Black Snow by Liu Heng free essay sample

An analysis of the themes in the book Black Snow by Liu Heng as seen through the eyes of Li Huiquan, an ex-convict. The paper analyzes central themes in the book Black Snow by Liu Heng about modern Chinese life. The paper includes character studies and explores the themes of depression, misery, sexuality and social problems in Beijing today. Li Huiquans trouble finding love or friendship is a direct result of his mistrust of the human race and also a mistrust of his own heart. He is besieged by unfulfilled sexual fantasies and longings for any kind of intimacy but has not a clue how to execute them. Intense insecurity and anxiety plague him wherever he goes and under every circumstance. When he drinks his inhibitions are only magnified, but he cant even fall back on his old standby, the rolling pin. Wanting so badly to conform to societys ideal of a man, Li Huiquan attempts to do good, to sell his clothes ethically, to be a loyal friend. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Snow by Liu Heng or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He tries to open up to people like Cui Yongli and Zhao Yaqui, neither of whom are interested in cultivating a serious friendship with him. When he falls in love with the nightclub singer, Zhao Yaqui, we are made even more painfully aware of Li Huiquans sense of isolation.

Is America Breaking Apart Book Review Essays - American Culture

Is America Breaking Apart? Book Review A Book Analysis: Is America Breaking apart? John A. Hall and Charles Lindholm 1999 Princeton University Press In Is America Breaking apart? written in 1999, John Hall and Charles Lindholm state that, Americans are exceptional in their concern with their own exceptionalism. (p.3) However, they fear that their society is breaking apart. In July 2013 Daniel Gross from The Daily Beast wrote an article titled America is Not Doomed in which he wrote, although there is a great deal of dyspepsia about the state of America, much of it is inspired by the political dysfunction in Washington and the rising inequality and challenge to social mobility throughout the economyand yet, as the rest of the world goes to hell, politically and economically, the U. S. is standing tall. Then and now, Americans continue to worry about the preservation of the Union. As an answer to this perennial worry, Hall and Lindholms Is America Breaking apart? presents us with a unique book- a primer of sorts- which combines history, sociology, anthropology, McCarthyism, politics, immigration, American values, racism, religion, tolerance, slavery and individualism. John Hall and Charles Lindholm scrutinize our culture, which continues to be heavily influenced by our early Protestant heritage. American faith in the power of individuals to change themselves is quite understandable as a product of the immigrant experience in combination with the Protestant ethos. Protestant sects believe that individuals can be spiritually transformed through disciplined, virtuous action in this world. For most of the original settlers immigration to America was just such a transformative action, a voluntary pilgrimage in search of the City on a Hill and this model continues to hold. With a balanced viewpoint, John Hall and Charles Lindholm examine the institutional structures of American society and how Americans continue to fear its destruction and downfall. They argue that our self-doubt is based on our shared cultural belief in our distinctiveness, which encourages Americans to worry about disunity in the ranks. Although pessimistic with a favorable assessment and outlook for America, while recognizing the strength of our culture and institutions, fortified by Americas diversity, Hall and Lindholm do not sidestep Americas moral apprehensiveness and internal inconsistencies. To validate their book and its claims, they call upon a variety of scholars. In Emile Durkheims The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Durkheim, a renowned sociologist, states that our notion of time, space and causation are given to us by our society and he outlines three American ways of grasping the world. The first is abstraction and vagueness in relation to political theory, the second is a pragmatic modular approach to reality, and the third is a faith that the self can be transformed. And, as Tocqueville, a French aristocrat added, each is conducive to social homogeneity and antithetical to animosity and fragmentation. In essence, Americans know that citizens have rights but are very unclear about what those rights are; they know we are supposed to be free, but not necessarily what those freedoms are; Americans know we have political parties but are vague in their understanding and this ambiguity and confusion is homologous. Speaking further to American homogenizing capabilities, Hall and Lindholm believe that although we believe in a strong sense of individualism, Americas homogenizing capacities have ensured that its internal conflicts have not led either to world war or to tyranny. They refer to the 17th century invention of toleration in Europe that was followed by the French Revolution, fascism and communism, the two great totalitarian movements of the 20th century. (p.147). Hall and Lindholm draw upon Max Weber, Churches and Sects in North America, Sociological Theory (1985), who links Americas sect spirit that is the legacy of its Protestant origins. This ethic links radical individualism with principled and self-aware voluntary participation in the larger moral community. Individualism and communal action are thereby united. Weber goes on to argue that American individuals are motivated by an internal ethic of individual responsibility, personal honor, and principled resistance to immoral authority; they seek membership and participation in the community as a central measure of their own unique worth. This Protestant legacy means that instead of requiring groups to give them any sense of power or moral shape, American individuals already have a strong personal

