Choose Your Own Joan Didion Adventure

Choose Your Own Joan Didion Adventure Joan Didion is one of our most important living writers, one who has written so widely it can be difficult to decide where to start with her work. She has written fiction, essays, memoir, journalism, social and political commentary, and more. Shes known for being part of the new journalism movement, a freer, looser style of reporting that reads more like fiction and can include the authors own experience. But shes also known for heart-wrenching memoirs and ground-breaking fiction. So where should a reader start with her? I dont think there is one right answer to that question. Where you start with Didion depends on what kind of writing you want to read. So Im suggesting four starting places, with guidelines for where to go from there. Its a choose your own Joan Didion adventure! First, decide what kind of reading experience you want to have. There is no wrong answer here (and I promise none of them will lead to a premature and gory death!). Any of the possibilities below will take you on a journey through a wonderful body of writing. If you cant decide where you want to start, then just jump to Track #1 below: If you like travel writing, sharp political commentary, and critiques of U.S. intervention around the world, go to Track #1. If you love essay collections that combine personal and journalistic writing, go to Track #2. If you love fiction, particularly about troubled women struggling to find meaning in the world, go to Track #3. If you love memoir, particularly grief memoirs, go to Track #4. Track #1: Salvador. Published in 1983, this book is an account of Didions 1982 journey to El Salvador to report on the social and political turmoil of the Salvadoran Civil War that had begun in 1979. Its a very short book and a good introduction to her style. Its descriptions of violence and terror make it a difficult read not unusual for Didion. The book is also not above criticism: Didion writes at times with a confident, sometimes-dismissive breeziness about a society she had known only briefly. But she also captures terror and unrest in trademark devastating fashion. If you loved this book and want more of the same, read Political Fictions, and then go back to the beginning to choose another track. If you want a break from nonfiction but are up for more politics, try the novel A Book of Common Prayer, and then proceed to Track #2. If you are done with politics, jump to Track #3, or if you have already followed Track #3, go to Track #4. If this book wasnt for you, dont worry, there is much more to like. Go on to Track #2. Track #2: Slouching Toward Bethlehem. Published in 1968, this is a collection of personal and journalistic essays focusing mainly on California. It contains one of her most famous pieces, Goodbye to All That, as well as a famous essay about the countercultural Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. Her view of California is sometimes a grim one, but its captured in writing that is crystal clear. Didion is known for her sharp prose style, and here you will find it at its best. If you loved this book and want more of the same, read The White Album. Then go to Track #1 if you want political commentary or Track #4 if youre up for memoir. If you loved this book but want to try some fiction, go to  Track #3. If Slouching Toward Bethlehem wasnt for you, it may be that Didion is just not going to be a writer you like. But you might try her fiction with Track #3. If you have already followed that track, jump to Track #4. Track #3: Play It as It Lays. Published in 1970, this is another book about the American west, but a novel this time. It tells the story of Maria, 31, whose life is falling apart. Her marriage is failing, her young daughter is in an institution, and she is trying to recover from a breakdown. Its an angsty novel about despair. Its also beautifully written and a compelling portrait of a place and time. If you loved this book and want more of the same, there is no more of the same, sadly. But you might try her novel A Book of Common Prayer, and then go back to the beginning to choose another track. If you loved this book specifically because of its exploration of suffering, go to Track #4. If you loved this book but want something light and cheery, take a break from Didion and come back to her later. If this book wasnt for you, rest assured that there are people out there who dont get along with her fiction but love the nonfiction. Then go back to the beginning to choose another track. Track #4: The Year of Magical Thinking. A more recent book than the others, this was published in 2005 and tells the story of Didions loss of her husband John Gregory Dunne and the hospitalization of her daughter Quintana. Its an iconic grief memoir about the struggle to survive after it feels that the world has ended. Its devastating but also brave and beautiful. If you loved this book and want more of the same, read Blue Nights.  Then go on to Track #2 if you want more nonfiction, or Track #3 if you want to try fiction. If you loved this book but want a break from writing with a personal focus, go to Track #1. If you need something light and cheery after reading this book, take a break from Didion and come back to her later. She doesnt do light and cheery. If this book wasnt for you, then try her more political/social writing with Track #2 or her fiction with Track #3. Then let me know in the comments how your journey went!

