The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Essays

The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Essays The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Paper The Miller introduces the character of Absolon Paper In the Millers Prologue and tale, Chaucer describes each character in great detail. The Miller is also graphically described to us in the general prologue to the tales. Key characters such as Alisoun, Nicholas and John are all described in detail, and Absolon is no acceptation.  This section is important as it introduces and describes Absolon. He is introduced by a lengthy detailed description. We learn he has many talents such that he can play songes on a small rubbile and song som time a loud quinible. However, although this lengthy section does describe Absolon, it has far more significance than just introducing him to the tale, he is characterised as the satirised courtly lover; a deliberate device used by Chaucer in his bawdy fabliau.  Firstly, Chaucer depicts Absolon as attractive but with a feminine slant. To some this may be attractive, but to Alisoun, it certainly isnt. His hair is described; Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon. We also learn he eyes were as greye as goos and that he has Poules window corven on his shoos. This description is important because he is described similar to a courtly lover. Clearly, he is ridiculous and fails as the ideal courtly lover, which lies at the heart of Chaucers deliberate use of satire. There are some elements of Absolons character that fit the ideals of courtly love, although he is still an object of satire, such as his appearance but there are also other aspects of his character in this section that clearly dont conform to those of a courtly lover.  In the section, we find out that Absolon takes an interest in women, however his interaction with them doesnt match that of a courtly lover, again highlighting Chaucers important use of satire in this section and throughout the tale. When we learn that In al the toun nas bewhous ne taverne that he ne visited with his solas, there any gailard tappester was we can establish that this wouldnt be typical behaviour of a courtly lover. The ideal courtly lover would woo their lady by charm and by worshiping her; they would appreciate that she is a lofty creature, worthy to be served. This is further demonstrated when we are told that Absolon abuses what authority he has within the church. When we read that to look on hire him thoughte a mirie lyf it could be suggested that Absolon isnt prepared to go any further than simply gaze at her. In a way, this could be true of a courtly lover as Absolon could be said to be showing respect to the lady. However, this could also be for another reason; that he is squeamish towards bodily functions; again, the satirised courtly lover as a true courtly lover wouldnt have been that feminine. Conversely, in the next two lines we read that if she hadde been a mous, and he a cat, he wolde hire hente anon. Whilst this shows some reference to gratifying Absolons sexual desires, Chaucer lacks to write in the same detail as he does when he writes about Nicholas satisfying his sexual desires. When Nicholas is wooing Alisoun, his language is far more vivid and descript, this is clear when he caughte hire by the queynte. This contrast is important in the section because it again demonstrates that Absolon is hopeless. Although it is hard for Nicholas to be described as a courtly lover, he is getting far more female attention than Absolon, who could be described as conforming to the rules of courtly love more closely than Nicholas. This again, could be suggested that Chaucer is using satire in this rather subtle point, and possibly foregrounding the unrealistic nature of courtly love. A few lines later Chaucer reveals that Absolon took noon offringe from Alisoun because For curteisie, he seide, he wolde noon. This translates to Absolon not taking offerings from Alisoun because good manners forbade it. Here, Chaucer uses good manners as an excuse for Alisoun not paying the church and the only reason she doesnt pay is because of how Absolon feels about her. It could be said that Chaucer simply writes about good manners and courtesy to protect himself, as it could have a deeper meaning. It could be suggested that Chaucer is making a point about the church, and even using it as an object of satire through Absolon. It could be said that the idea of courtly love and wooing a woman is placed before the church, as in this case, courtly love and wooing has defeated and come before the church. Therefore, it could be said that he is showing a certain weakness in the church and religion, and that courtly love or the power of woman triumphs over the church. As highlighted previously, Chaucer possibly puts this in a very subtle way to protect his own identity in real society. It could then be suggested that this mirrors that of the context of the tale. On the pilgrimage, society as a whole would have been represented. There would have been religious figures such as the priest and the nun, and less religious figures such as the Miller and the Shipman. By making his point subtle, it would ensure there would be no objections at the end of the tale. Ultimately this is what happens, the pilgrims show the opposite to objections and in fact all laugh. This cuts across social boundaries and brings the pilgimrs together as one community.  Therefore, in this sense the section describing Absolon is highly important, and even central to the Millers prologue and tale. Chaucer uses it as a springboard to explore many wider issues that avail in society, such as the satire of the courtly lover and the possibly criticism of the church.

