Symbols and Images in Short Stories free essay sample

Lucas Culliton Character Development Through The Use of Symbols and Images John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums and James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues are two stories that contain many symbols and images and it is through these symbols and images that we learn about Elisa and Sonny and how they change over the course of the story. Both characters undergo significant changes that leave the reader question ing what they have read at some points. Symbols and images employed in Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums and Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues reflects the transformations of Elisa and Sonny both emotionally and physically throughout the story and are present to enhance our understanding of both characters and the overall point the author is trying to make. The supporting arguments will demonstrate how symbols such as the chrysanthemums, the Salinas Valley, heroin and the cup of trembling reflect the transformations of Sonny and Elisa. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbols and Images in Short Stories or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The beginning of The Chrysanthemums has a rather sad and depressing opening few paragraphs and it begins with â€Å"The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot. †(Steinbeck 1) This is the first description of the setting of the story and it is also the first symbol the reader comes across in the story.The Salinas Valley is used to show how Elisa is â€Å"trapped† in a fairly boring life of gardening . The story was written in a time when women were not considered equal to men and the way Steinbeck describes Elisa being â€Å"lean and strong† and â€Å"blocked and heavy† gives the reader the impression that Elisa has characteristics that are more common for men to have. After reading the opening page the reader has the impression that Elisa is capable of much more but is trapped in this life of gardening because she is a woman.As the story progresses and after Elisa has her encounter with the tinker, the reader begins to see a more emotional side of Elisa as Steinbeck writes about her being more women-like. Near the end of the story Steinbeck writes â€Å"She put on her newest underclothing and her nicest stockings and the dress which was the symbol of her prettiness. † (Steinbeck 8) For the first time we see a very lady like side to Elisa and on her way to dinner with her husband the river road is described to show a â€Å"t hin band of sunshine. In contrast to the beginning when the valley was described as a â€Å"closed pot† the reader now begins to think there is a happier ending for Elisa as she transitions from a very bland life, trapped in the garden, to a happier life where she is dressed her best and is emotionally happier. We also see a change in her emotions at the end when she begins to cry. This demonstrates how she has changed both physically and emotionally after her encounter with the tinker. In Sonny’s Blues the heroin Sonny uses is an example of how he is trapped in a life of darkness just like Elisa is trapped in her situation.Baldwin uses the narrator to describe Sonny’s life on heroin by writing: All they really knew were two darknesses, the darkness of their lives, which was now closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to that other darkness, and in which they now, vindictively, dreamed, at once more together than they were at any other time, and more alone. (Baldwin 1) This establishes a darkness for the majority of the story that is present until Sonny performs on stage at the end of the story. Sonny is stuck in a life of drugs and is in a very bad position.Throughout the story we see that the narrator is trying to help Sonny and free him from the life of darkness. When reading the story, the reader has the impression that the only way Sonny will transition from darkness to light is through music. Before Sonny plays on stage at the end of the story the narrator says â€Å"Here, I was in Sonny’s world. Or, rather: his kingdom. Here, it was not even a question that his veins bore royal blood† (Baldwin 17) This is said by the narrator when Sonny is in the nightclub and he is about to perform.It gives the reader the impression that Sonny is right in his element and it serves as a sign of hope for Sonny that he is going to get over his addiction to heroin. In the end, Sonny did play well and because of his love for music he made the transition from darkness to a much happier state of mind. Sonny is released from a life of addiction and can begin a much happier and fulfilling life. Turning back to The Chrysanthemums, another very important symbol is the chrysanthemum flower. The Chrysanthemums are very closely related to Elisa and how she lives her life.

effects of online gaming on students academec performance Essay Example

effects of online gaming on students academec performance Essay Example effects of online gaming on students academec performance Essay effects of online gaming on students academec performance Essay Running Head: EFFECTS OF ONLINE GAMING THE EFFECTS OF ONLINE GAMING TO THE STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT AMA COMPUTER COLLEGE PARANAQUE Noel Christopher O. Salmingo Joemarie M. Dacillo Lorenz Andrei B. Marquez Zehm E. Austria AMA COMPUTER COLLEGE PARANAQUE CAMPUS DECEMBER 2013 Introduction In the present time, most adolescents get hooked on to online gaming. Online games are video games played through a form of computer network. Online games can range from simple text based games to games incorporating complex graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Gaming faces criticism y groups who point out that some of the programs contain objectionable content. As the children clicked together with spreading of online games, parents and instructors are alarmed, but researchers questioned whether these games can be harnessed into educational purposes. Purpose of the Research Paper The purpose of this research is to know the effects of online gaming to the students academic performance and what are its positive and negative effects. With this research, people will be able to comprehend on what the students are enjoying so much about online gaming and why they let it affect their academic performance. Statement of the Problem This study was conducted to determine the effects of online gaming to the academic performance of the students in AMACC-PQ. Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions: gaming help the students in their studies? 3. What factors of online gaming make students addicted to them? 4. How online gaming affects the relationship of the students to their professor and to their parents? 5. How online gaming changes or affects the behavior of the students? 6. Does online gaming help the students to gain more information about their studies? Importance of the Study This part will explain briefly the benefits it will bring to the community and the people to be benefited as well For the students who play online games this study will be able to help them understand the different effects of online gaming to their academic performance For the parents of the students this study will be able to help them the proper course of action depending on how online gaming affects their childrens academic performance. Scope and Limitation of the Study The researchers were given the timeframe of approximately 1 month which started from the last week of October up to the 2nd week of December. The respondents of this study are only for those students who are enrolled within the trimester in which this research was done. Surveys are to be used as a medium of gathering data, and the researchers will read articles or interview gamers and non- gamers alike to gather more information concerning this study. Review of Related Literature Videogames can change a persons brain and, as researchers are finding, often that change is for the better. (Hotz, 2012) According to Bowcott (2009), games being more visually enticing made therapists to encounter more people obsessed of being online.

Inheritance Lab Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inheritance Lab - Essay Example 2. Identify and record your possible genotypes based on your phenotypes. Genotypes are represented using two alleles. Identify the alleles using the letters indicated below (capital letter indicates dominant allele, lowercase indicates recessive allele): 3. Using your possible genotypes, identify and record all of the possible pairings of parental genotypes that could have led to your possible genotypes. Crosses are denoted in this form: FF x Ff and indicates the genotypes of both parents. You should list all of the possible crosses that could lead to your phenotype. Use the chart below to record the observations of your phenotypes and to record your inferences regarding your genotype and all of the possible crossings of parental genotypes that can account for your genotype. Phenotypes are expressed with a single letter related to the trait. Genotypes include both alleles and are, thus, expressed with two letters (one for each allele). Possible parental genotypes and crosses consist of two genotypes crossed. For instance, a freckled person will have a phenotype of F and possible genotypes of FF and Ff. One of the possible parental genotype and crosses is (FF x Ff). Be sure to list all possible parental genotypes in terms of possible crosses. Crosses are denoted in this form: FF x Ff and you should list all of the possible crosses that could lead to your phenotype. It was observed that the presence of a dominant gene in the genotype always led to the expression of the dominant trait, which is seen as the phenotype. In addition, the occurrence of a certain genotype could result from the crossing of several possible parental genotypes. This lab provided knowledge that recessive traits were denoted by small letters while dominant traits were denoted by capital letters. One component of my genotype came from each parent due to