Principle of Electric Motor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Principle of Electric Motor - Essay Example If the current carrying conductor is bent in a rectangular loop, then the two opposite sides that are at right angles to the magnetic field will experience force (Hyper Physics, n.d.). The direction of the force on both rectangular loop sides will be opposite to each other and therefore will produce a torque to the loop and the loops will continuously rotate. In practical applications an electric motor have a large number of loops attached to the coil armature and the magnetic field is generally produced by large electromagnets. Mainly two types of electric motors are widely used and there is slight difference between the working principles of DC and AC electric motors. Working of DC and AC electric Motor: In DC electric motor electricity to the armature coil is supplied through a commutator. Commutator reverses the current after every half cycle so that the torque applied to the armature is in one direction only and thus the coil rotates in single direction. In an AC electric motor the AC current is passed through the rotating contacts. These rotating contacts are also called brushes and the main disadvantage of these AC motors is that a part of energy is wasted as heat, which also shorten the life of the electric motor, however in an AC motor the magnetic field is also produced by same AC voltage (Hyper Physics, n.d.).

Precepts of Ptah Essay Example for Free

Precepts of Ptah Essay Traditionally, Ptah is the creator and god of Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt. Historically, the mythological figure is much more. *** One of the most important gods of ancient Egypt was Ptah of Memphis, a creator god and a director of human destinies. Mrs. Holmbergs study is essentially a reference book based on ancient textual sources and is primarily directed toward the Egyptologist. In the last chapter Mrs. Holmberg wrestles with the origin of the belief in Ptah and exposes the current Egyptological perplexity about the origins of the worship of their historical gods. One leading theory is the notion that the Egyptians from the beginning recognized a supreme being under various names in different places. This being was the one primeval god, the creator god, and the continuing ruler of men and the other gods. In its extreme expression this view is a sort of practical monotheism, since the more important gods are brought together under one theological heading and the lesser gods are made clearly subordinate. The opposing theory is geopolitically evolutionary. This view would argue that the most primitive deities were countless local gods who were gradually reduced in number by the enlarging of political units through conquest and assimilation. As the Egyptian nation emerged, the more successful of these local gods became cosmic forces-in part through political elevation of one cult-center over others, in part through a process of syncretism, and in part through mans attempt to answer the questions of his cosmological and cosmogonic speculation. Mrs. Holmberg tends to hesitate between these two theories, and in the present state of our ignorance about prehistoric origins one can hardly blame her. 1 PTAH – HOTEP Ptah-Hotep a was well – known Egyptian sage (sage of Ptah, per se) that dates from around 2200 BCE. He may even have enjoyed a celebrity status. Whatever his fame, he was an advisor to the King and would have been viewed as a very high ranking official.A collection of precepts is attributed to him, although scholars debate the actual author (and dating) of the document. 1 The God Ptah by Maj Sandman Holmberg Review by: John A. Wilson The Journal of Religion , Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul., 1948), p. 229 Published by: The University of Chicago Press CP 1 Ancient History Sourcebook: The Precepts of Ptah-Hotep, c. 2200 BCE Precepts of the prefect, the lord Ptah-hotep, under the Majesty of the King of the South and North, Assa, living eternally forever. The prefect, the feudal lord Ptah-hotep, says: O Ptah with the two crocodiles, my lord, the progress of age changes into senility. Decay falls upon man and decline takes the place of youth. A vexation weighs upon him every day; sight fails, the ear becomes deaf; his strength dissolves without ceasing. The mouth is silent, speech fails him; the mind decays, remembering not the day before. The whole body suffers. That which is good becomes evil; taste completely disappears. Old age makes a man altogether miserable; the nose is stopped up, breathing no more from exhaustion. Standing or sitting there is here a condition of . . . Who will cause me to have authority to speak, that I may declare to him the words of those who have heard the counsels of former days? And the counsels heard of the gods, who will give me authority to declare them? Cause that it be so and that evil be removed from those that are enlightened; send the double . . . The majesty of this god says: Instruct him in the sayings of former days. It is this which constitutes the merit of the children of the great. All that which makes the soul equal penetrates him who hears it, and that which it says produces no satiety. Beginning of the arrangement of the good sayings, spoken by the noble lord, the divine father, beloved of Ptah, the son of the king, the first-born of his race, the prefect and feudal lord Ptah- hotep, so as to instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of the arguments of the good sayings. It is profitable for him who hears them, it is a loss to him who shall transgress them. He says to his son: Be not arrogant because of that which you know; deal with the ignorant as with the learned; for the barriers of art are not closed, no artist being in possession of the perfection to which he should aspire. But good words are more difficult to find than the emerald, for it is by slaves that that is discovered among the rocks of pegmatite. If you find a disputant while he is hot, and if he is superior to you in ability, l ower the hands, bend the back, do not get into a passion with him. As he will not let you destroy his words, it is utterly wrong to interrupt him; that proclaims that you are incapable of keeping yourself calm, when you are contradicted. If then you have to do with a disputant while he is hot,  imitate one who does not stir. You have the advantage over him if you keep silence when he is uttering evil words. The better of the two is he who is impassive, say the bystanders, and you are right in the opinion of the great. 