Animal Farm By George Orwell

Animal Farm By George Orwell Essay Animal Farm by George OrwellCharacters, items, and events found in George Orwells book, Animal Farm, can be compared to similar characters, items, and events found in Marxism and the 1917 Russian Revolution. This comparison will be shown by using the symbolism that is in the book with similarities found in the Russian Revolution. Old Major was a prized-boar that belonged to Farmer Jones. The fact that Old Major is himself a boar was to signify that radical change and revolution are, themselves, boring in the eyes of the proletariat (represented by the other barnyard animals), who are more prone to worrying about work and survival in their everyday life. Old Major gave many speeches to the farm animals about hope and the future. He is the main animal who got the rebellion started even though he died before it actually began. Old Majors role compares to Lenin and Marx whose ideas were to lead to the communist revolution. Animal Farm is a criticism of Karl Marx, as well as a novel perpe tuating his convictions of democratic Socialism. (Zwerdling, 20). Lenin became leader and teacher of the working class in Russia, and their determination to struggle against capitalism. Like Old Major, Lenin and Marx wrote essays and gave speeches to the working class poor. The working class in Russia, as compared with the barnyard animals in Animal Farm, were a laboring class of people that received low wages for their work. Like the animals in the farm yard, the people is Russia thought there would be no oppression in a new society because the working class people (or animals) would own all the riches and hold all the power. (Golubeva and Gellerstein 168). Another character represented in the book is Farmer Jones. He represents the symbol of the Czar Nicholas in Russia who treated his people like Farmer Jones treated his animals. The animal rebellion on the farm was started because Farmer Jones was a drunk who never took care of the animals and who came home one night, left the ga te open and the animals rebelled. Czar Nicholas was a very weak man who treated his people similar to how Farmer Jones treated his animals. The Czar made his working class people very mad with the way he wielded his authority and preached all the time, and the people suffered and finally demanded reform by rebelling. The Czar said ?The law will henceforward be respected and obeyed not only by the nation but also the authority that rules it and that the law would stand above the changing views of the individual instruments of the supreme power.? (Pares 420). The animal Napoleon can be compared as a character representing Stalin in Russia. Both were very mean looking, didnt talk very much but always got what they wanted through force. In one part of the book Napoleon charged the dogs on Snowball, another animal. Stalin became the Soviet Leader after the death of Lenin. He was underestimated by his opponents who always became his victims, and he had one of the most ruthless, regimes i n history. In was not till very many years later that the world found out about the many deaths that Stalin created in Russia during the Revolution. For almost 50 years the world thought that the Nazis had done the killing in Russia, when in fact it was Stalin. (Imse 2). The last characters that are symbolic of each other are the animal Snowball with the Russian leader Trotsky. Snowball was very enthusiastic and was a leader who organized the defense of the farm. He gave speeches and instructions but was not very beneficial. All the other animals liked him, but he was outsmarted by Napoleon. Trotsky and Stalins relationship was very much like Snowballs and Napoleons. Trotsky organized the Red Army and gave speeches and everyone in Russia thought he would win power over Stalin. After Lenins death Trotsky lost all his power to Stalin and was expelled from the communist party. He was at one time considered the second most powerful man in Russia. (Trotsky? Comptons 290). Besides charact ers there are many items that can be compared as symbols in the book and in Russia. The whip that Napoleon used in the farmyard to wield power can be compared to the power that Stalin used on the Russians. Napoleon carried a whip in his trotter. Stalin used his power to starve the Russian people and to have Lenin arrested. Stalins main goal was to maximize his personal power. (?Stalin,? Britannia 576). Stalin ?whipped? his people into shape by collectivizing agriculture, by police terror, and by destroying remnants of individual prosperity. He also led the Soviet Union into the nuclear age (Clarkson 442). Propaganda is another item that was used in the Russian revolution. It can be compared to Squealer in Animal