Crime and Punishment Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment Essay People will sometimes go to greater extents just because they believe it’s for the better of the people. Mankind may sometimes reside to murdering a person in belief that it will benefit the society because that person is worthless and just takes up space. In Fedor Dosteovsky’s Crime and Punishment, the character Raskolinikov decides to commit a murder or in his eyes, rid society of a worthless person. Sometimes poverty will make a man tip over the edge. It will cause a man to commit a homicide because in their mind they see that person worthless to society. In Doestoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, poverty helps setup the theme of nihilism. â€Å"Life is in ourselves and not in the external,† writes Fyodor Dostoevsky in a letter to his brother dated December 22, 1849. â€Å"To be a human being among human beings, and remain one forever, no matter what misfortunes befall, not to become depressed, and not to falter—this is what life is, herein lies its task.† This passage was written immediately after Dostoevsky underwent the traumatic experience that Tsar Nicholas I ordered for sever prisoners condemned to death for supporting the expression of free thought within the Russian state, a mock execution in Semyonovsky Square, a staged performance so terrifyingly real that it induced insanity within one of the author’s fellow prisoners. The quote is evidence of Dostoevsky’s strength of character; his would be a difficult life living in poverty, he would helplessly watch as many of the people closest to him died from the ailments of the poor. It also exposes the significant flaw common to som e of his characters and tragic heroes through despair, and weakness before the weight of misfortune, they falter, and commit barbaric acts that render them unfit to operate within the context of humanity. This is the case with both Baklushkin and Shishkov from The Hous of the Dead, as well as with Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. Fyodor Dostoevksy was born on October 30, 1821 in Moscow, Russia. He was born into a strict way of life. He lived much of his childhood distanced from his frail mother and officious father. In these formative years, he formed a close bond with his elder brother Mikhail. He was sent to school at an early age, during his years in school Dostoevsky was lonesome, but those lonesome years in school afforded him a release from his father’s stern household. In his solitude he found an interest in Literature and spent most of his time reading. As a young man, Dostoevsky’s father was brutally murdered by his serfs. Though he rarely mentioned his father’s death, the theme of parricide provided the central focus of perhaps his greatest work, The Brothers Karamazov. At his father’s instance, Dostoevsky attended engineering school, but upon graduation he chose to pursue a literary career. His first published work, Eugenie Grandel, was published in a St. Petersburg journal in 1844. Dostoevsky completed his first novel, Poor Folk, in 1845. A naturalistic tale with a clear social message, the novel was acclaimed by the foremost literary critic of the day, Vissarion Belinsky, who stated, â€Å"A new Gogol is born!† the work brought Dostoevsky success and adulation that he was ill-equipped to handle. Dostoevsky became a member of Belinsky’s literary circle, but when Belinsky reacted coldly to Dostoevsky’s subsequent work, a breach developed between them. In 1848, Dostoevsky joined a political group of young intellectuals led by Mikhail Petrashevsky. The reactionary climate of Russia at the time was not receptive to a group which published illegal literature and discussed utopian socialism, and in 1849 the members were arrested and charged with subversion. Dostoevsky, whom the authorities considered the most important member, was imprisoned and sentenced to death. In a scene that was to haunt him all of his life, Dostoevsky and his friends faced a firing squad, but were reprieved when a messenger arrived with the announcement that their sentences had been commuted to four years of hard labor in Siberia and four years of army service. His harrowing near-execution and terrible years of imprisonment made an undeniable impression on his life, converting him to a long life of intense spiritual lifestyle. His prison experiences, as well as his life after prison among the urban poor of Russia, would provide a vivid backdrop for much of his later work. Released from his imprisonment and service by 1858, he began a fourteen-year period of furious writing, in which he published many significant texts. Among these were: The House of the Dead, Notes From The Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and Devils. In 1859 Dostoevsky returned to St. Petersburg were he contributed articles expressing his belief that Russia should develop a social and polit ical system based on the values drawn from the Russian people. He then described his life as a prisoner in the book The House of the Dead, a novel reflecting both an insight into a criminal mind and an understanding of the Russian lower class. His intense study of the New Testament, the only book prisoners were allowed to read, provided a major influence on his later work as he became convinced that redemption was only possible though suffering and faith. In 1862, Dostoevsky and his brother Mikhail created a magazine called The Time, which was later banned in 1863. Due to the Dostoevsky and Mikhail created another magazine called Epoch, which in 1864 published the complex novel Notes From Underground, generally considered the preface to Dostoevsky’s greater novels. In that same year, 1864, both Dostoevsky’s wife and beloved brother died, leaving him saddled with debts and dependents. In an attempt to win money though gambling, Dostoevsky instead buried himself further in debt. With creditors at his heels and with debts around 43,000 rubles, he was able to escape with 175 rubles and a slave contract with book seller F.T. Stellovsky. This agreement stipulated that if Dostoevsky did not produce a novel by November 1, 1866, all rights to Dostoevsky’s past and future works would revert to Stellovsky. Time passed and Dostoevsky, preoccupied with a longer, serialized novel, did not work on the book he promised Stellovsky until at last, on the advice of his friends, he hired the young Anna Grigorievna, Snitkin as his stenographer. He the dictated the Gambler to her, and the manuscript was delivered to Stellovsky on the same day their agreement was to expire.

