...Allegory’s in The Masque of The Red Death was The seven rooms, masked stranger and the clock these things are the allegory’s you need to know In order to understand the concept of the story and what they mean so the first thing...
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...person enters an elevator, bus or some other place, even if the person is a stranger. It is common to kiss cheeks and hug among family and friends. We hug among men and we kiss on the cheek and hug among friends of opposite sex or among female friends. Venezuelans only give one kiss, so we often forget to expect a second (or third) kiss from other cultures that have this custom. We shake hands when we are meeting a person the first time. Sometimes we even kiss on the cheek when meeting for the first time (opposite sex), this is a sign of trying to be friendly and does not necessarily mean a romantic interest. It is important to mention that Venezuela is a multicultural country, and that is the reason why we respect and understand persons who do not feel comfortable greeting by kissing or hugging because it is not their custom. CLOTHING Venezuela has summer-like temperatures throughout the year because of it’s location in the tropics. This is the reason that we are informal in our style of clothing especially on weekends. We usually wear T-shirts, shorts, jeans, and tennis shoes. Bathing suits in Venezuela are relatively skimpy, but it is not common to be topless or walk naked on the beach. The concept of a grand bath does not exist in our culture. We are not accustomed to being naked in front of strangers, even with people of the same sex. Many Venezuelan women are really private in this respect and won’t even be naked with members of their family or close friends. However...
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...Book Report Do you like funny and amusing tell tales especially with the use of animals as caricatures? Well, set in Angel’s Camp, a gold mining community of California during the mid -19th century, Jim Smiley and his Jumping Frog by Mark Twain is a classical anecdote to chew on. The narrator, clearly an educated man from the East, presents the story of Jim Smiley, told in Simon Wheeler’s uneducated dialect. The author uses this dialect to present the contrast between East and West: educated verses the uneducated, or refined verses coarse. The narrator claims to have visited the camp populated primarily by men to find Simon Wheeler. Many of them looking for their fortune and probably seem to be full of loud, uncouth, and uneducated people compared to the more genteel East. Within this context, the author uses symbolism, imagery and allegory quite skilfully through his narrator using absurd characters to tell tale. Since tall tales traditionally have been more appreciated in the West, the setting is appropriate. Humorously, the names for the dog and the "educated" frog hint at some possible political undertones. The dog, who didn’t look like much but was feisty when it came to fighting, was named for Andrew Jackson, a westerner and the seventh president of the United States. He was a man of the people and believed in democracy for all. The moral of the tale could be that the uneducated, common frog was only able to beat the educated...
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...the apartment for a drink. When her sister comes, Blanche quite frankly criticizes the place. She explains that she has come for a visit because her nerves are shattered from teaching. Noticing that the apartment has only two rooms, she has qualms about staying but she tells Stella that she can't stand being alone. She explains to Stella that their old ancestral home, Belle Reve, has been lost. While Stella goes to the bathroom, Stanley, her husband, enters and meets Blanche. He questions her about her past and especially about her earlier marriage, which upsets Blanche to the point that she feels sick. The following night Stella and Blanche plan to have dinner out and go to a movie while Stanley plays poker with his friends. But before they leave, Stanley wants to know how Belle Reve was lost. Blanche tries to explain and gives him all the papers and documents pertaining to the place. Later that night when Blanche and Stella return from their movie, the men are still playing poker. Blanche meets Mitch, one of Stanley's friends, who seems to be more sensitive than the others. While Mitch is in the second room talking to Blanche, Stanley becomes angry over a series of incidents, especially when Blanche turns on the radio. He throws the radio out the window, hits Stella when she tries to stop him, and has to be held by the other men to be kept from doing more damage. Blanche takes Stella and runs upstairs. When Stanley recovers, he calls for Stella to come down and she does. The...
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...The Gods of Hospitality in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey In Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey, much is made of hospitality as a recurring theme. In Ancient Greece the gods demand it. The nature and extent to which society today follows in that tradition has changed in form only, but not in substance. Food, shelter and protection of strangers from cultural norms of today, as the people of Ancient Greece were more inclined to take in strangers worn weary by travel. In the Iliad, the reader sees that in times of war, hospitality is provided to even the enemy. Housing strangers in one’s home was very common then, as many weary travelers trod by foot or sailed by boat to reach far-off destinations, making stops along the way. Moreover, since the Greeks believed the gods walked the earth amongst them, then turning down a travelers request, could mean rejecting a god masked from view. The Greeks took no chances in this regard; and with only a few exceptions, Homer’s literary characters comply with this religious doctrine and cultural norm. Hospitality in Ancient Greece, as portrayed by Homer, accounts, in part, for their longstanding world dominance and aligns itself in many ways with the Christianity enjoyed by many peace-loving nations of today. The guest-host relationship in both The Iliad and The Odyssey remain constant, the differences between the two dependent only on the differing circumstances posed by each tale (Biggs, Joseph, Schrodt & Dustan, n.d.) Today, America’s...
