J. D. Salinger :: Biography Biographies Essays

J. D. Salinger Biographer Ian Hamilton notes that J. D. Salinger has been notoriously "famous for not wanting to be famous" (4). Born in New York in 1919 and still living today, Salinger leads a rather reclusive lifestyle, choosing to avoid the general attentions of the press, and thus making his life a difficult subject for study. His work, however, has been cherished and studied for many years. He has published many works of fiction both in book form and in magazines such as the New Yorker and Esquire. One of his most intriguing novels is Franny and Zooey, which is actually composed of two short stories bearing those names. It is one of several of Salinger's works involving the Glass family, specifically Franny and her brother Zachary, known in the family as Zooey. "Franny" relates the manner in which she arrives by train to spend an afternoon with her boyfriend Lane, whom she has not seen for some time. Lane is by nature a repressive person, one who, waiting for a train, intentionally tries to "empty his face of all expression that might quite simply, perhaps even beautifully, reveal how he felt about the arriving person" (7). It beautifully and honestly illustrates the nature of their relationship, which is far less than perfect. In the wake of the suicide of her brother Seymour (which readers can learn more about in "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" included in Nine Stories'), Franny searches for spiritual meaning in her life. Her tool in this quest is a book entitled The Way of a Pilgrim, and in following the teachings of this book, she begins to consider the lack of meaning in some of her relationships, which, in this story, alienates Lane. The majority of the story focuses on their dinner conversation, and the tension which develops between the couple is well handled by Salinger; for example, when Franny begins acting strangely, Lane "looked at her, then exhaled an overly expressive stream of smoke down at his plate. 'This is going to be a real little doll of a weekend,' he said" (24). Eventually, out of mental exhaustion, Franny passes out in the restaurant, "Zooey" picks up where "Franny" leaves off; she has been sick as a result of her increasing self-neglect. The reader meets Zooey, who spends the greater part of the story discussing with Franny her condition. Franny reveals the main point of The Way of a Pilgrim, which is to repeat the Jesus Prayer incessantly until it becomes as natural and constant a bodily process as breathing.

Doris Lessings The Fifth Child Essay -- Doris Lessing Fifth Child Ess

In her novel The Fifth Child, published in 1988, Doris Lessing examines how one couple’s search for happiness has tragic implications. In this case, the couple, David and Harriet, and the family are slowly destroyed by the presence of the fifth child, Ben, who is unattractive, shows no emotions or attachments to other people, and is destructive. The other children in the family seem to be able to cope on a normal, socially acceptable level, but Ben never seems to be able to grasp acceptable behavior. Significantly, the novel never explains the cause of Ben’s abnormalities. While Lessing does not supply the reader with a cause, one explanation I found is in psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, is explicit in his belief that neuroses, some of which are displayed by Ben, are generally developed in childhood and that they are the result of problems in the relationship between the child and the parents. This is clearly seen when he writes, â₠¬Å"’The complicated emotional relation of children to their parents – what is known as the Oedipus complex†¦was the nucleus of every case of neurosis’ (25 Nicholi).† In what follows, I will show that the cause of Ben’s lack of development and social psychoses is caused by the way he is treated by his parents. Early in the novel we are told that Harriet and David meet at a business party and they quickly realize they are ideally suited for each other. They soon marry and settle into a beautiful suburban home. They are also quick to begin their family, having first a son, then two daughters, and another son. Their large country home becomes the center of family gatherings and parties, which Harriet particularly enjoys. She is worn out from her four young chi... ...normal and pathological. While it is clear from a psychoanalytic standpoint that Ben’s condition is a result of his parent’s lack of love and nurturing, it is also important to look at what caused Harriet and David to treat Ben this way. In trying to form a perfectly happy life, they failed to account for things that were out of their control. They initially blamed the close ages of their children and Ben’s disposition, but it seems that their resentment of Ben came from a deeper resentment of their own unfulfilled dreams of perfection. As their lives became less perfect, indeed, increasingly chaotic and tragic, they treated Ben with less love. Harried and David, and their four other children, may have had a better chance for happiness if Harriet and David had not made such an attempt to achieve, and even force, a happiness that was absolutely perfect.

