Wilde as Parodist a Second Look at the Importance of Being Earnest a Review Essay Example

Wilde as Parodist: a Second Look at the Importance of Being Earnest : a Review Paper Although many of the early critics found Oscar Wilde’s final play strictly humorous, it clearly conveys social hypocrisies of the upper-classes of the period (late-Victorian). Wilde was being satirical and paradoxical in his play to show the hypocrisy and entertain the viewers in a play that is still being repeated till today. It is a witty and amusing comedy which conveys real life everyday themes such as real love as opposed to selfish love, religion, marriage, being truthful and country life as opposed to city life. Richard Foster, author of â€Å"Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance of Being Earnest†, published in October 1956, writes on how the this play was viewed by critics, the techniques used by Wilde to achieve his purpose, and even compares this work to other similar works by other authors. Foster begins his article by explaining why critics cannot accurately name the type of this play. It is neither â€Å"farce† nor â€Å"comedy of manners†, although Wilde excessively makes use of both. The play is too intellectual to be considered a farce, yet too unrealistic to be considered a comedy of manners, even though ridicule and exposure of the vanities and hypocrisies of the upper class is surely the main function of the verbal wit. However, the comedy of The Importance of Being Earnest is not in the situations or actions for most of the part, but in the dialogue. Wilde’s play is a satirical demonstration of how art can lie romantically about human beings and distort the simple laws of real life with melodramatic complications and improbable easy escapes from them. Earnest suggests that we all lead double lives. This is the idea that homosexual Wilde was understandably obsessed with. â€Å"Earnest† as a name is also implicative of being honest and responsible, even if both men lied about their names. It turns out that the truth was told, and this rapid twist between truth and lies shows how muddled the Victorian values of honesty and responsibility were. The re are several possibilities for hidden meanings in Wilde’s play, each more suiting than the last. The whole play could be interpreted on different levels. We will write a custom essay sample on Wilde as Parodist: a Second Look at the Importance of Being Earnest : a Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wilde as Parodist: a Second Look at the Importance of Being Earnest : a Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wilde as Parodist: a Second Look at the Importance of Being Earnest : a Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Foster continues to describe the technique Wilde used to make a parody to romantic â€Å"love at first sight†. You see, Cecily seems to have fallen in love with Ernest Worthing before actually meeting him. She has diary entries of their engagement, their break-up (as â€Å"it would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn’t been broken off at least once†), and their re-engagement, and she even has his love letters, although she had written them herself. The standard notion of a romance involves the man proving himself to the woman after a breach in their love. In this play, Gwendolen and Cecily find out that their Ernests are really Jack and Algernon, and the restoration of their â€Å"love† occurs when the guys decide to christen themselves as Ernest. It appears that a major critical part of the play revolves around marriage being just a social tool. The two girls are in love with a name rather than a character, and Algy even proposes to Cecily right after meeting her. Also, Lady Bracknell, Algy’s aunt, disproves of Algy and Cecily’s marriage until she discovers that Cecily has a large fortune, and disproves of Jack and Gwendolen’s marriage, because he is an orphan. Foster explains that the â€Å"flaws† of the play- the contrivance of the plot, the convenience the coincidence and the resolution in the end- are the whole point. It is easy to mistake the play for something that it is not, as nothing in the play is what it seems. According to the critic, Wilde repeatedly attacked the moralism of the Victorian society, and the idea of morality being a set of rules about what people should and shouldnt do. The earnest/Ernest joke strikes at the very heart of Victorian notions of respectability and duty. Gwendolen wants to marry a man called Ernest, and she doesnt care whether the man actually possesses the qualities that comprise earnestness. Oscar Wilde used numerous epigrams, the main thing he was famous for, to reach his points and to entertain his audience. â€Å"The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last†, â€Å"produce your explanation and pray make it improbable†, â€Å"washing ones own clean linen in public, and â€Å"in married life three is company and two is none† are just a few examples of Wilde’s ingenious ideas paradoxing common phrases, and used just right to tersely express his opinions in a witty way. The Importance of Being Earnest is a fantastic play; it is truly a great work of English literature. It makes light of love, marriage, and religion which are issues that people take very seriously and that is what everybody needs is to lighten up sometimes. Despite the fact that it was written in the Victorian era, the witty comedic themes are still relevant in todays society which makes the play all the more entertaining and relatable. Wilde’s tone of wit, farce and satire combined together shows his great ability as an author.

