The History of Rap Music :: Rap Music Jamaican Culture Essays

The History of Rap Music Rap music originated as a cross-cultural product. Most of its important early practitioners-including Kool Herc, D.J. Hollywood, and Afrika Bambaataa-were either first- or second-generation Americans of Caribbean ancestry. Herc and Hollywood are both credited with introducing the Jamaican style of cutting and mixing into the musical culture of the South Bronx. By most accounts Herc was the first DJ to buy two copies of the same record for just a 15-second break (rhythmic instrumental segment) in the middle. By mixing back and forth between the two copies he was able to double, triple, or indefinitely extend the break. In so doing, Herc effectively deconstructed and reconstructed so-called found sound, using the turntable as a musical instrument. While he was cutting with two turntables, Herc would also perform with the microphone in Jamaican toasting style-joking, boasting, and using myriad in-group references. Herc's musical parties eventually gained notoriety and were often documented on cassette tapes that were recorded with the relatively new boombox, or blaster, technology. Taped duplicates of these parties rapidly made their way through the Bronx, Brooklyn, and uptown Manhattan, spawning a number of similar DJ acts. Among the new breed of DJs was Afrika Bambaataa, the first important Black Muslim in rap. (The Muslim presence would become very influential in the late 1980s.) Bambaataa often engaged in sound-system battles with Herc, similar to the so-called cutting contests in jazz a generation earlier. The sound system competitions were held at city parks, where hot-wired street lamps supplied electricity, or at local clubs. Bambaataa sometimes mixed sounds from rock-music recordings and television shows into the standard funk and disco fare that Herc and most of his followers relied upon. By using rock records, Bambaataa extended rap beyond the immediate reference points of contemporary black youth culture. By the 1990s any sound source was considered fair game and rap artists borrowed sounds from such disparate sources as Israeli folk music, bebop jazz records, and television news broadcasts. In 1976 Grandmaster Flash introduced the technique In 1979 the first two rap records appeared: "King Tim III (Personality Jock)," recorded by the Fatback Band, and "Rapper's Delight," by Sugarhill Gang. A series of verses recited by the three members of Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight" became a national hit, reaching number 36 on the Billboard magazine popular music charts. The spoken content, mostly braggadocio spiced with fantasy, was derived largely from a pool of material used by most of the earlier rappers. The backing track for "Rapper's Delight" was supplied by hired studio musicians, who replicated

Branded (Christian) :: essays research papers

The book Branded, by Alissa Quart is an amazing book that talks about how much money, time, and energy is spent by our corporate culture to effectively change the lives and habits of teenagers. The book is written by, and she does a marvelous job of documenting the teenage-corporate-media relationship throughout American history. With degrees from Brown University and Columbia, her journalism and research skills are unparalleled. Every statement and point is backed up by countless facts, studies, and statistics that leave no room for doubt. These truths are coupled with sensitive and powerful real-life illustrations that further prove the book’s powerful message that relates to teenagers, culture, and money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book really made me realize what a strong effect the culture has on children. I guess I always knew this was true, but could never really understand why it was true until I read this book. The book goes beyond opinions and corporate bashing and instead focuses on hard evidence that has been compiled from what seems like years of research. The stories, policies, and tactics revealed of how corporations influence kids and teenagers are frightening, and society’s response (or lack of) is even more disturbing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What surprised me most about Branded were the real life examples of how teenagers were being effected by corporate power and propaganda. One example showed of how the movie heroes and heroines of the seventies and eighties were teenagers who overcame the rich, snobbish bullies who thought that they were better than everyone else. Then the book shows of how a paradigm shift occurred and that now the upper class, rich, and snobbish people are the role models. They are what teenagers want to become today. Movie such as ‘Clueless’, ‘Varsity Blues’ and ‘She’s All That’ present the blondest, most stylish, richest, and elite people as the new heroes and heroines. In ‘She’s All That’, a teenager is even saved from individualism and ‘nerdiness’ and eventually in transformed in a supermodel beauty queen that eventually is accepted by her high school’s elite group. The message is powerful, and throughout the book you start to realize how deranged a teenager’s culture has become.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another powerful Alissa Quart made that coincided with the one above is how influential style and fashion has become to teenagers. Branded makes a strong argument that shows how corporations and media are started to create teenage personalities for them to fit into.

