The Escape Essay Example for Free

The Escape Essay The text under consideration is the short story â€Å"The Escape† written by a famous English writer Somerset Maugham. The story deals with the author’s speculation of the question of marriages, especially the possibility of men to escape it. There is no exposition, therefore we can only guess by the contents where and when the settings set on. At the beginning of the text the author expresses his conviction that only an instant flight can save a man from a woman, if she made up her mind to marry him. Further on the author recollects a case when even such flight couldn’t save the poor man. The author passes on to another story of a man, whose name was Roger Charing, who managed to extricate himself in such circumstances. The author introduces to us a girl – Ruth Barlow –whom he fell in love with, draws special attention to her eyes and the impression they made on men. He also depicts the misery of the girl’s life, as everyone treated her very badly and nothing ever went right with her. Further on the author disclosed some information concerning Ruth’s character, mainly from the point of view of the narrator. The author touches upon Roger’s attitude to her, saying that he was very happy, for he committed a good action and at the same time did something he had very much a mind to. In the next passage the author suddenly changes the mood of the narration saying that Roger fell out of love. He points out Roger’s intentions not to let Ruth marry him by any means. But then the author dwells upon the difficulty of the situation he was in, because now he realized what sort of woman he had to deal with. After that the author describes the method that Roger used to get rid of Ruth: he said that until they found a perfect house they wouldn’t get married. The author points out that it took years for them to search for the suitable house, they visited thousands of them, but still couldn’t find anything. The author shows the change in Ruth’s mood as the years go by: she becomes more and more irritated, disappointed and even angry. The author describes the outcome of this story in two letters: one from Ruth, in which she tells that she found some other man who is willing to marry her. The other letter is the Roger’s reply, in which he pretends to be shocked and depressed by this news, and sends to her another list of houses that will suit her perfectly. Precis The short story â€Å"The Escape† by Somerset Maugham is a humorous and witty narration about Roger Charing who managed to escape from Ruth Barrow that had made up her mind to marry him. Being old enough and having much experience, Roger decided to use the search of a perfect house as an excuse not to marry her, until she understood that he didn’t love her and found another man to marry. Gist Roger Charing, a character of the story â€Å"The Escape† by Somerset Maugham, once fell in love with Ruth Barrow, but later his love disappeared and in order not to let her marry him, he made searches of a perfect house last endlessly, until she decided to leave him.

