Guillermo del Toro Books A Reading Pathway

Guillermo del Toro Books A Reading Pathway In case youve been living under a rock, let me recap: Guillermo del Toro directed 2018s Best Picture awardâ€"winner,  The Shape of Water.  He has also directed famous films  Pans Labyrinth, Devils Backbone, Pacific Rim, Cronos,  and  Hellboy.  But you may have just found out that del Toro is an author as well, so below is a reading pathway of Guillermo del Toro books! Hes written several, been the subject of a few, and been inspired by manyâ€"all of which are worth reading because they were the stimuli for the iconic films that we have grown to love. At Home with Monsters: Inside His Films, Notebooks, and Collections  by  Britt Salvesen and  Jim Shedden I recommend starting with this book, especially if you are only familiar with Del Toros films. This book isnt quite an autobiography, but it does go into great detail about the directors inspirations for his monster movies and where he draws parallels among many genres. At Home  is one of two Guillermo del Toro books that is filled with photographs of the home that he has turned into a monster museum, too. He calls it Bleak House, after the Charles Dickens novel by the same name. The pictures alone make this book worth reading, thoughâ€"its so fun to see wax figures of Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, paintings that inspired entire scenes in del Toros films, and even some original monster sketches by legends like H.R. Giger. This volume itself looks like it could be an artifact in  Bleak House. The hardback looks equal parts tooled leather and like the cover of the steampunk classic  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea  by Jules Verne. This book contains essays about the evolution of the monster in film and culture, which are fascinating, and it also has an interview with del Toro about his inspirations, as well.  At Home  also recommends Guillermo del Toro books that, while not written by him or about him, definitely influenced the genius that we now recognize. Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions by Guillermo Del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities  is very similar to  At Home  in that both are full of gorgeous images. The key difference is that this text was written by Del Toro himself about his creative process, rather than the artifacts that inspire him. Its the natural progression of the pathway: after seeing masterpieces of finished products, I always like to look at the works that inspired the artist. Next, I like to see how they went from inspiration to finished product. This book bridges the gap. The several sections in this book span from his collections (in brief) to his notebooks to his unfinished products (fangirling hard, fanning myself with my palm, swooning, regrouping, back to typing). The Strain series  by Guillermo del Toro, David Lapham, and Mike Huddleston This title may be most familiar to you from the FX adaptation of this trilogy into its television series of the same name. The premise (devised by Guillermo Del Toro) takes a spin on the horror sub-genre of vampirism as a viral outbreak. This is one of several Guillermo del Toro books conceptualized by the visionary himself, which means that we get to see it in several forms, both novel and visual, which is always exciting to me. Especially when the creator of the idea is involved in all versions. Hellboy  by Mike Mignola We are most familiar with the film adaptation, but this series of graphic novels was the inspiration for the on-screen characters that we love. This text also bears one of Del Toros trademarks in monster movies: those that present as evil on the outside are seldom also evil in drive. Hellboy as we know him looks monstrous, for sure, but he ultimately is trying to save the world. The essays and interview in  At Home with Monsters  elaborates on this relationship, too. Trollhunters  by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus This illustrated novel talks about fears that move in unseen places. Jim, our protagonist, learns of his troll-hunting legacy after being pulled under the bed one night. Like  The Strain,  this is one of Guillermo Del Toro books that  has also been adapted into film. You can watch the animated series, directed by Del Toro, on Netflix. the Shape of Water  by Guillermo del toro and Daniel Kraus The Oscar-winning film is now also a compelling novelization about an unusual love story between a monster and a human. If you loved the movieâ€" and nearly everyone doesâ€"you want to go deeper into the romance of Eliza and the Amphibious Man. (This is the second collaboration between Kraus and Del Toro, so if you like this book, be sure to check out  Trollhunters,  too!) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark  by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell Im not really confident in your childhood experiences if you never read any of these books. Theyre in the process of being adapted to screen, as well, and although Del Toro will not be directing them, he co-wrote the screenplay and is co-producing the adaptation itself. This collection is definitely worth a read if you are unfamiliarâ€"or even if you  are  familiar, revisiting these stories as an adult is almost equally as harrowing. Plus, arent you thrilled to see what kind of fever dream shows up when adapting Stephen Gammells illustrations? I know I am! What are some of your favorite Guillermo Del Toro books? Let us know in the comments! 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The Crucible a Literary Analysis - 1275 Words

The Crucible: A Literary Analysis In 1692, Salem was populated by Puritans who believed in black-and-white lines between good and evil. The powers of darkness were real forces to them, which could wreak havoc and destruction on society if unleashed. The system of government was that God was the true leader of society, and he expressed his will through the actions of men and women. In the Old Testament, we hear stories of how God led directly through Moses; Salem, likewise, was led through men who were supposed to be directly connected to God. In theory, if you believe in a loving God, this should work; but in practice, men lust after power regardless of their principles. This meant that God’s power was mediated through men, and men†¦show more content†¦As the witch hysteria moves through the village, more and more women are arrested as witches. Their trials are swift and speedy and almost all are convicted. If they confess, however, they are released. Soon, however, t he girls stop pointing the finger at the town’s less reputable citizens and begin accusing the religious and respectable Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey. Elizabeth warns her husband to put a stop to it by telling the court what he heard Abigail say. But she’s too late. When Abigail sees her chance to accuse Elizabeth, she takes it. After observing Mary Warren make a doll (poppet) and stick a needle in it during one of the trials, she later claims that somebody stuck a needle in her. She says it is Elizabeth Proctor’s spirit that has done it, and proof will be found in the poppet in her house. Indeed, the poppet is found and Elizabeth is arrested. John Proctor tries to get his wife released from jail by appealing to the court. His confessions of adultery with Abigail, and the failed