Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers

In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum'; and “The Masque of the Red Death';, the author uses different symbolism to illustrate the image of death. In both of these stories, death is the final result of a punishment, the end of a human’s life. However, in the first story, Poe shows us that there exists something in human ‘s life that is more terrible than death. And in the second story, Poe tells us that death is inevitable and it is useless if you try to escape it. From the beginning of “The Pit and the Pendulum';, Poe starts to show us the desperation and the terror the narrator feels in the prison. He is alone and lost, he can’t see anything and hear any voice. It makes him feel hopeless and scared. The complete dark pit where the Inquisition shuts the narrator up creates an atmosphere of death and fear. The fact that the pit is an abyss makes the readers think of death. In addition, the ceiling of the prison where a huge pendulum with a scythe hangs shows that the narrator’s life is in danger. The image of death becomes clearer when the narrator finds out that the pendulum is in motion. “But what mainly disturbed me was the idea that it had perceptibly descended. I now observed- with what horror it is needless to say- that its neither extremity was formed of a crescent…';(68). Death becomes impossible to prevent in this case. Especially when the pendulum keeps going down. As Poe describes, “Down- still unc easingly- still inevitably down! I gasped and struggled at each vibration…';(70) However, when we all wait to see the end, the narrator is saved by the rats. This unexpected change gives us a message that life is full of unexpected and we can never lose hope. But a more unimaginable thing happens right after the escape from the pendulum. The prison (the pit) becomes hot like a heated iron. Moreover, “ a richer tint of crimson diffused itself over the pictured horrors of blood'; (72) Here, we can make a connection between blood and death easily. Once again, the narrator ‘s life is in menace. Fortunately, the narrator is saved at the last minute, but the terror and the fear he feels during that period seems more terrific than death. In fact, Poe shows us compare to the affliction the narrator suffers in the pit, death becomes a relief. Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum'; and “The Masque of the Red Death';, the author uses different symbolism to illustrate the image of death. In both of these stories, death is the final result of a punishment, the end of a human’s life. However, in the first story, Poe shows us that there exists something in human ‘s life that is more terrible than death. And in the second story, Poe tells us that death is inevitable and it is useless if you try to escape it. From the beginning of “The Pit and the Pendulum';, Poe starts to show us the desperation and the terror the narrator feels in the prison. He is alone and lost, he can’t see anything and hear any voice. It makes him feel hopeless and scared. The complete dark pit where the Inquisition shuts the narrator up creates an atmosphere of death and fear. The fact that the pit is an abyss makes the readers think of death. In addition, the ceiling of the prison where a huge pendulum with a scythe hangs shows that the narrator’s life is in danger. The image of death becomes clearer when the narrator finds out that the pendulum is in motion. “But what mainly disturbed me was the idea that it had perceptibly descended. I now observed- with what horror it is needless to say- that its neither extremity was formed of a crescent…';(68). Death becomes impossible to prevent in this case. Especially when the pendulum keeps going down. As Poe describes, “Down- still unc easingly- still inevitably down! I gasped and struggled at each vibration…';(70) However, when we all wait to see the end, the narrator is saved by the rats. This unexpected change gives us a message that life is full of unexpected and we can never lose hope. But a more unimaginable thing happens right after the escape from the pendulum. The prison (the pit) becomes hot like a heated iron. Moreover, “ a richer tint of crimson diffused itself over the pictured horrors of blood'; (72) Here, we can make a connection between blood and death easily. Once again, the narrator ‘s life is in menace. Fortunately, the narrator is saved at the last minute, but the terror and the fear he feels during that period seems more terrific than death. In fact, Poe shows us compare to the affliction the narrator suffers in the pit, death becomes a relief.