A Beautiful Mind Essay

A Beautiful Mind Essay A Beautiful Mind Essay â€Å"Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse had never been. What kind of hell would that be?† A Beautiful Mind (2001) For John Nash, living with the diagnosis of schizophrenia meant this tormenting battle of delusion versus reality would be fought for a lifetime. By definition, schizophrenia is a devastating brain disorder that affects a person’s thinking, language, emotions, social behavior, and ability to perceive reality accurately. (Halter p.200) While the disease manifests itself differently among age groups, all individuals will experience at least one psychotic symptom which may include hallucinations, delusions and/or disorganized speech. (Halter p.202) In addition, sufferers may neglect hygiene, nutrition, be socially awkward or eccentric and have experience greater anxiety, depression and decreased concentration. Substance abuse is also associated with schizophrenia and nicotine dependence rates range between 70%-90% for patients. Delusions are false fixed beliefs that cannot be corrected by reasoning. The most common types of delusions are persecutory, grandiose, or those involving religious or hypochondriacal ideas. (Halter p.204-205) Hallucinations are also a common symptom among those who have schizophrenia. Auditory hallucinations are experienced by 60% of people with the disease at some time during their lives. (Halter p. 207) The scientific consensus is that the disease occurs when multiple inherited gene abnormalities combine with nongenetic factors such as viral infections, stressors, or birth injuries, altering the structure of the brain, affecting the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and/or injuring the brain directly. (Halter p. 202) In the movie A Beautiful Mind, we are given a glimpse into the life of John Nash, a world- renowned mathematician who is also a victim of schizophrenia. Although John Nash is ultimately rewarded with the Nobel Prize for his work, it is not an easy journey for him or his family. The beginning of the movie portrays Mr. Nash as an eager minded student who triumphantly enters Princeton University as a recipient of the Carnegie Prize, an esteemed award for mathematics. We notice his slightly awkward way of dealing with classmates and with women. We meet his intellectual rival, Martin Hansen who challenges him to a game of Go. Nash does not win the game and is greatly trouble by this. He explains, â€Å"I had the first move. My play was perfect. The game is flawed.† A Beautiful Mind (2001). Despite his less than comfortable presence around people, Nash does forge a friendship with Martin, Sol and Bender. These three young men are also math and science students who later aid him in his work. Nash displays an immense passion for work that bleeds into every aspect of his life. Whether in his dorm room drawing on the window or at local pub contemplating how to get everyone a date, his mind is constantly in motion. Nash also has a roommate during his years at Princeton. When first meeting Charles Herman, it is easy for the audience to be drawn to his charismatic persona and devotion to John. The interaction between the two is reminiscent of college roommates at any institution as they share laughs, struggles and victories. Nash later admits that Charles was his best friend over the years. While at Princeton, Nash must find an original idea for his thesis paper before he can begin work. The pressure is enormous to do so before anyone else. Nash is successful in this venture with his discovery of the game theory. He gains the respect of Martin, his former rival and begins work with Sol and Bender. This type of mathematical economics, impacts lives even today. Following hi s work at Princeton, he accepts a job at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is during this time he meets Alicia Larde. Alicia is a graduate student in his class who takes an interest and even asks him to

