Hazel vs Oedipus Essay Example for Free

Hazel vs Oedipus Essay Tragedies often feature happiness developing into miseries through errors which ultimately reveal the cold hard truth. The hero suffers from human frailty (hamartia) which directs to his/her downfall. The hero suffers from catastrophic events, experiences peripeteia and is confronted with the magnitude of his/her actions. Two such heroes are Hazel Grace Lancaster from â€Å"The Faults in Our Stars† by John Green, and Oedipus in the play â€Å"Oedipus Rex† written by Sophocles. Both modern and classic articles of literature have a wide-reaching influence on people and inspire many through the centuries. Modern tragic hero Hazel is a teenage thyroid cancer patient who experiences twisting series of bitter losses. As an only child who has been diagnosed since the age of thirteen, she fears and worries what will happen to the loved ones after she dies and wants to minimize the pain her death will cause others. Classic hero Oedipus is destined to fulfill a prophecy that says he will kill his father and marry his mother, and thereby brings disaster on his city and family. He is blinded by the truth and hubris, powerlessly enduring the course of fate despite harsh and fearful confrontations. While both characters fulfill the role of a tragic figure, the modern hero Hazel evidently provides more hope for the audience than the classic hero Oedipus. This is shown when their character traits of determination, courage and ignorance are compared. Determination is a quality a hero cannot be considered one without, and both Hazel and Oedipus show this quality along their ways. Hazel shows determination as she combats cancer despite harsh reality. Augustus asks, With the trope of the stoic and determined cancer victim who heroically fights her cancer with inhuman strength and never complains or stops smiling even at the very end, etcetera? (Green 128). Gus and Hazel refuse to be tropes. Instead they create a new kind of cancer rhetoric, one that looks straight on at the unbearable fact that they are unbelievably unfortunate and stand a good chance of dying young. They are two doomed children who have not really had the chance to experience life, and who are determined to do so one way or another. Hazel demonstrates her strong determination once again as she sets out to Amsterdam with Augustus to find out the ending of her favourite book, â€Å"An Imperial Affliction†. She wants to know those answers and what happens to Anna’s mother after she dies. By using the lens of the novel, she wishes to reassure the fact that her own mother and family will be okay after her death, since directly thinking about it is too terrifying and upsetting. Hazel is told she â€Å"†¦cant go to Amsterdam† because her doctor â€Å"†¦thinks its a bad idea for she might encounter †¦ a probably fatal episode of deoxygenation† (Green 157). Knowing her death is near, Hazel does not pull back from flying out with her oxygen tank. Hazel shouts, â€Å"bullshit  ! That’s bullshit. Just tell me! Make something up! you promised! † (Green 192). Although she does not receive any good information from the author, she tries to pound out what she hopes to hear out of Peter Van Houten’s mouth when he refuses â€Å"†¦to pity [her] in the manner to which†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she is â€Å"†¦well accustomed’’(Green 192). On the other hand, Oedipus displays determination to seek, to know, and to pursue principle as he unwaveringly discovers the truth behind his birth. The evidence first shows when Oedipus is so determined to solve former King Laius’s murder. The citizens of Thebes gather to discuss solution to the plague while Creon returns from the oracle and tells that the murderer of Laius is in Thebes and must be driven out in order for the plague to end. He furiously curses Laius’s murderer who is himself; he states, â€Å"Nor do I exempt myself from imprecation: /Lie all the curses I have laid on others† (Sophocles 32). Oedipus proclaims that should he discover the murderer to be a member of his own family, that person should be struck by the same exile and harsh treatment that he has just wished on the murderer. Oedipus’s sense of justice and powerful determination to uncover the mystery of Laius’s murder ironically leads him to unintentionally curse himself. He acts eagerly and rashly, refusing to shield himself from the truth, as if he brings catastrophe upon himself willingly. Therefore, it is clear that in terms of determination, Hazel’s will to combat tough fate is far more positive than Oedipus’s cursing to resolve matters, delivering more hope to audience. In addition to determination, courage is an important trait for a hero to signify firmness and face difficulty, danger and pain. Both Hazel and Oedipus show their great courage, but Hazel’s courage appears to be more encouraging rather than Oedipus as it is more relatable to the audience. Living with cancer alone takes great bravery. While Hazel has to deal with hospitals, doctors, and imminent death every day, she recognizes how tough she needs to be and how courageous she has been. She says, â€Å"People talk about the courage of cancer patients, and I do not deny that courage. I have been poked and stabbed and poisoned for years, and still I trod on† (Green 74). She is all about not hurting others even if it hurts her and wants to be as passive as possible. Courage is especially evident when she overcomes her pain to prevent others’ suffering. She says, Im a grenade and at some point Im going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, And I cant be a regular teenager, because Im a grenade† (Green 99). Since Hazel feels that she will soon die, she is motivated to be as insignificant as possible and desires to take the risks of others. She is much like a soldier rushing into battle knowing well that death awaits her. She chases her dreams from the hospital bed all the way to the plane to Amsterdam. Not the doctor nor her family’s disapproval and instructions could stop her from going after her dream. She provides faith to teenagers who are commonly trapped under parents’ umbrella to pursuit their own dreams for themselves. She even ignores the glances, whispering, and finger-pointing along her way. In spite of criticism, she acts in accordance to her own beliefs displaying admirable courage and selflessness of her. Young people can be benefit and inspired by her daring courageousness and overcome their obstacles with Hazel’s fearlessness in her battle in mind. Oedipus is also certainly a figure of remarkable courage. Upon arriving in Thebes, Oedipus displays his courage and lack of fear by facing the deadly Sphinx and solving its riddle: He sacrifices himself entirely in an effort to save Thebes which shows great bravery. He is courageous in his refusal to hide from the truth about himself, even when he realizes how horrible it will be. Facing the horror of personal guilt, especially guilt so enormous, takes extreme courage. In the end, Oedipus has to face his own failure to outrun his fate,

Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament by Willa Cather Essay examples --

A Symbolic Perception Imagine being entrapped in a life that you did not feel you belonged in. That is the story of Paul in â€Å"Paul’s Case,† written by Willa Cather. He lived in a suburban home where everyone seemed the same and there was a feeling of despair. Paul, who was a young man, felt that his father, teachers and classmates misunderstood him and therefore were unworthy of his company. In the story there are many symbolic elements. Flowers, for instance, symbolize Paul’s personality and life. The parallel between the boy and the flowers is made by the author many times throughout the short story. In the beginning of the story Paul has a meeting with the teachers of his school because he was misbehaving. For the meeting Paul shows up wearing â€Å"clothes [that] were a trifle outgrown . . . [with] a red carnation in his buttonhole† (49). This shows his total disrespect for authority because he is going to get disciplined; and the teachers thought this â€Å"was not properly significant of the contrite spirit befitting a boy under the ban of suspension† (49).† The flower he wore shows that he does not care about school or his teachers: his teachers felt â€Å"that his whole attitude was symbolized by his shrug and his flippantly red carnation flower† (50). The principal also noted his conceit as he left the meeting and bowed which was described to be â€Å"a repetition of the scandalous red carnation† (51). It is almost as if the flower is his strength and reminds him of his ne...

