The Hero Of Heroes, Beowulf, And The King s Land

The night was bitter and clawed within the hearts, minds, and skins of every Geat in King Higlac’s land. Five moons have risen since the departure of the hero of heroes, Beowulf, and the fourteen strongest Geats in the clan to kill a monster plaguing King Hrothgar’s land. This absence has left Geatland in great peril, and word has spread across the region about the increased vulnerability of the Geat clan. Because of this, warring tribes against the Geats planned to seize control of the once secured land. In preparation of the knowingly inevitable attack, King Higlac had prepared the humble remainder of his strongest men to fend off the oncoming raiders. Boasting, burly Geats encircled the territory, and were assisted by the king’s slaves in keeping them well armored and fit for the defense. One of these servants was known by the name of Ragnhild: a frail and withdrawn, but knowledgeable man who had little to boast about, and was destined to work as a slave for all his time on Earth. He was to arm and serve the league of superior men as ordered by the king, but unbeknownst to him, he would soon come to hold a much superior position himself†¦ The sixth night had fallen after the leave of Beowulf, and the palisades guarding Geatland were lined with the hot, flickering, orange glow of torch fire. The air carried a degree of uncertainty, though none of the hearty, mead-drunken men let it show on their faces, with the exception of the feeble Ragnhild. The soldiers mockedShow MoreRelatedBeowulf : The Epic Hero1321 Words   |  6 PagesBeowulf the Epic Hero What does it mean to be a hero? Like anything else in this world, the definition of the word hero can be argued. Some may say that a hero can be passive, that is if he or she refrains from doing a certain action it makes them heroic. Others would argue that to be truly heroic the character must never turn tail and always face the obstacle head on even though he or she may die in the process. So is Beowulf a hero? Yes, Beowulf is a great epic hero, but his greatness comes onlyRead MoreBeowulf, The Epic Hero1373 Words   |  6 Pages 2015 Beowulf, The Epic Hero In Anglo Saxon times, Beowulf is considered a well known epic hero. â€Å"Epic heroes are literary characters from ancient mythology and other stories, which were written down in the form of long, narrative epic poems. The hero is the main character, or protagonist of the poem†(Epic Hero: Definition, Characteristics Examples.). The epic hero usually battles for accomplishments to a set of tasks to complete important goals. Beowulf is described as an epic hero becauseRead MoreThe Role Of Women In Literature1587 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"†¦Eve was created from Adam s rib and, having eaten the forbidden fruit, was responsible for man s expulsion from paradise† (Bovey 2) so men held women responsible for bringing sin into the world. However, women played a key part for heroes in the literature of the Middle Ages. Women were used as a tool. They were put into the stories to give the hero a purpose. The women were made out to be damsels who need to be saved by the he ro, or they were temptresses that the hero had to overcome. Overall,Read MoreBeowulf : A Modern Epic Hero1595 Words   |  7 Pagesabilities epic heroes hold are without a doubt unspeakable. In common heroes today, they hold the ability to be strong, courageous, and have superhuman features. For example, the Anglo-Saxon heroes were always prepared to put their own lives in jeopardy for the greater good. Heroes always have target goals they must achieve in order to accomplish significant objectives in society. Majority of heroes have superhuman abilities compared to abilities of gods’. In the story of Beowulf, readers get toRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf By William Shakespeare939 Words   |  4 Pagesverbal communication and were based around different aspects of life for a someone of Anglo-Saxon descent. The story Beowulf is a perfect example of how Anglo-Saxons based their stories around their beliefs on how a hero should behave. Around the time the story was first told, pe ople were often terrified of the horrible things in the world. The character Beowulf was built around how a hero would be represented in these times by having honor in battle and gives self-sacrifice for the good of the peopleRead MoreHero As A True Hero1427 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.