buy custom Medical Marijuana essay

buy custom Medical Marijuana essay Marijuana is a psychoactive drug obtained from the dried flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Currently, many governments around the world consider it illegal including the United States of America federal government which has categorized it as Schedule I substance, terming it as having a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use (Bruin Humanist Forum, 1). Many classified Marijuana together with hard drugs such as LSD and opium although studies indicate that marijuana is not as dangerous as it has been made to appear in the eyes of the public. Over the recent past, there has been controversy surrounding the use of marijuana for various medical purposes with debate raging in both medical and political arena over its safety. Even though it is argued against on the basis of the social stigma attached to its recreational use, the truth is that there are many positive sides of using marijuana and it is not a dangerous narcotic. There are very many i mportances of marijuana more that what people may think of them. In support of marijuana, it has to be noted that this one of the therapeutically active and most beneficial substances known to man. If used as medical marijuana, use of drug cannabis as per doctors recommendations as an antiemetic or herbal therapy, it helps patients a lot. It is approximated that cannabis has been in use medically fro more than 4,000 years. It is therefore not in order to term a drug that has helped many patients for all these as dangerous and even go ahead and illegalize it to a larger extent in the world. Its psychoactive properties were appreciated long time ago as it has been confirmed from writings from ancient India, where doctors used for various ailments and illnesses. These entailed a whole all types of gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, insomnia and as a pain reliever commonly used in childbirth. Marijuana use has therefore for a long time been associated with positive use to bring about positive results as opposed to the views suggesting that the dru g is harmful to human health The appreciation of the benefits of marijuana prompted scholars to synthesize THC, the basic active ingredient of cannabis in 1970s to manufacture drug Marinol. Even though many people fought against and later restricted its use for medicinal purposes, there are those in full support of the medical marijuana(Jack, 234). For instance, the Canadian government legislation recently made medical marijuana more accessible to patients. Consequently, patients can now apply for own possession and a restricted cultivation license. Surely a whole government with the interests of its subjects first can not expose a dangerous substance to them and the fact it has been made legal even for limited cultivation, it is a clear indication that marijuana is safe for human health and it does not deserve to be condemned. There are very few drugs that match the many roles marijuana play in human health. They range from relieving chronic pain and muscle spasms to reducing the interlobular pressure within the eye and weight loss (through increasing and restoring metabolism) to suppressing nausea. Asserts that all these are aspects of human health that any normal human being should experience and incase one lacks, then an illness occurs. Marijuana is the solution for all these and yet it can be easily and cheaply obtained. Other forms of medication are very expensive, making them a heritage for the rich hence to increase the accessibility of all individuals to such services, marijuana has always been the solution saver for its illegalization. Some of the reasons given in this paper is why marijuana should be legalized. Buy custom Medical Marijuana essay

Usa economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Usa economy - Research Paper Example The present US economic crisis would possibly get recovered before 2010 has been a serious matter for discussion throughout various media for last few months. This research work attempts to analyze the current crisis and factors that are more likely to help the economy overcome the current economic turmoil. This paper discusses how the plans that are taken by new president Barack Obama can bring possible changes within the economy so as to save millions of families who suffer from job loss, falling of wages and home values and other difficulties. US new President Barack Obama has been shining out as the opposite of affirmative section, because he is paradoxically a post racial figured among those who are exhausted of racial discriminations. But, this is now his most challenging time to put efforts in order to save the economy. Robert Kuttner (2008) emphasizes that all of the promises and expectations come to naught if Obama fails to help economy overcome the deepening recession caused by distressed financial system and bad consumer purchasing power. (p. 17). The crisis had greater impacts on US politics that in turn it became the challenge for Obama. According to David McKay (2009), â€Å"The effect of the crisis on American politics was profound. First it helped plunge the economy in to recession-a recession that in turn helped Barack Obama secure the presidency in 2008† (p. 398). When he became US president, people expected him to come with effective measures to overcome economic crisis and thus the economic crisis itself had brought responsibility upon him. Obama’s challenge includes finding solution to the simultaneous outbreak worldwide inflation, the increasing unemployment, the worst collapse in housing market price, banking loss between $1 and $2 trillions of capital and widening income insecurity and inequality. When President Barack Obama announced his

The Lost Decade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Lost Decade - Essay Example As a result, there was trade surplus and increased liquidity for banks thus making credit easily available and cheap. There was also increase in asset prices such as; real estates, stocks and land. Banks used excess liquidity to lend loans backed by real estates or land as collateral and when eventually the ministry of finance raised interest rates in 1989, the asset bubble burst resulting in the collapse of the financial markets and economic growth stagnation. There are several factors which can be attributed to the recession. Some scholars like Ito believe that the situation could have been avoided if only the government had taken measures urgently. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) and ministry of finance(MOF) and Japanese banks took a long time to acknowledge the existence of the problem hence took long to respond and this led to worsening of the problem (Saxonhouse & Stern, 2004). Increased speculation is also viewed as a contributing factor to the lost decade. Due to high prices of land, stock and real estate, banks thought that the prices would continue to rise thus instead of reinvesting the excess liquidity, they loaned it with real estate as a collateral without foreseeing any risks. As prices continued to increase, the companies continued to acquire more loans backed by assets and invested in stocks and securities and the banks offered loans without considering creditworthiness of the loanee. By the time the bubble bust, most banks had little or capital reserves (Callen & Ostry, 2003). Callen and Ostry (2003) observe that the economic slowdown was a result of massive savings due to demographics of aging population. This resulted in over reliance on traditional bank loans as opposed to issue of stocks and bonds in the capital market to acquire additional financing. The relationship of banks and corporations led to lowering of lending standards leading to increased risks. The shareholders of commercial banks were mutual life insurance companies which were manage d by representatives selected by the management hence there was no regulations to operate efficiently. The banks therefore were lending money without a profit maximization motive thus increased lending risks. The MOF had also undergone deregulation hence was not providing the banks with regulatory rents hence they turned to small and micro enterprises and gave the loans against real estate collateral at low interest rates (Syed et al. 2009). The government institutions were getting annual subsidies and hence were not keen on making profits hence lack of control in lending activities. The government response policy in 1997 of increasing consumption tax is the reason for continued crisis which had already began to ease (Syed et al. 2009). The government underestimated the depth of the crisis and began strategies to reduce budget deficits by increasing consumption tax. This resulted in increased consumption of durable goods by consumers as they speculated the increase leading to inflat ion (Nanto, 2009). The community banking model of Japan also prolonged the crisis since the banks were reluctant to write-off non-performing loans and instead opted to continue lending to defaulters. The increase in interest rates in 1989 by the MOF led to the bursting of the bubble. The impact was felt not only by the banking system and other financial

