Comparison Othello Play And Film English Literature Essay

Comparison Othello Play And Film English Literature Essay This paper considers the similarities and differences between two versions of Othello; the play itself, and the 1995 film version directed by Oliver Parker. The plot remains the same, as do the characters, and the setting as Parker chooses to film it as the original time period and locations. Parker does however update it in other ways, and those updates are what provide some of the differences between the two. The areas in which the play and film differ are: the interpretation of the character Iago; the use of fantasy sequences; and the fact that Parker adaptation has cut much of the text. The first is probably the one of greatest importance. Rather than altering the story the director effectively employs his cinematic  Ã‚  tools to convey the depth of emotion and conflict experienced by both Othello and Iago.  Ã‚  The use of dream sequencing makes Othellos agony over the proposed affair tangible and accessible to the audience in a way that his monologue in the play is unable to achieve.  Ã‚  Similarly, Iagos direct and menacing soliloquies with the audience via the camera conveys his Machiavellian intentions to destroy Othello with much more meaning. The film begins by showing the secrecy of the marriage between Othello and Desdemona. They marry at night and when all are sleeping. Also scenes of them kissing as Othello tells of his feelings for her to the Senators. This scene helps build upon the passionate love felt between Othello and Desdemona. It also allows us to see his arrogance in his status and deserving of Desdemona. You see how his confidence and pride are what he identifies himself with. But the expression of Iagos feeling toward Othello in the film are very similar as to the book version expression of it. I hate the Moor is clear enough, but Iago is alone when he says it, so he doesnt reveal the depth of his loathing to anyone. However, in the plays very first scene Roderigo says Thou toldst me thou didst hold him in they hate to which Iago replies Despise me if I do not (Othello. 1.1). We dont see this in the film. In the film however, we see the how when Iago is coming up with his plan to destroy Othello he uses ch ess pieces. Once he has devised his plan to use Cassio as the pawn, he situates the black King and white Queen pieces as and inserts a White Knight in between the two. This shows his mischievous nature developing as the fireplace in the background and use of lightening helps to build the feeling of his wickedness. All the while you see how he is everyones friend and so helpful. And then again peeling a fruit with his dagger watching Cassio and Desdemona and uttering detestable words. Honest Iago he is called by Othello, as he hugs him and looks into the camera with an expression of I just fooled him. This difference in the split personality if you will, is much easier felt in the film with his facial expressions and the music that is played in the background. You also see the use of armour and horses that illustrate how honourably and noble Othello is. He comes across as being so brave as they win the Turks. This help set up the disbelief felt as you see Othello engulfed by weakness of pride and naivety. Other changes include the overt sexuality displayed by Laurence Fishburne, who shares a fairly explicit sex scene with Irene Jacob, his Desdemona. In the play it seems the two have not had much time together and the relationship seems very chaste; here it is sexually charged. The movie continues to show scenes of Othello and Desdemona having intercourse. This is I believe a way to modernize the version to appeal to another audience. That sexuality also comes into play in the use of the fantasy sequences in which Othello dreams of finding Desdemona and Cassio together in bed. This never happened in the play-they are both entirely innocent-but in the film, Othello is dreaming and we see what he sees: the camera shows us Desdemona, nude, from the back; as she sits up and turns around, she reveals Cassio who is looking up in surprise. Then Othello sits up in bed, sweat pouring down his face, and we realize hes had a nightmare. In using these fantasy sequences, Parker has given concrete f orm to Othellos worst fears. This is precisely what he is afraid of, that Desdemona doesnt really love him and has taken Cassio as her lover. By showing us the couple, the affair begins to seem less like an impossibility; we see that such a thing might actually happen, particularly as Desdemona is kind and Cassio is young. However, Shakespeare makes it clear that although Cassio cares for Desdemona, he would never overstep the bounds; and although she is fond of him, her great love is Othello. We see how Desdemonas respect for Cassio is interpreted by Othello as something deeper. However, having the visual image of the two of them before his eyes makes Othellos fears and obsession take on a real shape. He is no longer suspicious of something he cannot describe, he has seen it in his dreams, and as he broods on these visions, he becomes easier and easier for Iago to manipulate. All too real then Othello remembers what Desdemonas father said to him. She has deceived her father, and may thee. That is all the confirmation he needs to begin the real consideration that this may be real. Parkers inclusion of the fantasy scenes gives an extra dimension to the story. We see how Othello is agonizing over the possibility that Desdemona has fooled him. As the movie progresses and we see the use of the handkerchief, the building up of the search for the truth is being blinded by what Othello is using to confirm his fantasies. Iagos manipulation of the handkerchief is the turning point in the film as well as in the play. The film illustrate the intensity of the trance and epilepsy Othello is feeling as he see Bianca give the handkerchief to Cassio. But when Emilia give Iago the handkerchief there is a difference from the play version. In the play, Iago simple takes it from Emilia as he walks in after Desdemona and Othello leave the room. However, in the film she brings it to him in bed and when he discovers she has taken it he is aroused. He is ready to perform but stops to give his soliloquy on how this with seal the deal. He smells it, then throws it up in the air. The scene changes to Cassio looking out the window as the handkerchief falls into his hands. These differences in how the handkerchief is used illustrate the progression of Iagos plan. The passing on from one sequence of a plan to the next. passion that became too intense and became the ultimate crime of passion.