Farm. Squealer brainwashed (a form of propaganda) the barnyard animals into believing that they did not like apples and milk, while he and Napoleon were stealing the food for themselves. In Russia, the Bolsheviks carried out propaganda on the people by passing out leaflets a nd putting stories in the newspapers that were not true. They told workers, soldiers, and peasants to not trust their own hands and to take away land from the landowners. (Golubeva and Gellerstein 80). Another item that is similar in both Animal Farm and Russia are the dogs and the secret police. Napoleon trained his dogs when they were puppies to guard him and to obey his every command. They chased Snowball away. Stalin trained his secret police to do his bidding whenever he issued an order. Stalin had his secret police kill between 60,000 to 70,000 people. These police were called the Checka and the graves filled with bodies stacked upon each other with bullets in each skull were found many years later. (Imse, C2). Another symbolism that exists in the book and in Russia is a similarity to events that took place. The windmill that is present in Animal Farm can be compared with the growth of industry in Russia or the Industrial Revolution. Snowball first introduced the windmill conc ept to the farm but Napoleon disagreed with him and had the dogs chase him away. Napoleon then presented the windmill as a good idea and the animals were presented with hope that things would get better on the farm. When it blew down, Napoleon blamed it on Snowball. Napoleon thought that if he could keep the barnyard animals busy all the time replacing the windmill that they would not realize how bad their living conditions were, and he could blame the destruction all the time on Snowball. The windmill is the only thing that was holding the animals together as a unit. In Russia the growth of factory and industry was very depressing but depended on the obligatory labor of serfs. Russia hoped that by keeping the serfs working all the time and promising them a better world that they would not realize how bad their living conditions were. The Industrialists were pressing their own constitutional demands. (Clarkson 352). None of the social classes were fighting each other because there w ere no classes left. What Russia got working was to make the people think that the prospect of loss of potential improvements in conditions of life of the here and now, could only be attained by stimulating labor to unprecedented efforts. The last event that was similar in the book and in Russia was the animal rebellion on the farm and the Russian Revolution of 1917. Farmer Jones was drunk a lot and would forget to feed the animals on the farm. The withholding of this food is what finally forced the animals on the farm to rebel against Farmer Jones. In Russia, there were many food shortages which caused the people to demonstrate and then the Russian soldiers refused to suppress them and the leaders demanded that Nicholas transfer his power to parliamentary government because everything was getting out of control. Soviet workers and soldiers formed a special committee and established a government. The same day the emperor abdicated. (?Russian Revolution,? Grolier npa). This actually backfired in Russia and the war continued and the people still starved. Many lessons can be learned by reading Animal Farm that can help countries and governments around the world from making mistakes in wielding their power against their people. If a population is suppressed and not allowed to accumulate things for themselves then an overthrow of the government that is suppressing them will be the result. WORKS CITEDClarkson, Jesse. A History of Russia. New York: Random House, 1969. Golubeva, T. and L. Gellerstein. Early Russia The Russie. Moscos, Press Agency Publishing House, 1976. Imse, Ann. Mass Grave Seen as Evidence of Massecure by Stalins Police. ?Hunstsville Times, 13, August. 1990. Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Signet 50th Anniversary Edition, Harcourt Brace Company, 1996. Pares, Sir Bernard. The Fall of the Russian Monarchy. New York: A division of Random House, 1939. ?Russian Revolution of 1917.? Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. 1992 ed. ?Stalin, Joseph.? Encyclopedi a Britannica. 1917 ed. READ: Mahatma gandhi Essay

