Henri Matisses Fauvism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Henri Matisses Fauvism - Research Paper Example The involvement of his mother in advising customers on the best colors in his father’s shop that sold house-paints is what made him develop some interest on color. Thus, it was from his mother that he developed the sense of color. This is also justified by her mother who was not only a skillful painter, but also a fashionable artist. Unfortunately, Matisse grew as an awkward youth who disregarded the rigors of the North. He despised winter seasons with passion. He was also a contemplative child though not very bright. Despite undergoing growth and development, Matisse never lost interest on nature; he still valued his native soil as well as growing things (Ferrier, 1996). Matisse worked as a court administrator in his hometown, Le Cateau-Cambresis, after gaining his qualification in Paris. Matisse discovered his real profession in a unique way. He started painting in 1889 when he was still recovering from appendicitis through the aid of his mother who brought him art supplies. It was also through his mother’s advice that Matisse decided to follow his emotions in pursuing his interest in the profession he loved. His mother had advised him to follow his own emotions instead of the rules of art. A year after his recovery appendicitis, 1891, Matisse returned to Paris to further his studies in art at Acadenie Julian. It was also in Bouguereau that he learnt essential lessons of classical painting. He also did many drawing exams so as to have a chance of joining Ecole des Beaux-Arts.

Literary research paper on The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien Essay

Literary research paper on The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien - Essay Example This paper is a reflection of the literary analysis and in depth meanings of the characters and the circumstances they were thrust into. A number of famous stories make up the confines of the pages of this book – these include characters that keep reappearing every now and then. Each and every character is a justification towards some or the other feeling that every man suffers in his lifetime. For example, the main protagonist, Tim, is a soldier who finally admits that he was responsible for the death of Kiowa, tries to explain to others, and believes that not everything is explicable. This book is an amalgamation of the kind of experiences he shared with other soldiers. Jimmy Cross is a lieutenant and the platoon leader in the short story of the same title as the main book, The Things They Carried, and is also blamed for the death of Kiowa, a devout religious Christian soldier. Ted Lavender is one of the first to die in the book; he was a soldier with true grit but smoked ma rijuana and contained a great amount of anxiousness regarding what would happen next in the War. (Rafferty, Rebecca) The Things They Carried is a story full of symbolism; in this particular tale, O’Brien has marked a very vivid description of all the objects that the various soldiers carry with them. Incidentally, all these objects help the reader to understand the kind of people the soldiers are and the kind of relationship they share with others around them. He has written about Lavender’s obsession with tranquilizers and marijuana, Dobbins’ need to carry his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck as well as his extra rations, and Kiowa carrying a copy of the New Testament at all times. All this imagery helps to provide a stark understanding to the reader as per the needs and priorities of the soldiers. O’Brien has also described the kind of burden each man carries on his shoulders in the form of memories from their personal lives, for example, t he lieutenant’s obsession with Martha back home leaves him feeling very disgruntled and regretful. These thoughts eventually leave him questioning and wondering about Martha’s virginity and this eventually leads to distractions and death He also carried maps and compasses, giving a picture of the true leader that he was, always looking out for his soldiers. (Department) Physical objects like machine guns, M-16 rifles, grenade launchers and tents help to depict the harsh reality they were surviving in. Thus, with the use of these physical objects that the soldiers require during their stay in the War, the author has tried to explain the kind of dilemma they were being made to choose between – fantasy and reality. Cross begins to question himself for the death of Lavender and wonders whether or not it was his fault and negligence towards his duty because of his dark fantasizing about Martha that led him astray. (Moore, Julie) A literal meaning of the title and the background that the soldiers are in, the story speaks of a cross join between love and war. It tries to reflect, with the use of the everyday objects that each of the soldiers used (that made up their personalities) how it was unconditional but one sided love for someone that gave way to waging another war. This is a transition from Cross’

