Thursday, March 19, 2020

Jane Austen Did Not Write Epics

Jane Austen Did Not Write Epics Jane Austen Did Not Write Epics Jane Austen Did Not Write Epics By Maeve Maddox A recent film on a romantic episode in the life of 18th century novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) has called forth a lot of commentary on the web. Heres the blurb that prompted this article: Becoming Jane: Author Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) eventually became famous for writing epic novels like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. In popular usage, epic is often used to denote extraordinary length or size. For example, someone might try to ask a long-winded companion to get to the point by saying: Just give me the facts. I dont need an epic. Used to denote size, epic is almost always accompanied by proportions. Indeed, so clichà ©d is the expression epic proportions that theres a play with that title. Since the longest Jane Austen novel comes to only about 300 pages, the writer quoted above cannot have meant to use epic in the sense of size or length. When speaking of novels or poems, the word epic has to do with certain aspects of the story and its treatment. The baseline epics are Homers Iliad and Odyssey, stories of larger-than-life national heroes like Achilles and Odysseus engaged in struggles involving the fate of nations or entire races. In the classic sense, epics employ high-flown language. They have lengthy casts of characters, and they often take place over the course of many years. Some well-known novel and film epics are Tolstoys War and Peace, Mitchells Gone With the Wind, DeMilles Ten Commandments, Griffiths Birth of A Nation, Gibsons Braveheart, and Tolkien/Jacksons Lord of the Rings trilogy. The romantic misunderstandings of Miss Bennett and Mr. Darcy, played out in elegant 18th century drawing rooms, belong to a type of novel called the novel of manners. Manners here doesnt mean merely such things as opening a door for a lady or the saying of please and thank you. The novel of manners focuses on domestic matters as opposed to warfare and the realm of the male. The central character is generally a woman and such novels are often written by women, although The Forsythe Saga by John Galsworthy is an example of the genre. This kind of novel describes the way people living at a certain time in a particular place behave, how they arrange marriages, how they bring up their children, what they hope for, and what they settle for. Although usually thought of as a distinctly British genre, the novel of manners occupies a significant place in American literature. The novels of Edith Wharton, Henry James, Kate Chopin, and Claire Messud are novels of manners. Youll find a useful introduction to the genre and its feminist associations at enotes.com. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidDriver License vs. Driver’s LicenseConversational Email