The Bubonic Plague: A Snapshot of Recovery; A Comparison of Tuscany An

On October 21st 1629, near the border of Switzerland, the Florentine Observer in Milan wrote to Florence reporting that a captain of Lecco arrived in great haste to inform â€Å"virulent plague had been ascertained†. In the absence of knowledge concerning the plague, or any way to prevent it, they placed all affairs pertaining to public health in the hands of guards who would naturally be the first line of defense. However, after laborious trial and error, Florence and Tuscany experienced deaths of enormous proportion. In the 17th century the Italian economy entered a long recession. Trade and industry declined, Italian agriculture stagnated, and poverty and banditry increased. Meanwhile Italy was struck by plague. One of the most advanced parts of Italy had fallen from grace. Interestingly, this situation is rather similar to the American recession in 2008. In both, governmental leaders in aftermath-implemented solutions, which helped improve their citizen’s quali ty of life, while enhancing the relationship between an individual and the appropriation of goods. The Emblem Of Public Health—An Unraveled Fabric Along with sudden outbreak, it was widely agreed that the incidence of plague was much greater among the lower classes than that of the upper. Concomitant with any overcrowded or unsanitary conditions, this is logical for despite nobilities â€Å"more delicate and tender† characteristics, they were free to flee and able to afford remedies unable to the common man. With little known about vaccinations, the establishment of a sanitary â€Å"cordons† was the first â€Å"preventative measure people could resort to besides prayers and processions†. In spite of the limited remains of a once fruitful population, the government tried to r... ...Giulia. Histories of a plague year: the social and the imaginary in baroque Florence. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. Print. Cipolla, Carlo M.. Before the Industrial Revolution: European society and economy, 1000-1700. New York: Norton, 1976. Print. Cipolla, Carlo M.. Cristofano and the plague; a study in the history of public health in the age of Galileo. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973. Print. Fletcher, Robert. A tragedy of the great plague of Milan in 1630. Italy: The Lord Baltimore Press, 1898. Print. Kleiner, Fred S., and Helen Gardner. Gardner's art through the ages: a global history. 13th ed. Boston, MA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009. Print. Labarge, Margaret Wade. A baronial household of the thirteenth century. Brighton: Harvester, 1980. Print. Pollitzer, R.. Plague. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1954. Print.

