Oscar Wilde and the Aestheticism Movement Essay

The arts in addition to crafts movement was the main clause of reform design in the 19th century that describes the era of its greatest advancement, roughly between 1870 and 1920 (Campbell, 2006). The two major stylistic advancements of this movement’s philosophy are the Aesthetic Movement and Art Nouveau. Aesthetic Movement of the 19th century, according to Lambourne, (1996) is a movement that existed in the 1870s to 1880s, which made itself noticeable through the fine in addition to decorative arts and architecture in both Britain and the United States. Its influence in Europe was so great that it is had to describe. In response to what was perceived as evidence of philistinism in art and design, it was typified by the cult of beauty and as well an emphasis on the sheer pressure to de obtained from it (Lambourne, 1996). Championing of the aesthetic movement was done by the writers and critics Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Walter Patel (1839-94), and Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) (Campbell, 2006). These artists in conjunction with craftsmen of aesthetic movement sought to lift up the form of furniture, ceramics, wall papers, books, glass, textile and metalwork to the level of fine art. They tended to hold that Arts should offer purified sumptuous pleasure instead of conveying moral over-romantic messages. He was concerned with the impact of moralizing on art as a result of his view of art as a separate form of life (Gere and Hoskins, 2000). Wilde, in particular, did not agree to Ruskin and Arnold’s utilitarian view of art as something moral or helpful. He believed that art did not play educational role; it only needed to make beautiful statements. He argued that beauty is the only thing that cannot harm (Raby, 1988). Just like other aesthetes, Wilde denied the social value of literature and art. Wilde stated that the most important things in life are autonomy from moral fetters as well as the limitations of society (McDermott, 2007). Wilde was deeply concerned with the soul of man. This made him to constantly complain about poverty in is his work. Wilde, as McDermott, (2007) asserts, argued that the life of an artist is more important than any form of art that he/she develops He also noted that life itself is an art and that true artists present their lives as their finest productions (Raby, 1988). Wilde had used aesthetic decorations throughout his youth. He had devoted so evidently and uncompromisingly to living his art. He considered his own life as a form of art (Raby, 1988). Wilde together with other aesthetes established the cult of beauty, which they regarded as the principle factor in art. They took nature as rough and deficient in design when compared to art. They adopted the principle of art for arts sake and established art over everything else. Wilde, as Raby (1988) argues, set out to widen this principle to that of life for the sake of art. In oxford as indicated by Campbell (2006), Wilde astonished the religious dons with his inappropriate approach towards religion. He was also heckled at his weird clothes. The use of peacock feathers in addition to blue and white china typified the aesthetic interiors. Wilde gathered blue China as well as peacock feathers, which he decorated his room with and later on his velvet knee-breeches which attracted much attention. Wilde worked as a reviewer of art and conducted lecturers in the U. S and Canada (Raby, 1988). He had a luxurious taste for everything and, after conducting a series of lectures his listeners changed to a new set of standards for designing their homes (Lambourne, 1996). The amalgamation of Wilde’s exposure through the famous media in addition to the wealth of specialist furnishing as well as beautifying manuals assisted in simulating the public in the novel style. Manufacturers were also quick to take up the new trends in decorative styles (McDermott, 2007). Wilde created a series of discussions as well as essays that advanced his view on the supremacy of art. His views concerning art were basically chatty and positive. Wilde published lyrics along with poems in magazines from the time when he entered college. He included serious articles on parenting, politics and culture to his dialogues of fashion and arts. Wilde typified, through his own words, the response against the rudimentary primaries of a doubtless more reputable but definitely less cultivated era (McDermott, 2007). Most of Wilde’s work conformed to aesthetic principles. It revealed an over balance of curiosity in both subject and styles, and a response to the restriction of outward practical things (Gere and Hoskins, 2000). Philosophy of Esthetic Movement, as stated by Lambourne, (1996) was spread to the United States by William Morris. Wilde, as stated by Raby (1988), made a lecture tour of the United States in 1882. Despite the fact that he satirized for his effeteness and pomposity he increased awareness of the Aesthetic Movement. The highest profile figure of Aesthetic Movement was Oscar Wilde; he gave approval to himself as the center of an aesthetic experience that was to some extent exaggerated, absolutely exclusive as well as completely dedicated to the pursuit of art and beauty (Raby, 1988). Wilde was the spokesman for Aesthetic Movement through his excellent humor and conscious posing. He made himself a convenient vehicle through which the Aesthetic Movement was extensively advertised (Campbell, 2006). Wilde had an unwavering faith in his mission. He clearly stated that he had no fears regarding the future (Raby, 1988). Gere and Hoskins (2000) states that through Wilde’s presentation, aestheticism developed to a cult of artificiality. The popular plays produced by Wilde, according to Spektor (2009), were comedies of conduct that were closer to Restoration comedies than the Victorian plays. Until the time he was tried Wilde carried