† The word hero comes from the Greek, literal meaning of â€Å"protector† or â€Å"defender†. A great example of a tenacious protector is Beowulf, â€Å"Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats - greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world,† (Beowulf 195). A man beloved and looked up to by his people- a noble warrior at heart. On the other hand, there are kings, like Oedipus, who can be heroes and highlyRead MoreThe Tragic Heroes Of Sophocles Antigone1188 Words   |  5 Pagestragedy is that heroes and heroines are destroyed by that which appears t o be their greatest strength, said by Robert Shea. This quote could have been directed to Antigone. Antigone, the heroine in Sophocles tragic play Antigone, chose to stand my her family s side knowing that she was betraying her own kingdom. Being prohibited to bury one her brothers by the king, Antigone decided to bury her brother anyway. On the other hand, Beowulf, the great hero in the unknown Beowulf , battles three monstersRead MoreCritique Analysis Of Beowulf753 Words   |  4 PagesCritique Paper – Beowulf In the epic Beowulf, the main character Beowulf possesses all the qualities of a hero during the Anglo Saxon Era. He demonstrates his courage, loyalty, wisdom, and strength but are these qualities enough to consider him a hero by the standards of today? Beowulf has qualities that strong heroes have but didnt struggle to get them because he was born with it. He has many adventures, like fighting Grendel and other monstrous creatures but was very sure of himself. He wasRead MoreBeowulf Is A Hero Of Beowulf1017 Words   |  5 PagesIn the movie and book Beowulf, Beowulf represents a hero. Beowulf is like our modern day heroes, firefighters, policemen, military men, doctors and EMT’s. All of these men do the same thing as Beowulf did in the movie. The fight the villains and protect the innocent. Beowulf had super strength to help him defeat the villains and protect the innocent. I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac s fame and gladden his heart, I herebyRead MoreHeroes In The Story Of Beowulf And Grendel1252 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.†-Maya Angelou. This quot e is very relevant throughout the stories of Beowulf and Grendel. What does it take to be a hero? What type of people are usually heroes? What qualifies anyone to be a hero? These are just a few of the many questions that need to be kept in mind when trying to determine what makes a person a hero. Usually, when people think of the word â€Å"hero† it has a positive connotation, and is often

Analysis Of Characters And Themes Of The Catcher Rye

Analysis of Characters and Themes in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger was born in 1919 to a wealthy Manhattan family. He grew up in the same social conditions as Holden Caulfield does in The Catcher in the Rye. The last thing Salinger cared about was being a successful student because he was very lazy, without care for his responsibilities and tasks. Salinger flunked out of many prep schools, and his parents sent him to a military academy named Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1936 (Lundquist 7-10). Many critics believe that he modeled Pencey Prep, the school that Holden attended, after Valley Forge. Two weeks after J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was published, it became an instant hit. The story about the life of a disoriented sixteen year old boy had people going crazy. The book remains popular today and has been over the years because of its brash style and its anti-establishment attitudes (The Catcher in the Rye 116). It was The Catcher in th e Rye’s vulgar style that made parents all around the country worried about their children reading it. They did not like the language of the main character or his anti social attitudes, so parents around the country protested against The Catcher in the Rye and got most book stores to remove it from the shelves. The book was a terrible role model for teenagers during the 1950s (The Catcher in the Rye 116). Many critics believe that The Catcher in the Rye was based off of J.D Salinger s life andShow MoreRelatedTheme Of The Catcher In The Rye976 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are several different themes portrayed that widely relate to current issues of teenagers and adults alike. While reading the novel several different themes were revealed creating a deep and meaningful story line. Three themes viewed within the novel are; the phoniness of the adult world, alienation as a form of self-protection, and the painfulness o f growing up. Each of these themes have large significance in character and plot developmentRead MoreCatcher in the Rye Word Choice795 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Word Choice in The Catcher in the Rye By Tom Condon Word choice is a crucial element in a well-crafted story. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is about a 16-year-old in New York in the 1950s named Holden Caulfield. The book is about his exploration in the world as he suffers from severe mental trauma from his point of view. J.D. Salinger uses word choice for realism, theme, and depth of character to make the story relate to the reader and add dimension. The Catcher in Rye contains many distinctRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Sound And The Fury 1688 Words   |  7 Pages The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a modern novel focused on identity. The novel focuses around the life of a confused young man named Holden who is lost in his adolescents and struggling to find his way into adulthood. The Sound and The Fury written by William Faulkner, is a novel that takes place in Mississippi and follows the decline of the Compson family. The construction of the novel is split into four different parts, where each one is narrated by a different character. Benjy, JasonRead MoreCatcher in the Rye- Holden as a Dynamic Character Essay example660 Words   |  3 PagesAlexa Noelle Mrs. Mow American Studies 27 March 2012 Analysis of Holden Caulfield Throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye Holden sees the world as an evil and corrupt place, however it is clear that he gradually comes to the conclusion he cannot change it. The first instance demonstrating Holden’s progression is when he sees the profanity written all over Phoebe’s school. In this moment he finally understands that it is inevitable to enter adulthood and realizes the impossibility to tryRead MoreCatcher in the Rye1445 Words   |  6 PagesENG 3U1 – The Catcher in the Rye Essay Outline Assignment Task: Pick one of the essay prompts below. Your answer to the prompt will be the thesis of your essay. Thoughtfully and carefully craft an essay outline to develop and defend your thesis. Be concise and to the point, this is only an outline! You may consult your agenda, previous notes and our class for essay writing tips. Be sure to use text-based evidence to support your thesis. Essay Prompts Throughout the novel, Holden is a tormented adolescentRead MoreCatcher in the Rye4413 Words   |  18 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye â€Å"Is The Catcher in the Rye, as a work of literature still relevant for today’s youth?† Name: Sara Sigurdson Course: English A1 Supervisor: Mr. Peter Steadman Word count: 3851 Candidate number: 00136022 Table of Contents Content Page Number Abstract 3 Introduction 4 The Actual Catcher in the Rye 4 The Sexual Matter 5 The Caulfield Family 6 Narrator and Protagonist 8 Role Model 9 Mr. Antolini 10 Targeted Audience 10 Guidance 12 Read MoreEtymology and Symbolism of Characters Names in Catcher in the Rye1967 Words   |  8 PagesThe Etymology and Symbolism of Characters Names in Catcher in the Rye      Ã‚  Ã‚   Catcher in the Ryes pallid cover, adorned only with seven multicolored bands in its upper-left corner, is not what one would call eye-catching. Its reverse side lacks criticisms or reviews of any sort; in fact, it is bare of anything except a copyright date. Human beings are advised not to judge books by their covers, rather that they should look further than the obvious and try to apprehend the implied meaningRead More Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden - The Misfit Hero2101 Words   |  9 PagesThe Misfit Hero of The Catcher In The Rye      Ã‚     The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger was published in 1951. A recurring theme in J.D. Salingers stories concerns people who dont fit in with the traditional American Culture. Salingers misfit heroes, unlike the rest of society, are caught in the struggle between a superficial world and a conscious morality (1 Wildermuth). In his attempt to create a new and realistic portrayal of the times, Salinger first, effectively creates Holden CaulfieldRead More Deceitfulness in The Scarlet Letter and The Catcher in the Rye2027 Words   |  9 PagesThe Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, both are books relating to the alienation of an individual wanting to fit into society. In the Scarlet Letter, the protagonists, Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale have committed adultery which is a sin unacceptable in the Puritan Society. Hester is married to Chillingworth, the strange doctor who is out for revenge. Pearl is born to Hester, a s an outcome of their sin however Hester does not reveal who theRead MoreAnalysis Of I m Just A Kid 1825 Words   |  8 Pages Analysis: Most people don’t realize when they listen to music what the lyrics of the song actually mean, for the most part people care about the beat, melody, and if it’s catchy, they look for a song they will get hooked on. Although lyrics are a big component in a song and play a major role in the liking of a song, they often tend to be underappreciated and not recognized as much as they should be. Furthermore the lyrics of a song tell a story, state an opinion and show the listener more than just