testimony of Mary Warren, bring things to the boiling point. Proctor brings Mary Warren to court, where she confesses that she was lying and never saw spirits. Unfortunately, she canâ €™t reproduce her fake hysteria without the other girls doing it, too. Abigail and the other girls begin to pretend that Mary Warren herself is bewitching them, even as they all stand there. All seems lost until ProctorShow MoreRelatedThe Crucibles Literary Analysis963 Words   |  4 PagesMichelle Burlaza Mr. Coons American Literature 23 April, 2013 â€Å"The Crucibles† Literary Analysis In the Drama â€Å"The Crucibles† by Arthur Miller, creates an intensifying and motivating situation that keeps readers on their toes eager to find out what happens next. Miller gives a dramatical attitude and emotion in the situation that is scattering in Salem. Miller emphasizes the plot/situation in the text through a few specific characters, their conflicts, and transition of the plot in every actRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Crucible 1195 Words   |  5 PagesSalem witch trials in the late 1600’s, all the way to the recent civil rights movements in the 1950’s and 60’s. Social history uses personal stories to show how class/status and race played a part in the way people were treated in America. In â€Å"The Crucible†, a play about people being accused of witchcraft in 1692, both class and race played a part in who was accused and executed. The play began when the minister, Parris, catching local girls including his daughter, Betty, dancing at night with theRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller998 Words   |  4 Pagesand spite. The Crucible is a four-act dramatic play production that was first performed on January 22, 1953. Arthur Miller used dialogue within the characters to cover the multiple themes; conflicts and resolutions, plus the few directions for the different actions of the play. The Salem Witch Trials were intended to be performed as the play however, when read, it can be more carefully examined and broken down to analyze the techniques. Miller, the playwright, uses literary technics suchsRead MoreThe Crucible with Related Text865 Words   |  4 PagesThrough analysis of The Crucible by Arthur Miller and the feature article, A Dangerous mind offers an insight into the concept of belonging as it is presented and substantiated through the use of literary devices. In The Crucible, belonging is explored through a theme of persecution, whereby one must conform to the rules of society in order to belong. The alternative is ali/enation and displacement. The central aspects of reputation and empowerment are explored through a variety of literary techniquesRead MoreAccusation And Defense Of The Salem Witchcraft Trials1658 Words   |  7 PagesWitchcraft Hysteria in Arthur Miller s The Crucible and Caryl Churchill s Vinegar Tom. The Article published in the journal of Journal of History, Culture Art Research / Tarih Kà ¼ltà ¼r ve Sanat Arastirmalari Dergisi published by Neslihan Demirkaya on Jun 2015 follows an analysis of the event in relation to the history of scapegoating. The narrative follows the works of Arthur Miller and Caryl Churchill on Salem Witch Trial. Miller s play The Crucible and Churchill s play Vinegar Tom are basedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Crucible And A Scene by Arthur Miller Essay1254 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis Of The Cruc ible And A Scene by Arthur Miller The Crucible was first produced in 1953 during the McCarthy political witch-hunt. The Crucible is governed around, the corrupted degeneration of society during this sombre period. Arthur Miller saw many parallels in this period with the witch hunt in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Most significantly the naà ¯ve yet extremely unjust accusations, the forced confessions and ultimately the growth of such a diminutiveRead MoreThe Scarlett Letter, And The Crucible986 Words   |  4 Pagesfictitious there was a similar scandal that Hawthorne was referring to. The life of the Puritans has been a subject of interest for years, with works of literature such as The Scarlett Letter, and the Crucible that depict this time period of extreme conservatism and harsh punishment. After further analysis and research it has come to my attention that the Scarlett Letter is actually categorized as a Gothic Romance novel. It shouldn’t be that difficult to believe since Pearl was the result of passionateRead MoreA Cultural Critical Reading Of The Scarlet Letter Essay1711 Words   |  7 PagesThrough a Cultural Critical reading of the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is evident that it is not only great piece of American literature, but also an analysis of Hawthorne’s 18th century knowledge about the culture and society of Puritans. The Scarlet Letter is not really an accurate representation of Puritan culture; however, it does represent how Puritan culture was seen in the 18th century, and to the people in Hawthorne’s period, they were harsh towards women, children, and cruellyRead More Catherine Carbone, a Study of Her Personality and an Analysis of Her1581 Words   |  7 PagesCatherine Carbone, a Study of Her Personality and an Analysis of Her Interaction with Other Characters Throughout the Play Arthur Miller was born in New York City, America, on October 17th 1915. His father, Isidore Miller, was a ladies-wear manufacturer and shopkeeper who was ruined in the depression. The sudden change in fortune had a strong influence on Miller. The family moved to a small frame house in Brooklyn. He spent his boyhood playing football, baseball and reading adventure storiesRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Mind1900 Words   |  8 Pagesthe reader s attention. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sigmund Freud both share an amazing writing technique, they like to rely on dreams and their imagination to create their famous stories. Psychoanalysis is said to have several different meanings. For literary purposes the best definition as described by Robert Mollinger would be â€Å"a theory of the mind that can serve as an explanatory model for literature†. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sigmund Freud had the same style of writing, they enjoyed exploring their

The Sources of Legislation That Are Binding in Scots Law