Art Apprecition IP Week One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art Apprecition IP Week One - Essay Example There are far too many mediums, concepts, genres, intentions, perceptions, and possible presentations that assigning a simple verbal definition would, in fact, be a disservice. Like beauty, is not art in the eye of the beholder? More so, does assigning any absolute definition not limit the potential of what â€Å"art† can be? Art is something being ever â€Å"re-defined,† and therefore often defies definition. Ultimately, it may be impossible to ever truly construct a definition of art that could truly and wholly satisfy what it is intended to encompass. The definition of art is one of the greatest controversial subjects in modern contemporary philosophy. (Adajian,2012) We all have our own internal understandings of what strikes us as art. We know as individuals what elicits an emotional response, what triggers your thoughts and what captured moment on canvas or print that lures ones imagination. Art is many things; it is timeless and everlasting element of the human ex perience that allows us to express ourselves in fascinating, unique, and different ways. It has been said that art is the truest freedom of expression, that said then it should be free of the boundaries and limitations of simplistic definitions. Perhaps the reason that art cannot be well defined by words alone is because it is not just a word; it is feeling, thought, and life experiences. Part 2-Examples of Art†¦ Wassily Kandinsky was a respected abstract painter. This piece, â€Å"Autumn in Bavaria,† completed in 1908, oil on cardboard, is one of the few paintings that are far less abstract than the majority of his work. This piece is striking in its use color to imply the very lovely and familiar image of a lushly landscaped European country road. It has the brighter colors of spring and warm weather. This is a beautiful and breathtaking sculpture titled, â€Å"Expansion,† by Paige Bradley, is the visage of a woman in a relaxed, peaceful, and meditative pose. Un ique lighting effects were employed to create the illusion that the woman’s inner being, spirit, soul, energy is bursting free of its limitations, starting with its flesh. It is hard not be pulled into the image, because it is so serene and implies by the calmness of the figure that this metamorphosis from physical to light is not frightening or painful, but desirable and necessary. Do we not all wish we could escape our physical limitations and move beyond what we are today? This piece personifies that very human longing. This is astounding house is built to set above this incredible flowing waterfall is titled â€Å"Fallingwater† It is a beautiful image and a stunning view. It, also, is a fantastic testament to the potential for humanity to build their homes in collaboration with nature, while still being visually appealing, and far less damaging to the environment. Architecture can be very dry and underappreciated at times; however, this piece is an example of how t he building of a house is not just a matter of construction and utility, but of unique beauty and artistic value. There were a multitude of amazing scenic photographs in collection of Ansel Adam’s. This piece is truly breathtaking and encompasses the majestic and awesome vastness and beauty of some of the natural environments around us. The use of light and shadow makes the mountain rage and river characters with personality, like characters in a story being told. So often nature is the background, in Adam’

Interspecific and Intraspecific Plant Competitions Lab Report

Interspecific and Intraspecific Plant Competitions - Lab Report Example In cases involving high levels of nutrient availability, the competition always shifts to scramble for light for photosynthesis. This is depicted in the nature in which radish and wheat responded to different conditions of light, nutrients and temperature. Light is always a unidirectional resource. The density of radish was higher than that of wheat under different conditions that they were subjected towards. This resulted from the influence of light and temperature in the growth rates of such plants relevant to the interspecific competition. The results show that radish is a better competitor compared to wheat. This is may also be manifested in other plant interactions. For instance, different habitats have different types of plants with different capabilities and rates of growth, reproduction and competition. Interspecific competition has a negative influence on the sizes of populations of the competitors. This is depicted in the results from the experiment above. The shoot mass in Radish had a higher rate of the growth compared to those of wheat. This means that radish is a better competitor compared to wheat. Therefore, in the long term period, the effects of the interspecific competition between radish and wheat may see wheat being eliminated by radish. When the competition is very severe, the population sizes of the competing species are considerably reduced. This is due to the impacts that the competition presents on the quantity of the resources fought for or against.

