Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Land of the Aryans: The Persian Culture Essay

Iran is in the past known as Persia until 1935. It is a nation in Central Eurasia situated in the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf. Iran is the related of the name Aryan, which implies â€Å"Land of the Aryans†. Iran is home to one of the world’s most established persistent significant developments, with authentic and urban settlements going back to 4000 BC. The Culture of Iran is a blend of old pre-Islamic culture and Islamic culture. Iranian culture likely began in Central Asia and is unequivocally recommended as the forerunner of Iranian culture ca. 2000 BC. Iranian culture has for quite some time been a dominating society of the Middle East and Central Asia, with Persian thought about the language of educated people during a great part of the second thousand years, and the language of religion and the masses before that. Persian Philosophy to Major Religions The Iranian level has contributed thoughts and strategies for sixty known hundreds of years which have assisted with continueing and humanize humankind. Composing, numbers, expressions of the human experience of horticulture and of working metals, the studies of stargazing and arithmetic, and the beginnings of strict and philosophical reasoning †these all originate from the Near East, and the wellspring head of quite a bit of Near Eastern culture was on the Iranian level (Nasr and Razavi, 1999, p. 3). The three Wise Men from the East whom at the introduction of Jesus brought gold, frankincense and myrrh were presumably Zoroastrian ministers from Persia. Their blessings represented basic convictions which small contributed by Zoroastrianism to Christianity, for example, the ideas of the Evil One as a positive power; the thought of the heavenly attendants, of the Last judgment, or heaven, of the revival of the dead; and of a definitive triumph of good over shrewdness (Pope, Ackerman and Schroeder, 1945, p. 2). There are likewise two other persuasive religions that came out of Persia. One is Mithraism, which fruitlessly contended with Christianity for the initial three centuries of our period. Also, the other is Manichaeism of which St. Augustine was an enthusiast before he changed over to Christianity (Pope, Ackerman and Schroeder, 1945, p. 2). In addition, as indicated by Pope, Ackerman and Schroeder (1945): Buddhism was likewise incompletely impacted by Persian way of thinking when Buddha went through the Far East on its strategic illumination. (p. 2) No significant religion would now be what it is were the Persian commitments to be taken from it (Nasr and Razavi, 1999, p. ). Persian Pottery Early antiquated painted earthenware, which had started in Western Asia by 4000 B. C. , was man’s first â€Å"manuscript†; for the outlines, helpful however they be as adornment, were substantially more than that to the individuals who made and utilized the vessels. Persian ceramics were the articulations and confirmations of fears and expectations, images for inspiring otherworldly powers to help in the continually on edge battle of living (Pope, Ackerman and Schroede r, 1945, p. 7). The entirety of the pictures in Persian pots represent the agreeable connections of man to nature and the celestial guide of a divine being looking out for and managing them. Metal Arts Western civic establishments thought about earthenware, pottery or compositions as significant masterpiece. Be that as it may, for Persian and Middle Eastern human advancements, it is the metal works that is considered as the prime of the fine arts. Bronze is considered as a most significant medium on metal expressions, even tantamount to silver and gold as far as its worth, since it is definitely more solid than the said metals. The masterful gifts of the smiths were protected and learned for thousand of years for the Persian, and adds to the imaginative estimation of the metal expressions (Ghirshman, 1962, p. 12). Effortlessness and quality were the masterful standards. Custom directed representative shapes like the bull’s head ewer and different creatures to introduce the essentialness of these creatures, for example, lions and winged animals, accepting that it will be passed on the metal expressions (Ghirshman, 1962, p. 14) such attractive articles were formed by the Seljuq metal specialists. A mirror back delineates the renowned and much adored story of Bahram Gur and his darling Azada, whom in a fierceness he was destined to kill. Pictorially it is unremarkable; as a work of adornment and decided by the displaying of its creatures it is wonderful (Pope, Ackerman and Schroeder, 1945, p. 64). The dynamic figures in the middle equitably and keenly occupy the space between the cusped curves of the encircling zone which, with the mediating spaces, nearly shapes a proportional. Inside this are birds of prey, foxes, and peacocks that reimburse cautious assessment. Floor coverings According to Pope (1931), it is by her covers that the craft of Persia has been most generally known (p120). Their acclaim has been abroad on the planet these numerous hundreds of years. The most estimated Persian floor coverings are those made for the rulers and sovereigns of the Persian culture. They are normally produced using textures and other crude materials particularly and only for the royalty’s use (Pope, 1931, p. 121). They likewise commission the best painters and draftsmen around to make a one of a kind and customized structure. The splendid and modern Persian shading sense discovers its ideal epitome in the rugs. Their size