The feud between East and West Coast Hip Hop Culture.

The feud between East and West Coast Hip Hop Culture. Hip-Hop's Greatest RivalryHip-hop is a term recognized by many, but understood by few. To mainstream audiences today, the term has become a synonym for rap music; however, hip-hop in actuality is a relatively new cultural movement that "began amongst urban (primarily, but not entirely, African American) youth in New York [City]" ("Hip-Hop"). Soon after the birth of hip-hop in the mid 1970s, the cultural movement quickly spread throughout the United States and today has come to be known to the entire world. Hip-hop is constantly changing and although it has mainly appealed to the youth, its audience is continually growing. Hip-hop culture has four elements - graffiti art, breakdancing, DJing, and MCing/rapping (Ayazi-Hashjin 6,7). A main cause of the birth of hip-hop was the civil rights movement in the United States.Black consciousness and pride swept the streets among African Americans, especially those living in cities after the start of the civil rights movement.English: Photo of the front of 1520 Sedgwick Avenu...Prior to the birth of hip-hop, the Black Panthers were a powerful group, and The Nation of Islam was beginning to organize. Black culture was becoming better known through outlets such as magazines and jazz. As Black Americans were identifying with each other more and more, many other closely-knit black communities were forming, especially in New York City. An important consequence of this was the formation of gang culture (Ogg 23). In the 70s, street gangs became very popular among the Black American youth. Gangs became a way of representing Black pride for many. Young Black Americans looked to join gangs because of the kinship they could form with others who lived in a similar lifestyle. As the number of gangs grew, however, gang rivalry intensified to violence. The Bronx area of New York City in 1970s was thought of to be one of the...

