A Study On The European Identity

A Study On The European Identity Although the concept of collective identity is a post-colonial phenomenon, a few nations would describe themselves under a collective identity before the modern times of the 19th Century. In fact, Europe is historically unique in terms that it has been the people living in the continent of Europe who have persistently described themselves as Europeans since the 17th Century (Pagden, 2002). Indeed, European Union emerged as the most important attempt for creating a supranational entity in the Continent and the best example of a Pan-European common identity as even the words Europe and the European Union are being used as synonyms by millions of people every day. Nevertheless, an uncertainty of a common identity has always been the case for Europeans throughout history and the physical as well as social borders of Europe has never been distinctly known for centuries which are full of wars, tensions, competition and blood. Today, the same problem continues to exist and many believe that it is the major factor blocking the efforts for achieving a fully integrated Europe, as the definition and frontiers of a common European identity is still unknown. Indeed, one of the most important issues of the European integration from a socio-political perspective is the vague concept of a common European identity including prospects of European Union Citizenship. Although a common European identity had been long around for centuries, these are fairly new issues in relevance to the half a century long history of todays European Union. However, I believe how the common European identity is defined is very important for the future steps of the integration process, as nowadays the EU is undergoing transformation towards a political union with an aim to become a global actor in the international political arena. What shall be the elements of a common European identity, how shall it be formulized if it is to become a suc cessful construct which would define Europe correctly to end the efforts that lasted for such a long time? I believe a triumphant common European identity must include the concrete and symbolic realities and it must be rooted to the diversity of cultures which had been created by the long history of Europe (DAppollonia, 2002). Otherwise, if it remains as a form of thin identity suggested by Habermas (2006), the problems and uncertainties of European identity as well as the poorly functioning European Union citizenship is most likely to exist in the Unions foreseeable future. In fact, a common European identity can only be successfully constructed by taking into account all the ambiguities, contradictions and developments in form of a unity in diversity principle which can be applied to the reality of Europe rather than building a shallow and artificial construct as it seems to be today. Theoretically, a united Europe in political terms is made possible if a united Europe in cultural terms is established through formulating a collective common identity which may only be conceived as a coll ection of multiple and complex values created by complicated dynamics of Europes long history. Nevertheless, a united Europe in cultural terms shall not mean a homogenous and strictly ordered European society; rather the European identity shall celebrate Europes long tradition of diversity. Another important question is how should European Union citizenship be defined and what should be the frontiers of cultural implications of such a political formulation. Considering the wide cultural diversity and long history that the individual members of the European Union had share in the European continent, a collective identity may prove to be far too complex to construct, so one may argue that a common European identity is still an illusion. Although Europeans have a successfully formed a common economic and increasingly political union, they are still far away from the desired level of cultural unity and a common identity which seems to be an alarming factor for the next stages of the European integration. Nonetheless, European Union citizenship is an area open to developments and it might be used as a critically important tool by the European Union leaders to accumulate a common European identity, only if it is formulized correctly. The critical point on the debate of Europe an Union citizenship is that the dominant Classical Model of Citizenship is based on the structures of nation-state and that is why this model cannot be applied to the European Union, as it is a whole different level of organization. On the other hand, Post-National citizenship is a modern approach to the issue of European identity and it is suitable to Europe in order to reach its goals of unification and deepening through building a stronger common identity in the 21st Century. This paper is organized in several sections. European identity from a historical perspective is analyzed in the first part; the current status of European identity and the issue of national identities in contrast to the common European identity is discussed in the following part; a new European identity and suggestions for a new formulation is given in the third part; a brief history of European Union efforts and progress on building a common identity is examined in the fourth part; and finally the aspects of European Union Citizenship is discussed in the fifth part of this paper. After all, this paper argues that a common identity in form of a collective European identity is clearly necessary for the Union at this stage of integration, and it is a crucial element for the future of the European integration project especially as our world is getting smaller as well as more fragmented simultaneously due to the complex dynamics of international relations every day at the age of globalization. European Citizenship is very much connected to the issue of European identity and it is the key to achieving such a strong common European identity when it is formulized as a Post-National phenomenon. The Europeans must derive their power from the diversity of their cultures by building a thick identity for Europe rather than a thin identity which consists of merely political rights; yet the Europeans shall not overlook the uniqueness of the Continent and the similarities they share in comparison to the rest of the world emphasized by the Unity in Diversity principle. Today, it is time for the Europeans to unite under one roof in socio-political terms, complete the long standing task of defining the boundaries of the European civilization by establishing a common and collective European identity in order to carry on the progress of the European integration project in a globalized world. Nonetheless, the question of possibilities of the Europeans to achieve such a high level of cultural as well as political unity remains a question and it is subject to a whole different level of research. However, often seen as a regional product of globalization itself, I believe the European integration project cannot progress any further without achieving a common European identity which is more critical than ever today in order to overcome the challenges of globalization in the 21st Century. Identity has always been a problematic concept because it is uncertain, fluid and highly flexible. Identity is the way to define ones self and to differentiate from the others. If taken literally, identity means equal, identical. Identity is not static but dynamic, and it can be defined in different ways in different circumstances. Identity is construct, which cannot be constructed immediately but only in time. It is not a fixed, constant and pre-given entity; while identity formation is heavily dependent on how one is perceived by the others. Identification implies belonging or membership, in turn which implies the exclusion of non-members (Bretherton Vogler,1999: 236).In other words, the sole purpose of identity is to separate self from the others in a sense. Moreover, identities are multiple in nature, or even kaleidoscopic. A person may have a single identity, but it will be made up of many levels of loyalty and identification (Von Benda-Beckmann Verkuyten, 1995: 18). Meanwhile , identities change, because they are based on perceptions, which themselves change over time and environment; as it is possible to identify ones self with more than one thing at a time such as class and gender, or religion and age. Therefore there are various elements of ones identity and these various elements in an identity may well be contradictory (Von Benda-Beckmann Verkuyten, 1995: 12). On the other hand, a collective identity means the attitudes, which all members of that group have in common in their thoughts and behavior; which differentiates them from the other (Munch, 2001: 137). Collective identities can provide existential meaning for people, thus they are primary means of unity in a society which give additional stability especially during periods of upheaval. Collective identities can generate a degree of continuity between individuals and their social environment, and can confer social recognition and approval (Von Benda-Beckmann Verkuyten, 1995: 24). Therefore, collective identities are defined mainly by culture from a historical point of view rather than biological genes, ethnicity, nationalism or simple political rights. Finally, It they are used to construct community and feelings of cohesion and holism, a concept to give the impression that all individuals are equal in the imagined community (Strath, 2002: 387). From the perspective of political scie nce; there are two types of political identities: a civic identity and a cultural identity. The cultural definition of political identity entails a sense of belonging of an individual towards a particular group which can mostly defined by its uniform cultural or ethnic values. On the other hand, the civic definition of political identity involves with the identification of an