Utilitarianism Theory Essay Example for Free

Utilitarianism Theory Essay Utilitarianism is a moral theory generally considered to have been founded by Jeremy Bentham, a 19th century English philosopher and social reformer. It is centered on the concept of happiness, and those who seek it. The idea is that all people seek happiness, and that it is the ultimate goal of all human beings to be happy. Therefore, according to classical utilitarianism, when a person wishes to act in an ethically sound manner he or she should strive to bring about the greatest possible amount of happiness for the greatest possible amount of people. This is known as the greatest happiness attitude. Another, similar idea is that a person should always strive, if incapable of producing happiness, to reduce unhappiness. As the theory is wholly focused on the outcome of a person’s actions, it is classed as a â€Å"consequentialist† theory, i.e. a theory that concerns it with consequences and not actions in themselves. Utilitarianism can be seen as a highly mathematical theorem, looking at the total units of happiness that a particular action gives rise to. For instance, I might want to go out and have drinks with some friends and my boyfriend or I could find something more family oriented and do something fun with my son and my boyfriend. Consider that my son is only little for a short time, would I rather have drinks and regret the hang over later or share a memory with my little boy. Taking my son out for a night might add 10 units of happiness to the world’s total stock, whereas going out for drinks would only add a total of 6. Certainly, the latter would make a greater quantity of people happy (the former only benefiting one person), but it is the quantity of happiness produced that is of the first importance to utilitarianists. But let us look more closely at Bentham’s utilitarianism. To understand his approach more fully, it is vital that one come to an appreciation of exactly what he meant by â€Å"happiness†. His ideas here are, really, quite simple. Bentham thought that we should look at happiness as being based on pleasure. Naturally, it follows from this that he also felt that we should treat unhappiness as something consisting of pain. This view on happiness has led his particular brand of utilitarianism to be seen as a hedonistic theory. Furthermore, Bentham did not distinguish between different forms of pleasure. To him, anything that gave rise to happiness – be it drugs or reading – was fundamentally good. Other philosophers have striven to develop Bentham’s  theories further. One of the more notable of these is John Stuart Mill, who sought to distinguish between what he termed â€Å"higher† and â€Å"lower† pleasures. Mill disagreed with Bentham’s all-inclusive view on pleasure, feeling that there was a fundamental difference between the varying forms of pleasure available to people, and that some had a finer quality than others. It was Mill who put forth the notion that it is â€Å"better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied†. Mill’s idea was fairly straightforward, namely that while there are many simple, sensual pleasures in life, such as eating or drinking, there are also certain pleasures which are of a more cerebral nature, such as listening to classical music or reading poetry. According to Mill, these latter pleasures are of a greater quality, and should therefore be considered more important. He posited that someone who has experienced both forms of pleasure would naturally feel inclined to choose the higher pleasures. For instance, a man who is familiar with both tasty food and good poetry would view the latter as something more valuable than the former. This is a fairly straightforward exploration of the most common forms of utilitarianism. The most important thing to remember about these theories is that they are consequentialist and, above all else, that they are concerned with the greater good. Utilitarianists don’t care about your personal agenda or whether your actions happen to hurt some people. As long as the eventual results of your actions lead to more pleasure than pain, you’re in the clear. There were a number of things Mill did to change Utilitarianism. Mill said: â€Å"Better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be a Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.† Mill also linked Utilitarianism with Christian morality. He connected the theory with the teachings of Jesus. He said that the ‘ideal perfection of utilitarian morality’ was abiding by the ‘Golden Rule’-‘Do onto others as you have them do to you.’ This made many more people accept Utilitarianism as it linked with their religion. Rules were introduced into Utilitarianism by Mill. The rules introduced were ones that generally brought about the greatest happiness for the greatest number. For example, Mill argued that society needs the principal of truthfulness as it brings the most happiness on the long run. Utilitarianism is a theory that Christians can relate to. Mill brought it closer to the Christian church by introducing Rule Utilitarianism. This would be closer to the principals Jesus lived by. For  example, it was against the Jewish law to work on the Sabbath but when people were in need, Jesus bent this rule and healed them. The largest connection Christianity has with Utilitarianism is the death of Jesus. He was crucified and died for the sins of mankind-sacrificing himself for the majority. However, Utilitarianism does accept evil where Christianity most certainly does not.