2 If you find a disputant while he is hot, do not despise him because you are not of the same opinion. Be not angry against him when he is wrong; away with such a thing. He fights against himself; require him not further to flatter your feelings. Do not amuse yourself with the spectacle which you have before you; it is odious, it is mean, it is the part of a despicable soul so to do. As soon as you let yourself be moved by your feelings, combat this desire as a thing that is reproved by the great. If you have, as leader, to decide on the conduct of a great number of men, seek the most perfect manner of doing so that your own conduct may be without reproach. Justice is great, invariable, and assured; it has not been disturbed since the age of Ptah. To throw obstacles in the way of the laws is to open the way before violence. Shall that which is below gain the upper hand, if the unjust does not attain to the place of justice? Even he who says: I take for myself, of my own free-will; but says not: I take by virtue of my authority. The limitations of justice are invariable; such is the instruction which every man receives from his father. Inspire not men with fear, else Ptah will fight against you in the same manner. If any one asserts that he lives by such means, Ptah will take away the bread from his mouth; if any one asserts that he enriches himself thereby, Ptah says: I may take those riches to myself. If any one asserts that he beats others, Ptah will end by reducing him to impotence. Let no one inspire men with fear; this is the will of Ptah. Let one provide sustenance for them in the lap of peace; it will then be that they will freely give what has been torn from them by terror. If you are among the persons seated at meat in the house of a greater man than yourself, take that which he gives you, bowing to the ground. Regard that which is placed before you, but point not at it; regard it not frequently; he is a blameworthy person who departs from this rule. Speak not to the great man more than he requires, for one knows not what may be displeasing to him. Speak when he invites you and your worth will be pleasing. As for the great man who has plenty of means of existence, his  conduct is as he himself wishes. He does that which pleases him; if he desires to repose, he realizes his intention. The great man stretching forth his hand does that to which other men do not attain. But as the means of existence are under the will of Ptah, one can not rebel against it. If you are one of those who bring the messages of one great man to another, conform yourself exactly to that wherewith he has charged you; perform for him the commission as he has enjoined you. Beware of altering in speaking the offensive words which one great person addresses to another; he who perverts the trustfulness of his way, in order to repeat only what produces pleasure in the words of every man, great or small, is a detestable person. If you are a farmer, gather the crops in the field which the great Ptah has given you, do not boast in the house of your neighbors; it is better to make oneself dreaded by ones deeds. As for him who, master of his own way of acting, being all-powerful, seizes the goods of others like a crocodile in the midst even of watchment, his children are an object of malediction, of scorn, and of hatred on account of it, while his father is grievously distressed, and as for the mother 3  who has borne him, happy is another rather than herself. But a ma n becomes a god when he is chief of a tribe which has confidence in following him. If you abase yourself in obeying a superior, your conduct is entirely good before Ptah. Knowing who you ought to obey and who you ought to command, do not lift up your heart against him. As you know that in him is authority, be respectful toward him as belonging to him. Wealth comes only at Ptahs own good-will, and his caprice only is the law; as for him who . . Ptah, who has created his superiority, turns himself from him and he is overthrown. Be active during the time of your existence, do no more than is commanded. Do not spoil the time of your activity; he is a blameworthy person who makes a bad use of his moments. Do not lose the daily opportunity of increasing that which your house possesses. Activity produces riches, and riches do not endure when it slackens. If you are a wise man, bring up a son who shall be pleasing to Ptah. If he conforms his conduct to your way and occupies himself with your affairs as is right, do to him all the good you can; he is your son, a person attached to you whom your own self has begotten. Separate not your heart from him. But if he conducts himself ill and transgresses  your wish, if he rejects all counsel, if his mouth goes according to the evil word, strike him on the mouth in return. Give orders without hesitation to those who do wrong, to him whose temper is turbulent; and he will not deviate from the straight path, and there will be no obstacle to interrupt the way. If you are employed in the larit, stand or sit rather than walk about. Lay down rules for yourself from the first: not to absent yourself even when weariness overtakes you. Keep an eye on him who enters announcing that what he asks is secret; what is entrusted to you is above appreciation, and all contrary argument is a matter to be rejected. He is a god who penetrates into a place where no relaxation of the rules is made for the privileged. If you are with people who display for you an extreme affection, saying: Aspiration of my heart, aspiration of my heart, where there is no remedy! That which is said in your heart, let it be realized by springing up spontaneously. Sovereign master, I give myself to your opinion. Your name is approved without speaking. Your body is full of vigor, your face is above your neighbors. If then you are accustomed to this excess of flattery, and there be an obstacle to you in your desires, then your impulse is to obey your passion. But he who . . . according to his caprice, his soul is . . ., his body is . . . While the man who is master of his soul is superior to those whom Ptah has loaded with his gifts; the man who obeys his