individual mostly in form of citizenry with a political structure, which includes political institutions, rights, duties and rules (Bruter, 2004: 26). Therefore, a cultural European identity implies a reference to Europe as a continent, a civilization and a cultural entity whereas a civic European identity implies a reference to the political and institutional aspects of European Union identity largely in the form of EU citizenship. Europe has always been more of a mental construct than a geographical or social entity (Lowenthal, 2000: 314). Europe has no natural frontiers both in geographic and sociological terms. Therefore it had never been easy to acquire a singular definition of European identity because the borders of Europe had always been dynamic, and no one knew where Europe started and Europe ended (Pagden, 2002). A European identity is an abstraction and a fiction without essential proportions (Strath, 2002: 387). The concept of a European identity is an idea expressing artificial notions of unity rather than an identity of equality. In this sense, the concept of European identity is inscribed in a long history of political reflection on the concept of Europe. From the perspective of history, Europe has been united as a singular entity in various settings for a number of times in its past such as the Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Napoleonic Empire, and arguably the Nazi Third Reich. Identity was only conceptualized as a macro-level collective phenomenon by the intellectual elites of Europe; on the other hand, for the rural masses of Europe, identity was a local term associated with the micro-level, rarely the nation and never an incident as large as the continent of Europe (Pagden, 2002). In different period of history, a common European identity had been defined on different basis. In the Middle Ages, Christianity was the main defining characteristic of European identity, whereas in modern times, the emergence of the nation state, periods of nationalism and afterwards democracy and secularism has been the common characteristic of the Europeans. Meanwhile, Christianity lost its dominance yet it arguably remained as one of the important components of European identity. Today, the European Union similar to the continent of Europe can be characterized by overlapping and unclear boundaries. From a geographical perspective, the EU has fuzzy boundaries due to the ongoing enlargement processes since the 1970s (Risse, 2003: 490). Although the geographical borders of Europe are not objectively defined particularly in the east, a state without a geographical relevance to the European continent cannot become a part of the European Union, even if it shares the EUs collective values and norms. Moreover what adds to the uncertainty of Europes borders is that boundaries of the EU may change according to different policy fields such as the Schengen includes the non EU member Norway but at the same time it does not include the EU member state the United Kingdom. Therefore, first of all the lack of solid geographical boundaries weakens efforts of the EU to be seen as a singular entity by its own people (Castano, 2004). On the contrary, diversity shall be the main c haracteristic of European identity from a cultural point of view. Religious and cultural heritages including Roman law, political democracy, parliamentary institutions, Renaissance humanism, rationalism, romanticism characterize the common identity of the Europeans (Smith, 1992). On the other hand, there are undeniable socioeconomic, cultural, national and ethnic differences among the member states of the European Union. Nevertheless, this reality is reflected in the motto of the Union which is unity in diversity from a positive point of view. A collective political culture is an important feature of the common European identity. The Greeks gave Europe the science and philosophy and the Romans gave it the idea of single continent and unity which created Europes strong cultural and political origins. The diverse and multiple cultures of the ancient Europe shared a single identity as they were brought together under a common system of Roman law. The people of Europe also shared a common language, Latin, and after Europe slowly converted to Christianity they acquired a common religion. Christianity has been a crucial part of the European identity and it played a key role to create its internal cohesion and to designate its relationship with the rest of the world. Further references are made to Europes identity besides its heritage of classical Graeco-Roman civilization and Christianity; such as the ideas of the Enlightenment, Science, Reason, Progress, Industrialization, Democracy and Individualization as the core elements of this claimed European legacy (Wintle, 1996: 13-16). Hellenism, Romanticism, welfare society and cross-fertilization of diversity can be added to this list (Garcias, 1993: 7-9), while one may argue that Europes core values include its commitments to an undivided continent, to individual freedom, and to the universalism of humanity (Havel, 1996). However, this unity never reached to the point of sharing a common European culture. A single body of citizenry or a common cultural identity could not be reached even in the peak of Europes history of unity. When the differences within Europe are emphasized, they are often in the form of unity in diversity; religious differences such as Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christianity, and linguistic differences including Romance, Germanic and Slavic languages are obvious; yet they are seen as correlated, Catholic-Romance, Protestant-Germanic, Orthodox-Slavic, and essentially are underlying the major ethnic cleavages and conflicts in the history of Europe. Anthony Smith is among the scholars who are skeptical of the possibility of a common European identity because they could not find a common culture across the European continent, and even more critically they claim that Europe lacks of a shared set of myths, experience and symbols; these elements which they find crucial to create po st-national identity (Smith, 1992: 72-73). Furthermore, Europe lacks of a shared historical and cultural content as which is the largest source of division among Europeans. Other obstacles to a common European identity include linguistic diversity and its tripartite religious division. In fact, a major difference among EU countries is the persistence of linguistic diversity, even though in practical level English has become the dominant language in Europe. Language does not only have an instrumental but also an emotional dimension and peoples sense of nationality is often tied up with their mother tongue (Guibernau, 2001: 192). On the other side of the debate, scholars such as Michael Wintle are more optimistic on the possibility of creating a European identity. Indeed, the existence of the EU identity in the form of converging education standards, educational exchanges, and the organization of a European civil society is already established in most parts of Europe. Wintle argues that a European identity was previously already created during the high Middle Age (Wintle, 1996: 19-22), and it can be easily established today considering the forces of globalization. For now, the major success of the EU in fostering its identity has been limited with the increasing free movement of people across European borders, which has accelerated since the 1985 and formalized in 1990 Schengen accords parallelly correlated with the rising impact of globalization. Increased interaction among peoples of Europe would also encourage cultural exchanges and this could foster a stronger sense of a shared community. Education and hi gh culture shall play a key role in European Unions cultural policy, because these two factors have an important effect on the creation of the EU identity. Education is obviously one of the crucial dimensions in any attempt to develop the future identity of the EU or at least more understanding and convergence among Europeans; high culture unites Europeans against the low culture which separates them. After all, the development of the EU identity will be the outcome of a long process in which bottom-up as well as top-down initiatives are likely to be employed (Guibernau, 2001: 183-184). The idea of Europe as well as the identity of Europeans are constructed over time with processes of contention and bargaining. Gerard Delanty argues that a European Culture is not an entity with cohesion and fixed boundaries, but a floppy concept, with no clear borders and with internal opposition and contradictions, discursively shaped in contentious social bargaining processes (Delanty, 1995; 1999). In other words, the images of Europe do not exist as a natural phenomenon but are discursively shaped by internal as well as external forces (Strath, 2002). A basic step in the process of creating a collective identity is to defining itself in relation to the other. Central to ones identifications are images of others. Likewise any identity, European identity necessarily contains a demarcation from the non-European. This is natural to all distinctions, and they are both inclusive and exclusive. The boundaries of Europe can only be drawn and the identity of Europe can only be realized in the mirror of others. Indeed, Europe does not exist without non-Europe and that non-Europe does not exist without Europe. Many centuries ago, the Europeans defined people living in the north as uncivilized and people living in the south as oriental (Pagden, 2002). Furthermore, the Greeks labeled the non-Greek speaking people as barbarians, even if that word would surely have a different meaning by that time. In nearer times, although the Russians shared many features with a European society including the same religion, it could not reach the formal limits of a Romanized civilization thus perceived as a barbaric empire or the orient, depending on the time. Moreover, European