A Probe into Literary Symbolism Essay Example for Free

A Probe into Literary Symbolism Essay â€Å"â€Å"This here is my name, to begin with,† he said. ARNOLD FRIEND was written in tarlike black letters on the side†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Oates, 33). This self-introduction of Arnold Friend in Joyce Carol Oates’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? sums up the allegorical irony which is also to be found in Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor. Both the short stories are replete with a profusion of symbolisms acting as a set of literary devices. This essay is going to probe into literary symbolisms and their influence on the overall development of the two short stories. Especial emphasis will be given to two symbolic literary devices that have helped establish the thematic constructs. Three main themes are addressed in Good Country People: good versus evil; the likelihood of salvation after experience with violence and the exposing of intellectual falsifications. (enotes, 2009) The protagonist Joy, who later changes her name to Hulga, becomes aware of the evil through her bitter encounter with Manley Pointer, a Bible salesman. Even though she used to take pride in her being different from other country people courtesy of education, it occurs to her in the course of her life that ‘Nothing’ is the only substantial faith she can cling onto. So the knowledge of evil she gains can be attributed to her experience with nothingness. This hefty irony is masterfully explained through the symbolic usage of character names. The plot lacks in motion as far as external flow of action is concerned. Instead, the author concentrates on the internal world of her characters to study their psychological traits. Born as Joy, the protagonist changes her name to Hulga because she thinks she is too ugly to be called by a happy name such as Joy. She deliberately misleads her family in order to find peace in isolation. Her mother Mrs. Hopewell’s name bears another striking irony in the sense that their family, once struck with misery and economic struggle, is stripped off both hope and wellness. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman belong to the social status of tenant farmers and hence they are not free. But the most subtle irony is demonstrated in the naming of the Bible salesman Manley Pointer. There is a phallic allusion to the first name, suggestive of a male dominance. (Associated Content, 2007) In addition to this, his subsequent escapades with Hulga are hardly in sync with the profession he is in. Inspired by the infamous Tucson killing of several girls by a young man in the early 1960s, Joyce Carol Oats wrote the short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? which was published in her short story collection The Wheel of Love in 1970. From thematic perspectives, the story fundamentally deals with teenage problems of sensible perspectives. Connie, a typical teenage uptown girl, is preoccupied with material thoughts and concerns. Her actions are grossly impulsive without much forethought into consequences. Connie’s flirtatious demeanor lands her in serious trouble once she comes in contact with Arnold Friend. So the story can be regarded as a contemporary documentation of the American society in the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting the adolescent perils. As far as literary device is concerned, the character of Arnold Friend is thematically antonymous to his name. His manipulative use of language exerts psychological pressures on Connie. Friend’s strange physical appearance makes for the unique interpretation that he is a manifestation of the devil: â€Å"One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasnt in it. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle. † (Celestial Timepiece, 2007) Furthermore, the referral to the possibility of Friend’s wooden leg can be compared with Hulga’s wooden leg in Good Country People. Now as Hulga undergoes a transformation of sorts in the end of the story, Oats keeps her readers guessing about the fate of Connie. There is ample evidence to suggest that just like Hulga, Connie also heads for a bleak destiny after she confronts devil in the form of Friend. This subtle but expressive use of symbolism accounts for a potent literary device in both the short stories. A thorough character analysis of the two protagonists leads to the finding of more resemblances than differences. Both have been given their fair share of intellectual sophistication in the beginning before the thematic construct of isolation is built around them. Hulga’s didactic but hollow conversation with Manley only reveals her intense urge to be seen by others as socially superior. Similarly, Connie’s careless disposition in the way she wishes to draw the attention of older high school boys is just too pretentious to pass for honest and sensible behavior. Although Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? has significantly lesser number of characters compared to Good Country People, it is evident from the reading that the fate of nearly all the characters in both stories hinges on the actions of the main protagonists. If this minimalist factor, particularly in case of the second story, is taken into consideration as a parameter for symbolic interpretation of the texts, both authors leave plenty of scope for the readers to assess the thematic progressions. Bibliography Associated Content. (2007, May 7). An Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s Good Country People.Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/235649/an_analysis_of_flannery_oconnors_good_pg2. html? cat=4 Celestial Timepiece. (2007). Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://jco. usfca. edu/works/wgoing/text. html enotes. (2009). Good Country People Overview. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www. enotes. com/good-country-people Oates, Joyce Carol. , and Showalter, Elaine. â€Å"Where are you going, where have you been? †. Piscataway: Rutgers University Press, 1994.