Monday, March 2, 2020

Sugaring Recipes to Attract Moths

Sugaring Recipes to Attract Moths Many moths will come to lights at night, but if you really want to sample the species in an area, you should try sugaring for moths. Sugaring or baiting is an effective and fun way to attract moths to an area. The bait is usually a mixture of fermenting fruit, sugar, and alcohol. When sugaring for moths, you apply the bait mixture to tree trunks, fence posts, stumps, or other structures, usually around dusk. After dark, you visit your bait sites at regular intervals of time to collect or photograph any moths. You can try sugaring for moths any time of the year, but youll have the best results if the temperature remains above 50 °F. Warm, muggy nights are ideal for baiting moths. Making a Sugar Bait for Moths Every moth enthusiast or entomologist I know has their own favorite recipe for sugar bait. The key to effective bait is making a concoction with a strong odor to attract the moths, and a sweet taste to keep the moths around. Finding a mixture that yields good results may take a bit of trial and error on your part. Start with this basic recipe, and modify it to your liking. Basic Sugar Bait Recipe to Attract Moths brown sugaroverripe bananasbeer (stale beer is preferable)molasses Were not baking a cake here, so theres no need to measure anything. Making a good bait for sugaring moths is more a matter of consistency than it is of proportion. You should try to achieve a consistency thick enough to keep it from dripping, but thin enough to spread with a paintbrush. Crush up the ripe bananas and mix them in. Use enough beer to dissolve the sugar. Stir it all together until you have a thick but fluid bait mixture. Some people prefer to age their sugaring bait, by letting it sit at room temperature for a few days. This will allow it to ferment, which will make the bait all the more attractive to the moths. If you choose to do this, dont put your mixture in an airtight container. Use a loose-fitting lid, or cover the container with a paper towel held in place with a rubber band. If you have any stale or skunky beer around, heres your chance to put it to good use. Moths dont mind a stale beer. Other Sugar Bait Ingredients Really, the fun part of sugaring for moths is creating your own perfect bait recipe. Try some of these ideas to modify the basic recipe, and see what works best to attract moths. dry yeast - if youre going to let your mixture sit and ferment, this may be a good addition to tryrumsweet liqueurs, like schnappswhite sugar – can be substituted for brown sugarhoneymaple syruprotting watermelon – some moth enthusiasts swear by watermelon, claiming its the best moth attractant you can findfermenting peaches, pears, or applesblack treacle – a sweet syrup produced when sugar is refinedcola – some people like to simmer the cola, stirring in sugar and perhaps some molasses until it dissolvesorange soda – open it and let it sit for a while, so it goes flat Applying the Sugar Bait to Attract Moths Now that youve mixed your sugar bait, its time to do some mothing! Youll need a paintbrush to apply the concoction. A 3-4 width paintbrush is ideal for this purpose. Take your mixture to the area where you hope to collect moths, and choose a few tree trunks or fence posts that are easily accessible. Paint the mixture on these locations, making about a 12-inch square (smaller, obviously, if the tree trunk isnt that wide) at eye level. If youre planning to photograph the moths, keep that in mind when applying the sugar bait. Make sure the ground is clear of debris or undergrowth, so you can collect or photograph any moths easily. I recommend sugaring the trees around dusk, so the scents of a fresh batch of bait are wafting through the air just when the night-flying moths are waking up from their naps. When youre applying the bait, remember that other insects (ants, anyone?) may enjoy a sugary snack, too. If you want to find moths, you need to be careful not to spill the bait solution as you walk around the area. Dont let the bait mixture drip down the tree trunk, either. You need to make a nice, neat square of sugar bait, without creating trails for ants to follow. If it drips, its not thick enough and you should go back to the kitchen. Adding molasses will usually do the trick. Some people recommend using the bait mixture as a barrier, to keep hungry ants from reaching the bait square intended for moths. Try painting a ring of the sugar bait around the tree trunk, several feet below the moth bait, and also several feet above the moth bait. This should effectively intercept any ants, and keep them preoccupied and away from the moths. Checking the Bait for Moths Now its just a matter of sitting and waiting for the moths to find your irresistibly stinky bait. Youll probably notice the most moth action between the hours of 10 pm and 1 am but check your bait sites every half hour or so. Be careful you dont spook the moths! Dont shine your flashlight directly at the moths. Flashlights with a red filter, or with red LED lights, will make it easier to observe the moths without disturbing them. Keep your flashlight pointing down toward the ground as you approach. As moths in the area detect the scent of the bait, they will fly to the site to investigate. Youll see moths resting on the areas where you applied the bait.   Sources: Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard, by John Himmelman Sugaring for Moths, Catocala website, accessed November 19, 2012 Sugaring for Moths, University of Washington, accessed November 19, 2012Sugar Baits for Moths, National Moth Week, accessed November 19, 2012Sugaring for Moths  (PDF), Michigan Entomological Society, accessed November 19, 2012Attracting Moths, Staffordshire Moth Group, accessed November 19, 2012