The influence of mass media an american culture free essay sample

The major developments in the evolution of mass media in the last century have really developed. listening to the radio in the olden days or having the smartest phone that enables the user to accomplish any task, and being able to multitask. Radio, television, computers, tablets, smart phones, and internet are all developments of mass media. Communication begins with a Radio from hearing news broadcast to listening to music and plays that all happened before television. We will write a custom essay sample on The influence of mass media an american culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Radio was very real and came to life without seeing anything displayed, it was the first wireless form of mass communication. Reading the newspaper was also a great development of mass media and culture, and was a huge source of information from first hand news that happened locally or from across the country. Even though technology has progressed dramatically the newspaper has stood its ground and has millions of readers daily. Communication started with the radio from hearing news broadcast to listening to music and plays that all happened before television. The radio was very real and came to life without having the visual effects of today’s technology and still had the effect of making people feel as if they were in the play itself, radio was the first wireless form of mass communication. The next big step in mass media was television people were able to have the visual capabilities with sound and movement and quickly became popular in every home , with a big impact on American culture and throughout the world. Watching theatre, shows, news broadcast, and plays came to life right in the living room. Television sets were so popular American homes had two to three in every household. Mass media is everywhere in today’s society no longer just available in the newspaper or television it has expanded to high computer usage and internet that brings every bit of information from everywhere around the world instantly. Public television screens, portable mp3 players, and ipods we are constantly being brought many images, sounds, music and information from mass media informing us in our everyday lives. This has influenced the development of American culture. This influence can especially be seen in America through hip hop and pop culture it is informed and informed by mass media. The beginning of media has developed during the last century and continues to grow daily. Media is for everyone and all cultures and never ceases to exist and is intended for large mass of people obtain information from every direction. American culture communicated by speech, everyone relied on people who told story’s and teachers to have the knowledge and to share with others. Books and newspaper was the early stages of mass media, not many books were able to print due to supplies and at first they were only available to people who could afford them. Later more print machines were designed to print books at a higher rate and became more affordable to everyone. The telegragh machine was a big discovery in mass media it ended the need to bring information that was written or had to be delivered by people. The telegragh was a big step in information and was the start of an evolution for the radio, cell phones, and fax machines. Electronic media begun with television which help invent computers, beepers, cell -phones, smart phones, tablets, and satellites. The world all of a sudden became digital and grew by force into the internet which gave people the capabilities to create, design and to send and to receive information fast across the world. Bloggers people on you tube, social networking such as facebook and twitter that would allow for everyone to communicate with family and friends and to meet new people all over the globe. All these developments influenced American culture not needing to listen to a story teller or a teacher everyone is able to learn on their own and indulge on the new wave of American culture and mass media. Media convergence is  the merging of content through different media types. From the oldest form of media, which is books and the newest form of media which is the internet both together merged resulting in media convergence, an example is when a industry or company owns a radio station, newspaper, internet web site, television company, magazine company. The bad thing about this is that they are able to co ntrol everything they want society to hear or see. There are true facts that mass media effects American culture in many ways. Reference page 1. University of phoenix Media Influences on American Culture.