The Evolution Of English Through Time English Language Essay

The Evolution Of English Through Time English Language Essay In the beginning, life was simple and life forms were non-complex. Communication between these life forms was also simple, spoken communication and languages did not exist. As life evolved, and Homo sapiens began roaming the Earth, the need for spoken communication became necessary and languages were born. Join me in an exploration of how the English language came to be, and how it has evolved over time. . The Roman Empire controlled England for centuries; however, by the early 400s the Irish, Britons, and Anglo Saxons invaded and began settling England for themselves. Though each of these tribes had their own language, their dialects were close enough for them to understand each other. The language that developed from this inter-twining of tribes became known as Anglo-Saxon or Old English. Later, during the 800s, with the arrival of the Vikings, two things happened to this Old English language. The first was that many Old Norse words were added, and the second, was the complex conjugations began to decline as people disagreed about which ones to use. The alphabet of the Old English language did not use the letters k, q, v, x or z, and the pronunciations of some of the letters changed depending upon what letters were near them. Vowels were easy with the short vowels a, e, i, o being pronounced pretty much the same, as they are today, the exception was the vowel u, and its pronunciati on was more like the pronunciation of the word book today. The long vowels were often marked with an accent mark and have a completely different pronunciation from the long vowels sounds we recognize today. Along with short and long vowels, the Old English language included three double vowels, each with short and long versions. In 1066, the French-Normans under the rule of William the Conqueror invaded England bringing political change and their French-Norse language, which they made the official language of the monarchy and elite. However, due to the daily need to communicate with the English peasant class, the common language became English. Prior to the Norman invasion, Latin had only a minor influence on the English language, but afterwards there was an influx of Anglo-Norman words added to the English language. There was a split between original Germanic words used by the common class and the Norman words used by the elite for everyday items. Beef and cow are an example of the split in words used by the elite versus the peasants, as beef was often eaten by the elite, while cows were tended by the peasants. Beef has its roots in Anglo-Norman while cow comes from Germanic roots. Many legal terms are also derived from Anglo-Norman roots because the Normans ran the courts. Sometimes, French words replaced Old English words completely, while other times French and Old English combined creating new words. It is important to understand that Middle English was not the only language spoken during this period in England; Scots, Cornish and Welsh were also spoken and differ from Middle English. This accounts for the significant differences in dialects from each of the above areas versus the dialect spoken in London. Sometime in the 12th century, the French Influence in England began to fade and a number of writers began writing in the vernacular language rather than French, Latin or Greek. The 14th century produced the most notable vernacular writer of the time, Geoffrey Chaucer the author of The Canterbury Tales. Since then, the English language has been absorbing vocabulary from many languages around the world. English steadily adds the creation of new words and new uses for old words by the sub-cultures of the English-speaking world. Until the 16th century, French remained to be the literary language and Latin the scholarly language of Europe. The evolution of Middle English into Early Modern English began during the Renaissance in the 16th century when a renewed interest in education sparked across England and most of Europe. As a result of the growing interest in the writings of antiquity many Latin and Greek words were introduced into the English language. Along with the introduction of new words into the English language a shift of vowels, changes to some consonants and grammar were also part of the evolution of English at this time. As more literary works began to be written, the need for the stabilizing the spelling of words became important. One of the earliest attempts at stabilizing the spelling of words came in 1582 with the book Elementarie, by Richard Mulcaster. Some of the principles he established include the removal of all unnecessary letters, adding letters to words to indicate correct pronunciati on and the use of a final silent e to mark long vowels distinguishing them from short vowels. Mulcaster also established other principles, but these three are the most significant. Many spelling concepts within the English language exist simply because some Norman scribe first spelled an English word using the phonetic principles of his own native language. From the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, the spelling conventions for many words in the English language have been determined by referring to their original forms as a guide; resulting in an unusual combination of old and modern practices. Many of the spellings, including the silent letters of words that we use today were established in the first printed books, and have remained that way because it would have been unfeasible to change printed texts after distribution. By the 17th century, it became abundantly clear that assistance was required for writers to gain a clear understanding of the meanings of words and thei r spelling. One of the first books to offer such assistance was A Table Alphabeticall, published in 1604 by Robert Cawdrey. It was intended to only define difficult and unusual words in the English language that were derived from the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, or French languages. This book contained approximately 2500 words with an interpretation of the meaning. The first book to actually call itself a dictionary though, was The English Dictionarie; published in 1623 by Henry Cockeram. This book was a two part work claiming to be able to not only help readers with the understanding of the difficult to understand writings of some authors, but also to attain speedily an elegant perfection of the English tongue in reading, writing and speaking. The first part of Cockerams book contained brief definitions of words that may have been important to the 17th century elite who may have wanted to leave an educated impression on those they spoke with. Many of his words, were ambiguous contrivances cobbled together from bits and pieces of Latin, and were therefore amusingly inventive; however lacked clear understanding. While the second part of his book reversed the process, listing everyday words, following them with his inventive version of meanings meant to show people how to turn simple statements into more impressive complicated ones. Fortunately, this allure to the obscure finally ended. The 18th century once again brought changes to the English language. These evolutionary changes were brought on by two major events; the first was the ascent of the British Empire and the British Industrial Revolution. The ascent of the British Empire introduced the English language to the world; and the new discoveries in the industrial and scientific fields introduced new words into the English language. The classic languages did not support words like oxygen, nuclear, protein or vaccine, therefore Late Modern English relied heavily on Latin and Greek for the creation of these new words. Late Modern English is the form of English that has lasted through to the 21st century, continuing to add new words every few years, as generations of people start using them. A perfect example of 21st century evolution in English today, is the use of SMS language to replace complete words while using the newest technology of cellular phones and computer chat rooms in the internet. SMS English is t he use of acronyms to state either a whole word or a grouping of words to relay a message. It is a form of the English language that was used during the time of the telegraph, and although using it to relay a message within a text message may be faster and easier, it does not follow any standard rules for grammar or spelling or even which acronyms are word specific. Some have claimed that the use of SMS English is wrecking the English language, and from what I have heard and read in my college rhetoric classes, I tend to agree. However, with the addition of at least one SMS word in the English dictionary recently, it appears that the increased use of this dialect is at hand. What evolutionary change could be next after that of SMS? Could the English language evolve from SMS to more technical forms like that of fax machines? Can you imagine walking into a classroom or down the street and listening to people use beeps and slurs to communicate? One thing we do know for sure is that change and evolution is inevitable, and the changes on the horizon will come just as we learn what OMG and LOL are meant to convey.