1) The sources of legislation that are binding in Scots law are: European Union UK Parliament Scottish Parliament The European Union (EU) is economic and political union which is located in Europe in Brussels. It consists of 785 members representing the 492 million citizens of the 27 Member States of The European Union. Countries which join EU are Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden. EU is elected every 5 years throughout all the Members States. 5 Institutions serve the European Community: Council of†¦show more content†¦It must be possible to extract the ratio decidendi of the precedent. The ratio decidendi (reason for a decision) is the point of law on which the previous decision was based. Obiter dicta are remarks of the judge, which are not essential for the disposal of the case. They tend to be hypotheses indicating what his preferred decision would have been if the facts had been slightly different. The doctrine of judicial precedent is less rigid in the criminal courts. At present the most important decisions of the Scottish courts are published in the series known as â€Å"Session Cases† Examples are: a) Donaghue v. Stevenson, 1932 S.C. (H.L.) 31; b) H.M. Advocate v. Kirkwood, 1939 J.C. 36; c) Smith v. Oliver, 1911 S.C. 103. 3) Lawyers in the 17th and 18th centuries (called institutional writers ) wrote books setting out the principles on which Scots law is based. Many of these principles were based on Roman law. Lawyers in Scotland today still look at what the institutional writers said about the law and apply these principles to modern day situations. Their authority is always less than that of legislation and case-law, and so the court must always apply the legislation or the binding precedent in the event of a conflict. The most notable institutional writings are: a) Sir Thomas Craig b) Sir George Mackenzie c) Viscount Stair d) Lord Bankton e)Show MoreRelatedDifferent Political Sysytems1710 Words   |  7 Pageshigh degree of flexibility of the devolution settlements and a political nature of the UK’s constitution, which favours resolution of intergovernmental disputes by means other than courts. Despite the chance that once devolution legislation comes into force, the case law builds up and devolved legislatures become more active, courts’ role is more likely to become more significant as a result of third-party litigation, Alan Trench predicts that the role of courts in most intergovernmental mattersRead MoreCivil Law3967 Words   |  16 PagesCivil law (common law) Civil law  is the branch of  law  dealing with disputes between  individuals  or  organizations, in which  compensation  may be awarded to the victim. For instance, if a car crash victim claims damages against the driver for loss or injury sustained in an accident, this will be a civil law case.[1]  Civil law differs from  criminal law, whose emphasis is more on punishment than in dispute resolution. The law relating to  civil wrongs  and  quasi-contract  is part of the civil law.[2] -------------------------------------------------Read MoreBritish National Identity8214 Words   |  33 Pagesof the world. History turns to be an invaluable source for the researchers to tackle properly the term. But history was written by the conquerors. The truth is probably in-between. In The importance of not being English, David McDowall states that national identity nowadays might have different perceptions. â€Å"A Canadian recently touring Britain discovered, in his own words, ‘There’s no such thing as the British, only English, Irish, Welsh and Scots.’ Ethnic minority communities apart, there is considerableRead MoreUK - Analysis Report31935 Words   |  128 Pagesthe prime minister, the bicameral legislature and the judiciary, and that there is a system of checks and balances in place. As the governance indicators illustrate, the UK is one of the most successful nations in terms of the application of rule of law, control of corruption, government effectiveness and regulatory quality. Furthermore, according to the World Bank s governance indicators for 2008, the country was given a high percentile rank of 94.3 on government effectiveness. The heavy involvementRead MoreEssays for the American Pageant, 14th Ed.11068 Words   |  45 Pagesfrom Native American life to a greater extent and relied mostly on trade for economic gain. 2. Evaluate the extent of settlement and influence of three of these groups of non-English settlers in North America before 1775. French Dutch Scots Irish German African Response Strategy It is important to point out that English settlers were a definite majority of those in North America during the entire eighteenth century. However, the proportion declined from about twenty to oneRead MoreBhopal Gas Disaster84210 Words   |  337 PagesConciliation (Amendment) Bill to bring in a more comprehensive legislation. The Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2003. Union Defence Minister and Cabinet spokesperson Pranab Mukherjee said the Bill was being withdrawn as a Parliament Standing Committee had recommended a long list of changes in it. The Government thought that instead of introducing the change in the Bill, it would be better to withdraw it and bring in a new legislation that incorporated the recommendations. The Cabinet also gaveRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesremained small. If the business could not be reasonably profitable, they could hardly maintain their vision of vast information available to users without charge. With licensing its search technology to businesses proving to be such a limited revenue source, they finally were forced to consider allowing advertisers access to their multitude of users. Brin and Page could see a relationship between their search engine and the television networks: those offered entertainment and news for free, while charging

When It All Began Free Essays

When I began kindergarten I was able to print my name in large letters. But the school was teaching me to write from scratch. I was put into advanced writing because the school linked writing to reading, and I was an advanced reader. We will write a custom essay sample on When It All Began or any similar topic only for you Order Now I was not an advanced writer. At that age, I lacked the small-muscle control for precise penmanship, and I usually found my writing lessons an unpleasant, frustrating struggle. I squeaked through without being singled out as a poor student, but I began to dislike and feel anxious about writing. In my first and last week of first grade, I learned what it meant to fall behind. We were no longer in reading and writing groups. Before recess one day, everyone in class was assigned to write their name ten times. With my usual care and diligence, I began to work. When it was time for recess, I was the only student who hadn’t finished. Doing a half-ass job just to be done on time had never occurred to me. In my six-year-old view of life, doing something meant doing it as best as I could, there were no other options. Seeing my unfinished work, my teacher jumped to the worse conclusion. While the other kids went out for brief chance to play, she and her aide kept me inside for a lecture on how I needed to work harder. They assumed I had no finished because I had not tried, and when I told them I couldn’t work faster, the ignored this as if it must be a lie. As so often happens to student in schools, I was presumed to be lazy, dishonest, and driven by the worst intentions. At age six, all I understood from my teacher’s lecture was that I had done very badly on my assignment and should have been able to do much better. She and her aide even made me promise that I would finish all my future assignments on time, a promise that, as I told them and they wouldn’t believe, I didn’t think I could keep. Their intense disapproval and this need to make false promise upset me deeply, and made me doubt my own abilities in a way that I never had before. If they were so certain that only lazy people write as badly as I did, yet I knew I wasn’t lazy, I could only conclude something was wrong with me. It must be that I’m no good at writing. And since my deficiency had earned me such disapproval, I was ashamed of it. My parents took me out of school that week, but my belief that I was a bad writer lasted for years after my last school day. I was afraid to write because I was sure I would fail. With most of what I did, I