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Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:41:38 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per. 2

AP Language

File Sharing is Not a Crime

So what is the deal with downloading music from the Internet? Everyone is talking about it - at home, at school, in chat rooms, in the media - and millions of music lovers are doing it. However, a lot of people are confused. Some parents are telling their kids not to download; others think it's okay. Some downloaders are being sued by record companies, others are not. Even some of the people who create and sell music aren't sure what to think- or do -about technology and music. Is downloading music legal? Is it okay to swap music files? Are we helping or hurting the music industry or our favorite artist if we download? And is it cool to use our computer to copy a CD for a friend? I myself have downloaded thousand of songs through file sharing, but I stop since the RIAA starts busting and fining people for unjustifiable reasons. I believe there is nothing wrong in sharing files through the internet because it is helping music instead of destroying it, and it gives the fans more choices in how to get their music.

File sharing through the internet exploded when the MP3 format became available to the masses in 1998. MP3 is a technology that makes music files very small. This compression lets us download a song in only minutes, instead of hours (and if we have broadband Internet access, such as cable or DSL, the download time is even quicker.) Because the files are not big, we can store hundreds of songs on our computers without filling up our hard drives. And thanks to new technology, MP3 files can now be played on devices other than our computers, such as a portable MP3 player. Some phone companies are even developing the technology so that we can play songs on our cell phones. Therefore, much to the joy of music fans, it looks like the MP3 format is here to stay.

The record industry is lying to you. At the 46th Grammy Awards, they announced a new initiative that would promote an “ethical viewpoint about music downloading” which is music downloading is a crime. This is happening because the industry is becoming intimidated right now. The power has shifted out of their hands and into the hands of music fans. Without control, you see, they will be unable to tell you what to listen to, when to listen to it, and how much you should pay for it.

In the year 2000, The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued and successfully shut down file-sharing companies like Napster and Audio Galaxy for allegedly letting music fans download copyrighted music. But after that new P2P (Peer-to-Peer) software like Morpheus, Kazaa, and Grokster superceded the previous ones and won their legal battle in court since the companied just provided software for file sharing and file sharing through the internet is legal. However, in 2003 RIAA sued thousands of file sharers (ranging from a 12 year old girl and a 71-year-old grandfather), who swapped their files through P2P (Peer-to-Peer) networks like Kazaa and Grokster. The mortifying legal fees and civil penalties range from $750 to $150,000 or more per violation. This action taken by the RIAA is a complete violation of privacy as written in the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution (The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures). Basically, the RIAA is monitoring the internet activities and collecting data of internet users without their consent.

Fact: there has been no concrete proof offered so far that music downloading has caused financial loss for musicians. Behemoth record companies (like Sony and Arista) are suggesting that music downloads via the Internet is degrading the quality of music artist produces and they are loosing sales and millions of dollars of revenue through music piracy- a completely gobbledygook and misleading statement. Top artist like “50-Cent”, Christina Aguilera, Justine Timberlake, and others still sold over a million albums the past year (even though music downloading was at its peak and the average price of a CD is enormously high) resulting in billion of dollars revenue for music companies. Music downloading is good for the art of making quality music since it would force artists and producers to make a high quality over a high quantity album. The truth is that if the whole album has good tracks, music lovers would buy it instead of downloading it via the internet.

File sharing is not destroying the integrity of music by discouraging new artists from emerging. 85% of the music market is controlled by a small cartel of five major labels which “bribe” radio stations to play hits of their artists and not of independently produced record in order to suppress music that doesn’t flow through their system. Independent labels don’t bribe radio stations; they can’t force musicians into contracts, and they don’t sue independent hip hop producers for sampling their records. The only reason the major labels have managed to stay alive is through anti-competitive bullying and collusion. With the help of the Internet, Peer-to-peer networks and home CD-copiers, the monopoly of the music industry by colossal labels is ending. Music Fans, no longer held captive, have no reason to keep paying into a corrupt system. Meanwhile many independent labels and musicians are thriving: the cost of recording an album is plummeting, and musicians who want to book a tour or sell music directly to their fan base have more options than ever before. This would ultimately create diversity of music selection that fans could listen too and bring an end to the monopoly of music.