passion is under the power of his wife. Declare your line of conduct without reticence; give your opinion in the council of your lord; while there are people who turn back upon their own words when they speak, so as not to offend him who has put forward a statement, and answer not in this fashion: He is the great man who will recognize the error of another; and when he shall raise his voice to oppose the other about it he will keep silence after what I have said. 4 If you are a leader, setting forward your plans according to that which you decide, perform perfect actions which posterity may remember, without letting the words prevail with you which multiply flattery, which excite pride and produce vanity. If you are a leader of peace, listen to the discourse of the petitioner. Be not abrupt with him; that would trouble him. Say not to him: You have already recounted this. Indulgence will encourage him to accomplish the object of his coming. As for being abrupt with the complainant because he described what passed when the injury was done, instead of complaining of the injury itself let it not be! The way to obtain a clear explanation is to listen with kindness. If you desire to excite respect within the house you enter, for example the house of a superior, a friend, or any person of consideration, in short everywhere where you enter, keep yourself from making advances to a woman, for there is nothing good in so doing. There is no prudence in taking part in it, and thousands of men destroy themselves in order to enjoy a moment, brief as a dream, while they gain death, so as to know it. It is a villainous intention, that of a man who thus excites himself; if he goes on to carry it out, his mind abandons him. For as for him who is without repugnance for such an act, there is no good sense at all in him. If you desire that your conduct should be good and preserved from all evil, keep yourself from every attack of bad humor. It is a fatal malady which leads to discord, and there is no longer any existence for him who gives way to it. For it introduces discord between fathers and mothers, as well as between brothers and sisters; it causes the wife and the husband to hate each other; it contains all kinds of wickedness, it embodies all kinds of wrong. When a man has established his just equilibrium and walks in this path, there where he makes his dwelling, there is no room for bad humor. Be not of an irr itable temper as regards that which happens at your side; grumble not over your own affairs. Be not of an irritable temper in regard to your neighbors; better is a compliment to that which displeases than rudeness. It is wrong to get into a passion with ones neighbors, to be no longer master of ones words. When there is only a little irritation, one creates for oneself an affliction for the time when one will again be cool. If you are wise, look after your house; love your wife without alloy. Fill her stomach, clothe her back; these are the cares to be bestowed on her person. Caress her, fulfil her desires during the time of her existence; it is a kindness which does honor to its possessor. Be not brutal; tact will influence her better than violence; her . . . behold to what she aspires, at what she aims, what she regards. It is that which fixes her in your house; if you repel her, it is an abyss. Open your arms for her, respond to her arms; call her, display to her your love. Treat your dependents well, in so far as it belongs to you to do so; and it belongs to those whom P tah has favored. If any one fails in treating his dependents well it is said: He is  a person . . . As we do not know the events which may happen tomorrow, he is a wise person by whom one is well treated. When there comes the necessity of showing zeal, it will then be the 5 dependents themselves who say: Come on, come on, if good treatment has not quitted the place; if it has quitted it, the dependents are defaulters. Do not repeat any extravagance of language; do not listen to it; it is a thing which has escaped from a hasty mouth. If it is repeated, look, without hearing it, toward the earth; say nothing in regard to it. Cause him who speaks to you to know what is just, even him who provokes to injustice; cause that which is just to be done, cause it to triumph. As for that which is hateful according to the law, condemn it by unveiling it. If you are a wise man, sitting in the council of your lord, direct your thought toward that which is wise. Be silent rather than scatter your words. When you speak, know that which can be brought against you. To speak in the council is an art, and speech is criticized more than any other labor; it is contradiction which puts it to the proof. If you are powerful, respect knowledge and calmness of language. Command only to direct; to be absolute is to run into evil. Let not your heart be haughty, neither let it be mean. Do not let your orders remain unsaid and cause your answers to penetrate; but speak without heat, assume a serious countenance. As for the vivacity of an ardent heart, temper it; the gentle man penetrates all obstacles. He who agitates himself all the day long has not a good moment; and he who amuses himself all the day long keeps not his fortune. Aim at fulness like pilots; once one is seated another works, and seeks to obey ones orders. Disturb not a great man; weaken not the attention of him who is occupied. His care is to embrace his task, and he strips his person through the love which he puts into it. That transports men to Ptah, even the love for the work which they accomplish. Compose then your face even in trouble, that peace may be with you, when agitation is with . . .These are the people who suc ceed in what they desire. Teach others to render homage to a great man. If you gather the crop for him among men, cause it to return fully to its owner, at whose hands is your subsistence. But the gift of affection is worth more than the provisions with which your back is covered. For that which the great man receives from you will enable your house to live, without speaking  of the maintenance you enjoy, which you desire to preserve; it is thereby that he extends a beneficent hand, and that in your home good things are added to good things. Let your love pass into the heart of those who love you; cause those about you to be loving and obedient. If you are a son of the guardians deputed