My Mothers Expression Was What Devastated Me A Quiet, Blank Look Tha

"My mother's expression was what devastated me: a quiet, blank look that said she lost everything." (p. 143, The Joy Luck Club) In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the characters Suyuan and Jing-Mei (June) have a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship: one that ultimately is composed of conflict and commitment for one another. Their opposing ideas and beliefs is the product of their life experiences, which are drastically different. This and their lack of communication are responsible for many of the problems they face in their relationship. Only when June learns of her mother's past, her life experiences and the ways in which she was raised, can these conflicts be resolved. Amy Tan reveals several themes through her novel, in which she intends for her audiences to understand and learn. Some themes include such topics as life's choices, and understanding our family and ourselves. Mother-daughter relationships are perhaps the most painful but the most rewarding relationship women share. And though a simple comment such as "You're becoming more like your mother every day." might offend or strike terror in the female heart, she is still considered to be the rock on which we stand, and a steady hand that guides us through life. To understand the mother-daughter connection (healthy or destructive) it is wise to delve deeper and explore why we are first- natural enemies, secondly- why she (our mother) is determinably unpleasable, and last, how to redefine the mother-daughter relationship, so that both can learn and accept the other as she presently is by appreciating the other's good qualities and accepting the bad. Natural Enemy What is it about the mother-daughter attachment that yields natural enemies and demands so much power? No other human being is as similar to her daughter than the daughter's mother. They are mirrored from head to toe. And almost replicated down to their genes and sexual make-up. Like our mother, we have breasts; we bear children and usually are our family's caretaker (notwithstanding feminist revision). She also becomes competition when vying for "Dad's" attention. She ultimately is the "yardstick" against which we measure ourselves, whether in education, career, relationships or motherhood. Whether our relationship is strained or easy, hostile or amiable- we need her, if only to validate our femaleness and to guide our way. It is a need that never leaves in the best or the worst of mother-daughter relationships. The mother sets he tone for her daughters life, provides a road map and role model and continues to be and example, particularly her genetic and emotional example. But if mother and daughter have no connection, we cannot ask or talk to the one person whose psyche and body have "programmed" our own. That's why the loss is incalculable when a daughter has to figure it out for herself, trail blaze rather than learn from an example. Such a daughter has to discover herself, alone. The Unpleasable Mother What causes the lack of communication or the broken connection between the mother and daughter? Most of the conflict that June and her mother face are based upon misunderstandings and negligence concerning each other's feelings and beliefs. June lacks the ability to fully comprehend or know how her own mother because she is ignorant of her tragic and painful memories of the past. Suyuan lost her two daughters in China and her entire family was destroyed in the war. Suyuan decided to leave for America, leaving China behind and placing her future and the future in the promise of a new land. Suyuan hides her past and puts all her effort into turning her daughter into the daughter she could never be: pushing June to succeed in dance and academics and piano. Like Suyuan and June, in many ways mothers and daughters are alien, each foreign to the other. The chasms that separate them often seem unbridgeable. Even if a parent pulls no stops and puts forth their best efforts, it is no guarantee the child will turn out well. A mother cannot or could not control the immutable facts of her own history. Perhaps all her siblings were girls, or maybe she was the only child. Were her parents divorced? Was her family rich or were they poor? Thousands of variables create the child as