The greatest contradiction in music downloading is the giant corporation that monopolizes the music industry and whines about not making “enough” revenue also assists in music downloading becoming more convenient and user friendly. Sony for example is the one of the biggest music company in the world. However, Sony is also one of the leaders in the manufacturing and developing of hardwares that makes music downloading effortless and easy to use. Sony is the biggest producer of MP3 player that plays MP3 files, CD and DVD burners that make it easy to create and copy CD, and computers that makes the whole file sharing possible. If these companies were the one making the tool to make music downloading possible, why are they the one suing people for using their product?

Internet downloading should continue. If it is theft, then it’s theft in the tradition of Robin Hood, and the results is the natural exchange of ideas between people that make music what it is. The record companies only care about power - they have it and don’t want to lose it. If power is decentralized, and you and I are the ones who control what we hear, and more importantly the medium and means by which we hear it, than the cream really will rise to the top, the artists that get recognition are the ones that will deserve it, not the ones we are told we should recognize. Downloading is not a crime; its fighting oppression, and insuring that the future will be a place where the unhindered exchange of information will lead to inspiration and vibrant, powerful music for us all.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:40:08 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per. 2

AP Language

Sober Drunkenness: Bootlegging in 1920s America

“Everybody is calling me a racketeer. I call my self a businessman. When I sell liquor, it's bootlegging. When my patrons serve it on a silver tray on Lakeshore Drive, it's hospitality.” These are Al Capone’s words on Prohibition and bootlegging (Bailey 751).

The 1920s was an era of great change and hypocrisy in American society. Prohibition, also known as the “Noble Experiment”, made it illegal to distribute, possess, and consume alcohol in the United States (Danzer 455). The success of the bootlegging industry showed the contradiction and change in the morals of society and the changing attitude of American people: fundamentalists and conservatives degrade alcohol consumption as the work of the “devil” himself, while the American public as a whole let the Bootlegging industry, led by the mob, grew into a multi-billion dollar empire. The irony was that while fundamentalist and conservatives celebrated Prohibition, common Americans drank at speakeasies and celebrated the works of bootleggers as heroes.

Ever since the first settlers landed on America, laws were tried to pass to limit alcohol consumption, since excessive drinking or drunkenness halted the work done by citizens. New York and Virginia, for example, passed a law that made drinking in Sunday illegal because, on the Lord's Day, “people should be worshiping the Bible not the bottle.” These were the first laws enacted with the supervision from the church to favor abstinence from all alcoholic beverages. Through the beginning of the 19^th century up to its end many more laws were enacted by different states against drinking (McWilliams)

Finally, on January 16, 1920, Congress, with the pressure from crusading churches and women, passed the 18^th Amendment that prohibited the selling, manufacturing, and consumption of alcohol. (Danzer 455) The day also marked the beginning of bootlegging and speakeasies, and signaled the rise of organize crime into a powerful institution of violence never before seen. The “Noble Experiment”, as conservatives, politicians, priests, and God-fearing Americans called it, was destined to fail from the beginning due to the unprotected border, political and police corruption, and the sheer number of people fond of drink who could not be controlled by the 25,000 agents of the prohibition bureau (Kallen 97).

The Bootlegging years reflect America’s diversity and intolerance to immigrants and blacks. The abolition of alcohol was fairly popular at the bible belt South and Midwest states because of strong fundamentalist feelings and white people wanting to get the liquor out of the hands of blacks. (Bailey 749) White people in Southern and Midwest states felt the need for Prohibition because their “God” told them to do so, ironically even Jesus drank alcohol as he turned water into wine. (McWilliams) However, large Eastern cities hated the Prohibition because of the large European immigrants residing on this cities resented to abandon their “wet” tradition. Irish, Germans, Polish, Italians, and other European immigrants were used to drinking in the “Old World” and felt the Government betrayed them because of Prohibition. Also feeling betrayed were many of the veterans returning home from World War I. In Europe, they had seen that moderate daily alcohol consumption and ordinary life could co-exist, and drinking helps them cope through the hardships of war. (Bailey 750)