Conrad s Heart Of Darkness - 1138 Words

The modernity of Heart of Darkness is exposed/reflected through the growing belief/awareness of new anthropological and psychological theories with unprecedented insights into the human condition. Conrad shocks readers out of their complacency as he addresses his fascination with dark psychology through modernist inclinations of the rendering of consciousness, the narrator s stream of consciousness and ambiguity. Heart of Darkness as a Modernist novel draws upon/gives prominence to the development of the psychological theories that focus on the nature and functionality of the individual. The narrative is concerned with one s rendering of consciousness and one s ability to break away from impulses that threaten to consume the mind and soul. Heart of Darkness is a fictionalised account with reference to Conrad s own traumatic journey up the Congo River in 1889-1890, which produced severe illness and eternally haunted his imagination. Conrad s fascination with human beings is derived from his experiences as he examines the depths of the human soul in search for meaning and healing. In effect Marlow s journey into the African jungle symbolises a psychological journey into the human condition in which he uncovers the horror and corruption of European Imperialism. The power of psycho-analysis of reveal inner workings of the mind is accepted from the beginning of the narrative as the Doctor takes measurements of Marlow s skull, implying that changes will take placeShow MoreRelatedJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness957 Words   |  4 Pages Chinua Achebe’s controversial essay published in 1977 focuses on the racist views woven into Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness. Achebe claims that Conrad uses many western stereotypes of Africa and subtly weaves them below the surface of his writing. However, due to the popularity of the novella and the skill of Conrad, his racist views go undetected. The most obvious indicator of Conrad’s racist views is the depictions of the people. They are described as â€Å"savage creatures,† yet Conrad’sRead MoreJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1488 Words   |  6 PagesJoseph Conrad’s s novel Heart of Darkness portrays an image of Africa that is dark and inhuman. Not only does he describe the actual, physical continent of Africa as â€Å"so hopeless and so dark, so impenetrable to human thought, so pitiless to human weakness†, (Conrad 154) as though the continent could neither breed nor support any true human life. Conrad lived th rough a time when European colonies were scattered all over the world. This phenomenon and the doctrine of colonialism bought into at hisRead MoreConrad s Heart Of Darkness994 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel Heart of Darkness, written by Conrad, explores the Congo through Marlow’s story. Marlow discovers the horror behind imperialism through the invasion of Europeans into the Congo, inhabited by African natives. Conrad includes irony, imagery, and symbolism to criticize white imperialism and argue that Europeans cause destruction and native societies. In Heart of Darkness, Conrad reverses the traditional associations with Europeans and natives to argue that the success of a society dependsRead MoreAnalysis Of Conrad s The Heart Of Darkness794 Words   |  4 Pagesblack people are a separate and lesser species. In Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness, the Congolese people were enslaved by Europeans. The Congolese people were subjected to animal-like treatment, such as put in chains and having an â€Å"iron collar† (Conrad I). Humans were used as an expendable workforce similar to the way a farmer uses an ox to till his field. When the people â€Å"sickened, became inefficient†, they went to a grove to die (Conrad). Another stereotype shown was that imperialism hurts the conquerorsRead MoreAnalysis Of Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1635 Words   |  7 PagesIn Heart of Darkness there are three things that analyze Conrad’s novel; figurative judgment, personalities of character and dialect. Conrad s novel has abundance of virtually imperceptible undertones. This novel is written to such exactitude and high detail that nearly each paragraph includes a vital half to play within the frame story. Conrad focus on making a story for instance concepts and themes, instead of simply an easy narrative. These concepts and themes are perpetually pitched at theRead MoreJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness925 Words   |  4 PagesIn the heart of darkness sails a ship with sailors, seamen, businessmen, and cannibals; savages as one would say. The businessmen conduct the seamen, the seamen order the sailors, and the sailors command the cannibals. On this diminutive yawl sailing deeper and deeper into the hazy, enigmatic heart of darkness lies a small caste system, with the managers above and the savages below. The story of Charlie Marlow on this ship is unveiled in