Saturday, February 15, 2020

The Effectiveness Of Different Training Methods Commonly Used To Lab Report

The Effectiveness Of Different Training Methods Commonly Used To Increase An Athletes Speed - Lab Report Example Besides discussing the trining methods, I will emphsize the importnce nd subtle elements of thletes speed. Most tem nd individul thletes require good ccelertion. However, if we ignore trck sprinters for the time being, the gret mjority of teengers will only ever sprint over distnces less thn 30 metres during competition. This mens tht mximl speed will rrely be reched, nd tht ccelertion plys the most importnt prt in speed nd must therefore receive specil ttention in speed trining. Two spects significntly contribute to ccelertion: first-step quickness nd correct body position. First-step quickness is the bility to move in certin direction s quickly s possible. Often, significnt speed improvements over ten metres cn be mde by eliminting flse step. This is commonly seen when n thlete, wishing to run to his or her right, either rocks bck on to his or her left leg, or, even worse, tkes step bck with his or her left leg, before then beginning to run to the right. By teching the thlete to run immeditely in the intended direction, with low, fst first step, time-wsting movements re voided. s different open field sports require vrying strt positions, it is essentil tht most thletes cn strt sprinting from either foot. (Blzevich, 2005) Body position for ccelertion is different from the ... While mximl speed running requires runner to be firly upright (which llows the legs full rnge of movement through the hips), the idel position for ccelerting is between 45 nd 60 degrees. If sprint begins from stnding strt (s in, for exmple, bsebll nd softbll), the ngle should pproch 45 degrees. However, if the thlete is moving immeditely before the sprint (such s running to receive pss), there is less need for such low position. (Blzevich, 2005) Open field running is where n thlete begins by jogging, but then ccelertes rpidly to mximum speed. In footbll, this sprint my involve chnge in direction, physicl contct in pushing, being pushed, or breking tckle. Fctors importnt in this form of speed re the bility to correctly position the body for ccelertion, nd the bility to initite fst leg turnover. One drill tht cn trin this is clled the 'in/out' drill, where n thlete increses speed over, for exmple, 15 metres, then sprints mximlly for distnce of 20 metres. He or she then slows down over similr distnce before re-ccelerting nd sprinting for further 20 metres. It is lso possible to incorporte chnges in direction for improving sidewys speed. dults usully rech mximl speed during sprint t round 40 metres; it cn then only be mintined for limited distnce before decelertion sets in. Depending on their ge, children re likely to rech mximl speed t between 25 nd 40 metres. For most gmes plyers, mximl speed will rrely be determining fctor in their performnce, nd sprint trining over distnces longer thn 40 metres will usully be unnecessry. However, given tht some thletes (for exmple, trck sprinters) require speed over 100 nd 200 metres, trining will need to concentrte

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Israeli's treatment of arab citizens, Research Proposal

Israeli's treatment of arab citizens, - Research Proposal Example The fire of hatred burns brightest in the hearts of the Arabs for America because they were tools to kindle the hegemonic designs of the Arabs on the Israelis. Therefore the United States is facing rising anti- Americanism almost all over in the world. Pew Global Attitudes Project, (June 2003) Some of these reactions are due to the U.S strikes directed towards some Arab countries including its occupation of Iraq and secondly the political, military and economic support by the U.S in support of Israel against the Arabs. Another reason for the Arab antipathy and hatred for America lies in the fact of America’s support for a major number of undemocratic regimes of the Arabs. The Arab public sees U.S. positions in the Arab-Israeli conflict as biased and feels the U.S. government is not an honest broker in the conflict.† (Nicolas Francis, Moises Naim, and Abdel Monem Said Aly, (2002) These unfavorable conditions have led to the great hostility between the Israeli and the Arab s which seems to be blowing out of proportion time and again thus intensifying problems further. Shocking reports from the Department of State’s Annual Human Rights Division give us a clear insight into the Israeli’s treatment of the Arab minority. Depressing facts of abuses on the human rights of the Arabs by the Israelis have been well documented over the years to give us the bigger picture of life in the Arab countries. For over 30 years now, the Israelis have detained, tortured and killed many of the Arabs thereby fuelling resentment still further. In addition to this countless Arab homes were demolished and their lands confiscated without any explanation given to any human rights organization whether national or international for the past many years. The Arabs in Israel constitute about one –fifth of the population of the country but in spite of their large numbers they are deprived of most of the civil rights which other citizens of the country enjoy. According to the

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Gender Roles in Macbeth Essay -- GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

Gender Roles in Macbeth  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although written long ago, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth still has themes relevant for contemporary society.   Murderous ambition, political intrigue, crafty social alliances, the disintegration of marriage – these could be headlines from any daily news program.   It comes as no surprise, then, that we also find a significant number of moments in the play where gender seems to be an issue. More specifically, we might say that Shakespeare's dramatic investigation into proper uses of power consists, in part, of a rigorous critique of the disparities between the respective roles assigned to men and women. Shakespeare seems especially interested in the moral and ethical implications of such discrepancies. In the interest of space and time, I will focus here on only a few brief moments from act one. However, I encourage you to note the further development of these points as the drama unfolds in subsequent scenes. In the very first scene of Macbeth we learn what Duncan and his people value in masculine identity. When the sergeant staggers in to report what he has seen of Macbeth in battle, we are given an image of a thane who is steeped in gore: For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish'd steel, Which smok'd with bloody execution, Like Valour's minion carv'd out his passage, Till he fac'd the slave; Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseam'd him from the nave to th'chops, And fix'd his head upon our battlements. (1.2.16-23) The king's response to this account is especially telling: "O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!" (1.2.16-24) demonstrates as much appreciation for the manner in which Macbeth overcame h... ...41). By play's end, we are confronted with her madness, the result of an excruciating tension between her identity as a woman and the desire to accommodate a misconceived and fatally monstrous masculinity. Although I do not intend here to resolve the question of gender in Macbeth (actually, I hope to provoke further thoughts on interpretation), I do wish to note that Shakespeare has forcefully bound the cultural problem of violence to the promulgation and validation of the roles a community assigns by sex. Read the play; attend a performance; consider the moral and ethical implications bound up in the plot of a would-be king who sheds true manhood even as he fulfills the masculine ideal. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Lenny’s Monologue

