Evaluate the evidence that Mass Extinctions are Periodic Term Paper

Evaluate the evidence that Mass Extinctions are Periodic - Term Paper Example Extinction is a reality. The research touches on extinction. The research delves on the the time period of extinction. Extinction is triggered by time period. Extinction is defined as the dying of huge numbers of animals within a short period of time. Under the Permian Triassic period, animal extinction occurred on some groups of animals. Under this period, the dying of huge group so animals is identified as â€Å"Great Dying†. The extinction occurred at 251 million years ago. The period is the middle period separating the Permian Period and the Triassic Geologic periods. The period is known as the most severe because there were more extinctions during the period, when compared to the extinctions that had occurred during the other time periods (www.sciencedialy.com). Another time period is the Mesozoic The Meozoic period falls within the Phanerozoic time period. The Mesozoic period is divided into 3 periods. The there periods are the Triassic period, the Jurassic Period, and t he Cretaceous period. http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/m/mesozoic.htm A third time period is the Paleozoic. The Paleozoic period is described as the geologic time scale. It is one of the four geologic time periods. The Paleozoic time period is composed of six distinct periods. The periods begin with the Cambrian period. Next, the Ordovician period crops up. Third, the Silurian period arrives. Fourth, the Devonian Period crops up. Next, the Carboniferous period creeps in. Last, the Permian period replaces the prior time period. The Paleozoic time period begins in 542 MYA to about 251 MYA. The Paleozoic period comes after the Precambrian Period. The Mesozoic Period replaces the Paleozoic time period. The Cenozoic Time Period is divided into four classic geological years. The first is the Paleoogene period. The second period is Neogene. The paleogene is divided into four periods. The first period is the Miocene period. The second period is the Pliocene Period. The third period is t he Pleistocene. The fourth time period is the Holocene. A fourth time period is the Cretaceous -Tertiary Extinction. The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the Geological timescale. The Cretaceous period starts at the end of the Jurassic period, estimated at 146 million years ago. The Jurassic time period (which the popular dinosaur movie, Jurassic Park, was based) covers the time period from 200 Million years ago and at the end of the Triassic time period to 146 million years ago. The article Mass Extinctions : Giant Fossils Are Revolutionizing Current Thinking states the extinctions occurred from 1 million years, after the biggest extinction of all time, the Permian -Triassic extinction, had been discovered by international team (Nutzel et al. 2010). The extinction can be described as the decline in the quantity of organisms during the same time period. The article clearly shows the different mass extinctions where biodiversity is reduced. Over the past 540 years, more than 19 mass extinctions have cropped up. The factors that triggered the mass extinctions are described as environmental conditions. For example, the change of the Ocean's oxygen level to a lower, uncomfortable conditions. Next, the change ocean's waters have become poisonous. In addition, the survival of the fittest principle forces the strong animals to wipe out the weak competitors for food. Consequently, the present supply chain is disrupted. For example, the gastropods or bivalves could not adapt to

What effect did Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the Studio System have on Dissertation

What effect did Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the Studio System have on Film Production today - Dissertation Example ‘Motion pictures evolved from stage presentations when portable movie cameras were invented. â€Å"Magic Lantern† shows were popular in the late 19th century, but they required an artist to design and perform a show. The show itself could not be duplicated, merely moved to another venue. Thomas Edison invented the Kinetoscope, a box with a hand crank with which to run film over a lamp, similar to a â€Å"peep show†. Its limitations were obvious; the design limited the audience to one viewer. Louis Lemià ¨re improved on the Edison technology with a hand held motion picture camera which could feed a film through a claw device. Once the film was shot and developed, the camera acted as a projector, and in conjunction with the magic lantern, large audiences could view the film together.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.22-5) ‘At first, films served to bring distant places or recorded acts to vaudeville and burlesque shows. These films were brief, often only a minute or t wo. Travelogues and news dominated early film. At the same time projected movies developed, mass production newspapers became popular. In many ways, early film competed against newspapers and only supplemented stage shows.Motion pictures’ advantages included realism, global appeal, reproducibility, visual reports and propaganda value.