Celebrity Gossip Essay

Celebrity Gossip Essay.

In middle school, it was not uncommon to see girls, crowded in a small space chatting noisily and gossiping. As the internet and people developed, it had gotten worse, instead of better. Nowadays, there are thousands of sites about celebrity gossip in the internet. Also, you can find in grocery stores, convenience stores, and etc. stacks of tabloids and magazines with covers that have ridiculous and false statements which all focus on a particular celebrity. Some may argue that this is not a big deal.

In my opinion, however, it is becoming a problem.

People are still people, no matter how famous or rich they are. No one should be treated like a doll that entertains people for a short amount of time and then is thrown into garbage. In addition, no one should be spied by groups of people with cameras that threaten them to look perfect and beautiful. It is a great invasion to privacy for those being watched.

Furthermore, attention leads to problems. Celebrities intentionally do unfavorable things for fame. Some people become depressed and commits suicide to be at peace.

Celebrity Gossip Essay

To Room Nineteen Crytical Analysis Essay

To Room Nineteen Crytical Analysis Essay.

I plan to argue “To Room Nineteen” by Doris Lessing for an audience of professors interested in the field of psychology and it’s affect on women’s lives, stating that the cause of suicide for Ms. Dubois is not because of the social judgments and perception negatively that impacted Susan’s domestic responsibilities but rather the lack of emotion within her life and her relationship with her husband, because she could live up to the ideals valued by culture and beliefs but deep down she married for the benefit of others and no love in their relationship or with her children.

Traditionally in the mid twentieth century, women held various duties that were crucial to keep their households intact. Most have sacrificed much of their freedom and independence to nourish their family. Women were accountable for food, cleaning, support, and other motherly resources. The novel revealed Susan’s transformation from the beginning of the novel as a calm and tranquil mother into a strange and insane person.

Matthew and her children depended on her to provide for their everyday necessities and without her the family will not function properly. The burden forced upon Susan caused her excessive desire for peace and serenity in the most remote place she can find. In “To Room Nineteen”, Lessing describes how stress and anxiety linked to Susan’s mental illness.

Susan encountered many obstacles emotionally and psychologically. One of the challenges she faced was quitting her job as a commercial drawer so that she can supply more of her time and effort into her family. “She cooked and sewed and worked as before, day after day, while Mrs. Parkes remonstrated”(2765) Every moment, hour, minute, or second her husband and children needed her service, therefore she performed these numerous tasks in order to maintain the household. Since she was always confined at home taking care of her family, she does not have much contact to the outside world as she did before. “She was a prisoner.”(2766) Susan was excluded from her community seeing as she was bound to her loads of responsibilities. The only way she feels connected to the public is threw her husband, Matthew, informing her of the upcoming events or issues that was brought up.

Susan and Matthew Rawlings was considered as “well matched”(2759) pairs in her society. “The Rawlings appear to have everything that a couple could want; having married late “amid general rejoicing”, they have four healthy children and create what seems to be a stable and comfortable home.”(Lance St. John Butler) Other couple looked up to them for counsel and guidance through their relationship. This adds on a great weight of pressure on Susan’s shoulder for she is claimed to have the perfect married life. This was challenging for her since she discovered Matthew had deceiving affairs with another women. It was difficult for Susan to pretend to accept Matthew’s reckless betrayal.

“Susan forgave him, of course. Except that forgiveness is hardly the word.”(2761) She try to push this problem behind so that she would not have confront the chaos of her marriage. “Charting the failure of communication and subsequent decline of love.” (Janina Nordius) Matthew and Susan’s relationship begins to slowly deteriorate as lies and deceit plies in their marriage. These are all factors that contribute to Susan’s aspiration for solitude, so that she can get away from all the tension and hassles.

Susan’s pursuit for peacefulness and isolation is driving her mad since she is always surrounded by overwhelming commotion. Mrs. Parkes, the housekeeper, is constantly asking for Susan’s approval for everything that she does. Her hesitations and uncertainties especially aggravate Susan because she feels like people are always depending her on every little issue. “She was planning how to be somewhere where Mrs. Parkes would not come after her with a cup of tea, or a demand to be allowed to telephone (always irritating Susan did not care who she telephoned or how often), or just a nice talk about something.”(2765-2766) This is one of the reason why Susan have an eager craving for loneness. Also Sophie, the Rawlings’ household worker, replaced Susan’s position in the family.

