The Reluctant Fundamentalist

How does Hamid employ symbolism throughout the novel? Is his use of symbolism effective? What is lost and gained through the use of symbolism? The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a novel in which an American immigrant Changez is living a dream with a great job, money, and the â€Å"regal† Erica by his side. However after the 9/11 attacks Changez’s perception on America shifted, he was forced to question where his allegence lies and this developed into contempt for America.If you read The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, and fail to dig below to the surface of the text then the novel will hold an entirely different meaning to you. Hamid used heavy sybolism to convey meanings and themes that are better not said outright, and overall altered the impression the novel leaft. While reading The Reluctant Fundamentalist it became apperant that Changez’s love interest Erica symbolized America. Besides the obvious that Erica is the last five letters of America, there were multiple parallels in the story Hamid built for Erica and the way he portrayed America.When Changez first met Erica he says, â€Å"She had a presence †¦a naturalist would likely have compared her to a lioness: strong, sleek, and invariably surrounded by her pride†(22). Changez also comments of the pride America shows with, â€Å"stickers of flags adorned windshields and windows; large flags fluttered from buildings. They all seemed to proclaim: We are America†¦the mightiest civilization the world has ever known. †(79). Akin to America after 9/11, Erica seemed to be, â€Å"utterly detached, lost in a world of her own†¦ she was struggling against a current that pulled her within herself†(86).Similarly after 9/11 Changez felt that America, â€Å"retreated into myths of your own difference, assumptions of your own superiority†(168). The grief that Erica felt over the loss of Chris was representative of the grief America felt after 9/11 and how that prevented both Erica and America from moving on and accepting Changez. When Changez goes to see Erica at her clinic he is told by a nurse that, â€Å"It did not matter that the person Erica was in love with was deceased; for Erica he was alive enough, and that was the problem. †(133) America, too, was increasingly giving itself over to a dangerous nostalgia,† he claimed that he, â€Å"had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was stuck by its determination to look back. †(115) The grief that Erica felt over the loss of Chris was representative of the grief America felt after 9/11 and how that prevented both Erica and America from moving on and accepting Changez. When Changez goes to see Erica at her clinic he is told by a nurse that, â€Å"It did not matter that the person Erica was in love with was deceased; for Erica he was alive enough, and that was the problem. (133) If Erica represents America and their in ability to move on from their grief, then Chris is a symbol for 9/11. When Changez goes to visit Erica in the clinic,the nurse he meets when he first enters tells him that, â€Å"It did not matter that the person Erica was in love with was This was included to show Cahngez’s changing relationship with America and an alternative way to show how America is broken and how because of America’s tendency to look back, and hold on to the past prevented America fro building relationships with outher countriesIf you did not connect that Erica was America you might hink that this was about a Pakistany that came to American and wound up hating and criticisming it until he left. In reality it was about a man, or boy rather, that had big dreams of his life in America, ones that seemed to be coming true. But just as Erica could not let go of the past, America couldn’t let go of the hatred and fear they held for those who seemed un-American.

The Social Organization of Singapore

My research will be based on Political, Economic, and Social Organization of Singapore—an industrialist city-state. Even though Singapore's history dates from the 11th century, the island was little known to the West until the 19th century. Singapore is one of the World's largest ports, because the city of Singapore has become a major port, with trade exceeding that of Malaya's, Malacca and Penang combined. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships launched an era of prosperity for Singapore as transit trade expanded throughout Southeast Asia (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Singapore is a very multicultural country, but education through social studies has brought the country into a social cohesive unit (Ho, 2009). Singapore is a Republic—a one-house Parliament makes the county’s laws. A prime minister leads a Cabinet, which carries out the operations of the Government. The ruling political party in Singapore, reelected continuously since 1959, is the People's Action Party (PAP), headed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong† (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). The president (chief of state) previously exercised only ceremonial duties. As a result of 1991 constitutional changes, the president is now elected and exercises expanded powers over legislative appointments, government budgetary affairs, and internal security matters. The PAP believes that rationalism and expertise is the proper approach to social and economic problems that may arise (Bellows, 1985). The PAP has held the overwhelming majority of seats in Parliament since 1966, when the opposition Barisan Sosialis Party (Socialist Front), a left-wing group that split off from the PAP in 1961, resigned from Parliament, leaving the PAP as the sole representative party† (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). â€Å"Singapore became independent in August 1965, and has had compulsory voting since the late 1950s (every Singaporean 21 years of age or older must vote). Between 1968 and October 1981, in four national parliamentary elections and innumerable by-elections, the PAP won every seat† (Bellows, 1985). The maximum term in Parliament is five years. The president appoints nominated members of Parliament from nominations by a special select committee. Nominated members of Parliament (NMPs) enjoy the same privileges as members of Parliament, but cannot vote on constitutional matters or expenditure of funds (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Members of Parliament serve only two-and-a-half-year terms. As stated above, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships launched an era of prosperity for Singapore as transit trade expanded throughout Southeast Asia (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Also, in the 20th century, the Automobile industry’s need for rubber and the packaging industry’s need for tin assisted Singapore in becoming one of the World’s major ports. Singapore’s location among major sea lanes, and its industrious population, is what gives this small country its economic importance (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). â€Å"Upon independence in 1965, Singapore was faced with a lack of physical resources and a small domestic market. In response, the Singapore Government adopted a pro-business, pro-foreign investment, export-oriented economic policy framework, combined with state-directed investments in strategic government-owned corporations. Singapore's economic strategy proved a success, producing real growth that averaged 7. 