Newly Discovered Egyptian Roots an Example of the Topic History Essays by

Newly Discovered Egyptian Roots by Expert Prof. Kifaru | 19 Dec 2016 NEWLY DISCOVERED EGYPTIAN ROOTS OF WESTERN THEOLOGY: A STOLEN LEGACY? If anyone would look into the history of Christianity, one would always find a certain part of it with a taste of Egyptian culture and religion. One reason could be that it was an inevitable historical part of the Jewish history that they be influenced by Egyptian culture since Joseph, the son of Jacob has been brought to Egypt as a slave and then the story goes to end up having the Israelites enslaved by the Egyptians. Then came Moses who became an instrument of the God of the Israelites to free them from slavery as narrated in the second of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible-Exodus. Need essay sample on "Newly Discovered Egyptian Roots" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed College Students Usually Tell EssayLab professionals:I'm not in the mood to write my paper. Because I want to spend time with my friendsProfessional writers suggest: Essaylab.Com Offers A Top-Quality Academic EssayCustom Essay Company Buy College Papers Online Best Assignment Service Cheap Custom Writing Service It is however a separate story and a controversial religious issue that Western or Christian Theology has been recently accused of stealing an Egyptian legacy. Decade after decade, Bible scholars and even skeptics have been uncovering some artifacts and other century old items and sites, which somehow suggest clues on the missing pieces of some religious puzzles. Furthermore, interested parties to prove and disprove claims and hypothesis previously believed or accepted and even displaced by others used such discoveries. One of these recent discoveries were some clues that suggest some direct relationship between Egyptian religious culture and that of the Christian religion. In particular, scholars claimed that Western or Christian theology has its roots from Egyptian theology. Ahmed Osman, a well-known historian and scholar, who was made popular by his book, Out of Egypt, The Roots of Christianity Revealed, established the said connections through finding similarities of personalities and traditions in both religions. Because Egyptian culture is far older than Christianity, Osman could find it easy to make such conclusion that that there exist Egyptian roots in Christian theology. It is important to note that Christianity was established by Jesus Christ in the New Testament through Apostle Peter (The Rock). In Osmans analysis, he made use of Akhenaten (Egypt) in comparison with Moses (Jews) and Tutankhamun (Egypt) and Joshua of the Israelites. Before going deeper into the analysis of these personalities or religious icons, it is important that we first compare the religious traditions of both in order that we find it more logical to compare the personalities as instruments in making both religions popular. For example, let us look into the concepts of pinity and salvation in both. For the Egyptians, salvation beliefs was the pine nature that was attributed to their king, who was looked upon as the human son of Ra, the cosmic god (Osman, Ahmed). In their culture, the pinity of their god is shown in three events in its life: holy birth, anointing and coronation and the resurrection after death. In the same way, Christian religion has the same pine revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was of a virgin birth and was anointed by God through the Holy Spirit in His Baptism. Jesus Christ, in the New Testament narratives, was crucified and died for the salvation of man. On the third day after His death, Jesus was resurrected and believed to rose to heaven to be with the Father. The difference however is that Egyptians believed that the spirit of the dead will go back to its well-preserved body. This is the very reason why Egyptians believed that King Osiris was restored to life in the underworld and became the god and the judge of the dead. Contrary to this belief, Christians regarded the death of a person as final and his spirit and soul would go to his final destination-heaven or hell, at some point in time. In another aspect, successors of Osiris, which is called the Cult of Serapis, have similar concept of baptism or initiation rites with that of the Western religion. A well-known Egyptologist, Sir Alan Gardiner, considered such rite of Baptism in the cult as similar or analogous to Christian baptism. "In both cases a symbolic cleansing by means of water serves as initiation into a properly legitimated religious life" (Gardiner, Alan cited in Osman, Ahmed). It is important to note that the cult is already popular in Rome as early as 105 B.C. and so it could have really existed far earlier than Christianity. Serapis and Christ existed side-by-side and were frequently seen as interchangeable (Osman, Ahmed). Osman was referring to the 2nd century A.D. when both religions existed and at some aspects of their worship practices, Christ and Serapis was, as he said, worshipped interchangeably. We can probably see such aspects in Roman Catholicism, especially on the symbols and images they used for worship. For example, Isis and her son Horus were evidently similar with the images found in Catholicism symbolizing Mary and infant Jesus. In the Egyptian version, Isis fled with the infant Horus when Isis (the father) was slain and then continued protecting the infant until he successfully became king of Egypt like his father. In the Catholic version, Mary, who had a virgin birth of infant Jesus, also