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.26-7) ‘The urban environment of the early 20th century consisted of immigrants and a faster paced lifestyle compared to the farm. Industrialization sped life up a bit. A two minute news film could be viewed at a commuter train station, and the viewer did not need to know the language since the films were silent or accompanied by a musical score.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.28) ‘In the beginning of the film industry, the artistry of camera work was as much the spectacle as the scene itself, and time did not a flow naturally. Modern films move a story forward temporally while the first films were more analogous to i nstant replays, showing the action from differing angles.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.33) ‘The Brighton School of Filmmakers, a British group, experimented with and developed camera angles, moving camera shots, close-ups and point-of-view shots. This innovative technology allowed films to tell more compelling stories, and â€Å"modern† cinema was born. ‘(Sklar, 1993, p.37) ‘When films told stories, they competed with live stage, vaudeville and burlesque. Rather than embrace this innovation, vaudeville and burlesque rejected the new technology and films moved to permanent movie houses, theaters known as nickelodeons.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.47) Now entertainment and news were combined to compete in the urban market. The very early film industry was confused. Harold Lloyd wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own productions. Mack Senate produced and directed his films, but often wrote them as the cameras were rolling, an advantage in silent films. Howard H ughes bought the RKO studios, but kept his office at Goldwyn’s. The Golden Age of Hollywood served to organize and industrialize film making. In the Henry Ford image of mass production, producers and directors were meant to turn out volume. As movie houses began to win the competition with stage performances, and innovation such as talkies emerged, many old vaudeville performers entered the film industry as a more profitable means of entertaining. ‘Notably the Marx Brothers and other ensemble casts became movie stars. Irving Thalberg of MGM studios market researched his audience reactions by sending the Marx Brothers on the road to perform their musical

Romeo and Juliet Tragedy Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Tragedy Essay Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy play by Willam Shakespeare. The play is about two young adults who are in love. They are both victims of a bitter feud between their well-respected families. I have looked up Romeo in the dictionary to give me an insight as to what the play was about and as soon as I read the meaning of Romeo I knew it was a love play: A hero- hence a man who is an ardent lover The play is set in the city of Verona. Romeo and Juliet (the main characters of the play) are part of the Montague family (Romeo) and part of the capulets family (Juliet). The play begins with a street fight between the servants of both families. The price brings the fight to an abrupt end. Juliet is meant to be getting married to Count Paris, chosen by her father. However Romeo and Juliet, who meet at a ball, soon fall in love and get married in secret. Juliet fakes her own death with a drug friar Lawrence issued her and is found in bed dead on her wedding day in which she is too marry Count Paris. She is buried in a tomb, which is where Romeo finds her. Romeo has not yet received a note saying that Juliet is not dead and kills him with poison. Juliet wakes up after the drug has worn off and Romeo dead and she kill herself (for real) with Romeos dagger. The two grieving families end the feud between them at the end of the play. Only do they end the feud when death is struck upon them. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because Romeos and Juliets love was singled to end in death and is the only thing that ends the feud between the families: The fearful passage of their death-marked love I understand that dramatic tension is when someone is creating a scene being big and powerful, having something struck upon you suddenly. This relates to the play because the play is powerful and it captures the audiences attention. It has a lot of cliffhangers for example; where Romeo kills Tybalt in act 3 scenes 1 we think what will happen next? Will Romeo die? What will Juliet do if her love is brutally murdered by her own family? All of these create dramatic tension. By the use of characters, events, lanuage the essay aims to explain my views on Romeo and Juliet and to tell and explain to people the play of Romeo and Juliet so that they understand what is happening and what it is all about. It will also