Effect of Sleep Quality on IQ Experiment

Effect of Sleep Quality on IQ Experiment Project Report Title: Do sleeping qualities affect IQ? Abstract As sleep is so important that we cannot live without, there must be some reasons. Research has proven that it is associated with many other aspects of our lives such as IQ and mood. It is a process to maintain the wellbeing of our internal functioning and an activity that we necessitate, not an option. The present research examined the effects of the quality of sleep people have on IQ. 100 individuals participated in the research and were asked to complete a sleep scale made by the researchers and an IQ test. The results signify that there was a significant positive correlation between one’s quality of sleep and how intelligent they are. There was also a surprise finding of a significant difference between genders, where the results for females was significant but not for males. Introduction Why do we sleep? Every single creature on earth needs to spend time sleeping every day as a natural part of our lives; we spend on average a third of our lives sleeping. Many people decide however to spend less than the recommended time to accomplish certain tasks, there are many theories as to the exact reason why humans spend time sleeping although none of them ultimately conclusive. Investigation carried out by the National Science Foundation (1999-2004) showed that nearly 12% out of the 320 million American population suffer from different sleeping disorders. Moreover, 69% of children have reported having sleeping difficulties once or twice a week. In many cases when these symptoms occur, they are often being ignored and untreated (F. Dinges et al. 2005). In light of this we can see the ways in which sleep has an effect in many people’s lives, as well as the effects it can have on our external and internal environment. It is essential that we have good understanding of the importance of sleep, as factors such as having a higher IQ score is reflective variables such as better mood states, having the recommended hours of sleep and having a good sleeping quality. Recent research by Blackwell et al. (2014) has found that older men have developed an cognitive decline as they have an appalling quality of sleep. However, they have found no association between sleep duration and decline of the cognitive system. Even though it has no link between sleep duration and cognitive functioning, humans still need a certain amount of sleep everyday in order to have a good sleep quality. The following are some factors that will affect sleeping quality or being affected by the lack of sleep. 1. Using phones Using phone or any other electronic appliances before sleep might associate with bad sleeping quality as it can causes cognitive stimulation.(Adams et al. 2013) Just before you sleep, your brain’s electrical activity should start to decrease and neurons begin to slow down. However with the use of an electronic device, the opposite effect takes place; the light from electronic appliances such as your phone can prevent your body from resting. The light will essentially pass through the retina into the hypothalamus, making your body become tense thus causing a production of the stress hormone cortisol. As a result the body’s â€Å"fight or flight† response would occur. Thus delaying the secretion of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, ultimately leading to a bad sleeping quality. 2.Mood Throughout the day many of us experience events or situations that can ultimately affect our mood. However if someone is experiencing a bad or low mood it can be found there is an association between this variable and sleeping quality. Some researchers have found relationships between the mood of an individual and the quality of sleep they receive. (Zawadzki et al. 2013) They found that people who have certain emotion disorders such as depression or anxiety are at a higher risk of developing certain disorder such as insomnia, which ultimately decreases one’s sleeping quality. Research by Meltzer, L. J., Mindell, J. A. (2007) has also proved that people with sleeping disorders are likely to have mood disorders and stress related illnesses too; it is found that having difficulty in and lack of sleeping are normally the first symptoms and a great risk factor when a mood disorder first develops. 3. Hours of sleep The amount of sleep one receives ultimately varies among different age groups. There was a study in 2005 by Ursin et al. that showed how the amount of sleep people received varied across populations. There were 3531 males and 5329 females, a total of 8860 participants, age ranged from 40 to 45. Participants were from Bergen and other four communities. They found that people with different work shifts, place of living education and marital status have variations in sleep duration. It was genuinely suggested that an adult should have at least 7 to 8 hours sleep a day. If taken from a biological perspective, it was also proposed that there were certain traits to indentify within genes that provide a predictor of on average how much sleep one is likely to engage in. With regards to previous research the goal of our study was to investigate whether sleep quality has an effect on IQ. This was a correlation study using 100 participants and our predictive hypothesis would be that the quality of sleep people receive does in fact have an association with IQ levels. Method Participants For this research, a sample of 100 participants (57 Females and43 Males) aged 18 or above were selected(M=23.56,SD=6.08) and obtained through opportunity sampling which included Psychology Undergraduates from University of Warwick as well as their families and friends. Their participation in the study was voluntary and they were not paid for their participation. Design This was a correlation study. This was a within subject design under self-report condition. The independent variable for this research would be the sleeping quality (mood, hours of sleep and use of electronic devices) of the participants which was being measured through a sleep scale. The dependent variable was the participants’ IQ , that they would scored on in IQ test given after completing their sleeping scale. Material A Sleeping Quality Scale which was developed by the researchers, driven by the formed hypothesis and literature reviewed. The scale consisted of 7 questions and an IQ test of 30 questions which was found on (www.iqtest.com). Please refer to Figure 1 for the sleeping quality scale used. The questions in the IQ test were generated through the following aspects: General knowledge, solving problems through mathematics, logic and analogy. The Brief Mood Introspection Scale by John D. Mayer was also used in the research, using these symbols ‘ XX,X,V,VV’ to indicate their mood state. Procedure Firstly, participants were informed of the procedure, were given a consent form and asked to sign and write their require contact details. They were then given a short semi-structured questionnaire (the sleeping quality scale) which stated â€Å"Please put a tick in the box which suits you the most† at the beginning of the page. The questionnaire consisted of seven questions about their sleeping quality such as the amount of sleep they have every night and the amount of time they took to fall asleep. They were also asked about their use of electronic devices, the number of electronic devices they own, hours spent on electronic devices as well as the hours spent each week using one at their place of employment. A Brief Mood Introspection Scale was given afterwards, there were two groups of adjectives about mood which were in positive and negative aspects, XX, X, V, and VV were used to indicate their mood. If they definitely did not feel that particular mood at that mo ment they would select â€Å"XX† and select â€Å"X† if they do not feel in that mood. Similarly, if they feel that particular mood slightly, they would select â€Å"V† and they would select ‘VV’ if they were definitely in that specific mood. After completing both of the scales, they were given an IQ test which contained 30 questions. In each question there was a statement, the participants had to indicate whether it was true or false. They were asked to complete the scales