8% from 1965 to 2009† (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). In addition to this economic strategy, the end of the cold war brought about less tension between Asian counties, which brought the region into a more globalizing production process (Heng, 2006, pg. 2). In the 1980’s, Singapore entered into a growth triangle (GT) with Indonesia and Malaysia, also written as IMS-GT. This triangle would prove to be a good move for the three countries, but with free trade agreements (FTAs) and close economic partnerships (CEPs) coming onto the scene, the growth triangles introduced in the 80’s looked as if they may have competition in the economic realm, but GTs continue to be at the tip of the spear due to the cooperation between the three are still very productive for them all. With all three countries being relatively close together, costs are minimal. Not to mention, this export-oriented cooperation is still attractive to foreign trading (Heng, 2006, pg. 1). The pioneering GT in Southeast Asia is that of the IMS-GT, and its evolution is very much tied to the economic development of the Singapore economy (Toh & Low, 1993, Kakazu, 1997). There are five GT’s in existence and GT’s are highly regarded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). There were two major happenings that temporarily effected Singapore’s economy between 2001 and 2003—the worldwide electronics slump and the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Both times, growth bounced back, by world demand for electronics, pharmaceuticals, other manufactured goods, and financial services. The return was mostly contributed to by the economies of its major trading partners—the United States, the European Union, Japan, and China, as well as expanding emerging markets such as India (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). The next economic hit that Singapore would have to endure would not take place until 2008-2009. The hit was due to global financial crisis. Singapore had their worst two quarters in late 2008 and early 2009, but would bounce back quickly (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Manufacturing and services are the backbone of Singapore’s economy, producing 26% and 69. 3% of Singapore’s gross domestic product in 2009. Singapore’s manufacturing of electronics accounts for 31. 5%, while chemicals account for 27% of the country’s manufacturing output. The government also approved the development of two casinos in Singapore, in May 2005, to facilitate new life in tourism. The investment produced more than $5 billion U.  S. dollars. Las Vegas Sands’ Marina Bay Sands and Resort opened in April 2010 and Genting International’s Resort World Sentosa opened in February 2010 (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Lee Kuan Yew once said, â€Å"A casino in the city state was possible, only over my dead body. † Now, with the extra income to the economy, he seemed to have warmed up to the casinos. April 27, 2010, the opening of the Las Vegas Sands’ was published in USA Today and quoted as saying, â€Å"Singapore’s second casino-resort opened Tuesday, a massive $5. billion project by Las Vegas Sands Corp. that aims to makeover the city-state as a Southeast Asian gambling and tourism magnet† Singapore is continuing to grow economically as stated by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, â€Å"The government is actively negotiating eight free trade agreements (FTAs) with emerging economic partners and has already concluded 18 FTAs with many of its key trade partner s, including one with the United States that came into force January 1, 2004. As a member of the Association f Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore is part of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), and is signatory to ASEAN FTAs with China, Korea, Japan, India, and a joint agreement with New Zealand and Australia. Singapore is also a party to the Transpacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, which includes Brunei, Chile, and New Zealand† (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). Singapore was a small society open to influence from the west through the English language and subject to homogenizing effects of modernization and industrialization. Ethnicity was not assured as a fundamental element (Unknown, n. d. ). Singapore, as stated by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The annual population growth rate for 2009 was 3. 1%, including resident foreigners. Singapore has a diversity of linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Malay being the national language, but Chinese, English, and Tamil are also recognized as official languages. English is utilized in administration, professions, business, and schools (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). English is mandated as the primary language by the Singapore Government to be used at all levels in schools. The government is said to provide at least ten years of education in English for every child (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). I have personally experienced this to be quite true. I have been to Singapore on three different occasions during my Naval career, and there is a surprisingly amount of people in Singapore that speak very good English. Ordering food at a restaurant in Singapore proved to be much easier than expected. Another surprising fact is that the literacy rate in Singapore is 96. 3% (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). A touchy subject in Singapore is the terms race and ethnicity. While 77% of the country’s population is Chinese, all Singaporeans are assigned a â€Å"race† at birth (determined by the father’s race), and this is indicated on an official identification card (Ho, 2009). The Singapore Department of statistics assigns the same meaning to both race and ethnicity and states the term ethnic group refers to a person’s race (Ho, 2009). The Singapore constitution also contains provisions that prohibit discrimination and guarantee protection to minorities, including articles 12, 16, and 152 (Tan, 2004). Singapore has diversity in ethnicity when it comes to religion. Singapore allows freedom of religion for the most part, but religion is subject to government view. Thus, some religions have been banned or restricted. â€Å"Almost all Malays are Muslim; other Singaporeans are Taoists, Buddhists, Confucianists, Christians, Hindus, or Sikhs† (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2010). The Buddhism is prominently displayed through Buddhist temples throughout Singapore. I actually saw many of these temples in my travels to Singapore. Some of these temples are very extravagant works of art. You may also see the diversity among Singaporeans if you are visiting during National Holidays. The people of Singapore will display their different cultures through dance and cultural clothing all across the country. The Singapore government experienced a loss of cohesiveness due to this multicultural social organization. The Government introduced Social Studies into the educational system in order to bring cohesiveness back into the country. The social studies curriculum was introduced, in 2001, to secondary educational levels—students from fifteen to seventeen years old. It is designed to allow students to grasp an understanding of Singapore’s geopolitical situation, including its strengths and vulnerabilities (Ho, 2009). This curriculum brings to light the differences in this culturally diverse country. This in turn brings the different people of Singapore together, thus encouraging social cohesiveness. Singapore has risen to every challenge that has come her way. Singapore has grown politically, economically, and socially with minimal negative results. Politically, the PAP remains the leader in the government. Realizing the need for economic growth, the PAP has always stood by industrialization. The building of casinos in the city-state has shown a remarkable ability to tap into tourism. Singapore remains at the head of the spear in terms of global trade. The social organization will continue to strengthen with education of youth. This fact has been recognized—education of the next generation will lead to political, economic and social success. â€Å"Economic, social, and political development requires autonomy and creativity as well as an effective, interventionist government staffed by a highly qualified and dedicated civil service. Singapore has come closer to achieving this mix than most other third World countries. There is much that other developing countries could adopt from the Singapore experience† (Bellows, 1985).