Nancy J. Chodorow :: Biography

Personal Background Chodorow is often appointed as a leading theorist in feminist thought, especially in the field of psychoanalysis and feminist psychology. Her essays are included in many books concerning gender roles and construction as well as psychoanalysis. Her evaluations of the ways in which the psychological dynamics of the gender system is systematically generated and subject to historical change and development are acknowledged as significant contributions to feminist theory. Chodorow is now at the University of California at Berkeley, and she continues her Education and Training She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1966, she earned her PhD in sociology from Brandeis University and received her psychoanalytic training at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. She then received her PhD from Brandeis University in 1975. Major Contributions Chodorow begins her experiences with challenging psychoanalyst none other than Sigmund Frued. His ambition for psychoanalysis led him to his first methods and theories. These methods and theories are as followed; Oedipus complex, dream analysis and his understanding of sexuality and psychopathology. Nancy was inspired by the psychology of women contributions of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Frued’s Oedipus pivots an entire legacy of Nancy’s curiosity of mother-daughter psychology, and which led Frued (1931) to redefine the psychology of feminity. As Chodorow was influenced by the influencing psychoanalysis in the 1930’s, she realized that psychological anthropology (her own subspecialty) had explored the psychology of gender culture. Chodorow’s first women’s conference in 1969 is what propelled her and other women into awareness. â€Å"Being and Doing† was Chodorow’s first published book which contained a cross-cultural examination of the socialization of Males and Females (1972). Its main focus was that sexism is political, economic, familial institutions in terms of men’s behavior toward women. Chodorow explains that â€Å"Being and Doing† located the men’s origin of male dominance in men’s dread of women and fear of their own external feminity. Surprisingly, Chodorow found that male and female bisexual identifications were asymmetrical; the man’s being more threatening. (Chodorow, 2004). The book concluded that women’s identity was based on â€Å"being† and men’s masculine identity was based on â€Å"doing.† â€Å"Being and Doing† was published over 30 years ago and inadvertently anticipated many of themes that are now found in psychoanalytic rethinking of feminity. At this point in time Chodorow insists to take an intuitive and natural mode; beginning with a single, self-evident, taken-for granted but previously unnoticed or unstudied feature of psychic or culture world and expand the consequences of the fact from within the clinical moment (Chodorow, 2004).

Information System Briefing

Information system briefing By Adrienne Williams Healthcare Information systems HCS/483 10/16/12 Instructor Dionne Mahaffey Introduction In this information system briefing I will be discussing the process of researching and selecting Good information systems, when selecting a system you must always know the goal of the organization. mainly how this change can affect the stakeholders selection process. This system is distinct by way of an electrical form of communicating information (American Heritage Dictionary).In studies it’s clear to see the theory of information systems is just shared ideas and information; telecommunication though a computer. This type of technology has become very valuable when it comes to teaching and learning material system modules for any organization. In most accomplishment the general point of the project rest on having a system in place that can implementing a plan to meet the necessities of the healthcare Manufacturing business world today. Appl ying an information system is always a difficult task. It’s very significant to select a system that will benefit the organization accomplishments.Information Systems Briefing In many cases when it comes to healthcare organization being up to speed with the latest technology can and will help offer top notch patient care services. Most organization who are up to date has an department dedicated to information system it is in place to safeguard the technology up to the standards it needs to be. Updating this type of technology can be a bit of a challenge. The company always has a team of people to organize the information must choose the best technology for them to achieve the goals that are set for the company.Stakeholders are involved in every part of the planning and the setting up of the goals if the organization if the stakeholders do not know the steps about the information system technology they won’t know what’s taking place. Once goals are set into place it’s no longer difficult to choose the right information system. Part of the process of getting the system to work correctly for the company can be completed however it’s quite lengthy. The selection of a new healthcare information system (HIS) has been known to be overwhelming process for most clinicians.If the company can prevent any past mistakes of other companies that have tried but failed that will be of lessons learned. What’s to keep in mind is number of collaborators involved in electronic healthcare interventions. It’s identified and classified by five categories: data management, data creation, data sharing, modules management and data presentation. When reading what needs to be done in the selection of obtaining an information system, it is set in place to be how the organization will begin. Then the research for the right system the organization has picked is done.While doing the research, everyone involved should understand be able to under stand the technology before it is introduces to the entire organization (kim, king, & Brown, 2010). The ones who the team always aim to impress is the stakeholders, with that being said the all teams will have to exhibit the main topics to the stakeholders before applying this system into the organization. When implementing the system another important part of the research is for the shareholders to understand the process for this system, (Martin, Sargent, Naomi, & Swiernik, 2011). The cost is another portion that must go to the stakeholders.Closing When strategic planning is finished, the motivation for every person involved has increased and it built a shared vision to see the success of the project. When the members of the team have great communication that is what makes the key to a successful project. The members of the vision ,clarity, and good performance measures all play a role. Reference page Romanow, Darryl; Sunyoung Cho; Straub, Detmar. MIS Quarterly. Sep2012, Vol. 36 Is sue 3, piii-A18. 26p. 24 Charts, 2 Graphs. Paschali, Kallirroi; Tsakona, Anna; Health Science Journal, 2012 Jul-Sep; 6 (3): 418-31 (journal article – algorithm, review) ISSN: 1108-7366