and the IQ test in silence and were given as much time as they needed to complete both. The participant’s identity was left as anonymous. The Sleeping quality Scale was marked out of 142 (M=110.75,SD=13.75) and the IQ test was marked out of 150 (M=91.08,SD=12.64). If a participant was to score (142) on the sleep quality questionnaire, the sleep scale would determine that they have high sleep quality and therefore a score of 0 would determine a low sleep quality as 142 is t he maximum score that can be obtained. Correspondingly, if a participant was to score (150) in the IQ test would determine they are highly intelligent. The higher they got in the IQ test, the higher their level of intelligence. After the study was completed, participants were debriefed of the aims of the study and thanked for their time. Results Please refer to Table 1 for all the means and standard deviations of the sleeping scale and the IQ test. Our hypothesis was that the score of the sleeping quality scale participants would positively correlate with their IQ test score and was successfully proved by our results. There was nothing major went wrong in the conduct of the study. When examining the effects of sleeping quality on IQ, researchers created a sleep questionnaire and an IQ test found online. The dependent variable was the score participants gained in the IQ test. In the IQ test, participants will be awarded 5 marks for each question that they have answered correctly. There were 30 questions, so the highest they could get was 150. We used the scores they got from the IQ test to determine how intelligent they were. The Sleep Scale consisted of 7 questions and was marked out of 142. The higher they scored on the Sleep Scale, the better sleep quality they have. Referring to results Table 1, participants’ mean IQ score was above national average (M=110.75, SD=13.75) and their scores from the sleeping scale was rel atively high (M=91.08,SD=12.65). However, when looking at the genders separately from Table 3 Table 4, females (M=109.91, SD=13.61) was slightly less intelligent than males (M=111.86, SD=14.02) based on their performance on this IQ test; males also show slightly better quality of sleep (M=92.42,SD=11.67) than females (M=90.07,SD=13.35). Pearson Correlation test had surprisingly shown that females had a significant result r(57)=.306,p.05. This corresponded to sleep quality does have an effect on females’ IQ score while for male, the two factors do not associate with each other. Overall, it was found that sleep quality was positively correlated with IQ score gained, r(100)=.269, p Descriptive Statistics Table 1 Means and standard deviations of measures taken. Table 2 Zero-order correlations among measures taken. Note – N = 100. Correlations are controlling for other variable. Figure 1. The correlation between the scores participants gets in the sleeping scale and their IQ. Figure 2. The correlation between the scores females gets in the sleeping scale and their IQ. Table 3. Means and standard deviations of measures taken (female). Table 5. Zero-order correlation among measures taken (female). Figure 3. The correlation between the scores males gets in the sleeping scale and their IQ. Table 4. Means and standard deviations of measures taken (male). Table 6. Zero-order correlation among measures taken (male). Discussion Our hypothesis was that sleeping quality does have an association with IQ test performance. The predicted hypothesis was supported by the results obtained. However there is divergence exists in the gender. It has always been suggested that there is a link between sleep quality and cognitive functioning and IQ. Not only does the outside elements that might affect our quality of sleep but also the inside elements that we cannot ignore. The time participants took the test also has an impact on the score they gained, besides, it has been purposed that IQ does change over life span. Barter, E. A. (1997). Recent research from Gruber et al. (2013) has found out that sleep quality does have an effect on children’s IQ measures, however the underlying mechanism stay unidentified. They found that when the frequency of the sleep spindle was lower, it was associated with better performance on WISC-IV scales (a working memory scale) So, when considering the environment that affects our sleep quality, we should also consider the biological aspects (e.g. the sleep spindle). Gruber et al. (2013) conducted a research to investigate whether sleep quality does have an effect on children’s IQ performances. They hypothesised that sleep spindles frequencies, amplitude and duration would be associate with the performance on perceptual reasoning, verbal comprehension and working memory. However, after completing the study, they found that although there was an association between sleep spindle frequency and better performance on the perceptual reason and working memory but not with the per formance of the IQ test. Also, as sleep is such an essential part of our lives, government and companies should purpose more policies that encourage and ensure their citizens to have more sleep. Research from Kyle Stanyar (2012) has proved that high workload, lengthy shift work and work weeks has an association with poor sleep quality. Therefore, government should not just place emphasize on school children but also working adults. The research stresses the importance of the quality of sleep to IQ. Significance difference were indicated in the results, the quality of sleep does affect IQ in Females. This might be because of the biological difference in genders that researchers might consider when replicating this research. Reference Adams et al. adolescent Sleep and cellular Phone Use: recent trends and implications for research. Health Services Insights 2013:6 99–103 American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2014, March 31). Poor sleep quality linked to cognitive decline in older men. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 5, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140331170557.htm Barter, E. A. (1997). Stability and change in IQ scores: An eleven-year study in children ages 6-17. (Order No. 1384630, California State University, Fullerton). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 77-77 p. Retrieved from http://0-search.proquest.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/docview/304428718?accountid=14888. (304428718). Dewald, J. F., Meijer, A. M., Oort, F. J., Kerkhof, G. A., Bà ¶gels, S. M. (2010). The influence of sleep quality, sleep duration and sleepiness on school performance in children and adolescents: A meta-analytic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 14, 179-189. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2009.10.004 Epstein, L. J. (2008) Sleep and mood. Retrieved on 4/5/14 from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/mood. Gruber, R., Wise, M. S., Frenette, S., Knà ¤auper, B., Boom, A., Fontil, L., Carrier, J. (2013). The association between sleep spindles and IQ in healthy school-age children. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 89, 229-240. Gruber, R., Laviolette, R., Deluca, P., Monson, E., Cornish, K., Carrier, J. (2010). Short sleep duration is associated with poor performance on IQ measures in healthy school-age children. Sleep Medicine, 11, 289-294. Hatfield,H. (2008). Power down for better sleep. Retrieved on 4/5/14 from http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/power-down-better-sleep. Kong, F., Li, Q., Liu, S. (2011). Poor sleep quality predicts decreased cognitive function independently of chronic mountain sickness score in young soldiers with polycythemia stationed in tibet. High Altitude Medicine Biology, 12, 237-242. Meltzer, L. J., Mindell, J. A. (2007). Relationship between child sleep disturbances and maternal sleep, mood, and parenting stress: A pilot study. Journal of Family Psychology, 21, 67-73. Ursin R; Bjorvatn B; Holsten F et al. Sleep duration, subjective sleep need, and sleep habits of 40- to 45-year-olds in the Hordaland health study. SLEEP 2005;28: 1260-1269. Zawadzki, M. J., Graham, J. E., Gerin, W. (2013). Rumination and anxiety mediate the effect of loneliness on depressed mood and sleep quality in college students. Health Psychology, 32, 212-222.