Essay On Web Development Trends - 724 Words

12 Web Development Trends You Must Know About in 2016 Arpatech Sep 05, 2016 12Web-Development-Trends_You_Must_Know_About_in_2016 The world of Web development is a rapidly changing domain. 2016 brought some of the hottest trends which you should be aware of if you are part of the web development community. You should follow these trends while designing and developing your website to maintain your position in the web market throughout this year. With new frameworks, evolving technologies and new layouts everything plays a critical role in attracting customers to your web page. Let’s look at some of the hottest trends... 1) IOT (Internet of Things) Much of the development in the app world is the result of IOT and it continued to grow†¦show more content†¦The increased use of this trend is observed as it enables users to jump to full-screen resolutions in an auxiliary natural way. 6) Adds blockers on the sites A huge amount of money the website owners are losing due to advertisement blocking plugins. Many techniques have been developed which enable websites owners to avoid these growing effects. These new techniques happen to reduce the effects of advertisement blocking. 7) Containers Usage To run, create and test an app swiftly Docker, a container service is used by the developers. A lot of advanced changes are making containers go huge this year. Docker is believed to evolve and gain more features and security. 8) Ultimate Browser Power Throughout the past few years, some major developments have been observed in the trend of things which the user can do with the browser. JavaScript is acknowledged as the browser’s de-facto language, making the browser more powerful than ever before. It stands out as the most powerful language for the year 2016. 9) IDEs These days more people are turning towards cloud-based versions of IDEs instead of using the traditional development environment. The key factors of IDE include fast accessibility and flexibility which is provided full-time even if you are not using it. 10) Enhanced Security As users add different apps to their mobile devices the higher the risk becomes of the device getting prone to security breaches. The increase in the efforts to makeShow MoreRelatedEssay On Web Development Trends1626 Words   |  7 PagesHow web development trends will change by 2020? The world has been significantly transformed by technology and the change can also be witnessed in website design and development trends too. Today every company is ushering in a new website design age. Thus there is a need for developers to be at the top of the game and keep up with so many updates and developments happening in the web designing world. So let us dig the trends a little deeper and find out which web design trends will rule the worldRead MoreMarketing a Hypothetical E-Business: A Discussion About the Strategic Components of the Marketing Strategy885 Words   |  4 Pagescurrent status of todays markets require successful people to change with the trends and technologies. That transition is occurring more and more as the business world deals with the challenges of acquiring consumers attention. The new digital landscape that has evolved with the technology that drives it needs to be understood by those in charge of marketing strategies for business firms. The purpose of this essay is to describe how I will market a hypothetical e-business and discuss the strategicRead MoreDeforestation Of The Amazon Rainforest833 Words   |  4 Pagescould be higher, as accurate figures are hard to determine. C. This essay will consider three of the main causes for this destruction and deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Firstly, the rise in housing needs and urbanization will be looked at. Following this the impact of commercial and consumer goods will be considered, before the final cause of deforestation - cattle ranching - will be debated. D. Ultimately, this essay will analyse these three main causes for the deforestation of the AmazonRead MoreSpatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is an information infrastructure providing access and enabling800 Words   |  4 Pagesthe SDI growth like the lack of standards to handle linked geospatial data, etc. The goal of this essay is to detail the concepts for the creation of an improved SDI in the year 2019. The intended SDI integrates the existing developments in the field to the relevant emerging trends and incorporates additional functionalities and technological advancements like cloud computing infrastructure. The essay also highlights the policy, standards and organizational requirements for overcoming the challengesRead MoreThe Limits Of Growth ( Tltg )1558 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction At the time it was written, The Limits to Growth (TLTG) was groundbreaking in its modeling, analysis and subsequent predictions of future trends. It is a policy paper pushing for sustainable development, coupled with technological modernisation. This essay will examine TLTG through an ecocentric lens. First, this paper will briefly summarise ecocentrism. Second, it will discuss TLTG and its findings in a contemporary context. It will be argued that TLTG ultimately failed in its ambitionRead MoreSociety’s Existence and Exposure in Today’s Technology1058 Words   |  5 Pagesworld wide web has made global business very profitable. The advancement has opened many doors for new trends and connections. The world is now exposed to very positive aspects and then we share a negative side with this new innovation. Technology affects someone’s life everywhere, with new trends and connections. The comparison of differences lay between safe internet use and the deceitf ul barriers that novice users are unaware of, appropriate choices are the key when using the web. InRead MoreEssay about Cyber Studies1499 Words   |  6 PagesCyber Studies This essay will argue that the influence of new technologies are changing the relationship between the media and their audiences. This concept will be explored by examining the current media communication model and how new technologies influence it’s future. Future media possibilities are raised and the implications of them for the relative industries are discussed. This essay is molded around the idea that these new technologies are giving audiences the power to shape the futureRead MoreEssay975 Words   |  4 PagesInternational surveys of student achievement are becoming increasingly popular with governments around the world, as they try to measure the performance of their country’s education system. The main reason for this trend is the shared opinion that countries will need to be able to compete in the ‘knowledge economy’ to assure the economic wellbeing of their citizens. Whilst benchmark indicators of knowledge economy ‘supply’ varia bles, such as investment in education as a proportion of GDP, have beenRead MoreEssay on The Media and Violence in our Society636 Words   |  3 Pagesmedia. It is found everywhere around the world. Media does contribute to violence in our society. This essay will prove that media does contribute to violence in our society by examining music, video games and Web Sites. Firstly, one form of violence which influences behaviour in our society is music. This sort of media is a concern to parents who are interested in the development and growth of their children because of the negative and destructive themes of some kinds of music. Let’sRead MoreThe World Trade Organization951 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Trade has been a cornerstone of our growth and global development. But we will not be able to sustain this growth if it favours the few, and not the many.† - Barrack Obama Barrack Obama, President of the United States addressed the consequence that in order for trade to help spur development in the world today, it must not only help The World Trade Organisation is an international organisation whose motive is to promote open and free trade by convincing nations to eradicate import tariffs In