Joseph Conrad s novella, Heart of Darkness, along with inklingsRead MoreAnalysis Of Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1693 Words   |  7 PagesThere square measure 3 main topics to debate once it involves analyzing Conrad’s Heart of Darkness - symbolic interpretations, character development and language. Heart of Darkness has Associate in Nursing abundance of virtually imperceptible undertones. This novelette is written to such exactitude and high detail that nearly each paragraph includes a vital half to play within the overall plot. The author, Conrad, concentrates on making a story for instance concepts and themes, instead of simplyRead MoreAnalysis Of Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1569 Words   |  7 Pagesmany, this idea of gendering something new and beautiful as female is second nature to us. Similar to my 12-year-old sel f’s new hockey stick, we often gender nature as feminine, because of its irrefutable beauty and power. While Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is set in a patriarchal society, the jungle that is recognized to have female qualities, enforces the main commanding force over the men in the Congo. Conrad’s two contrasting representations of women are shown through the influential CongoleseRead MoreJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness988 Words   |  4 Pagesthe late 1890’s, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness holds two different meanings. Heart of Darkness is both a metaphor for a psychological side of man, and an allusion to Africa. The title suggests both a physical and mental reference. During the time the novel takes place, Africa was called the dark continent. This was because little was known about Africa, and it was rather a mystery to Europeans. The main character in the novel, Marlow describes Africa as â€Å"a place of darkness† (Conrad 43) . He alsoRead MoreAnalysis Of Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1729 Words   |  7 PagesIn Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad limits the amount and activity of his female characters, especially through the protagonist Marlow. Marlow merely reduces women into creatures of a different world and fails to see the importance of females. However, through this oppressive view on women, Conrad demonstrates Marlow’s ironic subjugation of women. Although in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, women simply serve as symbols while Marlow attempts to display himself as masculine, Conrad reveals the influence

The Harlem Renaissance Writers Reacting To Their...

The Harlem Renaissance emerged during turbulent times for the world, the United States, and black Americans. World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had left the world in disorder and stimulated anticolonial movements throughout the third world. In America, twenty years of progressive reform ended with the red scare, race riots, and isolationism throughout 1919 and led to conservative administrations through the twenties. While blacks were stunned by racial violence near the end of the decade and were frustrated by the lack of racial progress that progressivism had made, they were now armed with new civil rights organizations and confronted the approaching decade with new hope and determination. Education and employment†¦show more content†¦While the Harlem Renaissance was not a political movement, its participants were affected by the political world around them and responded in varying ways to their political environment. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Perhaps the most direct way that black writers addressed political issues was through political and protest writings. Claude McKay’s 1919 sonnet â€Å"If We Must Die† expressed his anger toward the race riots of 1919 and urged blacks to respond with violence when confronted with force, working against the odds and gaining dignity through their struggles. He writes, â€Å"Like men we’ll face the murderous pack, / Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!†3 Similarly, Langston Hughes made protest a significant element in his works, especially in his somewhat radical poetry of the early 1930’s. â€Å"Because I am the white man’s son, his own / Bearing his bastard birth-mark on my face, / I will dispute his title to the throne, / Forever fight him for my rightful place.