Hester as A Self-Reliant Character Essay -- essays research papers

Individualism in a Society-Based World   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a society-centered world, living as self-reliant can be a difficult task to accomplish because society puts pressure on its members to conform to its standards. Nonconformists are eluded by society and consequently have difficulty retaining their nonconformist position. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s â€Å"Self Reliance†, those who express themselves and dismiss the role of consistency are misunderstood, but great and as a result will ultimately rise in a â€Å"morally perfect,† but hypocritical society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was created as a self-reliant character that indirectly exploits the flaws and hypocrisy of Puritan society, as well as to prove Hester as a survivor. In addition to Hester and self-reliance, Hawthorne reveals the hypocrisy of Puritan society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hester is a symbol of self-reliance because she resumes wearing the scarlet letter â€Å"A,† a symbol of her adulterous act and she stayed loyal to herself by daring to live beyond the petty rules of Puritan society. She is obviously not repentant, as she chooses to remain in Boston, even when she is free to go elsewhere and start a new life. â€Å"Here had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene her earthly punishment; and so perchance, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soil, and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like bec...

World War II :: World War 2 Two

World War 11 When the World War I broke out in 1914, with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia. America’s first reaction was to stay out to conflict. President Wilson, in his speech to the Congress on August 19, 1914 said: "Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality. The United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men’s souls. We must be impartial in thought as well as in action." All American leaders favored neutrality. While the entire European continent was divided into two camps: Germany, Austria, Hungary and Turkey as Central Powers were pitted against the Allied powers: Serbia, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy and Russia. As the war progressed, American public sympathies veered to the Allied side. Under the leadership of J.P. Morgan and Company many banking firms gave huge loans to the Allied powers. By international rules the neutral country could trade with any other neutral nation and also with other ’belligerent’ countries not facing a blockade. The Americans wished to continue trade with both belligerent sides. In the initial stages of the war the British blockade of Germany created problems for the U.S. The British tried to stop all trade between Germany and the rest of the world. They extended their blockade by controlling imports to other neutral countries like Holland, Denmark and Sweden with are geographically close to Germany The Americans protested against the violation of neutral rights though Wilson never put undue pressure on England as no U.S. citizen lost his life due to the blockade. Moreover, all cargo seized was paid for at war. It was the German use of submarines in the war that brought the U.S. in direct confrontation with Germany. The German submarines fired indiscriminately at neutral ships too. The last straw was when the British passenger liner ’Lusitania’ was sunk by German submarines on May 7. It resulted in the loss of 1,200 lives which included 128 Americans. The American public was outraged. President Wilson immediately demanded compensation from Germany in a series of notes to Berlin. The tone of these notes was very crisp and harsh. Ten months after the incident, Germany apologized for the sinking and offered a compensation for the loss. But the U.S. was not satisfied. Wilson wanted to make Germany stop the use of submarines in the war.