the Aesthetic Movement as an excellent performance piece, an approach that was supported by the British society, due to the fact that he never seemed to take himself too seriously. Wilde the aesthete introduced an experience for continental values and finally what Victorian society basically held to be continental profligacy (Raby, 1988). Much early criticism of aestheticism summed up the conventional Victorian move of calling Aesthetic Movement dissolute; both for its stress on art as an unethical venture and for its inflections of homosexuality (Spektor, 2009). Contemporary critics have tried to contextualize the aesthetic movement by considering literary, social, as well as artistic movements that resulted in aesthesis along with those that were later influenced by it. In the process, they have a propensity of primarily looking at its representations of sexuality and gender instead of on the form and qualities of the art under discussion. Paradoxically, the modern criticism almost at all times put both art as well as homosexuality back into the Victorian culture. This explains how cultural stance of aestheticism and its approaches about sexuality and gender were determined by the principles of the larger Victorian society (McDermott, 2007). Lambourne (1996) states that Wilde became one of the most celebrated playwrights of the late Victorian phase in Britain with a series of social satires. Wilde claimed to have taken a firm position in symbolic relation to the art and culture of the 19th century. Actually he manifested the conclusion of the novel sensibility which surfaced through the second half of the 19th century (Lambourne, 1996). Without Wilde the Aesthetic Movement of the 1880s and the Decadent Movement of the 1890s would not have been as famous as they came to be (Gere and Hoskins, 2000). Wilde’s personal life was subject to rumors. His years of success came to a dramatic end when his close relationship with Alfred Douglas resulted in his trial on charges of homosexuality which was by then illegal in Britain (Lambourne, 1996). Lambourne (1996) states that after being sentenced to a two year term imprisonment for homosexual activities, the period of British fashion history was successfully brought to an end until the revival of the male dandy after the Second World War It was until Walde’s trial that aestheticism, effeminacy and homosexuality came to be recognized as inextricably connected categories (Spektor, 2009). The trial of Wilde cemented an already developing link between effeminacy and homosexuality. Before the trials, aesthetes were infamous because of their effeminacy. However, it was taken as a product of the complex, upper-class standard of living they professed. Homosexuality was an issue alluded to in their work, but it was not evidently linked to effeminacy. It was after this trial that the radical type of the effete, effeminate and homosexuals became easily distinguishable to the public at large. Walde’s influence remains strongly in modern male fashion (Spektor, 2009). Reference: Campbell G. , (2006), The Grove encyclopedia of decorative arts, ISBN 0195189485 Oxford University Press US Gere C. , and Hoskins L. , (2000). The house beautiful: Oscar Wilde and the aesthetic interior, ISBN 0853318182 Lund Humphries Lambourne L. , (1996), The Aesthetic Movement, ISBN 0714830003: Phaidon McDermott C. , (2007), Design: the key concepts, ISBN 041532016X: Routledge Raby P. , (1988), Oscar Wilde, ISBN 0521260787: CUP Archive Spektor N. , (2009), â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray† and the Aesthetic Movement in England at the Turn of the Century, ISBN 3640319567: GRIN Verlag

Media Influence on Stereotypes

What you see is not always what you get In a society highly influenced by the media, stereotypes are used sometimes in a comedic way. In Harold and Kumar go to White Castle one of the main themes the movie is poking fun at is how stereotypes affect the lives of the two main characters one being of Korean decent and the other Indian. The movie opens introducing the first character Harold. The audience sees that he is an Asian male working in a cubicle for a banking company.The scene turns to Harold’s co-workers who are both white in an office that is nicer and bigger to that of Harold, discussing how they are going to have fun and party for the weekend when one of them has much work to do, so one of them suggests having someone else do it. The scene gives the impression that the two white co-workers are the main characters of the movie as the introductory scene shows primarily the two co-workers and have the most dialogue in the brief intro; however, later the audience will not ice that they are not seen again until the end of the movie.What this scene is shown to do is to make humor out of a normalized stereotype of the Asian American group. As this scene will be analyzed, the normalized stereotypes of Asians in society is highly recognizable in American culture and media, as it negatively privileges the Asian group while obscuring Americans insecurity of their own part in society. In today’s world most people are born with an identity already established for them. Generalized perceptions or a stereotype of a single group has instigated prejudice.With cultural representations already determined by the outside world, many strive to break such representations in order to form their own identity and not what was given to them. It has increasingly more difficult for one to break such representation due to factors in society normalizing these representations with the use of the media. The media has become a powerful tool in promoting such representation of groups. Stereotypes surround the whole world we live in and are unavoidable.No matter what we do, depending on our personality, attire, or even our hairstyle everyone fits into some sort of stereotype even by a little. The definition of a stereotype is a standardized