Tuesday, March 17, 2020
The Ongoing Struggle For A Family Essays - Gender, Human Sexuality
The Ongoing Struggle For A Family Essays - Gender, Human Sexuality The Ongoing Struggle For A Family The Ongoing Struggle for a Family The most important thing in a family is that all the people in it love each other. This excerpt is from a childrens book, written by Leslea Newman, Called Heather Has Two Mommies. This story is intended to show kids that not everyones family is the same. Many reasons are given to dispute gay and lesbian parenting but all founded on some of the archaic beliefs that Hitler used to kill homosexuals during W.W.II, fear and prejudice! Although having children and being parents seems like a basic human right or choice, many people believe that the government should have the authority to discriminate who can are cannot have children, regardless of their parenting skills. Some say that it is unnatural for gay and lesbians to have children because they have to go to such extremes to have them (Oppos ..199). It is kind of ironic because it has become mainstream for heterosexual couples that are determined infertile to use artificial insemination, adoption, and even invitro-fertilization, and when one of these procedures is successful the couple is said to have had a miracle, while the gay or lesbian couple is said to be fanatical. Lesbian couples may use sperm banks, or they may become coparents with a gay couple that also wishes to have children. In these cases the child has 4 loving and nurturing parents instead of the standard 2. Noom 2 Another opposing view is that all gays and lesbians are sexually promiscuous, therefore have HIV/AIDS, and their relationships are not stable enough to have children (Oppos..199). Lesbians and gays love and form deep and lasting commitments just like heterosexuals. To claim otherwise is to declare that lesbians and gays are somehow not human and ignore the reality of their lives, (New Civil..125) Laws and social views seem be conflicted on what they want because they say gay/lesbian relationships are not stable, but than deny them the right to marry, therefore through laws and legislation the are not promoting the behavior that they seem to require. HIV/AIDS is a horrible disease and truthfully is a major concern in the gay community, but it is because of the stereotypes, lack of education, and knowledge about the disease itself that this disease was able to attack many gay males. Although HIV/AIDS is a concern for people in general the number of lesbian women with it is almost non-existent. Does this mean that heterosexual couples that have HIV/AIDS are not having children? No, countless articles can be found about drug using prostitutes that give birth to a baby with HIV and still retains custody. While in 1997, a women named Sharon Bottoms loses her child in Virginia to her mother for being gay, active lesbianism practiced in the home may pose a burden upon the child by reason of Social Condemnation attached to such an arrangement the state Supreme Court stated (issues..36). All hope is not lost though, in June of 1997 an Ohio appeals court upheld that, sexual orientation alone, has no relevance to a decision concerning the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, (Issues..37) Many people believe that gays and lesbians shouldnt have kids because the child will be molested and/or be mal adjusted as a youth and adult. Lesbians and gays are inherently sick and prey on children. Giving them custody of children opens those children up to sexual abuse. They cannot raise healthy children, (Oppos..199). Noom 3 The statistics certainly do not support these statements, Adults who sexually molest children are a diverse group. No one race, religion level of intelligence, level of education, occupation, or income sets perpetrators apart from the rest of the population, (New Civil.. 78). One thing is clear, most often a child molester is a heterosexual male who is acquainted with the victim (New Civil..78). Others believe that a child of a homosexual is most likely going to be a homosexual, and even if they are not they will have a hard time growing up due to the teasing and stereotypes of their classmates and community. Studies have proved these beliefs false, Although studies have assessed over 300 offspring of gay or lesbian parents in 12 different samples, no evidence has been found for significant disturbances of any kind in the development of sexual identity. they go on to say that, the same held true for moral development, intelligence, and peer relationships, (New Civil..132). Like all children, kids from gay and lesbian familys have
