Plots, Characters, and Relationships in Anna Karenina Essay -- Tolstoy

Plots, Characters, and Relationships in Anna Karenina    "Reason has been given to man to enable him to escape from his troubles."1 These words, spoken by an unknown woman on a train minutes before Anna took her own life, proved cold comfort for Vronsky's mistress. Unable to reason her way out of her despair, she flung her body under a train in an act of vengeance and escape. She failed in her personal quest, one for fulfillment that she shares with the other main protagonist in the novel, Levin, who makes corresponding attempts to reason through his own dilemmas. Anna Karenina is an epic, through which are interwoven the parallel accounts of the personal struggles of Anna and Levin, developed in tandem. One ends in death and tragedy, the other in spiritual fulfillment. It is a novel of balances; not only of plots, but also of characters, and relationships between characters. Tolstoy's choice of title immediately sets up expectations in the reader; expectations that are destined to be disappointed. Although the reader may anticipate a straightforward tale of a woman's descent into adultery, they will find that that element is enclosed by and permeated with the equally dominant tale of a man's quest for harmony and love, and a good deal of extraneous material. Levin serves as a mouthpiece for Tolstoy's beliefs, and on occasions his activities take on a pseudo-biographical aspect. At times it seems that Anna's involvement in the novel is minimal - with episodes involving her being sparsely distributed - and the reader may well wonder why the novel is so entitled. Although it is difficult to be certain of Tolstoy's motives, this essay will argue that he so named the novel because of the utterly pivotal and essential fu... ...nt, independent, and thoughtful character, there is an undertone running throughout he novel that suggests that she has failed to adopt the befitting social role for a woman. Ultimately, she is portrayed as irrational and emotionally labile, driven by insatiable desires: "I don't know myself," says Anna as she sinks near to her lowest ebb; "I only know my appetites, as the French say."15 Bibliography Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenin, translated by Edmonds, Rosemary, Penguin, London, 1978. End Notes 1 Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenin, translated by Edmonds, Rosemary, Penguin, London, 1978, p. 799. 2 Ibid., p. 508. 3 Ibid., pp. 588-9. 4 Ibid., pp. 796-7. 5 Ibid., p. 490. 6 Ibid., p. 491. 7 Ibid., p. 798. 8 Ibid., p. 532. 9 Ibid., p. 672. 10 Ibid., p. 800. 11 Ibid., p. 853. 12 Ibid., p. 832. 13 Ibid. 14 Ibid., in "Introduction". 15 Ibid., p. 793