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...Living With Strangers Moving to a new place can be hard. You exchange your old surroundings with completely new ones, you have to change old habits, and you need to go out and explore new places and meet new people. This progress can be hard for some people and it will take a long time to get used to your new surroundings. Siri Hustvedt talks about this in “Living With Strangers” from 2002. In the essay Siri Hustvedt describes her experience when she moved from Minnesota to New York In 1978. The fact that it was brought in The New York Times might indicate that her essay presents the reality of the people of New York. The essay also appears like it was written to people who already have some knowledge about New York as an example she writes: “… was traveling uptown on the Second Avenue bus. At Twenty-Fourth Street …” (line 23-24 page 6). This would mean nothing to people who don’t know anything about the streets of New York and their bus system. During her essay Hustvedt reflects on the difference between her new home New York and her old home in Minnesota. She especially points out the fact, that in Minnesota everybody used to say “hi” to everybody, even people you didn’t know. Not even was it seen as being rude, but you could actually be looked at as a snob, which was the worst thing you could be looked at, but in New York it’s an entirely different story. Here it’s totally impossible to say hi to everybody, and nobody cares if you say hi to them because people don’t even...
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...being on the sea for a long time. (Looks around) I wonder what kind of place of this? Traveller: Oh, this is certainly rare... are you travellers by any chance? I’m guessing you’re lost. S4: Well, not really, but... yeah we’re kind of lost. Traveller: Hmmm... Don’t get the wrong idea, but this is a place you wouldn’t want to be in. S2: *confused* Huh? What do you mean? Traveller: *clears throat* This is the land of the Cyclopes. They are rude, lawless giants who follow no god. They are their own laws; I heard they themselves don’t get along well with each other, how much more with you? S1: Haha... well at least they don’t eat men, right? S2: Definitely! *laughs* Traveller: *smiles* They do. ... Traveller: If I were you, I’d go and leave this place as soon as possible. I just really needed to get something here *shows bag* otherwise I wouldn’t have even considered going here. It’s safe around the coast but any further would be insanity. Many have already died. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. Now if you may, I would be going now. S2: Alright, pleased to make your acquaintance. (pause) S4: Now what? S5: Let’s go back. Didn’t you hear what he said? S4: Uhmm... I guess you made a point. I don’t really wanna venture either... it gives me some kind of... S5: (interrupts) Shivers? S4: Yeah, that. S5: I knew it. It’s really...
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...ACT TWO Scene 6 Interior, Peabody Hotel, Grand Ballroom, New Years Eve 1919. BENJAMIN's real age is 59 BENJAMIN's Physical age is 21 MARGARET is 64 HATTIE is 49 VERN is 55 BENJAMIN enters and almost runs into LINDA a 19 years old who looks and acts very similar to DOROTHY from Act Two, Scene 3. BENJAMIN I didn't see you there, forgive me. LINDA No problem, it's my fault. I'm trying to get to the roof to see the fireworks before midnight. You should come up. BENJAMIN Wow, WOW! You are so familiar, this is all so familiar. You're not here with a friend are you? LINDA No, I'm here with my parents. They met here 20 years ago today. BENJAMIN You're kidding? LINDA It's true, New Years Eve 1899. The turn of the century. (VERN enters. He is...
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...story is regret and the story basically focuses on the regret of choices one makes in life. The story revolves around the protagonist Ian Harter and is told by a third person limited narrator, as only Ian’s thoughts appear in the story. Ian is our eyes throughout the story and all feelings and descriptions are from his point of view, which forces the reader to have certain impressions of the other characters. The story begins in medias res with Ian opening the door to his house finding an old alcoholic man standing on his doorstep. Ian reluctantly lets the man, Michael Phelps, into his house where Ian is alone with his daughter, Corinne, while his wife, Karen, is “staying at her mother’s for a while” (p. 2, l. 31). After asking the stranger a few questions including offering him a glass of water, Ian talks him into calling a taxi. While waiting for the taxi to arrive, Ian sees his chance to question Michael and it is revealed that Michael was associated with the former owners of Ian’s house. Ian also learns rather tragic information about Michael’s past with his family, when Michael tells Ian about his family’s rejection. When the taxi driver finally arrives and sees who his passenger is, he refuses to drive Michael. Back inside the house, Ian offers to follow Michael to his flat and therefore calls his wife to make her watch their daughter while he is out. Ian takes Michael to his filthy flat and the evening is finally over, as he returns home to his wife and daughter. ...
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...RUNNING HEAD: SHORT STORY 1 Short Story Kathe Gunckle Baker College Ms. Stacy Dacheux RUNNING HEAD: SHORT STORY 2 Abstract Wendy is doctor in a small town. She loves her job and specializes in rare diseases and how to cure them. A stranger asks her to go to a far away land where her help is needed to help people who are dying. She is concerned about going because she is afraid of stepping outside her small town and her comfort zone. While traveling she encounters those who are trying to stop her, becomes unsure about her ability to help and becomes sick herself and does not understand what she is suffering from. In the end she is able to help those in need and bring back valuable information to help others in her small town and elsewhere. RUNNING HEAD: SHORT STORY 3 Short Story Helping those who can’t help themselves is so much a part of me now; it’s hard to recall just when it started. As kids, Caitlin Morse and I would play hospital for hours on end. Each and every blond haired, blue eyed baby doll as well as each cuddly teddy bear had been bandaged, operated on and cured of every imaginable disease by the time we were 12. Caitlin went on to marry a doctor and I chose to become one...