Economic Policy Essay -- essays research papers

Economic Policy in Recent U.S. History In the highly materialistic world that we live in, success is generally measured in financial terms. The same is true in politics, where the success of a politician, especially the President, is measured by how well the economy did during his term in office. It is specifically measured by how well they bring down unemployment, grow the economy and fight inflation. Two basic modes of thought on the subject have pervaded public policy since World War II: supply-side and demand-side economics. Demand-side economics is generally known as Keynesianism, named after the English economist John Maynard Keynes. He believed that governments should force interest rates down by printing money and lending it from the central bank at a discount. This would put more money in consumers\\\' hands and encourage them to spend and consume more, thus creating an incentive for investment. This helped to solve some of the problems, but in the long run it is extremely inflationary, because with the increase of the money supply it becomes devalued. Keynesianism also calls for the government to spend more to try to help the economy grow. Keynesianism was a short-term solution to the problem and could only do so much for the economy before inflation caught up with it, and took it into recession. On the other hand we have supply side economics, which works on more of a long-term basis. It basically attempts to stimulate economic growth, which would reduce inflation, and raise the standard of living. Supply side proponents say that by reducing government regulations and taxation, this will stimulate more economic growth, and market equilibrium will be reached on it’s own, without government impositions. Keynesianism was popular until the late 1970’s during a period of ‘stagflation’, where both unemployment and inflation were rising together. Policymakers realized that they could not solve this problem with Keynesian ways of thought. When Reagan came into his Presidency he was faced with an economy that was in recession; the prime interest rate was 15Â ½ percent, the unemployment rate was over 7 percent and inflation was running close to 14 percent a year. Reagan and his advisors took a conservative approach to solving the problem and looked to supply-side, or ‘trickle down’ economics to accomplish their goal of bringing the country out of this... ...ngress in fact adopted the tax reductions, and a set of spending reductions was incorporated into the First Congressional Budget Resolution. The budget process for 1982 was never completed, however, and the 1981-82 recession intervened. The net result of these efforts has been that tax rates are lower now than in 1980, but not lower than rates in 1979. The reductions in aggregate federal expenditures relative to GNP, however, have not materialized. Indeed, during the first three years of the Reagan administration, federal spending as a percentage of GNP increased to historically high peacetime levels. Because the decline in the rate of growth of tax revenues has not been matched by a decline in the growth of expenditures, the government\\\'s budget deficit in real terms has also reached unprecedented peacetime levels. The 1983 deficit was almost 6 percent of GNP. Projected deficits for 1985 and 1986 exceed 4 percent of GNP. These levels are of the same order of magnitude as those reached during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Without a reversal of the tax reductions or significant real spending cuts, the projected deficits will not fall below 3 percent of GNP until 1989.

Patrick White’s “A Fringe of Leaves” Essay

Social interactions and relationships are often used in novels to establish and develop thematic concerns within the text. Within A Fringe of Leaves, Patrick White constructs characters and their relationships to expose the constraints of social expectations and simultaneously illustrate the metaphysical journey to self-realisation that the protagonist, Ellen undergoes. It is through Ellen’s complex and often confusing relationships with other characters that her journey may be traced and the extent of change at each level may be realised. The text remains, throughout such a journey, concerned with the contrast between appearances and reality, revealed though all levels of interaction, but poignantly exemplified in the upper class. Such contrasts are juxtaposed to the relatively natural, however none the less complex, relationships appearing deep within the Australian bush. Social relationships are vital in establishing themes, however Ellen’s inner struggle remains the focus of the novel. Relationships are therefor presented as complex and confusing in order to shape a deeper understanding of both the tribulations and personal conflicts Ellen must face and the complex product of her journey. Ellen Gluyas is of working class origins and it is only through her relationship with Austin that she comes