The Homeless in Our Community Essay -- Homelessness In Our Community,

Table of Contents Literature Review — 3 Methodology — 5 Findings — 6 Summary — 8 Works Cited/Works Used — 9 Appendix: Survey Form — 11 LITERATURE REVIEW In this information behavior study, our group examines the everyday information resources, needs, and behaviors of the homeless. Literature research has led us to many key resources. Important literature on our topic includes Everyday Information Needs and Information Sources of Homeless Parents, The Homeless and Information Needs and Services, and Are the economically poor information poor? Does the digital divide affect the homeless and access to information? by Julie Hersberger, and The Impoverished LifeWorld of Outsiders and Framing Social Life in Theory and Research by Elfreda Chatman. The fundamental concepts in the literature show that a study must have a definition of homelessness and information poverty, address the everyday information needs and services of the homeless, identify misconceptions about how the homeless view and use information, and discuss information behaviors and barriers for the homeless. The homeless are a growing population in the United States. As the gap between the wealthy and poor increases, more people find themselves overwhelmed and displaced without a permanent residence, financial stability, or social networks, such as family, friends, and/or public assistance. Generally, homelessness in America is a result of unaffordable housing, family fragmentation, domestic violence, mental illness, health problems, addictions, unemployment, or a combination of several of these issues1 (Hersberger, 2001, p. 119). Research has concluded that homeless â€Å"people in their everyday lives are assessing their information needs in... ....What kinds of everyday information are you interested in encountering here? 23.How useful is what you learn at this place 1) Not Applicable 2) Not Useful 3) Somewhat Useful 4) Very Useful 5) Can’t Do Without 24. Is the information you encounter mostly trivial or good for making important or big decisions? 1) Trivial 2) Big Decision 3) Small Decision 4) All 5) Other 15 25.What would make it easier for you and others to share useful information at this place? 26.What are the drawbacks to getting information at this place? 27.How important is this place as a means to get help for information about everyday life? 1) Most important 2) Somewhat important 3) Not very important 4) Not important 28. What is your next best place for information? 29. Is there anything you’d like to add about what you’ve just told me? 30. Gender 31.Age 32.THANK YOU!

Bloomberg and the Soda Law Essay

The soda law introduced by Mayor Bloomberg to ban the sale of sodas larger than 16 fl. oz. at restaurants across the city will have zero to minimal economic impact on people who are currently buying them. The soda ban will have an extremely small net positive economic impact on businesses. And the rationale behind this is the fact that whoever drinks more soda will acquire more soda, regardless of how big or small the drink is. A 20 fl. oz. soda, when banned will be replaced by a 16 fl. oz. cup of soda. How much soda an individual drinks may even increase if instead of drinking just one 20 fl. oz. soda, he decides to get a refill of his 16 fl. oz. soda, something that most restaurants allow. The benefits projected for the society from this law, that may reduce obesity are preposterous. The cost of soda for restaurants is roughly $0. 0132 per ounce (see Appendix). On a 20 fl. oz. soda, the net cost to the restaurant is about $0. 22 (Appendix). A 20 fl. oz. cup of soda at an establishment such as McDonald’s, perhaps the main target of this law, sells for roughly $2. 50. Once the 20 fl. oz. cup is gone, it will be replaced by the 16 fl. oz. cup, but at the same price. The restaurants will re-label the 16 fl. oz. cup as the new large, introduce a 12 fl. oz. cup as a medium and keep the 8 –ounce cup as a small. But will this add significantly to the revenues of the restaurant? It is very unlikely, since the customers will just get refills for their 16 fl. oz. cups. The only economical benefit for the restaurant might be the people who do not refill their cups and this is minimal since the cost of soda is just a rounding error for most restaurants. This law is ineffective because it does not stop the consumer from consuming any less soda from what was being consumed before. The economic impact on the society will be in the red because of the hundreds and thousands of dollars spent on structuring the bill, the flawed methodologies of research that determined a small cup would result in less consumption of soda, and finally the money spent by various groups opposing or supporting this law. To effectively tackle the problem of obesity, the government needs to look at other avenues. Soda is a big cause of obesity, it is made of sugar and has calories, but the ban on a larger serving is not the solution. An effective solution would be to raise the taxes on sodas. Another solution is to ban refills, thus prompting the customer to purchase another soda, which will either discourage the purchase or add more to tax revenues collected by the government. In turn, this tax revenue can be used to build jogging tracks, exercise equipment and other recreational facilities for the community. Another option for the government is to advertise the ill effects of drinking soda and promote healthier alternatives such as fruit and vegetable juices at affordable prices at those restaurants. There are several other options for soda drinkers to consume the same amount of soda when this law is enforced. Restaurants and movie theatres give free refills, convenience stores such as 7-11 are exempt from this law, and grocery stores still sell the large bottles and cases. The answer to this problem lies in educating the people about the ill effects of soda and only then will this law be economically beneficial for the society. This law does not have any health benefits that can be converted in to economical benefits for the society. Appendix: â€Å"Costing Out Soda & Free Refills – How to Price Soda. † Wholesale Food & Restaurant Distribution by Pate Dawson Company. Pate Dawson Company, 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. .