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...The day I stepped foot into Deer Park elementary school for the first day of fifth grade my life was completely changed to a newer and more colorful existence.You see I had been attending private school, St. Paul’s, since I was two years old so I was in no way prepared for public school. But, everything changed when my mom told me next year my brother and I would be attending public school. How could this be happening I wondered, why is it now when I’m about to enter St. Paul’s school for girls that I have to leave it just wasn’t fair. In retrospect it was a silly thought because what I gained from these new experiences was more important in the long term than what I lost. As the end of fourth grade approached I grew more and more somber...
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...Switzerland is a tiny country of some 7.7 million people surrounded by four far-larger neighbours: France, Germany, Italy and Austria. Yet despite its small size, it seems everyone has an opinion about what life is like in Switzerland. For some the mountainous country is a beautiful, pristine paradise. For others it’s uptight, conservative and downright boring. Switzerland is most famous for its mountains, cheese, chocolate, cows, and watches. Of course these things are part of everyday life: check out the mouth-watering display of chocolate bars at any grocery store. But the Swiss and their country are far more complex. The biggest challenge is pinning down who exactly typifies the average Swiss: there are four different cultures and languages. Some 64 per cent of Swiss speak German. (They actually use Swiss German dialects when chatting and High German for writing). About 20 per cent speak French, seven per cent speak Italian, and less than one per cent speak Romansh. Only by living here does one learn the customs and etiquette that make the country so much more than its stereotypical image. The Swiss, for example, pursue a policy of neutrality but also have a large army to defend the country. It’s not unusual to phone up a business acquaintance and find they have left for military service for a few weeks. And while the Swiss love their rules and order, you still find places where chaos reigns. Try figuring out when to cross the road at the crosswalks known...
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...In Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye, an unconventional theory is given about time. The protagonist, Elaine, describes time as being “not a line but a dimension” (Atwood 3) and something “You don’t look back along but down through like water” (3), where events are “like a series of liquid transparencies, one laid on top of another” (3) and nothing ever disappears in it. In the novel, Elaine is forever haunted by memories of Cordelia, a childhood friend who she was both adored and tormented by. Despite not having any contact with her for several decades, Elaine continues to see Cordelia in every female she encounters in her life, causing her to have trust issues with her daughters, strangers from work as well as herself. In Cat’s Eye, Cordelia is proof that “Nothing [ever] goes away” (3) in time. To begin with, Cordelia affects the way in which Elaine views her own daughters. When they reach the age of nine, Elaine begins to fear that she may hate them, as not only was it at this age that she herself met and was terrorized by Cordelia, but because she also sees Cordelia in their every action. For instance, when her daughters begin to respond with “So?”(268) to her, Elaine suddenly sees, not her children, but Cordelia in accurate detail, as if she is standing right in front of her, and is reminded about how “Cordelia did the same thing, at the same age” (268), with “The same folded arms, the same immobile face, the blank-eyed stare” (268). This mirrors the way in which, whenever Elaine...
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...On October 23, 2016, my uncle, Mike, invited me to go on a picnic, and go to the Eagles game, in Philadelphia. The conflict of this phase autobiography is that I have not bonded well with my uncle, and I need to meet more people to improve my social skills. The characters are my uncle, who is in his late 40s and is very funny, his friend from work, Jim, who is in his early 50s and is serious, and me. The overall mood is happy or joyful, and the tone is informal and playful. My uncle and I were looking forward to spending our day at the picnic and Eagles game, and were very excited. Before I went to sleep, on the Saturday before the game, I could not wait to have a fun time with my uncle, and make new friends. The next morning, when I woke...
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...our locked doors to strangers and we do not pick up hitchhikers. We warn our children not to talk to strangers or open the door to strangers. We teach our children that strangers can be dangerous. This was not the case in ancient Greek and Roman times. Hospitality was expected, as it would save lives. The Roman and ancient Greeks had certain rules, expectations and customs as part of their culture. Xenia, meaning the relationship between host and guest was a term that the ancient Greeks used to refer to hospitality. Hospitium, was what the ancient Romans used too describe hospitality it meant the divine right of the guest to receive hospitality and the devein responsibility for a host to provide hospitality. Hospitality towards a stranger or a traveler was an important element in the ancient Greek and Roman culture. The Odyssey and the Aeneid best demonstrate 1) why hospitality is so important, 2) what do the gods have to do with hospitality, and 3) what was expected from the host as well as the guest. There are many reasons why hospitality was so important in those times. It was for shelter, food, protection and most importantly it was a matter of life or death. One example would be Odysseus’s long traveling in the Odyssey. Traveling back then was not as advanced as it is today. The method of traveling was done by boat or on foot. This meant that many nights would be spent away from home and the travelers would have to rely on the hospitality of strangers for food and shelter...
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