increase my knowledge of the play so I can understand it and put myself in their shoes hopefully capturing what they must have felt and been like. From reading the prologue I understand that both of the capulets and Montagues is as equal as one another, they both have the same amount of wealth and respect: Two households both alike in dignity I know that Romeo and Juliet are madly in love and are destined for one another: A pair of star crossed lovers takes their lives A pair of star-crossed lovers could mean that Romeo and Juliets love is doomed by the influence of the stars and that they are madly in love. However the stars are crossed and this shows us that there is a shadow in the way and that something will go wrong. Also from the prologue the audience is told of the ending of the play, they are told that the lovers are fated, they are star-crossed, their love will end in death, and that the lovers death, and the lovers death is the only thing that will end the long feud between the families. But their childrens end, nought could remove In act 3 scenes 1, Mercutio, who is Romeos best fiend, picks a fight with tybalt who wants to fight Romeo. Instead Romeo trys to prevent the fight between Mercutio and tybalt. Romeo then kills tybalt and flees the scene of the murder. Before Romeo appears on the scene he has come from his secret wedding to Juliet. Friar Lawrence has married them, so only the friar, Romeo and Juliet know about the marriage and the Montagues and capulets are bonded. They are bonded through the two lovers marriage, unknown to lady Capulet she is now Romeos mother in law. I think that this scene has more dramatic tension because in this scene we are really on edge as to what will happen to Romeo now that he has murdered tybalt. Also we are anxious to know what will happen to Mercutio now that he has been wounded and we wonder whether he will live or die. Mercutio is brave in this scene and when he is injured by tybalt he puts a brave face on and pretends his injuries are not serious and people believe him because he is known as the fool, however after a while Romeo realises he is lying and that he is dieing. This also causes tension because when Mercutio is first injured we (the audience) believe that he is not really hurt, so we wonder what will happen? Will he be ok? Will his injuries cause his death? The action in this scene is crucial because it keeps us on edge and makes sure that we continue watching the play to see what happens, the action builds up the tension for the final scene when both Romeo and Juliet take their own lives. The action shows that whatever happens Romeo is still a good guy because although he has killed tybalt he has done it in good faith for Mercutio. The characters involved in act 3 scene 1 are Benvolio, Mercutio, tybalt, Romeo, Petrucio, a citizen, the prince and lady Capulet, lady Montague. My thoughts/ impressions of the families from this scene are: The capulets are an evil family who only care about them selves. However there is some caring members of the family (Juliet), as she does not hold any grudges against the opposite familys think the family is uncaring because when tybalt kills Mercutio although he did not mean it he does not show any signs of sorrow for what he has done. I think that the Montagues are a caring family because as soon as Romeo enters he talks about love, this shows he has loving feelings for someone, also Romeos best friend Benvolio is a peacemaker and does not like fighting: Out of her favour where iam in love Romeo does not want to fight, he does not want to harm anyone or cause trouble or fight with a member of the family and he only kills tybalt because he has murdered his best friend, and this shows that Romeo values friendship: I thought all for the best Mercutio pretends or trys to tell everyone that he is not in pain and this makes us wonder whether he is lying or whether he is telling the truth. However Romeo sees through him and we realise how much Mercutio and Romeo are hurting and we wonder what will happen next. Romeo is hesitant to get involved because he is Tybalts cousin, because he is a member of the family. This shows that he cares not just about himself and his reputation but that he cares about his family as well. At the end of the scene lady Montague feels that Romeo must not live and hat he deserves to die a tybalt has. I think that this has come about because Romeo has killed tybalt therefore he is a murder, and in time when the first play was wrote, death was a penalty for murder. I also think that the capulets do not want to accept that a member of their family was in the wrong. The characters change in act 3 scene 1 because Benvolio turns into a troublemaker; Romeo shows the audience his bad side and turns really angry and upset resulting in the murder of tybalt. In act 3 scenes 1 lady Capulet takes up the violence of the fed and demands that Romeos punishment is death. She does not change throughout the play and remains a hard, unfeeling, unsympathic woman who