had no concept of failure, only of needing to improve or try again or take a different approach. Being out of school, with its flexibility and lack of external judgments, rarely involves failure. Someone out of school who doesn’t understand a math concept has no more failed than a baby who falls down while trying to walk, she simply hasn’t learned it yet. As my family began homeschooling, writing was the only subject I wanted to avoid. Through my school lessons and failure had only been with penmanship, I also feared composition, it was all writing, and I had developed a mental block against anything under that name. My mother worried, she could see that all other aspects of homeschooling were going smoothly, but what about this one important life skill that I hated and feared. Believing that she had to keep me from falling behind, she tried making me do writing assignments. She didn’t give them to me often, for they were miserable ordeals for the both of us. But every few months or so she would start worrying that she wasn’t teaching her daughter to write, and would try giving me an assignment or a series of them. Sometimes she tried to find ways to make writing fun. She had me practice penmanship by writing favorite phrases in pretty colors. She asked me to write short stories twice, I never finished either one, and fo r a while she had me keep a journal. None of it worked. Even the fun assignments were only fun for a few minutes, then the fun wore off and fear, frustration, and resentment took over. When I did other projects, I was enthusiastic and full of ideas, but whenever I had to write, I became listless, uninspired, and uncreative. I brought nothing to the assignment, she had to lead me, or drag me all the way because I was only working toward her expectations, not my own ideas. I wrote badly. I could tell how poor my work was, which reinforced my belief that I couldn’t write. My style and content were unrelentingly dull and generic. I was too afraid of writing to be able to put my imagination or my identity into it. I did not progress. To progress, one has to analyze what one is doing and look for ways to improve, and I was frozen in the glare of my knowledge that I was a bad writer. Since every writing assignment only made matters worse, my mother tried the only other possibility. She allowed me no to write, she neglected the subject. She let me fall behind a grade level. She removed the pressure and gave me a chance to outgrow and forget my fear. Except for thank-you notes, I wrote nothing at all. When I was almost twelve, after some years of no writing, Mom again suggested that I try keeping a journal. Unlike the previous journal, which had been an assignment for educational purposes, she made it clear that this one was entirely my decision and that writing skills wouldn’t be an issue. If I wanted to do it at all, I would be free to scribble any old illegible and incomprehensible mess I chose. Furthermore, she wouldn’t expect to see any more of it than I felt like showing her, a few years earlier, I wouldn’t even had consider taking such a suggestion without being pushed into it, but my time away from the dreaded subject had taken the edge off of my fear. I was intrigued by the idea of keeping a record of my life that I could look back on later. This idea was safe enough, with its complete lack of outside pressure and no need to even think about whether my writing was correct, that I felt comfortable giving it a try. I wrote in my journal daily, enjoyed it, and put no effort at all into the quality of my writing. Nearly the whole journal consists of two kinds of sentences, the short, simple kind I had use in my assigned writing, and long monotonous run-ons that I had never used before. The run-ons, some of which went on for pages, came from my completely ignoring the technical side of writing and, for the first time in my life, simply rambling unselfconsciously. Then I decided to write a book. I had been keeping the journal for a year when I had the idea. My inspiration was TV, light reading, and daydreams. For the first time in my life, I was planning a serious writing project that I eagerly wanted to work on. It arose from my own ideas and interest, which was on overwhelmingly important aspect that has to occur at its own moment. Giving children assignments tied to their interests is a poor substitute for letting them follow those interests into whatever learning comes naturally. My mom had tried giving me writing assignments on things that interested me. But being interested in the subject doesn’t mean I want to write about them, so such attempts to tie assignments to interests are often ineffective. When I started writing, I worked slowly, carefully, and well. No one minded, no one checked up on me to see what I was accomplishing. My parents showed friendly interest, as they would if I had a new toy or a new playmate, but they never expressed interest. Motivated wholly by desire to express my ideas, I was energetic and creative. Instead of captive forced to struggle with a hated duty, I became an artist at work, passionate, inspired, striving toward an ideal that had come from my own thoughts. At last I opened my mind and let myself be influenced by all the good writing I had seen. I had, after all, been reading profusely for nearly my whole life. All those years, I had seen and enjoyed good writing again and again yet never imitated it. Now with me writing my book, I considered style for the first time and followed the examples of the authors I had read. As I gathered my observations together and used them without fear, I gained my first solid evidence that I had been wrong for seven years, I could write. I worked on my book on and off for several months before I got absorbed in other things and lost interest. When I wrote, I was very slow, because, with my lack of experience, it took a long time to do the sophisticated work I wanted to do. In the end, I only wrote a total of three pages. But however little I had put down on paper, I had learned a tremendous amount and found confidence in my ability to write. After abandoning the book, I did not write seriously for the next three years or even continue with the journal. This was very different from my old no writing days, though, I was only uninterested, not afraid. Writing a thank-you note or an occasional letter to Grandma was now pleasant and non-threatening. I wasn’t writing compositions every week, but who cares. I had already gained as much as a student needs to, adequate writing skills, confidence in my ability, and knowledge that I would be able to learn more about writing anytime I chose. At age sixteen, at an outdoor concert, I picked up a political flier urging people to write to Congress in opposition to welfare. I felt strongly about this issue and wanted to influence the outcome, so I quickly decided to write. I let ideas for what to say in the letter float through my mind for a couple of days. I was writing because I had an idea that I wanted to express, and again, I drew on my reading experience as I attempted to express myself well. This time I used the writing style I had seen in the political commentary pieces I read in the magazines and newspapers. With that letter, I found that I loved the process of writing. I developed a passion for putting words together to express my thoughts and feelings, and I been writing ever since. After the welfare letter, I began to write profusely on a variety of topics. I was starting fresh, seeing my college writing assignments simply as what they were, a set of requirements that I voluntarily agreed to so I could get help with my work, instead of linking them to my grade-school nightmare. How to cite When It All Began, Essay examples

