What Is A Flat Character †Definition and Definitive Examples

What Is A Flat Character s What is a Flat Character? (And How to Fix One) â€Å"Riddled with flat characters† is perhaps the most damning thing you can hear from an editor or reviewer. An accusation that your characters read like a cardboard cut-outs is like a knife in the heart of any fledgling writer. But having a flat character or two isn't the end of the world  - or even the end of your story! And if you can learn how to turn a two-dimensional character into a three-dimensional one, you'll have a real leg up on all future character creation. Sometimes the hardest part is simply identifying when you  do  have a flat character on your hands... especially if you're not exactly sure what constitutes one. Which is why we want to illustrate exactly what is a flat character: with a clear definition, examples, and instructions on how to fix any flat characters you may come across in your writing. First off, let's talk about what this term means.What is a flat character?A flat character  is a character with little to no complex emotions, motivat ions, or personality. They also don't undergo any kind of change  to make them more well-rounded. In other words, they're the opposite of a "round character," who has a fully fleshed out profile and changes throughout the story. A flat character will typically:Have no internal conflictConform to a stereotypeNever experience character developmentLack a multi-faceted personalityWhereas a three-dimensional or round character will typically:Have internal conflictUndergo significant character developmentExperience mental and emotional changesHave a multi-faceted personalityFlat characters are also sometimes referred to as â€Å"one-dimensional† or â€Å"two-dimensional." Both of these monikers point to the same thing: a character who has very minimal complexity, and often renders the story less believable as a result. Are you accidentally writing a flat character? Learn more in this post Not all static characters are flatDon't make the mistake of conflating a flat character with a static character. â€Å"Static† (or its inverse, â€Å"dynamic†) strictly describes the amount of change that a character undergoes throughout the story. â€Å"Flat† is a referendum on the character's complexity. That means that, generally speaking, all two-dimensional characters are static, but not all static characters are two-dimensional. To learn more about the flip side of the equation, we wrote extensively about what makes a dynamic character here.Are flat characters bad?Again, having two-dimensional characters never spells automatic death for your book. And the occasional flat character can even benefit your narrative! Charles Dickens, for instance, was a genius at writing casts that were packed with memorable caricatures. Are Miss Havisham, Mrs Micawber, and Mr Jaggers flat characters? Absolutely - they have few complex characteristics and exist mostly to inter act with the main character of their respective stories. But does their flatness make them inherently uninteresting or irrelevant to the story? Not necessarily. Flat characters can fulfill a number of roles: they populate the environs of the protagonist’s journey, and can move the story along in a plot-driven book. You really just don't want your  main  character(s) to be flat, otherwise your audience will lose interest in them. Her animal friends are the most interesting thing about her. (Image: Buena Vista Pictures)6. Mary Jane from Spider-ManSummed up in one sentence: The girl next door who’s the object of Peter Parker’s affection. Purpose in the story: To be the damsel in distress whom Peter rescues time and time again.7. Karen Smith from Mean GirlsSummed up in one sentence: A popular high school student who isn’t the brightest bulb in the box. Purpose in the story: To be the comic relief. (Though, to be fair, she would unquestionably make a great weather reporter!)8. Mr Collins from Pride and PrejudiceSummed up in one sentence: A silly, pompous, vain, obsequious clergyman with narcissistic tendencies. Purpose in the story: To represent the stereotype of the silly, servile parts of British society that Jane Austen ends up eviscerating.So why do authors write flat characters?As you can see, authors utilize flat characters in a number of ways. Writers generally bring them out when:The story in question is extremely plot-driven. Genres such as detective novels and thrillers will feature more two-dimensional protagonists for this reason (i.e. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and The  Da Vinci Code’s Robert Langdon.)The story is simple enough that complex characters are unnecessary.  This is the case in many children's movies, such as the  Cinderella  example above.Minor characters are needed. These characters don’t need depth, as they exist in order to further a three-dimensional protagonist along on their journey.So a flat character isn't necessarily a  bad  character; it's all about how you use them. Some very popular stories make almost everyone into flat characters except the protagonist(s). However, when it comes to standard literature, it's usually best to steer clear when possible. As a general rule, the more complex and multi-dimensional you make your characters, the deeper you'll pull readers into the vivid world of you r story - and that goes for all  characters, not just the ones we see the most.Do you have any favorite flat characters? Have you included any two-dimensional characters in your own work? Let us know in the comments below.

Defending the Budget Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Defending the Budget - Essay Example As at September 2011, the department had 88 firefighters, 42 officers, 6 engines and 2 ladders (Fire-Rescue 2012). Recently, there has been a study stating that the department is inactive and slow at responding to emergency calls. This claim has driven the city manager to propose a reduction of the department’s budget due to the cited inactivity in this fire department. As the fire chief in this institution, I would like to express that this assumption is not true. This is because my department has carried out all its responsibilities and emergency responses with required efficiency. The department has not only attended to many calls in the time of my service to the station but also successfully managed to put out major fires and rescue many people, property and pets from burning houses and buildings. However, contrary to the viewpoint of the city manager, the Medford fire department does not involve itself with fire emergencies only. There are several other activities that we are actively involved in every other day. They include, examining buildings for hazards, evaluating new constructions, setting up car seats for children, offering fire prevention services, heavy rescue, and providing fire station tours. For instance, in the month of March this year, there were regular inspections carried out by officials of the department on fire and life safety division (FLSD) where 92 hazards were noted and immediate action was taken to rectify the situation (Fire-Rescue, 2012). The current amount in the budget is sufficient to cater for the emergency responses and other off-emergency activities the department is responsible for. Currently, my department receives and attends an average of two incidents every week. We have always ensured that the emergencies are attended to in the shortest time possible as saving lives is our first priority. These responses also include fire scares where our department always solves the crisis restoring confidence in people. The f irefighters are very co operative and will attend to their duties at any time of day or night. Their motivation and enthusiasm in their work has helped save lives. This kind of vigilance has been met with proper remuneration extended to all employees and supervisors of the department. In certain occasions, budgeted monetary rewards are also extended to firefighters who have performed best in their obligations. Therefore, in order to uphold the same levels of salaries and rewards, it is important to maintain the budget. Otherwise, a cut may demotivate the employees leading to underperformance. This would put many individuals and buildings in the danger of being consumed by fire. To successfully fight fire, collaboration between the general public and the fire fighters is essential. This collaboration can only be enabled by an effective communication process. The communication devices used by Medford fire fighters are up to date and are effective in accomplishing the objective of pass ing on information to its users. This has helped avoid many deaths that might have occurred during fire incidents. The firefighting team is always ready to take the emergency calls and attend to the fire rescues at any time of day. The maintenance of this efficient communication lines requires funds. Therefore,