fled from the king who has been seeking to kill the child after knowing that it was going to be a King of all kings in the future. Mary however fled with his adopted father, Joseph and together with the guidance of the Holy Spirit from God, they were able to let the child grow and Jesus, although did not become the literally the King of all Kings were made famous and worshipped by the people all throughout the world. Scholars however insist that Isis passed her virtues to Mary which suggests that Mary was actually a younger version of Isis in the Catholic religion. Isis personified laudable feminine virtues which she passed on to 'Mary'. Like the Blessed Virgin, Isis succoured women in labour, showed mercy to the distressed, gave a 'light' to the dying, protected sailors, guarded chastity, and assured fertility and healing (Le Gall, Dom Robert 1997). The Holy Trinity, which is one of the well-known and believed to be a distinct feature of Western theology, was found to be not actually distinct and unique but was actually found in relation and rooted from Egyptian theology. Scholars have found that there is actually is an Egyptian version of the Father-Son-Holy Spirit Holy Trinity which is Isis-Osiris-Horus triad. Throughout the 4000 years of Egyptian history every Pharaoh was the incarnation of the youthful Horus, and therefore the son of Isis, the Goddess Mother who had suckled and reared him (R. E. Witt 1971, p.15). Witt concluded that that the elements in the triad, in both versions were inseparable and of one essence. The difference however was that the Egyptian version considered the concept of continuous metamorphosis of Horus and that every Pharaoh in Egypt was considered a representation of Horus. The similarities of the Horus myth and the Biblical version Jesus and His mother Mary, had been the solid basis of some to firmly assess that Western theology had its foundation in Egyptian religious tradition. In fact, one scholar suggests that Horus myth is an inevitable part of understanding early Christianity. "The works of art, the ideas, the expressions, and the heresies of the first four centuries of the Christian era cannot be well studied without a right comprehension of the nature and influence of the Horus myth"(Cooper,W.R. p.49). Egyptian religion also found similarities with Biblical personalities like Moses, Joshua and Jesus. Moses was seen as a resemblance of the Egyptian Akhenaten and Joshua as Tutankhamun. Osman however believed that Jesus was just a New Testament leader version of Joshua, the leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament who succeeded Moses. In the same way, Akhenaten is known to have been succeeded to the throne by Tutankhamun. Having a solid basis for associating Moses and Akhenaten, it therefore becomes logical and necessary to at least consider a potential relationship between Jesus/Joshua, the protg of Moses, and Tutankhamun, the successor of Akhenaten (Osman, Ahmed). The legacy of the said Egyptian icons and Biblical personalities were also regarded the same by scholars. For example, Pope have seen that the leaders Akhenaten (Moses) and Tutankhamun (Joshua) we have the timeless conflict of totalitarianism vs. liberalism, legalism vs. compromise, purity of religion vs. tolerance, faith vs. works, love vs. fear, unity vs. persity, etc., etc.) that was later reconciled in Christian dualism as fulfillment of the Law of Moses through the Grace and Truth of Jesus (Pope, Charles). It is maybe justifiable for one author to conclude that the religion of the Pharaohs was recast in Christian form theology, iconology and the whole glorious paraphernalia of priest craft (Cantor, Norman 1994). Despite several but significant differences in the Egyptian religion with that of the Western religion, scholars, especially Osman, insisted that Christianity is not an original religion as established by Jesus Christ through his Apostle Peter but was rooted from the Egyptian religious culture. After presenting the analysis of some scholars relative to the resemblance of both religions we can initially conclude that both religions are interrelated and one can even believe that the Western theology has its roots in the older Egyptian religion. This writer however believes that it is not right to regard the religious differences as negligible parts of the historical and doctrinal analysis. This is primarily because the difference in doctrines as so important that it makes each religion unique and distinct and therefore renders each separate and does not have any relationship at all. It is not simply logical to conclude that things of similarities are regarded as having relationship such as one is rooted or a descendant of the other. Religious traditions are not similar to taxonomy that classifies according to similar features. It is therefore this writers prerogative to say and firmly believes that each religion are unique and distinct and does not at all have any connection aside from the fact that historical instances related Israel to Egypt in slavery. Therefore, there is no stolen legacy on both religions. REFERENCES Cantor, Norman (1994). The Sacred Chain - A History of The Jews. Harper Collins. Cooper, W.R. The Horus Myth in Its Relation to Christianity. Le Gall, Dom Robert (1997). Symbols of Catholicism. Editions Assouline. Osman, Ahmed (2000). Out of Egypt: History Reborn. Retrieved December 19, 2007 Pope, Charles N. Out Of Egypt, The Roots Of Christianity Revealed. Review of Ahmed Osman's Out Of Egypt. Retrieved December 19, 2007 Witt, R.E. (1971). Isis In The Ancient World. John Hopkins UP.