conception or idea of a group of people (Hurst). Even though most stereotypes aren’t true there is a reason why they exist and continue to thrive. Stereotypes have flourished continually as the world has become more and more globalized. Especially in the United States one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world.As stereotypes exist they have consequently affected the way that a particular individual or group lives in society. One particular representation that will be analyzed is the stereotypes of Asians in popular media, the movie Harold and Kumar go to White Castle and along with my own personal experiences being in the group within Asian Stereotypes will be used to assess the topic. Back at the beginning of this paper an introductory scene was described of the film Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. Even though the scene is only about a few minutes many representations can be noted.The scene implements key normalized stereotypes seen in the public eye. The particular stereotype of Asian group has been connected to the term â€Å"Model Minority† which applies positive traits as a stereotype. The traits include qualities such as being hardworking, intelligent, studious, productive, and also inoffensive people. Also known to increase their social status through merit. The biggest opposition to the view is that it exaggerates the success of Asians. This false empowerment given by the stereotype covers up true problems that are faced by the Asian community.The belief that Asians are harder workers and thus leading to higher earning jobs has led to a more difficult level of climbing the work ladder into higher wage jobs, otherwise known as the glass ceiling phenomen a: The definition â€Å"The Glass Ceiling† refers to an invisible barrier that limits the level to which a woman or another member of a demographic minority can advance within the hierarchy in an organization. It often is a barrier that confronts Ethnic Americans in addition to women when trying to reach upper management levels in many companies (Hester, 2007)Corresponding to the glass ceiling phenomena, the model minority stereotype has been believed to been the cause that Asians must acquire more education and work more hours than their white counterparts to earn the same amount of money. We will go back to the same scene mentioned at the beginning and continue. The scene described before shows Harold the Korean descendent character working tenaciously in his cubicle filling out forms and papers and he is then approached by the two co-workers mentioned earlier that were contemplating how they are going to party over the weekend when they have work to do.Afterwards it shows the two co-workers giving Harold a pile of their papers and folders then persuading Harold to do the work for them with Harold then unenthusiastically accepting the task. Afterwards the scene shows the two co-workers in this short dialogue Co-worker 1: â€Å"Wow! That was amazing; I can’t believe how easy that was† Co-worker 2: â€Å"Dude, how do you think I get all my shit done? Those Asian guys just love crunching numbers. You probably just made his weekend. (Both leave laughing)Then the camera pans over to Harold as he shouts â€Å"Fuck! † The co-workers connect the traits of the stereotype to what they just did and sarcastically believe they did Harold a favor. What can be shown here in relation to the model minority stereotype is that Harold now has to do more work than is required of him for his white counterparts. However doing this extra work will not earn him more money or any merit while his white counterpart will be doing less work and receiving the same credit as Harold is.The dialogue shows that the co-workers jokingly believe they are doing Harold a favor due to his traits which allows him to do such tasks; however, the ending of the scene shows Harold shouting â€Å"Fuck! † which can be seen as epitomizing reaction of Asians frustrations towards how this stereotype has affected them. The scene shows rebellion towards the label of the model minority. This shows that even though the model minority label credits Asians with strong qualities in the end negatively affects them.What does the scene show about the white co-workers? The scene shows the co-workers of Harold irresponsibly passing off their work for someone else to do. This characteristic shows laziness in the white co-workers. This part of the scene was a way to laugh at both Harold and also the two white co-workers. Why was this funny? The thing is that it’s sometimes true that these kinds of situations occur that is where the audience connects the humo r in the situation. The scene reveals an abnormal of how Americans are usually viewed.Americans have been known to be hard workers through fighting for freedom through the revolution to rising to one of the most powerful countries of the 20th century. Time goes on being on top, strong qualities can be seen to be fading away. The polarity is seen as Harold the Korean is hard working while the white co-workers are not. In the scene the white co-workers are laughing away semi-sadistically as they leave the building after taking advantage of their Asian co-worker. The significance of this is that the laughing disguises the white co-workers insecurity of their own work ethic is not as strong.Using the model minority stereotype has in a way been used to exploit as shown in the scene with the white co-workers using the stereotype to use Harold as a work horse. Even though the two white co-workers can’t represent Americans it can represent a whole different stereotype to be uncovered America has had a history in dealing with Asians in the past. Around the 19th century a term known as the â€Å"Yellow Peril† developed as a fear to the increasing number of Asians would immigrate to the United States and would fill the country with foreign culture, speech, and even take away jobs from Americans.The fear