The failure of the 18^th amendment was imminent from the start, as any entrepreneurs with some money could open an underground pub or “speakeasy” that supplied “dry” America with alcohol. Bootleggers then supplied speakeasies. The most infamous of all bootleggers was Chicago based mobster Al “Scar face” Capone. He ran distilleries and breweries that made a profit of over 100 million dollars. Capone’s bootlegging business embodied the ruthlessness of gangsters competing for business deals; evident to this was the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre where Capone men slaughtered 7 rival gangsters.(Kallen 98) The bootleggers showed the great contradiction in American society. While prohibitionist and moralist hunted bootleggers, the common folk and immigrants hailed them as the “new Robin Hoods” of the 20^th century. The ‘20s is an era of transition from a fundamental society to a more liberal. (McWilliams)

Prohibition did not cure the alcoholism of America; instead, it make it worse. During Prohibition, only rich people had access to expensive imported alcohol from Mexico and Canada. Common folk used grain alcohol, which was legal when sold for "industrial use only” to create their own bathtub alcohol. If not mixed right, the “bathtub alcohol” could be deadly, but with the right formula, however, it became safe to drink and occasionally palatable. Evident to the deadliness of the homemade alcohol was during the Noble Experiment, more than 10,000 people died from alcohol poisoning. (Kallen 139) Prohibition did not stop people from drinking instead it motivated them to find an alternative to illegal alcohol. The ‘20s society showed how Americans would find a way to have what they want, even if the way can be life threatening or illegal.

The Prohibition did not cure alcoholism instead it just made it worst. It did not cease immorality instead it led directly to an unparalleled explosion of immorality: unregulated speakeasies led to sex mingling freely that led to increase in unmarried sexual activity during the 1920s, gangsters became even more violent, it corrupted the police and penal system, and “dries” became more thirsty (McWilliams).

Although banning drinking, selling and transporting alcohol was supposed to reduce crime, poverty, death rates, and improve the economy and the quality of life the "noble experiment" only caused to do the opposite.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:38:45 GMT

DECA SPEECH

America is the land of the Free, the land of Democracy, and the land of capitalist propaganda. Yes, propaganda it might sound absurd that there is a need for propagandas in a free nation, but our beliefs, cause, and attitude is all due to the propagandas spread by corporate moguls. The scary part is that it all started from the day we open our eyes until the day it closes.

From the day we are born, our desires to be better than another human beings and consume everything in our path started. When our minds are still pure, we are bombarded with capitalist propaganda. Our parents bought us branded clothes and branded milk in order to keep us happy. Happy we don’t even know what happiness means by then! Our blind parents force us to watch “educational” TV shows such as Sesame street, Mr. Rogers, and Telletubbies to stimulate our developing brain. The stimulation educates us to be consuming machines. There are constant advertisement of toys that we hoard. We hoard toys that is basically useless and not necessary for survival: We can’t eat it or it wouldn’t even keep us warm.

Then as we escape our preschool years we move to the elementary for more mind “stimulation”. We watched TV shows that has more complicated plots- basically more violence, anger, and greediness. Shows that introduces fashion and collectibles. What we see in these shows we copy in the playground. We want to have every toy in the ads- I mean kids crazy to have the gameboy advance, Barbie dolls, pokemon cards in order for them to say to their friends “You aint got this, I'm better than you, you’re my subordinate.” Have you saw the cartoon Pokemon, the plot of it is to have every pokemon in there is- it even has the theme song “ Gotta have them All.” Subconsciously the innocent kids that watch the show are force to buy in to the capitalist system of greediness. “I got to have everything.”

Then after elementary we move on to Junior High and Senior High school. We believe we are more sophisticated, so we the TV programs we watch have more complex plots. Well it’s the same thing! MTV poisons the mind. Its shows us the life of the rich and the famous that we are so foolish to imitate. TV shows such as the real world makes us real fakes, and the Osbornes expands our vocabularies.

After we receive our HS diploma, we get a job or get a degree in manipulation, I mean college degree. Why? to have more money, because since program to do so. what can I say - Propaganda in action.

After all the years spreading the tenets of the corporate moguls, we can finally get a retirement plan. The irony is we again is manipulated to have this plans because we see the glamour of having free time and fun in leisure channel.

