Friday, January 31, 2020

The Adventure of the Speckled Band  Essay Example for Free

The Adventure of the Speckled Band   Essay This passage is very strange since it is a comedy scene in a very serious situation. It is in contrast to the rest of the story and may have been used to give light relief to the reader following the tense episodes before.  Towards the end of the story, the writer takes us inside the mind of anarchist. Showing us how he feels triumphant and more powerful than any anarchist before, how he has now become infamous.  How brilliantly he had planned it, forged the letter of introduction, and got into the laboratory, and how brilliantly he had seized his opportunity! The world should hear of him at last. All those people who had sneered at him, neglected him, preferred other people to him, found his company undesirable, should consider him at last. This is ironic because, as he is getting more and more confident about being famous, the tube containing Cholera breaks on him. The anarchist knows that he will now be the first to die and that he now cannot kill anyone else as he had hoped. The mood changes as the anarchist is no longer feeling triumphant but depressed until he realises that if he drinks the tiny drops left that he will be the first to die but will also be a martyr to his cause. He jumps out of his cab and begins to brush himself against on as many people as he can, hoping to spread the disease. The end of the story is very ironic and has a twist which we also saw in Napoleon and the Spectre. The germ that the Anarchist stole was not a germ at all, he had stole the bacteriologists formula to turn monkey, kittens and puppies blue. He only told the anarchist it was Cholera to impress him. The bacteriologist yelled blue ruin when the anarchist had taken it because that was the name of the formula, and he chased after him because it would have been too much trouble to make another batch.  In conclusion, I thought this story was good; it had sudden mood changes which made it interesting and a twist at the end of the story, which kept the intrigue going to the end. The Adventure of the Speckled Band  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859 and died in 1930. He created the world famous character Sherlock Holmes in a story called A Study in Scarlet published in 1887. He based the character on Joseph Bell, who was a surgeon he had trained with and was particularly struck by his powers of observation and logic. The Adventure of the Speckled Band was widely admired as one of the best written, most exciting Sherlock Holmes stories, it was written in 1892. The story begins with Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes assistant, explaining about Holmes and how he solves cases I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid deductions, as swift as intuitions, and yet always founded on a logical basis, with which he unravelled the problems which were submitted to him From this we not only learn Holmes method of work but also that his companion Watson, holds him in high regard. The character Watson is a little dim, which emphasises Sherlocks cleverness and intuitiveness. This shows that there is contrast between the characters. Holmes is approached by Miss Helen Stoner who is desperate for his help concerning her sisters mysterious death. On meeting Holmes he comments on her shivering it is not cold which makes me shiver. It is fear Mr Holmes. It is terror This captures the readers interest and they are eager to find out what this young lady is so afraid of.  The reader sees Sherlock Holmes deductive techniques almost at once, when he makes and observation about the sleeves of his client, Miss Helen Stoner. There is no mystery, my dear madam, said he, smiling. The left arm of your jacket is splattered with mud in no less than seven places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a dog cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you sit on the left hand side of the driver. This gives the reader a clear idea of how Sherlock approaches a case and his acute sense of observation. Miss Stoner is extremely anxious about her sisters mysterious death. Helens sister, Julia, died in a locked room, just before she was due to get married and her death could not be explained But I have heard Mr Holmes, that you can see deeply into the manifold wickedness of the human heart. You may advise me how to walk amid the dangers which encompass me This not only gets the full attention of Holmes but of the audience too. Helen is about to become married and is due to stay in the same room as her sister and is therefore very worried. When reading her account of what happened, we are introduced to her Step- father Dr Roylott, we learn that he has killed his butler. This gives a dark impression of him from the start. We then learn that he is to give each of his step daughters an annual sum in the event of their marriage. Doyle continues to build a negative image of Dr Roylott, referring to his temper approaching mania and him becoming the terror of the village and folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger The reader now has a very clear image that this is a character to fear and tension is beginning to build in them as to what this man is capable of. They are also given a clue as what is coming when Doyle refers to Royletts passion for Indian animals. In contrast to Dr Royletts frightening demeanour, Doyle shows Helen Stoner and her sister to be frail, long suffering victims of this man You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had no great pleasure in our lives The reader is made to feel pity for these girls.  