At a Crossroads

At a Crossroads At a Crossroads At a Crossroads By Maeve Maddox A reader is confused about this expression: Kindly explain the usage and difference, if any, of at a crossroad, at crossroads and similar phrases. Literally, a crossroad is a road that crosses another. â€Å"A crossroad† is the place where two or more roads intersect. â€Å"A crossroads† is also the place where roads intersect. In remote areas where roads lack signage, travelers at an unfamiliar intersection are faced with a directional decision that could have unpleasant consequences if they choose incorrectly. Figuratively, to be â€Å"at a crossroad† or â€Å"at a crossroads† is to be at a stage in one’s life–or the development of a country or an industry–when it is necessary to choose a course of action that will affect one’s future in significant and irrevocable ways. Both the singular and plural forms are seen, but the Google Ngram Viewer indicates that the plural form is more common. The expression is popular with writers who compose headlines and book titles: Trucking Industry at a Crossroads Cuba: Island at a Crossroad The Caspian Region at a Crossroad: Challenges of a New Frontier of Energy Global Health Governance at a Crossroads Cancer research at a crossroads in Germany Writers of novels and memoirs are also fond of it: I think you will agree that lifes plans are not always tied up in neat little packages. Occasionally we find ourselves at unexpected crossroads with more than one opportunity from which to choose. –Linda Lee Chaikin I see myself at crossroads in my life, mapless, lacking bits of knowledge then, the Moon breaks through, lights up the path before me  Ã¢â‚¬â€œJohn Geddes And having once chosen, never to seek to return to the crossroads of that decision-for even if one chooses wrongly, the choice cannot be unmade.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œJacqueline Carey To be at a crossroads is to be on the verge of making a decision: We stand at an absolutely pivotal crossroads in our nations history  that may well determine our future and way of life for decades to come. Three idioms that refer to the moment after the decision has been made are: 1. to cross the Rubicon This expression means to make an irrevocable decision. Its figurative meaning comes from Julius Caesar’s literal crossing of a small Italian river in 49 BCE. By leading an army across the Rubicon–the boundary between Gaul and Italy–Caesar disobeyed Roman law and began a civil war. Crossing the Rubicon is final. That’s the whole point of the expression. The following quotation suggests that the speaker doesn’t quite understand that once the Rubicon is crossed, there’s no turning back: I think the Port Authority, from a transparency/media point of view, has crossed the Rubicon as the result of recent controversies and its not going to be possible to re-cross it. 2. casting the die According to Suetonius, once he had crossed the Rubicon, Caesar said â€Å"Alea iacta est!† The Latin is usually translated as â€Å"The die is cast.† Die is the singular of dice. In those days, dice were used for gambling, but also for determining the will of the gods. Either way, once the dice have been thrown, the outcome has been determined. Example: â€Å"The Die is Cast: Russia’s Intentions in Ukraine† 3. no turning back The phrasal verb â€Å"turn back† means â€Å"to reverse the course of† or â€Å"to cause to go in the opposite direction.† Example: â€Å"For open government, there is absolutely no turning back.† In addition to representing a place where a crucial decision is made, a crossroad has sinister associations in history and in folklore. A place where two roads crossed was often chosen as the site of pre-Christian sacrifice. Recipes for black magic often include directions to bury something at a crossroads at midnight. Gallows were placed at a crossroads. The bodies of the executed–especially those of highwaymen–were left hanging as a warning. Suicides and others for whom Christian burial in consecrated ground was forbidden were buried at a crossroads. Related post: One Die, Two Dice 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 Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a Sentence30 Baseball IdiomsNominalized Verbs

The Great Gatsby9 essays