that the hard working Asians would take away American’s position in the working world, a satire to the response of that fear is shown in the scene as it shows Harold has been used as a crutch to hold up the co-workers in power. In Amitava Kumar’s Language, a violent example is seen when Kumar describes the murder of Vincent Chin who was murdered by two white autoworkers in Detroit. During so he was called a â€Å"Jap† and told â€Å"It’s because of you motherfuckers that we’re out of work. †(p. 05, Critical Encounters With Text). Chin was murdered due to his ethnic identity which in some correlation was believed to p ut those auto workers out of work. Chin was murdered because in the view of the autoworkers was that he was somehow associated with the ethnic group that had replaced them. It could be that the people who replaced them were more efficient, harder working, or demanded lower wages. Whatever it was, they did not confront the face they themselves had anything to do with the fact they were out of work.Which is something that has become a problem in society is that people blame each other and do not choose to confront how they could have caused a certain event. The model minority stereotype has also affected my life personally being of Korean decent. Being part of the model minority stereotypes has caused to build expectations since we are expected to live up to our peers which fall into that category. In elementary school, I remember asking my teachers for help and noticed some reluctance in doing so. Then I saw my teachers helping other students seeming more inclined to help.This situat ion made it seem to me that I had to work a little harder than my peers in school. In high school, some teachers took personal offence if it seemed as I underperformed on an assignment believing I wasn’t trying or was being lazy. Even though if I tried hard and didn’t do well it was disappointing to see teachers lose faith due to a misinterpretation. All of these things were built upon the general assumptions brought on by the model minority stereotype, has made it so it was abnormal to not follow the trend of such a view.Assumptions are natural impulses that most cannot avoid to do. As human beings no matter what we see, there is some sort of impression that most of us come towards even without knowing the person. Some of these assumptions are guided from varying reasons including friends, family, face, hair, ethnicity, attire, gender, and the media. We analyzed how a particular scene in the film Harold and Kumar go to White Castle exemplifies a generalized assumption . Also a brief personal account on how the stereotype has affected me.Stereotypes create unfairness as it classifies groups based on assumptions. Awareness of the consequences of stereotypes will help the problems associated with it. Stereotypes will continue to die down as long as the world is becoming more and more globalized. So therefore groups and cultures in America will become more connected with each other as time goes on causing familiarity, bringing down assumptions on a group and with this the concept, true equal opportunity will continue to become stronger.Works Cited Jon Hurwitz, Danny Leiner, Hayden Schlossberg . Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. (2001) †¢ Amitava Kumar. â€Å"Language,† by, reprinted from Passport Photos by permission of University of California Press. (2000) †¢ Hurst, Charles E. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences. 6. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc, 2007 †¢ Ruth Hester, published May 21, 2007 http://www. associ atedcontent. com/article/248276/the_glass_ceiling_and_its_effect_on. html? cat=3 †¢ Amy Kashiwabara, 1996 http://www. lib. berkeley. edu/MRC/Amydoc. html

All Quiet On The Western Front - 1061 Words

Countries and the soldiers hope to achieve benefits from the war, such as power, money, and happiness. Most countries do not achieve anything, instead they lose the lives of the soldiers and the stability of their country. World War I was a tragic event for both the countries and the fighting soldiers involved. Countries such as Britain, Germany, France, and the United States in World War I suffered politically, economically, and socially. The soldiers in the war also suffered as shown in Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front. Paul Baà ¼mer, the protagonist, and his comrades experience hardships and violence, which affect them during and after the war. After the countries declared war on each other, both the nations and soldiers entered the war believing in possible benefits; however, soldiers in the war lost their personality and lives, and the countries, specifically Germany, suffered from chaos, such as inflation and the rise of Hitler. The fighting in the war resulted in the soldiers losing their humanity and suffering from PTSD. In Remarque’s novel, Paul and his comrades experience traumatic events, which result into them feeling no concern and compassion. Before entering war, Paul says, â€Å"By the animal instinct that is awakened in us we are led and protected. It is not conscious; it is far quicker, much more sure, less fallible, than consciousness† (Remarque 56). The horror in the war causes the soldiers to lose their humanity and slowly becomeShow MoreRelatedAll Quiet of the Western Front756 Words   |  3 PagesPlot Summary: All Quiet on the Western Front Written by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front is the tale of a young man by the name of Paul. Paul who is nineteen years old gathers several of his friends from school and together they voluntarily join the army fighting for the Axis alliance. Before they are sent off into actual battle, they are faced with the brutal training camp. Along with this they face the cruelty of the life of a soldier. This made them question the reason forRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front700 Words   |  3 PagesThe