Pacemakers Allow Millions to Live Life to the Fullest :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Pacemakers Allow Millions to Live Life to the Fullest I always thought that pacemakers were for old people or people that had really serious heart conditions. My opinion of that drastically changed last summer after my then eighteen year old friend had to have one implanted. I never new how pacemakers worked or what they did, I just knew that you could not ride roller coasters if you have one. My fascination with pacemakers all started last summer. It was right after graduation and my friends and I were all enjoying the summer. Then during the early hours of June 4th I received the scariest call ever. My friend Mike called and said that Brian's heart stopped beating and he was being rushed to the hospital. I immediately threw on some shoes and headed out the door. The whole way to the hospital I kept thinking, what happened? Brian was one of the healthiest people that I know. He worked out a lot and always ate right. He was in perfect shape. When I reached the hospital I met up with Brian's family and our friends. No one knew what happened and even the doctors still weren't sure what caused Brian's heart to stop. We spent the whole night praying and waiting for a miracle. I remember the day like it was yesterday, we just had prom and graduation and then here Brian was lying in a hospital bed unconscious. I just couldn't understand, the doctors speculated that it might have been from alcohol or drugs but Brian would never do that. Then they thought that maybe he had a seizure caused by a brain aneurysm, but that still wasn't right. To this day we still do not know what caused his heart to stop. Anyways, the doctors thought that Brian should have a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted so if this scary event reoccurred again his heart would start automatically. I did not understand what a pacemaker was but I was for anything that would help prolong my best friend's life. The pacemaker was implanted a few days before Brian was supposed to leave the hospital and he returned home after just two days recovery. After that he took it easy for a few months, and then was back to his normal old self. I did not know what a pacemaker did until about a month ago when we had to choose a research topic. Pacemakers Allow Millions to Live Life to the Fullest :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers Pacemakers Allow Millions to Live Life to the Fullest I always thought that pacemakers were for old people or people that had really serious heart conditions. My opinion of that drastically changed last summer after my then eighteen year old friend had to have one implanted. I never new how pacemakers worked or what they did, I just knew that you could not ride roller coasters if you have one. My fascination with pacemakers all started last summer. It was right after graduation and my friends and I were all enjoying the summer. Then during the early hours of June 4th I received the scariest call ever. My friend Mike called and said that Brian's heart stopped beating and he was being rushed to the hospital. I immediately threw on some shoes and headed out the door. The whole way to the hospital I kept thinking, what happened? Brian was one of the healthiest people that I know. He worked out a lot and always ate right. He was in perfect shape. When I reached the hospital I met up with Brian's family and our friends. No one knew what happened and even the doctors still weren't sure what caused Brian's heart to stop. We spent the whole night praying and waiting for a miracle. I remember the day like it was yesterday, we just had prom and graduation and then here Brian was lying in a hospital bed unconscious. I just couldn't understand, the doctors speculated that it might have been from alcohol or drugs but Brian would never do that. Then they thought that maybe he had a seizure caused by a brain aneurysm, but that still wasn't right. To this day we still do not know what caused his heart to stop. Anyways, the doctors thought that Brian should have a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted so if this scary event reoccurred again his heart would start automatically. I did not understand what a pacemaker was but I was for anything that would help prolong my best friend's life. The pacemaker was implanted a few days before Brian was supposed to leave the hospital and he returned home after just two days recovery. After that he took it easy for a few months, and then was back to his normal old self. I did not know what a pacemaker did until about a month ago when we had to choose a research topic.

A Closer Look into the Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion was one of the many periods of history that has almost been forgotten by Western historians despite its importance and impact in Chinese history. Eventually, information regarding this rebellion had resurfaced which some historians have considered to be mythical in the sense that some historians have concentrated the information regarding the Boxer Rebellion only on certain portions that they have deemed to be beneficial to the current society of the country.In line with this, this paper aims to provide an analytical report justifying that the Boxer Rebellion, although may have begun as a political and economical uprising, most of the efforts done during the Boxer Rebellion was to prevent Western culture and tradition from tainting Chinese culture, particularly in terms of religion. This paper will also provide evidence to justify as to why many historians have considered the current image of the Boxer Rebellion to be a myth.In order to present the analysis report with regards to the Boxer Rebellion movement comprehensively, a brief overview of Chinese society during the period when the Boxer Rebellion arose should be first discussed. The Boxer Rebellion first gained attention in the year 1898 (Ch'en 290). During this time, China was currently under the governance of the Qing dynasty. Unlike the Ming dynasty before it, the Qing dynasty was not comprised of Manchus, foreigners from Manchuria who obtained governance on China as a result of conquest.The Manchus, as how the Chinese called them, were viewed as both privileged and idlers, with majority of the Manchus consuming one-third of the total revenue of the country (Purcell i-ii). It was also during this period a shift on the basis of the country's economy from land acquisition to credit acquisition. In fact, Mark Elvin, author of â€Å"The Pattern of the Chinese Past† that was published in 1973 stated that usury, which was the term given to the act of controlling economic resources, became a â€Å"a more important source of social and economic power in the countryside than ownership of land† (as cited in Wakeman, Jr.202). Apart from this, international trade and commerce that were previously banned during the Ming dynasty were re-established (Van de Van 230). Despite the shift in economic power, many members of the lower class in Chinese society still did not enjoy the independence enjoyed by the richer farmers and land owners because the practices of the moneylenders did not provide those the peasants with what they had considered to be essential to their way of life.Instead, they viewed this change in the economic power in Chinese society as a fragile and false link between the Manchu rulers and the Chinese subordinates. As such, most of the uprisings that had occurred during this period of time have been linked to peasantry revolts whose goals centered on the quest to equalize the land and resources (Wakeman Jr. 202-03). The above stated situation th e China during the period of the Boxer Rebellion may have been the reason why many have associated this