Natural Evil in Lord of the Flies - Literature Essay Samples

In his work Essay Concerning Human Understanding, John Locke explains his belief that the human mind is what he called a tabula rasa, which is Latin for clean sheet of paper. It assumes that infants know nothing when they are born and human ideas and behaviors come from experience. Thomas Hobbes, on the other hand, believed that in man’s natural state, moral ideas do not exist and that humans intuitively desire to obtain as much power and â€Å"good† as they can, and there are no laws preventing them from harming or killing others to attain what they desire. Lord of the Flies is a Hobbesian novel, as the boys decline to evil appears inherent and natural. This decline is made evident through the boys move towards meat for food, their attraction to Jack as a leader, and the idea of a beast infecting them all. First, the boys choice of food changes as the story progresses. At first the boys ate fruit and are happy about it. The fruit symbolizes civilization, as the boys do not want to kill any thing. Then Jack tries and fails to kill a sow. The hunt soon consumes him, and the idea of meat infects the other boys. Notice also how Jack hunts the sow, not the boar or piglets. By hunting the sow Jack ends coming of a new life and maybe even hopes. When Ralph tries to hunt he goes for a boar symbolizing that he still has hope and wishes for life. Jack uses the meat to gain power. After he kills the first one, he covers himself in the sow’s blood and reenacts the murder. When Robert jabbed a stick through the sow is can be equated to rape imagery because it was â€Å"right up her ass!† (135). No one teaches or tells Robert to run the sow though he does it on instinct. He mutilates the sow in somewhat of a sexual fashion definitely in an evil fashion, with no prompting whatsoever. Th e change from fruit to meat is seen as a change from peaceful and feminine fruit to savage and masculine murder. Second, Jack is the clichà © evil character. When we first meet Jack we are told he was â€Å"tall, thin, and bony; and his hair red beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled, and freckled, and ugly without silliness† (Golding 20). Red hair in literature often represents a type of adventurer or rebel, which Jack is. Jack is strong-willed and egomaniacal, but is a natural born leader. He was the head choir boy at his school after all. He even has a knife for no explained reason. His knife represents violence and danger but can also be seen as a practicality. On the other hand Ralph has fair hair which is a classic clichà © for good and light. He has the conch, a symbol of order and peace. He is a representative of order, civilization, and productive leadership in the novel; therefore most of the boys follow him at first. Although the boys are first attracted to Ralph, they soon move onto Jack as his sense for adventure and brashness attract them. When the idea of a beast is first put forth the boys laugh it off, but slowly the idea of an outside evil takes control. The idea spreads like wild fire; fear is everywhere. When Simon suggests that the beast is inside them, he is rejected and scoffed at. The boys would much rather have an imaginary face to put fear on then have to face themselves. After Jack and his hunters create the Lord of the Flies, Simon talks to it. The sow agrees with Simon, saying â€Å"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?† (143). The quotation suggests that inside every human is an evil idea just waiting to snap and take over. For example, after Simon dies Ralph snaps. Ralph was portrayed as the stereotypical perfect human, and the evil idea of revenge even gets to him. He is consumed by grief, by the realization that everything isn’t rainbows and butterflies. Even though Piggy directs Ralph’s anger onto the idea of rescue, it’s still there. The beast of anger is inside him and diverts his path of peace between Jack’s tribe and his into a yelling match and indirectly causes Piggy’s death. Along with Piggy, the conch also dies at the same time. Both symbols of order and the symbol of science and logic are gone at the same time. Evil trumps good at this moment all because the idea of a beast consumed the boys. Lord of the Flies shows vividly that evil overtook boys when there was no outside influence of society, thereby reinforcing the Hobbesian theory that humans are born with an innate potential for evil and are not the clean sheets that Locke supposed.