belief of its superiority relied on the common features of European societies such as science and liberal arts. Thus the rest of the world could only be portrayed as actors in relation to Europe, in other words always remained as the other. According to Delanty, Europe has been always invented and reinvented on the basis of division and strategy for the construction of difference from the other starting from Christian identity against Islam in the Middle-Ages, after that in the colonial politics to the New World, and to the ethnic minorities in the contemporary European Union (Delanty, 1995). Therefore, historical experience suggests that the new European identity may be constructed on the other which may be the United States, the East, Islam or the European past itself. Samuel Huntington has argued that religion provides the best common means of historically distinguishing between Europeans and the other, especially in terms of the confrontation between the Judeo-Christian tradition and Islam (Huntington, 1996). However, at the same time, the separation between Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Western variations of Christianity has, for a long time, been crucial in establishing a division between Western and Eastern E urope; partially reinforced in the Cold War, divisions between Catholicism and Protestantism and separation between North and South (Guibernau, 2001). Today, the European Union is frequently argued to be a fortress for the other and the EU is often referred to as a Christian Club, because historically all states on the continent of Europe had Christian societies. The Ottoman Empire was the greatest enemy of European states as well as Christianity in the Middle Ages; which made Islam the primary charactersitic of the other for Europeans from the perspective of history. Today, the accession dialogues of Turkey into the European Union raise wide public opposition in Europe while the European Union officials make constant efforts to prove their allegiance to non-religious, non-ethnic but solely liberal and non discriminatory Copenhagen Criteria independent from historical aspects of the other which has actually been extensively used to define the European identity. Finally, Europe is unique because it has possessed an identity as a cultural space which gave birth to political unions throughout its history. However, it has never succeed ed to constitute a single nation-state or a unified ethnic group. Although the European Union with its single currency and supranational political and legal institutions changed these historical facts to an extent, it is only possible with the means of a common European identity which will carry Europe to the next stage of integration which it always aimed but failed to achieve during its long history. Nevertheless, history has already proved that it will surely be hard to overcome uncertainties of a common European identity at the level of the masses. Over the past millennium, the advancements of European civilization gave rise to the elites living on the continent of Europe who feel increasingly attached to Europe as a whole and shared dreams of a united continent. However, Europe as a realm sharing a common history as well as a common destiny has been largely abandoned by fixed prejudices on often nationalistic and ethnic grounds. National interests and biases at local, national, and global levels have prevented the masses of European people from viewing themselves collectively (Lowenthal, 2000: 315). However, today, forces of globalization, advancements in communications technologies and media transmission of everyday popular culture now promotes the sense of being European among larger segments of society other than the European elites. Although a truly trans-European society is still in its infancy, many of its essential elements are already in place this time largely due to the forces of globalization. Most European states a re increasingly democratic in reality; their economies are for the most part market driven; their popular culture grows more homogeneous as communication technologies expand under the forces of globalization in the 21st Century (Waterman, 1999: 23). Therefore, Europe is at the stage of defining its identity today; however which criteria are being deployed to define Europe, Europeans, Europeanness and their respective boundaries is critically important. A common European identity must be constructed by defining and understanding the historical roots of outstanding features of the European society in relation to the notion of citizenship, which will be discussed in depth in the following parts; developed in the past over the land of Europe. For sure, Europe is being redefined as a result of a complex set of processes, but an important question is what sort of Europe is emerging from them? There is certainly a structured symmetry in the perception of the European Union as the coincidence of a homogenized socio-political space, a unified regulatory space of an EU super-state, a singular European civil society surpassing existing national and regional differences in culture and identity (Hudson, 2000). In some respects there has been progress towards such an ideal of European civil society. For example, the Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights have had an important role in defining acceptable standards across Europe. The issue of European identity and the criteria used to denote Europeans is clearly a critical one for the political and social integrity for the European Union. Europe will exist as an unquestionable political community only when European identity permeates peoples lives and daily existence (Demos 1998). Identity is a key issue which is continuously changing and thats the reason why it is so hard to define especially in a world of f ast changes in the 21st Centurys globalization. The member states of todays enlarged EU have become multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies with various structural phenomenon ranging from the immigrant community of France to Post-Communist yet ethnic communities of the Central and Eastern European states. As the EU expanded eastwards in the last two rounds of enlargements, the issue of defining a European identity became even more critical for sake of integrity and stability of the Union. One conception of a singular European identity would see it constructed through a process similar to that involved in the creation of national identities in the 19th and the 20th Centuries. Ironically, while the aim was to create those national identities in the past, the challenge that Europeans face today would be to transcend them for the creation of Europeannes. However, the current trends at local European level are quite different from the interests of Europeanists at the supranational level. There are pressures from nation states and their citizens to resist any further transfer of national sovereignty as well as erosion of national identity (Hudson, 2000). In fact, the success of extreme right wing political parties in important European countries such as Austria and France may be seen as a sign of the reappearance of dangerous nationalist and racist ambitions which the peoples of Europe have most probably experienced more than any other continent in the world history. Eric Hobsbawm has proclaimed that nationalism is dead (Hobsbawm, 1990). On the contrary, Llobera argues that national identities are certainly not eternal, but the time of their demise has not yet arrived (Llobera, 2003). In fact, national identities are still dominant in Europe. Recent surveys show that, people in Europe prefer maintaining their national identity and sovereignty, but increasing number of people have accepted European identity in addition to their national identities. Therefore, European nationalism is another important component of a common European identity and it has been a major ideological tool for unifying nation states as well as the Europeans as a whole throughout Europes history. To start with, the European Union, with its both intergovernmental and supranational characteristics represents a far different type of state-organization than a classical nation state. The main distinguishing characteristics of the EU from the nation-state are the absence of a shar ed language, a uniform media, common education system and a central state structure (Shore, 2000: 64). Furthermore, the powers of the EU rely on the sharing of sovereignty of its member states. European unification is a progressive method of limiting individual nation states to practice any kind of harmful nationalism and this is makes up an important part of the European identity. At this point, nationalist Euroskeptics may argue that building a common Europe and an identity for it means destroying nations. However, a general feeling of Europeanness and loyalty to Europe in a cultural sense, does not need to conflict with national identities (Andreani, 1999). A successful construct of European identity must include the concrete and symbolic realities created within time. The European states have not always been nationalist through Europes long history. The definition of nationalism counts on the idea of nation and territory; while the definition of a European nationalism depends on the historical and ideological evolution of the European nation states and aspirations for a post-national Europe. In fact, the aspirations that underlie in the roots of the foundation of the European Union are parallel to European cosmopolitanism in the 18th and the 19th centuries. From the Enlightenment to the beginning of the ECSC after the Second World War; European nationalism found two separate meanings: one as an antinational Pan-European idea of a new united Europe that limits the sovereignty of the nation states, and the other as a pro-national ideology to create or legitimate new nation states (DAppollonia, 2002). Historically, cosmopolitanism reflected intentions for a European