Hidden Guilt Abolishes Selfhood Essay

Those who keep their sins and feelings to themselves cause themselves only anguish and despair. In The Scarlet Letter, a romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is a young man who achieved fame in England as a theologian and then immigrated to America. In a moment of weakness, he and Hester Prynne, a young, beautiful, married woman whose husband is away in Europe, become lovers. Although he will not confess it publicly, Dimmesdale is the father of her child; also, he deals with the guilt by tormenting himself physically and psychologically, developing a heart condition in the process. Dimmesdale is an intelligent and emotional man, and his sermons are thus masterpieces of eloquence and persuasiveness. His commitments to his congregation are in constant conflict with his feelings of sinfulness and need to confess. He lives behind a false self for many years while unknowingly living beside Hester’s husband, finally his true self appears and he is redeemed of his sins as he admits them publicly. Selfhood can be achieved when a hypocritical persona is rejected and the true self consistently emerges. Dimmesdale is shown as the protagonist of the romance through Hawthorne’s use of characterization, conflict, by showing the transformation of Dimmesdale, and by showing that Roger Chillingworth and Dimmesdale’s own guilt oppose him. Hawthorne uses characterization throughout The Scarlet Letter to show Dimmesdale as the protagonist. The Scarlet Letter is a story of characters that have to live and deal with the effects of sin in different ways; of these characters, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is the character portrayed as the most inadequate. Despite this portrayal Dimmesdale was a stronger character than given credit for, his unbelievable amount of control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great sense of strength and intellect; although, he is very intelligent, his faults mask his dignity, Dimmesdale is aware that he is covering up his true self but hides these feelings to keep his reputation of being a pious, dutiful minister. His shortcomings and distress throughout the narrative conceal his pride, â€Å"Dimmesdale clearly suffers from an excess of self. His weakness and suffering throughout most of the romance, as I suggested earlier, have  tended to blur for some readers the fact of his p ride, which, like his scarlet letter, lies beneath and gives special form to his mask of saintliness† (Martin 124). He is first characterized as a nervous and sensitive individual, despite his outer appearance, inside Dimmesdale is a very stable, strong person. Hawthorne states that he showed nervous sensibility and a great willpower, â€Å"His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession†¦expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self-restraint† (Hawthorne 51). While this seems to give Dimmesdale great strength, it is also his largest flaw; moreover, his body refuses to do what his heart says is right. Dimmesdale instructs Hester to reveal the truth, but when she refuses he does not have the determination to confess himself. Therefore, his sin becomes even larger than hers, because while hers is an exposed sin. He continues to lie to himself and his followers by keeping his secret hidden, so his is a concealed sin, while Hester wears her sin openly on her bosom. Here Hawthorne shows us just how strong Dimmesdale actually is, by allowing him to hide his sin and bear the weight of it, he creates an extremely interesting and tremendously strong character; further, the scaffold is the place that Dimmesdale shows the amount of pain and self-loathing he is truly capable of concealing. Dimmesdale denies the fact that he is associated with Hester, and also that he is the father of Pearl multiple times, particularly during those crucial scaffold scenes. During those long seven years he made no move to lessen her load or his own. Seven years prior, Hester stood in this place and took the punishment for both of them while he quietly stood aside and led people to believe that he also condemned her. During the first scaffold scene Dimmesdale interrogates Hester, his purpose was to find out who the father of her daughter was, Dimmesdale pretended as if he had never spoken to Hester before, as did Hester. Dimmesdale acknowledges their relationship later on in the narrative, but at this time he must seem as if he does not know her because if the magistrates of Boston knew of their relationship, Dimmesdale would be treated with the same rejection as Hester. During the second scaffold scene Dimmesdale has had all that he can bear and lets out a yell that draws the attention o f fellow villagers, â€Å"Without any effort of  his will, or power to restrain himself, he shrieked aloud† (108). He curses himself for his silence and cowardice. Also in the second scaffold scene Dimmesdale denies Hester and Pearl again when Pearl asks him to stand with herself and Hester during the day in public, â€Å"Wilt thou stand here with mother and me to-morrow noontide?† Dimmesdale responded, â€Å"Nay, not so, my little Pearl!† (111). Finally the last time Dimmesdale stood on the scaffold he accepted Hester and admitted that he was indeed the father of Pearl, â€Å"The law we [himself and Hester] broke!- the sin here so awfully revealed!† (181). During the third scaffold scene the true sign of strength is revealed, to admit he is wrong takes strength, but the way that he held in his sin thus committing two, one of the original sin, and two of the concealment, then confessing after years of frustrating cowardice takes a stronger man. Dimmesdale is also characterized as a very hypocritical being. He has the town believe that he is a pious, dedicated minister, when in actuality he has sinned greatly, â€Å"But Dim mesdale’s burden keeps him on a level with the lowest. His congregation worships him; their adoration intensifies his guilty anguish; and his suffering heightens his fervor† (Male 334). He is not brave enough to publicly admit his sins until the end of the narrative; moreover, he lives years hiding his secret of adultery. The only people who know his secret before he publicly condemns himself are Hester, Pearl, and Chillingworth. He suffers from this secret every day and night, he punishes himself physically and tortures himself mentally, as well as being tortured mentally and physically by Chillingworth, â€Å"Dimmesdale