movement to be another peasantry revolt against the Manchu government.This was also supported by the fact that majority of the Boxers, as how they were called, were young male peasants, and that their revolt actions included stampeding into the cities and burning down blocks of the finest stores and offices of moneylenders (Liu 102). Furthermore, there have been only limited accounts on the Boxer Rebellion movement with these limited resources depicting the members of the Boxer Revolt as being hostile (Ch'en 290). While the characteristics of the Boxers were similar to that of other peasant revolts against the Manchu government, the aims and objectives of the Boxers Revolution was nothing similar.In fact, for a brief period in time, the Manchu monarchy – headed by Empress Dowager Cixi – supported the Boxers Movement (Liu 102). This is primarily due to the aims and ob jectives of the Boxers Movement. Because of the re-opening of international trade routes, many of the Chinese began to develop as sense of Xenophobia, which is, the fear of foreign rule. As international foreign trade blossomed, foreigners began to come in not just with raw items and other commodities, but also their own beliefs, particularly Christianity (Ch'en 290-91).Unlike the Westerners, the Chinese have patronized and supported their current government despite themselves being foreigners as well. This was because when the Chinese were brought under the rule of the Manchus, it was the Manchus and not the Chinese who assimilated themselves to the culture and society of Chinese to the point that if one would compare a Manchu and a Chinese side-by-side, only subtle differences can be viewed between them (Purcell 2). This is not the case with the Westerners who have been known to subtly invade other countries through the process of â€Å"cultural imperialism.† Cultural imper ialism has been defined as the process of a foreign country to impose in a coercive manner, usually through political and economical methods, their beliefs, customs and traditions to another country, usually one that they have deemed to be more inferior than they were (Dunch 302). In the case of China, through its trade activities with European countries, has been viewed to be a country that was static, as compared to the European countries where advancements in technology was at its peak (Purcell 3).As a result, missionaries began to flock into China and began to establish schools in the Shandong province (Liu 103-04). Eventually, many of the Chinese have slowly begun to view these foreign missionaries as a threat to their cultural identity, especially after the missionaries were slowly being granted diplomatic and military support from the Qing dynasty monarchy. The Manchu monarchy increased the ranks and privileges of the foreign missionaries. One example of this was the bishop s ituated in the Shandong province was given the rank by the Empress Dowager Cixi similar to that of the Chinese governor of the province.On top of that, the monsignors and the priests situated in various parts of China were regarded to have the same political power as the Chinese prefects and magistrates. Because of the political power that was granted to the foreign missionaries, they were able to handle their missionary work in a more convenient manner. Not only could they not be touched by members of the local government within the area that they are ministering, but also they had the authority to protect those who have been converted into Christendom against any actions made by local authorities that they consider as harassment on the part of their converts (Liu 104).The members of the Boxers have viewed the actions of the Catholic missionaries as a way not just to make their mark in their culture, but also as a slow, but steady method of overthrowing their monarchy and their gov ernment and invading them. The Boxers viewed Christianity as a form of heresy and against the teachings of both Confucianism and Taoism, which are the prominent religions in China during this period (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 8). It was for this reason that the Boxers launched a propaganda movement against foreign missionaries.As far as the Boxers were concerned, their propaganda movement was justified by the literary pieces that were centered in both Confucianism and Taoism. Perhaps the most influential of these lyric pieces was a lyric poem which they have believed was composed by the god Chi-Kung, who shared it to the Boxers through the medium. The poem referred to the Chinese Christian converts as people â€Å"who have lost all their senses† and whose â€Å"aim was to engulf the whole country† and to â€Å"deceive our Emperor† (Ch'en 292).The propaganda literature distributed by the Boxers echoed the message of the poem of Chi-Kung. These literatur e included notices that they boldly advocated, such as the message that â€Å"The heresy [heresy referring to the missionaries and their converts] has no respect for either gods or Buddhas† (Ch'en 293). Based on these propaganda, it is clear that the Boxer Rebellion Movement's aim was to wipe out foreign missionaries by any means possible in order to protect their beloved emperor and his family as well as the common people of China (Ch'en 293).Sadly, the government that they were trying to protect did not share in their vision. In the end, the Qing dynasty suppressed the Boxer movement and all forms of literature associated with the movement (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 15). There were a number of reasons as to why history presented the Boxer Rebellion more as a political revolution as opposed to a movement to protect the culture, government and people of China during the 19th century.One reason for this was that, as mentioned, all documents pertaining to the Boxer Mo vement, especially those that supported the Boxer Movement were destroyed. What were left were official documents and other forms of literature that were written by those who opposed the Boxer Revolution Movement. These documents depicted the Boxers as a group of illiterate individuals who were afraid of advancement and progress (â€Å"History in Three Keys† 15).But the primary reason for the difference of the viewpoint regarding the Boxer Rebellion Movement was on the historians themselves. While it is true that majority of historians document events that had occurred in a particular area during a particular period based on facts in order to provide the readers an objective viewpoint that is as accurate as the facts and evidences may allow them to, there remains some historians who have been considered by their colleagues as â€Å"mythologizers† (â€Å"The Contested Past† 82).These kinds of historians have been described as those who have a clear understanding of the past events and have access to the same evidences and facts that are available to historians, sociologists, anthropologists and the like. The difference lies in the manner on how they utilize these facts and evidences in their writings. Instead of providing the reader an objective, play-by-play account of the events that had occurred during a particular point in time, mythologizers have been known to utilize the facts and evidences to create an account of a historical event to serve another purpose.These purposes include political reform and psychological formation of the reader (â€Å"The Contested Past 82-83). Examples of this can be found with regards to the manner on how various authors whose works have long been considered as historical accounts on the Boxer Revolution. In one account which was entitled â€Å"The Boxers' Conquest of the Westerners,† the Boxers were described as a group of individuals who were superstitious and irrational.In fact, not much attenti on was actually given to this over