grants of a far more prominent assortment of hues than is fitting in the littler, lighter materials or than is conceivable in a painted page. There is for all intents and purposes no restriction to the scope of hues the Persian dyers could order, but with this riches accessible, the floor covering fashioners picked a moderately set number; twelve to fourteen tones is the normal for the extraordinary sixteenth century rugs (Pope, 1931, p. 23). The Death of the Persian Culture The decrease of the Persian workmanship began in the ascent of Europe. In light of different social issues, for example, cultural sadness, neediness, Afghan intrusion and administrative inadequacy are lethal to the conservation and advancement of the Persian culture. However, regardless of whether the Persian culture is viewed as stale these days, yet the Iranian motion pictures and contemporary music and writing, th e impact and valuation for mankind on Persian culture can never again be dismissed.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Jacksonian democrats Essay

Thomas Jefferson was reliably conflicting by changing from an exacting constructionist view to a wide understanding on the constitution to help his political perspectives. So also, Jacksonian democrats once in a while adjusted their conviction of being watchmen of the political majority rules system, singular freedom, financial chance, and the Constitution to suit their motivations. President Andrew Jackson had a few different ways of guaranteeing political vote based system in this manner he is viewed as a watchman of it. The corruption is a case of Jackson pushing political majority rule government. As per Senator William Marcy the corruption was satisfactory since the advantages of winning ought to go to the victor. He underpins this idea by saying, â€Å"To the victor has a place the spoils.† The corruption permitted Jackson â€Å"Old Hickory† to free his rivals of government occupations and grant them to his supporters the â€Å"Hickoryites.† Another case of political majority rule government is pivot in office. Pivot in office is the thing that Jackson used to consolidate the â€Å"common man† into an administration job. Jackson accepted that any man could do the activity. â€Å"Every man is in the same class as his neighbor,† he proclaimed, â€Å"perhaps similarly better.† The unavoidable situation that emerges fr om Jackson’s idea on political majority rule government is that unskilled people, incompetents and hooligans got places of open trust. The aftereffect of this was Samuel Swartwout, the gatherer of customs at the port of New York, took a million dollars from the administration. Jackson, in spite of the fact that he was a rich privileged person at the hour of his political decision, may have been affected to raise the normal man on a platform because of him having been brought into the world poor. One of his first goes about as president was to welcome the common laborers of America to his debut. The White house was just discharged upon gossip that said spiked punch had been served on the gardens. Accordingly, the debut is frequently alluded to as the â€Å"inaugural brawl† and Jackson being the pioneer of the average folks was called, â€Å"King Mob.† This spoke to what Jackson underscored and that was the significance of individual right. Jackson accepted that it was unreasonable for capacity to be in the hands of a first class not many. In this way, he upheld the privileges of the normal man through his territory approach. His property strategy would permit individuals to expandâ further into the west. The more possible land there was meant a higher electorate. Jackson’s conviction of turn in office permitted normal men to take a stab at government. Revolution in office is something which had been recently constrained to the refined world class since they were the main ones saw as equipped for dealing with the activity. His accomplishment in accomplishing fundamental individual rights is appeared in Doc. D. when Harriet Marineau, a British guest to the United States announced that she had considered each to be as an autonomous resident and discussions â€Å"of which the individuals were to be judges.† Notwithstanding, the idea of individual freedom isn't applied to minorities, for example, the blacks and Indians. This is found in Document E. at the point when Philip Hone, a New York City representative depicts revolts in Eastern urban areas. â€Å"The soul of mob and subjection to the laws†¦appears to have been delivered by†¦ antagonistic vibe toward the blacks and an unpredictable oppression of every one of whose skins were darker than those of their illuminated individual citizens.† Document G additionally exhibits that singular freedom was just coordinated towards whites. On the off chance that singular freedom had been intended for all the Indians would not have been expelled from their country. Additional verification of whites against minorities is spoken to in Document A when George Henry Evans clarifies that all men are made equivalent, and permitted the privileges of life freedom and the quest for bliss. Clearly, the Indians, settlers and blacks were not conceded these rights to singular opportunity. Jackson was a watchman of the economy since he bolstered financial chances. To ensure that monetary open doors were accomplished Jackson must be hostile to enormous business. A major business would in general hoard a specific piece of the economy and not permit different organizations to extend and gain cash. He needed to guarantee that the economy was not in the hands of a couple of rich