The crotesque machinery of Dubliners Essay Example For Students

The crotesque machinery of Dubliners Essay The Grotesque Machinery of the DublinersJoyce describes the spiritual poverty of the people of Dublin in the industrial age, with powerfulimages of mechanized humans and animated machines. In After the Race and Counterparts he delineates characters with appropriate portraits of human automation. Machines seize human attributes and vitality in opposition to the vacuous citizens of Irelands capitalist city. Joyces use of metaphorical language brings to life the despair of his country. In Winesburg, Ohio, Sherwood Anderson writes an allegorical account of the failure of mankind (1919). Although Anderson depicts rural life in the New World, his understanding of human nature and descriptive terminology provide a valuable framework for examining Joyces rendition of urban misery in the Old World. The Book of the Grotesque, the opening piece of Andersons short story collection, animates the thoughts of a dying old man:It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself,called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truthhe embraced became a falsehood. (24, Penguin Edition). This notion, that belief in a single truth or paradigm distorts people such that they become warped and can no longer function as human, is central to Joyces characterizations of the Dubliners. Twentieth Century Homo sapiens can be distinguished from machines by their potential to think openly and consider myriad ideas without be ing paralyzed by a singular absolute. When people clutch an idea and transform it into an ideal, the separation between man and machine becomes blurred. Human automatons mechanically follow the programming of their truth. In After the Race, the Irish are consumed with the Continent as a superior place of affluence and culture. They seek an escape from the dreariness of Dublin, but mistakenly idealize mainland Europe as a vessel for their dreams of transcending the ordinary. With this idea of a utopia across the ocean, people loose interest in every day life and become stagnant. Belief in this myth transforms humans, reducing them to a state of mechanized paralysis without identity. Joyce animates the racing machines in the opening of the story, describing how they came scudding in towards Dublin, and each blue car received a double round of welcome (52). The spectators are dull masses in contrast to the vehicles: Sightseers had gathered in clumps to watch the cars careening homeward and through this channel of poverty and inaction the Continent sped its wealth and industry. (52). People here are inanimate clumpsmere obsolete hardware juxtaposed with the new line of refined technology from the Continent.The central character of After the Race is riding in one of these french cars and he is electrified by its performance. Jimmya Dublinerhas taken the truth of the Continents promise as his own, and has thus been disfigured himself into a machine. He pursues a business venture with several Continentals, driven by the falsehood of escape and prosperity that he and his father embrace. As a passive traveller in the car, Jimmy is aroused because rapid motion through space elates one (54). He mechanically responds to the stimulus from an embodiment of his truth: The journey laid a magical finger in the genuine pulse of life and gallantly the machinery of human nerves strove to answer the bounding courses of the swift blue animal. (55). Jimmy is reduced to a network of wires and circuits by Joyces innovative use of language, and the car is animated as a vigorous biological entity. The chiastic inversion (Professor Brian Stonehill, 1/22/96) of organic and synthetic continues: A little knot of people collected on the footpath to pay homage to the snorting motor (55). The abiotic tangle of people are worshiping a living and breathing car, which steers out through them (55). Jimmy follows the commands of his truth and assumes his place as a cog in the social contrivance of his associates after the race. Jimmy took his part and participated mechanically in the festivities of the evening, making a token speech of little value and loosing handsomely at cards (57). Joyces character is metamorphosed into a grotesque by his platonic belief in the Continent. We will write a custom essay on The crotesque machinery of Dubliners specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In After the Race Jimmy, an intellectual nouveau-riche who has studied law at an English university, deceives himself trying to climb the ladder of success and reach emancipation on international standards. Because he has trained himself to rely solely on his eyes, he has acquired such a distorted perspective that when he is involved in a crucial game of cards, ironically, he misreads them (he frequently mistook his cards (46)) and therefore loses a fortune. The epiphanic punch line at the end of the story: Daybreak, gentlemen! is uttered by Villona, a pianist (who stands for the auditory frame of reference). With this acoustic message, Jimmy becomes aware of his folly, an unwanted truth that he had tried to avoid confronting to the very end. Scud: I+adv/prep lit: (esp. of clouds and ships) to move along quickly pellet n 1 (of) a small ball of any soft substance made (as if) by rolling between the fingers: hens fed on pellets of food 2 a small ball of metal made to be fired from a gu n groove n 1 a long narrow usu. regular path or track made in a surface, esp. to guide the movement of something: The needle is stuck in the groove of the record, so it keeps repeating the same bit of music. | The door fits into this metal groove and slides shut. 2 a track made by repeated movement; RUT: (fig.) My parents dont like change; theyre happy to stay in the same old groove. clump 1 n 1 C (of) a group of trees, bushes, plants, etc., growing together: a little clump of reeds 2 C (of) a heavy solid lump or mass of something, such as soil or mud: sticky clumps of earth on his boots 3 S a heavy slow sound, such as that made by slow footsteps virtual / adj A no comp. almost what is stated; in fact though not officially: The president was so much under the influence of his wife that she was the virtual ruler of the country. | a virtual certainty hilarious adj full of or causing wild laughter: The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine. | a hilarious joke -ly adv - ness n U establishment n 1 U (of) the act of establishing or state of being established: The government must encourage the establishment of new industry. | The club has grown rapidly since its establishment three years ago. 2 C a place run as a business or for a special purpose: The hotel is a well-run establishment. | a research establishment allude to sbdy./sthg. phr v T fml to speak about (someone or something), but in an indirect way: She didnt mention Mr Smith by name, but it was clear she was alluding to him. earnest 1 adj determined and serious, esp. too serious: We made an earnest endeavour to persuade her. | an earnest young man who never laughs -ly adv -ness n U: I say this in all earnestness. take to sbdy./sthg. phr v T 1 to feel a liking for, esp. at once: I took to Paul as soon as we met. | Im not sure if hell take to the idea. 2 to begin as a practice, habit, etc.: All this gloomy news is enough to make you take to drink. +v-ing Just lately hes taken to hiding his sock s under the carpet. 