Personal Reflection On Bipolar Disorder - 1687 Words

Personal Reflection Before I truly understood Bipolar disorder, it was still a fairly common word in my vocabulary. Anytime I thought someone was being moody or fluctuating between emotions, I joked by claiming that person to be bipolar. Several incidents of this involved one of my roommates who seemed to be happy one day, and quite the polar opposite the next. However, it was not until my clinical experience on the psychiatric unit that I realized what true bipolar disorder was, and that she did not fit the criteria. Even though I always thought my roommate was bipolar, I quickly found after being exposed to a diagnosed bipolar patient that my roommate was instead just moody. I decided to write this paper on bipolar disorder, not because I have struggle with it or know a friend or family member with this disease, but because I had several misconceptions about what it entailed. Bipolar disorder is a much more serious disease than I had ever thought. Until recently, I just thought it was not being able to make up ones mind about which emotion to portray. Frequently, I used the term to describe people that I perceived as being temperamental or unstable. During my shift on the medical floor for work, I came in contact with my first true bipolar patient. When I first introduced myself to her, she was friendly and what I thought was a ‘normal’ patient. Small talk was made about where I am from, where I attend college, how long I have worked here, if I have a boyfriend, andShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Mental Illness And Violence1066 Words   |  5 Pagestends to be particularly strong when applied to people with bipolar disorder, which very often is misunderstood by others. Topic #16 from the list of suggestions, asks two questions: are people who are diagnosed manic-depressive/bipolar often violent, and what effects did Jamison’s violent outward behavior have on her? 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SheRead MoreBipolar Disorder1544 Words   |  7 PagesABSTRACT Bipolar disorder or  manic depression causes serious shifts in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior—from the highs of mania on one extreme, to the lows of depression on the other. More than just a fleeting good or bad mood, the cycles of bipolar disorder last for days, weeks, or months. And unlike ordinary mood swings, the mood changes of bipolar disorder are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function. SYMPTOMS Bipolar Symptoms Bipolar disorder variesRead MoreNeurological-Based Behavior1143 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Reflection Paper #1 Topic: Neurological-Based Atypical Behavior (NBB) For my reflection paper, I chose to give my opinion on the NBB’s, short for â€Å"Neurological-Based Atypical Behaviors†. NBB is defined as a collection of deeds or the behavior of children that happen outside the usual boundaries of self control. 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Bipolar Disorder is the tendency of manic episodes to alternate with major depressive episodes, like a roller coaster. (Barlow, D., Durand, M., Stewart,S., Lalumià ¨re, M., 2014, p. 222). To be more specific, Bipolar I Disorder involves major depressive episodes with full manic episodes. Pat portrayed the following of each stage according to the symptomsRead MoreA Brilliant Madness about John Forbes Nash Essay1458 Words   |  6 Pagesobserved that schizophrenia, autism, and mood disturbance disorders—namely bipolar disorder and depression—seemed the most prevalent mental illnesses in creative geniuses. These people may also struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism and, in extreme case s, suicide (â€Å"Genius or Madness?†; Neihart; Simonton). According to many writers and artists, childhood trauma and suffering can contribute to their works of art. 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The Effects of Media on Mass Incarceration free essay sample

In American society, the media plays an overwhelming role in shaping how people think and what people believe. The images and spins that come from every form of media eventually become the immediate thought in one’s mind when certain topics are brought up. How can this not be the case when stereotypes are being thrown at people in rapid fire from every direction? The media is everywhere and is not an easy force to be reckoned with. One particular area in which the media have formed images in the minds of the people is the idea of criminals. From pictures on television to descriptions in books, the criminal is commonly portrayed as a black male. The consequences of this stereotype may not been seen or felt by all, but they affect the lives of many in serious ways. In a study published in the Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education in 1995, people were asked to picture a drug user and describe that person to the questioner. The results showed 95% of respondents pictured the user as African American (106). There are likely many reasons behind this phenomenon. However, none of these reasons is that African Americans use drugs more often than whites do. In fact, most drug dealers and users are white (99). If this is the case, then why when asked to describe a drug user do most people picture a black man? In short, the answer is because of the media. Television, newspapers, books, magazines, the Internet, and most any other media source typically show African American criminals more often than white criminals. â€Å"For nearly three decades, news stories regarding virtually all street crime have disproportionately featured African American offenders (106). Because the media so heavily reports on African American crimes, this is the image beaten into the minds of those watching. People now have a stereotype in mind of the black man as a dangerous drug user. This unfortunate stereotype has many consequences, seen and unseen. First of all, it creates an unnecessary and invalid fear in peoples’ minds. When a most people see an African Am erican person, male or female, the initial reaction is typically to be frightened. The proof of this is in our own reaction to this situation. Why is fear the first reaction even of people who claim to not or do not want to be stereotypical? This is, again, because of the images of African Americans portrayed in the media. After seeing countless pictures of African Americans as criminals, it is not surprising that this unwanted reaction is at the forefront of most peoples’ minds. The media trains its viewers to be afraid of the criminals it showcases. Using frightening phrases, pictures, and more, the media provokes fear whenever stories of criminals are told. With so great a volume of media constantly around, it is natural that the fear surrounding these stories would follow into everyday lives. Because the criminals in the media are typically African American, this fear is placed onto blacks everywhere. When one sees an African American person, one’s thoughts immediately return to the common image of a black person as a criminal. This thought process may not be, and probably is not, voluntary for most people. However, just because one is not consciously racist does not mean they will not turn out to be racist subconsciously when prompted by images or verbal cues – even such as seeing an African American person on the street (107). Because there are so many media outlets and so many images and such portraying blacks as criminals and therefore a people to be feared, the natural subconscious pathway is to feel afraid. Another consequence of the stereotype of blacks as criminals is the degree to which it downplays the amount of crime committed by whites. Based on the media and the distribution of races in American prisons, it can seem as though most drug crimes are committed by non-whites, especially African Americans and Hispanic Americans (99). The truth is, however, that â€Å"the majority of illegal drug users and dealers nationwide are white (98). † Because the main image of crime portrayed by the media is black, people often forget that whites commit just as much, if not more, crime as African Americans do. The amount of crime committed by whites seems to be much less because it is very rarely seen in any form of media outlet. Whether in the ghetto or a suburban neighborhood, whites never seem to be convicted of crimes, or even arrested. One of the biggest problems with this stereotype of the African American drug man is that law enforcement is not immune to the media images. â€Å"Law enforcement officials, no less than the rest of us, have been exposed to the racially charged†¦ media imagery associated with the drug war (106). † If the police believe that African Americans are more likely to commit crimes, they will, as one would expect, subconsciously or consciously watch out for African American crime more than white crime. However, this is not a phenomenon that can be blamed on law enforcement. These men and women likely do not go to work each day prepared to arrest a large amount of African Americans simply because of skin color. However, since they are bombarded with just as many negative African American media images as everyone else, they too have the preconceived and subconscious notion of criminals being African American. This is problematic for African Americans all over the country for obvious reasons. If the police have a subconscious belief that blacks are more likely to commit crimes than other people, they (the police) will be more closely watching those communities that are typically African American. None of this, however, is to say that the media is the only component to be blamed for the current situation. The image of blacks as criminals probably dates much farther back to slave times. The media’s role in portraying African Americans as criminals has certainly spread the image and worsened the situation, but it is not something to set completely on the shoulders of the media. Unfortunately, and by whoever’s fault, African Americans have been placed with the stereotype of being dangerous and more inclined towards criminal acts than other races, particularly whites. This stereotype has many consequences for those it affects, and must be dealt with in some way. The first step towards repairing this false image is awareness. If more people are conscious of the stereotypes shown by the media, these people can fight against using the stereotypes in their own lives. This may not fix the problem entirely or quickly, but it is a start and one that is easily done.