to be the ‘Mrs. Roxburg’ of class and social stature. This transcending of class, although provides her with stoic and expedience, valuable in her journey, is the cause of much confusion for Ellen and she is constantly reassessing her situations in able to assume her appropriate role. White clearly expresses that Ellen and Austin’s marriage is for reasons other then romantic love. Austin’s selection of Ellen as his wife enables him to fulfill his Pygmalion fantasies, however the prospect of marrying would not have come about at all without the instruction of his mother. The marriage may thus be seen as, as equally fulfilling for ‘old’ Mrs. Roxburg as it is for Austin. Ellen, in complying with the Pygmalion concept, marries as it is her only means by which to achieve social mobility. Her acceptance of Austin’s ‘extraordinaryâ €™ proposal is prompted by her father’s death (a complex relationship in itself) as her resulting social position leaves her with little alternative choice. Their relationship is thus grounded on a precarious combination of unequal power, gratitude, unfamiliarity, duty and ‘a bungling attempt to  prove their love’. It is in the initial stage of the novel that the impacts of such a relationship are introduced. Ellen constantly struggles to camouflage her working class roots and beneath that, her spiritual and instinctual self. This creates conflict and confusion in her understanding of her self and her relationships with other characters. Ellen plays a ‘many faceted role’, which is made possible through the layers of social practices imposed during her initiation into the upper class. Although Austin provides her with the opportunity, it is her relationship with ‘old’ Mrs. Roxburg that begins the construction of the new young Mrs. Roxburg. Ellen becomes Austin and his mother’s molded and manipulated ‘work of art’ and it is during this time that she realises the importance of appearances within the upper class. Ellen also becomes aware of the innocence and ignorance of her working class self, and hence White foregrounds the notion of the class system as divided by a thin veneer of respectability. This notion of a superficial ‘fringe’ as the determinant of position within society is further criticised through the construction of Austin’s brother Garnet. White’s portrayal of Garnet and the insights Ellen gains from her relationship with him, reveal the potential for corruption and immorality within the upper class. Garnet, although banished from respectable society in Britain, is able to resume his authoritarian role, transposing his familiar existence of privilege and power to an Australian society. White’s ironic portrayal of Garnet as a stereotype of the upper class is critical in its exposure of the double standards apparent in a stratified social structure. Garnet is expected to uphold social ideals by setting moral examples for those ‘lesser’ than him, yet he, in every respect, defies the concept of ‘Christian morality’ through his advantageous and corrupt nature. White’s depiction of Garnet’s relationship with the servant girl Holly reveals how a man of his position is able to manipulate the lives of those around him, with little concern for the consequences. The character of Holly is marginalised within the text however this may be read as furthering White’s ironic portrayal of the upper class, as the minimal description of the girl’s fate is representative of just how little Garnet’s actions effect  his life. Although the portrayal of Holly also criticises dominant ideologies on gender, the extent of double standards towards male and female sexuality is fully exposed in the construction of the relationship between Ellen and Garnet. Their relationship is strongly contrasted to the sterile and repressive nature of Ellen and Austin’s relationship. Within her marriage Ellen is unable to explore her sexuality as when she ‘had†¦once responded with a natural ardour†¦discovered on her husband’s face an expression of having tasted something bitter’. Her relationship with Garnet thus proves to be complex in its meaning. It first represents Ellen and Garnet as parallel characters in their sensualist desires that must be censured in light of social morality. Whilst simultaneously juxtaposing the perception of sexuality in males and females within phallocentrically informed societies. Garnet’s sexuality is defined as a source of virile power. It is condoned and somewhat celebrated within the text. In strong contrast, Ellen’s sexuality is represented as dangerous and immoral. She suffers guilt after the experience, and in resuming her relations with Austin, continues to ‘refrain†¦from tearing†¦off†¦the mask which evidently she was expected to wear.