suffers worlds of penance; but, since he is not willing to sacrifice the public image of himself, it is penance without penitence. He knows that the morality of this colony calls for sin and iniquity to be exposed in the broad light of noonday, that confession is here a public matter† (Martin 124). It takes Dimmesdale three trips to the scaffold for him to be able to reveal to the public that he is the father of Pearl and that he had hidden his sin for many years. His demise was from the drain of his will, which was worn and lacking. Dimmesdale was not courageous in his actions in the story but strong; he was able to carry the burdens, frustration, and pain throughout his life. Whether he was good, brave, or right in what he did is to remain unseen but the fact that he was strong is certain. Rev. Dimmesdale is proven to be the protagonist of the narrative also by conflict, he proves to be a sinner against man, against God and most importantly against himself because he has committed adultery with Hester. His sinning against himself, for which he ultimately paid the price of death, proved to be more harmful and more destructive than this sin of the flesh, and his sin against God. Dimmesdale’s internal conflict causes him more anguish and discontent than any external conflict throughout the romance. His internal feelings of sin and his late night attempts to redeem himself on the scaffold are more of a mockery of ignominy than actual ignominy, â€Å"So long as they are covert, the minister’s gestures are but a mockery of penance, and his cloistral flagellations, fasts, and vigils are unavailing† (Male 334). Dimmesdale is not ignorant, he is very well educated, as Hawthorne states, â€Å"†¦Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale; a young clergyman who had come from o ne of the great English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild forestland. His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession.† (Hawthorne 72). This man’s morals had, until the adultery, been high. He is very spiritual because on top of being of the Puritan faith, he is a minister of the word of God. Throughout most of the novel, Rev. Dimmesdale is forced to hide his guilt of being Hester’s partner in sin, when in reality, he is not being forced by anyone, but himself, for he is the one who chooses not to reveal his secret to the town. Dimmesdale has a concealed sin that is eating at him. He just doesn’t have the courage to admit his wrongs. He seems to be a coward during these seven years of living with guilt. There is a scene in chapter three where Dimmesdale states, â€Å"Hester Prynne†¦If thou feelest it to be for thy soul’s peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow -sinner and fellow- sufferer! Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he we re to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life? What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him-yea compel him as it were-to add hypocrisy to sin?† (73). In this scene it is almost as if we see Dimmesdale speaking as a hypocrite. Dimmesdale portrays himself very ironically; he is a very well respected reverend and  yet, has, for the last seven years, worked on preaching the word of God, especially while he urges the congregation to confess openly to repent unto God. While, in reality, Dimmesdale is the one who needs a clean conscious. He feels like he needs to confess not only to the town but also too himself. Halfway through the novel Dimmesdale has yet to reveal the truth, which, so far, has been devouring him, physically and mentally. Since this good reverend is so spiritual, he cannot reveal his truths to the town so simply. He is of the Puritan faith and being a follower of that, the sin of adultery is a very grand sin; additionally, the whole town would look down on him as if he were a hypocrite, which in fact, he is, but his sin of adultery in that town would have been scoffed at just as Hester’s has. The reverend is v ery well liked by the townsfolk, â€Å"They fancied him the mouthpiece of Heaven’s messages of wisdom, rebuke, and love. In their eyes, the very ground on which he trod was sanctified.† (139). He has been living without revealing his true self for seven years, and it was hard for him, mentally and physically. Mentally, his whole body shuts down because he cannot take it anymore, even though he does not give in to confess yet. He has become emaciated because he has let the sin against himself churn inside and on the outside he has spent many nights whipping himself. Perhaps this is a sign for him to feel he has punished himself, as God would have punished him, if he were on Earth. One day while Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth are talking about medicinal plants that Chillingworth found on an old grave that had no tombstone or marking whatsoever, Chillingworth says to Dimmesdale, â€Å"†¦They grew out of his heart, and typify, it may be, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime.† (129). It’s as if Chillingworth can tell that Rev. Dimmesdale is hiding something, something that could be the c ause of his health depleting. Chillingworth then states that, â€Å"Then why not reveal them here?† (129). Chillingworth knows, he simply knows that there is something else, something that Dimmesdale has not yet come forth to tell him. Dimmesdale, in chapter twelve, is finally realizing that it could be a better thing to disclose his secret to the town. He has become so weak that he has even thought about his own death; moreover, he has walked to the scaffold and climbed up as if he wants to proclaim something, and yet, it is nighttime and the whole town is resting. Some are at the deathbed of the ailing governor who has just died.  They do not notice him. As Hester and Pearl walk by, Dimmesdale tells them, â€Å"Come up hither, Hester, thou and little Pearl†¦Ye have both been here before, but I was not with you. Come up hither once again, and we will stand all three together!† (148) Dimmesdale has obviously been thinking that he wants to reveal himself, he is struggling with internal conflict yet again, but his choice of the hour tells the reader that he cannot confess in t he day, not yet. Pearl herself knows or at least feels that this is right, that the three of them together is a match, because she says, â€Å"Wilt thou stand here with Mother and me, tomorrow noontide?† (148). But Dimmesdale refuses, â€Å"Not so, my child. I shall, indeed, stand with thy mother and thee one other day, but not tomorrow† (148-149). Dimmesdale is coming close to speaking, but he does not. He reveals his truths to the town after he has preached his finest sermon and after the town is holding him so very high on a pedestal. Dimmesdale says to the town, â€Å"†¦ye, that have loved me!