to watch over the public tranquillity, execute your commission without knowing its meaning, and speak with firmness. Substitute not for that which the instructor has said what you believe to be his intention; the great use words as it suits them. Your part is to transmit rather than to comment upon. If you are annoyed at a thing, if you are tormented by someone who is a cting within his right, get out of his sight, and remember him no more when he has ceased to address you. 6 If you have become great after having been little, if you have become rich after having been poor, when you are at the head of the city, know how not to take advantage of the fact that you have reached the first rank, harden not your heart because of your elevation; you are become only the administrator, the prefect, of the provisions which belong to Ptah. Put not behind you the neighbor who is like you; be unto him as a companion. Bend your back before your superior. You are attached to the palace of the king; your house is established in its fortune, and your profits are as is fitting. Yet a man is annoyed at having an authority above himself, and passes the period of life in being vexed thereat. Although that hurts not your . . . Do not plunder the house of your neighbors, seize not by force the goods which are beside you. Exclaim not then against that which you hear, and do not feel humiliated. It is necessary to reflect when one is hindered by it that the pressure of authority i s felt also by ones neighbor. Do not make . . . you know that there are obstacles to the water which comes to its hinder part, and that there is no trickling of that which is in its bosom. Let it not . . . after having corrupted his heart. If you aim at polished manners, call not him whom you accost. Converse with him especially in such a way as not to annoy him. Enter on a discussion with him only after having left him time to saturate his mind with the subject of the conversation. If he lets his ignorance display itself, and if he gives you all opportunity to disgrace him, treat him with courtesy rather; proceed not to drive him into a corner; do not . . . the word to him; answer not in a  crushing manner; crush him not; worry him not; in order that in his turn he may not return to the subject, but depart to the profit of your conversation. Let your countenance be cheerful during the time of your existence. When we see one departing from the storehouse who has entered in order to bring his share of provision, with his face contracted, it shows that his stomach is empty and that authority is offensive to him. Let not that happen to you; it is . . . Know those who are faithful to you when you are in low estate. Your merit then is worth more than those who did you honor. His . . ., behold that which a man possesses completely. That is of more importance than his high rank; for this is a matter which passes from one to another. The merit of ones son is advantageous to the father, and that which he really is, is worth more than the remembrance of his fathers rank. Distinguish the superintendent who directs from the workman, for manual labor is little elevated; the inaction of the hands is honorable. If a man is not in the evil way, that which places him there is the want of subordination to authority. If you take a wife, do not . . . Let her be more contented than any of her fellow-citizens. She will be attached to you doubly, if her chain is pleasant. Do not repel her; grant that which pleases her; it is to her contentment that she appreciates your work. 7 If you hear those things which I have said to you, your wisdom will be fully advanced. Although they are the means which are suitable for arriving at the maat, and it is that which makes them precious, their memory would recede from the mouth of men. But thanks to the beauty of their arrangement in rhythm all their words will now be carried without alteration over this earth eternally. That will create a canvass to be embellished, whereof the great will speak, in order to instruct men in its sayings. After having listened to them the pupil will become a master, even he who shall have properly listened to the sayings because he shall have heard them. Let him win success by placing himself in the first rank; that is for him a position perfect and durable, and he has nothing further to desire forever. By knowledge his path is assured, and he is made happy by it on the earth. The wise man is satiated by knowledge; he is a great man through his own merits. His tongue is in accord with his mind; just are his lips when he speaks, his eyes when he gazes, his ears when he hears. The advantage of his son is to  do that which is just without deceiving himself. To attend therefore profits the son of him who has attended. To attend is the result of the fact that one has attended. A teachable auditor is formed, because I have attended. Good when he has attended, good when he speaks, he who has attended has profited, and it is profitable to attend to him who has attended. To attend is worth more than anything else, for it produces love, the good thing that is twice good. The son who accepts the instruction of his father will grow old on that account. What Ptah loves is that one should attend; if one attends not, it is abhorrent to Ptah. The heart makes itself its own master when it attends and when it does not attend; but if it attends, then his heart is a beneficent master to a man. In attending to instruction, a man loves what he attends to, and to do that which is prescribed is pleasant. When a son attends to his father, it is a twofold joy for both; when wise things are prescribed to him, the son is gentle toward his master. Attending to him who has attended when such things have been prescribed to him, he engraves upon his heart that which is approved by his father; and the recollection of it is preserved in th e mouth of the living who exist upon this earth. When a son receives the instruction of his father there is no error in all his plans. Train your son to be a teachable man whose wisdom is agreeable to the great. Let him direct his mouth according to that which has been said to him; in the docility of a son is discovered his wisdom. His conduct is perfect while error carries away the unteachable. Tomorrow knowledge will support him, while the ignorant will be destroyed. As for the man without experience