After enjoying our selves in retirement, our heart will stop to beat, lungs fail, we die. but even in our death, the effect of the propaganda still lingers. What outfit should I wear in my coffin? would I look good in open casket? If I am cremated should my ashes be place on a gold or porcelain jar? and boy it should be fabulous to have Kurt Cobaine or Tupac Shakur as a neighbor.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:37:49 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per .4

English

Great Gatsby Essay

Critics said that great literature produces a “healthy confusion” of pleasure and disquietude within the reader. In the Fitzgerald classic, The Great Gatsby, the central character, Jay Gatsby, produces this sense of “healthy confusion” in the reader. Readers are confused on whether to categorized Gatsby as a sinister villain or a romantic hero. Because of the ambivalence in Gatsby’s persona, Fitzgerald created a masterpiece in which he shows the death of the American dream because of hedonism, greed, and materialism.

To expand the reader’s ambivalence towards Gatsby, Nick Caraway, considered as the moral voice of the book, shows ambivalent feelings towards Gatsby. In the first chapter, Nick “exempts Gatsby from my [Nick’s] reaction” to the East way of hedonistic life, however he also said that “Gatsby… represented everything…I [Nick] have an unaffected scorn.” The oxymoronic idea creates the ambivalence and it makes Gatsby’s character more memorable and interesting.

One reason for disquietude in Gatsby’s character is his shady underworld connections. Gatsby is a part of the infamous sinister gangsters of the 1920s, which included Al Capone, and the Italian mafia. Gatsby is believed to be the right hand man of ruthless gangster Meyer Wolfsheim, an allusion to the real Arnold Rothstein the man who fixed the 1919 World Series. On one occasion, Wolfsheim is described wearing a cuff links made of human molars. Gatsby and Wolfsheim are involved in illegal activity such as bootlegging and the trade of stolen bonds. Gatsby’s baleful business connections and lifestyle discomposes the reader in assuming the Gatsby is a typical hero.

Another source of disquietude in Gatsby’s character is his lying about his past and creating an ideal image of himself. The reader is amused and at the same time disturbed by Gatsby’s portrayal of himself. Gatsby claims to be the scion of a prominent Midwestern family; however, when Nick asks him which Midwestern city he comes from, Gatsby falsely says "San Francisco." He claims to have studied at Oxford and lived in all the capitals of Europe; then he enlisted in the war effort, where he was rapidly promoted to major and decorated by every Allied government. In contrast, he was born to an impoverished farmer in North Dakota. Though he did attend St Olaf's a small college in Minnesota he dropped out after two weeks, as he could not bear working as a janitor in order to pay his tuition. Gatsby’s untruthfulness disquiets the reader because the “typical ideal hero” is always truthful and has the courage to be himself.

Another source of disquietude in Gatsby’s character is his vulgar display of materialism. The best example of Gatsby showing off his wealth is in his extravagant party. Gatsby’s party is almost unbelievably luxurious: guests marvel over his Rolls-Royce, his swimming pool, his beach, crates of fresh oranges and lemons, buffet tents in the gardens overflowing with a feast, and a live orchestra playing under the stars. Liquor flows freely, and the crowd grows rowdier and louder as more and more guests get drunk. Another way Gatsby display his wealth is in his house. He has an enormous library where books are left “uncut”. Gatsby’s extravagance turns off the reader. It makes them think Gatsby is mocking them of his enormous wealth.

Lastly, we are disquieted by Gatsby’s unwillingness to accept that he is committing adultery by having an affair with Daisy and Gatsby’s reluctance to accept that Daisy is not worthy of his love. Gatsby’s blindness to see that Daisy is not worthy is appalling to the reader, since the readers are able to see every aspect of Daisy’s personality. Gatsby is willing to commit one of the 10 mortal sins in the 10 Commandment – adultery – to fulfill his dream.

The confusion in Gatsby persona is further distorted by the pleasure that he create within the reader. Beside from being a sinister villain, Gatsby is also a romantic hero. This is the reason Nick says that Gatsby is “worth more than the whole bunch of them put together.” Gatsby’s love for Daisy, although maybe unworthy, is sincere. The day after the Daisy killed Myrtle, Gatsby is patiently waiting for Daisy to come back to her. He is genuinely concerned for the welfare of Daisy, even willing to risk his own safety by selflessly admitting that he is the one who drove the “death car”. The reader is enchanted by Gatsby’s courage for his love. The idea of a romantic dreamer fascinates the reader. Gatsby’s selfless act to save Daisy makes him different from the rest of the “rotten crowd” of the East.