-ye that have deemed me holy!-behold me here, the one sinner of the world! At last!-at last!-I stand upon the spot where, seven years since, I should have stood; here, with this woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (237). Now that Dimmesdale has confessed his secret, he can die. He has admitted to being the father of Hester Prynne’s child, Pearl, and his poor corpse, which is so deathly, can rest in peace now. His mind is well aware that it can live on knowing that the truth is out but his body is so battered that it cannot go on living. Dimmesdale has sinned against God, and more importantly against himself. Yes, he has not lived a true life because for seven years he has lived in denial of his sin. It did prove to be more harmful in the end, since he died on the scaffold while standing next to his fellow-sinner Hester. He knew that he needed to reveal himself but in his Puritan ways, it was hard to confess. The irony he portrays and the hypocrisy that he lives is such a grand sin in itself, he lived looking his sin in the face every single day, because he was a minister and not only would have to answer to the townsfolk after he had admitted but he had to face God everyday; his character has perhaps the central struggle in this novel, for he has the struggle within, and the struggle portrayed outwardly to the town, and Hester; in addition, he is definitely a very dramatic character in this novel, for Hawthorne stated, â€Å"Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred.† (242). When Hawthorne made  this quote in reference to Rev. Dimmesdale, he meant many things, he said that he should â€Å"be true† and â€Å"†¦show freely to the world,† because Dimmesdale should have showed his true feelings about Hester, and his feelings that he kept hidden for seven years about the adultery then, h e would have much more relief. When Hawthorne says â€Å"†¦if not your worst†¦whereby the worst may be inferred,† he is saying that if you cannot at least get out the worst trait that you have been indicted of, you should try to get a point across that would aid in the finding of that worst trait. By this quote, it appears that Hawthorne thought that if Dimmesdale had only confessed earlier, he had the opportunities, he could have admitted his sins each time he was at the scaffold, then he would have saved himself from all the torment he had put himself through; additionally, it appears that Hawthorne meant that the town, itself, would still have scoffed but wouldn’t have remembered the sin of adultery as much now, as back then when Hester got accused as well. Dimmesdale is shown at the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter by being opposed by his own conscience and by Roger Chillingworth. Chillingworth opposes Dimmesdale in the sense that, he knows that Dimmesdale has repressed sin; and, he desires to find out what that sin is, â€Å"This man, pure as they deem him,- all spiritual as he seems,- hath inherited a strong animal nature from his father or his mother. Let us dig a little farther in the direction of this vein!† (94). Dimmesdale thought that he had a friendly relationship with Chillingworth, â€Å"He therefore still kept up a familiar intercourse with him, daily receiving the old physician in his study; or visiting the laboratory, and, for recreation’s sake, watching the process by which weeds were converted into drugs of potency† (95), but in actuality Chillingworth was torturing Dimmesdale without Dimmesdale knowing it. Chillingworth constantly tortured Dimmesdale physically and mentally. Chillingworth is always giving the minister drugs that he makes with weeds. Many times the physician acquires these weeds from the town cemetery, these weeds are also characterized as, â€Å"unsightly,† â€Å"ugly† or, â€Å"dark and tangled,† this suggests that the medicine that Dimmesdale is taking is venomous. Chillingworth is generally characterized as an evil person, and many of the actions he takes suggest that he represents the devil; moreover, he even notices this  similarity in himself, â€Å"I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!† (158). Chillingworth is given the name â€Å"The Black Man† by Pearl, this clearly shows that he is representative of the devil. Dimmesdale is also shown as the protagonist through his opposition to his own conscience, he opposes himself in many ways. Dimmesdale’s true self which he reveals at the end of the narrative is the protagonist when compared to his true self throughout the rest of the narrative. His true self during the majority of the narrative is a man who has sinner and refuses to publicly admit it. During this time he privately hurts himself and damages his mind and his body. Although, that the end of the romance, he repents and is able to die. He was not able to die until he disclosed his secret because without divulging his sin he would not be close enough to God, and he believed that he would not be in Heaven after his death. Dimmesdale ultimately was transformed from a man too timid to share his sin publicly, to one who proclaims to the entire town that he is the father of the illegitimate child whose mother has been accepting his sin for years. He was too coy to publicly come form as Pearl’s father that he went to the scaffold in the dead of night to â€Å"repent,† although this action was more a mockery of penance than actual ignominy, â€Å"No eye could see him†¦Why then had he come hither? Was it but the mockery of penitence? A mockery indeed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (107). Dimmesdale was changed from the apprehensive, seemingly pious and innocent minister to the man that proclaimed his sin openly, â€Å"The new man is really Arthur Dimmesdale. Having achieved individuation in the forest, he now returns to join the procession only to rise above it† (Male 341). Hawthorne shows Dimmesdale’s complete transformation through characterization and conflict, Dimmesdale could only die a fter he redeemed himself through ignominy. Thus, Arthur Dimmesdale is established as the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne shows this through characterization, internal and external conflict, transformation, and Dimmesdale’s opposition of Roger Chillingworth and his own conscience. Those who keep their sins and feelings to themselves cause themselves only anguish and despair, Arthur Dimmesdale did this  throughout the majority of The Scarlet Letter, he internalized his feelings and sins and was not able to express them until the final scaffold scene when he threw himself at the mercy of God as he died with a clear conscience. Sense of self can be attained when a deceitful facade is rejected and the true self steadily materializes.