Ever since Sophie was welcomed into the family, she has been more of a mother, wife, and mistress of the house than Susan, which caused her to feel out of place. “She took lunch with Mrs. Parkes, Sophie, Sophie’s Italian friend Maria, and her daughter Molly, and felt like a visitor.”(2777) It gives her the impression that she was invisible and separated from her family. In addition, her four children require her complete attention to tend for them so that they would grow to be strong and healthy adults. “She was breaking her part of the bargain and there was no way of forcing her to keep it: that her spirit, her soul, should live in this house, so that people in it could grow like plants in water, and Mrs. Parkes remain content in their service.”(2772) As long as she’s their mother, she will continuously put all her energy to raise her children. She could not deliver all these requests to nurture her children, so she decides to abandon her duties. Seclusion is a major aspect that influences a person to become odd and bizarre.

Women’s freedom and liberation are restrained because of the principles followed by customary lifestyles. “Doris Lessing draws extensively on women’s inner, private experiences and on their departure from the unsatisfactory reality of life in an alienated and alienating society.”(Rula Quawas) Ever since Susan was married, she does not have her independence to do something that will benefit herself because she is confine by her burdens of her household obligations. “What it amounted to was that Mother’s Room, and her need for privacy, had become a valuable lesson in respect for other people’s rights.”(2768) She wanted space where she can have her solitude and time to release her pain. Therefore she deserted her responsibilities and detained herself in regions that people will not come to disturb her. Such as the Victoria Hotel to find some relief from all the stress she carries.

“The room was ordinary and anonymous, and was just what Susan needed.”(2769) The amount of pressure she undergoes, Susan requires more alone time to obtain the peace that she wants. Therefore she searches in the mountains to escape the resentment and bitterness. “The mountains themselves seemed trammeled by her unfreedom.”(2771) Even though there is an enormous distant between her and her family when she has taken a vacation, her family still interrupt her break because the household was going to breakdown without her.

These distresses bring about her hostility and sourness. Susan needed to locate a place where no one will bother or remind her about her household duties. Fred’s hotel in room nineteen was the only place she was able to acquire her freedom. “This room had become more her own than the house she lived in.”(2774) There she felt at ease and comfortable releasing out all her troubling complaints about not being open to the world. She can forget about her family and society holding her back from her independence. Her hunger for freedom will drive her over the boundary, even suicide, to get away from it all.

Society’s values about people’s lifestyle caused Susan a great amount of mental disorder. For instance, Susan has developed an imagery evil demon haunting her garden. The demon represents her suffering and misery inhibiting her to obtain her freedom. “He is lurking in the garden and sometimes even in the house, and he wants to get into me and to take me over.”(2768) Once she was in Fred’s hotel room, the demon was gone. But when Matthew discovered her going to Freud’s hotel and assumes that she has been cheating on him, the demon returns to visit her.

Also the snake in her garden characterizes her dual personality. “the illusion symbolized that her schizophrenic psyche had been on the verge of corruption.”(Wang and Wen) Susan’s psychological conditions worsen as she starts to visualize snakes lingering her garden. Still when she brushes her hair it makes hissing noises similar to a snake signifies her illness is getting more severe. In addition, the mirror in her room signifies that her schizophrenia symptoms are getting critical. “Yet that’s the reflection of a madwoman. How very strange!”(2771-2772) Her other self is representing her bitterness and resentment. These are distresses that Susan is experiencing because of pressure put upon her.

The attitudes towards women’s role in society required them to be the providers of their family while the men were to work to supply financial support. “Susan Rawlings experiences a battle of wills between her mental consciousness, which insists that she accept her tradional role as a wife and mother, and her blood consciousness, which sparks her quest for absolute freedom.”(Wendy Perkins) Most women suffered from depression and agony because of their gloomy life style. Their freedom was taken from them, as well as their identity. They had no choice but to serve their family and support their husbands. Susan Rawlings burdens influence her to search for independence and avoid her responsibilities. The only way she could depart from her duties was to commit suicide and leave the world that caused her sorrow.