The idea of a self-made man, a man that came from rags to riches also intrigues the reader. Gatsby is the perfect example of a man who has nothing and becoming a man that has everything money can buy. Gatsby’s humble beginnings and belief he can have the life of a wealthy man is fascinating. Gatsby is the predecessor of Scarface Tony Montana- also a man from rags to riches because illegal activities. Gatsby like Tony Montana creates a sense of ambivalence with audience. They love them for their courage, yet they hate them because they are the “bad” guys.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:37:17 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per .4

English

Great Gatsby Essay

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:36:31 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per. 4

English

The Prelude

In William Wordsworth’s autobiographical poem “The Prelude”, the speaker encounters unfamiliar aspects of nature causing changes in the speaker’s responses to his experience. Wordsworth’s imagery, tone, and diction conveyed this changing attitude- from the “troubled pleasure” in lines 1-11, his confidence and exhilaration in lines 11-20, to the being frightened and intimidated in lines 21-31, and finally the “grave and serious mood” in the finals lines of the poem.

In lines 1-11, the speaker’s attitude towards his adventure is that of “troubled pleasure”; he is scared yet he is thrilled. The personification of nature as a woman, “lead by her,” suggests that the boy feels comforted. The author understated the word “found” which suggest he is not worried. The boy description of “little boat” identifies with the boy’s attitude. The word “straight” shows the boy’s eagerness and excitement to his adventure. The image of nature “glittering”, “melted”, and “sparkling” shows natures’ splendor and beauty. In this point, the boy is scared because it is his first time stealing a boat at night and yet he is excited because he is in an adventure of a lifetime.

In lines 11-20, the boy’s confidence grew; he is fearless and passionate in continuing his adventure. The boy is “proud of his new skill”. He is “fixed” and “unswerving”. His comparison to his boat to “elfin pinnacle” suggests his view that he is on a magical and mystical adventure. He “lustily” rows his boat and we went “weaving” through the water. His use of simile “like a swan” suggests the boat as something powerful and proud.

In lines 20-31, the boy’s attitude changes from being confident to being terrified and intimidated. The repetition of the word “huge” and the image of a “black” entity connote something frightening. The personification of the mountain having a “head” and “striding” after the boy suggest that the boy is very scared from this sinister and malicious thing. The boat’s personification to be “trembling in oars” is parallel to the trembling feeling of the boy.

Finally from lines 33 to the end, the boy’s attitude can be describe as “grave and serious”. He is confused and awestruck by the forces of nature. He called his experience as an “spectacle” meaning it is something he can never erase from his memory and forever be traumatize. The parallelism in line 39-41, “No familiar… no pleasant… no colors…,” suggests that the event has never left him and will always “trouble to my (his) dreams.”

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:34:16 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per. 2

AP English

“The world is too much with us”

In William Wordsworth poem “The World Is Too Much With Us,” he describes nature as a good loving element that invigorates mankind, on the other hand civilization corrupted humanity from appreciating nature.

In the first 2 lines Wordsworth explains how civilization poisons the mind of humans. “Late” and “soon” people just waste time “getting” and “spending” money. Wordsworth believes this wasted time should be spent seeing “nature that is ours.”

In line 5 Wordsworth personifies the “sea that bears her bosom to the moon” to emphasize the harmonious relationship between entities of nature. The personification of the “winds that will be howling at all hours” shows the power of nature. The image of the “sleeping flowers” indicates the serenity with in nature. Swift describes humanity being “out of tune” to contrast it to the harmonious nature. The phrase “it moves us not” means that humans are still not emotionally affected by nature’s grandeur and beauty. Wordsworth said he would “rather be a pagan” than a Christian because even though pagans have “creed outworn” they still respect and respond to nature. To further expand his belief that he would rather be a pagan, he is happy to see the Greek gods Proteus and Triton, gods considered pagan by the Christians.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 04:33:36 GMT

Timothy John Pabustan

Per. 4.

