When an intoxicated individual makes a decision to sit behind the wheel of an automobile and drive home, he endangers everyone on the road. This one decision, which may not seem important at the time, can have a crucial impact . When the choice whether or not to drive under the influence of alcohol faces a person, he often does not realize the consequences of his actions, and therefore makes an extremely uneducated decision. Many people believe that increasing fines for drunk driving offenders will play a significant part in the cutting down of driving under the influence. However, while stiffer DUI laws will look affective on paper, they will not make a substantial step in the fight against drunk driving.

The only benefit of increased drunk driving fines goes to the law enforcement agency that collects the fines. Because the majority of DUI stops happen to individuals who do not believe that they have become drunk, a person who chooses to drive does not even consider the fine that he may receive, no matter the amount. If an intoxicated person believes that he has the ability to drive home safely, a new law passed by state representatives will not stop them. Continue Reading »

Wessex
The fictionalized region of southwest England in which Hardy set all of his fiction. This region was somewhat backward in the late nineteenth century. Although industrialization had made the north of England and the region around London prosperous and modernized, southwest England was still rural, agricultural, and quite poor. Modern advancements in farming techniques were slow in coming to this region, and the transition to modernity was not easy. Hardy, who grew up and lived in the region, is particularly interested in showing the ways in which Wessex is caught between its old, traditional culture and modernization; little details showing this dilemma appear throughout Tess of the d’Urbervilles and his other works. In some ways Wessex is as much a character in Hardy’s work as any of the people he depicts-and indeed, Tess is very much identified, physically and emotionally, with her surroundings in Wessex. Continue Reading »

In the book Go Ask Alice , by Grace Slick, the main character Alice had suffered in a way that forced her to escape from her home to avoid her family. She was in too much trouble. She was on drugs and her parents did not know anything but they had a notion that she was hiding a secret from them.

In the book, Alice was into drugs and was trying to stop using drugs when she was 14 and 15 years old. On the day that she want to a party she was raped. The day she first tried marajuana at a party there was also drugs in her drink and she did not know until the next day when her best friend told her what happened. She kept the secret and she never told her parents that she had tried drugs. Continue Reading »

The tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by John Gardner, is a prime example of a romance in literature. The story focuses on three elements of romance: the quest, bravery, and chivalry.

The first element represented in the story is the quest. It is during the quest that the hero undertakes a perilous journey in search of value. In this case Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s test because he is always in search of a challenge due to his knightly call to chivalry. In this quest Gawain has to overcome danger for love of a high ideal. He is tested several times by the Green Knight first at the castle and then again during the second part of his challenge. Gawain, like all true heroes, overcomes every obstacle thrown at him and if he cannot overcome it then he redeems himself for it later on in his journey. He takes on this challenge to uphold his high ideal of how a knight should act. Continue Reading »

The amazing story I read was the tale of Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe, which is the account of a man who was stranded on an uninhabited island for more than twenty years. This story was published by the English writer, Defoe, in the year 1719, about eighty years before the French Revolution. The fiction was in a relatively simple manner but was so masterfully done that it has achieved much praise.

In Robinson Crusoe, there are very few characters that the author describes with much detail. The main character is Robinson Crusoe who is the son of a well-to-do middle-class father. He is very immature in the beginning because of how his emotions change like a stormy sea. He keeps jumping from wanting to become involved in law to obey his father’s wishes and sailing out to sea to show he is a rebel. Continue Reading »

There are various instances of imagery in Ethan Frome. Edith Wharton uses metaphors throughout the entire book. I noticed many but two particular ones were most prominent. The symbolism helps develop the characters in the book. It helps pull us into the book making us feel as if we are truly there.

The first metaphor that I noticed was how the color red was brought up in the entire book. Edith Wharton used many different shades of red in describing objects in the novel. Each time that red is used it symbolizes something different. The opening red metaphor that was brought up in the book is when Ethan is waiting for Mattie so that they can walk home. I think that by the way he is looking and thinking about her, the red scarf in her hair is representing lust. It may not be deep lust towards her but more of a hopeful desire. Continue Reading »

In the story All My Sons by Arthur Miller, there are many symbols that influence the characters’ actions and other events. Symbols such as the tree in the yard and the date November 25th represent the remembrance of Larry Keller. The downed tree also hints to the letter at the end of the story. Other symbols stand for past events in the characters’ lives and give the reader a view into the important father-son relationship between Joe and Chris Keller.

One of the major symbols in the play was the tree in the yard. The tree was important to the Kellers because it was planted on the day that their son, Larry, disappeared. The importance can be seen when the tree was knocked over. The Kellers and their neighbors saw the fallen tree and remembered Larry. Continue Reading »

There are many issues today that pose a threat to our way of life. Overpopulation is a serious problem that will eventually have an extremely negative effect on our countries, and our planet. The problems that arise due to overpopulation could even prove to a fatal epidemic that will eventually wipeout the entire human race. Oftentimes this issue is overlooked due to lack of knowledge and understanding of the subject; or, simply because most of us are so blessed that we are not affected first hand by the problems it is causing this very second. Overpopulation, in my belief, is an enormously serious global issue that should be identified, analyzed, and controlled immediately. Continue Reading »

The narrators in Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem, “Richard Cory“, are a few people who are standing near Cory as he walks down the street. They are going about their business when Richard Cory walks within visual range and is immediately discussed by the narrators. The town in which the story takes place in is essentially small. This sort of scenario would never take place in a larger city simply because there would be several people like Richard Cory, not just one. The people describe Cory as a very important man who is above anything petty, nearly regal. They find Cory to be everything they are not, and everything they desire to be. Richard Cory is a marvelous man who seems to be too good to be true.

The first two lines of the poem suggest Richard Cory’s separation from the ordinary folk who are telling the story. Richard Cory’s presence on the street demands attention as soon as he is noticed. Continue Reading »

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines patriotism as love for or devotion to ones country. However, the word patriotism strikes lots of mixed emotions all over the United States. Some people describe themselves as involved patriots because they fly their American flag outside in their yards, when others see the word patriotism as disgusting, the seed of racism.

Patriotism to me, along with many others, means of course to have love for our homeland, our country, to support, serve and defend, to be inspired by, to change for the better and to care deeply for fellow Americans. After September 11th, a lot of people showed their love for this country by doing things like standing in line to donate blood, registering with the army, or even as little as wearing the American colors. Patriots support the countries authorities, laws, and interest. Continue Reading »