Types of Chinese Masks

The origins of Chinese masks are rooted in ancient religious shamanism. Over the centuries and many generations, artists refined the use of colors on Chinese masks. Today, color continues to be used to indicate emotions or give clues about the identity of a character. Types of Chinese Masks There are several types of Chinese masks: dancer's masks, masks for festive occasions, masks for newborns, masks designed to keep homes safe and theatrical masks. When used on the stage, masks help viewers determine, at a glance, the attributes of a theatrical character.Masks are usually made from wood. However, Chinese opera masks, possibly the style that is best known in the west, are actually painted on actors' faces. Color Meanings Many colors are used in any given Chinese mask, but the dominant colors impart specific characteristics. Red used on masks indicates a positive character. Red can also mean prosperity, loyalty, courage and heroism. Red shows intelligence and bravery. Purple is somet imes used as a substitute for red. In its own right, purple can represent justice and sophistication. Black means that the character is neutral.Black also indicates impartiality and integrity. Blue faces are also an indication of neutrality. In addition, blue can show stubbornness, astuteness and fierceness. Green shows that the character is violent, impulsive and lacks restraint. Yellow tells the audience that the character is cruel. Yellow can also mean evil, hypocritical, ambitious or sly. White faces indicate that the character is evil and hypocritical. Gold and silver show the audience that the character is a god or a demon. The character also may be a ghost or a spirit. Gold and silver symbolize mystery.

Wright Demonstrating the Ideals of Organic Architecture in Taliesin West

Wright demonstrating the Ideals of Organic Architecture in Taliesin West Exterior image of Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona â€Å"Organic can merely mean something biological, but if you are going to take the word organic into your consciousness as concerned with entities, something in which the part is to the whole as the whole is to the part, and which is all devoted to a purpose consistently, then you have something that can live, because that is vital† (1) (Meehan 52) The famous American architect by the name of Frank Lloyd Wright based his designs on what he called â€Å"organic architecture†.His philosophy of what modern architecture should be is one as unique as his buildings, but nevertheless he was a pivotal figure in the progression of modernism in the United States. As described by Kathryn Smith, his winter home in Scottsdale Arizona â€Å"[reveals], more than any of his other buildings, a closer understanding of Wright the man as well as Wright the archit ect. † (Smith 92) This winter home is known as Taliesin West and is an epitome of organic architecture.Wight’s work has previously been demonstrated with the International Style, but upon deeper understanding of his architecture one can come to the conclusion that it does not exactly agree with the movement. He allowed his work to be included in first exhibition of the International style in the hopes of demonstrating the immense difference of his structures compared to the work by Le Corbusier’s, Alvar Aalto, Walter Gropius and many others. Before exploring the relation between Taliesin West and Organic Architecture, an investigation of his lectures and writings must be completed to thoroughly grasp his principles of design.Comprehending his journey until 1936, when he bought the land to construct his new project, will grant the knowledge needed to effortlessly connect the two. Wright started his career at an early age, in 1885, in the city of Chicago. He first worked for architect Joseph Silsbee, than spent five years under the direction of Alder and Sullivan. In 1893 he made the decision to commence his own firm and went through a large learning curve for the next seven years – being a young, ambitious architect with no true reputation and little individual experience. The first decade of the 1900s saw Wright’s first real break-through with the Prairie House.The ideas he demonstrated in this school of thought have a clear connection to his later developed definition of organic architecture. â€Å"Reproductions and variations of foreign styles did not seem to Wright an authentic expression of American culture†¦ † (Twombly 59-60) The drive to appropriate the types of buildings to their suitable land in America pushed Wright further in his designs. The time period expanding form 1910 to 1930 gave rise to many hardships for Wright. In 1911 he built his new home in Wisconsin, named Taliesin, and in 1914 it was the pl ace of the tragic death of his wife and two children.Wright remarried but in 1927 got divorced for Olga Lazovich Hinzenberg to whom he stayed married until his death. By the 1930s Wright’s Organic style had clearly matured and he became confident in his principles, nonetheless he would continue the exploration of his style through experimentation. He opened the Taliesin Fellowship in 1932 in his Wisconsin estate. This fellowship was not to be like a school at all – â€Å"instead of teachers, pupils, and pedagogy† he envisioned having â€Å"skilled craftspeople, novices, and physical labor. (Twombly 212) This is a direct result of â€Å"Wright [believing] that education should be in doing, not in the classroom. † (Twombly 212) A former apprentice of the Fellowship, by the name of Bruce Brook Pfeiffer, describes that upon their first encounter with the desert in 1928 (when Mr. and Mrs. Wright went to Phoenix to collaborate on a hotel called the Arizona Bal timore) â€Å"they would take weekend trips out on the desert. They thought the desert was a wonderful place. The air was clean, beautiful and dry. (Pfeiffer) Following the gradual decline of Wright’s health, he was recommended