pushes her daughter away and is party responsible for her death. In act 3 the prince is personal because Mercutio is a kings man has been killed, the prince fulfils his words from act 1. Instead of killing Romeo the prince banishes him from the country as a result of causing death of tybalt: Else, when hes found, that hour is his last The play ends in tragedy. The death of two lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Romeo arrives at the tomb where Juliet has been buried, meets Paris and kills him. Believing Juliet is dead, Romeo takes the potion and dies. Juliet awakens, sees that Romeo is dead and commits suicide. As a result of this the capulets and Montagues promise never to feud again: Poor scarifies of our enmity I have learnt hat dramatic tension is as I thought it to be; it is something that is big, powerful but also keeps the viewers on edge because we wonder constantly what will happen next. In this play there are lot of themes. The themes involved are: Disorder this is a theme because there is fighting, anger, passion and false love (between Juliet and Paris) disorder means: A lack of order or confusion There is light and darkness because there is death, violence, sadness and secrets. Lightness is represented by the love between Romeo and Juliet. Darkness id represented because Romeo is sad and depressed and the sadness at the end of the play of the lovers death. Light is represented by love, life and hope. Darkness means: Gloomy, dismal, sullen, threating, obscure, mysterious, evil, in secret Light means: A way of looking at or considering a matter; aspect There is also love and passion because Romeo is in love with Juliet and passion because lady Capulet is only in her marriage because it makes her wealthy and noticeable. Romeo also shows passion regarding his feeling for Mercutio when he kills tybalt in revenge. Love means: Deep affection and warm feeling for one another Passion means: Strong desire or lust Overall I think that the play is very dramatic. The other themes as well are lies, deceit, truth, love and hate.

Archaeological Excavation: Pros and Cons

Archaeological Excavation: Pros and Cons Can archaeological excavation of sites not under immediate threat of development or erosion be justified morally? Explore the pros and cons of research (as opposed to rescue and salvage) excavation and non-destructive archaeological research methods using specific examples. Many people believe that archaeology and archaeologists are mainly concerned with excavation – with digging sites. This may be the common public image of archaeology, as often portrayed on television, although Rahtz (1991, 65-86) has made clear that archaeologists in fact do many things besides excavate. Drewett (1999, 76) goes further, commenting that ‘it must never be assumed that excavation is an essential part of any archaeological fieldwork’. Excavation itself is a costly and destructive research tool, destroying the object of its research forever (Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 100). Of the present day it has been noted that rather than desiring to dig every site they know about, the majority of archaeologists work within a conservation ethic that has grown up in the past few decades (Carmichael et al. 2003, 41). Given the shift to excavation taking place mostly in a rescue or salvage context where the archaeology would otherwise face destruction and the inherently destructive nature of excavation, it has become appropriate to ask whether research excavation can be morally justified. This essay will seek to answer that question in the affirmative and also explore the pros and cons of research excavation and non-destructive archaeological research methods. If the moral justification of research excavation is questionable in comparison to the excavation of threatened sites, it would seem that what makes rescue excavation morally acceptable is the fact that the site would be lost to human knowledge if it was not investigated. It seems clear from this, and seems widely accepted that excavation itself is a useful investigative technique. Renfrew and Bahn (1996, 97) suggest that excavation ‘retains its central role in fieldwork because it yields the most reliable evidence archaeologists are interested in’. Carmichael et al. (2003, 32) note that ‘excavation is the means by which we access the past’ and that it is the most basic, defining aspect of archaeology. As mentioned above, excavation is a costly and destructive process that destroys the object of its study. Bearing this in mind, it seems that it is perhaps the context in which excavation is used that has a bearing on whether or not it is morally justifiable. If the archaeology is bound to be destroyed through erosion or development then its destruction through excavation is vindicated since much data that would otherwise be lost will be created (Drewett 1999, 76). If rescue excavation is justifiable on the grounds that it prevents total loss in terms of the potential data, does this