Psle

Should PSLE be scrapped off? What is PSLE? The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is basically an examination taken by Primary 6 students before they go onto their Secondary School education. As different Secondary Schools have different cut-off points based on the previous intake, schools with higher cut-off points are usually regarded as the better ones. Naturally, parents would prefer their child to get into a better school, as they believe that these schools will offer their children a better education.Other than PSLE, there is also other ways a student can get into their desired Secondary School such as the Direct School Admission (DSA). Students who are able to choose the DSA approach are usually more sports or art inclined. The Ongoing Debate Recently, many Singaporeans have considered PSLE as the ‘do or die’ examination. The reason is because parents are feeling too much pressure on account of the PSLE. Many parents want their children to get into brand na me schools, causing them to feel stressed and worried. â€Å"People take secondary school admission so very seriously. If I don't get into that school, then my kid has no chance in life',† said Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong. Mr Lee also mentioned that ‘every school is a good school’ so that they can get the pressure off the parents. However, not every parent in Singapore is pressurized by the fact that his or her children may not be able to get into a good Secondary School. Housewife Sandy Lee, 40, said she enrolled her son Zong Wei in Townsville Primary as she felt that the principal and teachers cared for the pupils. She is also not too worried about her son's PSLE results.She said: â€Å"I don't want to pressure him too much, as long as he can get into a secondary school. † And with this in mind, there is an ongoing debate on whether the PSLE should be abolished as it is causing too much stress on Singaporean students and parents as well. One of the The Straits Times' current affairs website readers asked if Singapore could reduce the reliance on exams, and even do away with the PSLE. This emerged among the top 10 most pressing questions that people wanted the Prime Minister to answer, according to a week-long poll on the website that drew over 21,000 votes.The stress that comes with PSLE is something that needs to be looked at, but scrapping the exam or tweaking the assessment criteria may not be the solution, said Senior Minister of State Lawrence Wong. My Personal Experience I’ve taken PSLE in the year 2007 and I have to admit that PSLE was pretty stressful for me. Every day after school, I had to go for supplementary lessons conducted by teachers till 5 to 6pm every day and then head home for dinner before revising again. During the weekends, I had to attend tuition and there was no playtime for me.I did that continuously for 4 to 5 months before PSLE. My parents have always supported me throughout that period of ti me and were always cheering me on. They have never given me any stress. Instead, they asked me to set a goal for myself and to ask myself, â€Å"What do I want in life? † After knowing what I want in life, everything felt like it was worth it and after PSLE ended I had 2 months of holiday just purely relaxing and enjoying myself as I felt like I gave my best and had no regrets.So, should PSLE be scrapped off? My personal opinion In my opinion, I think that PSLE is a very good way of gauging a student’s learning pace. A school with a lower cut-off point doesn’t mean that it is a bad school; it’s just a school for students with a slower learning pace. The main problem with PSLE is the stress that it's causing for students and I believe that it is because many students are just like the me I was back then, learning what it feels like to be stressed for the first time.In life, everything has its first time and if a student is not able to deal with the stress from PSLE, he or she will never be able to deal with the stress in Secondary School. Hence, I strongly believe that PSLE should not be scrapped off. Conclusion Let the students taking PSLE work towards a goal set by themselves and not their parents. This way, students will drive themselves towards it. And after all of it, it’ll be worthwhile. Reference: Chia, S & Toh, K. (2012, September 22).Scrapping PSLE Not The Solution: Lawrence Wong. Ministry of Education, Singapore: Education in the News. Retrieved on November 18, 2012 from http://www. moe. gov. sg/media/news/2012/09/scrapping-psle-not-the-solutio. php Au Yong, J. (2012, 27 September). PSLE stays but needs relook: PM. The Straits Times. Retrieved November 18, 2012 from Factiva Database. Goh, C. L. (2012, 17 November). PSLE not the be-all and end-all: PM. The Straits Times. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from Factiva Database.

Nothingness in A Clean Well-Lighted Place by Ernest...