Miss Stoner goes on to relate her sisters untimely and mysterious death. We learn that Dr Roylett, Julia and Helens bedrooms were all together on the ground floor of the manor house. There is no connection between these rooms and they all open onto the same corridor. We also learn that the sisters lock themselves into their room at night as they dont feel safe with Dr Royletts exotic animals roaming around. Julia has mentioned to her a strange whistling that she has heard during the previous nights have you ever heard anyone whistle in the dead of night? This is an extremely eerie comment and intrigues the reader as to what may be responsible for this sound. We see the same technique used in Napoleon and the Spectre. It is at this point that the reader is first made aware of the speckled band As Helen recounts the events of her sisters death, she refers to a low whistle preceded a wild scream of a terrified woman. She goes on to tell how she found her sister her face blanched with terror collapsing in terrible pain and shrieking about It was a band! The speckled band. Doyle has used a lot of descriptive language to create this scene, to give the reader a clear picture of the horrendous death of this young woman. This builds the tension that is already building in the audience in terms of Dr Roylett. The next part of the story relays how Helen herself is due to be married and has to stay in the room her sister died in. On the first night there, Helen while laying awake and thinking of her sisters death, hears a low whistle. It is following this episode that Helen runs from the manor house and goes to Sherlock Holmes for help. The reader is now full of tension and is desperate to see Sherlock protect Helen from this unseen danger. This shows that Doyle has achieved a high level of climatic tension. He increases the tension further by bringing Holmes and Dr Roylett together. The description of Roylett in detailed and uses metaphors like seared with a thousand wrinkles and marked with every evil passion he ends his description by comparing Roylett to a fierce bird of prey Once again the reader is given a clear and negative picture of Roylett and empasises that Helen may be his object of prey. Holmes however is not in the slightest bit intimidated by Roylett which reassures the reader that Holmes may yet be able to protect Helen from her step father. When Roylett bends the poker with his bare hands and throws the twisted poker into the fireplace Holmes laughs at this which reinforces to the reader that Holmes is not intimidated by Roylett and is therefore the hero in the story. The story then moves to Holmes examining the three bedrooms at the manor house. He discovers that in Helens room, which was previously Julias room, that there is a dummy bell rope This is very interesting. You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the little opening for the ventilator is he also spots that the ventilators do not ventilate. This allows the reader to attempt to solve the puzzles alongside Holmes which keeps them intrigued. Another clue is revealed upon the discovery of a saucer of milk on Dr Royletts desk. Doyle has given the reader enough clues to solve the mystery themselves, however he has also littered the case with red herrings. This adds to the intrigue and tension within the story. Towards the end of the story Doyle uses a conversation between Watson and Holmes to highlight the significant clues. This keeps the clues fresh in the readers mind and again gives them the opportunity to solve the case themselves. This is a clever literary device as it keeps the reader who wants to solve the crime themselves interested but for those who are not keen to do the work they still want to read on as they are aware they are near to the solution becoming evident.  The story concludes with Holmes pulling all the pieces of evidence together and giving a blow by blow description of the events. This was my favourite of the three stories. I particularly liked the way Doyle gave the reader the opportunity to solve the crime themselves. This keeps the reader actively involved with the story and makes them eager to read on to gather more and more evidence. I enjoyed the manner in which Doyle makes you care for the victim and therefore get behind Holmes in his attempts to solve the crime, even though all along you know he will. This style of writing would encourage readers to want to read more Doyle stories as you would develop an affection for Watson and Holmes. Almost as though they were personal friends.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