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Gross Writing Errors Found on the Web
Gross Writing Errors Found on the Web Gross Writing Errors Found on the Web Gross Writing Errors Found on the Web By Daniel Scocco Computers and the Internet are revolutionizing the way we create and share information. Through blogs, wikis and social networks, you can reach literally 1.2 billion of people without leaving your room. That being said, a little attention toward correct spelling and basic grammar rules couldnt hurt, right? Below you will find some curious, to say the least, errors that we gathered on the Web. You are the best mom in the hole world Maybe the person lives in a hole or something, but he probably wanted to say the whole world. The kids were very attentive because of the recent tsunami The apostrophe has a wide range of uses within the English language, but forming plurals is not one of them. The kids were very attentive. you might as well ask if less men enter nursing because there are less men in nursing Less men? Fewer men you mean! Less is used for uncountable things, like less sugar or less money. For plural things (countable), you must use fewer, like fewer cars. The stock market made further progress forward yesterday This one is coming from the New York Times (ouch!). Progress means to move forward or to develop, so progress forward is a redundancy, and should be avoided. Its like to say that something is absolutely essential took me around 1 hour and my cell ran out of credit) to resolve some minor (yet presistant) issues The issues were persistent, not presistant. The company provides solutions in the following specialty areas: information technology, proffesional services and direct hire/search This was found on a LinkedIn resume (ouch again!). Not sure how professional the services really are. the importance of the Internet and the roll it plays in our everyday lives The Internet plays a very important role, not roll, in our lives. These could of been handy because its easier to look at a more simple, less messy theme to understand how These could have been, not could of. Also, if something is more simple it is simpler. 1K should be sufficient for an ernest payment Ernest is a male name. The good-faith deposit used in real estate transactions is called earnest payment. make sure that each of these templates contain the same XHTML/HTML Each refers to singular subjects, and the verb must agree with the subject. Each of these templates contains. The nature of his illness had been kept quite and not many of the crew and cast had seen much of him in the intervening time The nature of his illness had been kept quiet (not ââ¬Å"quiteâ⬠). A friend will do whatever they can to lift you up when your down because they dont like to see there friend hurt Friends (not A friend) will do what ever they can. The pronoun must agree with its antecedent. When youre (not your) down. To see their (not there) friend. hes alot like a younger version robert horry, same height, long body This is a mistake that happens a lot (not alot) around the Internet. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsDo you "orient" yourself, or "orientate" yourself?12 Misunderstood and Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Fans and their Diehard Spirit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Fans and their Diehard Spirit - Essay Example Fans and their Diehard Spirit Indeed even today millions go through the writings and the meanings and perceptions, that one can gather from Karl Marx engraved thoughts, can very much be likened to the crowd behaving at the NBA game. People differ in their perceptional qualities and attitudes and it is this difference, which the writer really wants to portray in the context of the NBA game. The writer has been quite successful in this process and allows the reader to very well project the human tendency, to view things differently under altering conditions and situations. It is very true that in one sense this renders a subtle effect, which helps the players to get on with the game. But fans and spectators who watch a game differ in their viewpoints based on what they see and believe. It is this inner reaction which is produced, that is very well exhibited by them, in the form of different kinds of emotions during the course of the game. In certain cases such emotionally charged up fans turn out to be fanatics, when their spirits burst out of them in the form of violent actions. In many cases where the fans have become fanatics, they lose control