greatest war novel of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is a novel that depicted the hardships of a group of teenagers who enlisted in the German Army during World War 1. Enlisting right out of high school forced the teens to experience things they had never thought of. From the life of a soilder on the front line to troubles with home life, war had managed to once again destroy a group of teenagers. Throughout the novel, we saw the men of the Second CompanyRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1797 Words   |  8 PagesTitle: All Quiet on the Western Front Creator: Erich Maria Remarque Date of Publication: 1929 Class: War Novel Anecdotal Information about Author: -Erich Maria Remarque was conceived on 22 June 1898 into a working people family in the German city of Osnabrà ¼ck to Peter Franz Remark (b. 14 June 1867, Kaiserswerth) and Anna Maria (nà ©e Stallknecht; conceived 21 November 1871, Katernberg). -During World War I, Remarque was recruited into the armed force at 18 years old. On 12 June 1917, heRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front943 Words   |  4 Pages The book All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is about a group of 19 year old young men who are changed by the ways of war. There is paul: the main character; Tjaden: a tall, skinny locksmith, also the biggest eater; Albert Kropp: a lance-corporal and the clearest thinker; Muller: studious, intelligent, and likes school; Leer: has a preference for the girls from the prostitution houses and has a beard; Haie Westhus: a peat-digger, and big in size; Deterring: a peasant, he alwaysRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front2393 Words   |  10 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front: Book Review Erich Maria Remarque, author of All Quiet on the Western Front, actually fought in WWI (Remarque 297). Because of this, he was able to write this book with accurate depictions of the war. He writes how being in combat can really take a toll on a person and affect them in a negative way. He also writes of the pain and suffering that the soldiers must cope with that comes along with living in constant fear and danger. When looking at the title of theRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front2085 Words   |  9 PagesThis essay will consider the different effects created by Erich Maria Remarque in his novel All Quiet on the Western Front. As a writer, Remarque unknowingly left his novel open to readers with completely different perspectives, and to various forms of criticism. This undoubtedly meant that every single reader had been affected by the novel in many different ways which unfortunately for Remarque may have been an effect that he never intended. This essay is divided into 5 main sections. Firstly itRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1089 Words   |  5 Pages In Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, human nature is the only abstract periphery between belligerent barbarism and justifiable violence. Through the insipid bombardments that rained shells over the Germans’ heads and noxious implementation of mustard gas, Remarque dexterously misleads the reader into believing that he fights in an apathetic war where all remnants of human nature and identity have been destroyed with the introduction of trench warfare. Through Paul Baumer’sRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1509 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"He fell in October 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to a single sentence: All quiet on the Western Front† (Remarque 296). Paul Baumer, the narrator of All Quiet on the Western Front, enlisted into the German army at a young age of nineteen with a group of friends from school. Kantorek, Paul’s teacher, â€Å"gave us long lectures until the whole of our class went, under his shepherding, to the District Commandant and volunteered† (RemarqueRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1129 Words   |  5 PagesIn Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, soldiers at the front have a better idea than civilians of the true n ature of war because they have experienced the war while civilians have only read about it or listened to government propaganda. Remarque is trying to tell us that only those who experience the war can understand how awful war truly is. In All Quiet on the Western Front, the main character Paul goes back to his home, the people he meets still think that the Germans are winningRead MoreAll Quiet On The Western Front1790 Words   |  8 Pagessmell of cigar smoke, gunpowder, and dirt that filled the air. There was no nationalism; all Paul wanted was survival. World War I was supposed to be about nationalism and the propaganda forced upon the soldiers to feel superiority over other countries, but Paul helps to prove otherwise, as his story tells what is was like to be at the front, and how tough it was to be a soldier. â€Å"All Quiet on the Western Front† portrays war as it was actually experienced, replacing the romantic picture of glory and

Sunbird Facts (Family Nectariniidae)