The Shack, a Discussion of Symbolism

2/16/09 The Shack: A Discussion of Symbolism The Shack, written by William P. Young, tackles one man’s quest for faith and reassurance in God through several metaphors, parables and symbols. These symbols are used to compare the story religion itself; and from this comparison it is easier to grasp a deeper understanding. However, with this underlying symbolism, it’s possible to over analyze and disregard the fictitious nature of the book. Despite this, there are many symbols within The Shack that are essential to the story and the deeper significance within it. Symbols are used within The Shack to really enunciate the relationship transition that Mack experiences while visiting the shack and the new found relationship that he develops within the Trinity. Symbolism within The Shack is found almost everywhere, with symbolism it is possible to understand God through the analogies expressed. These analogies range from simple to complex and have many dimensions; the symbol itself and the reality it exposes. There are many different symbols hidden within the shack, some are obvious and some are vaguer. One of the more obvious pieces of symbolism would be the story of the Indian Princess that Mack tells Missy. (Young, 30-31) The story is a clear representation of the death of Jesus Christ. Missy is unnerved by the death of the Indian Princess and Jesus and raises the essential question, as to why God is so mean? (31) Mack answers the question the best he can but it still unnerves him. He says that Jesus didn't have to die, he chose to. He then tells Missy that  God will never ask us to do something like that, as Jesus already covered it. He's shaken though by the depth of his young daughter’s question. However, not quite as shaken as he will be in the days ahead as he wonders the same thing himself. In the coming days ahead When Missy is abducted, Mack will think back to this, thus, creating distrust in God for Mack. Now that Mack has developed a type of disbelieve in God, he becomes immersed in another piece of symbolism that he has taken to calling â€Å"the Great Sadness†. †¦he [Mack] allowed himself to consider the range of horrendous possibilities, and once it started he couldn't stop; the imaginations of good and evil all mixed up together in a soundless but terrifying parade. 53) This â€Å"Great Sadness† seems to be a lot like depression but there are some things here that seem to even go beyond such a simple definition. It appears to more than physical, more than psychological; it's almost a spiritual type of thing that hits to the very core of his being to where his entire world is impacted by its presence. It haunts his dreams, and leaves him in a stat e of almost perpetual fatigue and anguish. It can be argued that this state was brought on solely because of his daughter’s disappearance; however that may just be one of the factors contributing to the â€Å"Great Sadness†. Mack’s â€Å"Great Sadness† seems to come more from his loss of faith because of the loss of his daughters which could imply that both of these are the causes of his grief induced state. Whether it’s depression, or something else, Mack has a condition in which pain becomes so overwhelming that there are few options other than suppressing the pain, which is what Mack chooses to do. One of the contributing sources to Mack’s great sadness is the loss of his daughter, Missy. Missy can also be viewed as yet another symbol within The Shack. She is innocent and unassuming; therefore she can be regarded as somewhat of an inner child or symbol of youthful innocence. And now Mack could clearly see the voice that had called his Missy. It was Jesus playing in the middle of his children. (168) However, with her disappearance she brings despair and sadness to her family, therefore she is also representative of great pain and loss. Missy, can also be compared to Jesus. She was innocent, but ended up dying for no reason. Although her death was tragic and hurt her family, Mack manages to gain a new relationship with God from it. Much like Jesus, who died unjustly, but ended up saving humanity, Missy in a way saves her father. Another symbol found several times throughout the story would be the lady bug. Before the family leaves to go on a camping trip, Missy asks her mother and her father if she can bring her insects with her. Her father says yes, while her mother says no, because they will be safer at home. This is symbolic because it turns out that Missy would have been safer at home too. Perhaps the most noted symbols in the entire story would be the physical human representations of the Trinity. God is represented by a large African American woman; however this is just the form that God chose to spoke to Mack through, because â€Å"Papa† (God) says that God is neither male nor female. (93) Jesus is portrayed as a clumsy Jewish man. While the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman, who behaves rather strangely and flits in and out of Mack’s vision and can appear in more than one place at once, (128) these are all metaphorical representations of the manifestation of the Trinity. Mack in his first meeting with God following his cathartic regeneration of unloading his anger and rage sees God in a quite different manner than he expected, which is why God is portrayed this specific way. This materialization of God in this form is important because this isn’t a literal assembly with God. This is a parable or metaphor that represents Mack’s introduction to a God that isn't the remote, presentiment, ominous, hypercritical figure that Mack has believed him to be, until now. To reveal myself to you as a very large, white grandfather figure with flowing beard, like Gandalf, would simply reinforce your religious stereotypes, and this weekend is not about reinforcing your religious stereotypes. (93) God or Papa in The Shack isn’t revealing himself in all of his splendor and sanctity for a specific reason. This is because the general rationale of this weekend in the shack is focused upon constructing a relationship with God. Through this, Mack discovers the idea that God's love extends so much that God has chosen to reveal himself in a manner that Mack can relate to and identify with. God also wishes for Mack’s religious stereotypes to be abolished, so he can be closer with God. Mack’s religious stereotype of God in his head is similar to Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, like a sort of grandfatherly figure with a long white flowing beard. (73) So, Mack is shaken immensely when God appears to him in the way that he does, in order to try to bring himself down to Mack’s level. Through the symbolism in this story dealing with the trinity, Mack begins to start the road to restoration nd healing. The whole meeting in the shack is symbolic in itself because it is possible that it did not even occur in reality. Mack discovers that his accident was on Friday night, and also when he wakes up wakes up in the shack and it is cold (237) and also he appears to be in the same spot on the floor where he fell asleep (79) near the old blood stain. This leads to the conclusion that the manifestation of the trinity, may have occurred just not as a part of reality, more as in a visionary meeting. These events are seemingly real as Mack experiences them and he is able to grasp that there is a truth being represented here through this weekend at the shack and from that he reaches the truth about his relationship with God. Even though it is possible to conclude that the actual meeting did not occur, there is a reality here in the truth of the concepts and life changes that occur because of this meeting. The purpose of this metaphorical vision was to save Mack, so he could forgive and mend his relationship with God. Parables, symbols and metaphors are all essential elements in The Shack. They help to intertwine the pieces of the story together and allow for greater significance. Although some of the symbolism is blatant and quite obvious; there are other pieces of symbolism that are vaguer and harder to pick out. The Shack is a story about, healing and forgiveness, and within the tale of anguish and spiritual redemption there are symbols that act as signposts helping to lead Mack to conclusion and build a stronger relationship with the Trinity. Works Cited Young, William P. The Shack. Newbury Park, CA, 2007