on their self and most of them indulge in activities, which cause harm to the surroundings. Indeed a very good example can be had from the incidences that happened during the course of the NBA game between the Boston Celtics versus Utah Jazz, which would give a very good perspective of the fans and their behavior during the course of the game.... But to sum it up it is really the fans that enliven any game, no matter which ever part of earth it is being played, that brings the true spirit of the game. Though the perceptions and their attitudes are totally different, the fans really crowd together and spend their valuable time to cheer up for their home teams. This very well show that people really club together as per their likes and also are more attached to their natives, than to the foreigners. In some cases it is this team spirit and the excessive fan spirit, which really spoils the games since there have been several past occasions of fans turning very rude and indulging in clashes. This is clearly revealed in the below lines that states ââ¬Å"The filmmaker was even struck blurring the camera from taking clear shots of the eventâ⬠. (www.thegazette.com) This above said human perceptions and the difference in attitudes bringing contrasting actions can be very much likened to the Karl Marx writings, which have the sam e effect on the reader even after so many years. Karl Marx People around the world perceive things differently because they are quite intrinsically different and are sure to hold different view points, about a certain thing that occurs in the world. This could be with regards to a particular object, a phenomenon occurring in nature or it could be any incidence that normally happens, in the course of the day today life. It is this difference in the view point or the perception of the individual human beings, which Karl Marx tries to bring out through his writings. It very well proves that the same terms, whatever it may be philosophical or any other word that may be used with regards to a particular context, could bring into picture one set
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Legacy leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Legacy leader - Essay Example A legacy leader knows that the success of the organization depends on the productive and heartfelt performance of the employees. It is all about motivating the members of the organization to serve its customers with warmth and enthusiasm. One remarkable example of a legacy leader in the hospitality industry is J. Willard Marriott. The leadership legacy of the father, J. Willard Marriott, was passed on to his son, J.W. ââ¬ËBillââ¬â¢ Marriott (Burwash, 2008). Admired throughout the hospitality industry for his practical approach to leadership, J.W. Marriott has developed a reputable culture that focuses on the people and acknowledges the value they endow the organization with. He is a perfect example of a legacy leader because he emphasizes the importance of a positive employee culture. He also values diversity and continuously tries to build a multicultural workforce. He only wants the best for their customers. He embraces the doctrine of kindness, sympathy, and compassion. The hospitality industry, for an ideal legacy leader like J. Willard Marriott, is all about this
Friday, January 24, 2020
Five Burning Lights in a Dark Universe :: Women Feminism Rights Essays
Five Burning Lights in a Dark Universe The present just as the past did holds innumerable obstacles for women in search of a professional career. However, as a woman of the 20th century, I am glad to say that the obstacles have decreased through time thanks to the voices of courageous women who dare to talk when everyone else held silent. Many changes occur from the 17th century on, economically, politically and socially; the scientific revolution, the end of monarchy and absolute power, the emergence of democracy, and capitalism are only a few of those changes. This changes also brought changes in peoples attitudes, specially the attitude about women. Since the Greek times, society has underestimated women's potential. However, through history women have dared to challenge the world, and have spoken up to show the world that women are as capable, and talented as men. Aphra Behn, Anne Finch, Margaret Cavendish, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Mary Shelly are five of these women from the 17 and 19-century who dared to speak up, and raise their voices to let the whole world know about women's situation and solutions to it. Aphra Behn, born in 1640, was England's first