3 to go to for rest, hiding, escape, etc.: Fathers ill, so hes taken to his bed. | The criminals took to the hills to escape from the police. remonstrate /n-/ v I (against, with) fml to complain; express disapproval: I remonstrated against his behaviour. | She remonstrated with him (=complained to him) about his behaviour. covert 1 /adj secret or hidden; not openly shown or admitted: covert dislike | covert activity by the CIA to undermine their government -opposite overt -ly adv reputed: adj generally supposed or considered (to be), but with some doubt: the reputed father of her baby F+to-v She is reputed to be extremely wealthy. cargo C;U (one load of) the goods (FREIGHT) carried by a ship, plane, or vehicle: We sailed from Newcastle with a cargo of coal. | cargo vessel/plane bass 1 /be Is/ n 1 C (a man with) the lowest male singing voice, below BARITONE 2 U the lower half of the whole range of musical notes -compare TREBLE (2) 3 C a BASS GUITAR: Hes formed a n ew band with his brother on bass/playing bass. 4 C a DOUBLE BASS -bass adj, adv : a bass saxophone/drum | to sing bass deft: adj effortlessly skilful; ADROIT: deft fingers | a deft performance -ly adv -ness n U in the teeth of: against the strength of; in spite of opposition from: The government persisted in introducing the new measures in the teeth of public opinion. swarthy (adj) (of a person or their skin) rather dark-coloured profane 1 /pr Efe In/ adj 1 showing disrespect for God or for holy things: To smoke in a church or mosque would be a profane act. 2 (esp. of language) socially shocking, esp. because of improper use of religious words -compare OBSCENE 3 fml not religious or holy; concerned with human life in this world; SECULAR: profane art -opposite sacred -ly adv nudge v 1 T to push gently, usu. with ones elbow, esp. in order to call a persons attention: He nudged his friend to let him know it was time to leave. 2 I+adv/prep;T to move by gently pushing: He nudged me out o f the way. | a ship nudging (its way) through the ice | (fig.) During the meeting we tried to nudge them towards (=gently help them to find) a practical solution. 3 nudge, nudge, (wink, wink) infml humor a phrase, first used in the British television programme Monty Pythons Flying Circus, used when suggesting that there may be a sexual meaning to something that someone has just said -nudge n latent adj usu. fml present but not yet noticeable, active, or fully developed: a latent infection | latent aggression | These aggressive tendencies remained latent. tency n U freak 1 /fri 8k/ n 1 a living creature of unnatural form: One of the new lambs is a freak; it was born with two tails. | This dwarf tree is a freak of nature. 2 a strange, unexpected happening: By some strange freak, a little snow fell in the middle of the summer. 3 infml a person with rather strange habits, ideas, or appearance: He looks a real freak in his pink trousers and orange shirt. 4 infml a person who takes a very strong interest in the stated thing; FAN: a film freak -see also CONTROL FREAK stake 2 v T 1 (on) a to risk (money) on the result of a race or competition b to risk the loss of (something valuable, such as ones life or public position) on a result, esp. because one is confident of success: The prime minister is staking his reputation/credibility on a successful outcome to the arms talks. | Ive staked all my hopes on you. 2 (UP) to fasten or strengthen with STAKEs (1): to stake a young tree 3 (OFF, OUT) to mark or enclose (an area of ground) with STAKEs (1): The muddiest corner of the field has been staked off. 4 stake (out) a/ones claim (to) to make a claim; state that one has a right to have something: He staked a claim to the land where hed found the gold. | (fig.) With her latest novel she stakes her claim to greatness.stake sthg.out phr v T infml, esp. AmE (esp. of the police) to watch (a place) continuously in secret -stakeout /ste Ik-a Ut/ nstake sbdy. to sthg. phr v T AmE to provide (someone) with the money needed to pay for (something): My fathers promised to stake me to a new car when Im 18. shrewd adj 1 showing good practical judgment, esp. of what is to ones own advantage: a shrewd judge of other peoples ability | a shrewd lawyer/businesswoman 2 well-reasoned and likely to be right: a shrewd guess -ly adv -ness n U lordly / adj 1 often derog behaving like a lord, esp. in giving orders: a lordly manner 2 apprec, esp. lit suitable for a lord; grand: a lordly feast liness n U gong n 1 a round piece of metal hanging in a frame, which when hit with a stick gives a deep ringing sound 2 BrE sl for MEDAL alight 1 I (from, on) fml to get off or down from something, esp. at the end of a journey; come down from above: The bird alighted on a branch. | Passengers should not alight from the train until it has stopped.alight on/upon sthg. phr v T fml becoming rare to find or see unexpectedly; HAPPEN on haze 1 /he Iz/ n 1 S;U a light mist or smoke: I could hardly see her through the haze of cigarette smoke. | a heat haze in the distance 2 S a feeling of confusion or uncertainty in the mind -see also HAZY trepidation n U fml a state of anxiety about something bad that might happen; APPREHENSION: I waited for the results in a state of some trepidation. equation n 1 C a statement that two quantities are equal: In the equation 2x+1=7, what is x? | (fig.) Most people believe the factory would provide more jobs but the other side of the equation is the pollution it would cause. -compare FORMULA 2 S;U fml the state of being equal or equally balanced: There is an equation between unemployment and rising crime levels. sup 1 v I (UP);T ScotE N EngE to drink (esp. beer) in small mouthfuls -sup n snug 1 /adj 1 apprec giving or enjoying warmth, comfort, peace, protection, etc.; COSY: He showed us into a snug little sitting room with a fire burning. | The children were tucked up snug and warm in bed. 2 (of clothes) a fitting closely and comfortably: This jacket is a nice snug fit. b fitting too closely: The dress was a bit snug under the arms. 3 as snug as a bug in a rug infml very comfortable: Youll be as snug as a bug in a rug in your new sleeping bag. -ly adv -ness n U voluble adj fml, often derog 1 (of a person) talking a lot 2 (of speech) expressed (esp. rather fast) with many words: voluble excuses grace: adj 1 attractively and usu. effortlessly fine and smooth; full of grace: a graceful dancer | her graceful movements 2 showing a willingness to behave fairly and honourably: a graceful apology -see GRACIOUS (USAGE) -ly adv -ness n U spurious /adj fml 1 based on wrong or incorrect reasoning: spurious arguments/logic -compare SPECIOUS 2 false or pretended; not GENUINE: spurious sympathy 3 tech not really the product of the time, writer, etc., shown or claimed: There are some spurious lines in this ancient poem, which were added later. -ly adv -ness n U spite 1n U 1 an unpleasant desire to annoy or harm another person, esp. in s ome small way: Im sure he took my parking space just out of/from spite. -see also SPITEFUL 2 in spite of taking no notice of, or not prevented by; DESPITE: I went out in spite of the rain. | In spite of a slight improvement in sales, the company is still making a loss. congenial adj pleasant; in agreement with ones tastes and nature: congenial work/weather/companions | I find him very congenial. -ly adv gaily adv 1 in a cheerful manner: gaily-coloured decorations 2 in an insensitive, thoughtless way: They gaily went on talking after the film had started salute 1 v 1 I;T to make a SALUTE (1a) (to): Always salute when you pass an officer! 