unity, and gave rise to anti-national European nationalism. European nationalism was characterized by the will to protect the European interests and its supremacy from non-Europeans as well as protecting Europe from itself by creating a federation. It can be argued that economic development, commercial prosperity, intellectual-supremacy and military power were the factors making Europe homogeneous and created a united European identity beyond national borders to an extent. Some intellectuals as well as economists believe that the nation state is an outdated political and economic entity, and nationalism is merely an expression of old prejudiced and narrow-minded ideas. European nationalism defined itself similar to the nation state through common identity and culture, territory, historical memory building, and economic and political objectives to defend self-interests. The defensive conception of European nationalism o n the other hand had always been a driving factor, yet the pro-nationalist ideologies had been the major cause underlying the wars of modern times. As Europe was divided into aggressive nation states, the idea of Europe had increasingly converged. Although the wars were dividing factors themselves, their interpretations by the Europeanists became powerful unifying factors for Europe. The irony of European nationalism is that it depends on the memory of events that divided rather than united the continent (DAppollonia, 2002). Although it used the same definitions of nation and Europe with the anti-national European nationalism from time to time, it remained limited to the strict logic of the national framework. Transnational solidarities were necessity to establish European unity under either a supranational or an intergovernmental structure. For some intellectuals, European nationalism was the only way to protect the autonomy of nations and the liberty of the individuals. Conceptualizing of the European Union citizenship and creation of the Committee of the Regions in the EU were seen as efforts of the Pro-national European nationalists. These forms of European nationalism rejected the form of narrow nationalism while it showed ambitions to reinforce the intermediary actions between state and individual, between th

Like Mother, Like Daughter

A lot of people assume that one’s daughter is a lot like their mother, and a lot of times that is true, in some aspects. I can tell you that my wisdom and common sense came from my mom. My sense of humor, my laugh, my eyes, and my strength also came from my mom. My mom is the reason I have chosen the career path I have chosen. So, I have a lot of traits in resemblance of my mom, the only trait I lack is her addiction. Growing up I imagined my life to be perfect, as I guess all children usually do.But as the years went on, I slowly began to realize that my life was far from perfect. At eight years old, my parents split up and I was forced to move to the DFW Metropolis to live with my grandparents. Living there I began to realize that my mother wasn’t who I thought she was. She was hardly ever home, her and my grandmother were fighting continuously when I had always known of them to be the best of friends. The fighting escalated more and more, year after year until finall y my mom had enough and we left.I was in fifth grade at the time attending a middle school in the area and my mom and I had left my comfort zone to move in with her friend from work, which was probably the worst decision ever made. While living there I found out that my mom was an alcoholic. Her absence started to occur more often. I would spend my nights lying wide awake in bed waiting for her to get home from where ever she spent her nights; I would call her over and over again until she answered the phone and told me she was on her way back home. I had discovered my mom was far from perfect and so was my life.After a disagreement occurred between my mom and her friend, we were on the move once again. This time we actually got our own place, a one bedroom apartment further away from my grandparents. I was forced to change schools, my first year in middle school. The apartments we lived in were located right behind the school, which was a huge convenience to my mom considering she no longer had to wake up early in the morning to take me to school, this way I could just walk. Living alone with my mother was a fearful life for such a young kid.I never knew what was going to happen. There was always people over late at night, my mom and her friends would lock themselves in her room for hours and not even bother to let me come in with the sound of a knock. I was invisible to her. I would wake up in the mornings with her past out on the couch, surrounded my empty beer and liquor bottles, the house reeked of a skunk odor, and there were pipes on the end tables of the couch. I spent my mornings cleaning up after my mother in fear of someone finding out what I was living with and taking me away.Little did I know, no matter what I did, sooner or later I would be taken away. One night in November, 2003 my mom had taken me over to her friend’s house for dinner. While upstairs watching television, I heard my mom call up to me telling me that we’re leaving. As I walked down stairs I saw that my mom was crying when she walked out the door, whenever I followed her outside she was on the ground convulsing in to an epileptic seizure. The cops and ambulance were called and they had found prescription pills in her purse that were not made out to her and accused her of taking them.After my mom went to the hospital my aunt came and got me and I spent the night with her. The next morning after I woke up, my grandparents were over at my aunt’s house. Everyone, excluding my mom was sitting around the kitchen table talking. As I entered the room they all got quiet and my grandma had asked me to sit down. My grandmother then asked me how I would like to come back and live with them. I was confused. She had not mentioned my mother coming back just me. So, I asked. â€Å"What about my mom? † She answered me. â€Å"Your mother can no longer take care of you.She is sick and needs to get help. † For some strange reason at twelve yea rs old, I understood exactly what she was talking about. I accepted the offer and by that night, I was back at my grandparent’s house. Living with my grandparents made me feel more at ease, I was put back in to my original schools with my original friends and I still got to see my mother here and there. Seeing here every once and a while made me believe she was better. She was happy when I saw her, she wasn’t so upset, she looked beautiful all the time, and she looked like my mother.But all of that was a show. By the time I was in the eighth grade, my mother had slowly became a stranger in my life and when I found out she was arrested and charged a year and a half in prison due to drug charges, my mother was no one in my life. I got letters pretty frequently from her, asking how school was, telling me how sorry she was to have put me through what she did, explaining to me her passion for God that she had picked up on while being locked away, but no matter how many lett ers she wrote to me, I could never find it in me to respond.By the time I received her tenth letter or so, I was tired of getting them. I finally wrote her. I wrote her a one paged, short and sweet letter, explaining to her that I was fine and so was everyone else, I told her school was good, and I answered all of her questions she had written me in her previous letters. Then, I went on to say that I no longer wanted any contact with her until she grew up and realized how to be a mom. That was the first and only time I spoke to my mom while being in jail.After a year and a half went by and my mom got out, I was already a freshman in high school and living my life with no worries. I did see her on the day she was released, I gave her a hug and a kiss and told her that I loved her and always would but my mind had still not changed. That was the day she informed me that I had my mothers attitude. â€Å"Like mother, like daughter† she said and I cringed at the though of being lik e her. My mom had decided on her own, without a judge or a probation officer forcing her to do so, to move in to a sober living home.Of course I was proud of her and happy for her, but I was not getting too excited due to the face that I was not convinced she was sober. It wasn’t until her one year sobriety celebration that I realized this was the real deal this time. My grandparents were slowly, but surely forgiving my mother for what she had done, and so was I. A year went by and my mother stayed sober, two years went by and my mother was still sober, a few months before her third year of sobriety my mom had asked if I would do her the honors by giving her, her third year sobriety chip.I was stunned at the thought, horrified to say the least. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I accepted and I am more than happy today that I did so. I wrote a little speech for that night, and when I stepped up on to the platform and stood in front of the microphone, looking out at a ll the addicts, seeing my mom looking up at me, I then realized that I finally had my mother back. I took a deep breath and I started to speak and I broke down in to sobbing tears. I finally got control of myself and started to speak and simply spoke out two sentences, â€Å"Three ears ago today, I lost my mother to drugs and alcohol.But I am happy to say that not only do I have my mom back, I have my best friend back. † I would proudly say I am just like my mother today. I would go on to explain that I share the same compassion, strength, courage and wisdom as my mother does. I do not cringe at the comment of â€Å"like mother, like daughter†, I accept it and cherish it because I now idol my mom. I had a rough childhood, and even a rough beginning into adulthood, but I can honestly say that I would not change a thing that has happened to me.