History of Jazz Concert Report Essay

Since I have been in university, most talk of live music has revolved around â€Å"what club has a special on tonight?† or â€Å"which DJ is going to be in town this weekend?† I have nothing against electronic music but sitting in a packed bar near the Halifax Harbor listening to jazz and conversing in a booth with my friends, instead of shouting to clear the volume of dance music, has been one of the most enjoyable nights of my time at Dalhousie. I had always wanted to see some live jazz or blues here, but without the extra push of this assignment I couldn’t seem to get out to listen to any. I went to see the Charles Mingus Tribute play on Thursday, Oct. 9th at Stayner’s Wharf Pub and Restaurant with some friends in the history of jazz course with me, and with some from out of the class. The performers were Dave Staples (piano), Chris Mitchell (saxophone), Martin Davidson (saxophone), Danny Martin (trombone), Tom Roach (drums), and Tom Easley (bass). As I was listening to the jazz I was trying my hardest to take in my surroundings and analyze how the environment catered to the music, see who was in attendance, and most of all enjoy the show. When listening and watching live performances, the venue is almost as important as the music itself. The venue that the Charles Mingus Tribute played at the night I saw them was a restaurant and bar called Stayner’s Wharf. I had been there before, but in the middle of the day with no live music. The change I saw in atmosphere from that first time I experienced the restaurant to the second was tremendous. A tucked away stage with six musicians squished onto it all playing their hearts out transformed the boring restaurant into something so much more alive. The venue was a little odd because it wasn’t positioned around the players, so many people couldn’t see the stage from their tables or stools. However, even if you couldn’t see the musicians you could hear the sound so clearly throughout the entire place. It was very busy. People were standing with drinks, leaning on tables  or walls, or sitting in booths with too many people on each bench. The staff was working like crazy trying to cater to the needs of each customer and was doing an excellent job. Luckily, even though we arrived slightly late, we were able to get a booth seat with a great view of the stage. This affected the experience immensely. Being able to see clearly the onstage chemistry and improvisation was very cool. There were certain times, in between solos when two musicians would exchange head nods and other gestures to indicate when someone should start playing and other technical things that I’m sure I don’t know about. Although the music wasn’t always collective improvisation, the ability of the individual players to adapt to what the others were doing was apparent and so was the skill that goes along with that ability. Overall I think the venue was perfect for the type of jazz they were playing, and the mood that each musician seemed to be in. The musicians seemed happier, too, because they could step off and enjoy a beer in betwe en sets. Since it was after 9:00 PM and there was live music, the event was labeled a â€Å"no minors event†. This put me as definitely the youngest person in attendance, as I was yet to turn 19 at the time. My age posed as a slight problem when trying to get in, but after explaining that we were here strictly for the jazz, the manager made an exception and allowed us entrance to the event. I think the fact that I was one of the only people there not indulging in alcohol changed the way I listened to the music, especially as the show continued. Everyone I was sitting with never had an empty glass in front of them and even the musicians were drinking casually, which reminded me of speakeasies and had me imagining myself in Chicago in the 1920’s. As the audience got drunker the volume of their voices increased, and so did the applause and cheers at the end of each solo or song. However as the audience got louder and more rambunctious the musicians seemed to match the mood and volume perfectly. It was a real happy party atmosphere. In between songs, the band members would shout out to friends of theirs in the crowd or sometimes even to people they didn’t know who were there celebrating a special occasion. The special thing about the audience was how much everyone wanted to be there and to be immersed in the music. People would close their eyes and move their heads to the music and I was constantly tapping my toe on the floor or my finger on the table along with the rhythm of the drums  and bass. Overall, it was a warm audience of people from many different age groups who were there because they wanted to be there and it was clear that everyone loved the jazz. The band itself was an absolute pleasure to listen to and watch perform. It consisted of two lead saxophonists, a lead trombonist, a piano player, bass player, and a drummer. The two saxophone players were very different in their stage presence. Chris Mitchell, the older of the two, had a wild and eccentric way of playing the saxophone. Some of his solo’s reminded me almost of those by Charlie Parker. They were very fast and almost abrupt or sharp in the way they jumped out at you. As one friend of mine put it, â€Å"his stage presence was similar to that of Bobby Keys† who is most famous for playing saxophone for the Rolling Stones. On the opposing side, the second saxophone player was unbelievably young and seemed to have not quite come into his own stage persona yet. Where Chris Mitchell would move with the music, Martin Davidson seemed slightly more rigid. This didn’t detract from the sound or quality of his playing though. It was almost like watching a more experienced teacher and his student prodigy playing together in front of us that night. The band was playing jazz compositions mostly by Charles Mingus such as â€Å"Jump Monk† and â€Å"Pussy Cat Dues. So after the show I went home and listened to the titles as performed by Mingus to compare the two. I decided that I liked the live version that I saw more than the recorded version of Mingus. I think this is because of my ability to actually see the jazz and feel it around me when I was at Stayner’s Wharf. It’s hard for me to come up with any faults in the performance because of how much fun I had and how little experience I have with live jazz in general. One thing I would have liked more would have been to hear more piano over all. I have played piano since I was in grade one and advanced through my exams until grade 10 classical piano, after which I took two years of jazz piano lessons. So it is easy to say that piano is one of my favorite instruments, but I realize it isn’t usually a lead instrument for a jazz band like this. With that one personal preference aside, I had no bad things to say about the band. I thought they were charismatic on stage, sounded great and improvised together perfectly. The type of jazz played was more an art music than a popular music. It’s hard to label what jazz was being played, because Charles Mingus himself didn’t like to label any of his songs into one genre, and the band was playing his songs. But I think there was a lot of collective improvisation on stage and the styles ranged from New Orleans styled jazz to Be Bop at points. It was almost like a â€Å"mixed bag†. I think that is why I enjoyed the performance so much, because there were surprises and no song or solo sounded the same. I didn’t have the opportunity to fall bored like some people could if the musician was someone like Bill Evans, who plays slower and quieter jazz. The Jazz was definitely center of attention in the bar and was the main attraction for the night unlike other restaurants that have musicians as a sort of background music. One song, the first song we heard when we came in, had a â€Å"four on the floor† rhythm to it. I remember wa lking in and thinking â€Å"Hey! I know what that is!† Overall, the night was a success and everyone I was with thoroughly enjoyed it. After the jazz, some of my friends went to a nightclub and said that the clashing of the two experiences made them realize how much different the music of today is from the music of the past. Whether it’s a good difference or not is in the eye of the beholder. The venue, though it was small and packed, was a great place for the musicians to play. The audience was all happy, which might have had something to do with the alcohol, but it made the entire atmosphere happy as well. The Charles Mingus Tribute did an excellent job of transferring the music of Mingus to the audience that night; the soloists were unbelievable; and the collective improvisation on stage was very cool to watch. I have already decided with a group of friends that we will be going to another live jazz event in November, and I am looking forward to seeing if I can apply some more jazz knowledge learned from class at this event as well.