protein domains :: essays research papers

Describe the Nature, Structure, and Function of Domains in Proteins Domains "Within a single subunit [polypeptide chain], contiguous portions of the polypeptide chain frequently fold into compact, local semi-independent units called domains." - Richardson, 1981 In the hierarchial organisation of proteins, domains are found at the highest level of tertiary structure. Since the term was first used by Wetlaufer (1973) a number of definitions exist reflecting author bias, however all of the definitions agree that domains are independently folding compact units. Domains are frequently coded by exons and therefore have specific functionality. Among the many descriptions of protein domains the two most striking and simple are " Protein evolutionary units" and "Basic currency of Proteins". Domains may be considered to be connected units, which are to varying extents independent in terms of their structure, function and folding behaviour. Each domain can be described by its fold. While some proteins consist of a single domain, others consist of several or many. A number of globular protein chains consist of two or three domains appearing as 'lobes'. In other cases the domains may be of very different nature- for example some proteins located in cell membranes have a globular intracellular or extracellular domain distinct from that which spans the membrane. Protein domains occur in large polypeptides, (proteins that have more than 200 residues). These proteins have two or more globular clusters which in turn have domains composed of 100-200 amino acids. Thus many domains are structurally independent units that have the characteristics of small globular proteins. If we examine the detailed structures of many transmembrane proteins, we see that they often have three different domains, two hydrophilic and one hydrophobic .(fig 1&2) A hydrophilic domain (consisting of hydrophilic amino acids) at the N-terminus pokes out in the extracellular medium, a hydrophobic domain in the middle of the amino acid chain, often only 20-30 amino acids long, is threaded through the plasma membrane, and a hydrophilic domain at the C-terminus protrudes into the cytoplasm. The transmembrane domain, because it is made of amino acids having hydrophobic side chains, exists comfortably in the hydrophobic inner layers of the plasma membrane. Because these transmembrane domains anchor many proteins in the lipid bilayer, these proteins are not free-floating and cannot be isolated and purified biochemically without first dissolving away the lipid bilayer with detergents. (Indeed, much of the washing we do in our lives is necessitated by the need to solubilize proteins that are embedded in lipid membranes using detergents!)

Education †learning Essay

Education is not only cognitive and intellectual learning, and learning of skills and work-related competences. It is much broader to include moral and ethical issues, values, attitudes, religion, spiritualism, art and more. It is, indeed, important to focus on this when education in schools and universities has become a large â€Å"industry† and when the world, instead of becoming more peaceful, seems to be more confrontational than before. The main reason behind this scenario, that I see, is that students are being taught and not trained and also the fact that teachers do not have any target for teaching instead they teach for the pay they get and sincerity with the profession is waning very fast. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM The educational system that I see should be one that suits all the citizens of the country. It should consider the cultural, ethical, moral, religious and economical norms of the society and should produce respectable and responsible citizens for the society as a whole and a dignified and confident person. |This point arises due to the fact that every country consists of multi-cultural and multi ethical societies with different religious and economic backgrounds. Thus the system should have contents that may not hurt the morals and values of any person and also produce effective results that can be calculated as per the prosperity of that particular society or country as a whole. PURPOSE OF EDUCATION The foundation of our work as educators is moral and ethical education. We must teach the right values and the right ways of analyzing issues. We must seek what is true and act accordingly. Part of that is to learn that we are all responsible for our own attitudes, decisions and actions. We must use education to foster equality between sexes, classes, people of different geographic areas, creeds, colors, cultures and religions. We must learn to understand the importance of solidarity among groups at home and across the borders in order to create peace, development and prosperity. Besides this we are also imparted with the responsibility of teaching science, commerce and arts subjects to the students using latest techniques, information and research to enable our students to prepare themselves to be a productive part of the society and compete with the world in the respective fields of their study. Major areas that a teacher may address are as follows: 1. To help students gain literacy: This is supposed to be the top most priority as if a student is literate he or she may mold in any society and get adapted to its culture and norms without losing its own. 2. To enable students to use and enjoy their learning experiences: Here a student gets in hand expertise to use what it learned during the schooling period to better their social and personal life in a given environment. 3. To teach students to believe and respect others, to contribute to the well-being of their community: A learned person better knows whom to respect and whom not too, who deserves to be valued and who does not, and gets bold enough to express its feelings in a dignified and respectful way in the society. He is able to distinguish between duties bestowed upon him by the community and tries to serve the community within available resources. 4. To give students the opportunity to learn how to inquire and discover new information: When a student learns through experimentation and reasoning he tries to use the same technique throughout his life and does not accepts all and sundry information without analyzing it. 5. To help students develop broader understandings of new information: This enables a student understand and characterize given information and then apply it in his daily life. 6. To help students develop the skills and values they will need to function in a free and just society: Last but not the least it makes sure that a student is made aware of the morals and values of religion and society and to act accordingly not hurting any ones feelings and making progress accordingly in the society individually and as a community as a whole. In the process of enabling the students to get all the above qualities they are supposed to be taught different subjects but should be encompassed under the umbrella of a just religion and that is Islam not because we live in the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan but due to the fact that Islam is the only religion that addresses to all the matters discussed with command and covers all the topics amicably, may it be the moral, cultural, and or ethical values or upbringing, or the contemporary studies of science, commerce and arts. Reference: 1. http://www. intime. uni. edu 2. www. nation. com. pk †º Columns.