professional woman writer. Behn was a middle-class widow who mainly wrote for TIME and CLEOS, in Greek or fame and fortune for us. In a time where women were suppose to be silent, pure, and in the private sphere or homes taking care of the children and their husbands, a woman dared to challenge society. Behn, challenged society not only by stepping into the public sphere, publishing her writings, but also by writing about women's feelings, desires, dreams and realities. Behn wrote great poetry and we can see her challenging ideas in the title of her poems most of the time, and this challenges become more obvious as we read her poems. "The Willing Mistress," was a vivid example of this, since in its verses Behn writes about a woman's sexual desires and wiliness to have sexual relations with a married man. We can also see a reflection of her ideas, in her speech titled "Mrs. Gwin," where she criticize the gender ideology of the time, and also exposes women's situation. She argues that no reason existed for men to prevent women from writing, governing and fighting, with the excuse that women were weak and inferior, because women have had done it before.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark Essay
I have chosen to evaluate a scene from Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indiana and Sallah uncover the Well of Soles where the lost ark is hidden. We open the scene at 57:03 with Indiana leading a team of diggers up a hill to the spot where they will dig for the ark. As the scene opens we hear the diegetic sounds of the diggers and commotion taking place in the background. We also hear non-diegetic music that will be referred to as the ââ¬Å"ark themeâ⬠playing as Indiana climbs the hill and has his men start to dig for the ark. The slow and sort of creepy tone that makes up the ark theme reminds us of the continuing quest for the ark and also that the ark may very well be close by. At 58:00, the non-diegetic music briefly cuts for about four seconds but then picks up once again as Indiana turns around to whistle for his men to start digging. As the digging begins, the music picks up and gets louder and louder. The rise in the non-diegetic music builds the suspense and excitement of the scene and foreshadows the big discovery that lies ahead. At 58:26 the scene dissolves into a shot of the dig site from afar. Although the non-diegetic music ended, we pick up with the diegetic music or sound of the tune that the workers hum as they dig. We can also hear the diegetic sounds of the wind howling and we see the sun setting in the background showing us that a cold night is approaching. The coloring from the sun set gives the shot a feel that something great is about to happen yet provides a sense of mystery for those who donââ¬â¢t know what is to come. In this shot we cannot see a detailed view of our characters, rather just the shadows of the digging men and Indy. We are easily able to pick out Indy despite only being able to see character shadows simply because we see him put on his trademark hat which he is famous for wearing. At 58:44 the shot cuts to yet another shot of the digging site at night fall. Immediately we hear booms of thunder and strikes of lightening from an approaching storm which sets the tone of this portion of the scene. The thunder and lightning and building anticipation seem to foreshadow the discovery of the ark yet again, which we initially hink is a good thing, however, the dark and evil sounds of the storm represent bad things will eventually come from the ark and show us that in hindsight, the ark should not be disturbed. Anticipation continues to build as we hear more diegetic sounds of thunder and a spooky wind howling in the background. We see a shot of Indy and see the worried look on his face as the storm continues to approach. At 58:56 Sallah informs Indy that they hit stone and here we see an eyeline match from Indy leading to the next shot of the uncovered stone. As the workers continue to uncover the stone, the diegetic sounds continue. The lack of non-diegetic music emphasizes the roar of the thunder and helps the view focus on the big find that is about to occur. As the stone is lifted and the tomb is uncovered, we hear the diegetic sound of an animal howling in the background at 59:50. This gives the viewer a spooky feel of the tomb. At 59:55 we see and hear a stinger brought on by non-diegetic music. The thunder roars with a lightning strike which lights up the opening of the tomb which reveals a scary-looking creature with jagged teeth. As this is revealed the non-diegetic music