Elie Wiesel Reflection - 991 Words

Throughout human history, most people have endured many types of tragic experiences that have changed their way of being. For example, the Holocaust involved the Jewish community and was considered one of the most tragic life changing experiences for many. Most notably, the murderous travesties the Jewish people were subject to. Additionally, it changed our views about how the world would view the future of human history. A Holocaust survivor by the name of Elie Wiesel was involved with the horror of the Holocaust. After surviving the traumatic incidents of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel wrote a book called, â€Å"Night†. In his book he details his experiences in what took place in the concentration camps, as well as, many other daunting memories.†¦show more content†¦I often sat with him, after services, and listened to his tales, trying to understand his grief. But all I felt was pity.†. In this scene, Moishe, one of the poorest Jewish persons in Elie’s vil lage, went door to door telling people his story trying to cross the Hungarian border and about Malaka. The village believes that he has gone crazy. In this event, Elie was caring and full of love before he went to Auschwitz. He cared about the people around him, even though they might have been crazy or had an unspoken personality, he would be there for them. Furthermore, Elie had many valuable traits before he went to the concentration camp known as Auschwitz. But throughout his time in Auschwitz, these traits started to fade off and new traits appeared. Subsequently, after Elie spent a couple weeks in Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp made by the Germans to liberate the Jewish People, new characteristic that Elie didn’t realize he had come out. In the book â€Å"Night†, on page 57 Wiesel wrote â€Å"I stepped forward. A crate! he ordered. They brought a crate. Lie down on it! On your belly I obeyed. I no longer felt anything except the lashes of the whip.†. While he was at work, the Kommandos came and called roll call, made a short speech, called Elie to come forward, then they beat him. In this scene, we can see that Elie starts to become more afraid of the SS officers and anxious to get the beating over with. Also, in the book â€Å"Night†, on page 65 Wiesel addsShow MoreRelatedElie Wiesel Reflection867 Words   |  4 Pagesan American tank standing at the entrance of the gates. This young boy was Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the gruesome events that occurred in concentration camps during WWII. E lie shares a chilling memoir about his experience in his book Night. Throughout the novel, Elie and other Jewish inmates constantly used their families as their primary motive to overcome hardships even while being challenged by tough circumstances. Elie mentions several times throughout the novel that he overcame trials by havingRead MoreElie Wiesel Reflection804 Words   |  4 Pageswritten by Elie Wiesel is a novel where the author speaks on the events of his life, and the many different jewish concentration camps he was jailed in. Wiesel talks a lot about God, and he questions why he should even worship him because he believed that God was not helping him and his family through their misery. He also talked about the high number of deaths each day, and the all the hardships that the people in concentration camps went through, including himself. Furthermore, Wiesel talked aboutRead MoreElie Wiesel Night Reflection1035 Words   |  5 Pages The Holocaust is known for its vast dehumanization; nevertheless, history does not acknowledge the faith destroyed as a result. Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and author of the memoir Night, recounts his experiences telling his own story of faith being taken away from him. Wie sel, like many other Jews of this time, was taken from his home to Nazi-controlled concentration camps. Before his deportation, Wiesel’s faith used to be an eminent aspect of his life, describing himself as a childRead MoreElie Wiesel Night Reflection794 Words   |  4 PagesElie Wiesel was born in the Romanian town of Sighet. His parents came from Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish families. Both of hi parents died in the Nazi concentration camps, as did his younger sister; his two elder sister survived. After the war, Wiesel went an Orphanage in France, studies at the Sorbonne, and became a journalist. The name of the book is call the Night. It were written in the 1955-1958. It also were written from South America, France. The book was published in Argentina, France. TheRead MoreThe Destruction Of The Holocaust1203 Words   |  5 Pagespreventing it. Elie Wiesel’s fulfilled his purpose of showing the heinous crimes of the Holocaust through the change of characterization of Elie before, during and after the events of Wiesel s 1940 memoir-Night. The Holocaust is remembered as a stain on history, where a massive genocide occurred. but we must also recognize the souls and personalities that were killed and burned. Wiesel trembling hands picked up these ashes, personifying their ebony remains into a young child-Elie. For every soulRead MoreThe Inhumane Treatment Of The Holocaust1714 Words   |  7 Pagesthese people being Jewish. Not only were millions murdered, but hundreds of thousands who survived the concentration camps were forever scarred by the dehumanizing events that they saw, committed, and lived through. In the novel â€Å"Night† by Elie Wiesel, Wiesel recounts the spine-chillingly horrific events of the Holocaust that affected him first-hand, in an attempt to make the reality of the Holocaust clear and understandable to those who could not believe it. What was arguably one of the worst punishmentsRead MoreNight And Dawn : The End And The Beginning Of A Day1667 Words   |  7 Pagesof a day. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, noted author and recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, writes of both the darkness of the Holocaust and of the dawn of its ending. While Night is Wiesel’s autobiographical tale of his experiences during the Holocaust, both in his hometown and in the co ncentration camps, Dawn is a fictional tale of Elisha, an eighteen-year-old Holocaust survivor, who has joined the Jewish Resistance movement in Palestine. Both are stories of survival. While Wiesel details hisRead MoreThe Holocaust: Night by Elie Wiesel1635 Words   |  7 PagesSix million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. The Jews were persecuted, tortured and slaughtered in concentration camps (â€Å"The Holocaust† 1). Night by Elie Wiesel is the powerful memoir of his experiences during the Holocaust. Night shows the tragedy of the Holocaust through the use literary devices, including the themes of loss of faith and cruelty toward other human beings, night as a symbol of suffering and fear, and the use of first person narrative. Night allows the reader to emotionallyRead MoreThe Writing Style of Elie Wiesel Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesThe Writing Style of Elie Wiesel In the memoir Night, Elie Wiesel uses a distinct writing style to relate to his readers what emotions he experienced and how he changed while in the concentration camps of Buna, during the Holocaust. He uses techniques like irony, contrast, and an unrealistic way of describing what happens to accomplish this. By applying these techniques, Wiesel projects a tone of bitterness, confusion and grief into his story. Through his writing Wiesel gives us a window intoRead MoreNight, By Elie Wiesel1476 Words   |  6 PagesIn Night, by Elie Wiesel, one man tells his story of how he survived his terrible experience during the Holocaust. Wiesel takes you on a journey through his â€Å"night† of the Holocaust, and how he survived the world’s deadliest place, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Elie Wiesel will captivate you on his earth shattering journey through his endless night. Elie Wiesel’s book Night forces you to open your eyes to the real world by using; irony, diction, and rep etition to prove that man does have the capability to