How Teachers Can Achieve Happiness

The stereotype around elementary school teachers is that they are always peppy and happy and full of life. While this may hold true for some elementary school teachers, it sure does not for all teachers. As you know, having a job in the teaching profession can be quite challenging. Teachers have a lot of pressure on them. Not only do they have to learn and teach the common core standards to students, but they also have the challenging job of making sure that their students are ready to be productive citizens once they get out of school. With all of this pressure, along with the responsibilities of  lesson planning, grading, and discipline, the job can sometimes take a toll on any teacher, no matter how peppy their nature. To help relieve some of these pressures, use these tips on a daily basis to help you deal and, hopefully, bring some joy to your life.   1. Take Time for Yourself One of the best ways that you can achieve happiness is to take time for yourself. Teaching is a very selfless profession and sometimes you just need to take a moment and do something for yourself. Teachers spend so much of their free time scouring the internet looking for effective lesson plans or grading papers, that they sometimes end up neglecting their personal needs. Set aside one day of the week for lesson planning or grading, and set aside another day for yourself. Take an art class, go shopping with a friend, or try that yoga class that your friends are always trying to get you to go to.   2. Make Your Choices Wisely According to Harry K. Wong in the book â€Å"How to Be an Effective Teacher† the way a person chooses to behave (as well as their reactions) will dictate what their life will be like. He says that their are three categories of behavior that people can exhibit, they are protective behaviors, maintenance behaviors, and enhancement behaviors. Here are examples of each behavior. Protective Behavior –These are people who are full of excuses, who complain a lot, and are good at justifying their behavior. You probably always see them in the teachers’ lounge complaining about everything and anything that is happening in their classroom as well as at the school. Maintenance Behavior – These are the people who are very hardworking and who spend a lot of time wishing (I wish I won the lottery, I wish I had a bigger classroom). They tend to get along well with others, and don’t complain or put people down in the teachers’ lounge. They are concerned with their own individual survival, health, and safety. Enhancement Behavior –These individuals enjoy active learning and participating in groups. They go to every teacher conference and meeting, and are known around the school as a leader. Now that you know the three types of behavior, which category do you fall into? Which type of teacher do you want to be? The way that you decide to act can greatly increase or decrease your overall happiness and well-being. 3. Lower Your Expectations Let go of the expectation that every lesson has to go exactly as planned. As a teacher, you will always have misses along with the hits. If your lesson was a flop, try to think of it as a learning experience.  Just as you teach your students that they can learn from their mistakes, so can you. Lower your expectations and you will find that you will be much happier. 4. Do Not Compare Yourself to Anyone One of the many problems with social media is the ease with which people can present their lives in any way they wish. As a result, people tend to only portray the version of themselves and their life that they want others  to see. If you are scrolling down your Facebook news feed you may see many teachers that look like they have it all together, which can be quite intimidating and result in feelings of inadequacy. Compare yourself to no one. It’s hard not to compare yourself to others when we have Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest in our lives. But just remember that it probably takes some of these teachers hours to create the perfect-looking lesson. Do your best and try to be satisfied with the results.   5. Dress for Success Never underestimate the power of a nice outfit.   While dressing up to teach a bunch of elementary students may seem like a bad idea, research shows that it can actually make you feel happier. So the next morning that you want an instant pick-me-up, try wearing your favorite outfit to school. 6. Fake it Weve all heard the expression, Fake it til you make it. Turns out, it might actually work. Some studies that show if you smile when you are unhappy, you can trick your brain into feeling like you are happy. The next time your students are driving you crazy, try smiling—it might just turn your mood around. 7. Socialize with Friends and Colleagues Do you find that you tend to be alone a lot when you are feeling unhappy? Studies found that the more time unhappy people spent socializing with others, the better that they felt. If you’re spending a lot of time by yourself, try getting out and socializing with your friends or colleagues. Go eat lunch in the faculty lounge instead of your classroom, or go for that drink after school with your friends.   8. Pay it Forward There have been so many studies conducted that show that the more that you do for others, the better you feel about yourself. The sheer act of doing a good deed can make a huge impact on your self-esteem, as well as your happiness. The next time that you are feeling down, try doing something nice for someone else. Even if its just holding the door open for a stranger or making extra photocopies for your colleague, paying it forward can really improve your mood. 9. Listen to Music   Studies find that focused listening to music that is upbeat, or even just reading lyrics that are positive, can improve your mood.   Classical music is also said to have a mood-boosting effect on people. So the next time you’re sitting in your classroom and are in need of a pick-me-up, turn on some upbeat or classical music. Not only will it help to boost your mood, it will help your students moods as well.   Ã‚   10. Express Gratitude A lot of us spend a lot of our time focusing on what we dont have, rather than focusing our time on what we do have. When we do this, it can make you feel sad and unhappy. Try expressing gratitude and focusing all of your attention on the positive things that you have in your life. Think about what is going right in your life, and all of things that you are grateful for. Each morning before your toes even hit the ground, say three things that you are grateful for. Here are a few examples of what you can do each morning to express gratitude. Today I am grateful for: My health and the health of my familyThat I have food, clothes and a roof over my headThat I have a wonderful job that helps me provide for my family You have the ability to control how you feel. If you wake up feeling unhappy then you have the ability to change that. Use these ten tips and practice them daily. With practice, you can form lifelong habits that can increase your overall happiness.