Personal writing – David’s Table

Danielle's heart stopped the moment He stepped through the doorway. Although He was the reason that she came to this particular cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ at this precise time, she wasn't certain about her vague information. Go to Isabella's at quarter past four. He orders a cappuccino and a biscuit. He sits outside under the green umbrella at a wooden table and drinks his coffee, giving his biscuit to the birds. Sure enough, Danielle's man was given a polystyrene cup and white paper bag. She watched from her dark corner as He went outside. When she left, she noticed crumbs surrounding Him. The next day, Danielle couldn't curtail her thoughts. Whenever she looked at the clock she wondered what He was doing at that moment. At last, the bell rang and her body tensed in anticipation, but she had to wait until the end of roll call to grab her bag and make her way to Isabella's. Sitting at the same corner table, Danielle again ordered a cappuccino. Danielle hated coffee but it made her feel closer to Him. Today, she listened to His order at the counter. â€Å"Cappuccino to go and one of those cornflake biscuits, thanks.† Danielle smiled when the owner of the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ laughed and took His money. â€Å"David, mate, you've been coming here for months and its always the same thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Danielle knew this was Him. â€Å"†¦And you only have different biscuits because you take whatever's there.† David grinned and took his order. â€Å"Well don't expect me tomorrow Bruce, I'm going back to Melbourne.† Danielle froze mid-pretend sip. Melbourne? â€Å"Melbourne?† echoed Bruce aloud. â€Å"Yeah, I have unfinished business there †¦Ã¢â‚¬  David looked away. â€Å"Ah, I see.† Bruce shut the till, smiled and turned to the next customer. David walked out onto the terrace. Inside, Danielle lost interest in her pretence. He was going away before she had a chance to talk to him. She picked up her coat and left, crossing the terrace just as He looked up and saw her walking away. School came second to Danielle's thoughts. However, this time her mind was firmly in the distant past on the day that had been the hardest of her life. Even thinking about it made her want to bawl into her notebooks. Mercifully, Danielle had on Thursdays she didn't have to say much, just sit there and look busy, so no one noticed. Neither Danielle nor David went to Isabella's on Thursday. David didn't want to go to Melbourne as he had only been in Adelaide for five months. However, since his mother died six weeks previously and he had been in Melbourne for the funeral, the pull became too strong. David knew that to start over again in Adelaide, he needed closure in Melbourne. A month sounded long, but there was a lot he had to do. Thankfully, he and Cassie didn't have any children; apparently they made divorce harder. David left for Melbourne on Thursday at six-thirty pm. After the weekend, Danielle returned to Isabella's. She wasn't sure whether to be upset that had was gone or relieved. Bruce noticed that she no longer sat in the corner with an untouched cappuccino; now Danielle sat outside on David's table with hot chocolate and cake. She ate the icing but crumbled the cake for the birds. Bruce considered getting a new cook, but instead, befriended her. Soon a month was up. Once, David wondered why some married couples had separate bank accounts. Wasn't marriage for life? Now he wished he had their foresight. Neither he nor Cassie wanted to sell everything but they couldn't do things fairly, too many emotions in the way. David was returning to Adelaide with money from the sale of his old life to purchase his new. His only concern was that his parents, his past, was buried in Melbourne. An indiscernible smell wafted down the aisle and punched David fair in the nose. Old shoes? Rotten eggs? It was too early for David to recognise the stench. â€Å"Would you like breakfast sir?† David smiled wanly as the flight attendant plonked a tray in front of him. The smell became stronger when he lifted the foil: overcooked omelette. Quarter to six he boarded the plane and now at seven-thirty it was too early for offal disguised as breakfast. David leant back in his chair and closed his eyes. He felt guilty about betraying his parents by leaving, by putting his childhood and young adult life in a neat box labelled â€Å"Melbourne† and moving on. But it was more; his motives for moving to Adelaide went against his parents' wishes and it was only after they had both died that he could defy them. At 32, David was still a naughty little boy. Danielle gazed at the attentive but blank faces in her chemistry class. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered. Most of these girls would go on to be nurses, secretaries or teachers. However it was a precious few who wanted more that made it all worthwhile. When Danielle was fifteen, she had been a precious one. She was to be a doctor in a time when girls were trained to be wives. Danielle was going somewhere until†¦ â€Å"Miss Everard, isn't there a two minus charge on the oxygen molecule?† Danielle shook herself from her reverie and looked at what she had written on the board. â€Å"Ah, yes, thankyou Catherine.† Catherine was a lucky one, going on to be what Danielle dreamed of. The siren went and the students began to pack up. â€Å"Miss Everard, is there any homework?† But Danielle had already left. David decided to go to Isabella's at four, as he wasn't back working yet. Bruce was pleased to see him. â€Å"David, I'm sorry but you can't have your table today. Why not try the table with the red umbrella?† David shrugged and sat down, glancing at the woman sitting at â€Å"his† table. She was slowly eating the icing from the top of her cake in between sips from her mug. He watched, captivated, as she picked at her cake and let bits fall from her fingers to the sparrows on the ground. He realised it, as his own cappuccino cooled beside him. Danielle, not noticing her company, was fully engrossed in the sparrows that flitted and darted around her. She found peace beyond her forty-eight years, something she hadn't felt for almost thirty-three years. David felt his thirst be slaked as he watched her, after twenty years of drought. This woman surrounded by birds mitigated the dryness started when he was told he was adopted. Bruce saw the young man approach the middle-aged woman and smiled. Knowing both sides, he had figured the whole story out long ago. With the strong sunlight slanting under the umbrella, Bruce could see that the resemblance between mother and son was uncanny.