AP Literature

“BASE DETAILS”

Siegfried Sassoon’s poem “Base Details” takes the often glorified image of the Majors from World War 1 and strips them bare, showing them for their true selves, conveying the feeling that these Majors do not deserve any of the respect they have ever received. His attitude toward the Majors is one of strong aversion. Sassoon is scornful, mocking, outraged, and morally offended by the over-indulgent, hypocritical, callous, belligerent, narcissistic, and cowardly lifestyle of base majors. Sassoon successfully reveals his feelings with his skillful use of poetry, combines it with his mastery of literary techniques such as word-choice, imagery, rhythm and sound, and sharp, sarcastic, and accusing tone.

The author puns on the very title of the poem, “Base Details”, in order to express his bitter contempt of the majors in WW1. The words “Base Details” can mean an actual army base or, on the other hand, it could also take another meaning. The word “base” can mean something that is morally offensive and the word “details” can mean duty assigned. Thus, the title means morally offensive duty.

The author further expresses his enmity toward the majors through every line of the poem. In the first line, “If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,” the author destroys all pre-conception of what a model major looks like. Sassoon characterizes the major being an ugly corpulent person who is always angry. This is different from the typical handsome, tall, lean, and composed major the public often knew. This characterization of the major draws the conclusion that these WW1 majors are not fit for fighting and therefore should not receive credit.

In the second line of the poem, Sassoon further more suggests the belligerent and sinful nature of military majors. He uses the word “scarlet” to describe majors living in the base. The word “scarlet” has the meaning of something that is red; this implies the major’s war-freak attitude. The word “scarlet” also means something sinful, something caused by over-indulgence, and something to be ashamed about.

In the third line of the poem, “And speed glum heroes up to the line of death,” the author reveals the major’s callousness and cowardliness. The word “speed” means there is no hesitation in the major to send his soldiers to death. Sassoon creates an image of soldiers running through the front lines and dying in fast speed, while the major stays behind the line, safe and sound.

The forth and fifth line, “You'd see me with my puffy petulant face, /

Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,” reveals Sassoon’s outrage and hostility towards the major by his satirical mimicking of the gluttonous, aristocratic and privileged, cowardly life of WW1 majors. The description of the major’s face being “puffy” and petulant suggests the fatness and pugnacity of WW1 majors. Then Sassoon combines it with the extremer form of drinking and eating, “guzzling” and “gulping”, in the next line. The author successfully creates an image of the majors as if they were aristocratic pigs. The imagery of the majors staying at the “best” hotels away from the battlefields, enjoying and indulging themselves while young men die in the millions in the front lines makes the majors look like aristocratic cowards, who rely on young chaps to fight a war they started.

In line six, seven, and eight, the author is indignant to the majors apathetic, nonchalant, and hypocritical way of living, and the author emphasizes his view through his use of loaded words and irony. The author is emphasizing the hypocrisy and indifference of the majors towards the soldiers by creating an image of the majors having a good time while reading the “Roll of Honor” among each other. It is ironic since the “roll of honor” should be read with respect to those who have died and yet the majors continue their gluttonous lifestyle. The majors’ use of a colloquial word “chap” to describe fallen a soldier indicates the major’s lack of concern towards his men. The majors also downgrade the seriousness and malevolence of the war by improperly calling it a “scrap”. This understatement shows the ignorance of the majors in battle. They believe it is just a child’s game, like children having a small scuffle over petty objects. The majors act as if they were kids, believing everything will be fine, not realizing they are playing with the lives of human beings. Sassoon mimics the majors to express his view of their hypocrisy; they perceives themselves as heroes but in reality, they are nothing more that fat men acting like kids in a man’s world.

On the last two lines of the poem, through his use of bitter sarcasm and loaded words Sassoon again criticizes the lavish, comfortable lifestyle of the majors of WW1. In line 9, Sassoon expresses his abhorrence toward the majors when he says, “when the war is done and youth stone dead.” Here he is emphasizing the horrors of the war that fat cowardly majors who are not even in the battlefield cause. By his use of the phrase “youth stone dead”, he is saying that an entire generation has been killed because of the careless actions of the majors. On line 10, Sassoon’s anger towards the majors’ comfortable lifestyle is expressed by his use of sarcastic words phrases such as “toddle”, “safely” and “in bed”. The author’s use of the word “toddle” has the effect of making the major seem feeble and childish. The author is angry in the major’s childlike way in handling the war since there are millions of casualties. The word “safety” and “in bed” has the effect of making the major’s life seems so peaceful, calm, and comfortable. For Sassoon these majors live a luxurious life very different from the common soldiers. Even when majors die, they are “in bed” compared to the soldiers dying in the rat infested environment, face down, bloody, and dirty.