Work Citied

Butler, Lance St. John. “To Room Nineteen: Overview.” Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Nov. 2012.

Lessing, Doris. “To Room Nineteen.” The Norton Anthology English Literature. 9th ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 2759-2780. Print.

Ningchuan Wang and Yiping Wen. In Room Nineteen why did Susan commit suicide? Reconsidering gender relations from a Doris Lessing’s novel. Studies in Literature and Language. 4.1 (Feb. 29, 2012) p65. Word Count: 7449. Reading Level (Lexile): 1460. From Literature Resource Center.

Nordius, Janina. “Lessing’s ‘To Room Nineteen’.” The Explicator 57.3 (Spring 1999): 171-173. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 61. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Nov. 2012.

Perkins, Wendy. “Critical Essay on ‘To Room Nineteen’.” Short Stories for Students. Ed. Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 20. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Nov. 2012.

Quawas, Rula. Lessing’s ‘To Room Nineteen’: Susan’s voyage into the inner space of ‘elsewhere’. Atlantis, revista de la Asociación Española de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos. 29.1 (June 2007) p107. Word Count: 8689. From Literature Resource Center.

To Room Nineteen Crytical Analysis Essay

Altruistic suicide Essay

Altruistic suicide Essay.

Suicide is one of the rampant issues in our society today. Any activities that result to death in which the victim knows the outcome is termed as suicide. On the other hand, there are many causes of committing suicide. One of the causes is due to the too little social integration. This is the Egoistic suicide. Most of the victims of this type of suicide are the unmarried, particularly the males. Due to their situation that they do not have the other person to interact with, they end up to committing this type of suicide.

Males in fact are the persons who less engage in social integration. Thus for males, during their married life they interact the most. Males also do not voice out their problems with other people. They often hide it for themselves. When time comes when they feel no one is to lend them a help or there’s no more solution to their problem, they end up taking their lives.

People need social integration. Through this, the burden will be eased. Some people also commit suicide even though they engaged in social integration.

For some instance, too much social integration will cause a person to commit suicide. This type often happened to suicide bombers where they offer their lives for a cause. They commit such type for the benefit of other people or for the sake of other people. Sacrificing to the extent of death is a suicide. This type of suicide is termed as Altruistic suicide, this result from too much social integration. Those people who are bound to social groups or have the intimate relationship or connection with other people will offer their lives for the sake of others.

Some examples of this type of suicide are happening in the military where most of them will sacrifice themselves for their compatriot. Most often suicide cases are committed due to imbalance means and needs. This suicide is termed as Anomic suicide. This is divided into four different subtypes. Acute economic anomie is due to the lack of the institution to fulfill social needs. Human nature wants to feel important in a group. Most of the people engage or join a group for the purpose of fulfilling their social needs.

Most of the people who commit this type of suicide feel that they do not have the other people or they do not have the people they expected to be at their side in time of their needs. Some also commit suicide because they feel unsatisfied or unhappy. Most who commit this type of suicide are the rich. Most of the victims think that their wealth will make or give them the happiness they are longing. Failure to acquire the happiness they expected pushes them to commit this suicide. This type is termed as chronic economic anomie. Some also commit this suicide due to insufficient in providing happiness by the industrial goals.

Another type of suicide that exists in our society is the acute domestic anomie. Failure to adopt sudden changes on the micro-social level will result this type of suicide. One of the examples is the widowhood. Widows often do not immediately adopt the sudden situation of being alone. In most cases those who commit this type of suicide are the ones who are left with a big responsibility (e. g. raising the family alone). Some of them end up in taking their life to ease the burden because of the fear to face the reality or the responsibility.

Some among women commit suicide because of their limited opportunities in their married lives; knowing that most women are taking the responsibility in raising their children thus making themselves as a full time housewives. Married women often commit this type of suicide than unmarried women. On the other hand, unmarried men commit this suicide more than the married men. This is because of the imbalance sexual and behavioral needs. In marriage, man and woman balance the needs of each other. Fatalistic suicide is committed by slaves, childless married women, and young husband.