Noble :: essays research papers

â€Å"Are children noble savages, naturally pure and innately good, or are they just savages, lovable savages.† I think that Barbara Lerner argues that all children have some good and evil in them. It’s just to see who they grow up with and which crowd they hang around with, but sometimes its not the crowd they hang with it might be there parents, teachers, people at school. Evil is within us all. â€Å"The darkness is out there, not in us.† I don’t think thats really true in some cases. Children are a portal to our past, and through experience they become our present and future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne had an affair with Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester in result was pregnat with a baby girl whom she named Pearl. Pearl is the symbol of Hesters public punishment for her adultery. Which would be considered evil to the Puritan since she had some demon like traits. So she had evil traits does it really matter to me it doesn't matter at all cuz some people say THaet i m evil but really i m not so yea It's a good vs evil in this short paper. So hehehe hahaha I m evil I m the devil. â€Å"Are children noble savages, naturally pure and innately good, or are they just savages, lovable savages.† I think that Barbara Lerner argues that all children have some good and evil in them. It’s just to see who they grow up with and which crowd they hang around with, but sometimes its not the crowd they hang with it might be there parents, teachers, people at school. Evil is within us all. â€Å"The darkness is out there, not in us.† I don’t think thats really true in some cases.

Different Types of Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay -- William

Different Types of Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy, written in 1595 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. This was when the society was dominated by men. During the period, England was ruled by a powerful and well respected queen. One of the many themes of the play is that of love. Many different types of love are depicted in the book. There is: Parental Love (Egeus and Hermia, Titania and Little Indian Boy), Friendly Love (Helena and Hermia, The Workmen), Unrequited Love (Helena and Demetrius), Official Love (Hermia and Demetrius), Argumentative Love (Oberon and Titania), Mad Sexual Love (Bottom and Titania),Passionate Love (Hermia and Lysander). Each type of love would be discussed to support the point that the play is full of different types of love. Parental Love This is the type of love that exists between parents and their children. A parent would go to any length for their children to show their love to them. This is shown in the love between Egeus and Hermia. Egeus wants the best for his daughter. He wants her to marry a man of his choice and does his best to make her see things his way. He declares to those present that â€Å". . . As she is mine, I shall dispose of her; Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law Immediately provided in that case.† 1.1. 42-45 On the other hand, Hermia has to love her father no matter what he says or does to her. Children are brought up to respect their parents and love them. Theseus tells Hermia â€Å"What say you, Hermia? Be advised fair maid. To you your father... ...ready to jump into bed with him. Today, many people would find this disgusting and outrageous. But it is fiction, so anything can happen. Especially when you are under a magical spell. Passionate Love â€Å"So will I grow, so live, so die my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give sovereignty.† 1.1.79-82 Hermia does not love Demetrius. She would rather die or become a nun, than marry him. She only has eyes for one man, Lysander. And he feels exactly the same way about her. When they are together, you can see that the love between them is really strong. So she is quite surprised when he is suddenly in love with Helena. As a result of the â€Å"Love Juice†, Lysander falls in love with Helena, and becomes infatuated and obsessive.

I Lost the Chance :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

I Lost the Chance My father and I are made from much the same mold. As my brother resembles my mom, I resemble my father. I inherited his enjoyment for puzzles, words and wit. I share much of his eclectic musical tastes. As I grow older, I see more and more of his traits consciously and subconsciously exhibited in me. I have spoken with my father one time in the past 8 1/2 years. Divorced parents are always a messy situation for the kids, and our family was no exception. My younger brother and I had our ups and downs with both parents, fortunately mostly ups. The time came when my father decided that he wanted us to live with him. He was very convincing... but never convincing enough to gain a commitment from us. Unfortunately, he refused to let it alone at that. I was, at the time, a sophomore in high school, my brother in 8th grade. Eventually, we cracked. Agreed to move in with him. All was right in his world. Except one thing. We could not bring ourselves to tell my mom. Eventually, though, it happened. A long, late-night discussion ensued with my mom, discussing the motivations for our decision, his request, and our feelings on the entire matter. That discussion was the difference. As alike as my father and I are, he never gave us that choice. Despite the enormous emotional stress this sudden announcement must have put on mom, she never once tried to coerce us to stay for one reason or another... and in the end that is why she won. The shoe on the other foot again, we were horribly hesitant to approach our father on the issue. One day it just happened. "We're not going to move in with you." I remember nearly everything about that evening. It was Thanksgiving weekend. My father told us to gather anything we wanted from his apartment. He berated us nearly the entire drive from his place to mom's house. "You'll fit in well in the business world... completely cold-hearted." He pulled up and we stepped out of the car. For seven years, the last words I heard my father speak were "Have a nice life" as he pulled away. Over the past four years, my brother and I have made attempts to contact him or meet with him, always with the same utter avoidance in response.