the more noble reason for the revolt, which was the protection and preservation of Chinese culture from the changes being imposed by foreign missionaries. As a result, this historical account presented the Chinese as a people who, in a period when everyone else were trying to advance themselves, remained superstitious by believing that gods and deities still correspond through mediums in order for the people to do their bidding as well as a country whose people remained ignorant and even barbaric (â€Å"The Contested Past† 84).Chen's Duxiu's essay is another example of mythologization of the Boxer Revolution. In his essay, he firmly addressed and justified that the Boxer Revolution was brought about by the influence of Confucianism, Taoism and other religions present in China during that period of time has led to the Boxer Uprising. Duxiu further stated that since these religions are still prevalent in China to this very day, it would not be long before another Boxer Revolution will take place (â€Å"The Contested Past† 85).While this does have some truth in it, it is also not entirely accurate because Duxiu failed to take into consideration that one of the main reasons why the Boxer Revolution erupted was because of the imminent overthrow of the current monarchy ruling China brought about by the government itself by providing political power to a certain extent to the foreign missionaries. This allowed them to be in a position to choose on whether they would follow the rulings of the local government where they were ministering.In fact, the term â€Å"Boxer† Revolution by itself may be considered to be a form of mythologization. In his article, Lu Xun had presented it as a metaphor to present the ignorance of the Chinese during the 19th century in his statement â€Å"[†¦] if the Chinese don't learn the military art of using rattan shields, how can they protect themselves against firearms[†¦]â €  (as cited in â€Å"The Contested Past† 86). To summarize, the Boxer Revolution that occurred during the Qing dynasty was brought about by a number of historical events.The first was the experience of the Chinese towards foreign invasion. Although they were currently being ruled by foreigners from Manchuria, they did not fear that this would bring about a loss of their cultural identity and heritage. This was because the foreign rulers assimilated themselves into the Chinese culture and traditions to a point wherein Manchus living in China were not that different from the Chinese. The second historical event was the re-opening of international trade routes by the Manchus during the Qing dynasty that have been closed during the Ming dynasty.While this benefited the country economically with traders bringing in rare commodities in exchange for Chinese goods, it had also paved the way for European missionaries to enter the country, bringing in Christianity into China. This event has caused many of the converts to turn their backs from local customs and traditions, hence, their own cultural identity. The third was the decision made by the Manchu government through Empress Dowager Cixi to grant the foreign missionaries some form of political power. This proved to be the biggest threat viewed by the Boxer Revolt.The decision made by the Empress Dowager has not only provided the foreign missionaries some form of leniency which would allow them to practice their faith and to convert Chinese into Christianity more freely, but it also allowed the foreign missionaries not to adhere with the local government in the various provinces where they were ministering. This is because the political power granted by the Empress to the foreign missionaries has caused them to have the same political powers as those in the local government, if not higher.Based on the evidence presented, the preconceived notion that the Boxers were predominantly made out of peasants is ina ccurate. On the contrary, the evidence have suggested that the Boxer Revolution was actually a movement that was composed largely of educated individuals and since education was a privilege that was enjoyed by the elite during this period of time, it can be assumed that the Boxer Revolution was a revolution created by the elite.This conclusion has been based on the development of the aim of the Boxer Revolution which was to wipe out the foreign missionaries in order to preserve and protect the Emperor of China and its people. They had based this on literary pieces that were usually accessible only to the elite. Among these forms of literature were the plays, poetry and teachings of Confucius and Tao.It will be highly illogical to state that the Boxers were mainly comprised of illiterate individuals since the only way for these to become the basis of the Boxers Movement is if and only if these someone who is literate, that is someone who could both read and write, would be able to no t only understand these forms of literature but would have the capacity to disseminate these information to others.Also, the preconception that the Boxer Revolution was a revolt against the Manchu government has been disproved by the information presented in this paper as well. While it may be true that the Boxer Revolution was ultimately suppressed by the Manchu government, among the objectives of the revolution movement was to protect their Emperor and Empress Dowager. They had viewed the actions of the foreign missionaries as a step closer for cultural imperialism to become rampant in the country.Cultural imperialism refers to the act of members from a foreign country to bring in their own customs, beliefs and traditions into another country and would slowly assimilate this to the citizens of that particular country, usually through some form of political force. The most common method used for cultural imperialism is through religion. This was the case in the Boxer movement.

Understanding Bodybuilding

If Greek mythology existed, bodybuilding would be the sport made for the gods. It is a sport that demands more than most can give. Bodybuilding is not for the faint of heart, nor the weak minded. To be successful is this grueling sport you must have the mentality of success imprinted on your thoughts everyday. Once you have achieved this mentality you no longer spend idle time pondering empty thoughts, but instead you learn to use your mind consciously, every day, as if being in a constant state of meditation, with your thoughts fixed on the end result.Having that end result be the ability to unveil something that is more then beautiful. Before I sold my soul to my education, I was an active bodybuilder who loved everything about the sport. I was introduced to this sport when I was 12, although I remember it like it was yesterday. I went with my mom to the grocery store to try and convince her that buying Reeses would somehow be a great idea. As we were walking I decided to look for the biggest bag I could find. I cut through the section with all the magazines to get to the candy isle as quick as possible.It was in that isle, on a muscle mag magazine that I first saw a picture of a man named Dorian Yates. A man that stood 6’1, 270lbs, with what looked like only muscle. I remember staring at the front cover for what felt like a lifetime, I knew from that second, that’s what I want to look like. I no longer wanted to be a pro football player, or a pro basketball player; I wanted to be a professional bodybuilder. I forgot completely about the candy, found my mom and asked if I could push the cart from then on.Of course, at that time I was too young to venture into anything that resembled a bodybuilding lifestyle, yet I still used my little weights every night. It wasn’t until I was 18 that my bodybuilding mentality took over my mind. Going into my first year of high school I met this girl who slowly