This is a very rare phenomenon. This is due to the feeling that their lives are of no significance at all thus ending up committing this type of suicide. For some, suicide is called the highest level of artistry. They refer it as art but in reality it is not because of art that they commit such crime. Problems are mostly the cause of suicide and for some, lack and too much social integration are the reasons. Whatever are the reasons, suicide is still an act that is against the law of God. Work cited: Durkheim, E. (1979). Suicide: a Study in Sociology. The Free Press: New York

Altruistic suicide Essay

“I am the king of the Castle” by Susan Hill Essay

“I am the king of the Castle” by Susan Hill Essay.

In ‘I’m the Kings of the Castle’ Susan Hill realized that in order for the book to be a success, the reader must feel sympathetic towards Kingshaw, so that they will believe in the likelihood of his suicide. She arouses the reader’s sympathy through her narrative technique, the role of other characters and many other techniques that will be analyzed in the essay. Her skilful presentation of Kingshaw’s story gives a disturbing insight into the potentially tragic consequences of a child’s experience of cruelty and isolation.

Hill employs narrative technique effectively in creating a sympathy for Kingshaw from the audience. Hill’s control of the third person is effective in exaggerating Kingshaw’s experiences. For example, the pivotal episode where Kingshaw is running away from the crow in the fields is portrayed in a way so as to evoke a sympathy for Kingshaw; “Kingshaw began to run, not caring now, if he trampled the corn, wanting to get away, down into the next field.

” Hill has emphasized the tone in the narrative voice, there is a sense of panic which is brought on by the overuse of commas. The third person narrative voice evoking this sense of panic and highlighting Kingshaw’s frightening experience with the crow is significant ­ showing that Hill has attempted to write sympathetically for Kingshaw.

Within the same scene, Hill has drawn Hooper away, presenting him as some distant evil and ultimately highlighting the protagonist­like character of Hooper. “He looked up. Hooper stood in the window of his bedroom. He watched and watched.” Hill portrays Hooper with more obscurity, In contrast to the vividness that Kingshaw and his actions have been described. Hill describes Kingshaw’s fears and anxieties through recognition of one’s social situation, through the use of the reader’s emotional response and by the fact that Kingshaw was shown sensitive as soon as he received the message when he arrived at Warings. Hill uses Hooper’s eagerness for Hooper to know about Kingshaw’s background of property and living standards to make Kingshaw seem like a sensitive character. ‘You were only tenants, then.’ Here Hill’s decision of making Hooper making quick conclusions about Kingshaw creates a notion of bullying and it also makes Hooper sound like the more powerful character. Also, ‘only’ reinforces the difference in social and economical background and also makes Hooper sound spoiled.

This creates a sympathy for Kingshaw and makes the reader understand that he is afraid of Hooper. Hill uses the message that Hooper sends to Kingshaw at his arrival to create an immediate tension but the reader’s predictions of Kingshaw likely going to attack back in some way is contrasted as it is revealed that Kingshaw is a kind and good person. Hill uses the notion of having a father to show his kindness but also how Kingshaw doesn’t dare to hurt Hooper. ”My father’s dead.’ He was angry not hurt. He wanted to put his fists up to hooper, and dared not.’ This reveals that Kingshaw might have been confronted with this question before as well as his want to be able to express this emotion. But the consequence of his father’s death is what makes him embarrassed about his lack of property. ‘Kingshaw flushed brick red.’ This reveals that Kingshaw’s embarrassed about him having to come to someone else’s house. The word

‘brick’ connects to the importance of property and reveals that Kingshaw’s embarrassment has to do with the lack of property. Kingshaw’s relationship with Hooper is a power struggle, shown through the mind games they play with each other. Hooper imposes on Kingshaw that he is the master of the house and so owns property, hence he belongs somewhere, “When my father dies, Hooper said, this house will belong to me, I shall be master. It shall be mine.” Hill continuously repeats the pronoun which emphasizes Hoopers self centred attitude as well as his obsession with being in control of things that happen around him, made evident by his precise manipulation of his action figures and his use of ‘master’ to refer to himself. Throughout the book we see that Kingshaw constantly sees himself as an outsider who does not belong, and with this self­degradation comes a sort of reverence and fear towards Hooper. Hill constantly presents Kingshaw as spatially below Hooper (kneeling or crouching down as Hooper stands above him) as being on a higher spacial level than someone has connotations of being above them in status or of being able to control them.