Do organisations need managers Free Essay Example, 1750 words

Planning Managers are involved in the planning of the business environment in organizations. The planning aspect for managers entails the identification of goals and objectives that the organization seeks to achieve. They also determine the methods and strategies to be used in the achievement of the pre-set goals and objectives of the organizations in which they head (Rondeau, 2011). It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that the goals and objectives of organizations are met and achieved within the stipulated time frame. To ensure that the objectives are realized, the managers ensures that the organization runs smoothly and any impediments and obstacles that might derail the organization from achieving its goals and objectives are removed. In the traditional organizational management system, managers were preoccupied with the running of the day to day business with the sole responsibility of increasing profitability for the organizations. The responsibility of meeting the organizational goals such as the provision of safe place for employment, provision of quality products, adherence to the mission, vision and values of an organization and providing the expectations, wants and needs of customers squarely lies within the functions of managers (Puckett, Byers, & Green, 2004:37). We will write a custom essay sample on Do organisations need managers or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The current environment in which most organizations operate is dynamic and complex and it keeps on evolving. Managers are required to identify, assess and interpret trends so as to effectively anticipate and plan for future opportunities and improvements (Puckett, Byers, & Green, 2004:33). It is therefore imperative for managers to seek and develop new business and program possibilities for organizations and to discover novel approaches to effectively manage the ever-evolving organizational dynamics. In both the traditional and modern management, managers are involves in organizing and allocation of resources. Managers are required to allocate resources based on sound decision-making and by doing this, they are expected to set priorities for organizational functions and how resources such as personnel, equipment, time, information and money are going to be used. Resource management refers to the authority and responsibility vested on managers to man age the resources allocated to organizations (Puckett, Byers, & Green, 2004:37). Managers are involved in the organization of resources so as to achieve the goals and objectives of an organization in optimum manner. Resource Management requires managers to carry out human resource management, administrative functions and overseeing the overall running of organizations (Rondeau, 2011).

The American Dream Essay - 1827 Words

missing works cited It is the intent of this paper to prove that the American Dream can best be explained as a ciity upon a hill. Ciity upon a hill meaning being above and superior over those below. The Civil War, the imperialistic race of the 19th century, the Korean War, the KKK, and the Gulf War are all examples of the American Dream of superiority playing a part in American History. Each American has a different idea of this superiority, but nonetheless strive to achieve it, whatever it may be in. The Civil War which split the United States, was a clash of two aspects of approaching the American Dream in a young America. Both sides felt their ideas and philosophies were superior to those of the†¦show more content†¦With the States limited power, they felt as if the Federal government would become a monarchy. The Northern States wanted the American dream achieved for the whole country to be industrial, anti- slavery, and very federalist. Upon these institutions they planned to make the U.S a superior nation in the world. The South wanted to achieve the same ultimate goal for the U.S but with agricultural, pro- slavery, and states sovereignty institutions. These are the differences between both sides in achieving the American Dream. In order to resolve the conflict of interests, North and South had to go to war to prove superiority thus proving which side is the ciity upon the hill in which the losing side would follow. During the time of Imperialism in the 19th century, the U.S wanted to expand worldwide and strive for the lead in the imperialistic race. In 1871, the U.S and Canada signed the Washington treaty meaning that the U.S recognized Canada as an independent dominion. Any schemes to forcefully annex Canada and to unite the North American continent under the U.S flag had been rejected. The U.S could not expand any further in North America and had to look at other parts of the world for expansion. At the time, there were many other nations looking to expand its empire such as Britain and Germany. Some Southern expansionists saw CubaShow MoreRelatedImmigrants And The American Dream1362 Words   |  6 PagesImmigrants and the American Dream In the article â€Å"The American Dream†, by James Truslow Adams in The Sundance Reader book, he stated that the American dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and highRead MoreThe American Dream By Kimberly Amadeo1637 Words   |  7 PagesNowadays, a large number of people migrate to the United States to work and achieve the American Dream. According to the Article â€Å"What is the American Dream?