†4 wrote Hughes in his poem â€Å"Mulatto†. Throughout his poetry, he directly and indirectly referred to vigorous hatred for the white man, of his people’s dreams deferred too long. He used literature to protest the inequality faced by blacks nationwide. James WeldonShow MoreRelatedThe World s Best Hope1951 Words   |  8 Pagesracialist activism and potential political proxy. America had a well-established political system that ensured extensive industrial growth in a short period of time through use of the availability of cheap labour overseas to captivate upon the lucrative source of raw materials. One of the primary effective political plays was America’s maintained isolationism. This was demonstrated in Americas refrain from joining the League of Nations and their largely republican political view of ‘Laissez-faire’ – theRead MoreBlack Naturalism and Toni Morrison: the Journey Away from Self-Love in the Bluest Eye8144 Words   |  33 Pagesin a sense what they were questioning from the standpoint of literary criticism is not only the theory of postmodernism with its emphasis on race, class and gender, but the theory of naturalism as well: the idea that one s social and physical environments can drastically affect one s nature and potential for surviving and succeeding in this world. In this article, I will explore Toni Morr ison s The Bluest Eye from a naturalistic perspective; however, while doing so I will propose that because

Delta Airlines Free Essays

The use of new technology, such as internet e-check-in and self-service kiosks, allows the processing of a significant number of passengers to be decentralized from the airport itself. This allows a better use of airport staff resources and reduces bottlenecks while, more significantly, allowing more departing passengers to be processed. Frequent flyers and business flyers who tend to travel with little luggage and appreciate any time-saving measures are currently leading the way in self-service check-in use. We will write a custom essay sample on Delta Airlines or any similar topic only for you Order Now The other functions of self service kiosks are the kiosks help customers shave 5 to 15 minutes off the time they have to stand in line. Passengers can use the kiosks to check in for their flights, get boarding passes for originating or connecting flights, select or change seats, request to stand by for an upgrade, check baggage, change flights, and initiate multiparty check-ins. Delta plans to add more than 400 kiosks and enhance functionality to include international check-in and fee collection. With this change, Delta will offer customers more than 800 kiosks in airports nationwide. Airports such as Northwest and Delta airlines are now finding that the self-service kiosk is a valuable tool in the reduction of queues. But while the kiosk technology has been around for some time, it has still taken the industry a lot of coaxing to make passengers comfortable with the technology. The self service kiosk technology includes networked special-purpose microcomputer terminals * Video touch screens * Built-in thermal printers * Magnetic-stripe card reader The TouchPort which is being manufactured by Kinetics USA provides the best of the available technology system for the implementation of the Self service kiosk. The system consists of: * Intel ® P4 Processor 2. 8 GHz * 15† Touch Screen Display (Optional 17† Touch Screen Display Available) * 8† Wide-format Thermal Printer * Magnetic â€Å"Dip† Style Card Reader * Built-in System Support * Snap Go Installation * Ease of Serviceability * System Reliability * The system is completely customizable and can be modified to include a large number of features as per the requirements of the buyers. Moreover, the system is easy to maintain is not very costly also. Ans2. -Delta customers will benefit from: –  · Broader reach and enhanced functionality – More than 400 enhanced kiosks will be available in 80 U. S. cities by the end of 2002.  · Quicker transaction times – Delta customers who use kiosks will receive a boarding card in less than one minute, on average.  · Dedicated customer service agents – Delta provides customer service agents dedicated to assisting customers with kiosk usage and baggage check. Self-service check-in kiosks are just one product in an array of technology enhancements provided by Delta to make travel easier for its customers. Delta offers the industry’s most extensive line of virtual check-in products available, including virtual check-in through delta. com, a toll-free telephone line, wireless Palm Powered handhelds and Web-enabled phones. Additionally, Gate Information Display Screens (GIDS) and Flight Information Display Screens (FIDS) are other technology products designed to save customers time, while keeping them informed. Delta Air Lines, the world’s second largest carrier in terms of passengers carried and the leading U. S. airline across the Atlantic, offers 5,590 flights each day to 410 destinations in 71 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection carriers and Delta’s worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of Sky Team, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Without the use of such information kiosks, the customers had to spend a lot of time waiting in the queue for checking-in the airport. Moreover, the customers who are frequent travelers and business class people who do not have much time get annoyed with such long waiting times. As a result, such a system would definitely help the travelers and a lot of customers would be delighted to use this system and it creates a lot of value for the company as well. Ans3. – These fully automated information