The Magus Essays - Utilitarianism, Social Philosophy, Free Essays

The Magus Essays - Utilitarianism, Social Philosophy, Free Essays The Magus In this paper I want to show the importance of the distinction between Deontological theories and Teleological theories. First, let me define the basic types of deontological theories: Act-deontology takes the rightness of an act as having to be decided by the individual on the basis of what the particular situation demands of him or her. Rule-deontology takes the rightness of an act as having been already decided by universal rules which are binding on everyone, regardless of the situation. Teleological theories: Act- utilitarianism takes the rightness of an act as having to be decided by the individual on the basis of what will promote the greatest general good in the individual's particular situation and Rule-utilitarianism takes the rightness of an act as being in accord with the general rules, binding on everyone, that have already been decided on as promoting the greatest general good. Second, I will give my opinion on The Magus by John Fowles. In conclusion we will ! see if the consequences are moral or immoral. The first case to analyze will be the one about Conchis-the mayor of a small Greek village. He was ordered by the Nazi Commandant to beat to death three freedom fighters who had shot four German soldiers. If he refused, the Germans would kill not only the freedom fighters, but also the villagers hostages. Let's look at situation through the eyes of a utilitarian, then through the eyes of a deontologist. Conchis was in a very difficult position that he has to decide what he should do with the ordered with in thirty-seconds, which is a very short period of time. He is probably confused and frustrated and not sure of what is right or wrong thing to do. As the Wimmel approached him with a gun. He aimed at the three freedom fighters. He pulled the trigger of the gun, but the gun was not loaded. His determination is not to increases the possibility for the German to harm the villagers. It seems that happiness for the German would mean trouble for the villagers. As he aimed at the! three men, his thought was to save the villager hostages. According to the story, Conchis wants to save as many people as possible. I would describe his deportment as Rule Utilitarianism. People own what they would own under the 'total' set of rules, of which would be the greatest good of each and most efficient. 1 His conscience is do what saves the most people. What if he did not follow the order? Will everyone still live even if he doesn't follow? Maybe by following the order he will be preventing the German use of force, or causes extreme human suffering. I did not choose Act-utilitarianism because Conchis-the mayor did not want to promote the greatest good in the individual as himself in this situation. His knowledge was to bring happiness to people. He follow rules that is all obeyed then should bring about in the long term the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. Suppose that sacrificing life or bodily integrity, where making the sacrifice wo! uld be value, is itself in each interest. Among the things that Act-utilitarianism requires is putting up with, indeed getting oneself to positively welcome, that other is also do what act utilitarianism requires lest anger lead to resentment, and resentment to wrongful, action, and wrongful action to a decrease in value. For the Utilitarian: The results are what matter. I would described Wimmel, the Nazi commandant action is Act-deontology. He is violating his moral convictions against total being. Secondly, his action cannot be justified universally. The Nazi commandant was not foreseeing the idea of human rights is a moral one. Act-deontology was morally wrong, but Wimmel determined that Conchis take the ordered or all of them will die which make it harder for him to choose whether to kill the freedom fighters or the villagers including him self will be killed by the German. However, the Rule-deontology was pointed out that it's wrong to kill. Conchis realized that his previous action was immoral. When he heard the prisoner call for freedom and saw the way these men had been tortured, he couldn't kill

House of Wisdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

House of Wisdom - Essay Example It is  impossible  to  envision  Western civilization without fruits of Arab science. Al- khwarizmi’s art of Algebra, the well researched and explained medical teachings and  philosophy  of Avicenna, the new geography and cartography introduced by al-idrisi or the  thorough  rationalism of Averroes (Jonathan, 2009). It is  evident  how uneducated the westerners were. Their leader was an  implacable  cleric who had appeared from nowhere to massive  popular  acclaim; he exhorted his charges to holy war against the infidels with promises of a home in paradise. Diseases and malnutrition were  rife. Medical care often involved exorcism or the amputation of the injured limb. Torture and other ordeals settled criminal cases. Few had any  learning  at all.  The little  education  that they had consisted of memorizing out dated texts under the watchful eyes of  hidebound  doctors of religion.  They did not understand basic technology, scien ce or mathematics. They could not  date  their most significant holy days nor could they  chart  the  regular  movement of the sun, moon and planets. Natural phenomena such as  eclipse  of the moon or a sudden change in  weather  terrified them; they thought it was black magic. Pope Uban II appealed to the princes in the French town of Clermont to end their  ceaseless  warring to  turn  their murderous energies on the unbelievers of the East. The  fighting  and denouncing of the Muslims by the European Christians and the Westerners began to  obscure  any  recognition  of the Muslim way of life and their contribution to science. This message consisted of four themes, some of which still resonate today. One was that Islam distorts the word of God, and the other was that Islam  was  solely  spread  by  violence. The third one was that Islam promoted pervertedsexuality  of humans by encouraging the  practice  of polygamy, for examp le, the way the sultans behaved in their Kingdoms, and through their excessively  modest  way  they carried themselves out. Finally, they also believed that the Antichrist was a muslim(Jonathan, 2009). These were just prejudices because some of the European philosophers, who had earlier denounced the Muslim way of life, later appreciated and acknowledged their contribution to  education  (Jonathan, 2009). As most Westerners denounced the Muslims, an Englishman named Aderlard of Bath one of the early pioneers of the Arab teachings who brought about the wonder of astronomy geometry astrology and other fields to the medieval West, looked at the Muslims differently, he left his home in search for education. In addition, he believed that the Muslims had the best education. He had no interest in the debaucheries of his fellow Europeans. Unlike the holy warriors unleashed by Pope Uban II, he had the  determination  to learn from the Muslims rather than killing them under the sign of the cross. While the crusaders saw only evil in the Muslim infidel, Aderlard sought the  light