Sunbirds are tropical nectar-sipping birds belonging to the family Nectariniidae. Some members of the family are called spiderhunters, but all are considered to be sunbirds. Like unrelated hummingbirds, they feed primarily on nectar. However, most sunbirds have curved bills and perch to feed rather than hover like hummingbirds. Fast Facts: Sunbird Scientific Name: NectariniidaeCommon Names: sunbird, spiderhunterBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Less than 4 inchesWeight: 0.2-1.6 ouncesLifespan: 16-22 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Southeast Asia, Africa, northern AustraliaPopulation: Stable or decreasingConservation Status: Least Concern to Endangered Species The Nectariniidae family consists of 16 genera and 145 species. All birds in the family are sunbirds, but those in the genus Arachnothera are called spiderhunters. The spiderhunters are distinct from other sunbirds in that they are larger and both sexes have the same dull brown plumage. Description Sunbirds are small, slender birds measuring less than 4 inches in length. The smallest sunbird is the black-bellied sunbird, which weighs about 5 grams or 0.2 ounces. The largest sunbird is the spectacled spiderhunter, which weighs 45 grams or 1.6 ounces. Generally, males are larger than females and have longer tails. Most members of the family have long, downward-curved bills. Except for the spiderhunters, sunbirds are strongly sexually dimorphic. Males often have brilliant iridescent plumage, while females tend to be duller or different colors than males. Some species have distinctive juvenile and seasonal plumage. Male and female sunbirds may have very different plumage colors. Irtiza7 / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Sunbirds live in tropical forests, inland wetlands, savannas, and scrubland in Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East, and northern Australia. They tend not to favor coasts or islands. Some species migrate seasonally, but only a short distance. They are found from sea level to 19,000 feet of elevation. Some species have adapted to live near human habitation in gardens and agricultural land. Diet For the most part, sunbirds feed on flower nectar. They eat from orange and red tubular flowers and are important pollinators for these species. A sunbird dips its curved bill into a flower or else pierces its base and then sips nectar using a long, tubular tongue. Sunbirds also eat fruit, small insects, and spiders. While hummingbirds hover to feed, sunbirds land and perch on flower stalks. Behavior Sunbirds live in pairs or small groups and are active during the daytime. They aggressively defend their territories from predators and (during the breeding season) other bird species. Sunbirds tend to be talkative birds. Their songs consists of rattles and metallic-sounding notes. Reproduction and Offspring Outside of the equatorial belt, sunbirds breed seasonally, usually during the wet season. Birds that live near the equator may breed any time of year. Most species are monogamous and territorial. A few species engage in lekking, where a group of males gather to put on a courtship display to attract females. Female sunbirds use spiderwebs, leaves, and twigs to build purse-shaped nests and suspend them from branches. However, spiderhunter nests are woven cups attached beneath large leaves. The female lays up to four eggs. Except for spiderhunters, only sunbird females incubate the eggs. Purple sunbird eggs hatch after 15 to 17 days. Male sunbirds help rear the nestlings. Sunbirds live between 16 and 22 years. Olive-backed female sunbird with chicks. Paul T Photography / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies most sunbird species as least concern. Seven species are threatened with extinction and the elegant sunbird (Aethopyga duyvenbodei) is endangered. Populations are either stable or decreasing. Threats Threats to the species include habitat loss and degradation from deforestation and human encroachment. The scarlet-chested sunbird is considered an agricultural pest, as it spreads parasitic mistletoe in cocoa plantations. Although sunbirds are stunningly beautiful, they are not typically captured for the pet trade because of their specific nutritional needs. Sources BirdLife International 2016. Aethopyga duyvenbodei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22718068A94565160. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718068A94565160.enBirdLife International 2016. Cinnyris asiaticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22717855A94555513. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717855A94555513.enCheke, Robert and Clive Mann. Family Nectariniidae (Sunbirds). In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Editions. pp. 196–243. 2008. ISBN 978-84-96553-45-3.Flower, Stanley Smyth. Further notes on the duration of life in animals. IV. Birds. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, Ser. A (2): 195–235, 1938. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1938.tb07895.xJohnson, Steven D. The pollination niche and its role in the diversification and maintenance of the southern African flora. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 365 ( 1539): 499–516. 2010. doi:10.1098/rstb.2009.0243

Analysis Of The Golden Touch - 1233 Words

â€Å"Sometimes we are so focused on what we want we miss the things we need† (Tew). How do we decide what we want versus what we need? This is a difficult question that everyone struggles with. People often mistake something they want as something they need. When this happens they tend to only use this product for a short time, then it sits in a corner collecting dust for years; that is not something you need. Something you need gets used often and for a long period of time. If it is only used once you probably didn’t really need it. People often collect more than what they need, resulting in an imbalance between want and need. Often people are so blinded by what they want that they don’t realize what might happen if they have too much, this†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœAnd I have lost everything that my heart really cared for’† (Hawthorne). Midas realized that he never needed gold, he just wanted it. Even though this story isn’t real istic it still helps to show that there can be major repercussions from an imbalance between want and need. Someone may not be able to turn things into gold but they may still have more of what they want than need which could result in the loss of something more important to them. In Midas’ case, he got what he wanted the most, more gold, but he lost what he needed, his daughter. These events led Midas to realize that gold was never important and he began