2 T fml to honour and praise, esp. in a formal or ceremonial way: On this very special evening we salute the splendid work of the local police. 3 T fml to greet, esp. with polite words or with a sign: He saluted his friend with a wave of the hand. cavalier adj thoughtless and disrespectful; OFFHAND: Im annoyed at your cavalier attitude towards this s erious matter. | a cavalier manner will 2 n 1 C;U the power of the mind to make decisions and act in accordance with them, sometimes in spite of difficulty or opposition: Do you believe in free will/freedom of the will? (=the power to decide freely what one will do) | You must have an iron will (=a very strong will) to have given up smoking after all those years. | Even small children can have very strong wills. 2 U what is wished or intended (by the stated person): Her death is Gods will/the will of God. | In a democracy, the government is supposed to reflect the will of the people. +to-v She seems to have lost the will to live. (=the desire to stay alive) | The prisoner was forced to sign a confession against his will. | She donated the money of her own free will. (=because she wanted to, and not because she was asked or forced to) 3 S a strong determination to act in a particular way; intention: Where theres a will, theres a way. (old saying=if you really want something you will find a way of getting it) | They set to work with a will. (=with eager interest) | He tries hard but, with the best will in the world (=however good his intentions may be), hell never make a good teacher. 4 U the stated feeling towards other people: She bears him no ill will for speaking out against her proposals. 5 C an official statement of the way someone wants their property to be shared out after they die: Have you made your will yet? 6 at will fml as one wishes 7 -willed /w Ild/having a will of the stated strength: strong-willed | weak-willed toast 1 n 1 U bread made brown by being placed close to heat, usu. eaten hot with butter: I like toast for breakfast. | a slice of toast 2 C (to) an act of drinking esp. wine in a ceremonial way in order to show respect or admiration for someone or something or to express good wishes to someone: Ladies and gentlemen, Id like to propose a toast to the bride and groom. | They drank a toast to the Queen. 3 the+S the person or thing in whose honour this is done 4 the+S+of someone or something extremely popular in the stated place or with the stated people: After the success of her show she was the toast of Broadway/of singers everywhere bundle 2 v 1 I+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep to (cause to) move or hurry in a rather quick and rough manner: They arrested a man on the street and bundled him into a police car. | They bundled the children off to school. | We all bundled into the taxi. 2 T+obj+adv/prep to put together or store hastily and untidily: She bundled her clothes into a bag. bundle (sbdy.) up phr v I;T to dress warmly: She bundled (herself) up in several warm sweaters before going out into the freezing cold. stupor // n C;U a state in which one cannot think or use ones senses: a drunken stupor shaft 1 n 1 C a long or thin pole to which the sharp end of a spear, ARROW, or similar weapon is fixed 2 C the long handle of a hammer, AXE, GOLF CLUB, or similar tool 3 C a bar which turns, or around which a belt or wheel turns , to pass on power or movement, esp. from an engine to something driven by the engine: a propeller shaft | the crankshaft in a car engine 4 C a long passage, usu. in an up-and-down or sloping direction: a mine shaft | a ventilator shaft | a lift shaft 5 C either of the pair of poles between which an animal is fastened to pull a vehicle 6 C (of ) a beam of light coming through an opening: A shaft of sunlight pierced the gloom. 7 C (of ) lit a sharply funny or hurtful remark: No one is safe from his shafts of wit. 8 the+S AmE sl severe and unfair treatment: Its always me that gets the shaft. | She gave her boyfriend the shaft (=stopped going out with him) Bibliography:

Colleges vs. Conservatories for Music Majors

Colleges vs. Conservatories for Music Majors When it comes to higher education, prospective music, and theater arts majors have three choices. They can attend a conservatory, try a university or small, private liberal arts college with a strong performing arts department - or opt for that happy medium, universities with conservatories. There are so many decisions and schedules to ponder when applying to college as a music or theater major, but this ones crucial. Here Are the Differences Some large universities, including UCLA and the University of Michigan, boast strong music departments and all the benefits and lifestyle choices a large university offer  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ football games, Greek life, dorms and a wide variety of academic courses. But music majors who dreamed of a math-free existence may be in for a rude surprise. Double check the general ed (or GE) requirements before holding that no-calculus celebration.By contrast, small college-level conservatories such as the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music focus exclusively on the arts. Everyone is a music or theater arts major, and competition, even after admission, tends to run high. In addition to music, theory and music history courses, students take humanities and writing classes. Some conservatories offer foreign language and/or music business courses, but you won’t find Anthro 101 here or sports (although some conservatories have arrangements with nearby un iversities – Manhattan School of Music students, for example, can take English at Barnard College across the street, and they can use the athletic facilities at Columbia). You won’t get the prototypical â€Å"college experience† here – no frats, no â€Å"Big Game.† And watch out for housing issues. Manhattan and Juilliard have dormitories, but Mannes’ housing is spread out over New York City, and the SF Conservatory has no dorms at all. Check out this list of the top 10 conservatories in the U.S. And finally, there is the conservatory within a major university option. The Thornton School at USC and the University of the Pacific, for example, have conservatories on campus, which give students both the intensity of the conservatory experience and that sense of â€Å"college life.† For some, it becomes a balancing act. Some students have trouble balancing their GE requirements with the considerable conservatory commitment, but it depends on the school and the individual. Visiting the schools and taking a look around are essential steps in making a decision. But start by doing some preliminary research online or at one of the performing arts college fairs hosted by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors at venues across the country. Check out the College Fair 101 survival tips before you go.