Analysis of Walt Whitmans Poetry - 1289 Words

1. What was your favorite line of poetry from the Whitman reading and why? Post the line with your comments. (200 words) The best line of poetry from the Whitman reading is the first line of the poem, Something startles me where I thought I was safest ¦ It is this line that sets up the tone for the remainder of the poem. At first one wonders what the poem will be about. Will it be about a lost love? Will it be a poem about the loss of innocence? The poem could also relate to the loss of a memory. This line catches the readers attention because it makes them wonder exactly what the remainder of the poem will entail. It automatically causes the reader to continue on reading the entire poem to find out in which exact context this particular line was in reference to. Right away, the readers know that something that was once held dear by the poet is now gone. The use of words also gives a certain emphasis on the importance of beginning in this particular way. The word startles is a powerful word. He could have used another word such as scares or frightens which both have the same definition as startles, b ut it would not have the same emphasis. Using a word that begins with the letter s just as the words something and safest make the line much easier to read and understand. The flow of this sentence is not interrupted by other letter sounds, and the importance can be determined immediately. It provides a great transition into the rest of the poem. This line ofShow MoreRelatedAllen Ginsberg, A Supermarket in California Literary Analysis1669 Words   |  7 PagesJasamyn Wimmer English 1B Professor Kleinman 5 March 2013 Brief Literary Analysis Lost America: An analysis of â€Å"A Supermarket in California† Allen Ginsberg; philosopher, activist, poet, a man highly revered as a groundbreaking figure between the 1950’s Beat Poetry Generation and the counter-cultural revolution of the 1960’s (poetryarchive.org). Ginsberg’s first book â€Å"Howl and Other Poems,† was published in 1955, his work was involved in an illustrious obscenity trial because of the use ofRead More Supermarket in Califorina and Constantly Risking Absurdity Essay example1385 Words   |  6 Pagesself worth. Where Allen Ginsberg is lost in the market, desperately trying to find inspiration from Walt Whitman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti portrays the image of the poet frantically trying to balance on a high wire, risking not only absurdity, but also death. Both of these poems deal with their poet’s struggle to find meaning and their fears of failure. Where Ginsberg fears he will never find Whitman’s dream, Ferlinghetti fears falling off the high wire and being submitted to absurdity an d death. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;InRead MoreEssay on Walt Whitman1376 Words   |  6 PagesWalt Whitman In parting with traditional poetic formalities, Walt Whitman alleviated a burden that impeded his ability to achieve full poetic expression. To Whitman, the strict boundaries that formal meter, structure, and rhyme imposed set limits on his stylistic freedom. This is not to say that these limits prevented Whitman from conveying his themes. Rather, they presented a contradiction to which Whitman refused to conform. In Whitman’s eyes, to meet these formal guidelines one wouldRead MoreAn Inexplicable Nature of the American Identity Essay1242 Words   |  5 Pagesdescription transformed into something greater than itself. Despite the notion of defining something so incredibly wide and vast, society has become increasingly pre-occupied with explaining exactly what the American identity means. Even when authors such as Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickinson navigate the American identity, their ideas, although similar in many respects, offer various nuances and perspectives on the topic. By investigating the various idiosyncrasies of their language andRead More Whitman and Neruda as Grassroots Poets Essays1812 Words   |  8 PagesWhitman and Neruda as Grassroots Poets â€Å"The familial bond between the two poets [Walt Whitman and Pablo Neruda] points not only to a much-needed reckoning of the affinity between the two hemispheres, but to a deeper need to establish a basis for an American identity: ‘roots,’ as Neruda referred to his fundamental link with Whitman† (Nolan 33). Both Walt Whitman and Pablo Neruda have been referred to as poets of the people, although it is argued that Neruda with his city and country houseRead More The Democratic Value of Whitmans Leaves of Grass Essay3334 Words   |  14 PagesEarly reviews of Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass evince an incipient awareness of the unifying and acutely democratic aspects of the poetry. An article in the November 13th, 1856, issue of the New York Daily Times describes the modest, self-published book of twelve seemingly formless poems: As we read it again and again, and we will confess that we have returned to it often, a singular order seems to arise out of its chaotic verses (2). The Daily Timess identification of order out of chaosRead More Whitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is a Thing with Feathers860 Words   |  4 PagesWhitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is a Thing with Feathers America experienced profound changes during the mid 1800’s. New technologies and ideas helped the nation grow, while the Civil War ripped the nation apart. During this tumultuous period, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman createdRead MoreA Brief Description of the Concept of Courtly Love1200 Words   |  5 Pagesunachievable because her self is so perfect that there is not much the lover can do to gain it –and if he can, rejection from the beloved’s part plays its role in the scenario. Nevertheless, I will keep Capellanus’ definition for the later analysis of the poetry of John Donne in order to clarify which aspects of courtly love may be represented in his verse. John Donne has largely been considered by scholars to be the most original of the metaphysical poets from the seventeenth century. â€Å"He [Donne]Read MoreEssay on Whitmans Music as a Means of Expression2414 Words   |  10 PagesWhitmans Music as a Means of Expression In his verses, Walt Whitman eradicates divisions of individual entities while simultaneously celebrating their unique characteristics. All components of the universe are united in a metaphysical intercourse, and yet, are assigned very distinct qualities so as to keep their identities intact. Often times, Whitman demonstrates these conceptions through elements of song. â€Å"Walt Whitman caroled throughout his verse. For the Bard of Democracy, as America cameRead MoreWalts Whitmans Vision of America in Leaves of Grass17685 Words   |  71 PagesWalt Whitman’s vision of America in Leaves of Grass Valentine†©Abbet†© TRAVAIL†©DE†©MATURITE†© †© Sous†©la†©direction†©d’Anne†©Roland†Wurzburger†© Gymnase†©du†©Bugnon,†©Lausanne†© 2012†©  «I have sung the body and the soul, war and peace have I sung, and the songs of life and death, And the songs of birth, and shown that there are many births. I have offerd my style to every one, I have journeyd with confident step; While my pleasure is yet at the full I whisper So long! » Walt Whitman, So Long !, Deathbed edition

Cell Phones And Their Effects On Children - 879 Words