The Grapes of Wrath - The True American Spirit Essay -- The Grapes of W

The True American Spirit of The Grapes of Wrath    John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath is an excellent portrayal of the common and true Americans. While it is of course a book of deep thought and incredible symbolism, most of all The Grapes of Wrath gives these common American workers a voice and a distinct identity, and doesn't just turn them into a stereotype or cliche.       Steinbeck's book could be regarded as one of the best books from America and perhaps the best on the subject of the Great Depression. It doesn't focus on the stock market crashing or from the upper class perspective at all; instead it shows the effects of it on the common man. And, like all great fictional stories set in historical events, it uses the situation just as the basic story structure and it's not until a certain point that the true theme is revealed. In this case the setting is during the Great Depression but (and I don't want to sound too hokey) the theme is of course about the struggle of life, the ever endearing human spirit, and the hope of better opportunities.       One of my reasons for my choosing The Grapes of Wrath (besides the obviousness of the characters being the heart of America) for my American Patriotic write-off is because even though the characters already live in America they begin to dream of a new land of opportunity and it takes them onto a journey to rediscover the country. Like the recent tragic American situation, the Great Depression is a milestone event in our history and was a period of time that tested our country's strength. We triumphed over that obstacle and it only made us stronger, which we are undoubtedly doing with our current situation.       Most of us know the ... ...works for the banks, comes with a bulldozer to tear down his old family friends home, right in front of their eyes. I know, it sounds depressing but hey there are some comedic moments and let's remember the story is about the Great Depression.       And so... The Grapes of Wrath is probably the best book written on the subject of the Great Depression of America. It was a depressing time full of fear for the future as it is now with the attacks. We will hopefully be able to look back on these days as another part of history that only kept us stronger, like we do with the Great Depression. But even in these harsh times there's no need to be scared all of the time, because you can look at the Joads and even while wallowing in the poorest and most depressing situations they were still able to have a good time dancing at the hoe-down. True American spirit.   

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Depletion of Resources

Depletion of Resource Nowadays, world population is increasing , this will affect the depletion of our natural resource. Large population increases in the developing world will strain resources and agricultural productivity (Eicher,2008) . For Instance , as populations grow, it may be necessary to convert additional land for agriculture housing development, and infrastructure. However, we need more products for our daily basic needs or extra needs for the upper class people .When high consumption and wastage of goods continues, natural resources in less developed countries will be exploited to keep the supply coming. Likewise, Australia build the Lynas in Malaysia . They build factory on our land. Furthermore, In order to produce sufficient goods for people ,more factory is needed . Therefore, Human begin to deforestation . According to data provided by the Malaysian Forestry Department(2007),Malaysia has an average annual deforestation rate of 0. 35 %.In total, between 1990 and 2005 , Malaysia lost 6. 6% of its forest cover, or around 1,486,000 hectares. As a example, Deforestation will reduce our natural resource like rubber, oxygen and others . When the deforestation activity occur , it will destruct the natural habitat of wild animals. According to the United Nation Environmental Program assessment (2011), orangutans will be virtually eliminated in the wild within two decades if poaching and illegal trading of the animal or its parts continue.Deforestation might be a main factor extinction of orangutans . Every human need a home ,and animal need it too. On the other hand, Habitat of Orang Asli will be affected too. The author of the book The Threatened Orang Asli (2009) stated that with increasing negative impacts of globalization on their natural environment and resource, indigenous people are finding it harder to defend their land where the resources have been taken without consent.Deforestation has destructed the natural environment and resources of Oran g Asli . In a nutshell , depletion of resource need to be avoided . In my opinion, Government have to find the way solving the problem. For example, encourage people to have more agriculture. Resources is one of the main requirement to developing advance country . Human beings are going to be relying on natural resources for a long time -Gale Norton .