to relocate to a warmer climate and so the desert was the ideal location. He previously stated â€Å"living in the Desert is the spiritual cathartic a great many people need† (Smith 88) In 1936, after the inspection of several sites, Mr. and Mrs. Wright purchased eight hundred acres of land in Paradise Valley, located approximately twenty six miles of Phoenix, Arizona. (Smith 88) When he visited this site Wright said â€Å"it’s a look over the rim of the world. † (Pfeiffer) This desert floor landscape would be Wright’s and the Fellowship’s new winter home.To now further explore Wright’s own definition of the term â€Å"Organic Architecture† it is essential to note that he used the word â€Å"natureâ₠¬  with two main definitions. The first way in which he used the term alluded â€Å"to the outdoors †¦ or the â€Å"external† nature. † (Twombly 304) In this context there were four major ways in which nature informed his designs, the first of these being the need to be close to the outdoors and nature itself. The inspiration that could be drawn from surroundings as models for architectural forms and construction principles was also a crucial influence to his designs.The use of materials that would connect to the immediate nature was very important in the making a construction organic. Lastly, in the designs Wright created, there was always a sensitivity of the local climate conditions. Wright’s second definition for the term â€Å"nature† refers to a philosophical view on the environment. This use of the word related to a concept he called the â€Å"internal† nature of a house. Wright’s statement that â€Å"architecture rightly defin ed is the structure of whatever is† (Meehan 54) clearly relates to the â€Å"idea† of the house which he connects to his philosophy.Wright also believed that through the study of nature one could find specific characteristics to everything and these characteristics make every item be what they are. His philosophy also encompasses the idea that essence, which every item contains, exists before perception. This philosophical view of nature is difficult to apply or relate to a specific building because it is more relevant to the thought process behind the design. Floor Plan of Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona Taliesin West is known to be one of Wright’s best examples of organic architecture because it so clearly demonstrates these principles. The buildings are neither large nor monumental, but they command a presence on the landscape. Under Wright’s first definition of the word he states an organic building must connect to ground and be close to the outdoor s. A primary example of that demonstrates this is the masonry wall surrounding the buildings. This wall creates an extension into the natural landscape and seems to connect them as one. (Pfeiffer) Large openings to the outdoors along with massive windows create a direct link to the outdoor Desert. Wright was also great at capturing views with his huge windows.One of his fellowship workers explains how he would capture two perfect views into one window by framing the mountains in the top half, and framing the desert floor on the bottom half. (Pfeiffer) This created a great show whether someone was standing or sitting. To compare with the surrounding landscape there are â€Å"small pools extended throughout the plans [that give] a luxury of water and fountains in contrast with the dry Desert. † (Pfeiffer) Although Wright brings in this new element of nature it still emphasises the need to connect to nature.Another aspect of his primary definition is to use forms found in nature and on the land as inspiration for building forms. While speaking to his students he has presented the argument that â€Å"you are never going to get out of yourselves anything more than you are, then you can take in, than you can see as yourselves. † In this statement he refers to the importance of going in nature and examining it with a close, intensive look. This is how one can gain the knowledge nature has to give and discover the construction principles it applies. The slopping roof of Taliesin West showcases this state of mind.The roof is jagged and peaks, as to blend in with its background. Wright was an exceptional fan of the abstract mountains in the background of his land. He described the desert landscape saying â€Å"†¦ here, everything is fresh, original edges pretty much preserved, erosion still going on at a terrific rate making chasms. † (Brierly 5) The slopping walls also seem to derive from this inspiration. The lines carved into the wall that s urrounds the complex was a direct inspiration of when Wright saw the water erosion lines on a canyon he visited. Pfeiffer) The roughness of the desert is also resonated throughout the construction of the edifice. Masonry Wall, Exterior image of Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona He further uses materials as an important part of a construction being organic. In this case, the canvas roof was a great inspiration for him. When he first arrived in Arizona for an earlier project, he decided to build a camp site for himself and his workers instead of staying in a hotel. In the campsite, which he called Ocatilla, they used canvas as roof material and this was the beginning of his admiration of the material in this climate.He loved the soft, natural glow of light dispersed in the space by the canvas. He was determined to keep this canvas roof in Taliesin West and so he did. He also often modified it when he would return from a summer spent in Wisconsin. When the material needed to be replac ed due to inconvenience he made sure to experiment fully and pick a material that would give the same effect of lighting. The Desert rocks he used in the masonry walls of the buildings and going around the building are a prime example of selective material use.All the rocks used in these structures were taken directly from the land on which