A Look at the Concerns Surrounding Internet Dependency

A Look at the Concerns Surrounding Internet Dependency The new wave of online technology has seen the Internet take an increasingly large place amongst society throughout the past few decades. The introduction of Internet-capable personal devices such as mobiles phones and tablets have granted users further access, triggering Internet traffic to grow exponentially. Due to this immense social shift towards the online, contemporary issues have appeared on both an intrapersonal and interpersonal scale. Reports during the 1990’s, when the effects of the Internet intensified, suggested that some online users were becoming addicted in much the same way that others may become addicted to drugs, alcohol or gambling. However, as has been seen since this initial prognosis, Internet addiction has shown to be much more challenging and controversial to categorise than alternative substance-based addictions. In general terms, Internet addiction can be described as excessive preoccupations, behaviours or urges regarding computer and Internet use that leads to distress or impairment (Shaw Black, 2008). This research review will identify major issues in Internet addiction, as well as overview the major controversies, such as the inauguration of Internet addiction as a concept, tests founded to measure it, general verses specific addiction, addiction to gaming and the symptoms of excessive Internet use. Substantial research in the addiction field had been accomplished throughout the 20th century, however, due to the relative newness of Internet addiction, research that clearly outlines the stages of acquisition and the consequences of this type of addiction are less prominent. First mentions of computer addiction came through anecdotal reports in the late 1970’s, specifically through the media, with colloquial terms such as ‘computer addicts’ and ‘machine-code junkies’ being used to describe heavy computer users. The general public widely accepted that symptoms of computer addiction included the impairment of psychological development and the breakdown of social relationships. A few academics took a partial interest in the field throughout the 1980’s, however serious research was not conducted until Shotton (1991) partook in a study to further analyse this issue. Through a series of interviews and questionnaires, Shotton (1991) found that the effects of computer addiction were much less severe than previous literature and the media had suggested, citing logical reasons that explain why individuals engage in interacting with a machine so extensively. Shotton (1991) believed that introverted people who turned away from human relationships could find companionship through computing. Although revolutionary, Shotton’s research became quickly less pertinent when the Internet rose to fame in the mid-1990’s drastically changing the function and usability of computers. At the 104th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in 1996, Young (1998) presented a paper on the emergence of a new clinical disorder known as Internet addiction. Young reformed the prognosis in the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1995) for Pathological Gambling into a brief questionnaire referred to as the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ) used as a screening instrument for addictive Internet use where participants who scored on 5 or more were deemed as dependant Internet users. Young demonstrated that dependant Internet users spent an average of 38.5 hours per week online, compared to 4.9 hours for non-dependant users. Furthermore, the research illustrated that non-dependant users viewed the Internet as a valuable source of information and a medium for personal and business communication. This contrasts with dependant users, who saw the Internet as a significant part of their lives, enabling them to meet and socialise with new people, with many often preferring their online friends to their real life relationships. The study likened the consequences of Internet addiction to that of other addictions, citing academic problems, work complications, distorted sleep patterns relationship difficulties, and denial of use as symptoms of excessive Internet use. Young provides a framework for further research on addictive Internet use, concluding that many individuals demonstrated impulse-control difficulty similar to pathological gambling or alcohol abuse. The proposal put forth by Young (1998) sparked much debate amongst academics which has continued to this day. Beard and Wolf (2001) contended Young’s claim, arguing that her criteria for Internet addiction were too rigid and subjective for self-reported measures. They proposed that for an individual to exhibit Internet addiction, they must meet five necessary criteria, and one of three optional criteria, both deriving from Young’s original questionnaire. Beard and Wolf go on to question the term ‘Internet addiction’ altogether, explaining that excessive Internet use cannot be defined as an addiction, as it does not result in all of the symptoms and behaviours associated with conventional addictions such as physical withdrawal. The controversy surrounding this term is currently bolder than the times of yesteryear with the Internet’s increasing hold on society. Starcevic and Aboujaoude (2016) firmly stand against the diagnosis ‘Internet addiction ’ citing some issues with its use. They argue against the term in a literal sense, citing that there is no evidence that addiction to the Internet as a medium exists, it is merely a facilitator for other behavioural addictions. Furthermore, and progressively so, the Internet is too vague a term as it refers to the limitless variety of behaviours that could be performed online. As such, the term ‘Internet addiction’ should be replaced by more specific behaviours. The concluding argument by Starcevic and Aboujaoude (2016) in the previous paragraph feeds into one of the major controversies surrounding Internet addiction, where two schools of thought have emerged. The generalised view believes that Internet addiction merits its own classification as a new psychiatric disorder, whereas the specialised view breaks down an individual’s Internet usage and defines their addiction in regards to specific online activities. After many years of debate, a modern study by Montag et al. (2015) set out to examine whether it is appropriate to differentiate between generalised and specialised Internet addiction. Participants from Europe and Asia completed two generalised scales (IAT and GPIUS-2) and a specialised scale developed to measure four domains of internet use; video gaming, shopping, social networks and pornography. The results of the study demonstrated that there are indeed specific forms of Internet addiction and that large parts of both gene ralised and specific addiction do not overlap. However, this is not true in the case of social network addiction as there was a considerable overlap between it and generalised Internet addiction. The authors argue that this may be because Facebook does not exist without the internet, unlike the other specified domains. Laconi, Tricard and Chabrol (2015) also took a keen interest in the relationship between generalised Internet addiction and specialised internet addiction. This study had participants complete an array of scales relating to specific Internet uses (gambling, sex, video watching, communication, information seeking, gaming, work, shopping) and generalised Internet use. The study determined that out of 378 participants just 29 showed symptoms of generalised Internet addiction, in contrast to 170 showing specific Internet addiction, prompting the authors to call for the distinction between the two. One of the biggest revelations for Internet addiction as a diagnosis came recently when the DSM-5 (2013) introduced a non-substance addiction for the first time in its history. Internet gaming disorder was added in Section 3 of the DSM-5 after careful review of over 250 publications in this area due to the significant amount of research in recent years and the consequences of the condition. Prior to the DSM-5, a