to appreciate what he had, instead of what he wanted. People like Midas can lose sight of what’s important when they’re chasing after something that they want. Sometimes these people wish for wealth and will go to any length to get it. In â€Å"The Necklace† Mathilde has everything she needs but wants wealth and would do anything to appear wealthy. .Mathilde buys a new dress for a party for four hundred francs but decides that she needs expensive jewelry too. She borrows what looks like the most expensiv e necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier. Mathilde has the best time at the party and loves the necklace. By the end of the night, Mathilde discovers that she had lost the necklace that she borrowed. She desperately buys a new necklace for 36,000 francs to return to Madame Forestier. She and her husband areShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of King Midas And The Golden Touch1042 Words   |  5 Pagesstudents made comments that they had never seen most of these words before, which makes sense because these words are very specific and are more likely to be seen in social studies content. The five words selected are from the story King Midas and the Golden Touch, which the students will be reading next week, as part of a short story unit. The words were â€Å"adorn, cleanse, lifeless, precious and realm.† When grading the assessment, I felt a bit confused about how I was supposed to grade it and I looked upRead MoreHeart Of The Jackal ( Box 8 )1201 Words   |  5 Pagesapathy and contempt; I drowned myself in liquor; I resigned myself to despair; I cried out for pity and solace. I lamented the life I was robbed. However, in you, Ms. Manette, I found the joy I sought after. Even as I stumbled deeper into despair, the golden threads you weave illuminate even the darkest of depths. You bestow unto me a compassion and warmth I had long forgotten. Your brilliance gleams with hope and tenderness. Your motherly kindness caresses and embraces me, healing my mournful soul asRead More The Golden Apples Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesIn Eudora Welty’s novel, The Golden Apples, the author presents a combination of short stories to give the readers an insight into the intricacies of human relationships. In doing so, in â€Å"June Recital,† Welty utilizes the separation technique, once again, to give multiple perspectives depending on the different time periods and characters. Moreover, by implementing the textual structure and significance of the MacLain house from the â€Å"Shower of Gold,† the two stories, although separate, have a strongRead MoreConventional Gender Roles Are Embedded Into Our Stories Creating The Idea Of Life Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagesprincesses into thinking that he is asleep while secretly following them in his invisibility cloak. The gardener discovers that the young princesses secretly go off to a beautiful ball every night and dan ce the night away. He steals three golden branches and a golden cup as proof of the beautiful night that he witnessed. The youngest daughter finds out Peter has discovered their secret when he puts one of the branches in her bouquet. When Peter finally explains to the King what has happened, he presentsRead MoreThe Hidden Meanings Within Michelangelo s The Creation Of Adam2224 Words   |  9 PagesBiblical episode when God creates the first man, Adam. Many people recognize the image of God wrapped in cloth extending his arm and pointing towards a naked figure, Adam, who is equally extending his finger to meet God’s. However, their fingers do not touch. They instead remain electrifyingly close in a way that seems as if their fingers could collide at any moment. While many people recognize the this fresco, many cannot fully understand the meaning behind Michelangelo’s brushstrokes. Even those whoRead MoreThe Symbolism Of A Voyage Gone Wrong1725 Words   |  7 Pagesthree years, if I am not at home, tell them to address them to—(Melville 234). However, it is unclear if the other ship was able to hear Ahab over the rough winds that have just knocked the speaking trumpet from the Albatrosses captains’ hand. Analysis: The few words Ahab speaks to the Albatrosses captain end with the ominous thought of the Pequod not making it home to Nantucket. The foreshadowing of a voyage gone wrong is emphasized not just by the cautionary â€Å"and if I am not at home†¦,† but alsoRead MorePainting Analysis Essay1062 Words   |  5 Pageswill observe a fusion of the realistic tradition of Flemish painting with the imagination and freedom of Italian renaissance painting. The painting expresses Neoplatonic views while also providing the viewer with endless topics for discussion and analysis, making it a true conversation piece. The â€Å"Garden of Love† depicts a scene of passionate festivities. In the painting, a group of aristocratic lovers decorated in the most extravagant of satins and lace are placed in a garden dedicated to VenusRead MoreThe Fight For Animal Rights1660 Words   |  7 Pagesor disease, 4. Freedom to express normal behaviour, and 5. Freedom from fear and distress Moral Arguments Against Harming Animals There have been many moral arguments made against harming animals. These arguments include liberating the animal, analysis of animal rights, and the least harm principle. There are both moral and ethical reasoning as to why we should not harm animals and consider consuming a vegan diet. The concept of least harm studies how many animals would die if we adopted a veganRead MoreRenaissance Corridor On The Second Floor Of The Museum908 Words   |  4 Pagescrafted between the years of 1370-1371 in Florence, Italy during the early renaissance. Against the wishes of the museum I laid my hands upon the painting and felt along both the painting and frame to get a feel for the material. It was grainy to the touch when I moved my hand gently across the painting but I couldn’t make out a specific material. According to the National Gallery of Art’s website, the painting was conceived using vertical grain wood which was lined with fabric with a red bole preparationRead MoreWe Real Cool505 Words   |  3 Pagesis suggestive that the subtitle of â€Å"We Real Cool† specifies the presence of only seven pool players at the â€Å"Golden Shov el.† The eighth â€Å"we† suggests that poet and reader share, on some level, the desperation of the group-voice that Brooks transmits. The final sentence, â€Å"We/ die soon,† restates the carpe diem motif in the vernacular of Chicago’s South Side. Analysis This poem has a touch of freshness of youth mixed with carelessness and the rebellious zeal. It is a small couplet with great use