who listens not, he effects nothing whatsoever. He sees knowledge in ignorance, profit in loss; he commits all kinds of error, always accordingly choosing the contrary of what is praiseworthy. He lives on that which is mortal, in this fashion. His food is evil words, whereat he is filled with astonishment. That which the great know to be mortal he lives upon every day, flying from that which would be profitable to him, because of the multitude of errors which present themselves before him every day. A son who attends is like a follower of Horus; he is happy after having attended. He becomes great, he arrives at dignity, he gives the same lesson to his children. Let none innovate upon the precepts of his father; let the same precepts form his lessons to his children. Verily, will his 8  children say to him, to a ccomplish what you say works marvels. Cause therefore that to flourish which is just, in order to nourish your children with it. If the teachers allow themselves to be led toward evil principles, verily the people who understand them not will speak accordingly, and that being said to those who are docile they will act accordingly. Then all the world considers them as masters and they inspire confidence in the public; but their glory endures not so long as would please them. Take not away then a word from the ancient teaching, and add not one; put not one thing in place of another; beware of uncovering the rebellious ideas which arise in you; but teach according to the words of the wise. Attend if you wish to dwell in the mouth of those who shall attend to your words, when you have entered upon the office of master, that your words may be upon our lips . . . and that there may be a chair from which to deliver your arguments. Let your thoughts be abundant, but let your mouth be under restraint, and you shall argue with the great. Put yourself in unison with the ways of your master; cause him to say: He is my son, so that those who shall hear it shall say Praise be to her who has borne him to him! Apply yourself while you speak; speak only of perfect things; and let the great who shall hear you say: Twice good is that which issues from his mouth! Do that which your master bids you. Twice good is the precept of his father, from whom he has issued, from his flesh. What he tells us, let it be fixed in our heart; to satisfy him greatly let us do for him more than he has prescribed. Verily a good son is one of the gifts of Ptah, a son who does even better than he has been told to do. For his master he does what is satisfactory, putting himself with all his heart on the part of right. So I shall bring it about that your body shall be healthful, that the Pharaoh shall be satisfied with you in all circumstances and that you shall obtain years of life without default. It has caused me on earth to obtain one hundred and ten years of life, along with the gift of the favor of the Pharoah among the first of those whom their works have ennobled, satisfying the Pharoah in a place of dignity. It is finished, from its beginning to its end, according to that which is found in writing. Source: From: Charles F. Horne, The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East (New York: Parke, Austin, Lipscomb, 1917), Vol. II: Egypt, pp. 62-78. Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton This text is part of the Internet Ancient History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history. 9 Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. No representation is made about texts which are linked off-site, although in most cases these are also public domain. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.  © Paul Halsall May 1998

socialist feminist criticism :: essays research papers fc

Socialist Feminist Criticism: You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism and gender studies have been described as having the ability to â€Å"challenge literary and culture theory to confront the difficult task of assimilating the findings of an expanding sphere of inquiry† (Contemporary Literary Criticism 567). This area of study has taken center stage during the last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism traverses can hardly be narrowed down to one single definition, the exploration of the genre can, at times, be the most intriguing feature of the criticism itself. While feminism has undoubtedly changed the way women and gender roles are considered in society today, it has also had an impact on the way that I, too, read literature, look at American culture, and view the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Walter Ong suggests that â€Å"‘literature’ itself is the product of—or completely wound up and ‘imbricated’ in—the social contexts out of which it grows† (CLC 461). The social contexts that exist in our society have not only affected our societal systems themselves, but also have changed the way we view our class systems, gender roles, and sexual choices. Viewing society from a Marxist perspective can also help us decipher the unspoken rules that govern us. â€Å"Not only do Marxist critics want criticism to be constantly aware of history—both present and past history—in reading and literature, they also demand that the criticism become more overtly political or†¦ ‘politically informed,’ so that it attempts, as Marx said, not simply to interpret but to change the world† (CLC 462). This intent is similar to that of the feminist genre in that both camps are seeking to change the w ay we understand the world and to eventually change the world itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism and Marxism are further intertwined if you consider the female sex as a social class of its own. In my analysis of Walt Whitman’s poem, I Hear America Singing, I commented that â€Å"by studying cultures and societies from the Marxist vantage point we are better equipped to understand the affects of social classes on our lives. The theories of Marxism provide the thinking worker with an understanding which is capable of leading him through the many events and complex processes of society, economics, the struggle of classes, and politics.† But, by utilizing these techniques in combination with those of the Feminist perspective, we are equipped with an even greater microscope under which to examine the social contexts that surround and inevitably influence us.