Learner Profile

Student Self-assessment Please tick in one of the columns beside each statement. Name:| Always| Usually| Sometimes| Rarely| Date:| | | | | Throughout the process of the Exhibition I have been:| | | | | An inquirer who loves learning and always tries to develop my research skills and ability to work independently. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Knowledgeable by exploring ideas and issues that have local and global importance. I try to develop my knowledge and understanding in all subjects. Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | A thinker who shows initiative and creativity when solving problems. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | A communicator who tries to understand and express ideas in different ways. I try to work well with others in groups. I am trying to develop my language skills in all the languages I am studying. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Principled by being honest and fair. I am respectful of others. I have responsibility for my own actions and their consequences. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Open-minded b ecause I understand, respect and appreciate my own culture and that of others.I am open to different ideas, values and traditions. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Caring by showing respect towards the environment and the needs and feelings of others. I try to make a positive difference through my actions. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | A risk-taker who tries new experiences and makes informed and thoughtful decisions. I try to defend what I believe is important. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | A balanced person who understands that it is important to study, exercise, sleep, eat well and enjoy life with friends and family. Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Reflective by thinking about my own learning and experience. I am able to understand my strengths and areas where I could improve, and set goals for myself. | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Comment:| | | | | Choose two of the Learner Profile Attributes, which you feel your partner has demonstrated throughout the Exhibition process. Write comment explaining which at tribute they have shown and how they have shown this. Name:Learner Profile Attributes: Comment:Signature: _____________________________________________| | | | |

Business valuation Essay

†¢One of your friends uses the terms ethics and morality interchangeably. You do not think this is correct. How would you explain the difference between ethics and morality? Provide an example of morality and one of ethics in your explanation. Ethics are more about a set of rules for a specific class of people, or a situation. They are more of a set of rules. While morals are more about an individuals’ set of rules for them, what they hold to be right or wrong that they follow to make decisions or take actions. A good example would be a lawyer who is defending a person who has committed a robbery. The lawyer’s morals tells him that the person is guilty, but his ethics tells him that he must defend the person. †¢Select two major ethical theories covered in your readings for Week One. What are the major differences between these two theories? Which one of these theories best aligns with your personal beliefs? Explain. I choose utilitarian theory and deontological theory. Utilitarian theory is to maximize utility as well as maximize happiness while deontological theory refers to following rules or regulations. Utilitarian can be a scenario where it benefits the individual or group say be given a weekend off even though there is still much work to be done, while within the same scenario the employees could almost be forced to work the weekends, even though they are tired and would like to spend time with their families. I prefer utilitarian as maximizing my happiness is important to me. I have worked with companies predominantly the Navy, whose type of theory is deontological. Duty within the Navy is huge, rules create the structure. Knowing that the happiness of myself and my family are a huge part of my determination when making the decision to take a job. †¢What are examples of virtues, values, and moral concepts? How do each of these relate to one another? In what ways are they separate and in what ways are they connected? Virtues are a person’s thoughts and/or actions that are guided by are morals, are morals are what we hold to be true ranging from honesty to being faithful, while are values are simply what he hold to be valuable. They all go together like cogs, working together to reach the same goal, but if one is not there then the whole thing will not work. They are separate because they’re all slightly different, say like parts of a car engine, and yet they are all required in order for the engine to work. If one is not present the engine will not work. †¢In Ch. 6 of Basic Ethics, the author discusses the relationship of religion as it relates to morality and ethics. Using your own personal experiences as a resource, what, if any, relationship exists between religion, morality, and ethics? Explain your answer. †¢Select a public figure from politics or business. Select an ethical theory that seems to best fit this person. Why does this theory seem best? Which theory seems to least suit this person? Why? Hilary Clinton, she would highly appear to follow a deontilogical ethical theory. It seems to suit her and her political career nicely, it just does not seem to be in the best interest of the citizens. Following utilitarianism she would be putting the happiness of the voters and citizens either above her own or at the very least equally. †¢If a person is described as virtuous, is this the same as saying that person is moral or ethical? Why or why not? How would you explain the relationship between these three concepts? Provide examples. If one has to be called ethical or moral I would not say that it means that they are virtuous, but I would say that if someone has to be called virtuous that they would be both ethical and moral. Being virtuous means having or showing high moral standards, so to be virtuous means one would have to have high ethics and high morals. The three work together, morals is doing what is right, ethics is moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior, and being virtuous is a combination of these two as well as going above and always being moral.