men. In 1835 Jacksonian Roger Brooke Taney supplanted Federalist John Marshall as Supreme Court judge. In 1837, a case known as Charles River Bridge versus Warren Bridge was about imposing business models and contracts. Two organizations needed to manufacture connects over the Charles River, yet just one had a long standing contract. In the Marshall Court, the decision would have been that the agreement was more grounded than the interests of whatever else. In any case, under the Jacksonians, it was decided that the interests of the individuals were increasingly significant then any contract. Jackson saw the bank as unlawful and undemocratic. In Document B Jackson depicts the bank as inconsistent with the Constitution he additionally says, â€Å"The present Bank of the United States†¦ appreciates a restrictive benefit of banking†¦almost an imposing business model of the outside and residential exchange.† Therefore, when Henry Clay proposes a bill to congress in 1832 that would recharter the bank multi year before required Jackson vetoes it. After this Jackson drains the bank dry by expelling government stores and began setting surplus cash in â€Å"pet banks† which were ace Jackson banks. The invalidation issue developed because of the Tariff of Abominations which shielded it us from European rivalry. It incensed South Carolina since they needed to purchase costly made products and needed to sell crops on an unprotected market. Because of the high levy Britain doesn't buy the same number of merchandise as it recently did. The south likewise dreaded the duty as a potential decent footing for later federalist obstruction with subjection in the southern states this was welcomed on by a the South Carolina Cxposition composed by John Calhoun which expressed that the government has a smaller with the states and that the state shows had the ability to announce laws unlawful and states ought to invalidate the levy. The duty of 1832 was invalid and void they embraced the vital military arrangements and took steps to withdraw from the association if the United states government came to gather the traditions and obligations forcibly. Jackson was irate in light of the fact that he was against invalidation in this way he unobtrusively arranged a military and passed the power charge which approved the president to utilize the military and naval force to gather took care of levy obligations. Henry Clay, albeit a supporter of the tax impacted the trade off levy of 1833 which said that the tax would be decreased by 10 % over a time of 8 years. By 1842 it would be back at 20-25%.Through Jackson’s forceful response of South Carolina taking steps to withdraw from the state we can see that Jackson puts stock in states rights. Be that as it may, on the off chance that he needs to pick, the association precedes states rights. Being a gatekeeper of the constitution implies securing numerous things at one timeâ since the constitution is fundamentally a synopsis of the rights we have. The rights that must be ensured were singular freedom, and monetary open door in addition to other things and the Jacksonians were not watchmen of these rights. The time Jackson was president will in general be viewed as the â€Å"Age of the Common Man.† The explanation concerning for what reason is that Jackson endeavored to join the â€Å"common man† into the current political& monetary circumstance. The kind of basic man that was supported by Jackson was a poor westerner who wanted land, opportunity of decision, and a state in legislative issues. He prevails with regards to consolidating the basic man into legislative issues through Rotation in office and including them in government rallies. Be that as it may, the issue with improving the regular man was that any other individual who might drop out of thi s class: ladies, slaves, Native Americans, well off, Easterners, Northerners, were frequently denied their own privileges which is an immediate infringement of the constitution. (Doc D). The excluding of the individuals who wouldn’t fit the class of the basic man, helped pressure all inclusive masculinity testimonial. Jackson’s individual perspective on the Bank of the United States was that it was illegal. Be that as it may, John Marshall had made it exceptionally clear in McCulloch versus Maryland that the bank was sacred. Jackson accepted that protection of the association went before states rights. This was an illegal view considering it was the states who had made the administration. In this manner, if the legislature was venturing it’s rights the states could challenge the government’s activities. The principal alteration is disregarded in Document F when the U.S. Mail station stifles abolitionist mail into the South. The motivation behind why this was done to shield the huge number from discovering which would have propelled numerous to become abolitionist subjection. The Jacksonians could be depicted as questionable considering they were for the basic man while being a piece of the highborn first class. They endeavored to advance financial open doors by taking out the Bank of the United States. The Panic of 1937 was a repercussion of evacuating the bank yet Jackson prevailing in his fundamental exertion. His fundamental center was recovering force from Nicholas Biddle, the proprietor of the bank. The conviction of Union going before states was used to affirm the intensity of the official branch. At last, Jacksonian vote based system allowed more individuals to cast a ballot than any time in recent memory and made government all the more legitimately capable to the individuals.