Crafted Beer vs Mass Produced Beer Essay Example for Free

Crafted Beer vs Mass Produced Beer Essay According to (http://www. brewersassociation. org/pages/business-tools/craft-brewing-statistics/craft-brewer-defined) a craft brewer is â€Å"small, independent and traditional†. They have to produce less than six million barrels to be considered a craft brewery. Also from a financial point there is a difference to a mass producing beer brewery, an alcoholic industry can only have a maximum of 25% of the brewery. If they own more than this they are considered mass producing brewery because the alcoholic industry is considered to own the craft brewery. Furthermore it has to have â€Å"at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor† (http://www. brewersassociation. org/pages/business-tools/craft-brewing-statistics/craft-brewer-defined). Although many people think that there is only â€Å"one† beer, most of them never tried crafted beer because they would notice immediately differences in taste compared to mass produced beer. The history of crafted beer and mass produced beer is pretty different, as you can imagine beer exists a long time and the way of producing in industries is not very old. The first crafted beers were made in Egypt over 4,000 years ago. There are no records how the Egypt people came up with the idea, but according to (www. ancientegyptonline. co. uk/beer. html) Osiris an Egyptian god taught the people how the brew beer, it was mostly a female activity and the main ingredient in was â€Å"bread made from a rich yeasty dough possibly including malt†, then it was â€Å"baked and crumbled through a sieve with water† and the last part was adding flavor and letting it stay in order to ferment. On the other hand the first mass produced beer was brewed about 3,800 years later in 1840 in the Czech Republic when the creator Pilsner Urquell decided to use the new technologies brought by the industrialization to make beer available for every person. This started one of the biggest markets nowadays. The way of producing the beers is not really different in the sense of mechanism, because both types of beers using assembly lines in order to produce a large output. Still the factories differ from another in some points; the production of crafted beer is kept â€Å"small† and maintains focus on the quality. These factories are producing a variety of beers and their motto is quality over quantity. The factories of mass produced beer are way bigger compared to the craft breweries and they prefer rather quantity for a greater mass of people than quality. You can’t say that their beer is bad but it doesn’t have the same level as crafted beer. In addition the primary ingredients of the beer are the same: water, malted barley and hops, it is just the normal way to produce beer nowadays. What makes the difference in these two types is the flavor of the beer, while mass produced beer tastes pretty similar if you compare different brands this is definitely not the case with crafted beer. Each craft brewery tries to create its own, unique beer by adding non-traditional beer ingredients. The last difference in the way of producing is that in craft beers are mostly no adjuncts and not all of them are fermented like it is the case with mass produced beer. (http://www. topofthehopsbeerfest.com/biloxi/the-top-ten-reasons-why-you-should-drink-craft-beerbiloxi. php) Why are there so many people attracted to crafted beer? In order to answer this you have to look at the factories which produce the beers because they have a whole different attitude towards their customers. The biggest difference in their attitude shows in their connection to the customers, while mass producing breweries have no connection at all to their customers, the crafted breweries are actually very close to them. Most of them ask their customers for feedback in order to make a better beer and solve their current problems. Furthermore the beer producing factories are not just a little bit different. One of the most famous mass producing beer factory is Anheuser-Busch Inc (Bud Light), which has factories all over America and doesn’t only produce beer, it is also specialized in energy drink, malt beverages and non-alcoholic drinks. The craft breweries on the other hand are only specialized in beers, a famous one is the Harpoon Brewery which is located in Boston. (http://www. cnbc. com/id/39233398/page/2) , (http://www. nomorefreebeer. com/index. php/the-facts/anheuser-beer-list/) There are two main aspects why people prefer crafted beer over mass produced beer, and quality is one of those aspects. The main reason why they differ so much is that the purpose of the factories producing the beer is different.