spikes and Sallah shouts from being startled which all creates this stinger effect. The stinger also proves to be the cue that re-starts the creepy, non-diegetic music. After questioning the moving floor, at 1:00:15, the non-diegetic music spikes into a high pitch shriek, as Indy drops his torch. The non-diegetic music lowers to a creepy tone once again but then spikes into a high pitch flute sound at 1:00:22 as the camera pans over the creepy view of the snakes. The non-diegetic music continues into a low-pitch brass sound which continues to provide a creepy feel but also foreshadows the evil that lies ahead. At 1:00:42 the camera lifts back to Indy as he rolls over and delivers his famous line; ââ¬Å"Snakes.à Why did it have to be snakes? â⬠Sallah then crawls over to Indy and at 1:00:59, Sallah utters over the non-diegetic music, ââ¬Å"Asps. Very dangerous. You go first! â⬠This line then cues the diegetic sounds of a snake rattling and a loud boom of thunder which cues the end of the scene. Throughout this four minute clip, there are tons of diegetic sounds and a lot of non-diegetic music. The sounds and music play a huge roll in this scene as it builds emotion for the find of the Well of Soles yet foreshadows the danger and adventure that lies ahead in the remainder of the film.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Study Guide for Albert Camuss The Fall
Delivered by a sophisticated, outgoing, yet often suspicious narrator, Albert Camusââ¬â¢s The Fall employs a format that is rather uncommon in world literature. Like novels such as Dostoevskyââ¬â¢s Notes from Underground, Sartreââ¬â¢s Nausea, and Camusââ¬â¢s own The Stranger, The Fall is set up as a confession by a complicated main characterââ¬âin this case, an exiled French lawyer named Jean-Baptiste Clamence. But The Fallââ¬âunlike these famous first-person writingsââ¬âis actually a second-person novel. Clamence directs his confession at a single, well-defined listener, a ââ¬Å"youâ⬠character who accompanies him (without ever speaking) for the duration of the novel. In the opening pages of The Fall, Clamence makes this listenerââ¬â¢s acquaintance in a seedy Amsterdam bar known as Mexico City, which entertains ââ¬Å"sailors of all nationalitiesâ⬠(4). Summary In the course of this initial meeting, Clamence playfully notes the similarities between him and his new companion: ââ¬Å"You are my age in a way, with the sophisticated eye of a man in his forties who has seen everything, in a way; you are well dressed in a way, that is as people are in our country; and your hands are smooth. Hence a bourgeois, in a way! But a cultured bourgeois!â⬠(8-9). However, there is much about Clamenceââ¬â¢s identity that remains uncertain. He describes himself as ââ¬Å"a judge-penitent,â⬠yet doesnââ¬â¢t provide an immediate explanation of this uncommon role. And he omits key facts from his descriptions of the past: ââ¬Å"A few years ago I was a lawyer in Paris and, indeed, a rather well-known lawyer. Of course, I didnââ¬â¢t tell you my real nameâ⬠(17). As a lawyer, Clamence had defended poor clients with difficult cases, including criminals. His social life had been full of satisfactionsââ¬ârespect from his colleagues, affair s with many womenââ¬âand his public behavior had been scrupulously courteous and polite. As Clamence sums up this earlier period: ââ¬Å"Life, its creatures and its gifts, offered themselves to me, and I accepted such marks of homage with a kindly prideâ⬠(23). Eventually, this state of security began to break down, and Clamence traces his increasingly dark state of mind to a few specific life events. While in Paris, Clamence had an argument with ââ¬Å"a spare little man wearing spectaclesâ⬠and riding a motorcycle (51). This altercation with the motorcyclist alerted Clamence to the violent side of his own nature, while another experienceââ¬âan encounter with a ââ¬Å"slim young woman dressed in blackâ⬠who committed suicide by throwing herself off a bridgeââ¬âfilled Clamence with a sense of ââ¬Å"irresistible weakness (69-70). During an excursion to the Zuider Zee, Clamence describes the more advanced stages of his ââ¬Å"fall.