Literacy in an Ever-Changing World Essay

Being literate, as defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary, is â€Å"the ability to read and write† or â€Å"to be educated†. By my own definition, literacy is the ability to read, write, and verbally communicate, while also comprehending those writings, verses, or phrases. However, literacy is not only reading and writing. In order for one to be considered literate in today’s society, that person must possess the skill of remembering and understanding what was just said or read. Our American culture demands literacy everyday, from being able to read street signs and signals, to understanding contracts and important forms. One is no longer considered literate in American culture if they are only able to read and write what applies to their personal life. We must now be educated in cultural literacy, computer and technology literacy, and academic literacy. To function and be successful in today’s ever-changing society, the average person must rise above the basic meaning of literacy and advance in their understanding of new technology, language, and speech. Most would agree that the skill of becoming literate begins at a very young age, from repeating the Alphabet after a teacher, to learning and remembering the names of animals, to simple word pronunciation. Even in Fishman’s essay â€Å"Becoming Literate: A Lesson From the Amish†, it is evident that children very young were reading and writing. We, as a society, place very high standards and expectations on children, and for that matter, teenagers and adults as well. All are forced to be â€Å"up to date† in the current vernacular and writings, and their ability to read, write and understand. Experiences with becoming literate may differ from person to person depending on their family, background, and beliefs. Someone with an Amish background for example, may have memories of repeating bible verses or book phrases after an adult reads them aloud. For me personally, the experiences have always been positive. I often remember sitting in the family room on my Grandfather’s lap while he assisted me in reading simple children’s books. Another fond memory is one of doing crossword puzzles and word-finds. When I was learning to read, phonics and â€Å"sounding out† words was the craze. We were taught in school to break the words apart and attempt to decipher them one or two letters at a time. Vowels and consonants, the sounds of long and short letters and pronunciation were all reinforced over and over. Learning to read, write, and understand all give an overall sense of accomplishment; both to me as a child, and even still today when I learn a new word or read a different book. The process of becoming literate, I believe, is a lifelong journey. As technology and times evolve and change, our degree of literacy must also so everyone will be informed of the advancements. Overall, looking back on childhood and even into my college years, memories involving the challenge of becoming literate have been positive experiences, as can be my future endeavors in literacy. In our current society, literacy, in all aspects of the word is imperative. In order for someone to find their â€Å"place† or where they fit in the social ladder, their level of literacy must show. Many teenagers have certain ways of writing and speaking. If one desires to be a part of that particular social group, they must learn to speak and understand the language used, as well as to verbally and non-verbally communicate their ideas and thoughts to others successfully. On many occasions, one must rely on their literary background to find their place and social group. To be literate does not always mean to use the â€Å"proper† words. For example, when attempting to fit into a social group, a person must learn and understand when to use that group’s way of speaking. â€Å"Slang† may be used in letters and language. Words may not always mean the same thing to different people either. One person may interpret the word â€Å"bad† as describing only a behavior, while to another person the word may bring about the idea of schoolwork. Understanding how and when a particular group uses certain words shows the ability to fit in. Finding your place also refers to fitting in with your workplace. Certain language, which is acceptable out of work, is not acceptable while you are on the job. Relying on your personal literacy is definitely a big part of finding your place and where you fit in society. For someone to honestly believe that reading and writing are of no real importance, going through life successfully would be very difficult. The ability to read and write are in fact, of great importance in everyday life. Everything from walking down the street and reading street signs, to signing and understanding contracts, even being able to secure an ideal job require literacy. In this day and age, literacy is a necessity if one wants a shot at any normalcy in life. Obviously, being able to read and write for leisure and entertainment is good thing, but to think that that’s all it’s good for is ridiculous. For example, if a man wants to get his driver’s license and purchase a car, he must read and understand the driving manual, be able to read the test questions, and interpret the street signs on the road. Not to mention all of the paperwork and signatures that come along with buying a vehicle. The positive aspects of literacy make themselves quite evident when looking for and applying for a job, and meeting certain pre-employment criteria. Literacy should be of utmost importance to everyone, and aside from being useful for entertainment and leisure purposes; it is imperative to become successful in life. Fifty years ago, a person may have been able to get by on what they had learned in terms of reading and writing, during their high school years. However, times have changed, and technology continues to evolve. Literacy in areas such as technology, academics, and culture are more important now than ever before, and will continue to gain importance as the days go by. To be literate helps in many aspects and gives people a clear advantage in the job market and life in general. The ability to not only read and write, but to really understand our ever-changing world will forever be a free ticket to the American dream.

Analysis Of Graham Norton s The Television Industry

The word genre has different meaning to different people. Lealand and Martin (2001) explain how â€Å"the television industry uses the term to categories and identify the various parts of its programming mix. The audiences use it to identify and choose their viewing preferences† (p. 59). The Graham Norton Show comes under the genre of a celebrity talk show, but holds its own comedic spin. Norton creates uniqueness to the show through the way he cracks jokes and interacts with his audience and guests. The show begins with a witty introductory monologue of who will be on the show, then moves into the classic couch interviews, and finishes with a celebrity music performance, conventions that all fit with the talk show genre (Miller, Boddy Shattuc, 2008). The show focuses largely on the guests and their lives, along with promoting what they are currently involved in, relating it back to the purpose of the talk show genre (Miller, Boddy Shattuc, 2008). A subcategory of this gen re is a late night celebrity talk show, which The Graham Norton Show can also come under. According to Timberg, Bernard and Robert (2010), â€Å"the late night version is based on congenial, playful encounters between guests and the host, who is more often then not a singer or comedian† (p. 7). This subcategory became popular on television in the 1950s, and increased in popularity thanks to shows such as The Tonight Show (Timberg, Bernard and Robert, 2010). Since then they have become a lighter form ofShow MoreRelatedSolution Manual, Test Bank and Instructor Manuals34836 Words   |  140 PagesLane Keller (TB) A Friendly Introduction to Numerical Analysis,Brian Bradie (ISM) A Guide to International Financial Reporting Standards, 3rd Edition_Belverd E. Needles, Marian Powers (SM+TB) A Guide to Modern Econometrics, 4th Edition_Marno Verbeek (SM) A History of Modern Psychology, 10th Edition _ Duane P. 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