Many of Today’s Drivers Have Dangerous Habits

The cars today have such far-advanced automotive technology that the motorized transport vehicle seems to drive itself. The problem is that because driving cars today require less concentration than the cars of yesteryear, inventors seem to have come up with new and varied ways to keep the driver busy behind the wheel. This would not be such a bad thing if it did not pose such a threat to the life and limb of the driver and the pedestrians and other cars in his path. I am not kidding, all you have to do is look at every single person behind the wheel these days to know that they should not be driving and performing whatever activity it is that is preoccupying their minds, hands, and mouths, all at the same time. So, what kinds of driving activities pose as bad driving habits or hazards on the road? How do the activities alter the driver's state of mind and concentration? The usual culprit that creates a dangerous driving habit is technology. It is not uncommon to see people driving with one hand on the wheel and the other holding a cellphone up to his ear while navigating dangerous turns and traffic lights. Women rushing out the door with curlers in their hair also try to put on make up while driving to work. Needless to say, the rearview mirror is not for applying mascara to the face. Speaking of rushing out the door, today's fast paced life style also insures that most people do not have time to have a decent breakfast before flying out the door. A quick trip through a drive through gives you the most common dangerous driving habit ever to be performed by man. Instead of keeping an eye on the road, the driver ends up with his eye on the sandwich and trying to balance the drink that he so does not need spilling unto his lap. Aside from these everyday-driving hazards that drivers do not seem to realize they are performing, there are also the bad driving habits that are caused by speeding. This is the tendency of a hurried driver to run down a pedestrian is greater and the possibility of loosing control of the wheel is a seriously dangerous reality. Not to forget, some drivers forget to use their turn signals and this often times causes accidents between other cars or pedestrians. By simply using these simple warning devices, accidents can be avoided. I would also like to mention that people who do not use their signal lights usually end up engaged in a violent game of road rage. Other drivers tend to get irritated and worked up into frenzy when the driver in front of them fails to use their signal lights and almost runs the driver behind him into an accident. Another example of a bad driving habit is an over confident and cocky driver behind the wheel. This is usually a bad habit attributed to experienced drivers because their driving route they traverse has become such a routine that they think they can navigate it with their eyes closed. So when an activity that poses a threat to the life and limb of the driver and those around him jogs the driver to reality, they are usually unprepared to respond to the situation. Basically, dangerous driving habits are not something permanent. If you remain conscious of your driving habits and remember to always stick to the rules of the road, there is no reason for one to become one of the many drivers on the road these days with terrible driving habits. Safe driving is practically just common sense and is not hard to follow. Just remember, bad driving habits means that you are just lucky that the grim reaper hasn't decided to take you yet. It never hurts to err on the side of caution and drive safely for a happy long life. Outline: I.Introduction to dangerous driving habits II.Technological advancements that cause bad driving habits III.Bad driving habits brought about by a fast paced lifestyle IV. Bad driving habits caused by speeding V. Bad driving habits caused by complacency of the driver in his driving skills VI.Suggestions to alter bad driving habits VII. Conclusion Work Cited â€Å"Dangerous Driving Habits†. Ezine Articles. 2006.May 8, 2007.