Ultrasound Image Modality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ultrasound Image Modality - Assignment Example Color flow imaging uses high-intensity pulse wavelengths that are 3 – 4 times longer than B-mode image pulses, with an equivalent spatial resolution decrease. In previous clinical trials, grayscale version of three-dimensional displays has been recreated to determine mitral regurgitation. Regurgitant mitral flow jets could hardly be differentiated from adjoining structures of the heart. A regurgitant mitral flow displayed in the color-coded three-dimensional image was developed but eventually proved to be ineffective because the display failed to incorporate cardiac structures. Failure of the regurgitant flow to supply spatial information, jet origin and its course of action led to the reconstruction of a more enhanced colored 3D regurgitant jet by a transesophageal approach with Doppler color flow mapping that displayed a combination of grayscale and color flow information. OBJECTIVE:Â  To reveal the possibility of three-dimensional recreation of regurgitant mitral flow jets using the new method of color programmed digitized statistics obtained through transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHOD:Â  46 patients with detected mitral regurgitation on a prior transthoracic study and undergoing transesophageal echocardiography were evaluated. Patients with atrial fibrillation were not excluded from standard procedures. To measure regurgitant flow in 3D, a commercial ultrasound imaging system with a TEE probe was used. An alternation approach of data collection was employed for two-dimensional color flow images at 3-degree spaces above 180 degrees. Three-dimensional color flow jets were showed alongside grayscale information of the surrounding structures of the heart.

Nazi Ideology Essay Example for Free

Nazi Ideology Essay Nazism also officially known as the National Socialism is defined as an ideology and practices that are influence by the National Socialist German Worker’s Party that is under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. In relation to this, Nazism is also regarded as political policies that were adopted by the dictatorial of Nazi Germany that took place from 1933 to 1945. Nazism strongly advocates the superiority of an Aryan race that makes the Germanic people stand above others. During the leadership of Hitler, Nazis supported the centralized government that is led by the Fuhrer that claimed to have the responsibility of defending and protecting Germany and the German people in their country and abroad against the forces of Communism and Jewish subversion (Thomas). As such, the recurring themes of Nazism include extreme nationalism, xenophobia, and the glorification of the Aryan race (Levy 497). These themes of Nazism have put many negative effects for people that do not belong to the Aryan race especially for Jews as well as to the German themselves. The themes of this ideology created prejudices and stereotypes against other races especially for the Jewish people that often become the cause of conflict and violent practices. Due to this, Jewish people and other races that Hitler deems as dirty or is a threat to the Aryan race are hunt down. The holocaust is a clear example of the violent practices that he implemented in line of the Nazis ideology. Nevertheless, the German people also experience the negative effect of this ideology as some of them experience xenophobia. They think that they should not interact with other races especially those that they believe is a threat to their racial superiority. Lastly, Germans also have experience difficulties in interacting and relating with other races especially when they have the mentality that they are better as compared to them (Levy 497-498). Works Cited Levy, Richard S. Antisemitism. California: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Thomas, Robert. â€Å"The Nature of Nazi Ideology. † 11 June 2009 http://www. libertarian. co. uk/lapubs/histn/histn015. pdf.

Frank Lloyd Wright Essay -- Architecture Nature Papers

"...having a good start, not only do I fully intend to be the greatest architect who has yet lived, but fully intend to be the greatest architect who will ever live. Yes, I intend to be the greatest architect of all time." - Frank Lloyd Wright 1867-1959 It appears that from the very beginning, Frank Lloyd Wright was destined by fate or determination to be one of the most celebrated architects of the twentieth century. Not only did Wright possess genius skills in the spatial cognition, his approach to architecture through geometric manipulation demonstrates one aspect of his creativeness. Forever a great businessman, Wright seemed to know how to please his clients and still produce some of the most innovative and ridiculed buildings of the early century. While the United States appeared to be caught up in the Victorian style, Frank Lloyd Wright stepped out in front to face the challenge of creating "American architecture" which would reflect the lives of the rapidly growing population of the Midwest United States. Howard Gardner in his book "Creating Minds" does not make any mention of Frank Lloyd Wright, an innovator who drastically influenced architecture of the twentieth century around the world. CHILDHOOD Born in 1867 Wisconsin, Frank Lincoln Wright grew up in the comfort and influence of a Welsh heritage. The Lloyd-Jones clan, his mother's side of the family, would have great influence on Frank throughout his life. Unitarian in faith, the extended family lived within close proximity to each other thus enabling a strong support system for those born or married into the clan. Great themes within the Lloyd-Jones clan included education, religion, and nature. Wright's family spent many evening listening to William Lincoln... ...FERENCES Boulton, Alexander O. Frank Lloyd Wright: Architect: An Illustrated Biography, Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 1993. Color pictures and text following Wright's personal and professional life. Gill, Brendan, Many Masks: A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1987. Text biography concentrating on Wright's hidden motivations and true personality. Heinz, Thomas A., Frank Lloyd Wright: Architectural Monographs No 18, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1992. Color photographs of the interior/Exterior of restored Wright homes. Lind, Carla, The Wright Style, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1992. Photographs of Wright's works, with text discussing his architectural productions and approaches. Secrest, Meryle, Frank Lloyd Wright: A Biography, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, 1992. Text biography of Wright's work and life.