kiosks provide a very high business value for the airline industry which is one of the most emerging fields because of the increasing globalization. Thus a large no of people keep travelling for business purposes to various countries. These corporate people do not like spending their precious time waiting in the queue to check-in to the airport. As a result, the implementation of such self service kiosks are always of a very high value for the airline industry as it helps them getting more customers. Yes, they do give an airline company a lot of competitive advantage. When an airline company implements such an information system, by which a customer can do all the things sitting at home and has to just walk in to the airport half an hour before his flight would surely give that company a competitive advantage over the others who are not implementing. Because the customers of those airline companies have to spend a lot of time after coming to the airport when the other company lets them do everything at their convenience. Traveling for business or pleasure isn’t what it used to be. In order to develop and maintain brand loyalty while streamlining operations in an increasingly competitive global market, airports, air carriers and hoteliers have been challenged to transform their business processes and integrate new forms of customer-facing technology. Self-service technology has played an important role in this industry transformation. Today, travelers can manage air, hotel, train, and rental car reservations and check-in using kiosk, web or mobile applications. Increasingly, these applications support preferences ranging from dietary restrictions to airplane seating to hotel room/bed types and much more. In addition, travelers can use self-service kiosks while at an airport, hotel or off-site location, bypassing long queues. While selfservice travel kiosks have the potential to improve the traveler experience by making traveling easier, quicker and more enjoyable, some travelers may experience barriers when trying to use them. Self-service kiosks often utilize touch-screens which can be difficult if not impossible for persons to use if they are blind or have low vision or mobility impairments as a result of age or disability. Providers of self-service travel kiosks are increasingly interested in removing such barriers in order to: †¢ Continuously improve the traveler experience and differentiate themselves. †¢ Build brand loyalty in an increasingly competitive global market †¢ Capture market share for the growing segment of travelers with disabilities, whose annual business and leisure. How to cite Delta Airlines, Essay examples

A view from the bridge analysis Essay Example For Students

A view from the bridge analysis Essay A view from the bridge has its roots in the late 1940s, this is shown by the speech that they use, the names that they give to certain professions and how they address things. In this particular place, Brooklyn; New York, there were a lot of people who were poorly paid, exploited by their bosses and who were in many cases only recent immigrants to the United States, having come to America in hope of the work, wealth and security that their home countries could not guarantee; such as Beatrices cousins. The Carbones living and dining room is the focus of the action; this may be due to the space in the house, quite small, cramped which meant that they would be in each others faces all the time. At the beginning of the play there isnt much space as it is and now that they are expecting two of Beatrices cousins it will be a little more pressured. Less space will be available for the family and they will have to learn to get along with each other much better then before because of the space available when the cousins come. Also the main action is placed in the living room always. It is sort of the centre of attention in the play, all the important scenes are set in here, most of them anyway, some other scenes are set out in the street showing the public side of the Carbones position in the community, which is important in this play as we see near the end. There is a lot to take in when talking about the background of the Italian/American community, from the following discussion we can tell that the background of this Red Hook community is not one to mess with that there is a general mistrust of authority, especially the police and that informers are dealt with severely:  EDDIE: I dont care what questions it is. You dont know nothin. They got stool pigeons all over this neighbourhood theyre payin them every week for information, and you dont know who they are. It could be your best friend. You hear? (To BEATRICE) Like Vinny Bolzano, remember Vinny? Beatrice goes on to describe how the community punished a boy who informed on his own uncle:  Oh, it was terrible. He had five brothers and the old father. And they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs three flights his head was bouncin like a coconut. And they spit on him in the street, his own father and his brothers. The whole neighbourhood was cryin.  