† In the Roxburg’s confusing relationship of supposed love and stifled interactions, Ellen must repress her sensual desires in order to conform to social expectations of a ‘lady’, and thoughtful wife. Thus Garnet is the ‘tool which she used to measure the depths she was tempted to explore’. Their encounter unleashes Ellen’s repressed sensual nature and sexual desire, which prompts and foreshadows her journey to self-realisation. White depicts Ellen as a complex character whose complexity is enhanced by her experiences within the upper class of society. By focusing on Ellen’s social relationships, White is able to construct her character to the point where her descent may be as interesting and many leveled as her ascent. As a working class girl, Ellen existed with a few layers of constructed self. As she is initiated into the upper class she is constructed by external forces (‘old’ Mrs Roxburg and Austin) and internal forces (her new ‘knowledgable’ self, exemplified within her journal). This construction of self, imposes layers upon layers of ‘culture’ and false or rendered identity. In ellen’s  journey to self realisation she is stripped of her constructed or social self. The initial stages of the novel develop these layers so that the second part may remove them. Social relationships are thus used to develop and measure both her ascent and her descent. Parallels are thus drawn between the Roxbourg’s and the Aborigines, as they are characters whose relationships with Ellen denote periods of marked and rapid change. This notion of allining the two experiences is introduced when Ellen is ‘dragged to her feet’ by the group of Aboriginal women. Omniscient narration allows the parallel to be drawn through the line, ‘Ellen Gluyas had not encountered a more unlikely situation since forced as a bride to face the drawing rooms at Cheltenham.’ This line is significant also in the use of naming. It is the first of an interchanging of identity, which represents both the confusion Ellen undergoes and also the shedding of her ‘cultivated’ layers. Within the Aboriginal society Ellen is pushed and pulled to suit those around her. This may be read as representative of her treatment by civilised society, on a more basic and primitive level, symbolising manipulation through social relationships. Ellen’s relationship with the aborigines mark the beginning of her descent, as she is returned to the most basic and subsistence level of humanity. However to exist within the community she still must assume certain roles, such as slave and nurturer, savage and ‘work of art’. Ellen becomes the Aborigines ‘work of art’, just the way she did for Austin. And the ordeal she suffers exemplifies physically, the psychological effects of her ‘work of art’ rolein her marriage. Her role as nurturer and savage, reveal her instinctual and primitive self . Ellen is allowed to explore this side of her nature as she is freed from the constraints of civilised society. White constructs relationships between Ellen and the Aboriginal children, through Ellen’s role as nurturer. These relationships are important in revealing the contrasts of good and bad within human nature, and White explores the notion that good and bad exist collectively within people, and that nothing is truly good or truly bad. This is first introduced through the portrayal of Garnet who, despite being vilified within the text, encompasses vital characteristics in the development of Ellen’s journey. The  first relationship Ellen has with an aboriginal child, blatantly exposes her evil side, whilst nurses the sickly child. There is stark contrast of good and bad in Ellen’s thoughts and speech. She first refers to it as disgusting an then wishes it to ‘sleep, sleep†¦sleep-my darling’. Later she wishes the child dead. Her relationship with other Aboriginal children, within the text are equally confusing. There are moments of idyllic contentmen t with the children, and then they become solemn and determined or even violent. They become for Ellen a means by which she may be comforted, however there there is never any developed example of love. In the context of Ellen’s journey, the children are also ‘tool’s, by which she may explore her nurturer side, denied through her fruitless marriage with Austin. White’s construction of the character Jack Chance, Ellen’s convict hero, provides a heightened example of good shrouded in evil. Jack is a murderer, and a criminal, whilst he is Ellen’s protector. In contrast to Garnet, Jack is unable to escape the consequences of his actions, and has suffered the brutalities of the upper classes’ corruption. His character thus evokes sympathy despite his immoral past. The union of Ellen and Jack is complex as it reveals the contradiction and multiplicity within the individuals’ true self. Jack is presented as both a murderer and protector, whilst Ellen’s heightened awareness of self, is only made possible through the darker and more primitive side of her nature. The positive portrayal of their Eden-like existence valorises the multiplicity and contradictions within themselves and their relationship. It is both a spiritual and sexual union in which Ellen appears her most natural self. It is with Jack that she makes the final transition to full enlightenment and