The Hippie Legacy

The Hippie Legacy. – Counterculture movement; began in US, spread to UK; big from 1965, declined in 1970s; white, 15-25 of age, mostly students; seen as wasters, druggies, idiots, green-freaks; heavily influenced by music (Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles); easily identified by their style – tried to distance themselves from conventional, structured styles. Britain: in Britain, there had always been an artsy, bohemian underground; widely known as ‘the underground’, even though media tried to dub them Flower Children in London; What did they do? eld sit-ins in universities, protested for rights; promoted ‘free love’ and ‘love and peace’; went to festivals such as the Knebworth Festival; experimented with drugs – cannabis, hallucinogens (LSD); often denounced alcohol; -> overall, dejected anything mainstream and conventional, thus many were seen as wasters, bums and as being useless. Legacy: movement declined in 1970s, after the infa mous ‘summer of love’, 1967. Social legacy: a couple can live together out of marriage and not be judged. wider rights for gay, lesbian, transsexual people. sexual topics are less of a taboo. eminist movement – women played a large role in hippie movement; many, both men and women, chose to go naked, creating an equality and freedom throughout. some argue that hippie movement led to wider integration of black people – many see this as being untrue as very view black people were involved in this movement; the black rights movement happened at the same time, so the results of the two could be blurred. Style legacy: long hair and facial hair were unacceptable before the 1960s; long, flowy dresses and skirts; colourful flower patterns, light materials, dip-dye; flowers worn in hair, peace sign accessories.Cultural legacy: The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix Experience; folk, psychedelic rock -> many current bands would use these as their musical influences. the Glastonb ury Festival in England is to this day considered to be the largest gathering of hippies throughout the world. in Britain, the summer of 1988 became known as ‘The Second Summer of Love’ as a hippie revival descended; it held much of the same ideologies as the original movement and was heavily driven by electronic and ‘acid’ music. eligion: religious and cultural diversity became more widely acceptable – in 2005, Oliver Benjamin, a former hippie, founded The Church of Latter-Day Dude, based on a character called The Dude in a 1998 movie ‘The Big Lebowski’. This became known as ‘Dudeism’. The epigraph on their website states: ‘Come join the slowest-growing religion in the world – Dudeism. An ancient philosophy that preaches non-preachiness, practices as little as possible, and above all, uh†¦lost my train of thought there. Anyway, if you’d like to find peace on earth and goodwill, man, we’ll hel p you get started.Right after a little nap’. environmental: started the concept of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’. Greenpeace, founded in 1971 by a dozen men – half environmentalists, half hippies. promoted organic living, which is currently very popular, especially amongst celebrities. Article in The Telegraph, 2007: ‘The hippy ideals that outlasted the 1960s’ â€Å"The 1960s were not, it appears, just a passing phase. A survey to mark the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love shows the hippy ethos has moulded our views on everything from war, government, sex, fashion, food and the environment.Almost half of Britons (46 per cent) agree with the slogan Make Love Not War and 49 per cent are opposed to nuclear weapons, a YouGov poll for Reader's Digest found. One in 10 have taken part in an anti-war protest while just over a third think there is never any excuse for war. Just under a third disagree with party politics – much like hippies, who were largely against the party system and preferred to focus on single issues like the environment.The idea of â€Å"free love† has also become mainstream, with 75 per cent agreeing with sex before marriage and one in 10 saying they would have multiple sexual partners. More than a third said they had taken marijuana, while 43 per cent said they were open to meditation and 25 per cent believe in astrology. The sounds of the 60s have also endured, according to the poll. Some 84 per cent of Britons are able to hum or recite at least part of Yellow Submarine and 79 per cent know Puff the Magic Dragon’.