Symbolism in the Red Convertible

October 1st, 2012 Symbolism in the Red Convertible In writing, authors use symbolism to relay a deeper meaning to what they actually write. This technique captures important elements and gives the reader an idea of the theme of the story without the author directly telling them. Louise Erdrich uses symbolism to help emphasize and reveal the themes and message of her stories. â€Å"The Red Convertible,† by Erdrich, is a story about brotherly love as the highest value between two brothers, Lyman and Henry, and also about the difficulties veterans of war and their families face at post-war times.Symbolism plays a big part in this story, revealing the hardships Henry brings home from the battlefields of Vietnam, and to show Lyman's difficulties with handling separation and distance from his brother. The story is told from Lyman Lamartine’s point of view as he recounts the relationship he had with his older brother, Henry. He says how they both bought a red Oldsmobile conver tible on impulse and traveled the country with it. He recalled it as a very happy and carefree time between the brothers. Then Henry went off to fight in the Vietnam War and when he returned he was a very changed man.He was depressed and lost interest in everything, including the car and his brother. When Lyman realizes the relationship between him and his brother will never be the same, he takes a hammer and beats the car up so it is in horrible condition. Henry sees the broken car and fixes it up. Once finished, the boys drive the car to a lake and  Henry tries to give Lyman complete ownership of the car but Lyman constantly refuses. The brothers enjoy a tiny moment of laughter and hopefulness and after spending a couple good minutes together, Henry tells Lyman that he needs to cool off, and he jumps into the river.Apathetically, Henry says that his boots have filled with water and he goes under in the current. Lyman tries to save his brother but can’t. Then he turns the car on and sends it into the river, watching it sink to its demise just like Henry. The red convertible could be seen as a symbol of attachment. The two brothers by the car on impulse, using all the money they had with them, and soon it becomes their source of fun, adventure, and relaxation. This car creates a strong bond between them. Both brothers owned the car and left a part of them attached to the car.Henry then goes off to war, and hands his keys to Lyman, but the car is abandoned just like the brothers relationship. The war has broken the attachment between the brothers. From this point, the boys try to give full ownership of the car to the other brother, realizing that neither of the brothers can own the entire red convertible for himself, because they both have part of themselves sentimentally attached to it. When Henry drowns, Lyman is compelled to drive the car in the river, destroying the part of the car that was Henrys.Without Henry, half of the car is symbolically miss ing and Lyman knows he cannot ever drive the car again because car was only driven when the boys were attached. The Oldsmobile could also be seen as a symbol of brotherhood and the war-torn relationships of soldiers when they return home. When they bought the car, they did not need to discuss it because they understood each other without saying a word. They travel together, and this represents a normal, healthy brotherly relationship. When Henry returned a changed man, he was not interested in anything, including Lyman and the car.Lyman understood and caught on that his brother did not care for life anymore because the car was life to him before the war and now Henry doesn’t care for it. When Lyman destroys the car in an attempt to get Henry interested, it is his gesture of brotherly love and also a demonstration of the separation between them. The car portrays the destroyed relationship between Henry and Lyman. And in response, Henry repairs the car, putting the last of his soul into the car. He remembers the condition the car and himself was in before the war and is concerned. Eventually Henry realizes he could not fix himself.This reflects the concerns that many soldiers had coming home regarding the futures of their relationships and how they feared it would just be another casualty of the war, which many were, including Henry and Lyman’s. He uses the fixed convertible to save his love for his brother. Later when Henry tells Lyman to take care of the car, both brothers understood that Henry was preparing for death. He could not leave the world with the car and his relationship with his brother broken, and fixes the car as his last shot to save both. When the car was finished and He and Lyman went on one more trip, he was ready to die.Lyman saw the car more as an instrument to try and return his brother to the way he used to be before the war. But once Henry drowns and dies, the car is useless to him. There is symbolism in the short story that reflects Native American culture in the modern world. Lyman and Henry go on trips for months, travelling the country. These trips could represent the nomadic lifestyle of early Native Americans. At the end of the story, before Henry drowns himself, he and Lyman share a moment of fun and laughter. Henry does a wild and crazy dance, and this could be reflected as a ritual or traditional dance of Native Americans.The color red is a big symbol in the story. The convertible is red and was specifically put in the title and story by Louise Erdrich. Red has a positive and negative meaning. Positively, red means strength and love. This reflects Henry and Lyman because their brotherhood bond was strong and powerful, and they loved each other. Red could also mean aggression and war. This obviously reflects the war that damaged the relationship between the brothers and ruined Henry, and also the anger the brothers had that the relationship and their lives were not the same and would never be t he same again.The color red shows up more in the story, like in the beginning when the two travels to the Blood Reservation and meet a girl named Susy. Blood is obviously red, and Susy represents a part of their lives that was happy and carefree, and would never be the same. She impacted the boy’s lives and the free-spirit they once had. The color red appears once more on the boy’s very last trip when they head east to Red Rock. This is where Henry accepts death and that his life will never be the same again and commits suicide. In literature,  symbolism  is used to give meaning to the writing beyond what is actually written on the page.The plot and actions that take place can be thought of as one level, while the symbolism is on another, deeper level to enhance the story. In her short story, â€Å"The Red Convertible,† Louise Erdrich uses symbolism to help the reader see the message and theme of the story. She takes the color red, the convertible, and other moments in the story and has hidden symbols and meanings in them that emphasize the theme of strong brotherhood between Lyman and Henry and the negative aftermath that war has on its soldiers relationships back home.