substantial number of tests were used to examine Internet addiction, generating no clear diagnostic criteria. One of the more popular tests was proposed by Young (1998) in her original paper and known as the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). This scale added to the IADQ as it contained 20 items measured on a Likert scale. Its internal consistency has been examined amongst a variety of settings, most of which have proven to be positive (Widyanto McMurran, 2004). However, its factor structure has been inconsistently reported in different contexts challenging its original unidimen sional design (Lai et al., 2013). Through a systematic review of 68 epidemiological studies on Internet addiction, Kuss et al. (2014) reported that as many as twenty-one different scales were developed between the IAT in 1998 to the DSM-5 in 2013 in an attempt to examine an individual’s addiction to the Internet, each test with their own issues. Petry et al. (2014) discuss the inclusion of Internet gaming disorder in the DSM-5 by assembling international experts to achieve consensus about assessing this disorder in an array of contexts as defined by the nine criteria in the DSM-5. Pre-occupation refers to the individual thinking about gaming not only while playing but also while they are not playing. Withdrawal refers to particular symptoms that emerge when one is unable to initiate gaming, or when one is trying to withhold from gaming. Tolerance denotes that an individual feels the need to game for extended periods of time to feel sufficient excitement. The fourth criterion is unsuccessful attempts to stop or reduce gaming. A person with Internet gaming disorder may also protrude a loss of interest in other hobbies or activities. The individual may also continue to game excessively even though they are aware of the negative consequences that arise from this behaviour. Deception refers to lying about the extent of their time gaming to others. The penultimate criteria the authors discussed is using gaming as an escape or relief from a negative mood, such as feelings of anxiety, sadness or depression. A person with Internet gaming disorder may also jeopardise or lose valuable relationships, work opportunities or educational opportunities due to their attraction to gaming. For the DSM-5 to deem an individual with this disorder, they must meet five or more of the criteria discussed within the past year. However, as Internet gaming disorder is situated in Section 3 of the DSM, which contains emerging measures and models, and due to the relative newness of the field, much more research must be conducted to produce a definitive set of criteria. Of all specific Internet addictions, online gaming has arguably garnered the most attention to date from academics and researchers alike. Similar to the studies previously discussed, Rehbein and Mà ¶ÃƒÅ¸le (2013) set out to determine whether video game addiction specifically could be distinguished as its own diagnosis in contrast to being attached to Internet addiction as a whole. A range of relevant data was collected from a large sample of 4436 school participants on their video game and Internet usage patterns, along with questions related to their psychological wellbeing. The results determined that video game addiction and Internet addiction can very much be regarded as two distinct nosological entities, and it is important to do so, as there are supreme differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups. The authors found that males primarily made up the group of video game addicts, whereas females predominately found themselves in the Internet addicted group. Early in the lifespan of the Internet, Young (1998) found that users were drawn to real-time services such as internet relay chat (IRC) and multi-user domains (MUD). As technology is advanced, these amenities developed further into three-dimensional graphical representations in the form of online games. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) took the world by storm in the early 2000s through titles such as â€Å"Everquest†, where users were able to play out the life of a character in an online world with other players. Ng and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) investigated the different usages between MMORPG players and Non-MMORPG players by collecting anonymous surveys posted on various gaming forums. Interestingly, MMORPG players were seen to spend significantly more time investing in online gaming. However, the authors emphasise that these players cannot be classified as addicted as they display opposing characteristics to an addict, in that they do not seek self-con fidence from the game, would not be irritated if they spent extended periods of time without playing and would find fun elsewhere if MMORPGs did not exist. The authors suggest that MMORPG players have a different perspective on social life, or labelled as introverted by some, and chose to socialise through online gaming rather than in the real world. Comparable to the term itself, the symptoms of Internet addiction have been hotly debated since its proposal in the mid-1990’s (Valkenburg Peter, 2009). In the early years of Internet addiction, the predominant belief amongst researchers was that this disorder had a detrimental effect both psychologically and socially. This was demonstrated in a famous study by Kraut et al. (1998) where they analysed this very idea in a longitudinal study. Measures of Internet use were collected over a two-year period, and social and psychological well-being were measured through reliable self-reports by individuals who had never used the Internet prior. Like other studies at the time, Kraut et al. found that excessive use of the Internet was associated with increases in loneliness and depression and declines in social involvement Due to the increased accessibility of the Internet in a contemporary setting, many academics elude to the convoluted consequences of extreme Internet use in the modern day. Bessiere, Kiesler, Kraut and Boneva (2008) predicted, using previous hypotheses, that the way an individual uses the Internet will produce an increase or decrease in psychological and/or social well-being. A study similar to that of Kraut et al. (1998) was generated to decidedly distant results. Firstly, it was found that using the internet for things other than communication had no apparent consequences on well-being. Additionally, they found that using the Internet to communicate with family and friends actually had declining levels of depression. Whereas using the Internet as a means to interconnect with, and meet new people did induce increased levels of depression. Finally, the authors found that individuals with high levels of social support initially were more prone to negative social consequences in compar ison to those with low levels of social support. All aspects of Internet addiction are still up for debate. With the further protrusion of its presence in the everyday lives of more and more people, many studies have become invalid within a short period, making it problematic to keep up with the ever-changing landscape. Increased accessibility and affordability enable almost everybody the chance to be sucked in by the Internet, whereas in years gone past, especially in its inception, it was a more exclusive group. Perhaps this means that Internet addiction will become more widespread over the coming years, or contrastingly, the concept will die off due the normalisation of its overuse. As has been discussed throughout this review, many scales have been developed in an attempt to diagnose, and it is expected that much more will be established in the future as Internet use becomes increasingly prominent. It is evident that the distinction between generalised and specific Internet addiction needs to be entrenched to improve diagnoses, and this step has been taking with the introduction of the Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Much more research needs to be conducted within this field in the coming years to gain decisive conclusions. However researchers may be fighting a losing battle due to the Internet’s perpetual innovations.

