrong idea and they thought that all Asian women were prostitutes" (58). This clearly is implying that Americans think that Asian American women are a sex object. However, I see it as the complete opposite around the Fullerton Campus. Sure, some are more outgoing and social than others, but the vast majority of Asian American woman that I have observed are generally more quiet and reserved. On top of that, they do not really seem to wear any revealing clothing or do anything that seems provocative. That being the case, this specific stereotype does not seem to hold any water. The article also mentions the 'dragon lady' and how she asserts herself to get back at white men. "The dragon lady uses her "Oriental" femininity, associated with seduction and danger, to trap white men" (59). While this is used far too often in Hollywood films, this stereotype also does not exist in our society. No women are looking to 'trap' another man with the thrills of sex and danger, let alone Asian American women specifically. Especially around the Fullerton campus, that is most likely the last thing on anyone's mind. They are there to study, go to classes, and once those end, maybe go out to a party on the weekend or mess around with friends just doing stupid stuff in general. All in all, these stereotypes about Asian American women just simply do not...
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...brute strength and pure power in order to defeat his foes. Ahmed Ibn Fadlan lacks the strength aspect, unlike Beowulf but has great intellect, which helps him to succeed and become a hero. Beowulf does not think of any enemy as threatening and believe that his strength will not be matched. Ahmed is not strong and has no strength to rely on like Beowulf. What Ahmed does have is intellect, which he uses to replace his absence of strength. The better hero is Beowulf out of the two. It seems that Ahmed would be a better sidekick to Beowulf in he cannot physically do a lot. Ahmed would be able to think of plans and strategies and Beowulf would be able to implement them and make them work. Just as Wiglaf helped Beowulf neither one could defeat the dragon without the other. This would be the case if Ahmed and Beowulf were with each other; they would both be needed in order to accomplish something. Beowulf has strength and knows of it, which is a great benefit to him. He gets confidence knowing that he is extremely strong and gains courage from this. He is not afraid of anything including Grendel who everyone in the story fears. Grendel comes to the land of the Spear-Danes and is confronted by Beowulf. During the confrontation, Grendel gets its arm ripped off by Beowulf and it is hung as a trophy. Grendel runs away and Beowulf has defeated a monster using his strength. Looking at Ahmed’s first interaction with the enemy when they attack at night when the men are pretending to sleep, he...
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...Pride, Beowulf's Most Cherished Possession and His Greatest Enemy Beowulf is an epic poem created by the the ancient Anglo-Saxons of Britain. For a poem to be an epic, it has six requirements: long and narrative, involves a long journey for the hero, the hero must overcome obstacles, long prideful speeches, the poem takes place over a long period of time, and the hero reflects the culture from which he comes. The poem was recited as early as the sixth century when stories were passed along orally by scops who were traveling storytellers. Since stories were passed on orally, the authors of many Anglo-Saxon poems are unknown. Beowulf was passed on orally for centuries until the eleventh century, it was finally written down by scholars. Since then the story about the mighty Beowulf has become a polyglot epic poem translated by hundreds of people such as Burton Raffel who translated the poem into modern day English. The poem grew from past traditions such as the monsters, loyalty to the chief, and the decent to unknown regions of the earth were familiar element of Celtic and Scandinavian folk tales. By combining different traditions and later adding Christian ideas into one story, scops created a cultural reference point for Anglo-Saxons to learn from. Since there are various traditions blended into Beowulf, there are underlying themes such as heritage, pride, respect, gifting, good versus evil, strength, and customs. A major theme of the poem is pride. One can believe that the...
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...In Beowulf, as in many stories the titular character can be portrayed as a hero. However, Beowulf like most stories due to the argument that can be made for him not being a hero. In the poem there are many examples of Beowulf being a “hero”. The examples are seperated by the two stages of his life, youth and adulthood. There maturity of Beowulf as a leader also coencides with his maturity as a leader. As Beowulf grows and becomes a better leader he also becomes a hero. Beowulf can be defined by his strength in his youth. These acts contribute to the lore of him becoming a hero. His swimming match against Breca is a perfect example of him establishing himself as a hero. All heros make mistakes and Beowulf did not listen to the advice of the elders and ended up losing the swimming match. He is also the perfect model for the way a warrior should live as he follow the Germanic Code perfictly. He redeems himself from his swimming loss by defeating Grendel and his mom. He also helps the Danes and this exemlifies an outstanding leader because he goes out of his way to help other countries when they are in need. The expirences in his early life help him to become a good ruler when he does acend to the throne. Beowulf’s adulthood (in the story) focuses more on his encounters with leaders and his warrior as opposed to his youth...
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