Rhianna Goolsby Essays (502 words) - Biology, Food And Drink

Rhianna Goolsby Cassandra August Sustainable Food and Nutrition 11/18/16 GMOs GMOs are genetically modified organisms meaning food's material that has been altered by genetic engineering. GMOs were only introduced in 1996, and side effects of them have appeared quickly. Some of these side effects have been increased allergic reactions, antibiotic resistant bacteria and other unsafe hazards of food . Though some of the side effects seem small, the bigger picture here is that they become way bigger. More cases have developed about sickness from GMOs. People have even died due to consumption of GMOs . Genetically modified foods are associated with poisonous fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and been grown in agricultural plants instead of crop fields. Children have even been born with birth defects due to toxic chemicals. The chemicals in GMOs alone can cause infertility, stillbirths, miscarri ages and cancers . Research ers found that chemicals in GMOs caused health issues in chickens and frogs as well as issues in soy production. To be less subtle, researchers found that animals that have consumed chemicals within GMOs have had problems with their eyes and their cortex (center of the head), which eventually led to death of the animal. GMOs have been considered safe to human consumption without enough research done on how it can affect our bodies and the production of our offspring. Even though the genes being transferred occur naturally in other species, there are indefinite significances to fluctuating the natural state of an organism through distant gene appearance . Because of this, some significant problems can arise such as the change of the organism's metabolism , growth rate, and the response to external environmental factors. These things not only build from the GMO itself, but as well as the environment of the organism. Some of the health risks of humans include the likelihood of exposure to new allergens in genetically modified foods, as well as the tra nsfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora. Not only do herbicides and pesticides put humans at risk, but it would also cause ecological imbalances. This would cause previously plants to grow uncontrollably which would cause the spread of disease of plants and animals. The cross contamination of GMOs also causes long term global pollution. It is believed that pollution caused by GMOs will outlive global warming. This threatens the health of our future generations. This pollution also causes economic losses for farmers who cannot market their food because they cannot keep their crops pure. GMOs also harm the environment badly. They affect and harm other animals associated with food crops. They reduce biodiversity, pollute water, and are very unsustainable. GMOs do not help with food yields. In fact, there was a decline in food yields. Because of this, world hunger is not helped. The more people avoid genetically modified foods, the easier it will be to help get them out of our food supply. If people do not start realizing what they are doing for our own health, our environment, and our marketing economy, GMOs will never disappear.

