My Papas Waltz free essay sample

Theodore Roethke wrote many poems about his father, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† is one particular poem that is still the source of much debate, both in college classrooms and among established literary critics. Initially, the poem appears to be a young boys fond recollection of a dance with a tipsy, but loving father. Many who read it strongly disagree, and feel that the tone is much more severe, and alludes to a drunken and abusive father. To clarify this argument, one must closely analyze the syntax, and search for the true intent of Roethke’s careful chosen words. Upon close examination, the poem seems to convey an intriguing ambiguity that lends itself to both arguments. The poems title, â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, is the first indication of the authors intended tone. Roethke had innumerable choices for the title of his poem, so we must consider how differently we might enter into its reading if he had entitled it â€Å"My Papa’s Dance†. We will write a custom essay sample on My Papas Waltz or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The word â€Å"dance† can have many negative connotations. One that comes readily to mind is the idiom â€Å"same old song and dance†. That would seem to indicating that the events within the poem occur with some regularity and consistency. Again, consider how â€Å"dance† is used to describe the way boxers move in ring; whereas waltz on the other hand, seems to have a more jovial and spontaneous connotation. Roethke’s use of â€Å"Papa† instead of â€Å"Father† is another hint of his ambivalence. â€Å"Papa† has a much kinder intuitive word association than the sterner â€Å"Father† word choice. Roethke is clearly telling us something important with his chosen vocabulary, and if he had wanted the poem to obviously be about an abusive father, he wouldn’t have titled the poem as he did. Moving beyond the title, Roethke’s word choice in the first stanza begins to conjure the negative imagery. Line one, â€Å"The whiskey on your breath† conveys a father who has been drinking and is now interacting with his small child (1). The stanza continues with words like â€Å"dizzy† and â€Å"death† and so Roethke begins to set the stage for his tricky and hazy recollection (2;3). More negative words follow, and throughout the poem we see examples of words that, at face value, have negative connotations. He describes his mother, who is witnessing this mess-making as they â€Å"romped†, as having a â€Å"Countenance† that â€Å"could not unfrown itself† (5;7;8). This obvious disapproval might suggest again that something unsavory, perhaps even dangerous, is occurring. Roehtke proceeds with more negative language, describing a father who is missing dance steps, and with every one missed, his sons â€Å"right ear scraped a buckle† (12). All the while the father it keeping his rhythm by â€Å"beating time† on his sons head (13). Again, Roethke’s word choice appears to point toward a violent, even painful encounter between father and son. However, Roethke chooses words that, at first read, evoke thoughts of negativity or abuse; but upon careful analysis of the stanzas, and the poems as a whole, another perception is realized. Consider the second stanza’s reference to the boy’s mother and her disapproving â€Å"countenance† (7). She is the only other witness, and her perception is vital in deciphering the true tone. What Roethke doesn’t clarify is whether she is frowning at the waltz in general or just at the fact that’s its boisterous nature is causing pans to slide â€Å"from the kitchen shelf†(6). Presumably, the falling pots not only made an unpleasant noise, but also created work in their need to be picked up. It is reasonable to surmise that this would bring a frown to the face of most mothers, even the most tolerant ones. More evidence to suggest Roethke’s complex depiction and recollection is positive, or at least ambivalent, is found not in the poem’s syntax, but in the. In its prologue, Otto Roethke, the author’s father, is described as a stern and hardworking man (pg. 316). This poem highlights an event of obvious frivolity, not normally in his father’s nature. Whether or not his father’s intoxication and the resulting playful nature are truly a negative thing is where Rotheke cleverly leaves us guessing. It is the poems last stanza that provides the final piece in the tonal puzzle. The last two lines â€Å"Then waltzed me off to bed/Still clinging to your shirt† suggest a final thought that not only illustrates a caring father, but also a loving son. (15; 16) The line â€Å"waltzed me off to bed†, if viewing the word â€Å"waltz† in a positive light, speaks of a father, carefully and delightedly, whisking his son off to bed (15). Still clinging to your shirt† portrays a child still hugging his papa as he carries him off to bed (16). The challenge is concluding, one way or another, what Roethke’s true meaning of this poem was. However, by analyzing not only his scrupulous word choice, but also the poem’s context, it is possible to draw solid conclusions. The poem is a recollection of a clumsy moment of convivial affection in a young boys life. The poem also, metaphorically, alludes to unintentional hurt caused by a loving, but sometimes inept father. The poem’s beauty lies in its ambiguity, allowing readers to bring their own childhood experiences to bear on the work.