mean that research excavation is not morally justifiable because it is not simply ‘making the best use of archaeological sites that must be consumed’ (Carmichael et al. 2003, 34)? Many would disagree. Critics of research excavation may point out that the archaeology itself is a finite resource that must be preserved wherever possible for the future. The destruction of archaeological evidence through unnecessary (ie non-emergency) excavation denies the opportunity of research or enjoyment to future generations to whom we may owe a custodial duty of care (Rahtz 1991, 139). Even during the most responsible excavations where detailed records are made, 100% recording of a site is not possible, making any non-essential excavation almost a wilful destruction of evidence. These criticisms are not wholly valid though, and certainly the latter holds true during any excavation, not only research excavations, and surely during a research project there is likely to be more time available for a full recording effort than during the statutory access period of a rescue project. It is also debateable whether archaeology is a finite resource, since ‘new’ archaeology is created all the time. It seems inescapable though, that individual sites are unique and can suffer destruction but although it is more difficult and perhaps undesirable to deny that we have some responsibility to preserve this archaeology for future generations, is it not also the case that the present generations are entitled to make responsible use of it, if not to destroy it? Research excavation, best directed at answering potentially important research questions, can be done on a partial or selective basis, without disturbing or destroying a whole site, thus leaving areas for later researchers to investigate (Carmichael et al. 2003, 41). Furthermore, this can and sh ould be done in conjunction with non-invasive techniques such as aerial photography, ground, geophysical and chemical survey (Drewett 1999, 76). Continued research excavation also allows the practice and development of new techniques, without which such skills would be lost, preventing future excavation technique from being improved. An excellent example of the benefits of a combination of research excavation and non-destructive archaeological techniques is the work that has been done, despite objections, at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Sutton Hoo, in eastern England (Rahtz 1991 136-47; Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 98-99). Excavation originally took place on the site in 1938-39 revealing many treasures and the impression in sand of a wooden ship used for a burial, though the body was not found. The focus of these campaigns and those of the 1960s were traditional in their approach, being concerned with the opening of burial mounds, their contents, dating and identifying historical connections such as the identity of the occupants. In the 1980s a new campaign with different aims was undertaken, directed by Martin Carver. Rather than beginning and ending with excavation, a regional survey was carried out over an area of some 14ha, helping to set the site in its local context. Electronic distance measuring was used to creat e a topographical contour map prior to other work. A grass expert examined the variety of grass species on-site and identified the positions of some 200 holes dug into the site. Other environmental studies examined beetles, pollen and snails. In addition, a phosphate survey, indicative of likely areas of human occupation, corresponded with results of the surface survey. Other non-destructive tools were used such as metal detectors, used to map modern rubbish. A proton magnetometer, fluxgate gradiometer and soil resistivity were all used on a small part of the site to the east, which was later excavated. Of those techniques, resistivity proved the most informative, revealing a modern ditch and a double palisade, as well as some other features (see comparative illustrations in Renfrew and Bahn 1996, 99). Excavation later revealed features that had not been remotely detected. Resistivity has since been used on the area of the mounds while soil-sounding radar, which penetrates deeper th an resistivity, is being used on the mounds themselves. At Sutton Hoo, the techniques of geophysical survey are seen to operate as a complement to excavation, not merely a preliminary nor yet a replacement. By trialling such techniques in conjunction with excavation, their effectiveness can be gauged and new and more effective techniques developed. The results at Sutton Hoo suggest that research excavation and non-destructive methods of archaeological research remain morally justifiable. However, simply because such techniques can be applied efficiently does not mean that excavation should be the priority nor that all sites should be excavated, but such a scenario has never been a likely one due to the usual constraints such as funding. Besides, it has been noted above that there is already a trend towards