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Life Of Prophet Muhammad - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1336 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/09/24 Category Advertising Essay Type Argumentative essay Tags: Life Essay Did you like this example? I. A Prophet and His World A. Muhammad and His Message 1. The Arabian peninsula a. Nomadic Bedouin lived in the desert-covered peninsula for millennia 1. Kept herds of sheep, goats, and camels 2. Organized in family and clan groups 3. Importance of kinship and loyalty to the clan b. Post-classical Arabia, active in long-distance trade c. An important link between India/China and Persia/Byzantium 2. Muhammads early life a. Muhammad ibn Abdullah born in a Mecca merchant family, 570 C. E. b. Difficult early life, married a wealthy widow, Khadija, in 595 c. Became a merchant at age 30, exposed to various faiths . Muhammads spiritual transformation a. At age 40, he experienced visions 1. There was only one true god, Allah (the god) 2. Allah would soon bring judgment on the world 3. The archangel Gabriel delivered these revelations to Muhammad b. Did not intend to found a new religion, but his message became appealing 4. The Quran a. Followers compiled Muhammads revelations b. Qura n (recitation), became the holy book of Islam c. A work of magnificent poetry B. Muhammads Migration to Medina 1. Conflict at Mecca a. His teachings offended other believers, especially the ruling elite of Mecca b. Attacks on greed offended wealthy merchants c. Attacks on idolatry threatened shrines, especially the black rock at Kaba 2. The hijra a. Under persecution, Muhammad and followers fled to Medina, 622 C. E. b. The move, known as hijra, was the starting point of the Islamic calendar 3. The umma a. Organized a cohesive community called umma in Medina b. Led commercial adventure, sometimes launched raids against Mecca caravans c. Helped the poor and needy 4. The seal of the prophets a. Referred himself as the seal of the prophets, the final prophet of Allah b. Held Hebrew scriptures and New Testament in high esteem . Determined to spread Allahs wish to all humankind C. The Establishment of Islam in Arabia 1. Muhammads return to Mecca a. He and his followers conquered Mecca , 630 b. Imposed a government dedicated to Allah c. Destroyed pagan shrines and built mosques 2. The Kaba a. The Kaba shrine was not destroyed b. In 632, Muhammad led the first Islamic pilgrimage to the Kaba 3. The Five Pillars of Islam a. Obligations taught by Muhammad, known as the Five Pillars b. The Five Pillars bound the umma into a cohesive community of faith 4. Islamic law: the sharia a. Emerged during the centuries after Muhammad b. Detailed guidance on proper behavior in almost every aspect of life c. Drew inspiration especially from the Quran d. Through the sharia, Islam became more than a religion, but also a way of life II. The Expansion of Islam A. The Early Caliphs and the Umayyad Dynasty 1. The caliph a. Upon Muhammads death, Abu Bakr served as caliph (deputy) b. Became head of the state, chief judge, religious leader, military commander 2. The expansion of Islam a. Between 633-637, seized Byzantine Syria, Palestine, and most of Mesopotamia b. By 640s, conquered Eg ypt and north Africa c. In 651, toppled Sasanid dynasty d. In 711, conquered the Hindu kingdom of Sind e. Between 711-718, conquered northwest Africa, most of Iberian peninsula 3. The Shia and Sunnis a. The Shia sect, originally supported Ali, served as a refuge b. The Sunnis (traditionalists), accepted legitimacy of early caliphs c. Two sects struggled over succession 4. The Umayyad dynasty (661-750 C. E. ) a. The dynasty temporarily solved problem of succession b. Established capital city at Damascus in Syria c. Ruled the dar al-Islam for the interests of Arabian military aristocracy 5. Policy toward conquered peoples a. Levied jizya (head tax) on those who did not convert to Islam b. Even the converts did not enjoy wealth and position of authority 6. Umayyad decline a. Caliphs became alienated even from other Arabs from the early 8th century b. By the mid-century, faced strong resistance of the Shia faction c. The discontent of conquered peoples also increased B. The Abbasi d Dynasty 1. Abu al-Abbas a. A descendant of Muhammads uncle b. Allied with Shias and non-Arab Muslims c. Seized control of Persia and Mesopotamia during 740s d. Shattered Umayyad forces