Intercultural Communication As A Trading of Cultural Stereotypes Essay

Intercultural Communication As A Trading of Cultural Stereotypes - Essay Example The mass media is especially responsible for repeatedly promoting negative and distorted images of different cultural groups until those images and stereotypes often become very difficult to overcome. A few isolated incidents of bad conduct from members of a group, and the entire group is often perceived as being the same, that is because when people stereotype, they don’t feel a need to consider the individuals that make up a group after placing that group in a determined category. Stereotyping serves the purpose of allowing people in one group to claim superior characteristics to those in another group. By attributing characteristics that bear a negative connotation, stereotyping becomes a way that people gain a sense of control about the unknown. This phenomenon not only exists between ethnic cultural groups, but among others as well, such as gender groups, economic groups, educational groups, and generational groups. This is particularly true when one considers the response a younger culture often receives from an older one. There are differences of opinion when it comes to language and culture. Some say that language defines a culture because it affects and molds what we believe and what we think, yet others say that language is only reflective of what goes on inside of a culture. When we talk about people, our intent is to make a specific point, and that point dictates the language and word choices that we make. If we want to portray someone in a positive light, we might refer to them as beautiful, trustworthy, enterprising or as a pillar of society. We would show respect by referring to them as Sir, Miss or Ma’am. On the other hand, if we want to portray someone in a less favorable light, we might call them by their last name only, use words such as shady or dubious.

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Marketing - Assignment Example The spa will offer massage in different variety of styles including traditional massage, deep tissue work, hot stone massage, pregnancy, reflexology, sports and others. (Bplans, 2010). Treatments on body and face using the best products such as Pevonia’s Anti Free Radical Treatment a...... Turnover will be a major consideration in formulating which marketing strategies to be used. Their type and their numbers are also equally important so as to bring a variety of the products to fit in the various types of customers. It will target potential clients both male and female within ten mile radius within our location at a busy plaza in the city. Both individual employees/self employed and non employed employees are also placed in the plan. In order to acquire clients, the spas will implement a very aggressive marketing and networking in the business community through advertising in the media and going to the business premises to carry out presentations, followed by offering the best services in the health spa business. Skilled therapists and trainers include the personnel. Their prices are also competitive in the area so will give a better financial advantage. Pricing approach includes; penetration pricing, promotional pricing and premium pricing. Penetration pricing is nor mally put first and includes setting the prices very low to gain market share. Promotional pricing comes in order to enable the business to buy for long term. Premium pricing will be used lastly which involves setting a very high price of the unique product to gain competitive advantage from the other competitors in the market. Social sites like face book, twitter, you\tube will be of great marketing help, and also in the company’s website. Sales promotion using short term incentives to encourage business to respond and undertake some activity and personal contact between Bodywise Health spa and prospective business clients through face to face meetings and tele-marketing will help maintain they spas competitive edge. The success of the business is

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media Essay

Consider the mediatisation of warfare. Does the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptio - Essay Example The government resources and power was no match for the hordes of people which were notified through the social media about where and when to meet for rallies and demonstrations. The Egyptian civil war was known as the Facebook Revolution, largely in recognition for the huge role of Facebook and the social media on the turnout of the war in the favor of the majority of Facebook users. This is a phenomenon which would likely be repeated in the future. There have already been incidents when the media and the social media has had an impact on warfare, so much so that it has also affected the western ability to control the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall discuss this point further, seeking to answer how the rise of social media change the ability of western military to control perceptions of contemporary conflicts. This essay shall argue that the rise of the social media has decreased the ability of the western military to control perceptions of contemporary confl icts, especially in relation to how these wars are fought, how necessary or unnecessary they may be, how long they are fought, and in what favor the wars should end. Initially, a general overview of the impact of the social media on warfare will be discussed. This shall include a discussion on key theories related to the subject matter. This shall be followed by a discussion of various incidents where the social media has impacted on warfare in different parts of the world. The latter part shall then relate the impact of the social media on how the western military has been able to control (or not control) the perceptions of contemporary conflicts. B. Body In considering the theories discussed during this course, the media determinism theory is likely the closest theory which would help explain the impact of the social media on warfare and the outcomes of warfare (Chandler, 1995). The theory discusses how the media seems to imply a direction in opinions and actions which is not with in the cultural or political influence. There is a belief in this case that the media has a strong governing impact on society. It impacts on how individuals think and how they relate with each other. It drives social progress and innovation. This theory declares that media impacts significantly on society and it can have a significant cause and effect relationship with society (Chandler, 1995). Media technologies, including the social media can bring about change in society. This theory is a simplistic assessment of complicated situations, with cause and effect relations decreased to their lowest premise, sometimes managed in those conditions. Innis and McLuhan have applied this theory as they declare how the media can shape a person’s and society’s self-perception as well as realization (Chandler, 1995). In general, this theory highlights the fact that the media can impact significantly on how society and technology can impact on the general population. In this case, the social media is an innovation of the media. It is a new aspect of media relations which is also having a similar impact on society and how they understand, perceive, and conceptualize information. In other words, the theory supports the notion that the social