Sociology plantation free essay sample

A plantation society is a particular class of society with distinguishing characteristics of social structure and political organization and laws of motion governing social change. (Barrow and Reddock 2001) It can also be even more simply defined as a social or economic system/institution where the laborers’/ slaves have to execute the will of their owners who are confined to live in it. Beckford 1972) Yes, it can be said that contemporary Caribbean societies are still plantation societies. Firstly, the plantation society contains both weak and strong variants Wagely, Patterson and Horowitz gave the weak variants of plantation society, they said it is characterized by unstable family units, hierarchical class relations, low levels of community integration and mobile populations often recruited for seasonal work (on the plantation). The strong variants were listed by Beckford, Best, Levitt and Witter; they drew analyses of structural dependencies within the Caribbean on developed countries to get the economy to grow at a rapid pace. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology plantation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Today’s contemporary Caribbean shows very similar characteristics to those of long ago. For instance there are countless unstable family units,(single parent families) the levels of community integration have increased but not to its highest potential and to a great extent class relations are very noticeable and prevalent in Caribbean societies but not as extreme as probably 10-20 years ago. (The economic and political domain is an example on class domain) Secondly, when looking at the strong variants of plantation society, it is observed that a heavy dependency on developed countries definitely exist in today’s contemporary Caribbean societies.

Diary of a wimpy kid Essays

Diary of a wimpy kid Essays Diary of a wimpy kid Essay Diary of a wimpy kid Essay Diary of a wimpy kid BY Gatorb0Y243 Diary of a Wimpy kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney is the 3rd book in the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Ive read all of the books in the series now. To be honest, I understand why kids are drawn to them but as an adult reading them all back to back they got a bit old. As Ive shared in my reviews of the other books in the series, this is one of my sons favorite book series. My son AJ who is 10, was so happy that I read the first book and when I finished it, he lined up book 2 and 3 in the series on y nightstand. It was nice to know what he was reading and talk about the books with him. Ill definitely do this again with other books and of course, I will read the 4th book in the Wimpy Kid series which according to the Wimpy Kid website, it will be out on October 12, 2009. My son will be sure to mark the calendar for that one. This book, continues the story of Gregory, a middle schooler who started writing a diary one summer when his mother bought him one. Hes continued writing his stories and complementing them with comics. The comics definitely add a lighter, fun feel to the book and kids seem to love this part. Gregory continues to get himself into embarrassing situations and learns lessons the hard way. This book starts off on New Years Day where he tries to help other people improve and then it ends at the start of summer vacation. His father seems to be a bit disappointed in his sons and the antics they get into. He decides that they need to learn how to be men and threatens to send Gregory to military school. Gregory ends up doing all he can to bond with his father and of course, ends up in many precarious situations and not at all what he intended in the first place. The book also details ways that Greg tries to get along with his brothers, his attempts to impress a girl named Holly in his class, and how Greg attempts to get through being placed on a soccer team he doesnt like. Its obvious in the book that Greg is doing all he can as a kid to get through life. He tends to be self centered and socially awkward and kids can definitely relate to that s well as the theme that grown ups really dont get it. I think that is a universal rule in childhood Kids dont think that their parents or any grown ups get it! The reading level for these books are ages 9-12 but they are fun for adults to read as well. These are great books for boys and girls, well read and reluctant readers as it will draw them in through humor and the comics. According to the author, Jeff Kinneys website, the series started off as a web comic online at Funbrain. com . This book mentions at the end that Jeff Kinney is also the creator of

Predicting Formulas of Ionic Compounds Example Problem

Predicting Formulas of Ionic Compounds Example Problem This problem demonstrates how to predict the molecular formulas of ionic compounds. Problem Predict the formulas of the ionic compounds formed by the following elements: lithium and oxygen (Li and O)nickel and sulfur (Ni and S)bismuth and fluorine (Bi and F)magnesium and chlorine (Mg and Cl) Solution First, look at the locations of the elements on the periodic table. Atoms in the same column as each other (group) tend to exhibit similar characteristics, including the number of electrons the elements would need to gain or lose to resemble the nearest noble gas atom. To determine common ionic compounds formed by elements, keep the following in mind: Group I ions (alkali metals) have 1 charges.Group 2 ions (alkaline earth metals) have 2 charges.Group 6 ions (nonmetals) have -2 charges.Group 7 ions (halides) have -1 charges.There is no simple way to predict the charges of the transition metals. Look at a table listing charges (valences) for possible values. For introductory and general chemistry courses, the 1, 2, and 3 charges are most often used. When you write the formula for an ionic compound, remember that the positive ion is always listed first. Write down the information you have for the usual charges of the atoms and balance them to answer the problem. Lithium has a 1 charge and oxygen has a -2 charge, therefore2 Li ions are required to balance 1 O2- ion.Nickel  has a charge of 2 and sulfur has a -2 charge, therefore1 Ni 2 ion is required to balance 1 S2- ion.Bismuth has a 3 charge and Fluorine has a -1 charge, therefore1 Bi3 ion is required to balance 3 F- ions.Magnesium has a 2 charge and chlorine has a -1 charge, therefore1 Mg2 ion is required to balance 2 Cl- ions. Answer Li2ONiSBiF3MgCl2 The charges listed above for atoms within groups are the common charges, but you should be aware that the elements sometimes take on different charges. See the table of the valences of the elements for a list of the charges that the elements have been known to assume.