This story shows how the informer was disgraced, by his very own family, in front of the whole neighbourhood. The Italian/American community is all about family, trust and justice. Alfieri comes into the first act at the beginning he acts as a narrator throughout the whole play coming in through scenes and explaining to the audience what has happened, basically analysing the scenes. Miller uses Alfieri as a connection to the audience; conveys his own feelings and thoughts to the audience through the character of the lawyer, Alfieri. I am inclined to notice the ruins in things, perhaps because I was born in Italy I only came here when I was twenty-five. In those days, Al Capone, the greatest Carthaginian of all, was learning his trade on these pavements, and Frankie Yale himself was cut precisely in half by a machine gun on the corner of Union Street, two blocks away. Oh, there were many here who were justly shot by unjust men. .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .postImageUrl , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:hover , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:visited , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:active { border:0!important; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:active , .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7 .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u344fa6414f68b877e77c414c0741c8e7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: An essay on OthelloJustice is very important here.  Here he is trying to tell the audience that people sort out their own business in Red Hook and that they dont go through the legal procedures that are usually carried out, through lawyers, courts they head straight for the action and sort their business by themselves. This serves as another warning to the audience of what is to come.  Things within the Carbone family are about to take a major change for the worse as the arrival of Beatrices cousins. This is because of the facts that are set out for you before the cousins actually arrive; firstly there is the opening speech that Alfieri makes at the beginning of the pl ay and Alfieris hint at the action rolling on taking its own bloody course. If we look at the three main characters in a more detailed way then maybe we would be able to decide whether what Beatrice said was true and whether we agree with her or not. The three main characters are obviously the members of the Carbone family; Eddie, Beatrice and Catherine. Eddie a caring man described by Alfieri:  He was as good a man as he had to be in a life that was hard and even. He worked on the piers when there was work, he brought home his pay, and he lived.

Killings by Andre Dufus

Introduction â€Å"Killings† was written in 1979, by Andre Dubus. Dubus explores the emotions of the parents of a young man, Frank Fowler, who has been murdered. Even though the story has been written in a very disconnected manner, the reader strongly feels the emotions of all the characters in the story.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Killings by Andre Dufus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The story begins with the funeral of Frank Fowler, where the family of the young man is introduced. Even though the parents of Frank, Matt and Ruth Fowler, don’t say a word during the funeral, their pain is obvious by their body language and the way Matt views the whole situation. The only person who is vocal about his feelings is Steve, Frank’s older brother, who says â€Å"I should kill him† (Dubus 3). The emotions that are expressed by Steve in the beginning of the novel are not any different from the emotions of the parents. In fact, any person whose young son has been killed would want the killer to meet the same fate. Even it is quite common for such thoughts to cross the minds of a person, not many people would think of actually killing the murderer. Frank was killed by Richard Strout, the soon to be ex-husband of Mary Ann Strout. Even though Richard and Mary Ann were in the process of getting a divorce, he couldn’t stand watching Mary Ann go out with another man i.e. Frank. Vengeance motivated Richard to kill Frank. Little did he know that he was about to meet the same fate in the near future. Actions of Matt Even though Richard is guilty of Frank’s murder he is freely walk the streets which severs the pain of Matt and Ruth Fowler. Matt in particular feels responsible for the murder of his young son since a father is supposed to protect his children from any harm. The death of Frank makes him feel as if he has failed to protect his son from t he evil and partly feels responsible for his death. However, Matt remains disconnected from the whole situation through out the novel. He loves his wife Ruth a lot and hates to see her in pain. Richard’s bail makes it even harder for them to live, especially for Ruth since she sees him quite often on the streets. Mary Ann does not hesitate