† by Kimberly Amadeo, â€Å"The American Dream was first publicly defined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in Epic of America. Adam’s often-repeated quote is, ‘The American Dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyon e, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.’† There are many peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The American Dream 754 Words   |  4 Pages Nyreel Powell Ms. Jones American Literature 1 June 2015 The American dream in A Raisin in the Sun Have you ever had a dream and it didn’t come how you wanted it to be? Have you ever had accomplishments that you wanted to achieve but people were getting in the way of them? The four main characters in this book all have good dreams but there are people in the way of getting to those dreams or their dream is too high to accomplish. A Raisin in the Sun a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, andRead MoreSister Carrie and the American Dream1618 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream is surely based on the concept of â€Å"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness† but it is above all, a matter of ambition. James Truslow Adams, an American writer and historian, in 1931 states: life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, which not only points towards a better standard of living for Americans but also denounces a degree of greed in the US society. Ambition not only â€Å"killed the catâ₠¬  butRead MoreGrapes Of Wrath And The American Dream1644 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of the American Dream is ever changing depending on the person and the time of life that person is in. Although the main ideas of the American Dream remain the same to be educated, economically sound, healthy, to have a family, and equal rights. Many great films and works of literature were created to show case all the different ideas people have for their American Dream. The film â€Å"Grapes of Wrath† directed by John Ford and the poem â€Å"I Will Fight No More Forever† by Chief Joseph, both depictRead More Destruction of the American Dream Essay2145 Words   |  9 PagesDestruction of the American Dream I’ve talked about it in the past, the destruction of the American Dream. Always, there have been papers, writings, and thoughts that quantify a particular section of its ultimate demise, be it due to money, education, or sexuality. Maybe the destruction cannot be viewed as a singular event or cause. Perhaps instead it must be examined as a whole process, the decay and ultimate elimination of a dream. Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct Read MoreSuccess As One Of The American Dream1137 Words   |  5 PagesApril 2015 Success as One of The American Dream When we hear the word â€Å"success†, we often think of wealth and money. To some people, the embodiment of being success is earning a lot of money. In fact, the concept of success is primarily based on how much money a person earns. However, each person views the definition of success differently. One way to define success is something that has more to do with flash than it does with substance. John Wooden, an American basketball player and coach viewRead MoreJim Cullen And The American Dream2081 Words   |  9 Pages The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it s like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the otherRead MoreFactors Influencing The American Dream1834 Words   |  8 Pagesindividual to succumb or to not succumb to the seductions of crime. These three factors are brilliantly portrayed in the television show, Breaking Bad and the novel, The Stick Up Kids. The American Dream is what many American citizens strive for. However, not all of those citizens are able to achieve the American Dream through a legal pathway. The reason an indivudal may not being able to do so is because of his or her background factors. It is important to note that background factors are a fractionRead MoreShark Tank And The American Dream1755 Words   |  8 PagesShark Tank and The American Dream The TV show Shark tank embodies everything the American dream represents. The show obtains successful Entrepreneurs ready to invest their own money into other Americans wanting to be just like them, reaching the American dream and become a successful entrepreneur. The show presents entrepreneurs working towards the goal of creating a business to not only gain wealth but also change the way we live today. The show is to keep the American dream alive and well while