Gorilla, My Love Critical Anaysis Essay

The title suggests a style of melodic declamation that floats among tune and common discourse; it is utilized for dialogic and story intermissions during dramas and speeches. The term â€Å"recitatif† additionally once incorporated the now-old importance, â€Å"the tone or cadence exceptional to any language.† Both of these definitions recommend the story’s rambling nature, how each of the story’s five areas occurs in a register that is not the same as the separate conventional existences of its two focal characters, Roberta and Twyla. The story’s vignettes unite the rhythms of two lives for five, short minutes, every one of them described in Twyla’s voice. The story is, at that point, in a few different ways, Twyla’s â€Å"recitatif.† â€Å"Recitatif† is a spearheading story in racial composition as the race of Twyla and Roberta are begging to be proven wrong. In spite of the fact that the characters are obviously isolated by class, nor is insisted as African American or Caucasian. Morrison has portrayed the story as â€Å"an test in the expulsion of every single racial code from an account around two characters of various races for whom racial personality is crucial†.[2] Plot summary[edit source | editbeta] First encounter[edit source | editbeta] Twyla and Roberta Fisk initially meet inside the limits of a state home for kids, St. Bonny’s (named after St. Bonaventure), in light of the fact that every ha been detracted from her mom. Roberta’s mother is wiped out; Twyla’s mother â€Å"just likes to move all night.† We realize promptly that the young ladies appear to be unique from each other: one is dark, one is white, despite the fact that we aren’t told which will be which. In spite of their at first unfriendly emotions, they are drawn together due to their comparable conditions. The two of them like to eat chicken. The two young ladies end up being, in renowned expression, â€Å"more the same than unalike.† They were both â€Å"dumped† there. They become partners against the â€Å"big young ladies on the second floor† (whom they call â€Å"gar-girls,† a name they get from mishearing the word â€Å"gargoyle†), just as against the home’s â€Å"real orphans,† the youngsters whose guardians have kicked the bucket. They share an interest with Maggie, the old, sandy-hued lady â€Å"with legs like parentheses† who works in the home’s kitchen and who can’t talk. Twyla and Roberta are helped to remember their disparities on the Sunday that every one of their moms drops by and go to chapel with them. Twyla’s mother Mary is dressed improperly; Roberta’s mother, wearing a colossal cross on her evenâ more tremendous chest. Mary offers her hand, yet Roberta’s mother will not shake Mary’s hand. Twyla encounters twin mortifications: her mother’s unseemly conduct disgraces her, and she feels insulted by Roberta’s mother’s refusal. Sec ond encounter[edit source | editbeta] Twyla and Roberta meet again eight years after the fact during the 1960s, when Twyla is â€Å"working behind the counter at the Howard Johnson’s on the Thruway† and Roberta is sitting in a stall with, â€Å"two folks covered in head and facial hair.† Roberta and her companions are en route toward the west coast to keep a meeting with Jimi Hendrix. The scene is brief, however long enough to cause Twyla to feel like an untouchable in Roberta’s world. Third encounter[edit source | editbeta] The third time Twyla and Roberta meet is 20 years after they initially met at St. Bonnys. They are both hitched and meet while shopping at the Food Emporium, another gourmet market. Twyla depicts the experience as a direct inverse of their last. They manage everything well and offer recollections of the past. Roberta is rich and Twyla is lower working class. Twyla is hitched to a fireman; Roberta is hitched to an IBM official. Fourth encounter[edit source | editbeta] Whenever the two ladies meet, â€Å"racial strife† compromises Twyla’s town of Newburgh, NY through transporting. As she drives by the school, Twyla sees Roberta there, picketing the constrained reconciliation. Twyla is quickly compromised by different nonconformists; Roberta doesn’t go to her guide. Roberta’s separating comment agitates Twyla: â€Å"Maybe I am distinctive now, Twyla. Yet, you’re not. You’re a similar little state kid who kicked a poor old dark woman when she was down on the ground. You kicked a dark woman and you have the nerve to consider me a bigot.† Twyla answers, â€Å"Maggie wasn’t black.† Either she doesn't recollect that she was dark, or she had never arranged her sandy skin as dark. Twyla chooses to join the counter-picketing over the road from Roberta, where she puts in a couple of days raising signs that react legitimately to Roberta’s sign. Fifth encounter[edit source | editbeta] We meet Twyla and Roberta again; this time it is in a coffeehouse on Christmas Eve, years after the fact, likely in the mid 1980s. Roberta needs to talk about the thing she last said about Maggie. The discussion is thoughtful yet finishes on an uncertain note.