conservation. Continued research excavation at famous sites such as Sutton Hoo, as Rahtz notes (1991, 140-41), is justified since it serves avowedly to develop archaeological practice itself; the physical remains, or shapes in the landscape can be and are restored to their former appearance with the bonus of being better understood, more educational and interesting; such exotic and special sites capture the imagination of the public and the media and raise the profile of archaeology as a whole. There are other sites that could prove equally good examples of morally justifiable long term research archaeology, such as Wharram Percy (for which see Rahtz 1991, 148-57). Progressing from a straightforward excavation in 1950, with the aim of showing that the earthworks represented medieval buildings, the site grew to represent much more in time, space and complexity. Techniques used expanded from excavation to include survey techniques and aerial photography to set the village into a local context. In conclusion, it can be seen that while excavation is destructive, there is a morally justifiable place for research archaeology and non-destructive archaeological techniques: excavation should not be reduced only to rescue circumstances. Research excavation projects, such as Sutton Hoo, have provided many positive aspects to the development of archaeology and knowledge of the past. While excavation should not be undertaken lightly, and non-destructive techniques should be employed in the first place, it is clear that as yet they cannot replace excavation in terms of the amount and types of data provided. Non-destructive techniques such as environmental sampling and resistivity survey have, provided significant complementary data to that which excavation provides and both should be employed. Bibliography Carmichael, D.L., Lafferty III, R.H. and Molyneaux, B.L. 2003. Excavation. Walnut Creek and Oxford: Altamira Press. Drewett, P.L. 1999. Field Archaeology: An Introduction. London: UCL Press. Rahtz, P. 1991. Invitation to Archaeology. 2nd edition. Oxford: Blackwell. Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P.1996. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. 2nd edition. London: Thames Hudson.

Implications of Migration for Pro-poor Agricultural Growth :: essays research papers

differences etc. all of which influence migration patterns and remittance utilisation. Methods musttherefore be broadened to include more qualitative techniques and case studies. 2. Integrate migration and commuting into PRSPs, CASs, National Plans At present most key policy documents related to rural development, agriculture and povertyreduction pay little or no attention to migration. These should be reviewed where possible to integrate migration and commuting concerns. There needs to be a greater recognition of thecontribution of current and future mobility to development and poverty reduction. 3. Identify the conditions which stimulate the productive use of remittances Examples of productive investment of remittances should be studied to understand where and how this has occurred by giving special attention to: • Labour availability and household labour allocation decisions, how gender roles and cultural factors influences these decisions and the impacts of labour depletion on the household and local economy• The skills base of migrants and how/if this has changed through migration and whatcontribution that has made to developing/enhancing agriculture or enterprise in the source village• Existing constraints faced by the poor in key agricultural markets such as credit and labour and how remittances are used in situations of persistent debt crea ted byinterlocked markets – do remittances help the poor in escaping from thesearrangements?• Availability of key natural resources – water and land are probably the mostimportant. Are remittances invested in buying more land and is this used for production soon, later or never? Does the availability of water affect this pattern?The information from such studies can be used to identify appropriate complementary interventions The obvious ones are education and health – i.e. more educated and healthier farmers are morelikely to spend on better farm inputs and technologies etc. 4. Identify locations/situations where it would make more sense to facilitate the movement of people This would need to be decided on a case by case basis, say at the district level in order toaccommodate location specific historical, agro-ecological factors as well rates of urbanisation and agricultural development. The Chinese example is informative because mobility is being encouraged to reduce rural poverty and sustain the rural economy.5. Design transport services to suit poor migrants and commuters A number of research projects on transport conducted under by ITDG and through the DFID Knowledge and Research (KaR) projects have noted transport constraints, and their impact on rurallivelihoods and service provision are of a high priority for the rural poor.