china speech Essay

china speech Essay china speech Essay â€Å"On The Ten Major Relationships† Speech given by Mao Tse-tung on April 25,1956, at the meeting of the Poltiical Bureau of Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. 1. The Ten Major Relationships is a list of the issues and concerns that have come about from instituting socialism in china. He boils down complex issues into a list of ten relationships dealing with mobilizing all positive forces, internal and external, to serve the cause of socialism and analyzing soviet policy. a. The document begins with Mao calling for China to focus on developing agriculture and light industries instead of focusing on the heavy industry like the Soviets. By doing this he says that there would be a fast increase in capital and will build a strong foundation as the people will have their needs met, which will allow for a more successful development of the heavy industry. b. Mao also says that China should focus on developing coastal industries as they will provide the most capital the fastest, which can be used to develop interior industries, which are much easier to defend if, attacked. c. In regards to defense Mao calls for a reduction of military and administrative expenditures and move the main focus to developing economic construction that will fund future defense programs. d. The government needs to be mindful of the relationship between the state and production. He says that as productivity rises then so should workers welfare, and should adjust agriculture exchange as needed, which will promote a stronger economy and state. He also mentions that the state should strengthen the communication between the central government and local authorities, and give local authorities more power and independence. The central authority should provide oversight and leadership and the local authorities should put practices into operation and push the idea of unity. e. Mao discusses the relationship between the Han and the minorities, by stating the Han while being the majority of the population were actually the minority when it came to land ownership, but the Han promoted the idea of racial division and their superiority. He emphasizes that it was all the minorities who made China’s history and that in order to reverse this thinking the cadres and masses must be educated in party policies. f. Mao address the issue between Party and non-party by stating that by having several parties within China promotes coexistence and mutual suppression and that unlike the Soviets the party has allowed the democrats to remain. He also notes that he doesn’t want the democratic parties to be removed but that they should be convinced of socialism. He also says that it is a public necessity that counter-revolutionist should be executed or imprisoned and re-educated through labor. However when it comes to counter-revolutionaries found in the party they should not be executed or arrested as they are needed to be informants and would make the party look bad domestically and internationally. g. Mao felt that people who made mistakes should not be barred from the revolution ad that they should be able to learn from their mistakes and be shown the correct path, as the

Definition of the Word Spur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of the Word Spur - Essay Example The very first time a variation of the word was heard about was from the Old High German language and was based upon the word â€Å"sporo† which was then adopted by the Proto Germanic language, becoming the word â€Å"spuron†. It later on evolved into the Old English word â€Å"spura† which basically meant â€Å"to kick†. It is based upon this ancient use of the word that the modern meaning of â€Å"spur† came about. In late 14th century, the term spur was used to describe a metal tool that is purely designed to be worn in horse riding boot On the other hand, the word generally falls under the definition of â€Å"anything that urges on, stimulus†. (Metin and Cem 157). For most people, the term is generally used to describe the tool that is attached to the riding boot of a person. This tool is generally round and spiked at the tips. It is dug into the sides of a horse by the rider in order to urge the horse to go faster (Roy 83). The meaning o f the word based upon the horse tool Known as a riding aid, the tool helps to enforce the natural commands given to horses via the rider's leg, seat, hands, or voice, making the tool a very important aspect of any equestrian event. This is tool is more commonly described as being U-shaped device which is located on the heel of a rider's boot (Metin and Cem 159).

Study case S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Study case S - Essay Example ion Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a vital stakeholder as government agency who has the duty to see that road transports maintain high standard of transports and transport maintenance that promotes safe transportation. Basically, there are many stakeholders involved along the supply chain from manufactures to the end users as outlined above. The two pillars that have been broken by Imperial Tyres Sales are the trustworthiness and responsibility. The company has abused the trust of its customers who expected goods of high standard that would be safe to use. The notion of trustworthiness posits that when we someone is trusted, he is given a leeway by others because they do not feel the y need contract assurances that the same person will meet his obligations. It involves being honesty, integrity, reliability as well as loyalty. However, these elements of the pillar of trustworthiness have been broken as a result of low quality products that were supplied by HangZhemHai. ITS’s actions have also been against honest communication with the law and federal agency who should have been informed about the inferior quality of the tyres. They have also shown crass disregard for professional integrity by looking for their self interest at the cost of its customers’ safety. The pillar of trustworthiness has been broken by these two as their actions did not put into consideration the people’s safety. On the other hand, the pillar of responsibility has been broken by Hang Zhem Hai Rubbers by not upholding the expected standards of producing quality products that would be safe to be used by the consumers. The pillar of responsibility states that we should be accountable for our actions by always striving to pursue excellence. HZH has not been responsible in its actions for not putting enough gum stripes in its tires. HZH has been extremely indifferent to the fact that their low quality of tyres could be potentially dangerous to the safety of human life. In actual fact it