African American History: A Close Up on Baptist Churches Essay

As you enter through the door on the first level of this San Francisco-based Baptist-rooted church, you become overwhelmed by the warm hug and kiss of Sister â€Å"What’s-her-name?† as she bold and kindly greets you, â€Å"Good morning! God bless you!† Walking up the stairs heading into the Worship Center, Brother and Sister â€Å"So and so† affectionately embrace you, just as an aunt or uncle would at a family function. In an instant, you are drawn in by the harmonious singing of the choir over the upbeat sounds of musicians playing the drums, keyboard, guitars, organ and tambourines. As you look around, you may not recognize everybody, but you sense a powerful family-like bondage. Although the love of Christ is all-inclusive to any and everyone, this non-exclusive church is predominantly African American in population. There is a noticeably implied bond which seems to be more genuine, the more melanin you contain. This tremendously impacts individuals within the congregational community. Why is it that the most segregated hour in America continues to be 11:00am Sunday morning? Research directs us towards clues on how church origins and U.S. history has and still is heavily influencing African Americans in the Modern Church of today. In James P. Eckman’s Exploring Church History he writes about the foundation of the church starting with the Apostolic Age, which began around 30 B.C. and immediately followed the death of Jesus Christ in the first century, through the modern church of the 21st century. Reviewing the timeline from the Apostolic Age (1st century) to the Church Fathers (95-300s), onto Ancient Church and Theology (4th century), following the Medieval Church (400-1500s), through the Reformation period and Catholic Church (16th century), to the Scientific Revolution (1600-1700s) onto the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, we discover that many events influenced the building and forming of the â€Å"black church† in America. Tracing these events we can see a thread of the Christian Church trailing through European countries for several hundreds of years. In the latter of events above, we learn that Europeans began enslaving Africans and started to migrate over to a land that we now know as America. During the  developmental period of the first African American Churches in the 1700-1800s slavery was very prevalent in the United States. Henry H. Mitchell, author of Black Church Beginnings, predisposes how though enslaved Africans had their own religious traditions and practices, there were some overlooked factors that contributed to their fascination in Christianity which soon took route in the African American Society. He goes on to state that the typical West African town was a community of faith. The tribesmen generally assumed that if they lost a war to another tribe or nation, the god of the triumphant party ought to be included in their beliefs since the conquerors’ god was strong enough to grant them victory (Mitchell, page 33). He discusses how they found commonality between their expressive African culture and the unheard of, free expressiveness for whites in their churches. The Africans became more and more interested as they began interpreting the Bible for themselves and found parallels in traditional African religion. They were able to relate to the Old Testament stories [like the enslavement of Hebrews by the Egyptians] and saw hope in Moses and Jesus as mighty deliverers. The above mentioned were significant factors which ultimately led to African slaves placing their hope in â€Å"the white man’s† God and Bible: The Black church in America had its origins in the slave religion of the American South. Deprived of their identity, oppressed by their masters, and unable to establish their own institutions, many slaves turned to Christianity. Faith in Jesus Christ gave them hope for the future when His justice would right the wrongs done to them. (Eckman, page 98) Near the dawning of the formation of the original black churches in the 18th century, some slave masters allowed [or even required] slaves to attend church services with them. Others allowed monitored the worship services, however, they were plagued with fears of possible rebellion. Mitchell describes contrasts between liberal and oppressive slave masters. Some oppressive masters withheld knowledge of Christianity from slaves and beat or even killed those who began to worship God devotedly (Mitchell, page 33). Many, if not all, plantations held stealthy worship services in the woods, swamps or brushes. L. Maffly-Kipp describes, in her article â€Å"African American Religion in the Beginning†, how the slaves used symbolism that was not detectible by their captors. It’s as though Africans began to develop a secret society and reactively initiated exclusive churches. The underground services of worship were labeled as the â€Å"Invisible Institution† since they were invisibly held to the eyes of slave masters. Here the slaves began mixing the Christian faith with African rhythms and singing, which led to the formation of the Negro spirituals (Maffly-Kipp). Most spirituals contained two-folded meanings of worship and freedom. [From time to time, (especially in February or around January 15th) we’ll hear some of these old Negro spirituals in today’s predominantly black churches.] Maffly-Kipp infers as the Africans made their appeals of justice unto God, they were also organizing and planning escapes. According to Melva Wilson Costen, author of African American Christian Worship, the first African American church of record, founded in 1758 in Luneberg, VA, was called Bluestone African Baptist Church —owned mostly by slaves. The number of African American churches grew throughout the U.S. between the years of 1750-1800 (over 20 churches of record). Bluestone and subsequent black founded congregations contained partial white populations where they were outnumbered by blacks however Euro-American preachers, as controlling moderators, oversaw these churches. African Americans were not encouraged to lead the congregations (though many were considerably powerful preachers and potential leaders) nor were they allowed any voting privileges. The African American Church continued to evolve in the South and dominant denominations of Baptist and Methodist expanded nationally from 1841-1865. Leadership began to change as did laws towards the end of the 19th century, post the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, 1865 Abolition of Slavery (13th Amendment), 1868 Civil Rights (14th Amendment) and 1870 Voting Rights (15th Amendment). The early Black Church played a significant role in social activism by oratorical pressing towards the abolitionist movement, assisting  in the Underground Railroad, ministration in civic and social responsibility, and through slave insurrections. As Mitchell put it, â€Å"in the root culture of African Americans, nothing is excludable from the design and will of God† (page 138). [This is noteworthy; we’re able to see a continuum of legislative struggle against Africans throughout American history, in a way which the church is affected and involved.] In 1894, a pride-filled, yet rare, exception for African Americans occurred when the pastor of the first African Baptist Church was elected Moderator and Preacher of the Philadelphia Baptist Association. While racial discrimination