Rhetorical Analysis Dexter - 1219 Words

Alexa Larson Prof. Butell March 6, 2017 WRD 111 Dexter; Rhetorical analysis. If you have ever been interested in the world of why serial killers kill, chances are you have done some research or even watched the insanely popular television show Dexter. â€Å"Dexter Morgan is a Forensics Expert, a loyal brother, boyfriend, and friend. That s what he seems to be, but that s not what he really is. Dexter Morgan is a Serial Killer that hunts the bad. (TV.com)† Dexter is a serial killer yet he works for the Miami Police Department in blood spatter forensics, because of his experience he is extremely good at his job. Dexter was adopted at a very young age, his adoptive father soon realized that Dexter was different, his father taught him†¦show more content†¦Knowing this we can tell that James Manos Jr. is a strong screenwriter and knows how to properly set up a television series to make it as realistic as possible. Also, James Manos Jr. is an educated man, he graduated from Colgate university which has an accepta nce rate of around 27%. In college, a majority of people are required to take an introductory course on psychology, basic psychology courses give all the information needed to understand the basics about the mind of a killer. James Manos Jr. obviously used all his previous education and his experience in screenwriting to effectively portray a serial killer that is seen as a good man to the series viewers and argue that killing others who also kill is equitable. First it is necessary to understand the psychology of serial killer. Serial killers are either labeled as a psychopath or labeled as having anti-social personality disorder. A quality anti-personality disorder which Dexter has is â€Å"Being able to act witty and charming. (NIH.com)† Dexter is witty in the sense that he knows how to not get caught and he has found a way to fit into society without anyone suspecting him has a killer, Dexter is also charming and this is portrayed in the series since his boss at the Miami Police Department clearly has a crush on him. â€Å"Break the law repeatedly. (NIH.com)† is yet another characteristic, this is also shown in Dexter. When stalking his potential victims Dexter constantly breaksShow MoreRelatedEssay on Critical Analysis of Martin Luther King, Jr.s Speech1674 Words   |  7 PagesCritical Analysis of Martin Luther King, Jr.s Speech Introduction In this critical analysis I am going to look at Martin Luther King, Jr and the I have a dream speech. Martin Luther King, Jr is very distinguished due to the many outstanding achievements he accomplished throughout his life. He was an American clergyman and he accomplished the Nobel Prize for one of the principal leaders of the American civil rights movement. Kings defiance to segregation andRead MoreBeyond Visual Metaphor. a New Typology of Visual Rhetoric in Advertising9528 Words   |  39 PagesMcQuarrie Santa Clara University, USA Abstract. The goal of rhetorical theory is always to organize the possibilities for persuasion within a domain and to relate each possible stratagem to specific desired outcomes. In this article we develop a visual rhetoric that differentiates the pictorial strategies available to advertisers and links them to consumer response. We propose a new typology that distinguishes nine types of visual rhetorical figures according to their degree of complexity and ambiguityRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Hurricane†2167 Words   |  9 PagesRhetorical Analysis of â€Å"Hurricane† Martin Luther King once said, â€Å"There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, popular, or political, but because it is right.† The song â€Å"Hurricane†, written by Bob Dylan takes a stand and ignores what was safe, popular, and politically right during the 1960’s and 1970’s, in order to paint a picture of injustice. Dylan organizes the actual events of a man named Rubin â€Å"Hurricane† Carter who was a middleweight boxerRead MoreThe Influence of Hip Hop on Todays Youth2247 Words   |  9 PagesAnaya Ragland April 30, 2012 English Composition II Dr. Janardanan Research Analysis Essay The Influence of Hip Hop on Today’s Youth â€Å"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.† This profound statement from English writer, Aldous Huxley, demonstrates the importance that music obtains in today’s society. Simply, music is a form of expression, not limited to any specific genre. Although this expression is not limited to one genre, there is one that seeminglyRead More Martin Luther King, Jr.: Effective Nonviolence the Multiple Intelligences2987 Words   |  12 Pageshim at the forefront of his peers, forcing him to learn how to deal constantly with being on stage and being in the public eye. His favorite and chief extracurricular passion was the debate team, an activity that measurably furthered his innate rhetorical skills. In high school, he won the Elks annual oratorical prize for his presentation on The Negro and the Constitution. At Morehouse, King was determined to be a physician. Soon, however, he learned he was relatively lacking in the logical/mathematicalRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate

Analysis Of The Book Hunters On The Snow By Tobias Wolff