Antigone Versus Socrates in the Crito essays

Antigone Versus Socrates in the Crito essays Sophocles play Antigone illustrates the conflict between obeying human and divine law. The play opens after Oedipus two sons Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in a civil war for the throne of Thebes. Oedipus brother in law Creon then assumes the throne. He dictates that Eteocles shall receive a state funeral and honors, while Polyneices shall be left in the streets to rot away. Creon believes that Polyneices body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. Polyneices sister, Antigone, upon hearing this exclaims that an improper burial for Polyneices would be an insult to the Gods. She vows that Polyneices body will be buried, and Creon declares that anyone who interferes with his body shall be punished. This is where the conflict begins. Thus the theme of this play becomes the priority of unwritten law. The question is whether duties to the gods are more essential then obedience of the state and law. Creon calls the rottin g of Polyneices body an obscenity because he believes that burial of the dead is a necessity of human law and not of a citizen. . There is no compromise between the two both believe in the absolute truth of their obedience. Antigone believes that the unwritten and natural law supercedes any form of human written law. Honor and a principled responsibility to gods and family are given equal weight in her self-defense. She says that she fears, not men's condemnation, but penalties from the gods if she does not act The painful evils that beset her life (the loss of mother, father, and brothers) make death a gain in her eyes By contrast, if she had left her mother's son unburied, she would have grieved She expects to win glory for her gesture to the gods. Antigone displays the characteristic trait of pride in the way she justifies and carries out her decisions. She is obstinate in h...