â⬠At first, he began to feel intense turmoil and pangs of disgust with life, although ââ¬Å"for some time, my life continued outwardly as if nothing had changedâ⬠(89). He then took turned to ââ¬Å"alcohol and womenâ⬠for comfortââ¬âyet only found temporary solace (103). Clamence expands upon his philosophy of life in the final chapter, which takes place in his own lodgings. Clamence recounts his disturbing experiences as a World War II prisoner of war, lists his objections to commonplace notions of law and freedom, and reveals the depth of his involvement in the Amsterdam underworld. (It turns out that Clamence keeps a famous stolen paintingââ¬âThe Just Judges by Jan van Eyckââ¬âin his apartment.) Clamence has resolved to accept lifeââ¬âand to accept his own fallen, immensely flawed natureââ¬âbut has also resolved to share his troubling insights with anyone who will listen. In the final pages of The Fall, he reveals that his new profession of ââ¬Å"judge-penitentâ⬠involves ââ¬Å"indulging in public confession as often as possibleâ⬠in order to acknowledge, judge, and do penance for his failings (139). Background and Contexts Camusââ¬â¢s Philosophy of Action: One of Camusââ¬â¢s greatest philosophical concerns is the possibility that life is meaninglessââ¬âand the need (in spite of this possibility) for action and self-assertion. As Camus wrote in his tract The Myth of Sisyphus (1942), philosophical discourse ââ¬Å"was previously a question of finding out whether or not life had to have a meaning to be lived. It now becomes clear on the contrary that it will be lived all the better if it has no meaning. Living an experience, a particular fate, is accepting it fully.â⬠Camus then goes on to declare that ââ¬Å"one of the only coherent philosophical positions is thus revolt. It is constant confrontation between man and his own obscurity.â⬠Even though the Myth of Sisyphus is a classic of French Existentialist philosophy and a central text for understanding Camus, The Fall (which, after all, appeared in 1956) should not merely be taken as a fictional re-working of The Myth of Sisyphus. Cl amence does revolt against his life as a Paris lawyer; however, he retreats from society and tries to find specific ââ¬Å"meaningsâ⬠in his actions in a manner that Camus might not have endorsed. Camusââ¬â¢s Background in Drama: According to literary critic Christine Margerrison, Clamence is a ââ¬Å"self-proclaimed actorâ⬠and The Fall itself is Camusââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"greatest dramatic monologue.â⬠At several points in his career, Camus worked simultaneously as a playwright and a novelist. (His plays Caligula and The Misunderstanding appeared in the mid 1940sââ¬âthe same period that saw the publication of Camusââ¬â¢s novels The Stranger and The Plague. And in the 1950s, Camus both wrote The Fall and worked on theater adaptations of novels by Dostoevsky and William Faulkner.) However, Camus was not the only mid-century author who applied his talents to both theater and the novel. Camusââ¬â¢s Existentialist colleague Jean-Paul Sartre, for instance, is famous for his novel Nausea and for his plays The Flies and No Exit. Another of the greats of 20th century experimental literatureââ¬âIrish author Samuel Beckettââ¬âcreated novels that read a little like ââ¬Å"dramatic monologuesâ⬠(Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable) as well as oddly-structured, character-driven plays (Waiting for Godot, Krappââ¬â¢s Last Tape). Amsterdam, Travel, and Exile: Although Amsterdam is one of Europeââ¬â¢s centers of art and culture, the city takes on a rather sinister character in The Fall. Camus scholar David R. Ellison has found several references to disturbing episodes in Amsterdamââ¬â¢s history: first, The Fall reminds us that ââ¬Å"the commerce linking Holland to the Indies included trade not just in spices, foodstuffs, and aromatic wood, but also in slaves; and second, the novel takes place after ââ¬Å"the years of World War II in which the Jewish population of the city (and of the Netherlands as a whole) was subject to persecution, deportation, and ultimate death in Nazi prison camps.â⬠Amsterdam has a dark history, and exile to Amsterdam allows Clamence to face his own unpleasant past. Camus declared in his essay ââ¬Å"The Love of Lifeâ⬠that ââ¬Å"what gives value to travel is fear. It breaks down a kind of inner dà ©cor in us. We canââ¬â¢t cheat any moreââ¬âhide ourselves away behind the hours in the office or at the plant.