Gender roles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender roles - Research Paper Example The roles have changed and there has been a rise in the number of women in the workplace. In the USA, 47% of the working population is made up of the women. Companies are changing the policies for facilitating the women to work. Sexual harassment has become an important issue and the men are more concerned in their behavior with the women. Gender roles come from the upbringing of the individuals. There is a difference in the physicality and the mental set up of the men and the women. Women are tender and the men are considered to be more outgoing. The traditional roles of the society were based on these principles and the women were considered to stay at home and the men were perceived to work. With the recent changes in the society the women have been more outgoing but in the family front, the situation is the same. The women still takes care of the household though they work in the offices. There has been a massive shift in the gender roles of the society and there has been a probl em in the families. The males are not open to the idea of the success of the females and this leads to the differences between the individuals. (Gender roles, n.d.) This has brought the debate whether the traditional model of women staying at homes and the men working were better for the society. Traditional gender roles In her article, â€Å"Traditional gender role attitudes and violence against women† the author Milinda York states the traditional gender roles of the women. In the American society, the women are dominated and the men are more outgoing. The women stayed at home and the men go to earn income for their family.

Social or Historical Events During the Time the Writers Wrote Research Paper

Social or Historical Events During the Time the Writers Wrote - Research Paper Example The study of historical context according to the subjected piece of literature allows the reader to have a better grasp of understanding of the story. Through this one must be able to associate the social and historical undertones found in the story to get a better comprehension of the ideas of the writer. ‘Huckleberry Finn’ by Mark Twain is a notable example of how a story can best be appreciated through the application of this critical analysis. Twain was able to capture as clearly had decades ago the imagination of his readers through the garish and offbeat boyish characters that he had managed to develop. Named Samuel Clemens in real life, the author made use of Mark Twain as a pseudonym and has been more popularly known by it since then. He was a known humorist of his time and has become a pressing subject through his works. His book ‘Huckleberry Finn’ has posted a dilemma where it had yielded conflicting views regarding the true intentions of the write r especially with his frequent use of the word nigger that drove some to the conclusion of its racist disposition. But more than this there have been a great number that support the notion that what this little affectionate book has done was to race awareness and to push on the social issue of racial discrimination prevalent during its time (Kirk, p.3, 2004). While it has often been criticized for being crude and lacking the artistic value that critics of his time sought, it has continued to provoke thinking more than so many other American novels.