They have come in and taken over our society, they have taken children away from their parents and turned them into drones. These horrible devices are cell phones. The worst part though is when children lose these devices we expect they perhaps will do something healthy or active, but honestly they merely devote themselves to reuniting with their phones. Teenagers won’t sleep until they have it back their hands. I would understand after all, I am one of those teenagers consumed by my phone. Once, I misplaced it, and spent the next two hours of my life focused solely on locating my phone, that is how precious it is to me. It started one afternoon when I was riding my bike with my friends and I had just popped a fresh piece of gum in my mouth. As the fresh mint swirled around in my mouth, I recalled that my mom needed me home by 4:30 pm, so I reached in my pocket to check the time on my phone. I feel around, but nothing is there except for some ancient pocket lint. I slamme d on my breaks and immediately assumed the worse. I lost it in a gutter somewhere, so I retraced my steps to the nearest opening in the gutter. As I bent down to peer into the storm sewer it smelled like someone had thrown up on a dead squirrel. No phone in the gutter, so before long I assumed that one of my friends had stolen it from me. I began yelling and acting like it wasn’t a playful joke anymore, but none of them had it. I biked home like Speedy Gonzalez, and sprinted to my room, tearingShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Cell Phones On Children1314 Words   |  6 PagesIn this day of age it is common place to hear of children as young as 6 having cell phones. But what if that were to be changed, what if a minimum age requirement was to be placed on the use of cell phones. There are age requirement placed on many things already such as being able to sit in the front seat of the car, smoking, and drinking. These age requirement are placed on these because of safety reaso n and because people under the age many not be mature enough to handle them. With all of theseRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Children Essay983 Words   |  4 PagesTeenagers are constantly on their cell phone, which leads to extreme overuse of it. In an acknowledgeable book, Ling (2004) described how teenagers use cell phones and the direct effects of having one. Adolescence is a period in someone’s life in which they develop their own identity and self-esteem. So, teenagers are at a very influential time in their life and cell phones take advantage of that. When a teen decides to use a cell phone, they are not acting with their own ideas, but rather the cultureRead MoreThe Effects Of Cell Phones On Children2986 Words   |  12 PagesGive a Child a Cell Phone: The Negative Effects a Cellular Device Has on Children A study conducted in 2004 found that around 45% of the children in the U.S possessed a cell phone and in 2010 those numbers rose to include 75% of the population (Hofferth and Moon 108). As of today, according to Fox 28 News, around 96% of children now don a cell phone, practically doubling the amount of child cell phone users in the year of 2004. With this increased amount of cell phones among children, one must wonderRead MoreThe Effects Of Cell Phones On Children s Declining Interpersonal Skills Essay889 Words   |  4 PagesAnother negative effect caused by cell phones is people’s declining interpersonal skills. In Is Social Media Destroying Teen’s Interpersonal Skills? Experts Say It May, Sekinah Brodie pointed out that though the widespread of cell phones increases the quantity of interpersonal communication, the increase is at the sacrifice of quality. As it is widely acknowledged, interpersonal communication plays a vital role throughout one’s life, bot h in relationships and career, consisting of written, verbalRead MoreHow Cell Phones Can Harm Children921 Words   |  4 PagesHow Cell Phones Can Harm Children As of 2013, cell phones rank number one for causes of car accidents, yet it seems almost impossible to go anywhere without seeing a cell phone in a person’s hand or attached to their ear (â€Å"Two-thirds of Adults Use a Cell Phone†). In the past thirty years, cell phones have started to pop up everywhere and have increased tremendously in popularity since. Worldwide, almost five million cell phones are in use today (â€Å"Cell Phone Use Linked†). Many parents understandRead MoreCell Phones Effect Our Lives977 Words   |  4 PagesHow Cell Phones Effect our Everyday Lives Once upon a time, cell phones did not exist. If you wanted to make a call you had to use a home phone or a pay phone, but cell phones are now common place in our everyday lives. Almost everyone has one, even children in elementary school have cell phones. So how does having such easy access to a cell phone effect our everyday lives? The positive effects of cell phones are easy to see, as cell phones can be convenient and used as a life line in an emergencyRead MoreEffects Of Cell Phones1159 Words   |  5 PagesAre Cell Phones Destroying a Generation? The onset of cell phones has had a great impact in the modern society, and especially the millennials or the teens, and as such it has led to the destruction of a generation. It is apparent that what researchers call the iGen, people born between the year 1995 and the year 2012, depend greatly on their cell phones and their well-being majorly depends on their cell phones (Twenge 188). Researchers also prove that the iGen value their cell phones more thatRead MoreAre Cell Phones Truly Safe? Essay1154 Words   |  5 PagesIn today’s society, the most popular electronic device is cell phones. From the 1940’s to 2011, cell phones have come a long way, from its capability to help individuals to keep in touch with friends and loved ones from near and far. Now and days we use them to text, im (instant message) a person, browse the internet, take pictures, email, and even transfer data. It’s amazing how far we have gotten with a device as such, fulfilling majority o f our everyday needs. But can it also be putting user’sRead MoreMobile Phone and Cell Phones History772 Words   |  4 PagesA. Attention Getter:   Cell phones are very useful and handy but can also be very dangerous. It can Distract you from your studies, distance you from loved ones and/or endanger themselves. B. Reason to listen:   tonight I’m going to tell you the reason people are on their cell phones so much. D. Credibility Statement: 1. Cell phones are intriguing to me because I myself am very distracted from them. 2. I have done much research on this topic.    E. Preview of Main Points: 1. First, I willRead MoreAffordable Mobile Phones816 Words   |  4 PagesAdvantages of Mobile Phones While advantages of mobile phones are self evident, their disadvantages also need to be given some thought. Here is some information about cell phone usage merits and demerits. There are various advantages of mobile phones. The growth of cell phone usage has increased drastically since the last decade, and it is estimated that mobile phones will cross 5 billion in 2010. With their number increasing at a tremendous rate and with the threat of cell phone addiction , there

Essay The Aging Brain - 897 Words

The Aging Brain Why does the human brain age? Brain aging is a part of human life and a big part of society as the awareness for brain aging increases. Over time memory tends to become less efficient as we age and the neurons in the brain decreases (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). By 2050 in the US, 20 percent of the population will be 65 years or older. And as the elderly population increases, so will the incidence of age-related neurological disorders (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Therefor it is important to understand the aging brain, and how to keep the brain functioning as one ages. As age increases, we can expect some loss of heart, lung, joint, and sexual functioning. Some loss of brain cells and mental efficiency is a normal part of†¦show more content†¦In many cases mild age-related memory loss is considered normal, but more severe memory impairments are not. What is a stroke and how is it related to the aging brain? A stroke happens when the blood supply to your brain is inte rrupted or it is reduced, depriving the brain tissues of oxygen and food (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). Within minutes of a stroke brain cells begin to die. Early action can minimize brain damage and potential complications. A stroke can cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain suffers the lack of blood flow (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Some complications after a stroke are; paralyzation (loss of muscle movement), memory loss, and trouble talking. Paralyzation is due to the lack of blood flow to the brain, a patient can lose movement in one side of the body. Stroke can damage too many parts of the brain, and it can start an early brain aging. A stroke can cause a patient to loss control over the way muscles in the mouth move, have difficult talking and eating (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). But one can try to prevent a stroke by taking care of their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Dementia is also part of the aging brain. One in seven people age s 71 and older has dementia, but that figure rises toShow MoreRelatedEffects Of The Normal Aging Process On The Brain995 Words   |  4 PagesSummary One of the side effects of the normal aging process on the brain is the dilapidation of cerebral white matter, which according to previous studies correlates to poorer cognitive