Every story that begins must eventually come to an end, and that is true for both literary and commercial fiction. In literature, there are three types of endings an author can provide within their writings: a happy end with the protagonist’s conflict resolved, an indeterminate end where the resolution is inconclusive or undefined, or an unhappy end where the conflict is not resolved at all. These three types of endings can be found in both types of fictions, with literary fiction characteristically possessing unhappy endings, and commercial fictions ending more on a happier note. In Tobias Wolff’s story of â€Å"Hunters in the Snow†, the author clearly depicts an unhappy end resulted through his characters, conflict, and overall story†¦show more content†¦This displays how against humanity’s nature and survival instincts, he will eventually be pushed back and dealt a hand by karma for all the bad deeds he has done. However, as the story progresse s the reader discovers that the elderly man who owned the dog was aware of the fact that Kenny killed the dog since he actually requested for it, as interpreted by the following quote, â€Å"He was old and sick. Couldn’t chew his food anymore† (Wolff 93). After knowing that Kenny had justification for putting the dog down, both the readers and story’s characters now have a clearer understanding of Kenny’s decision, albeit disapproving on how he had executed it. Yet when it comes down to driving Kenny to the hospital for some required help, despite it being life threatening, both Tub and Frank appear negligent and put off the task to instead converse about their own problems, even heading off into â€Å"a tavern† (Wolff 95) in the midst of it all. Such a dulled reaction of nonchalance portrayed by the two men reveals that despite being the victims of Kenny’s misgivings, it does not mean that they themselves are without negative qualities. The two men end up discussing about Frank’s immoral love for a much younger woman and Tub’s complaint about his weight despite ironically eating heartily at the pub, as if it were a more important occasion to getShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Hunters On The Snow By Tobias Wolff919 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Hunters in the Snow†, by Tobias Wolff, is a short story that revolves around an ill-fated hunting trip between three friends. Wolff is known to be a fantastic writer, who utilizes various literary devices, as well as an exemplary setting description that really sets up the mood of his stories. Although this short story is rife with powerful literary devices, there are four very powerful symbols that I feel are the most relevant to the story. The criteria in choosing these symbols lies solely onRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hunters On The Snow By Tobias Wolff950 Words   |  4 PagesHow much antagonizing does it take for someone to break? Males are ra ised to brush off any bullying as if it does not affect them. Throughout â€Å"Hunters In The Snow† by Tobias Wolff gender roles are both followed strictly and broken to show the development of characters. Although Tubs is the victim, he develops tremendously to become who he is at the end. Tubs changes show the reader how he stands up for himself, accepts who he is as a person, and breaks conventional gender roles. Tubs receives the

The First Chapter of computer Languages Essay Example For Students

The First Chapter of computer Languages Essay The Tortuous Path of Early Programming. In the perpetual darkness more than two miles below the surface of the North Atlantic, a submersible sled slowly traced the alpine contours of the ocean bottom in the summer of 1985. Named the Argo after the ship in which the legendary Greek Hero Jason sought the Golden Fleece, the 16-foot-long craft resembled a section of scaffolding flung on its side and stuffed with equipment, Powerful lights, sonar, Video cameras. Far above, arrayed in front of a video screen in the control room of the U.S. Navy research vessel Knorr, Members of a joint French-American scientific expedition intently watched the images transmitted by the submersible as it was towed above a desolate landscape of canyons and mud slides. After 16 days of patient search, A scattering of metallic debris appeared on the screen, followed by the unmistakable outline of a ships boiler. A jubilant cry arose from the scientists. The ocean liner Titanic sunk 73 years earlier with more than 1,500 of its 2,200 passengers on board had finally been found. The quest for the remains of the Titanic in the crushing depths of the sea was a remarkable application of computer technology, as exotic in its means as in its venue. Not least of the keys to the successful outcome was the agility of modern computer programming. Argoss ensemble of sonar, lights and cameras was orchestrated by an array of computers that each programmed in a different computer language. The computer on the unmanned Argo itself was programmed in FORTH, a concise but versatile language originally designed to regulate movement of telescopes and also used to control devices and processes ranging from heart monitors to special-effects video cameras. The computer on the Knorr was programmed in C, a powerful but rather cryptic language capable of precisely specifying computer operations. The telemetry System at either end of the finger thick Co-ax cable connecting the vessels, which in effect enabled their computers to talk to each other, was programmed in a third, rudimentary tongue known as assembly language. Programming languages are the carefully and Ingeniously conceived sequences of words, letters, numerals and abbreviated mnemonics used by people to communicate with their computers. Without them, computers and their allied equipment would be useless hardware. Its own grammar and syntax regulate each language. A programming language that approximates human language and can generate more than one instruction with a single statement is deemed to be high-level. But computer languages tend to be much more sober and precise than human languages. They do not indulge in multiple meanings, inflections or twists of iron. Like computers themselves, computer languages have no sense of humour. Today there are several hundred such languages, considerably more than a thousand if their variations, called Dialects, are counted. They enable their users to achieve a multitude of purposes, from solving complex mathematical problems and manipulating (or crunching) business statistics to creating musical scores and computer graphics. No existing Language is perfect for every situation. One or more of three factors usually determines the choice among them: The language is convenient to the programmer; it is useable on the available computer; it is well suited to the problem at hand. The multiple tongues employed on the Titanic expedition are a case in point. For the computers aboard the surface ship Knorr, C was the preferred language because it provided more direct control of the computerised hardware. FORTH was the only high-level language that could be used on the submersible Argos computer. And the precise timing required timing required of the signals passed by cable between th e two vessels was best accomplishedby rigid assembly language. As varied languages have become the all build on a common base. At their most fundamental level, Computers respond to only a single language, The high and low of electric voltages representing the ones and zeros of binary code. Depending on how these signals are fed into a computers memory. Another might be a piece of data yet to be processed. Yet another collection of binary digits, or bits, might command the machine to perform a certain action, such as adding to numbers. The circuitry of each type of computer is designed to respond to a specific and finite set of these binary encoded machines, which may be combined and recombined to enable the machine to