Your guide to saving for retirementÂÂ

Your guide to saving for retirement   Have you ever heard the phrase â€Å"It’s never too soon to start planning for the future†? It’s a good rule of thumb, especially when it comes to financial planning and saving for retirement. Sure, you may be at the very beginning of your career journey. You might feel as if it’s too soon for you to have to think about this subject, and that you have plenty of time to worry about planning for your retirement down the road. Still, it might be worth your time to reconsider when you should start. The truth is, most people put off saving for retirement way too long, and the end result is endless anxiety and fear that they’re ill-equipped to afford retirement. Unfortunately, in many cases, they may be correct.According to a recent Business Insider article, Americans just aren’t saving enough for retirement. Based on a study of over 5,000 individuals conducted by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave, one-third of all adults have zero retirement savings and 23% have less than $10,000 tucked away,  an insufficient sum to last through one’s retirement years- especially considering that advances in health care and elder care are making it easier to live longer lives. The article reports that the average American’s retirement goal is to have â€Å"security and the ability to live comfortably without fear of running out of money,† yet they are not doing the type of planning and saving required to make that a reality. Business Insider reports that the major reasons why so many folks struggle with retirement planning are as follows:Most people don’t have any financial role models.  Half of pre-retirees age 50 and older say they don’t have any positive role models when it comes to handling finances. Though some say they can turn to a parent or financial adviser for advice, 40% still don’t understand basic terms associated with retirement savings, such as IRA and 401(k).Most people consider money to o taboo to discuss openly.  Even in the era of Facebook oversharing, 57% of Americans still consider money a distinctly private matter. However, this mindset is shifting: In every category, millennials were more open to discussing taboo topics than people 50 and older.Financial decisions are second-guessed more than any other major life decision.  The study found that 39% of people think twice about money decisions more than anything else. Only 18% of people give pause to career-related choices above all else, and even fewer- a mere 15%- second-guess decisions about their health the most.You don’t have to have all of the retirement planning answers when you’re just starting out, especially since your financial needs, plans, and resources will likely evolve over time. That said, it is a good idea to start building responsible financial habits and behaviors early on and to always operate under the mindset that the money you earn is a valuable commodity and resource t hat you should treat responsibly. And above all- don’t forget that time tends to fly by faster than you think. Retirement isn’t quite as far off as it might seem.Consider taking advantage of the following strategies to help you jumpstart your retirement-saving planning.Get comfortable with saving.There’s an unfortunate tendency among young adults who are just starting out in their professional paths to treat each paycheck as a reservoir of disposable income, a specific amount of money that they have to spend until the next paycheck arrives. It’s a bad idea to get used to treating your income this way. But once it becomes a habit, it’s a tough one to break.Instead, try getting used to saving a percentage of your paycheck each week. 10% is a good place to start for most individuals. It’s okay to start small; the goal here is to get comfortable with the notion of saving. Try increasing the amount you save over time, or whenever your take home p ay increases. Do your best to avoid dipping into this growing pool of money for discretionary purposes. However, if you do hit an unexpected and unavoidable life expense, you’ll have this money to help see you through if needed.Explore workplace retirement savings options.The good news is that many companies offer retirement savings options as part of their employee benefit packages. Do you know what your options are? If not, spending some time researching your benefits or talking to an HR professional at your company is a wise investment. If your company offers a 401(k) savings plan, and any sort of fund matching benefit (even better), it’s certainly in your best interest to take advantage of the plan as soon as possible. Once you get through the initial paperwork to enroll, your contributions will be automatic- all you need to do is keep an eye on it periodically and make adjustments as needed. The value of your 401(k) will build over time, so it stands to reason tha t the earlier you start, the more money you’ll have saved for retirement down the road. Trust us, you’ll thank us later.Explore additional retirement savings options.Contributing to your company 401(k) is a great idea, but it’s often not enough- depending on your retirement needs, your plans should include some level of diversification. Although your may just be beginning to explore your retirement savings options, it’s never too early to get comfortable with the various investment vehicles available to you. These include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and a Roth IRA account, in addition to your personal savings and 401(k). Once again, the key is diversification- spreading out your money in various areas in an effort to reduce your overall risk exposure in any one area.We recommend that you learn about how these investment tools work in general and how you can make them work for you as part of your long-term investment portfolio. There’s a wealth of research and information available online, and you may want to consult a financial professional to help you get started. As your savings grow, consider using one of these investment tools to allow your money to grow over time.Are you ready?Just thinking of retirement can be scary, let alone trying to figure out how to make it financially feasible. If you’re just getting started in your professional journey, the good news is that you do have some time to thoughtfully prepare for how to save for retirement- but the sooner you start, the better off you’ll ultimately be. Use the strategies presented here to help you kick start your retirement planning. Best of luck!