Kingshaw first realizes the truth of his situation involving Hooper during their trip into Hang Wood, “There seemed to be a churning and boiling inside his head, when Hooper stood in front of him like this, so that he could only flail out savagely in all directions”. Hooper is not any stronger than he is, however he is willing to hurt people to get what he wants and Kingshaw is not­ an aspect of him that Hooper exploits. The use of ‘flail’ is indicative of blows intended to reach their target but never meeting the mark. This is a reflection of Kingshaw’s character, he is capable of harm but he does not have the resolve to follow through, thus missing his mark. The theme loneliness is carried through the whole book. As well as leading one of the characters to suicide, the loneliness remains because Hooper got what he wanted at the end but he is in fact still alone and miserable with the same deterring father and Miss Kingshaw.”She had decided to ignore it, this silly, persistent talk about them not being friends.” (p185) ­ helena kingshaw. This signifies how mrs kingshaw is ignorant.

This made Kingshaw feel like he was taken for granted and was not being heard out. Mrs. Kingshaw’s utter disbelief and lack of interest and unwillingness to relate to her son made him lose faith in humanity “people are no good, then, people can never help me”. She always ignored the hostility between him and Hooper, but subconsciously its Hooper that she sides with and she is blind of Kingshaw’s feelings as there is a lack of parental skills and communication . On the other hand , Mr. Hooper was the reason behind Mrs. Kingshaw’s ignorance and neglect towards poor Kingshaw as she always tried to impress him and give him all her attention. Mr. Hooper and Mrs. Kingshaw’s relationship was a big threat to Kingshaw.However, some of Mr. Hooper’s actions also created an effect on Kingshaw’s misery and suicidal tendencies when he “struck him across the cheek” (slapped him),or even when they both went to London and Kingshaw felt hopeless and ” he knew that there was no more hope for him.

Kingshaw is very traumatized by Hooper, but has no one to tell his problems to, and due to his hopes being destroyed, he feels that suicide is the only answer, the only escape. It is revealed, that by the end of the book Kingshaw is isolated from everyone, even his mother. However, this is not from the start, and sometimes Kingshaw does try to tell his mother, but she won’t listen. “Kingshaw said passionately, ‘I hate him, I’ve told you. I hate Hooper.’ ‘Oh, that is a wicked, wicked way to talk… Whatever can poor Edmund have done to you?’ ” Hill makes Mrs. Kingshaw feel that this attitude is natural to boys, and when boys hate each other, it doesn’t mean anything. This makes the reader feel that Mrs. Kingshaw is blinded by her own happiness to see how much hatred Kingshaw is feeling. Because Kingshaw is annoyed at Hooper, he takes a decision to leave, to go through Hangwood; anywhere but away from Hooper, “He thought, tomorrow, I shall be gone, tomorrow, nothing will matter” Hill makes Kingshaw feel that running away is his best option, better than telling anyone. Again showing how detached Kingshaw is from everyone. Although his first attempt to run away had failed, he still thought that he could soon get away from Hooper.

Now, Kingshaw was hoping that the summer would end quickly, then he would be back at his school. “I want to go back to school.” Hill reveals to us how bad Kingshaw feels living at Warings, by showing that he would prefer to go to school, school of all places, just to get away from Hooper. However, this hope is shattered, as Kingshaw will now be going to Hooper’s school. ” ‘You’re coming to school with me,’ Hooper’s voice went up and down in a sing­song.” Hill uses “sing­song” to give the reader the impression that Hooper is delighted at all this, like he has something planned for Kingshaw. The final hope that Kingshaw has is in the form of Fielding, and that Fielding can really help Kingshaw. “He must look and talk like Fielding, he must be like Fielding.” When you be like someone, that means that you are following in their footsteps; they are your role model. Hill makes Fielding Kingshaw’s role model.