Community Service: Mandatory or Voluntary Essay

Community service is a topic that is highlighted in our society. Many people have different reasons for their participation in the service, having it be done for selfish reasons or unselfish reasons. However, participation is mandatory. This being the case, community service should be voluntary. Community service holds you back from doing certain things. High schools require 40 hours of community service in order to graduate. If you don’t complete these hours, it’ll keep you from moving on. Certain jobs require you to complete community service in certain tasks. Not doing such can earn you a penalty. Another example to support this claim is a quote from an article titled â€Å"The Benefits of Volunteerism, If the Service is Real†, is that â€Å"there is some cynicism among people that some portion of community service is prompted by students interested more in resume-building.† This goes to show that people have lost the initial purpose for community servi ce as a pass off to make themselves look good, rather than doing it for the cause alone. In addition, voluntary community service is more encouraged than mandatory. In the graphic â€Å"Attitude Toward Offering Students a Chance to do Community Service to Earn Money for College, By Age†, students were surveyed on whether or not they were in favor of doing community service for earning money for college. The survey was done from ages that ranged from 15-25 years old. Throughout the age range, the percentage of students who favor for community service to earn money or don’t favor varied. However, those favorable remained high in the 80% while those unfavorable remained low in the 20%. However, community service should be mandatory in certain situations. In the article â€Å"A Better Society? Or a Better Resume?†, mandatory community service is stressed. Model Naomi Campbell had to complete 5 days of community service as a result of hitting her maid in the head with a cellphone. She was set to work in a sanitation depot as a punishment. However, it tended to work out in her favor as it made her seem as she was doing it for the false altruism of her actions.

Holden Caulfield Is an Island Essay

John Donne’s quote, ‘No man is an island’ connects quite directly to Holden Caulfield in ‘The Catcher in the Rye. ’ Holden’s character is very relative to themes such as isolation, loneliness and non-conformity. Holden has a very distinct character; he has many features, which would describe him as quite a lonely, cynical young man. It is evident that a past of his has had such an effect on him that the adolescence he has become quite a rocky journey for him; the death of his brother Allie, and the suicide of one of his schoolmates included. How is Holden Caulfield an island? Well, the quote itself – ‘No man is an island’ – can be interpreted that no man will thrive in isolation, such as an island. Holden has isolated himself from the conforming ways of society. This explains why he finds it so hard to be close to people, and why people find it so hard to get close to him; because he is so different. Holden’s character can be described as one that is flying off the rails. Some events throughout the novel regarding alcohol and drugs, relationships and Holden’s whereabouts show that he is simply trying to be something he isn’t. Holden Caulfield is an island, throughout the novel, a word to describe him best would be ‘alone. ’ Those who attempt to help him, guide him and be there for him, such as Spencer and Mr. Antolini, generally fail as Holden makes a quick escape from their guiding hands. In some ways, Holden can be seen as a hero. It is much harder to go against the grain alone, than to follow along in the footsteps of others. Holden can be understood as a leader, rather than a follower. Although his purpose is not quite evident, his journey is still worth so much. Holden’s personality includes features, which define him as a very judgmental person. He often uses the term ‘phoney’ to describe people who aren’t true to themselves and who according to him, squeezing into a certain cut out. Holden is very set in his ways, and will generally not take on the opinion of anyone else, and will stick to his own very closely. An example of Holden preferring to be alone is when he informs his sister that he will be leaving home. He organizes a meeting with her before he leaves. She arrives with her belongings and asks to go with him. It is not that Holden loses his temper, and refuses to take her along. After Holden leaves Pencey Prep at the beginning of the novel, he makes the decision to find his way around Manhattan alone, with out telling his parents; for a few days before he is due back home. To most sixteen year old teenagers, to make this decision would be a big move, but to Holden, a stunt like this doesn’t concern him. This just shows how far he goes to prove himself to be an individual, who can take care of himself, Holden feels he doesn’t need anyone but himself, as he is left alone by the end of the story. Throughout the novel, is it clear that the story is about Holden’s journey, and Holden Caulfield being an island. The events and occurrences that happen to Holden along the way prove this statement to be true. Holden has a very strong character, that of which he remains tough; he does his own thing, in his own way; without the need for approval from anyone. Holden Caulfield has isolated himself from the conforming ways of society. Therefore, Holden Caulfield is an Island.