Going home Essay Example for Free

Going home Essay This is a first person narration of a soldier in Iraq who had been victim to an evening ambush by offensive troops. The narration begins with the soldier already in the infirmary, months after the ambush incident, nursing a fractured right foot. At about this time, word also came out that President Bush was going to withdraw five thousand plus men from Iraq so that they could be home for the holidays. The soldier hopes that he is part of the list of men who would be recalled. In the meantime, the soldier recounts the events that led to his current situation. The soldier reveals that many had died in the ambush and he was merely one of those who survived. The ambush took place while they were on their way to the North US Detachment. While recounting the story of how he had become a wounded US soldier, the narrator also offers insights into how war can be patriotic and how it can change the course of events for the world at large. The soldier also mentions in his reminiscing that they were not the true heroes of war, rather the true heroes were the families they left back home. The narrator dwells on this topic and comprehensively explains how the families back home should be the real heroes in a war and not the soldiers who are actually in the war. The soldier also offers insights into how gruesome a war can be and how wasteful it is when it comes to lives wasted; but despite his views on the war, the soldier remains steadfast in his beliefs and holds on to the thought of his family waiting back home. The narration ends with the soldier being called to the mess hall along with many others for the announcement of the list of recalled soldiers. Find out if he is one of those who will return home. (YOUR FULL NAME) (PROFESSOR’S NAME) (COURSE AND SUBJECT) (DATE OF SUBMISSION) GOING HOME – A SOLDIER’S STORY Christmas is fast approaching and I am hoping to have an early Christmas gift as President Bust announced last September that about 5,000 plus of us would be home for the Christmas holidays. This was part of the limited troop reduction that was to be implemented on US troops before the military surge in March next year. We are still waiting for the final list of soldiers who would be sent home and I am hoping that I would be in the list. I am useless here in the field anyway. I have been in the infirmary tent for the past three months because my right foot suffered segmented fractures after an ambush attack on our team while we were driving to the North detachment. We were fifteen in the truck. I was one of the lucky seven who came out of the attack alive. I was in the back of the truck and as usual, I felt like I had to watch my own back as well as I was watching the backs of the other soldiers who were with me in the truck. It was about eleven in the evening. We all had to travel in the cover of darkness to avoid being detected by hostile troops. From a distance, the sound of mortar seemed as natural as the crack of thunder on a balmy evening. A false, red sunrise could be seen from the horizon as flames from explosives incessantly lighted up the horizon. It was cold – in the desert, the temperatures are extreme. Daytime is extremely hot and the evening can be as cold as it is hot during the day. We were all in our camouflage uniforms, but these were only flimsy fabric – weak protection from possible bullets coming our way or even stray shrapnel from distant explosions. I feared for my life but also thought of the country, and the world, and what it would be like if the US did not launch an offensive against hostile troops here in Iraq. In my heart I could not understand why I had to go through such horror and put my life on the line for such a cause; but when I think of my young wife waiting for me back home, and my three month old daughter, I understand why I have to be here. The weapons of mass destruction that Iraq may be hiding from the world may be cause for the destruction not only of the US but also of the world as we know it and this alone told me that my being here was worth everything I had; but then again, I can never deny the fact that there could have been better days. About an hour into the trip, the truck grinded to a halt; a co-soldier who was seated beside the driver saw something through his night vision binoculars. A group of armed men were stationed about half a mile away and it seemed that they did not notice our approach because they were huddled together in a close circle seemingly having a drink. We did not find this cause for alarm because sporadically, throughout the road, were friendly troops from the other side who were securing travel routes for civilians. However, since we could not identify them from a distance, there was no choice but to be on guard and move forward until we were close enough to identify them. The driver had turned off the headlights and slowed down to a crawl to prepare for our approach. When we were just a few meters away, I heard one of the men stationed at the road cry out a piercing yell that to me sounded like a death sentence. At that very moment a volley of gunfire punctuated the distant explosions and we all lay flat on the floor of the truck. In what seemed like forever, the truck turned around and sped towards the other direction back to the camp. The gunfire continued and it was at this moment that I felt warm liquid seeping into the fabric of my uniform from the back. I turned around to see one of my co-soldiers slumped on my back with blood streaming from his neck. I quickly stood to check on the other men with me in the back of the truck. Four of them had been badly hit, two were unharmed, and seven of us suffered minor injuries. Mine was a gunshot wound that pierced my right ankle. Later, it turned out that the driver had been badly hit as well, so it was the other army officer with him in the front seat who was already driving the truck. We made camp about three hours after the incident. We had already been halfway through the six hour trip that was supposed to take us to the North detachment. We were all brought to the infirmary and the dead immediately interred into shiny black body bags that reflected the red glare that rose up from the distant horizon. The camp chaplain said a prayer over the dead and another officer bend down to take out their dog tags, they name patches, and some of their personal effects. I imagined how difficult this was for the officer. I imagined how it would have been had I been one of them. The following day two or three officers from the US Military back home would be at the porch of our house delivering the sad news to my wife and my daughter. I imagined how they would feel, and how much they would hate the state for sending me to war; but I was lucky to be alive, or not. Now, I had to deal with the gruesome images that I had witnessed. I had to spend my life thinking of what is and what could have been. I would probably be found gazing into the blackness for many solitary hours trying to find a decent and even logical reason for this manslaughter – but I was determined to go home in one piece, if not for my wife and daughter, at least for a country and a world that was waiting for a glimmer of hope that could come out of this bloodshed. Logically, bloodshed is bloodshed and nothing good could come out of war. It was always like choosing between two evils – the lives of hundreds of men and women in exchange for the peaceful future of my country and the world. The choice was always easy and I found it an honor to be fighting for this cause, albeit momentary periods of questioning and reasoning and questioning again. I felt that I was not a hero here; the real heroes are the families we have left behind; mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, daughters, and sons. They are the real heroes for having to deal with our absence and having to live their lives every day with the knowledge that we may not even return alive. They are the real heroes for having to lie to the innocent ones about fathers and mothers who were out there fighting for the country because this was the only way to ensure the future – of course, there are other ways, but when some other ways seem bleak and unfeasible, war is often the method of choice. These people are the real heroes not because they sacrificed anything but because they refuse to just fade into the sunset and let go of the prospects of peace and unity for the whole world. They are there back home not for any reason, but for a reason that all of us in this world would one day recall and be grateful about. We, in the field, we are here because of them and their unfailing belief and hope in our cause; we are here because of their love and the fact that before we sleep at night our minds swim in oceans of faces – the faces of our real heroes. The bugle had been sounded. Our superior had called us all to the mess hall to announce who would be going home for Christmas and who wouldn’t. With my crutch in tow and a foot heavy with plaster dragging behind, I go to the mess hall. The superior went through the list. The lights have been turned out after the list was read. I was walking back to the infirmary. I was going home.