Analysis of Dickinson’s Pain has an Element of Blank :: Element Blank

Analysis of Dickinson’s Pain has an Element of Blank      Although cryptic in language and structure, Dickinson gives her work an instinctually vivid sense of emotion.   Her examination of the feeling of pain focuses in on only a few of the subtler nuances of pain that are integral parts of the experience.   She draws in on an "Element of Blank" that she introduces in her opening line.   In exploring pain, she proposes that this "blankness" is a self-propagating force that is subject to the dynamic forces of time, history and perception, but only to an extent. Her first mention of "Pain" in the first line does not distinguish this particular emotion as being of a particular brand of pain.   She substitutes no other words for "pain."   By suggesting no other words for "pain," she chooses the most semantically encompassing term for the emotion.   She thus gives her work the responsibility of examining the collective, general breadth of "pain."   Her alternatives offer connotations that color her usage of "Pain": the sense of loss in "grief" and "mourning" or the sense of pity in "anguish" and "suffering."   She chooses the lexical vagueness of "Pain" to embrace all these facets of the emotion.    In introducing the "Element of Blank," it becomes the context that she thus examines pain.   The exact context of "Blank" possesses a vagueness that suggests its own inadequacy of solid definition.   Perhaps this sense of indefinition is the impression that this usage of "Blank" is meant to inspire.   In this context, this "blankness" is suggestive of a quality of empty unknowingness that is supported by the next few lines: "It cannot recollect When it begun."   This inability to remember raises a major problem with respect to the nature of "Pain;" namely whether Dickinson is choosing to personify "Pain" by giving it a human quality like memory, or is in fact negating the humanity of making it unable to remember.   Several lines below, she suggests that "Pain" does in fact possess some sort of limited sentient ability in recognizing "Its Past - enlightened to perceive."   It is very possible that it is the "Pain" that is being enlightened or perceiving. These conscious acts of giving "Pain" some sort of capacity of awareness personify "Pain" to some extent.    In continuation of "Pain's" inability to remember, She proceeds, "It cannot recollect When it begun - or if there were A time when it was not.

Maxims and Sayings, Herakleitos Essay

The â€Å"Unity of Opposites† is a very interesting piece. The concept of opposites and the balance that lies within all is the main idea. By placing these values and definitions as one in the same Herakleitos goes a step further. Although he only discusses a limited number of things and their opposites, this theory can go beyond and be forever limitless in the categorizing of opposites. It sheds light to the idea of balance and good and bad, heaven and hell, life and death. All things in this universe have an opposite and that which is living is also death and here within lies the harmony of absolute knowledge. In a way I believe Herekleitos is seeking wisdom by defining mans belief in religion and themselves. As so stated in his final verse â€Å"I inquired of myself†. One excerpt from the maxim stating, â€Å" War is father of all and king of all; and some he made gods and some men, some slaves and some free.†, shows a strong belief in warfare and accurately depicts the Mycenaean culture of the warrior class. This culture took great pride in their belief of war and strength in pillaging. They lived by the idea that to survive one must attack before being attacked. Just as in the saying by Herakleitos, â€Å"The name of the bow is life, but its work is death.†, a belief for warfare and weaponry is shown. By giving life itself to the object of the bow, the Mycenaean culture can be defined as a war mongering culture. This theory is clearly defined as well in the art piece known as â€Å"The Warrior Vase†. By depicting ancient warriors on this vase, the Mycenaean culture shows that even on a home based piece of pottery, one is reminded of the true value of warfare and strength. The men portrayed on this vase also show a high level of weaponry and defense for an ancient culture with minimal contact with Egyptians and well before roman times.

Bissoondaths Attitudes on Multiculturalism Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Rather than understanding terms such as ‘banana’ become a negative racial slur as it is defined today, Choy saw this identification in the tradition of his own culture: â€Å"the term actually follows the old Chinese tendency to assign endearing nicknames to replace formal names, semicomic names to keep one humble† (Choy: 78). In other words, the term was not a racist slur but a badge of identification with others of similar mixed heritage. Examining the lives of mixed marriage couples in Toronto, Andrew Cohen cites Yann Martel’s description of Canada as ‘the greatest hotel on earth’. â€Å"A perceptive and apt description, it imagines a Canada in which every one is a visitor, occupying a room, a floor, or even a wing, depending on his means. No one stays for very long be ­cause no one wants to make an extended commitment† (Cohen: para. 7). This ‘just visiting’ mentality encourages individuals to associate only with those they already know or are forced to come into frequent contact with through school, work or religious affiliation. The concept of media exploitation is perhaps the weakest of Bissoondath’s arguments in terms of supporting evidence. We will write a custom essay sample on Bissoondaths Attitudes on Multiculturalism or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Having briefly introduced the subject, he briefly warns â€Å"We must be skeptical about those who depend on conflict for their sense of self, the non-whites who need to feel themselves victims of racism, the whites who need to feel themselves purveyors of it† (Bissoondath: 76). Bissoondath’s argument is supported by the way in which Choy illustrates how the whites felt themselves purveyors of racism. Through the prime-time television programs he watched, the white culture was emphasized while the Chinese culture was presented as being somehow less than or less advanced, encouraging the Chinese Canadian youth to â€Å"cooperate with English-language magazines that showed us how to act and what to buy† (Choy: 79). It wasn’t until his 40s or 50s that he discovered that he began searching for his Chinese roots and discovered that â€Å"these ‘between world’ struggles are universal† (Choy: 79). The concept isn’t as clearly stated in the Cohen article, but the idea is conveyed in his discussion of the effects of alienation occurring in the cities despite, or perhaps because of, multiculturalism. â€Å"If Canadians don’t redouble their efforts to integrate and promote a secular society, ‘we risk creating a fragmented nation, divided into 21st century religious and racial tribes, suspicious of each other and longing for the home we left behind† (Cohen, citing broadcaster Tarek Fatah: para.