Epic Of Gilgamesh, Faerie Qveene, And Iliad. Essay Example For Students

Epic Of Gilgamesh, Faerie Qveene, And Iliad. Essay What an epic says about its culture is that that was the way they lived like in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Faerie Qveene, and Iliad (Comical Version). The three are epics from their own time and culture they are the same in some ways and different in other ways. The Epic of Gilgamesh was an epic that relates to its own culture because it has its differences with the Faerie Qveene, and the Iliad. The Epic of Gilgamesh was a story about himself the ruler and his journeys. The ruler was searching for internal life but he never found it while he had troubles along the line of searching for internal life. This story is different from the Faerie Qveene, and the Iliad in the ways like the plot was different. In the Faerie Qveene the theme was almost the same as in the Epic of Gilgamesh because they were both in a journey to achieve and they encountered some stops. The difference is the things that they encountered as if in the Faerie Qveene the knight encountered the half-dragon half-woman and in the Epic of Gilgamesh he encountered the rough sea. So, they both have different ways of saying the same thing. In the Iliad was a story about how a guy named Odysseus traveled around looking for his way back home like the other two epics they were all on a journey. They all had to go thought obstacles like fighting monsters, giants, and other evil characters. So, in conclusion the epics all are the same in one way and different in another way. Therefore the epics are different in their cultural ways like the way they go though their own struggles to get back to or get something. But the cultures say about the same thing on a journey through struggle to receive something that they really want. English Essays