Euthanasia: A Complex Issue Essay -- Assisted Suicide Essays

Euthanasia is a very controversial issue around the world. Many doctors have conflicting opinions when it comes to this topic. â€Å"Euthanasia is the killing of someone through either an active or passive way of someone who suffers from an illness which arouses pity and who will never get better when asked by either the person himself/herself or his/her friends† (Nevzat). Euthanasia has been around for centuries. When Michael Stolberg narrates the story of Ambroise Parà © in â€Å"Two Pioneers of Euthanasia around 1800,† he informs us that euthanasia was used as early as 1536. In the sad anecdote about the soldier, Stolberg opens the eyes of many to the ways euthanasia is performed. Not all acts of euthanasia are quite this severe. In 1800, Physician Carl Georg Theodor Kortum had various reports of terminally ill patients bound to die a horrible death if not for him. He explained some patients went through a period of not even being able to swallow. They stayed in this period until they slowly lost their sense. Some patients continued to live for another forty-eight hours until finally passing. He explained, â€Å"The only thing one could desire was that a gentle death end the patients suffering† (Stolberg). Some say Kortum could be considered the first physician to publically justify and advise active euthanasia. He saw euthanasia as helping terminally ill patients become comfortable again. Christian Ludwig Mursinna was a very well respected surgeon during this time, as well. Mursinna was the head surgeon at Charità © hospital in Berlin and a professor of surgery. Like Kortum, Mursinna also publically admitted to shortening the suffering of one of his patients. After the patient asked... ...a: Journal of Death & Dying 54.2 (2006): 135-145. Professional Development Collection. EBSCO. Web. 13 Jan. 2011. Stolberg, Michael. â€Å"Two Pioneers of Euthanasia around 1800.† Hastings Center Report. 19-22. Hastings Center, 2008. Health Source – Consumer Edition. EBSCO. Web. 13 Jan. 2011. Stolinsky, M.D, David C. â€Å"Assisted Suicide of the Medicle Profession.† Stolinsky.com. 20 Mar. 2006. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. "Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care - Definition | Get Palliative Care." Palliative Care. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. . Whitney, Simon N., Bryan W. Brown, Howard Brody, Kirsten H. Alcser, Jerald G. Bachman, and Henry T. Greely. "Views of United States Physicians and Members of the American Medicle Association House of Delegates on Physician-assisted Suicide." Journal of General Internal Medicine 16 (20001): 290-96. Print.

Essay on Tension Essay

The ‘Turn of the Screw’, which was written in the late nineteenth century, is acclaimed by critics for the build up of tension and the suspenseful atmosphere that its author, Henry James, creates throughout the novella. James achieves this by exploiting several characters and features of the book. James manipulates the prologue of the novella by creating a group of listeners who are in anticipation for the story; furthermore the character who narrates the story is not immediately able to retrieve the manuscript, this deliberate slow down of tempo, builds suspense preceding the tale and it prepares the reader for a thrilling story. The setting of the novella is also used to build atmosphere, a technique that James regularly employs is contrasting a moment of tranquil with one of danger. This produces a sharp difference and thus makes the scene of peril seem even more suspenseful. The ghosts of Quint and Jessel are perhaps the largest contributors to the atmosphere and tension within the novel; James uses both ghosts to create a threat to the children which causes tremendous tension and it is the central plot in the book. The children themselves are also manipulated by James to create atmosphere, their behaviour is continually reiterated as perfect and virtuous to such an extent that the reader is almost persuaded to think that their is something not quite natural about them. James uses the prologue to introduce the story and also to create a suspenseful atmosphere about what is to follow. During the prologue there are a group of guests who James uses to create tension. These listeners evidently enjoy listening to stories, especially if they involve ghosts and horror. â€Å"†¦ sufficiently breathless†, â€Å"no comment was uttered† are phrases which are used to describe their attitude towards the stories, clearly conveying the interest and avidness that the guests and frame narrator have for the stories being told. The listeners create an atmosphere of eagerness for the story which is very effective since James’ readers might also imitate this feeling. The character of Douglas plays a pivotal to the build up of tension in the prologue. Upon the first mention of his story, he plays on