self-realisation, symbolized by the sheding of her fringe of leaves. Their relationship remains confusing though. Ellen replaces the fringe of leaves to distance herself from Jack. Although ‘she loved him’, social relationships remain complex for Ellen, and Jack is of course another tool in Ellen’s journey. Through him she may rekindle her sensuality and extend her self knowledge. He is her means to return to civilization, and thus their idyllic relationship is temporary. White implies that their union is not possible within civilised society. Their natural existence of unrepressed desires and sensuality may not be transposed onto a world of appearances and constructed social fronts, such  that Ellen returns to civilization alone. Throughout the novel Ellen’s social relationships trace and reflect the stages of her journey. On returning to civilisation there surfaces a new confusion as Ellen realizes that ‘self-knowledge might remain a source of embarrassment even danger.’ She is forced to repress all of her new knowledge to fit back into a society of superficiality and unjustified stratification. White constructs Ellen’s journey to criticise the nature of society and to expose the tribulations of those ‘less’ than the upper class white male. Through the construction of confusing and complex relationships, White is able to delve deeper into the multitude of perceptions and understandings of his characters. Few characters reflect a one sided and purely good or bad person, thus White reveals that morality and ‘goodness’ is often blurred. In the context of class, by employing omniscient narration, social relationships are constructed to reveal the superficialities and uneven power distributions within society. Through his critical depiction of class White enforces that such divisions are but thin veneers, and criticizes them as a false basis to build social relationships. Through Ellen’s journey, more heightened experiences take precedence over her somewhat tedious social existence. Juxtaposed to her inner thoughts and spiritual awareness, her social front is predominantly a piteous reflection of her true self. White explores such contrasts in order to invoke a critical reflection of society in all contexts.

Workplace Wellness Essay - 1316 Words

INTRODUCTION Health and wellness in the workplace is crucial to business success. Increasingly, it is recognized that the workplace itself has a powerful affect on people’s health. When people are satisfied with their job, they are more productive and tend to be healthier. When employees feel that the environment at work is negative, they feel stressed. Stress has a large impact on employee mental and physical health, and in turn, on productivity. Companies that promote healthy lifestyle habits for employees to improve their health, often take the success of the company to heart and are likely to be absent less often for health related reasons. Employers are now offering a wide range of wellness initiatives; such as health risk†¦show more content†¦Employee Health and Wellness Are Suffering: †¢ Less than one third of employees (28%) today say their overall health is â€Å"excellent†Ã¢â‚¬â€a significant decline of 6% from 2002. †¢ 41% of employees report experiencing three or more indicators of stress sometimes, often or very often, which is a significant increase from 2002. †¢ Work-life conflict increasing, especially for men. †¢ One in three employees experiences one or more symptoms of clinical depression. †¢ 49% of employees have not engaged in regular physical exercise in the last 30 days. †¢ One in four smokes. †¢ While little changed since 2002, 27% of employees still experience some kind of sleep problem that affected their job performance within the last month at least sometimes. †¢ Nearly two out of three employed individuals (62%) are overweight or obese. †¢ 8% of employees have no health insurance from any source, with low-wage/low-income employees less likely to have access and least likely to use even if they do have access. There are a vast number of types of workplace wellness programs. In general, workplace wellness programs encourage people to take steps to prevent the onset or worsening of a health condition or sickness and to adopt lifestyles that are healthier. Businesses may implement many types of workplace wellness programs, from onsite gyms to simple workplace wellness newsletters. While some corporations have instituted very comprehensive workplace wellnessShow MoreRelatedWellness Programs in the Workplace2930 Words   |  12 PagesStates. In response, employers, in an attempt to increase productivity and decrease health insurance costs, have created wellness programs to combat the growing trend of unhealthy living habits. This paper will discuss the different components of a wellness program, explore a typical employer’s overall wellness strategy, and analyze incentives and trends in common wellness programs in America. 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