Hares and Rabbits - Leporidae - The Animal Encyclopedia

Hares and Rabbits - Leporidae - The Animal Encyclopedia Hares and rabbits (Leporidae) together form a group of lagomorphs that includes about 50 species of hares, jackrabbits, cottontails and rabbits. Hares and rabbits have short bushy tails, long hind legs and long ears. In most of the ecosystems they occupy, hares and rabbits are the prey of numerous species of carnivores and predatory birds. Consequently, hares and rabbits are well-adapted for speed (necessary for outrunning their many predators). The long back legs of hares and rabbits enable them to launch into motion quickly and sustain the fast running speeds for considerable distances. Some species can run as fast as 48 miles per hour. The ears of hares and rabbits are generally quite large and well suited to efficiently capture and locate sounds. This enables them to take notice of potential threats at the first suspicious sound. In hot climates, large ears offers hares and rabbits an additional benefit. Due to their large surface area, the ears of hares and rabbits serve to disperse excess body heat. Indeed, hares that live in more tropical climates have larger ears than do those that live in colder climes (and thus have less need for heat dispersal). Hares and rabbits have eyes that are positioned on either side of their head such that their field of vision includes a complete 360 degree circle around their body. Their eyes are large, enabling them to take in ample light in the dim conditions present during the dawn, dark and dusk hours when they are active. The term hare is generally used to refer only to true hares (animals belonging to the genus Lepus). The term rabbit is used to refer to all remaining subgroups of the Leporidae. In broad terms, hares tend to be more specialized for rapid and sustained running while rabbits are more adapted for digging burrows and exhibit lower levels of running stamina. Hares and rabbits are  herbivores. They feed on a variety of plants including grasses, herbs, leaves, roots, bark and fruits. Since these food sources are difficult to digest, hares and rabbits must eat their feces so that food passes through their digestive tract twice and they can extract every last nutrient possible from their meals. This double digestive process is in fact so vital to hares and rabbits that if they are prevented from eating their feces, they will suffer malnutrition and die. Hares and rabbits have a nearly worldwide distribution that excludes only Antarctica, parts of South America, most islands, parts of Australia, Madagascar, and the West Indies. Humans have introduced hares and rabbits to many habitats they otherwise would not naturally inhabit. Hares and rabbits reproduce sexually. They exhibit high reproductive rates as a response to the high mortality rates they often suffer at the hands of predation, disease and harsh environmental conditions. Their gestation period averages between 30 and 40 days. Females give birth to between 1 and 9 young and in most species, they produce several litters per year. The young wean at about 1 month of age and reach sexual maturity quickly (in some species, for example, they are sexually mature at just 5 months of age). Size and Weight About 1 to 14 pounds and between 10 and 30 inches long. Classification Hares and rabbits are classified within the following taxonomic hierarchy: Animals Chordates Vertebrates Tetrapods Amniotes Mammals Lagomorphs Hares and Rabbits There are 11 groups of hares and rabbits. These include true hares, cottontail rabbits, red rock hares, and European rabbits as well as several other small groups. Evolution The earliest representative of hares and rabbits is thought to be Hsiuannania, a ground dwelling herbivore that lived during the Paleocene in China. Hsiuannania is know from just a few fragments of teeth and jaw bones but scientists are quite certain that the hares and rabbits originated somewhere in Asia.