Sassoon’s poetic sarcasm shows his deep antipathy towards the majors. He is greatly offended by their way of life and their very existence. For him majors are to blame for the purposeless deaths of his fellow men, while they were behind the front line and had no idea what it was like.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 05:59:40 GMT

Timothy Pabustan

Per.4

English

Pride and Prejudice

George Meredith has said, “The test of comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter,” Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice is one of those novels that “awake thoughtful laughter”. It is funny but by no means a joke. It pokes “thoughtful laughter” at the age’s customs and societal ideals. Its characters elucidate extremes within society. Jane Austen utilizes irony and satire to evoke thoughtful laugher in the reader and help define her idea of that gentility in the 19^th century gentry class should not be entirely based on wealth or social standing, rather by manners, character, and intellect.

A perfect example of character that awakes “thoughtful laughter” within the reader is Mrs. Bennet. She is an overly simplistic character. Armed with little personal integrity or values, her sole mission in life is to get her five daughters married. She cares little about their personal happiness as long as they are taken care of financially. Ironically, this parochial view on life proves to be her undoing. She is so obsessed with achieving her goal she actually turns off potential suitors. They are simply overwhelmed by her sometimes aggressive, sometimes pathetic diatribes. During Elizabeth’s long conversation with Darcy, the latter makes the remark that, “The country can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighborhood you must move in a very confined and unvarying society”. Offended by Darcy’s manner, Mrs. Bennet “cries”: “I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town”. The book goes on to say that “everyone was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment, turned silently away”. Amazingly, Mrs. Bennet, completely oblivious to the situation, repeats her point. Elizabeth, “blushing at her mother”, attempts to minimize the damage, to no avail. In a further touch of irony, Darcy’s initial dismissal of Elizabeth, no doubt urged on by her meddlesome mother, turns out to be crucial for their relationship. It forces Darcy to examine his own values and outlook on women, ultimately resulting in their marriage.

Another example of Austen’s satire that awakes thoughtful laughter is Lydia and her sisters’ obsession with the young soldiers. The girls spend a large amount of time chasing after them. The sisters felt they needed a man so badly they stalked men older than themselves. Therefore, they ran after scum, young, desperate soldiers who were happy to take advantage of the girls. This comic phenomenon turns serious when Lydia and Wickham elope without marrying, potentially soiling family honor. The cute, slightly amusing love affair is no longer. Mr. Bennet contemplates the economics of their upcoming marriage because Wickham is one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be a husband. He sees beyond the satire. He is truly worried about his daughter, who effectively disgraces her father and family. The emotion of concern has ultimately overshadowed contemporary comedy.

Another comedic character in the novel is Mr. Collins, a pompous, idiotic clergyman who stands to inherit Mr. Bennet’s property. Mr. Collins’s own social status is nothing to brag about, but he takes great pains to let everyone and anyone know that Lady Catherine de Bourgh serves as his patroness. He believes to be the best thing that has happened to the Bennet family because he has planned to marry one of Mr. Bennet’s five daughters. “Having now a good house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view as he meant to choose one of the five daughters…” However the all the Bennet girls rejected his proposal. Mr. Collins pride within himself generates “thoughtful laughter” with the reader because of its silliness. The silliness of Mr. Collins reinforces Austen’s belief that gentility do not come from money. Mr. Collins can never be defined as a gentleman by Austen’s standard.

Jane Austen utilizes irony and satire to awake “thoughtful laughter” with the reader. Jane Austen believes that this laughter will help the reader point out the superficiality of our standard in defining a gentleman and a lady if we can see how buffoonish the people we might consider gentle.

Monday, December 20, 2004

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 04:55:54 GMT

this is bad...........im feelin this shit again......... listen to music makes me resentful, regretful........if only ders a time machine the world will be a better place..... actions can be reversed....tacitness can be turn to expression.......but remorse can only bring grief and anguish.......past haunts ........ time is priceless.......fuck this joint...... i know its not right........however there must be a conciseness in actions..........the season of xmas just make it worst......how???? fuck its like having a ciggarete without a lighter...sharing is possibe?? biatch..........................................................................................FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!