functioning. This research experiment is an in-depth study of the neurological components of aging in terms of white matter integrity, working memory, and cognitive function in relation to aerobic exercise. A team of scientists from various universities conducted this exercise intervention study and it spans a twelve-monthRead MoreSmart Brain Aging Alzheimer s Prevention Program3264 Words   |  14 Pages Smart Brain Aging Alzheimer’s Prevention Program Rich Miller Western Governor’s University Background Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, degenerative brain disorder that slowly diminishes memory and thinking skills, eventually destroying the brain’s cognitive ability to carry out even the simplest of tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. One in three seniors in America dies with Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia. AgeRead MoreSchizophreni A Longitudinal Pattern Recognition1534 Words   |  7 PagesIn the article, Accelerated Brain Aging in Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal Pattern Recognition Study1 published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the authors decided to investigate the characteristic progressive brain loss that occurs in schizophrenia patients. In particular, they are testing the idea that this progressive brain loss is the result of the brain aging more rapidly in individuals affected by schizophrenia than in unaffected individuals. Schizophrenia is a very rare disease that manifestRead MoreAging Population A Growing Challenge1018 Words   |  5 Pages Radka. Aging population a growing challenge. Slovak Spectator 08 Sept. 2014: 12. Newspaper Source. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. In this article, Radka Minarechovà ¡ addresses the growing challenges associated with the fastest aging population in one of the European Union countries, known as Slovakia. As the elderly population increased, the productive working age deceased, which caused the country to suffer greatly based on their involvement in employment, society, independent living and aging preventionRead MoreHow Can Society Assist Successful Aging?1586 Words   |  7 Pagesmortality causes great anxiety and grief in many individuals in their later stages of life. With an aging population, and life expectancy higher than it has ever been, a question remains - how can society assist successful aging? This question or quest has been a topic of great interest within the last decade. Brain-training is an approach that has risen out of this interest in helping people age ‘well’. Brain training consists of specific activities and simulations that aim to maintain or improve a specificRead MoreCogni tive Impairment With Older Age1553 Words   |  7 Pagesimpairment during aging, it was shown that often times it the decline is due to aging, but there are signs and symptoms that those entering their older years may want to look for, as well as those who love and care for them (National Institute on Aging, 2014). Nurses need to be aware of when the elders are simply aging and if there is more to the memory lapses than just getting older. Nurses can be the eyes and ears for physician, if he or she were expecting something unusual in an aging patient, however;Read MoreNarrative Discourse On The Language Abilities Of Elderly Individuals1127 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as strokes and traumatic brain injuries, that further impact the language, memory, and executive functions. Because more individuals are aging and surviving strokes and brain injuries than ever before, it is crucial to understand the effects of these cognitive disorders on the language abilities of elderly individuals. In order to understand the impacts of brain injuries of the narrative discourse, it is vital to compare the narratives produced by normally aging individuals and those producedRead MoreAging Is Becoming A Most Common And Well Known Form Of Dementia1291 Words   |  6 PagesSome of these changes are difficult for people to adapt to and evoke a vast amount of stress in numerous people. One of the most common fears of people within the topic of aging is becoming demented. Dementia is a family of diseases characterized by cognitive and behavioral deficits involving some form of permanent damage to the brain. (CITE!!!bookpg288) When discussing dementia many people think of Alzheimer’s disease, as it is the most common and well-known form of dementia. People with Alzheimer’sRead More HGH: Fountain of Youth? Essay1196 Words   |  5 PagesHGH: Fountain of Youth? What is aging? It is a question that has been puzzling doctors for centuries. In a culture so obsessed with youth, it is not surprising that science asks this question often. It is also not surprising that the anti-aging product market is a booming multi-million dollar phenomenon. We will pay thousands for procedures that make us thinner, stronger, more full of energy and less wrinkled. The new emphasis of the advertising world is not just looking young, but feelingRead More Alzheimer’s Disease Essay1506 Words   |  7 Pagesexpectancy continues to increase so too does the incidence of AD. In its early stages it is difficult to distinguish from normal aging. However, whether AD is a specific qualitative disorder such as an infectious process, endogenous or exogenous toxic disorder or biochemical deficiency, or whether it is a quantitative disorder, in which an acceleration of the normal aging processes occur and dementia appears as neural reserves are exhausted, remains to be seen. New techniques of molecular genetics

Love An Inexpressible and Indescribable Feeling Free Essays

Love is an indescribable and inexpressible feeling. It can affect a person to the point of recklessness. Once a soul has realized its counterpart in another, the effects can cause one to surrender themselves completely. We will write a custom essay sample on Love: An Inexpressible and Indescribable Feeling or any similar topic only for you Order Now Judgment becomes clouded and rationality no longer exists. In the end, all that remains is pure, indefinable emotion. This emotion is what fuels the person. Love is why almost everybody on Earth looks forward to tomorrow. Those who lack it will try to look for it. Those who have it, will work themselves to the bone Just for the ones they love. It is the best possible feeling Christopher Final Essay Love is an inexpressible and indescribable feeling. It can affect a person to the point of recklessness. Once a soul has recognized its counterpart in another, the effects can cause one to surrender themselves completely. Judgment becomes clouded and rationality no longer exists. In the end, all that remains is pure, indefinable emotion. This indefinable emotion is what fuels the person. Love is the reason why almost everybody on Earth looks forward to tomorrow. Those who do not have it, tries to look for it. Those who have it, will work themselves to the bone Just for the ones they love. It is the best possible feeling one could ever feel. While love seems like a splendid thing, it also has its flaws. The most well-known negative thing that comes along with love is Jealousy. Jealousy is a special form of emotive Kim k unemotional anxiety, which occurs due to the lack of a sense of security in relation to the one who is loved. The Jealousy directed to a third party, I. E. , the competitor who is perceived as the rival for the affection of the person who is loved. Jealousy is n emotion having components of both anger and fear commonly found in children. It originates from the lack of a sense of security for the affections of one who is loved and more attended to. The play, A Midnight Summer’s Dream is about several couples in love and the problems that cause relationships to crumble like dominoes, one after another. Shakespeare is mainly focusing on the crazy things that people do when they are in love. People tend to break the shackles of normalcy and common sense and do things for their own madness. In the play, A Midnight Summer’s Dream, Shakespeare uses the shifting of the peoples’ personalities to emphasize what love could do to people. As a person falls deeper in love, he or she becomes blind to things that happen around them and could care less about anything else except their own love affairs. Shakespeare portrays this in A Midsummer Night’s Dream when Helena accuses Demerits of killing Lessened and asks him if he has killed Lessened. The shift in her personality reveals the