Significant Moment in My Life free essay sample

As a girl who had always hated heights and finding myself fifteen stories in the air, the only thing that came to mind was if I was going to make it off the roller coaster I was riding. Conquering my first roller coaster and overcoming my fear of heights made me realize that I shouldn’t be afraid to take chances in life, but to be brave, because it may just turn out to be the ride of my life. At thirteen years old, I was the kid that no one wanted to drag to an amusement park with because I strictly stuck to the merry go round and swings. My parents were always eagerly trying to persuade me to at least try a roller coaster but I refused. Deep inside I wanted to be fearless and be able to jump on the attraction like there was no problem, but I was too nervous. We will write a custom essay sample on Significant Moment in My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All of my friends, including my family were adrenaline junkies, always wanting to get on the roughest and worst rides of them all. This naturally caused me to become even more frustrated when attending Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, which was very often. It wasn’t till one day when visiting the park that I decided I was not just going to take a risk, but I was determined to overcome my first roller coaster. I still remember exactly what I was feeling as I walked up to â€Å"Wild Fire†, the fifteen story ride that with my luck included a full loop, corkscrew, and high-speed spiral. It was the perfect day to be at an amusement park, with no clouds in the sky and the park in a busy chaos. I was with my family and two best friends as they were on a mission to complete every roller coaster in the park. I, on the other hand, was just hoping that I would enjoy the rides originally created for ten year olds. Half way in our journey through Silver Dollar City, I had managed to skip nearly all the rides my family rode, including a mini roller coaster that still did a wonderful job of scaring me just by watching the coaster crawl up the hill and rage through its track. By now, I was used to sulking on the bench while my family and friends happily screamed as they rode right past me. Not only was I a burden, but I was hardly having fun being known as the big baby along with sitting on a cold, hard bench. Although all these thoughts bothered me, there was one more issue I couldn’t get out of my head, and that was dreading our last stop when I knew I’d be left standing by myself once again while everyone took a ride on Wild Fire. As we finally headed over to get in line for this ride also known as my own personal nightmare, I started analyzing all my precautions concerning the ride which only got me thinking about how many other things I had skipped out on in my life for the same reason I wouldn’t get on a roller coaster; I was terrified. I remember all the events that had happened that day but one thing I’m still yet to fully understand is how it clicked inside my head. Getting on this rollercoaster didn’t just mean getting over a fear of heights, but realizing that there are a lot of things that can seem daunting in life, and it doesn’t mean it should hold me back. This lesson is one of the few reasons why I still honor this day as a significant moment in my life. There were a few things that contributed to what I did next. First, it was all my built up frustration of being the wimp who wouldn’t step foot on a roller coaster. Second, it was all of the careful thinking I had been doing that day and how I was fed up with being scared. And last, the little ounce of courage I had left lying in me decided to slowly come out forcing me to apprehensively make my way to Wild Fire’s line. As I slowly came up to stand with my family, they all looked at me as if I had just done something insane, which I realized I actually had. Although they were frankly surprised they fully supported me and went on about how proud they were, which seemed to help my nerves. I then failed to realize how I was going from never have being on something higher than the swings to stepping foot onto a roller coaster that was about to fly at 66 mph. We were scooting closer and closer to the entrance as my stomach started to turn but I kept pushing out all the negative thoughts trying to force themselves into my head. Finally after what seemed like years, I was being strapped into a neon orange chair and fastened in so I wouldn’t budge†¦hopefully. Although I was scared to death all I could think about was how proud I was of myself and that if I didn’t get to walk on concrete again, at least I had gone out with a bang. My thoughts were interrupted by the ride coming to life as the machine screamed and wheels began to roll. I took one large breath and before I knew it I was flying through the air and twisting from side to side. I managed to keep my eyes open as I twirled upside down, and better yet, started to actually laugh. I was having fun. I felt my heart float up and down as we traveled through the corkscrew and saw the clouds glaze across my vision. I even began to let go of my best friend’s hand and threw my arms in the air as the adrenaline rushed through my body and left me breathless. Just when I was starting to really enjoy the ride, I felt the same forces that scared me once before pulling against the car as it came to an abrupt stop. Smiling from ear to ear and walking with a bounce in my step, my family and I celebrated my accomplishment with a gigantic funnel cake, which only made me happier. In the end I actually rode the coaster two more times before my parents had to practically drag me out of the park. After such a triumphant day, it made me realize I hadn’t just conquered the thing I was so afraid of, but had a grand time doing it. This experience had not only given me an adrenaline rush but a wise life lesson when it comes to trying new things. Riding a roller coaster isn’t going to the be the last scary experience I encounter, but I hope in the future, instead of hiding in a corner, I’m going to just jump on and enjoy the ride.