perform a vast range of tasks. Though straightforward enough this so-called machine is a forbidding, alien language to human beings. A computer program of any size, in its machine-code form, consists of thousands or even millions of ones and zeros, strung together like beads on a seemingly interminable string. A mistake in even one of these digits can make the difference between a programs success and failure. Less than half a century ago, machine code was the only means of communicating with computers. Since then, generations of language designers have harnessed the power of the computer to make it serve as its own translator. Now, when a programmer uses the command PRINT Hello or the statement LET A = B * (C D) in a program, a translating program is called into action, converting those commands into the ones and zeros that the machine can understand. The methods used to program the worlds first general-purpose computers were as cumbersome and primitive as the machines they served. The historic Mark 1, assembled at Harvard University during World War 2, was a five-ton conglomeration of relays, shafts, gears and dials, 51 feet long. It received its instructions for solving problems from the spools of punched paper tape that were prepared and fed into a computer by small corps if technicians. A more advanced machine, ENIAC (for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), was completed i n 1945 at the University of Pennsylvanias Moore School of Electrical Engineering. Unlike the Mark 1, which was electromechanical, ENIAC was fully electronic. But it was still devilishly difficult to program. Its primary developers, Physicist John W. Mauchly and engineer J. Presper Eckert, had responded to the urgencies of wartime by concentrating on ENIACs hardware. Programming took a back seat. ENIAC was not even equipped to receive instructions on paper tape. To prepare it for operation, ma team of technicians had to set thousands of switches by hand and insert hundreds of cables into plug boards until the front of the computer resembled a bowl of spaghetti. Not surprisingly, ENIACs users tried to squeeze the last drop of information out of any given configuration before they undertook to change it. These early experiences made it all too plain that a better means of communicating with the machine with the machine was needed if computers were to approach their potential. And even as ENIAC hummed through its first electronic calculations, some forward-looking work on a higher level programming was being done elsewhere. In at least one case, however, many years would pass before the results came to light. Konrad Zuses world was crashing down around him early in 1945 as the allied military noose tightened on Berlin, his home city. The young German engineer had been working since before the war on a series of relatively small, general-purpose computers, using the living room of his parents apartment as his laboratory. Zuses efforts were a notable example of parallel yet independent developments in science; he had no idea of the similar progress being made in other nations, and his own government had shown little interest in his computer work. Shortly before the fall of Berlin, Zuse loaded his only surviving computer, dubbed the Z4, onto a wagon and fled with a convoy of other refugees to a small town in the Bavarian Alps. Arizona Concrete EssayShort Codes partner program was essentially a primitive interpreter, a language translator that converts the high-level statements in which a program is written into simpler instructions for immediate execution. As programming languages evolved, interpreters would become one of the two basic categories of language translators. New advances in languages soon overtook Short Code, but its central idea endured. Far from being simply glorified adding machines, computers are consummate manipulators of symbols, whether those symbols represent numbers, letters, colours, or even musical notes. A computer has no difficulty taking the code numerals 07 and performing the sequence of steps that leads it to add two numbers, as long as it has been programmed to recognise 07 as the symbol for addition. In the same manner, it can take a complete statement, such as IF N * 100 THEN PRINT N/47, and translate it into the basic machine instructions that will enable the hardware to carry out the desired task. This purposeful manipulation of symbols is the fundamental principle behind all programming languages. Although short code was never a commercial success, the language made a deep impression on Grace Hopper. Short code was the first step toward something which gave a programmer the power to write a program in a language that bore no resemblance whatsoever to the original machine code, she said. But before the promise of Short code could be realised, much more had to be done. The pace of progress in computer languages was tightly bound to advances in computer hardware, and during the late 1940s there were few such advances. Most of them were influenced by Mauchly and Eckerts early work and could in fact trace their origins to a specific event: a series of lectures held at the Moore School in the summer of 1946.There, Mauchly and Eckert discussed the successor to ENIAC they were planning. Dubbed the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer, or EDVAC, it would dramatically reduce the labour involved in changing from one program to another by storing its programs and date electronically in an expanded internal memory. One participant in that summer was Maurice V. Wilkes, then head of the Mathematical Laboratory at Cambridge University. Inspired by the lectures, Wilkes returned to England and set about designing a machine based on the EDVAC concept, construction began in 1947. Named the electronic storage Automatic Calculator, or EDSAC, it became operational in 1949, well before Mauchly and Eckerts firm produced its first commercial computer. Like many early computers, EDSAC was a finicky performer. One programmer recalled that even the sound of a airplane flying overhead could bring it to a halt. Whatever EDSAC was shut down for any reason, a set of initial orders had to be loaded into the machine to enable it to accept programs again. This process made a whiring sound, which was a signal for everyone who wanted to use the computer to come running, Programs in hand. Those fortunate enough to have offices nearest the computerusually ended up in the front of the queue. The others might have to wait a long time. At first, EDSAC could perform 18 basic operations (modern computers usually have a capability of 200), each of them triggered by a particualar sequence of ones and zeros. Early on, EDSACs designers decided not to force its programmers to use this machine code in their programs. instead they set up a system of mnemonics in which each machine instruction was represented by a single capital letter. Thus S meant Subtra ct, I meant Read the next row of holes T meant Transfer information to storage and Z meant Stop the machine. When a programmer typed a mnemonic on a specially adapted