to tell Matt in their bed room that she wants Richard to die. This behaviour of Mary Ann has a significant impact on the action of Matt. Soon Matt begins to weigh his options. His friend Willis also plays in important role in shaping the thoughts of Matt. He is the one who tells Matt how easy it is in their town to get away with a murder. This encourages Matt to seriously think about killing Richard for his evil act. Matt and Ruth want justice for the murder of their son and are willing to do anything for it.Advertising Looking for critical writing on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OF F Learn More Matt finally decides to kill Richard and carefully makes a plan with his friend Willis to carry out the act. Matt does not suddenly decides to kill Richard, but slowly makes up his mind about what he wants to do. He makes his decision after careful consideration and after discussing it with Ruth and Willis. He wants to kill Richard for justice and, more importantly, for his wife who is devastated each time she sees Richard on the street. But there is another motive behind this decision, a motive perhaps even Matt is not fully aware of. That motive is of revenge, which also motivated Richard to kill Frank. Even though Matt is capable of rationally understanding the situation and handling it wisely, he is overcome by grief and decides to stay disconnected from the situation around him and his very own acts. Kant’s Moral Theory and Matt The act of Matt may be seen as morally correct by some people while other may think that it is wrong. Kant’s Moral Theory suggests that an act is not judged by its consequences but by its motive (Zimmerman). Kant suggests that an act is considered to be right if the intention is right. Since the man does not have any control on the consequences of the act, therefore, an act should not be judged on the basis of the consequences but on the intentions and motives of a person (Zimmerman). Moreover, Kant’s moral theory suggests that â€Å"we must not only act ‘out of duty’ (have the right motive) but also ‘according to duty’ or ‘as duty requires’ (do what is right)† (MacKinnon 68). According to Kant’s Moral Theory, the act of killing Richard is morally right since Matt’s intention was to get justice for the murder of his son. Moreover, the legal system of the country failed to provide justice to Frank’s family as Richard was given bail and was allowed to freely walk the streets again as if he had done nothing wrong. Matt decide d to kill Richard so that he could relief his wife and himself from the misery that they were going through. Moreover, they strongly believed that Richard got what he deserved. The Principle of Double Effect and Matt Another ethical criterion which may be used to evaluate the act Matt Fowler is the principle of double effect. The principle of double effect suggests that it is morally permissible for a person to commit an act which he knows will cause some harm or evil only if it is done to achieve a greater good (Ugorji). However, the act is only permissible under the conditions that (i) â€Å"the act must be morally permissible. One cannot do what is wrong to bring about a good end† (MacKinnon 87), (ii) the intention must be to achieve a good end, and (iii) â€Å"the good end must outweigh any harm that is done† (MacKinnon 88).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Killings by Andre Dufus specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/p age Learn More Considering the principle of double effect, Matt’s act of killing Richard may or may not be permissible. According to the principle, it is not permissible for a person to do something bad in order to achieve good. Matt wants to kill Richard to attain peace for his wife and himself. His motive is to achieve good but he fails to achieve the good end even after committing the bad act. Moreover, according to the principle, the good act must outweigh any harm that is done by the person. Matt’s does a bad act to achieve something good but in the end fails to achieve the good even after committing the bad act, making the whole act morally wrong. It can be said that killing Richard was both, morally correct and incorrect according to the principle of double effect. Correct in the sense that it finally relieves his wife of the pain of seeing Richard, and incorrect because Matt had to pay a high price to achieve it. Conclusion Matt does not realize the consequences of his act until he actually commits the act. It is only after killing Richard that Matt realizes that his act has not only killed the murderer of his son, but it also killed Matt’s soul. He keeps himself disconnected from the situation throughout the story which helps him to do what he planned. He listened to his wife and his friend but he avoided considering his own feeling, emotions, and moral principles. He does not open up to the situation until it’s too late. It is only after the murder of Richard that Matt realizes that Richard too was a human being, just like his son. Even though is aware of the guilt of Richard, he is unable to justify his act of killing him. The act does not relief him of his misery but adds to it and isolates him even more from everything and everyone around him. In the end, it is hard to tell the difference between the murders of Frank and Richard since both the murders are motivated by revenge. Matt, however, manages to ge t rid of his wife’s pain who finally smiles in the end but that comes with heavy price of a lifelong isolation for Matt himself. Matt is left with the feelings of guilt, depression, and isolation in the end, killing his moral being because he can’t get over the fact that he actually killed another human being. Works Cited Dubus, Andre. â€Å"Killings.