the emotions of the listeners by continually reiterating how horrifying and terrible the story that he has all of them waiting in anticipation for is. â€Å"It is quite too horrible†, â€Å"nothing at all that I know touches it†; Douglas is gradually building up the suspense before his story by mentioning how ‘horrible’ it is, this feeling of impending disaster that the other guests wait in buoyant expectancy for, before knowing the full details of the story adds to an atmosphere of suspense. The combined facts that the manuscript has to be sent for and further compounded by the knowledge that is locked away also contributes to the same effect, the prolonged wait for the manuscript adds to a feeling of avidness for the story and also the fact that it is locked away has cryptive connotations which suggest that its contents are so terrible that it must be kept away from the world. By now it seems that Douglas appears to have his listeners transfixed upon him and have necessity to listen to his story. The interjection, â€Å"oh how delicious† which was cried by one of the women present; the term ‘delicious’ possibly infers a feeling which is almost desperation for the story. Likewise the way, in which the audience gives a â€Å"unanimous groan†, when the telling of the tale is delayed suggests that they long to hear the story. This deliberate slow down, builds up the tension to what the audience and reader are prepared for a gruelling tale. The gradual build up of suspense through the prologue preludes the main story, in order to exemplify an atmosphere of anticipation and dread of what is to follow. James now uses the setting of the novella to create tension. He allows us to see into the Governess’ mind and we, like her anticipate Bly to be a place of dread since she â€Å"had expected something so melancholy†. It is usual for one to expect that a large country estate which is the setting of a ghost story will be isolated, old and gothic. James cleverly manipulates our assumptions to create an atmosphere of tension. Instead of the gothic building that we expect, we are introduced to something much more pleasant; the Governess upon her arrival is surprised and delighted at what she sees â€Å"what greeted me was a good surprise†¦ I remember as a most pleasant impression†. This peaceful setting lulls the reader into a false sense of security, however at the back of our minds is the idea from the prologue that the story will be horrifying which makes the reader suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the following events; thus creating an atmosphere of tension. This same technique is used before the introduction of Peter Quint. In the pages preceding his apparition there is a vivid description of an idyllic setting such as â€Å"the beauty and dignity of the place†¦ golden sky†. James does this in order to produce a sharp contrast when the ghost appears, making the emergence of the ghost more of a shock and therefore more terrifying for his audience. With the ghost of Peter Quint now firmly entrenched within the story, James uses him as a key contributor for creating an atmosphere of tension. James uses Miss Grose’s detestable presentation of Quint while he was alive in order to create tension. She describes him as â€Å"Impudent and depraved†, â€Å"spoiled†, these quotations give a negative impression of Quint and portray him as an antagonist. However perhaps worst of all he is also related by Grose as â€Å"clever and deep†, exemplifying him as calculating and sinister. Because of his negative introduction the reader is therefore continually persuaded to think of Quint as a dangerous to the children. Upon each appearance Quint is seen closer to the Governess and hence successively more threatening and horrifying. Additionally each time Quint appears he is closer to the children, leading us to suspect that his apparitions are with some sort of intention rather than random. As a result of our perception of him as somebody dangerous and also because he is getting closer and closer to the governess, the reader feels the suspense gradually building since we see him as a threat to both the Governess and the children. The first time she sees him he is distanced at the top of a tower although still narrating the scene as â€Å"stricken with death† suggesting dread, horror and fear. The second time there is only a window separating them and the governess by saying â€Å"A nearness that†¦ Made me catch my breath and turn cold†, makes the point clear that it was the closeness that made it more fearsome. However on the third appearance which is described as the most formidable, they are adjacent to one another, it is this that made the experience so terrifying according to the governess, â€Å"At such close quarters that gave the whole horror†. By making Quint continually more frightful James creates tension because the reader is constantly anticipating more horrifying encounters.