keyboard, the corresponding binary instruction was punched into a papertape, which could then be fes to the machine. Even more valuable than the mnemonics devised for EDSAC was the library of subroutines set up for the machine. Subroutines were already a familiar concept in computing: Grace Hopper and her group had used the on the Harvard Mark 1. But they continued to pose their own peculiar problems. Subroutines are independant sections of the computer program that are used over and over and are called for by the main program when needed.Early programmers often kept notebooks containing the comman used subroutines so that they did not have to start from scratch when one was needed. The problem was that the addresses that designated where each of a subroutines instructions and varibles were to reside in memory changed according to where the subroutine occured in the program. Maurice Wilked called the EDSAC scheme of mnemonics and subroutines an assembly system, Commanly known as Assembly. Assembly code reamsins in use today because of its close relation to the machine, an assembly language is machine-specific, designed to correspond to the set of machine-code instructions wired into a particular computers CPU. Thus, assembly lanuage is a favourite of programmers who want to compress their programs into the smallest possible space in memory and have them run as fast and efficiently as possible. These attributes made it ideal for programming the telemetry system used by the Titanics finders. Anyone writing in assembly language has to be intimately familiar with how a computer does things, To know, for example, the many steps required simply to add 2 numbers. Assembly written for one computer would be totally gibberish to another computer.The language was a creation of a brilliant english mathematician Alan M. Turing. By 1948, Turing was in charge of programming he prototype of a real computer called Mark 1, the machine that was being constructed at the University of Manchester. (It was not related to the Mark 1 of Harvard). The manchester Mark 1used combinations of five binary digits to represent the machines different instructions, with each instruction requiring four such combinations, or 20 bits. Intending to make the Mark 1 easier to program , Turing installed a system in which a mnemonic symbol was substituted for each of the 32 combinations of Zeros and Ones possible with a five-bit code. The symbols Turing assigned to the combinations were the letters, numerals an d punctuation mark of a standard teleprinter keyboard. For Example, a slash (/), or stroke to the British, stood for 00000, or zero, an R stood for 01010, and so up to a , representing 11111. That is the end of part one of the four part series. Please download or read the following files in the near future. I hope that you find this file helpfull. Bibliography:Time Warner Books,

The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Essay Example

The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Paper The final step in the opening credit sequence is the title screen detailing The Sopranos. The viewer is presented with a black scene in the centre of which is the white block letter spelling out The Sopranos. This title screen itself may semiotically provide much information regarding the themes of the television programme once its layers of meaning are extricated and analysed. Treating firstly the importance of the simple colours of this screen- black and white- the themes of the show are visible. The traditional semiotic meaning that is assigned to these two colours aid in the production of these themes. White is mostly explicitly recognised as the colour of the good, the virginal/pure in contrast to the assigning of the colour black to the evil, the mysterious, danger, death and malice. The assigning of meaning to these two colours can be traced back in anthropological terms to the Western worlds view of white people as being good whilst the black people from the continent of Africa were inherently evil and not to be trusted. This dichotomy was later applied to the notion of the goodies versus the baddies and can be seen in the title of graphics detailing a main theme of the show- the good guys or the police, reflected in the white, battling against the bad guys or Tony Soprano and his mafia family, reflected in the black. These colours can also represent the struggle in Tonys world between right and wrong and his struggle with his morality and religious faith. Throughout the series, Tony has many crises of faith and a few attacks of conscience. We will write a custom essay sample on The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Thus the black may reflect Tonys dark side, with his underhand dealings and deadly intent, and the white may represent Tonys faith, his belief in Catholicism and his need to do good in some form. However as the graphics show the black impedes on the white possibly illustrating the fact that Tony has a great struggle between right and wrong. To analyse the typography of the sequence it is again possible to find meaning implicitly embedded in it. The letters spelling out The Sopranos are thick and have blunt edges. The letters in the original are also large and white and stand out prominently from the black background. The typography used is illustrated below. This may be analysed semiotically as being a reflection of the character of Tony Soprano- solid and dependable with a large stature who is rough around the edges; possibly a reflection of his brutal streak. It may also serve to provide meaning about the Soprano family as a whole- large, close-knit and very prominent in society (reflected by the white standing out against the black background). Finally the representation of the downward facing gun as spelling out the R of The Sopranos is important for the assigning of meaning also. According to Freud, the gun can be viewed as a phallic symbol, a representation of the male penis and thus is a reflection of the male sexual drive. The gun may connote power and male sexual potency along with aggression and danger. The sexual exploits of Tony Soprano and his power sexually as well as physically is a main theme of the show, and is referred to implicitly in the title graphics. Thus it is possible to say that the title screen of the opening credit sequence of the show provides meaning semiotically through colour codes, typographic presentation and symbolic representation. Themes of the show such as the good versus the bad, violence and sexual prowess are all reflected through the simple yet highly effective title sequence. The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos may also be analysed semiotically as one explores the assigning of meaning to maleness and indeed the image of the gangster i. e. Tony Soprano. By analysing this sequence in-depth it is possible to detail information that the average viewer may neither implicitly nor explicitly decode whilst watching the television programme. The semiotic representation of Tony Soprano in the opening credit sequence reveals a lot about his character. Throughout