Idealism versus Naturalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Idealism versus Naturalism - Essay Example Gombrich argues that in pursuit of idealism for self-interests, the artists omitted any feature to they did not like to produce ‘†¦an idealized statue that usually lack character and vigour’ (103). Moreover, their desire to portray the true, the good, and the beauty of a real a man - ideal humanistic outlook – resulted in a quite ‘symmetrical, well-built and beautiful statue.' Due to the flawed figures of idealism, Greek artists adopted the naturalist perspective that represents the human form in its natural appearance or realistic look. The proponents of naturalism argue that the idealistic idea was only to add aesthetic value to drawings and sculptures and avoid reality. For instance, in Hermes with Dionysus, Praxiteles portrays the natural gesture of a hairy, wise, loving, caring and anxious man with human quality carrying a playful child (Gombrich 102). Moreover, he curved a younger non-stiff body leaning on a post for balance while maintaining elegance and smooth surfaces. These are realistic features that contrast the idealistic principle of calm and ever-smiling man to reflect an ideal situation of harmony and happiness. Moreover, the height of 3.5 feet tall of the idealistic approach fails to reflect the proper size of a human, 6.9 feet as depicted by Praxiteles. Despite these differences, one similarity of the two approaches is the Contrapposto where the right leg is bent while stepping forward and the left hip elevated to support body weight.