Friday, August 21, 2020

The Economic Growth of China and Decline of the West Essay

The Economic Growth of China and Decline of the West - Essay Example It is likewise very conceivable that China may never overwhelm the west since its populace development is set to fall in coming years, and this will lessen financial development enormously. For example, Due to China’s strategies to control their huge populace, for example, the â€Å"one youngster per family policy† (Qian, 2009), cleansing of individuals who have two kids (Scharping, 2005), China will have an enormous populace matured more than 65 years of age. It’s working populace will, along these lines, decrease bringing about more slow financial development because of diminished work, thus lower GDP. The nations in the west have a consistent and practically steady increment in populace. There is, along these lines, an affirmation that the human capital will consistently be accessible to work in the businesses and divisions to expand creation (Weston, 2004). Along these lines, this gives the west a serious edge of China now and later on.  China’s political flimsiness somewhat holds its financial development. Politically incredible state-possessed ventures and state-controlled banks oppose internationalization of their money, the Yuan. Being government offices, they normally have power over the arrangements that are made. Personal business bunches that help monetary progression, as a rule have zero to frail effect on the Chinese policymaking (Weston, 2004).

religion :: essays research papers

                         Reflection Paper  â â â â â€Å"Who is God?†, this becomes as inconceivable an inquiry to respond to as the inquiry â€Å"Who am I?†. Michael Himes, the writer of this book which is called, Doing the Truth In Love, communicates his thoughts and musings on how we should consider God, feel about God, and get who and what God is. Mr. Himes, clarifies most importantly that God is a puzzle. He offers his thoughts on how He is riddle and on how we ought to recognize â€Å"God with God†. Himes states that God is agape, unequivocal love. My concern with this is how does Himes know who or what God is? He has never met God, to discover and he has never asked God either. We accept that God has undying and unadulterated love for us however we don’t realize that without a doubt. God is the Trinity, which means the dad, child, and Essence of God. So is it that when Himes implies that god is puzzle, agape, and relationship; he implies that the trinity represents these three meanin gs of God? I suspect as much.      God is a riddle since we can’t completely get God. We realize he exists yet we haven’t seen him, heard him talk or contacted him, so how would we realize he is definitely not a total riddle, I accept that to learn and comprehend God to our fullest capacities, we need to experience a â€Å"leap of faith†. We must be happy to peruse and comprehend God’s message to us. We need to comprehend what He experienced and why He did the things, he did. For instance, he passed on for us. For what reason did He do this when He could have basically said â€Å"no†? I feel he kicked the bucket for us to have a superior life and to be dependant for ourselves as opposed to having Him â€Å"spoon feed† everything to us. He needed to see that if what he made could work and depend on one another to profit ourselves.      God is agape, since he adores us. As you stated, Mr. Z, â€Å"God cherishes us essentially on the grounds that we exist. I am with you 100%. I comprehend that totally, in such a case that He didn't adore us, he would allow us to live, however we would stop to exist. The best model I heard, is the manner by which you utilized your girl, Maria, and how you said that following 30 a few years you still don’t comprehend agapic love.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Review of Susan Glaspells Rifles - The Sweetness of Revenge - 275 Words

The Review of Susan Glaspells Rifles - The Sweetness of Revenge (Essay Sample) Content: Name:Professorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s name:Course title:Date:Susan Glaspellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s Rifles-The Sweetness of RevengeThe setting of this play is destined inÂDavenport, lowa. This play was written in the year 2016 where the author wanted to explore the rotten society where women were discriminated in the society. This came as a result where women were diminished in their activities. They never found their freedom to do their activities generously with all their heart full of joy. Men were considered to be superior in their activities.There have been the various conflicts that emanate in the play. The first one is where we get Mrs. Wright is not in good terms with her husband who was uncaring, uncommunicative and cruel person. Mrs. Wright had to look for a companion for her hope in life and that was the bird. The day when Mr. Wright killed the bird, is the day that Mrs. Wright out of her anxiety