Lennie’s Monologue: It’s them sycamores I remember. An’ the river, runnin’ deep and green, tinkling jus’ like the way Aunt Clara’s house keys used to when she was out on the porch about to unlock the front door. I’d hide my mouse in my pocket whene’er I heard them jinglin’ keys, because Aunt Clara ne’er liked ’em rodents hangin’ around her house. I was a smart boy, I really was. I see the clearing an’ I know I’ve found it, I’ve found the safe spot. George’ll come get me here before the water turns black and the sun goes down, he’s always been better at directions than me, plus he’s got an ol’ compass nicked from a farmer back in Weed.Maybe someday George’ll teach it to me. But not soon, he ain’t going to teach me no compass because he gonna be mad when he finds me. The bush is sticking into me like I’m wrapped up in barbed wire. If only I was in a softer bush, a bush made of hair maybe. Like her hair, the girl back at the ranch. She should grow it out and make a blanket for me, like Aunt Clara did with sheep wool. Except I know it ain’t gonna happen because hair don’t grow on people who don’t breathe. But I didn’t mean to do it! I jus’ wanted to touch it, I jus’ wanted to pet it like I pet my mice.I jus’ want to pet my mice†¦. The river still tinkles like ‘em keys, an’ I feel like I should hide my mouse, but I can’t this time. I can’t find me my mouse because she’s back at the ranch. She’s back there lying on the hay like one o’ those torn up beanie-dolls, the beans spillin’ outta her, prolly makin’ a mess o’ the barn. You weren’t so smart this time, Lenny, Aunt Clara couldn’t catch you but George’ll. George is cleverer than Aunt Clara, oh, George is cleverer than anyo ne. Soon he gonna come crashin’ inta here an’ he gonna give me hell over an’ over.He coulda’ had it so easy without me, he coulda’ gotten a nice lil’ place, maybe even a girl. I could go, I coulda gone any time. George, he don’t need me like I need him, why, he don’ need me at all. Here George comes, an’ he ain’t yellin’, why ain’t he yellin’? I like him yellin’ because that’s the only time he tells stories; not even at night when I ask him to, jus’ when he’s yellin’. I know George. I know he can make me feel as worthless as an empty can o’ tuna sometimes, but ever’ time he’ll tell me he needs me; he gonna tell me that I need him, and he needs me.An’ in the end, he does, he does need me because I’m the only one who gives a hoot in hell about ‘im. Thas’ right Lenny, you ain’t useless, George needs you. He says he’s not mad, he wants you to know that he ain’t ever been mad ‘bout you. He ain’t lettin’ you leave him because we gonna get a little place. He says we’ll have a cow, pigs and chickens, an’ he hadn’t forget about the alfalfa for my rabbits! Oh, I can see it now, I can see it right across the river! George promises that ever’body gonna be nice to me. There ain’t gonna be no more trouble, oh, George, can we go there now.I jus’ don’t want no more trouble. I jus’ want it to be me and him, him and me, George and Lenny, Lenny and George, the way it always is. An’ I’ll work harder than I ever worked before, I promise. Why, I’ll work all day and all night, an’ I’ll have the strength because we’ll have all the bread and milk we want. Nobody gonna kick us out because it gonna be OUR ranch. Guys like us got no fambly. They usually make a little stake an†™ then they blow it in. They ain’t got nobody in the worl’ that gives a hoot in hell about ‘em.But not us. Because I got you, George, an’ you got me. Messages from the book: 1. The Great Depression made life REALLY hard. 2. The American Dream is still what propels everyone forward, in the book it’s George and Lennie’s vision of their own ranch. 3. Racism is still prominent. 4. Sexism is also still prominent. 5. It is called Of Mice and Men because in the Great Depression there is nothing difference between mice and men, everything is all equally fragile, that everyone is in the same boat, making us feel for these characters.