took many blows, one civil case in Louisiana devastated the progression towards its elimination. In 1896 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to enact the separate-but-equal principles in the famous Plessy v Ferguson case, disregarding equality while planting proliferate seeds of segregation throughout the nation (Records of Supreme Court). This ruling gravelly punctured the church as it promoted separation between Christians, which was contrary to the â€Å"Love thy neighbor as thyself† Christian teachings. As history reveals, for more than 50 years our national society was structured in such way to where the non-association between European Americans and minority races was the norm. After several years of social discomfort, the church began to take a stand against this legal inequality. In Rhetoric, Religion and the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965 by Davis Houck and David Dixon a passion-filled recording of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at a conference in Nashville, TN on April 25, 1957 is referenced (pages 217-224). We find Dr. King proclaiming his strong conviction of faith and declaring his hope in God for deliverance while attacking the moral issues of the Supreme Court’s decision made in the 1896 case. The revolutionary reverend, who led the Civil Rights Movement, charged the Christian Church with the responsibility of standing up against segregation and discrimination (Houck & Dixon, page 220), speaking to all Christians urging them to keep in mind that they answer to God and not the opinions of men. {In all my research, it was here that I saw the shift of focus from African American Christian Heritage to just Christian Heritage.} How difficult would it be for the masses to grasp this concept after hundreds of years of contradictory conditioning? We now live in an era postdating the Civil Rights Movement by more than 40 years; in a time where we [as a nation] elected our first African American president. In the most diverse area of the country (San Francisco), while we are starting to see more racially integrated churches in the Bay Area, 11:00am Sunday morning [for some reason] continues to be the most segregated hour across the U.S. Clearly these historical events continue to affect today’s African Americans within church communities and all people within congregational communities. What else can be concluded from this research? Old habits die hard. . Works Cited Ammerman, Nancy Tatom. Congregation & Community. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1997. Print Costen, Melva Wilson. African American Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993. Print. Eckman, James P. Exploring Church History. Wheaton: Crossway Books a division of Good News Publishers, 1996. Print. Houck, Davis W.; Dixon, David E. Rhetoric, Religion and the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2006. CityCat.Web. March 3, 2010. Maffly-Kipp, L.. â€Å"African American Religion In the Beginning. † Mississippi Link 4 Feb. 2010,Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). ProQuest. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. Mitchell, Henry H. Black Chruch Beginnings: The Long-Hidden Realities of the First Years. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publising Company, 2004. Print. Records of the Supreme Court of the United States. â€Å"Plessy v Ferguson† OurDocuments.gov, May 18, 1896, Web. March 3, 2010

Italian Renaissance essays

Northern/Italian Renaissance essays Northern Vs. Italian Renaissance Art The characteristics of art that seem the most prevalent during the Renaissance are Classical Revival (going back to Greek and Roman times for subject matter and inspiration), Humanism (the idea that humans are focus), Window of Nature (the idea of including nature in the pieces), Syncretism (including Greek and Roman mythology and/or characteristics in Renaissance art), Cult of Beauty (Plato's notion of ideal beauty and love), Empiricism (making the work look as real as possible), Individualism (individuals are important, and become a focus of art), and Idealism (humans and religious figures are painted in their most ideal form). Raphael's fresco The School of Athens and Brueghel's oil painting The Wedding Dance. Although both pieces contain the characterizing elements of Renaissance art, they are different in many Raphael's fresco stands 26 feet by 18 feet and is a model of Italian Renaissance art, containing obvious examples of each of the components of Renaissance art. The School of Athens is a prime model of the Classic Revival. The school portrayed is a school of philosophy in ancient Athens. The people are wearing Greek loose fitting robes for their garments. The architecture of the building is primarily Greek with the columns and arches representing those of the times of Aristotle and Plato, whom are also represented. Humanism and Individualism can be seen in the fresco because humans are the subjects of the painting. Individual people are the focus of the piece, and each has been given their own personality and identity. Raphael has done a phenomenal job depicting each person's facial expression and body movement. The Window of Nature is evident (although not as prevalent as in other works of this time period) in the background of the work in the clouds painted over the heads of Aristotle and Plato. Raphael h...

Affects on New Englands and the Chesapeakes Culture essays

Affects on New England's and the Chesapeakes Culture essays New England and the Chesapeakes citizens may have the same English origin, but they each have very distinct, tightly knit societies. Every region has their own separate way of running their colony that causes differences in development to occur. So no matter where their origin, their new home decides their religion, government, and culture. Religion was an important factor in New England and they took it very seriously. When people like John Calvin and Anne Hutchinson came along bringing their beliefs of predestination with them, it usually led to banishment. New England wanted to lay down their laws so they formed the Church of England in 1530. Some of the regulations associated with the Church upset some puritans and they tried to break away. The people of New England were such firm believers in their religion, sometimes leading to extremes of obsessive fear, which resulted in the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Religion was somewhat intertwined with the government in New England. At least one intelligent, religious person was trying to make the rules better. For example, John Winthrop. He came to the realization that in order to be united and respected, they must be considered higher. This concept was referred to as the city upon a hill (Document A). Another attempt to create a better society happened in 1639 when the first constitution in American history was drafted. It was controlled by substantial citizens and based on the consent of the people. Many other laws and standards were created during this time, trying to start effective colonizations based on Godly faith and morals (Document D). The one thing that made New Englands government strong was their ability to try. Religion and government did take up most of New Englands time but culture was a big part of their life also. They had such an eager focus on the subject of education that their first college, Harvard, was foun...