killed her husband. After that she is taken to jail. Mrs. Wright feels having fr eedom after the killing of the husband.According to Rogerb (p. 56) says that the domestication of women is a feminist critique of international development agencies and programs. He tries to explain on the economic value of women in the economy. He goes on to explain on the importance of involving women on the growth and development of the state.According to tomasevski (p.39), discrimination is singled out as the key aspect towards the repression of women. This implies that women have become the subjects of discrimination at very high rate as being elaborated in this book.Also we find another conflict on the case of john who was cruel to his wife who killed his bird. Monnie who was his wife knew she was in problems with the husband. Mrs. Hale and Mr. Peters tried by all means to protect their fellow wife but it were in vain. John did not recognize the sorry these ladies have the issue of the wife.On the same matter we come across Mr. Hale claiming that he has come across the some je lly in the towel. He is making a lot of noise forgetting the fact that he is not involved in the washing. Mrs. Hale is arguing that the maid has done her best in performing her activities but Mr. Hale is not satisfied on whatever the explanation his wife is trying to make him understand the real situation of cleaning towels.The plot of this play revolves around the unworthy deeds done by the men to their wives. This erupts when we find some discrimination of women as being inferior and unable to perform some activities. Women are very determined to disapprove men by working so hard to come onto equality with men. Whenever the women are performing an activity they are not appreciated at all and this leads them to have a feel they are not up to the tasks they undertake. This play tries to rely on the misdeeds done only to the women forgetting that even men can also be the one who are the victims of an activity in the society.The characters in this play have been given various traits t hat revolve around the stipulated theme of conflict. For examples Mrs. Wright is given the trait of being antisocial. This is illustrated when we find that Mrs. Wright is being said to be uncommunicative to the extent Mrs. Wright looks for a bird to become her companion. This illustrates the trait of this man not able to make her wife happy in the house. Also her wife could not have freedoms and we are told that Mrs. Wright is saying that he would to have freedom without the husband.We have the two ladies who were the Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters who showed their supportive nature. This is seen when we come across them offering their support to Monnie who was in chaos with his husband John who was cruel to her when she did the mistake of killing the bird which was their source of companion in their family since they did not have a child in the house.Also we have the character by the name Mrs. Wright who was ruthless. After getting information that her husband has killed the bird which was her only joy in the house she make up her mind to eliminate the life of her husband.We also come across Mr. Wright who is uncaring to her family as we are told that her wife of not having any peace in the house that she refers as freedom. This comes as a concern when the husband in the house is not having a concern for her wifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s happiness in the house to the extent that the wife is feeling good doing away with her. This is all in accordance to the condemnation of girl child thus making the writer to have a biased attitude towards the women.We also take a look at the language the author of the play uses which he uses hidden words to mean various things. We come across the some words that are seen difficult in some other settings. The author at some point is using some vernacular language to refer to some key issues thus making the communication inappropriate. The author has also one weakness of using a biased language that tries to look at only one side of the gender, that she should have used a moderate language that puts all the genders into equality.There are various styles that are used in this play just to name a few we have the use of symbolism and irony. Irony emanates in the play in various instances for example we see that women are referred to be inferior but they are told to perform the jobs in the farm that becomes ironical in that men are the ones that are expected to perform such hard work but in this play we come across the women who work tirelessly to accomplish the deeds that were left by the men.We have symbolism as a method that is used to elaborate some issues in the play. For instance we have the bird used to represent the joy, music and life. We come across the bird playing a very big role in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Wright, we find that in the play that when Mr. Wright killed the bird the wife goes ...