Nothingness in A Clean Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway Man is often plagued by the question of his own existence. Existentialism is a subjective philosophy that is centered upon the examination of man’s existence, emphasizing the liberation, responsibility, and usually the solitude of the individual. It focuses on individuals finding a reason for living within themselves. The philosophy forces man to make choices for himself, on the premise that nothing is preordained, there is no fate. Men must find a truth in themselves, a truth that they must be able to live for. Existentialism is in harsh contrast to a belief in a higher power or a god. quot;A Clean, Well-Lighted Placequot; is a story by Ernest Hemingway about men in†¦show more content†¦At first he believed it would give him something to believe in. He believed it would give him a purpose in life, living to die for his country. It would give him a feeling of patriotism, of honor, of courage. But something is missing. The soldier has not found his existential truth fo r himself. The army isn’t it. The soldier is left tormented with the hollow feeling of nothingness, a hollowness that he attempts to temporarily fill with immediate sexual gratification. The younger waiter recognizes the soldier’s need: quot;What does it matter if he gets what he’s after?quot; (199). But the experience will only leave the soldier feeling more empty. The young waiter is aware of the nothingness of an existential life but does not quite know how to deal with it. The waiter desperately uses his relationship with his wife as his truth, or reason for living: quot;I have a wife waiting in bed for mequot; (200). He acts as if he is certain of his role in life when he says, quot;I have confidence. I am all confidencequot; (201). But in reality he does not. The young waiter is in a hurry to leave the cafeacute; and the company of the old man: quot; ‘I want to go home to bed.’ ‘ What is an hour?’ ‘More to me than to him’ quot;(201). He quot;wouldn’t want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thingquot; (200). The young waiter’s confidence in his own existence is not strong around the old man because he sees nothingness in the old man. He seesShow MoreRelatedA Clean Well Lighted Place Summary1203 Words   |  5 PagesPart I: The Lost Generation â€Å"The Lost Generation† Article Questions The authors included in the Lost Generation are, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Sherwood Anderson, Kay Boyle, Hart Crane, Ford Maddox, and Zelda Fitzgerald. The common elements and themes that these authors pursued in their personal lives as well as their writing were brutal war experiences, their youthful and impractical actions such as love affairs and drinking, feeling lost and hopeless in societyRead MoreA Clean Well-Lighted Place 11111 Words   |  5 PagesA Clean Well-Lighted Place In the short story â€Å"A Clean Well-lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway the setting is very important. The story takes place in a Spanish speaking country in a cafà ©, but more so than the actual place the time is what makes the setting so crucial to the story. The story takes place at night Hemingway uses this in contrast to the well-lighted cafe with its artificial light. The contrast between dark and light is the main idea of the story and it is best expressed through theRead MoreEssay on A Clean, Well-Lighted Place1069 Words   |  5 PagesLife: Torture of the Mind Ernest Hemingway captures the essence and origins of nihilistic thought in â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place†, written in a time of religious and moral confusion shortly after The Great War. The ideas expressed in this short story represent the post World War 1 thinking of Hemingway, and the notoriously nihilistic Lost Generation in Paris, which was greatly influenced by the many traumas of war. Learning from his unnerving experiences in battle, Hemingway enforces the idea thatRead MoreA Clean, Well Lighted Place By Ernest Hemingway1024 Words   |  5 PagesWhen profound emotions and heartfelt experiences lay beneath a narrative subtext, a simple short story can become an elaborate puzzle where one continues to discover new pieces. Ernest Hemingway’s, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† is a fascinating short story that has a powerful theme of ‘nothingness’ and ‘loneliness’ enveloped beneath its dialogue. This short story’s re-r eadability pulls us, the reader, back into its’ text just to discover that a specific character’s dialogue could elude to yet anotherRead MoreA Clean Well Lighted Place1202 Words   |  5 PagesCameron Craig Craig 1 Lancaster English 1302.68 25 March 2015 â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place† In â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place†, Hemingway uses themes of depression and life as nothingness by using symbols, and imagery. Two waiters in a Spanish cafà © are waiting late one night for their last customer to leave. As they wait, they talk about the old, deaf man sitting at the bar. It is revealed that he has recently attempted suicide. The younger waiter in the cafà © is very agitated and wantsRead MoreA Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay938 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,† written by Ernest Hemingway conflict is clearly evident. Conflict in â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† is determined by other elements of fiction, more importantly, characters, setting, and theme. Conflict is seen in this short story in many aspects, such as man versus man and man versus self. The characters in Hemingway’s short story add to the conflict throughout and conflict appears both between the characters and within the characters themselves. Hemingway clearlyRead MoreA Clean, Well Lighted Place By Ernest Hemingway1640 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† is possibly one of Hemingway’s most excellent short stories. It depicts the techniques of his signature writing style. The narrative is a perfect example of an initiation story, a short story that focuses on the key character that comes across a concept, encounter, practice or knowledge he never knew. The characters in his story are the old man, young waiter, and the old waiter. Hemingway employs a number of literary tools in the story to convey his themes of lifeRead MoreA Clean Well Lighted Place Analysis986 Words   |  4 Pagesfurther understand the story from what little information they do receive. In a short story, written by Ernest Hemingway, A Clean, Well-Light ed Place, tells the life of an elder man who spends his nights in the light. The unusual setting, the use of diction and the dialogue, creates that short story desire from the reader. It is the elder man’s quiet presence in the story, that allowed Hemingway to set the frank tone that would further develop the character and the story. Sitting in a cafà ©, approachingRead MoreThe Importance of Themes in A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway803 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place†, a short story written by Ernest Hemingway first appeared in a collection of short stories titled, Winner Take Nothing. Soon after the collection of stories had been published in 1933, â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place quickly became one of Hemingways most eulogized short stories. Through his excellent use of character development, Hemingway provides the reader with a lively portrayal of theme, plot, and symbolism throughout the entire piece. We are taken through a journeyRead MoreTheme: a Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay810 Words   |  4 PagesTheme: A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Sadness, frustration, or discontent, however it’s put, there is an obvious difference with the characters in, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway, and their ideas of mortality and old age. The short story shows the concept of â€Å"nothingness,† displayed through a very depressing view on life. This suggesting that all people, even those who are happy and content, will eventually end up lonely, drunk, or unhappy. By allowing a reader to view this from