the sequence Tonys face is obscured by shadows and darkness, the lower part of his face i. e. from his nose down, is the only part visible. If one is to assign meaning to this it is possible to say that Tony is a mysterious man with a dark mind/ dark thoughts. His face is obscured as he drives from New York to New Jersey; from work to home. It is only when he arrives home that Tony is fully visible/ fully illuminated. This reflects the idea that Tonys work life is dark and mysterious, full of secret dealings and murders, and that his home life and his family provide him with the bright/highlights of his day. In the car, Tony is the only person visible. He steers the car suggesting that he is a person who is solely in control and in power. It also suggests that he is an actor in his own future, that he directs his life and controls his destiny. This is again emphasised by the continuous close-up shots of Tonys hands and arms. The affluence of Tonys life and his materialism that is shown in the show is reflected in the opening sequences. There is a continual emphasis on Tonys gold jewellery connoting opulence, richness and his carelessness with money. The cigar that Tony smokes is also a symbol with several layers of signification for this opulence but also on another layer of meaning it may be seen as phallic, reflecting Tonys masculinity and raw sexual energy. The theme of money is again reinforced with the shot of the bank reflecting possibly Tonys implicit need for financial security for himself and his family. The religious aspect of Tonys personality is also detailed. The shot of the cathedral/church illustrates Tonys Catholicism but the shot is somewhat obscured by branches of trees. This may signify the crisis of faith that both Tony implicitly and his wife Carmela explicitly have in the show. Tony is religious, he has faith but this faith is obscured by the sins that he has committed and the illegal dealings that he is involved in. the image is almost a black and white image reflecting the clear cut base belief in God that Tony and the Soprano family hold. A red canopy on the front of the church is important as its semiotic analysis reveals that the colour red connotes a raw energy, vigour and spirituality. This reinforces the strong position that religion plays in Tonys life. The appearance of the graveyard also provides us with information about the show. The long shot of the gravestones illustrates that death will be a prevalent theme as it proves to be with all the murders carried out by Tony and his mafia gang in the show. The appearance of the butchers shop stands as signification on two levels- the butcher per se as the murderer e. g. Tony, and as standing for an immoral behaviour. The pig on top of this shop stands as a symbolic representation of Tonys greed for both food and money and for his selfishness and over-indulgence. The Pizzaland shop also reflects his greed for food and Tonys traditional Italian roots. Tonys arrival at home is also important to analyse semiotically. His movement through the gates signifies that he has entered a new phase of his life and as he moves up his driveway this signifies that an end has come to his journey, he is at rest and secure/content. Thus by performing a semiotic analysis of Tony and certain scenes from the opening credit sequences it is possible to ascertain what are the important areas of Tonys life i. e. family, religion, sex, money, food, revenge etc. The use of colour in the opening credit sequence is of particular importance in this semiotic study. There are many different meanings assigned to colours and their use in certain contexts can be highly significant in the development of meaning and therefore, themes. Tony is dressed in a maroon coloured shirt. This colour is associated with bravery and strength, which is indicative of Tonys character despite his cruel and brutal streak. The road signs signalling New Jersey, Tonys home-place, are green. Green is associated here with Tonys home-life and his family and this colour connotes peace and serenity, all feelings that Tony himself hopes to associate with his family. A colour that is of a particular significance due to its connotations is silver. The colour silver connotes justice and purity due to its association with the silver swords of the knights of olden times- protectors of freedom, upholders of morality and keepers of peace and justice. For this reason the colour is also connotative of the police as they have taken on the contemporary role of the knight. Silver freight lorries are frequently shown in the opening sequences but they are always shown travelling in different directions to Tony, never with him or even close to him. A freight truck may act as a symbol for carrying a heavy load or a burden, so the silver trucks may connote Tonys anxiety regarding being caught/followed by the police. His journey in opposite directions to these silver trucks may also act as signification that he has left purity/justice behind and is leading an immoral life. It is possible to even suggest that the colour of Tonys house is indicative to meaning. As Tony drives home, he passes by many white family homes, which bear the American flag thus connoting morality and good. Tonys house however is brown or not white signifying something other than purity and wholesomeness. Thus by analysing the use of colours and in particular their use in certain contexts it is possible to ascertain that themes such as immorality, family and fear of the police will feature as themes in this show. An important part of any semiotic analysis of a film or television programme is that of the soundtrack. Music works primarily on the level that it can rely on the spoken word as it is sung to create meaning instead of the visual image. Non-verbal communication is also employed in music to create meaning with the use of certain instruments to evoke emotions and atmosphere. According to Self (1988:116) title sequences together with title music, are instrumental in communicating the mood and themes of the coming production. The show uses the same song at the beginning of each episode. The song is Goy yourself a Gun and its lyrics play on the notion of the mob and the gun which are both themes in a way in the programme. The song plays slowly and quietly at the start of the sequence as Tony leaves the city and gains in speed and audibility, as he gets closer to home. This illustrates that he feels strongly about where he lives and about his family. According to the song, if one is to relate it to Tony, he was born under a bad sign with a blue moon in your (his) eyes (lines 7-8). This provides a hint to Tonys character, that he is immoral and does not follow the rules. Having blue moon in ones eyes is indicative of Tonys upward gazing idea, that one must better themselves regardless of how they do this even if the rules must be broken. The repetition of this song at the beginning of each episode helps to continually create the overall atmosphere of the show as being one of immorality and violence connoted by the gun in the song.