at a battle in 750 e. Soon after, trapped and annihilated the Umayyad clan 2. The Abbasid dynasty (750-1258 C. E. ) a. Showed no special favor to Arab military aristocracy b. No longer a conquering empire c. Empire still growing, but not initiated by the central government 3. Abbasid administration a. Relied heavily on Persian techniques of statecraft b. Central authority ruled from the court at Baghdad c. Appointed governors to rule provinces d. Ulama and qadis ruled local communities 4. Harun al-Rashid (786-809 C. E. ) a. Represented the high point of the dynasty b. Baghdad became metropolis, center for commerce, industry, and culture 5. Abbasid decline a. Struggle for succession between Haruns sons led to civil war b. Governors built their own power bases c. Popular uprisings and peasant re bellions weakened the dynasty d. A Persian noble seized control of Baghdad in 945 e. Later, the Saljuq Turks controlled the imperial family III. Economy and Society of the Early Islamic World A. New Crops, Agricultural Experimentation, and Urban Growth 1. The spread of food and industrial crops a. Indian plants traveled to other lands of the empire b. Staple crops: sugarcane, rice, new varieties of sorghum and wheat c. Vegetables: spinach, artichokes, eggplants d. Fruits: oranges, lemons, limes, bananas, coconuts, watermelons, mangoes e. Industrial crops: cotton, indigo, henna 2. Effects of new crops a. Increased varieties and quantities of food b. Industrial crops became the basis for a thriving textile industry 3. Agricultural experimentation a. Numerous agricultural manuals b. Agricultural methods and techniques improved 4. Urban Growth a. Increasing agricultural production contributed to the rapid growth of cities b. A new industry: paper manufacture B. The Formation of a Hem ispheric Trading Zone 1. Camels and caravans a. Overland trade traveled mostly by camel caravan b. Caravanserais in Islamic cities 2. Maritime trade . Arab and Persian mariners borrowed the compass from the Chinese b. Borrowed the lateen sail from southeast Asian and Indian mariners c. Borrowed astrolabe from the Hellenistic mariners d. The story of Ramisht, a wealthy Persian merchant of the 12th century 3. Banks a. Operated on large scale and provided extensive services b. Letters of credit, or sakk, functioned as bank checks 4. The organization of trade a. Entrepreneurs often pooled their resources in group investments b. Different kinds of joint endeavors c. Traders even went to West Africa, Russia, Scandinavia 5. Al-Andalus a. Referring to Islamic Spain, conquered by Muslim Berbers b. Claimed independence from the Abbasid dynasty c. Participated actively in the commercial life of the larger Islamic world d. The example of the merchant-scholar al-Marwani e. Products of al-Anda lus enjoyed a reputation for excellence f. The prosperity of the capital city, Cordoba C. The Changing Status of Women 1. The Quran and women a. The Quran enhanced security of women b. The Quran and sharia also reinforced male domination 2. Veiling of women a. Adopted veiling of women from Mesopotamia and Persia b. Womens rights provided by the Quran were often reduced IV. Islamic Values and Cultural Exchanges A. The Formation of an Islamic Cultural Tradition 1. The Quran and sharia were main sources to formulate moral guidelines 2. Promotion of Islamic values a. Ulama, qadis, and missionaries were main agents b. Education also promoted Islamic values 3. Sufis a. Islamic mystics, also most effective missionaries b. Encouraged devotion to Allah by passionate singing or dancing c. Al-Ghazali: Human reason was too frail and confusing d. Sufis led ascetic and holy lives, won respect of the people e. Encouraged followers to revere Allah in their own ways f. Tolerated those who asso ciated Allah with other beliefs 4. The hajj a. The Kaba became the symbol of Islamic cultural unity b. Pilgrims helped to spread Islamic beliefs and values B. Islam and the Cultural Traditions of Persia, India, and Greece 1. Persian influence on Islam a. Most notable in literary works b. The verses of Omar Khayyam and The Arabian Nights were widely known 2. Indian Influences adopted Hindi numerals, which Europeans later called Arabic numerals 3. Greek Influences a. Muslims philosophers especially liked Plato and Aristotle b. Effort of harmonizing the two traditions met resistance from Sufis Don’t waste time! 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