However, because Fielding is not scared of Hooper, he doesn’t understand Kingshaw’s fear; he feels that Kingshaw is just scared for nothing. “Look, you ougn’t to let everybody boss you around so much, Kingshaw, they can’t make you do anything.” Hill makes Fielding feel that Kingshaw can solve the problem by changing himself, showing that for him it is not something that can be classified as an actual fear. Because all his hopes are destroyed, Kingshaw now believes that Hooper cannot be gotten away from and the only solution is to kill himself. “When it had reached up to his thighs, he lay down slowly and put his face full into it and breathed in a long, careful breath.” Hill makes Kingshaw die by drowning, because it shows that Kingshaw could’ve come up at any point in time if he wanted to, but he just didn’t.


Reflections on “Bowling for Columbine” Essay

Reflections on “Bowling for Columbine” Essay.

The Columbine High School massacre struck me the hardest. It was horrifying to see the whole school in turmoil. Students and teachers were running wild and everyone screamed and panicked as the vitriolic killers aimed for their next target. Even more repulsive, the killers were only teenagers who study at that exact school in Columbine and were killing their own classmates. They were also seen going to bowling class that morning of the calamity. How could they do such a leisure activity when they were preparing to lay innocents to waste, to end their lives? How could they embark on such a shooting rampage, and finally, committing suicide? The deaths, injuries, and upheaval of the school plunges audiences into thinking the abuse of firearms and the seriousness of gun violence in the USA.

What is the cause for such massive gun abuse in the USA? Michael Moore has tackled with some of the suggested reasons. Some may say the USA has a violent history, yet Germany, considering what it’s been through during the second world war, does not have as much snipers roaming about as the USA; countries other than America also have violent video games or movies but does not seem to suffer from gun abuse; Canada has a larger diversity of ethnic groups and higher unemployment rate, and people can possess a gun out of their own volition, but they don’t have as much homicides through guns.

One of the real causes behind the extreme behaviour of murderers can be because of the influence of the media. What has media done to their lives, to our lives? It can bring us with the latest news from all corners of the earth, convey messages, influence docile citizens, start a fad, or perhaps, spread fear and anxiety among people in the society as well? If the media announced that from tomorrow onwards no more imports will be allowed to enter Hong Kong, there is no doubt people will start panicking right on the spot and rush to supermarkets to hoard food and supplies.

This would have wreaked a complete havoc on Hong Kong. This actually happens in the USA, where the media always tends to alert the public by exaggerating (or sometimes truthfully saying) facts. Americans start to live in fear, and as they start to live in fear, they begin to secure themselves with weapons. When everyone has a weapon and is ready and prepared to use it at anytime, the country will soon end up chaotic with everyone suspicious of his own neighbour and ready to for some homicide.

With the use of irony and mockumentary, Michael Moore has successfully presented Bowling for Columbine in a light-hearted way in some respects. Clips of South Park totally subdued the taut atmosphere from the scenes of the grisly massacre and the cartoon on American history was a brief mocking version that is flippant but true. Its theme song “What a wonderful world” was played several times throughout the documentary and the lyrics “trees of green, red roses too, I see them blue” echoed over black and white picture of dying war victims, massacres and killing sprees that went out of control. The contrast was stark which imprints deeply into audience’s mind.

Nothing can be too biased, nor can it be too democratic. Although this documentary seems to present us with an omniscient viewpoint, but are we restricted to one perspective (naturally Michael Moore’s) only? It is often impossible for directors to totally subjugate personal political convictions to their professional commitment to fairness and balance, and in this case, we might be oblivious of a few blatant facts that are not presented in the documentary. Like Canada may not be as crime-free as it seems (is it possible that all Canadians do not lock their doors?) and what would really happen if it was declared illegal for Americans to own a firearm. Would a greater disorder be resulted?

Reflections on “Bowling for Columbine” Essay