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Technologys Effect on Human Relationships Comparing Station Eleven and Frankenstein - Literature Essay Samples

In western society, technology has become so entrenched into our lives that we are seemingly unable to perform daily tasks without it. Technology is ubiquitous, rapidly evolving, and provides many benefits to society. From smartphones, to digital tablets, and aircrafts, technology is able to connect us with each other from any corner of the globe through travel and communication. However, despite these advances, technology has also come with many negative impacts as well. Although technology brings us together, it has created a hiatus in our society causing individuals to have fewer face-to-face interactions with each other. Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven and Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein both utilize character development to portray technology’s role in the isolation of individuals through the destruction of their current and future relationships with friends and family. In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley portrays technology’s influence on isolating individuals from their relationships through the example of Victor Frankenstein. The use of constant technology has changed the relationship dynamic of society today. Individuals who spend more than six hours per day on their phones or watching televisions tend to become tech addicts, and they neglect important aspects of their life like their relationships (Hodis and Brunner 840). Moreover, Victor Frankenstein dedicated every hour of every day to technology, and neglected his relationship with the love of his life. In the beginning of the novel, Victor falls in love with his adopted sister Elizabeth. However, as the novel progresses Victor’s obsession with creating the creature, causes him to neglect her. In chapter 5, when Elizabeth writes a letter to Victor, she confesses her love for him, saying I love you and that in my airy dreams of futurity you have been my constant friend and c ompanion (Shelley 130). Conversely, In Victor’s letter to Elizabeth, he dedicates only one sentence to describe his love for her, because he is fully engrossed with discussing his own â€Å"secret† (Shelley 131). All of his attention is focused on creating the monster and he disregards his relationship with Elizabeth. Another example of Victor’s seclusion from his relationships due to technology is shown during the process of creating the monster. In the novel, Victor expresses his withdrawal from his friend Henry to the readers by quoting, â€Å"I saw plainly that he was surprised, but he never attempted to draw my secret from me; and although I loved him with a mixture of affection and reverence that knew no bounds, yet I could never persuade myself to confide to him that event which was so often present to my recollection but which I feared the detail to another would impress more deeply†(Shelley 66). Withholding the secret of the monster he created, V ictor reinforces his isolation from Henry. The seclusion described in the quote is more mental than physical. Technology addicts usually display symptoms such as loneliness and depression, from family and friends because of their unhealthy obsession. They create a self-absorbed world in which they ignore the care for others as they are too invested in their own digital lives (Hodis and Brunner 842). After the creating the creature, Victor becomes paranoid and is unable to express his feelings to anyone. His over obsession with the monster traps Victor inside his own thoughts, and further separates him from his loved ones. Moreover, Mandel’s novel Station Eleven reflects a decline in emotional connections, and relationships due to the overuse of technology. Throughout the novel, Mandel describes technological advancement before the collapse as problematic and toxic. In today’s golden age of technology the author labels humans as â€Å"zombies,† who sleepwalk through life. In chapter 26, as Clark Thompson interviews a young woman named Dahlia, she criticizes her boss Dan for his obsession with technology and corporate life. Dahlia explains how Dan is senselessly wandering through life as a â€Å"high functioning sleep walker† (Mandel 161), and is living in a â€Å"corporate world full of ghosts† (Mandel 161). The â€Å"high functioning sleep walker†, as described by Dahlia is a clear criticism of the use of technology in modern society, as it blinds individuals to their surroundings. Technology has allowed individuals to become independent as it can now handle m ultiple different complex tasks that once used to be done by people. Jobs such as mail carrier, weatherman, news anchor; have all been replaced by apps, further limiting interactions, as a majority of information can be accessed directly through a mobile device. The rise of individualism has resulted in a decline in relationship values, since technology is immersed in people’s daily routines more than ever before (Hodis and Brunner 840). When Dahlia refers to this world as one full of ghosts, she complains that people (like Dan) who preoccupy themselves with technology, and lead their lives on their own have lost their ability to connect with