The Great Gatsby9 essays In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the scene of violence in which Myrtle Wilson is hit and killed by Daisy Buchanan in the car contributes to the books meaning by showing that in the end lovers never win. There is evidence of many characters in The Great Gatsby cheating on one another. Once the cheater is revealed relationships and peoples lives are ruined. While at the hotel, Jay Gatsby, Tom and Daisy Buchanan argued about who Daisy really loved. As the argument escalated Jay Gatsby, Daisys lover, left with Daisy in his car for home. While Daisy was driving, a frantic woman ran out into the road, and Daisy hit her. Daisy was so distraught by what had happened at the hotel, she didnt stop to see if the woman had been killed. The woman that Daisy hit and killed was Myrtle Wilson, which happened to be her husband, Tom Buchanans lover. Tom and Myrtles relationship seemed false from the start. Myrtles dream of being rich led her closer to Tom. And the feeling Tom got when he gave Myrtle expensive gifts pleased him. Tom liked the feeling of giving Myrtle something material that made her happy. Myrtles husband, George Wilson, was poor, and he couldnt provide the rich life Myrtle wanted. Their relationship was built on this false hope of Tom and Myrtle one day being married, although Myrtle believed this to be true, Tom knew that he would never be able to leave his wife. These two came from different ends ...

Proposal for Smart Phone Application based ordering for Subway Research Paper

Proposal for Smart Phone Application based ordering for Subway Sandwiches - Research Paper Example The report also elaborates on the technical as well as business approaches required to be considered when applying the proposed mechanism along with the likely changes to be witnessed after its implementation. Challenges and the subsequent measures required to be considered have also been addressed in this report along with recommendations and a high-level implementation plan. 2. Background of the Company Subway is an American restaurant chain founded in the year 1965, by Dr. Peter Buck and Fred DeLuca. Today, the restaurant chain is situated in around 98 countries and 34,000 locations all around the world. The company has its regional offices in Brisbane, Miami and Singapore (The Ultimate Software Group Inc., 2000). The products which are offered by this restaurant chain principally fall in the category of submarine sandwiches. It has also been offering pizzas to its customers in certain areas. Subway has been operating for around 46 years and is often ranked as the largest chain of submarine sandwiches in the world. The company has been rewarded with several awards for its superior products and services which are provided to its nationwide and international customers (Doctor's Associates Inc., 2009). 3. Business Problems In today’s highly competitive market scenario, technology and better communication with the target customers have become quite essential for companies to obtain better advantages and growth prospects. However, based on this context, Mr. Van Hout, the technological officer of Subway, stated that with the power of technological assistance, the sales and the profitability of its stores can be increased substantially. Fundamentally, it has been due to its lacuna in incorporating technology in its customer service procedure that the customers have to face problems when placing orders which has been principally associated with the time-consuming delivery process of the organization. Applying the traditional delivery process, the customers ne ed to wait in long queues which in turn tend to hamper their satisfaction level by a large extent affecting the productivity as well as on the reputation of the company (Journalistic Inc., 2013). Hence, incorporating technological innovations such as smart phones to enhance customer relationship in Subway can prove highly beneficial for the company. 4. High level Solution In order to mitigate the restrictions or rather the limitations witnessed by Subway and its customers, incorporation of developed technology application can prove to be highly beneficial. The application can be downloaded by the customers in their smartphones to be used for placing orders in a time-efficient and cost effective manner. Correspondingly, the stores will be equipped with advanced computer systems to receive, interpret as well as analyze the data collected in relation to customers’ requirements for the use of staff members. It is expected that the technology development will minimize the time-con straints in the delivery process rendering greater satisfaction to the customers and thereby rendering competitive advantages to the company so as to increase its revenue growth substantially over the long-run. 5. Benefits of solving the problem With the incorporation of the technology, it is possible for the staffs to take orders and place it in a time-effective way which shall in turn enhance the quality of customer service in Subway and likewise encourage better