The Role of Mental Set in Classroom Management Essay - 15

The Role of Mental Set in Classroom Management - Essay Example Mental set helps teachers to cultivate stance in relation to the classroom. Teachers can come up with solutions quickly in a classroom situation. For example, when children disrupt the classroom the teacher acts fast because he or she has experienced a similar problem and had a solution to it. This helps to minimize class disruptions because the students know the teacher is in control (Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, 2003). Every human being has their strong and weak points. It is important for teachers to evaluate themselves in order to know their strengths and weaknesses. It helps a lot in maintaining effective classroom management. As a teacher, my main strength is my ability to maintain a good relationship with the students. Having taught for some years, I have learned the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the students. This helps in improving the students’ performance and also helps in cooperating with them. My ability to accommodate students from different cultural backgrounds is another area I do well. Having taught student from a different culture, I have come to learn the importance of understanding the students (Montgomery, 2001). Different cultures have different practices that if not understood can be misinterpreted. For example, Mexicans expect their children to be obedient, quiet and seek approval before acting. This can be interpreted as been overly dependent on the teacher. As a teacher, I tend to act swiftly in class this is an area I can do better. A case of a situation in class, I tend to act quickly without consulting what had caused the particular incident. Due to the fact, I have encountered similar situations in the classroom. This is an area I can work on in order to be a better classroom manager (Weinstein, Curran, & Tomlinson-Clarke, 2003).

Timeless or Everlasting God Essay Example for Free

Timeless or Everlasting God Essay The definition of an everlasting God would be a God that has existed throughout time and space, linked to God’s characteristic of being omnipresent, basically meaning that He is present everywhere at all times. This would mean that he is a personal God as he is immanent and is involved with humanity. This back up events like miracles and revelations within the world, as they are caused by God so are evidence of his personal relationship with humans. The definition of a timeless God would mean that God exists outside of time. This links to the characteristic of God which some believers believe he is; transcendent. This means that God exists outside of time and space so therefore has an impersonal relationship with humanity, meaning He would not be able to influence humanity in the form of miracles or revelations. This view is commonly thought by believers of deism, who believe that an omnipotent God created the world, but then left it to ‘do its own thing and learn from its own mistakes’ and no longer looks over it. There are more benefits to an everlasting God, mainly because it would explain how miracles occur. However it also means that there can be revelations in the form of praying as a personal God may answer one’s prayers as He is within the universe. Another advantage would be that a personal God can also try to teach us right from wrong and would discipline us like a parental figure. This is shown in Genesis chapter 1, where God is also shown to have more human-like characteristics and he punishes Adam and Eve much like a parental figure showing his personal relationship with humans. Also the biggest benefit would be that it be proof that Jesus was the Son of God. However an advantage of having a timeless God would be that as God exists outside time and space then he would see all events and therefore he would know everything; past, present and future. This would mean that he would be an omniscient God.

The Immigrant Experience: The Anguish of Becoming American Essay

The Immigrant Experience: The Anguish of Becoming American Immigration from the Early 1990's still affects America today. The people who came to America from different countries brought their traditions, their families, and their culture. These three things stuck with them through thick and thin and are still thriving parts of what America is today. Many immigrants came with literally nothing in their pockets and had to work their way to success. The Immigrant Experience by Thomas Wheeler tells the story of nine different immigrants' trials and tribulations of coming and living in America. Each immigrant went through different experiences of becoming American but they also had their similarities. Four things that attributed to the assimilation of the immigrants are: language, money, religion, and ambition. Each immigrant experienced their individual trials, but they still all had several similarities. Almost all of the immigrants in this book came to America without being able to speak English, except for the immigrant from London. Alan Pryce-Jones came to America able to speak English and this put him at an advantage over the other immigrants because he could communicate with Americans. Also, he came to America after he established his writing in Europe. He came with money and wisdom which set him far above the other immigrants. The immigrants who couldn't speak English had to take classes and settle for low paying jobs because they could not communicate with their bosses. If they weren't working for someone else, they entrepreneured their own business. William Alfred, the Irish immigrant, was raised by a grandmother who owned her own business. This made it a little easier for him to find a job, and bring in money. J... ...America and living here made them American. But, they all brought over their own traditions and culture that still affect families today. Americans all have the outer candy coatings, but each peanut inside is different. The peanuts make the M & M's what they are. The outer appearance is the same but the inward structure is not. The peanuts do not affect the way the M & M looks but they sure do affect the way they taste. Next time you go to eat an M & M think about what America is. Is it a group of people who are all the same and have conformed to each other so that you cannot distinguish one from another? Or is America like a bowl of peanut M & M's where you can see how every one is similar but each individual is different on the inside? They may look American. They may act American. They may very well be American, but they cannot neglect their ancestry roots.