† Dubus, Andre. Finding a girl in America: a novella and ten short stories. New Hampshire: David R. Godine, Publisher, Inc., 1980. 3-20. MacKinnon, Barbara. Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues. Thomson Learning, 2000.Advertising Looking for critical writing on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ugorji, Lucius Iwejuru. The principle of double effect: a critical appraisal of its traditional understanding and its modern reinterpretation. P. Lang, 1985. Zimmerman, Michael J. The concept of moral obligation. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. This critical writing on Killings by Andre Dufus was written and submitted by user Davon T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Price Elasticity of Demand for Gasoline

Price Elasticity of Demand for Gasoline One could think of a number of ways that someone could cut back on fuel consumption in response to higher prices. For example, people can carpool when going to work or school, go to the supermarket and the post office in one trip instead of two, and so on. In this discussion, the factor being debated is the price elasticity of demand for gasoline. Price elasticity of demand for gas refers to the hypothetical situation if gas prices rise, what will happen to the quantity demanded for gasoline? To answer this question, lets delve into a brief overview of 2 meta-analyses of studies of the price elasticity of gasoline. Studies on Gasoline Price Elasticity   There are many studies that researched and determined what the price elasticity of demand for gasoline is. One such study is a  meta-analysis by Molly Espey, published in  Energy Journal,  which explains the variation in elasticity estimates of gasoline demand in the United States. In the study, Espey examined 101 different studies and found that in the short-run (defined as 1 year or less), the average price-elasticity of demand for gasoline is -0.26. That is, a 10% hike in the price of gasoline lowers quantity demanded by 2.6%. In the long-run (defined as longer than 1 year), the price elasticity of demand is -0.58. Meaning, a 10% hike in gasoline causes quantity demanded to decline by 5.8% in the long run. Review of Income and Price Elasticities in the Demand for Road Traffic Another terrific meta-analysis was conducted by Phil Goodwin, Joyce Dargay and Mark Hanly and given the title Review of Income and Price Elasticities in the Demand for Road Traffic. In it, they summarize their findings on the price elasticity of demand for gasoline. If the real price of fuel goes, and stays, up by 10%, the result is a dynamic process of adjustment such that the following 4 scenarios occur. First, the volume of traffic will go down by roundly 1% within about a year, building up to a reduction of about 3% in the longer run (about 5 years or so). Second, the volume of fuel consumed will go down by about 2.5% within a year, building up to a reduction of over 6% in the longer run. Third, the reason why fuel consumed goes down by more than the volume of traffic, is probably because price increases trigger more efficient use of fuel (by a combination of technical improvements to vehicles, more fuel conserving driving styles, and driving in easier traffic conditions). So further consequences of the same price increase include the following 2 scenarios. The efficiency of use of fuel going up by about 1.5% within a year, and around 4% in the longer run. Also, the total number of vehicles owned goes down by less than 1% in the short run, and 2.5% in the longer run. Standard Deviation Its important to note that the realized elasticities depend on factors such as the timeframe and locations that the study covers. Taking the second study, for example, the realized drop in quantity demanded in the short run from a 10% rise in fuel costs may be greater or lower than 2.5%. While the short-run the price elasticity of demand is -0.25, there is a standard deviation of 0.15, while the long rise price elasticity of -0.64 has a standard deviation of -0.44. Concluded Effect of Rise in Gas Prices While one cannot say with absolute certainty what the magnitude rise in gas taxes will have on quantity demanded, it can be reasonably assured that a rise in gas taxes, all else being equal, will cause consumption to decrease.