became my upmost passion. We started dating before I could even drive, until my first semester in college, she was my world. I loved everything about this girl and was certain she was that one I would spend the rest of my life with. However, mid way through my first semester in college she decided it was best to go our separate ways.Completely devastated, and young, I came up with the idea I wasn’t enough, that if I had could become something more then great she would have never left. I then turned to bodybuilding, first in the mentality of hate, channeling my emotions through the pain of lifting. But as time went by my idea of doing this for her transformed to having bodybuilding became infused into who I was. Everything I read, everything I thought about was bodybuilding. I went from spending money on going out and clothes, to supplements and protein.No matter what life through at me, no matter how upset I became, I could always set foot in a gym and forget the worries of the world. Walking into a gym was like steppi ng on a battle field, I knew I would have to fight my way through heavy sets of iron resistance to come out on the other side victorious. With weight stacked against me I would sit down on the closest bench, eyes closed and music blaring, concentrating on the task I had before me. I would think to myself: pain is temporary, but glory is forever. That no matter what, I was going to get this weight up even if it destroyed me in the process.By the time I opened my eyes I had become so focused on that I had to do that I could only see the weight I needed to overcome. It was as if I summoned all the strength I had in me to be ready to take on the world. I then would perform the exercise. As I brought the weight down to my chest I knew I was in for a fight. And then it began, as I pressed the weight off my chest with all my strength I had I told myself ignore the pain, become great. Seeing a bodybuilding yell as he is trying to finish a repetition is more then beautiful to me. It’s our on way of saying I’m not giving up till I’ve won.To me, each time I perform an exercise is one step closer in becoming great. I feel that most everyone has a misunderstood concept of what bodybuilding is and means. This sport isn’t a hobby, or something you can do on the side. This has to be a lifestyle, a passion, and a desire. When I was an active bodybuilder I viewed myself as an artist working on a masterpiece. It’s the mind not the body that determines your success as a bodybuilder; it’s mental aspect that allows you to press past the pain barrier, to enjoy being in the gym for countless hours, and to lust for more.Your mind is what sculpts your body into art. I also believe people view bodybuilders somewhat gross, or obsessed. I feel like everyone is so used to seeing someone who is in average shape, with little to no definition, someone who doesn’t have the time or discipline to sculpt their body. This makes bodybuilders look fre akishly, and unattractive, rather then beautiful, and full of hard work and sacrifice. These are the people who don’t understand what is actually involved in this sport. Bodybuilding is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It is a great challenge, and a great success.There are many aspects in becoming a great bodybuilder like, having good nutrition, a choice of good supplements, good training hours, preparation for competition, and a good mind frame. If all these aspects are met then there is a future. Most people stereotype bodybuilders as a â€Å"meat head† or someone who lifts religiously and gains mass. Although this is true in almost every case, lifting weights is only responsible for a quarter of the results. Nutrition is a large percentage of a bodybuilder's success; it determines how well they effectively apply knowledge to nutrition.The limiting factor to the ultimate success of your workout is what happens after you leave the gym. This is one of th e biggest misunderstood concepts for someone who is trying to excel in this life style. Nutrition consists of macronutrients and micronutrients. The macronutrients consist of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water. The micronutrients are vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. The best source of nutrition is through whole foods. A bodybuilder should never allow the use of supplements to overshadow the consumption of whole foods.For a bodybuilder the most confusing part about the sport is making sure of good nutrition and diet. Another fundamental element of success is allowing your body to recover. A bodybuilder gains size when torn muscle fibers are reconnected or â€Å"patched† with new muscle tissue. The added tissue gives you that swollen look that every bodybuilder lusts for. Bodybuilding, in all its aspects, has many similarities with a lot of activities we find ourselves consumed in. As football players strive to achieve new skills in practice, so do bodybuilders in a gym.It takes just as much focus and willpower to not only play this sport, but to continue it everyday. It requires as much focus and determinate as a college student trying to excel in his classes. There was one point in my life where I was completely consumed by bodybuilding. I started out with a fragile frame, consisting of a mere 125 pathetic pounds. Not knowing much of anything about this sport, I would stay up at night in search of the greatest motivational quotes to help me maintain on my path. Regardless of what I had in front of me, my mind was constantly fixed on my workout session that was to come.The greatest feeling for me was to wake up in pain; with that pain meaning I put in enough effort in the gym for my body to realize it. I loved every aspect of lifting, from buying bigger clothes to the research of supplements. After obtaining three very hard and grueling years, and falling into an addiction to steroids, I was finally shaping into a monster. Standing only 5†™11, I achieved to grow to a massive 220 pounds. I remember vividly the reaction of friends and family members that hadn’t seen me in some time.Astonished, some reacted in a positive way telling me how impressive it was, I can only remember however, the people who told me I had taken this idea to an extreme. Id be lying if I told you this didn’t bother me. I had put in so much effort and sacrificed so much to become what I was. So many asked â€Å"why do you do it, why do you like it, the process looks so painful. † For so long I couldn’t fathom to try to put a reason into words. After many failed attempts to explain why I gave up trying to explain to so many eager to understand.It wasn’t until I read a quote from a bodybuilding magazine that an athlete had stated after he had one a competition could I explain my obsession for greatness. The quote, â€Å"the reason I do all that, put my body through all that†¦is because I love it. † A s little as that explains to many, it was the perfect explanation to me. The reason I put myself through all the pain and sacrifice, was because I loved it. Bodybuilding was my passion, my obsession; it had became so great in my life that it captivated me. After all was said and done, I was met with disappointment, as I came to realize the worlds opposition on bodybuilders.I wish I could tell you that I stayed true with my dreams, or that I didn’t let the world decide what looked best, but I did. For as long as I can remember, all I wanted was to be Dorain Yates, to be great. I wish I could explain what it felt like to accomplish a dream only to have it turn against you. For the first time in what felt like forever, I no longer wanted to be great, I wanted to be â€Å"normal. † Maybe I had taken it too far, maybe they were right, or maybe they all had a misunderstood concept of what bodybuilding is really about.