â⬠By going into living abroad and breaking his earlier, soothing routines, Clamence is forced to contemplate his deeds and face his fears. Key Topics Violence and Imagination: Although there is not much open conflict or violent action directly displayed in The Fall, Clamenceââ¬â¢s memories, imaginings, and turns of imagery add violence and viciousness to the novel. After an unpleasant scene during a traffic jam, for instance, Clamence imagines pursuing a rude motorcyclist, ââ¬Å"overtaking him, jamming his machine against the curb, taking him aside, and giving him the licking he had fully deserved. With a few variations, I ran off this little film a hundred times in my imagination. But it was too late, and for several days I chewed a bitter resentmentâ⬠(54). Violent and disturbing fantasies help Clamence to communicate his dissatisfaction with the life he leads. Late in the novel, he compares his feelings of hopeless and perpetual guilt to a special kind of torture: ââ¬Å"I had to submit and admit my guilt. I had to live in the little-ease. To be sure, you are not familiar with that dungeon cell that was called the litt le-ease in the Middle Ages. In general, one was forgotten there for life. That cell was distinguished from others by ingenious dimensions. It was not high enough to stand up in nor yet wide enough to lie down in. One had to take an awkward manner and live on the diagonalâ⬠(109). Clamenceââ¬â¢s Approach to Religion: Clamence does not define himself as a religious man. However, references to God and Christianity play a major part in Clamenceââ¬â¢s manner of speakingââ¬âand help Clamence to explain his changes in attitude and outlook. During his years of virtue and altruism, Clamence took Christian kindliness to grotesque proportions: ââ¬Å"A very Christian friend of mine admitted that oneââ¬â¢s initial feeling on seeing a beggar approach oneââ¬â¢s house is unpleasant. Well, with me it was worse: I used to exultâ⬠(21). Eventually, Clamence finds yet another use for religion that is admittedly awkward and inappropriate. During his fall, the lawyer made references ââ¬Å"to God in my speeches before the courtâ⬠ââ¬âa tactic that ââ¬Å"awakened mistrust in my clientsâ⬠(107). But Clamence also uses the Bible to explain his insights about human guilt and suffering. For him, Sin is part of the human condition, and even Christ on the cross is a figure of guilt: ââ¬Å"He knew he was not altogether innocent. If he did not bear the weight of the crime he was accused of, he had committed othersââ¬âeven though he didnââ¬â¢t know which onesâ⬠(112). Clamenceââ¬â¢s Unreliability: At several points in The Fall, Clamence acknowledges that his words, actions, and apparent identity are of questionable validity. Camusââ¬â¢s narrator is very good at playing different, even dishonest roles. Describing his experiences with women, Clamence notes that ââ¬Å"I played the game. I knew they didnââ¬â¢t like one to reveal oneââ¬â¢s purpose too quickly. First, there had to be conversation, fond attentions, as they say. I wasnââ¬â¢t worried about speeches, being a lawyer, nor about glances, having been an amateur actor during my military service. I often changed parts, but it was always the same playâ⬠(60). And later in the novel, he asks a series of rhetorical questionsââ¬âââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t lies eventually lead to the truth? And donââ¬â¢t all my stories, true or false, tend toward the same conclusion?â⬠ââ¬âbefore concluding that ââ¬Å"authors of confessions write especially to avoid confessing, to tell no thing of what they knowâ⬠(119-120). It would be wrong to assume that Clamence has given his listener nothing but lies and fabrications. Yet it is possible that he is freely mixing lies and truth to create a convincing ââ¬Å"actâ⬠ââ¬âthat he strategically using a persona to obscure particular facts and feelings. A Few Discussion Questions Do you think that Camus and Clamence have similar political, philosophical, and religious beliefs? Are there any major differencesââ¬âand if so, why do you think Camus decided to create a character whose views are so at odds with his own?In some important passages in The Fall, Clamence introduces violent images and intentionally shocking opinions. Why do you think Clamence is dwelling on such disconcerting topics? How is his willingness to make his listener uneasy tied to his role as a ââ¬Å"judge-penitent?â⬠Exactly how reliable is Clamence, in your opinion? Does he ever seem to exaggerate, to obscure the truth, or to introduce obvious falsehoods? Find a few passages where Clamence seems especially elusive or unreliable, and keep in mind that Clamence may become significantly more (or significantly less) reliable from passage to passage.Re-imagine The Fall told from a different perspective. Would Camusââ¬â¢s novel be more effective as a first-person account by Clamence, without a listener? As a straightforward, third-person description of Clamenceââ¬â¢s life? Or is The Fall supremely effective in its present form? Note on Citations: All page numbers refer to Justin OBriens translation of The Fall (Vintage International, 1991).
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