Prehistoric Life During the Eocene Epoch

Prehistoric Life During the Eocene Epoch The Eocene epoch commenced 10 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, and continued for another 22 million years, up to 34 million years ago. As with the preceding Paleocene epoch, the Eocene was characterized by the continuing adaptation and spread of prehistoric mammals, which filled the ecological niches left open by the dinosaurs demise. The Eocene constitutes the middle part of the Paleogene period (65-23 million years ago), preceded by the Paleocene, and succeeded by the Oligocene epoch (34-23 million years ago); all of these periods and epochs were part of the Cenozoic Era (65 million years ago to the present). Climate and Geography In terms of climate, the Eocene epoch picked up where the Paleocene left off, with a continuing rise in global temperatures to near-Mesozoic levels. However, the latter part of the Eocene saw a pronounced global cooling trend, probably related to decreasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which culminated in the re-formation of ice caps at both the north and south poles. The earths continents continued to drift toward their present positions, having broken apart from the northern supercontinent Laurasia and the southern supercontinent Gondwana, though Australia and Antarctica were still connected. The Eocene epoch also witnessed the rise of North Americas western mountain ranges. Terrestrial Life During the Eocene Epoch Perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates, such as horses and tapirs) and artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates, such as deer and pigs) can all trace their ancestry back to the primitive mammalian genera of the Eocene epoch. Phenacodus, a small, generic-looking ancestor of hoofed mammals, lived during the early Eocene, while the late Eocene witnessed much bigger thunder beasts like Brontotherium and Embolotherium. Carnivorous predators evolved in synch with these plant-munching mammals: the early Eocene Mesonyx only weighed as much as a large dog, while the late Eocene Andrewsarchus was the largest terrestrial meat-eating mammal that ever lived. The first recognizable bats (such as Palaeochiropteryx), elephants (such as Phiomia), and primates (such as Eosimias) also evolved during the course of the Eocene epoch. As is the case with mammals, many modern orders of birds can trace their roots to ancestors that lived during the  Eocene epoch (even though birds as a whole evolved, perhaps more than once, during the Mesozoic Era). The most notable birds of the Eocene were giant penguins, as typified by the 100-pound Inkayacu of South America and the 200-pound Anthropornis of Australia. Another important Eocene bird was Presbyornis, a toddler-sized prehistoric duck. Crocodiles (such as the weirdly hooved Pristichampsus), turtles (such as the big-eyed Puppigerus), and snakes (such as the 33-foot long Gigantophis) all continued to flourish during the Eocene epoch, many of them attaining substantial sizes as they filled the niches left open by their dinosaur relatives (though most did not attain the giant sizes of their immediate Paleocene ancestors). Much tinier lizards, like the three-inch-long Cryptolacerta, were also a common sight (and food source for larger animals). Marine Life During the Eocene Epoch The Eocene epoch was when the first prehistoric whales left dry land and opted for a life in the sea, a trend that culminated in the middle Eocene Basilosaurus, which attained lengths of up to 60 feet and weighed in the neighborhood of 50 to 75 tons. Sharks continued to evolve as well, but few fossils are known from this epoch. In fact, the most common marine fossils of the Eocene epoch are of tiny fish, like Knightia and Enchodus, that plied the lakes and rivers of North America in vast schools. Plant Life During the Eocene Epoch The heat and humidity of the early Eocene epoch made it a heavenly time for dense jungles and rainforests, which stretched almost all the way to the North and South Poles (the coast of Antarctica was lined with tropical rainforests about 50 million years ago!) Later in the Eocene, global cooling produced a dramatic change: the jungles of the northern hemisphere gradually disappeared, to be replaced by deciduous forests that could better cope with seasonal temperature swings. One important development had only just begun: the earliest grasses evolved during the late Eocene epoch but didnt spread worldwide (providing sustenance for plains-roaming horses and ruminants) until millions of years later.

Mother Challenge Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mother Challenge - Personal Statement Example Texting for me, is my primary source of communication. I rarely actually talk on the phone and my daily schedule is so hectic that I don't have many opportunities to meet up with my friends. Usually, as I am going about my daily routine, I receive a text message from a friend, pause for a moment and text back. It is a quick and efficient way of catching up with people without any inconvenience. I found that when I stopped texting I had relied upon it way too much. Not being able to text felt like living in a vacuum. To be completely honest, if I had not had to deal with roaming charges, I probably would not have been able to do this assignment. As for not using the computer, well I failed that one. I struggled for one day without using it and concluded that society never really existed until the computer age. I could not live without my computer. I did however, make a concerted effort to reduce my time on the computer. The computer is such an integral part of my life that I really cannot accomplish much without it. Likewise for the television. I never realized how much television I watch. It too, is part of my daily routine and even if I am not sitting and watching it, it is still always on. I never noticed that life takes place outside of my windows because I always have the TV blaring. I even fall asleep at night watching TV.