Desert Green free essay sample

I looked down, immediately closed my eyes and hung to the wall of rock with fear. Fifty feet below me, the brightly colored crash helmets of my team looked like Skittles scattered across the rocky floor. I was balancing on a seven inch ledge, 40 pounds on my back, and the only thing keeping me sane was a 10 millimeter thick rope tied around my waist. I looked behind me and my stomach rolled as I thought of the precarious boulders that I risked my life on every step of the way here. Backpacking in Death Valley for a month exposed me to a multitude of new experiences. Traversing treacherous terrain was definitely one of them. Out there I was pushed, challenged, and dared to be something bigger than myself. Death Valley stripped me of all my barriers so I could reach out uninhibited to find that larger meaning I could be truly passionate about. We will write a custom essay sample on Desert Green or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was the unexpected aspects of the desert –the raw beauty and the limited water– that unearthed a sense of environmental conservation in me I was able to develop and cultivate. More than anything else, the beauty of the desert inspired me to appreciate the subtle wonders of life. The first night out there, I was astonished by the brilliance of the stars. Out in the wilderness these infinitesimal winks of light were brighter and more spectacular than I had ever seen them before. I stayed up late that night, and every other night, watching them spin through space as the tips of my cheeks and nose were by the frozen wisps of air drifting through the barren desert. After that, I started to notice small beauties: the rose tint to a peach cactus’ spines, the patterns in the walls of Marble Canyon, the perpetually perfect slopes of the sand dunes. I thought of the seemingly polar opposite environment I came from and realized that we strive too often to separate the two worlds of nature and civilization whereas it is and should always be interconnected. I saw the part I had played in this herd mentality of consumption. I looked back at myself, the stranger I had been merely days before, and became aware of how self absorbed I was. My world was no larger than myself and what affected me. I never truly saw the impact I had on my environment because of the constant flow of material goods that appeared with a swipe of a credit card and disappeared with the emptying of a trash can. Camping with limited resources made evident that waste of water, space, and material goods is thoughtless of our responsibilities to our earth. Understanding that this planet is impacted negatively or positively by the things we do convinced me to become involved in conservation endeavors for the rest of my life. It is this passion for environmental sustainability that I brought back from Death Valley. In sharing my visions of permaculture design, gray water usage, and conservation of resources, I hope to influence others to action in this world of emerging e cological awareness. Hours later, I looked back at the cliff I had scaled. I saw the shades of orange and red in the rock face, a sharp contrast to the vivid blue of the sky. It was this kind of natural beauty, as treacherous as it may be, that first inspired me. Despite the blood, sweat, and tears I had shared with those rocks, I felt a greater bond with them now that they arose as the cornerstones of my lifelong goals.?

The Children Watched The Old Womans House As The Townsman Light It Afl

The children watched the old woman's house as the townsman light it aflame. They never knew a little lie could go so far. They didn't have to kill her, a boy whispered loud enough for the other children to hear. She was known as 'the old lady with too many cats.' Though she mostly kept to herself, she wasn't bitter. When children hit a fly ball over her fence she gladly let them get it back while making jokes about not needing a baseball. The older women around town invited her to various knitting and tea parties. She always kindly refused. That's when the children started to make up stories about her. She raises them cats so she can eat 'em, one boy would say. No she eats the rats the cats catch for her, another child squealed, as all the others laughed. Then the stories grew more intense. I saw green light coming from her windows. She's a witch! She's a witch! the children chant and laugh. The children didn't know the adults took their stories seriously. Soon the adults started making their own false accusations. She cast a spell so a drought would dry up our farms. One day when a child didn't come home for dinner in time, the parents went insane and made the whole town go out and search for him. When the child was found in the old lady's back yard the townspeople automatically came to the wrong conclusion. While the boy was just getting a baseball, which got hit over the fence, the parents concluded that the old lady kidnapped their little boy to cast horrible spells on. The townspeople screamed with fury. Burn her, burn her house down! the men chant with anger. The old lady didn't have much of say as they barricaded her door and lit the house aflame.