others. Technology grants individuals independence, but this excessive self-reliance leads to ignorance towards society and others (Hodis and Brunner 841). After the collapse of civilization many characters in the novel reflect upon their isolation in past relationships, and the regrets they may have. An example of this is shown through Garett, one of the few survivors of the Georgian flu. When Garett talks to Clark about his past, author Emily Mandel quotes, â€Å"Garrett had a wife and four-year-old twins in Halifax, but the last call he’d made was to his boss. The last words he’d spoken into a telephone were a bouquet of corporate clichà ©s, seared horribly into memory† (Mandel 49). This quote reflects the emptiness he experienced with technology and his corporate life before the collapse of civilization; and compares it to the more connected nature of existence that replaced it. Before the collapse, advanced technology and fast paced societal development had undermined family values and relationships. After the outbreak of the Georgian flu, the first person Garett called was his boss, rather than immediately checking on his family. The obsession with the technological and corporate world has forced individuals to detach themselves from their own family, without realizing it. Research itself has shown that technology-facilitated communication and work leads to miscommunications and detachment (Murray and Campbell 125). A study conducted in Netherland described the negative impact of the overuse of technology in work related environments on relationships. The results of the study showed that Individuals who worked more than 9 hours a day at a computer, have an increased risk of physiological problems in which they become completely aloof from their surroundings (Murray and Campbell 125). These individuals tend to feel cognitive and emotional symptoms such as loneliness, which diverts them from their relationships (Murray and Campbell 126). After the collapse, where the period of modern technological world has come to an end, Garrett realizes and criticizes the grasp his old life had over him. His overuse of techn ology and corporate life distanced him from his family. However, the loss of technology allows him to reconnect with his family, but in a different way. The novels Station Eleven and Frankenstein contrast in their abundance of technology; however, both novels use character development to convey the idea that excessive use of technology destroys human connections. In Frankenstein, the author believes seclusion between individuals is due to the overuse of technology, and uses Frankensteins monster as a symbol for technology, to better explain it. He (Frankenstein’s monster) becomes the product of Victor’s character development, and ultimately separates him from the love of his life. Victor’s decision to be consumed by technology is seen when the very representation of technology, directly causes the death of his beloved Elizabeth. Station Eleven presents the idea of redemption through Garett’s character. A man who was formerly immersed in technology, which resulted in neglect towards his family, was able to reflect upon his previous actions and build new relationships with the people living in Severn city. Both novels share the common theme that â€Å"technology destroys an individual’s relationships with their friends or family,† although they go about it in different ways. Technology today is growing exponentially, almost out of our control. Research supports the idea, that although technology in today’s modern society is a necessity, obsessive use can cause isolation between individuals and their friends or family. It can cause a disconnect with things that truly matter in life, without the individual even knowing. In novels such as Station Eleven and Frankenstein, technology acts as an acid, eating way personal relationships, until nothing is left and individuals are immersed in their obsession. The characters in the novels become so engrossed in the technology they’re working with that they fail to realize the consequences they may face in the future for their actions. Through their own creative uses of storytelling, both authors are able to emphasize the extreme impact of technology on society in their own way. The authors collectively suggest that technology should not be excessively used in our day-to-day lives; rather it should onl y be used to enhance our relationships with others. Work Cited Gerhart, Natalie. â€Å"Technology Addiction: How Social Network Sites Impact our Lives.† Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, vol. 20, 2017, pp. 179–194. Mandel, Emily St. John. Station Eleven. CNIB, 2015. Monica A. Hodis and Gordon C. Bruner II. Technology Addiction: An Exploratory Study of the Negative Impact of Technology on Consumer Welfare. Advances in Consumer Research, vol. 36, Jan. 2009, pp. 840-842. Murray, Christine E. and Emily C. Campbell. â€Å"The pleasure and Perils of Technology in Intimate Relationships.† Journal of Couple Relationship Therapy, vol. 14 no. 2, Apr-June2015, pp. 116-140. EBSCOhost, doi: 10.1080/15332691.2014.953561. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: A Norton Critical Edition. ed. J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton, 1996.