interference of love since she starts blaming others groundlessly. Shakespeare uses this to show how people react to problems hat involve love and how foolish their actions are. Another major problem caused by love is rivalry and how easily friendship can be crumbled when it comes to the issue of love. When Hermit enters the scene while Demerits and Lessened are with Helena, Hermit blindly enters and is questioned by Helena because Demerits and Lessened both originally liked Hermit. Therefore, she thinks it is a trick and they are when her close friend is involved. Thus, Helena starts the argument which causes her friendship with Hermit to crumble. Shakespeare is clearly showing the message of owe the common nature of people causes them to make rash decisions and change personalities because of love. People in love will see the world in a different perspective, they become so obsessed with their love to the extent that their world revolves around the person they love. This type of love can cause trouble, especially when deep and intense. This is seen almost every day in real life. For example, heartbroken girlfriends throwing pots down the window and locking their boyfriends out is the first image that comes to mind when thinking of Jealousy. How to cite Love: An Inexpressible and Indescribable Feeling, Papers

A Comparison of Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

A Comparison of Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay There are four main themes in the play of Romeo and Juliet. These are love, hate, violence and death. The love occurs between Romeo and Juliet, the children of the two families who have an ancient grudge. Whenever the kinsmen of the two families meet, they always seem to fight, verbally and physically. They tease each other and mock the other family. This causes reactions from the families and the violence begins. Death plays a major part in the play, because various characters decisions are based on some dying or committing suicide. For example, when Romeo thinks that Juliet is dead, he rushes to her tomb to commit suicide so that he will be with her forever. After he has poisoned himself, Juliet awakes and, seeing that Romeo is dead, stabs herself. The first main thing that happens in the play is the meeting of Romeo and Juliet and when Romeo goes to find her after the party. They then get married, but on the same day, Tybalt, Juliets cousin, kills Mercutio. Romeo avenges his death by murdering Tybalt. In the end, both lovers die for love. Act three, scene one, is a very dramatic scene. Just before this scene, some of the Montagues had arrived at the Capulets party and, because of this Tybalt goes in search of Romeo to show him that he has not got away with it. He finds Mercutio and Benvolio after they have been talking about hot weather and hot tempers (For now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring, act three, scene one). Mercutio starts to tease and wind up Tybalt, but Romeo turns up just before Tybalt draws his sword. When Romeo refuses Tybalts challenge of a fight, (I never injured thee, but love thee act three, scene one), Mercutio takes it up instead so as not to lose his honour, (Ovile submission act three, scene one). While they are fighting, Romeo tries to stop them, but Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeos arm. Horrified, Tybalt flees. Romeo soon realises what has happened and goes in search of Tybalt. When he finds him, they fight and Romeo slays Tybalt. Prince turns up and banishes Romeo from Verona. This scene is very angry from the beginning through to the end, where Prince Escales and the two families become enraged at what has happened. Some of the characters act impulsively, for example, when Romeo decides to go after Tybalt, but some act their usual selves, for example, Tybalt. He has always been fiery and hot tempered, although he didnt mean to kill Mercutio. This was an accident and, therefore, he is not impulsive. In the Zefferelis version of Romeo and Juliet, filmed in the 1970s, the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt started off jokey. There was a large crowd watching who were all laughing and cheering. When Tybalt put his sword to Mercutios throat, there was silence. Mercutio looked stunned for a few seconds, but then he started to whistle and everyone laughed again. When Romeo stepped in and Mercutio got stabbed, Tybalt looked horrified. As Mercutio staggered around, the crowd of Montagues were all laughing, thinking that he is messing about and pretending to be wounded. He fell to the ground, and the crowd continued to find it amusing. After Mercutio died, music was played in the minor key. Violins were played and the music was deep, gloomy and deathly. The pace quickened and gradually became louder as Romeo ran off in search of Tybalt. The crowd of Capulets and Montagues started off by watching the fight between Romeo and Tybalt, but they ended up fighting each other. This was effective a nd I think it was a good idea because it added anger to the scene. When Tybalt was stabbed, he looked in real pain and the shock was clearly visible on his face. Romeos expression was also effective as he also looked in shock, but because he had just stabbed someone, rather than been stabbed. He looked in complete disbelief at what he had done. After this bit, it cuts to act 3, scene two, where Juliet finds out about the murder of Tybalt. It cuts back to the end of act three, scene one, where the Capulets are carrying Tybalts corpse to Prince Escales. Courtroom Drama EssayBoth films cut to a scene with Juliet in, in the middle of act three, scene one. In the old film, it showed Juliet finding out about Tybalts death. This was effective because it cut a long scene down and the audience will have started watching again if they had lost interest in all the fighting. In the newer version, Juliet is shown talking about how wonderful Romeo is. This, again, shows that Romeo acts without thinking because he is usually so kind and generous and wouldnt even think about murder. The Prince Escales, in Zefferelis film, had much more authority than the one in Luhrmans version. He is portrayed well as the character was accurate to that in the play. He is always in control and, although there was a great deal of people, whenever he talked he was listened to. In the new film he had authority, but not as much as he should have had. Not everybody listened to what he had to say, although the characters to which it mattered did. In both films Lady Capulet is drowned out by other people when she says that she wants Romeo to be executed, although she was more heard in the older version. In the new film, the sirens of the police cars dampened her voice and so her part did not seem that important. In the play she was not drowned out and was listened to because what the Prince said next related to what she had just said. In the old film, I think that having the crowd of Capulets and Montagues witnessing the fighting was a good idea because when they started to fight within the crowd, the atmosphere was made more angry and energetic. I think that not having a crowd in the new version was also effective because the characters were aggressive and powerful enough and a crowd would have cluttered the screen. The old film was set in Italy, and the fight scene was set in the market square. This was effective because it was set where the play is. The costumes were that of what would have been worn in the 16th century, when the play was set. This helped the film fit the script and was appropriate. The new film was set in America, and the fight scene on Verona Beach. This was clever because the play is supposed to be in Verona. The costumes, along with the set and props, were modern and, therefore, helped the understanding of the play because it is easy to relate to things you see everyday, rather than things you dont. However, the modern setting did not fit the script because it is written in old English. My overall opinion of Zefferelis film is that the acting could be improved and more emotion could be introduced. The setting was accurate and overall, the quality of the film was good. I think that Luhrmans film was better as the acting was accurate and the characters, overall, were portrayed well. The emotion was realistic and the atmospheres created were very dramatic. However, I think that the script should have been made more modern to fit the setting and costumes. Apart from that, it was well presented and enjoyable to watch.