they were built on. This gave the resort a multi coloured facade that blended in the surrounding land impeccably. By using these materials Wright also strengthened the connection between Taliesin West and its building ground. Bruce Pfeiffer also describes how they used a method called â€Å"desert ruble masonry wall† to make these walls. They would build a wooden frame and place the flat side of the stones facing outwards and proceed by filling it in with concrete.He goes on to describe how they would fill in all the small holes with rounded rocks and describes it as â€Å"each of the walls at Taliesin West [being] an artistic creation. à ¢â‚¬  (Pfeiffer). The third major material element of the construction is the use the redwood. This material was used to support the roof, creating an abstract mountain like rooftop, and throughout the interior of the building. The wood is local to the surrounding area of the Desert. The colour of the wood compliments the landscape and the multicoloured walls of the structure.Lastly, Frank Lloyd Wright was a great believer that a house should always â€Å"go with the natural climate†. (Twombly 310) This is the concluding manner in which nature informs Organic Architecture. This is a concept that Wright had been applying for an extended period of time and can be traces back the Prairie House. In Taliesin West he designed deep overhangs for the roof to create much needed shade in the long sunny days of the Arizona climate. He also had blinds made of the canvas which could be close the large arches leading to outside on overly sunny days.These blinds ended up being replaced by actual glass windows to regulate the heat of the building. Another prime demonstration of this is again the used of the canvas roof. The lighting it gave to the rooms was a perfect complement to the intense Arizona sun. Wright often experimented with the arrangement of the canvas and the wood beams. The lighting of a space is very important for the atmosphere it creates. When the canvas roof became too much of an nuisance because it would leak a lot and was becoming expensive to replace every few ears, Wright experimented and made sure to replace it with a material that would give the same glow to the space. He initially only replaced part of the canvas with glass, but eventually it was all substituted by glass (Smith). When using the word â€Å"nature† in terms of his philosophy, Wright was somewhat less direct. He used the word in this sense to stand for the essence of a building and the â€Å"working of the [organic] principle. † Taliesin West applies to all the dim ensions of his â€Å"organic principles† and would therefore be Organic architecture. The characteristics he believed everything in nature had also applied to the Desert itself.When speaking of this inspiring landscape he would say â€Å"[a]characteristic thing in the desert here is, of course, the desert itself† (Brierly 4) When Wright envisioned Taliesin West, it was his initial purpose to have an ever changing, organic structure. He would adjust it as needed as time passed. A former apprentice of the fellowship once pointed out that â€Å"Thanks to [their] seasonal migrations †¦ Mr. Wright was able to view †¦ Taliesin West with a fresh eye each time he arrived at [it]. † A demonstration of this is the rearranging of the wood beams and canvas to adjust the light.Another dimension of this philosophy is the fact that everything in nature contains an essence. These essences are all active. Nothing possesses a static essence. They can be partially the sa me but will always be different as time passes. (Twombly 312) This is what happened in Taliesin West since its original plans â€Å"were based on the life of the Fellowship† (Smith 89) and it now holds the same presence it did when it was originally built â€Å"with the spirit of youth and exuberance of life† (Twombly 235) but has different purposes and slightly different configuration. Exterior image of Taliesin West, Scottsdale, ArizonaWright had an exceptional career and is recognised to be one of the most pivotal and influential architects of modern architecture in America. Through his upbringing close to nature and his eternal patriotism to America he had a clear vision to a country filled with culture – with this culture being reflected in its architecture. Wright was a man that believed the base of any culture is its architecture. Wright built structures with specific characteristics which made them uniquely themselves. Taliesin West had details that coul d ever only be found in it and nowhere else.It has been made clear to me through the study of Wright’s philosophy that the fact that a building would hold these specific details about itself that make it uniquely it, is the fundamental definition of what organic architecture. The essence built into the complex is the reasons it is and organic design. Taliesin West can be said to be â€Å"part of the desert on which it sits† (Smith 90) Bibliography Brierly, Cornelia. Desert life: Desert Foliage At Taliesin West. Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, 1988. inForm, Arch. Taliesin West. n. d. April 2012. Meehan, Patrick J. Truth Against the World: Frank Lloyd Wright speaks for an Organic Architecture.New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1987. Pfeiffer, Bruce Brooks. Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West Planet Architecture series. 2003. CD-rom. Smith, Kathryn. Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin and Taliesin West. University of Michigan: Harry N. Abrams, 1997. Twombly, Robert C. Frank Lloyd Wrigh t: His Life and His Architecture. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1979. Week, The Architecture. Great Buildings. n. d. April 2012. Wright, Frank Lloyd. Frank Lloyd Wright Essential Texts. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2009. Wright, Frank Loyd. The Natural House. Horizon Press Inc. , 1954.