The Arabian Peninsula Country and Sovereignty Essay

The Arabian Peninsula Country and Sovereignty - Essay Example Israel remains the only separate country on the Peninsula. The new APC has over 25% of the world’s known oil reserves in its territory. The new country is flexing its muscle and claiming its sovereign rights over the water and in the exclusive zone that overlap into other nation’s areas in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea into the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The APC has restricted the use of the airspace it is claiming to all western nations and threatens to shoot down any aircraft whether military or commercial that flies into its airspace. Further, fearing western satellites spying on its territory from space, the APC claimed territorial sovereignty above its country into space and threatens to shoot down any satellites that fly over its territory. It is unclear if the APC has the technology to fulfill this threat but there are missile exports from Russia and China that may be able to knock out a satellite in orbit. The APC has announced plan s to increase its standing army to over 50,000 troops and is beginning construction of a deepwater naval fleet to project its influence in the region. 2.0. Statement of the Problem Some of the fundamental issues pertaining to the situation are as follows. First, can the APC claim sovereignty after Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria sought to consolidate themselves into a single nation to be known as the APC? Second, what will be scope and limits of the claim on sovereignty if this is the case? Third, up to what extent can the APC claim sovereignty over its airspace and into space? Finally or fourth, what are the threats posed by the APC on the United States of America? 3.0. Proposed USA Position: Sovereignty and History/Scope in International Law Jean Bodin first systematically analyzed the doctrine of sovereignty in 1576 in the work, Six Livres de la Republique (Shaw, 21). In the Bodin notion of sovereignty, sovereig nty is only â€Å"subject to the law of God and of nature† as the â€Å"state was regarded as above the law† (Shaw, 21). In the age of enlightenment and as the early theories were influenced by the ideas of Thomas Aquinas who maintained that â€Å"Natural Law formed part of the law of God, and was the participation by rational creatures in Eternal Law,† the notion of state sovereignty may have been subject to reason or what were considered â€Å"reasonable† (Shaw, 22). Later that time, â€Å"elements of both positivism and naturalism† appeared in the work of Vattel (1714-67), a Swiss lawyer, who â€Å"introduced the doctrine of the equality of states into international law, declaring that a small republic was no less sovereign than the most powerful kingdom† (Shaw, 26). At the same time, the idea of natural laws gave way to the concept of natural rights (Shaw, 26). Shaw asserted that international law is based on the concept of the state tha t in turn â€Å"lies upon the foundation of sovereignty, which expresses internally the supremacy of government institutions and externally the supremacy of the state as the legal person† (487). Sovereignty â€Å"is founded upon the fact of territory† (Shaw, 487). Thus, according to Shaw, â€Å"without territory a legal person cannot be a state† (487). Shaw emphasized, â€Å"A state is deemed to exercise exclusive power over its territory† (Shaw, 487). The principle of territorial integrity is the foundation of

Carnival Cruise Lines Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Carnival Cruise Lines - Case Study Example Few large firms or companies then are left to control the entire market share in the industry and this then will leads to a consolidated industry. Firms or companies like Carnival Cruise Lines in the cruise industry are very well established with very large economies of scale (Enz, 2010). In such cases, the industry is likely to be more competitive compared to the fragmented industries. This is all because well established firms in a consolidated industry have the ability to implement several strategies and come up with new products after thorough research. With adequate resources, firms in a consolidated industry will always be on the run to compete with one another to win more clients and improve their general sales. Such firms will advertise their products aggressively to improve brand loyalty and create awareness of their products and services among many customers in the market. Taking an example of the Carnival Cruise Lines, it is clear that what is happening between the company and the Royal Caribbean International is a stiff competition to win more customers and establish strong brand of their products. 2. A consolidated industry is usually made up of few but very big firms or companies who entirely dominate the industry and control a large market share of a certain product type. This is all because when some new firms try to enter the industry, they meet some setbacks and a lot of competition with the few big firms which have a lot of resources to win a big share of the market. The firms in a consolidated industry deal in differentiated products and get very high profit margins. In that case, one can say that a consolidated industry is more resembles an oligopoly structure because in an oligopoly market structure, there are few firms who control a large market share with differentiated products (Enz, 2010). Like in oligopoly market

What Is The Importance Of Groundwater Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is The Importance Of Groundwater Environmental Sciences Essay Groundwater is a regenerated phenomenon. Its circumstance from long time ago began to become worse and even worst because of people greediness and ignorance. We, group one, attempted strenuously to design this report to accomplish our only purpose which is for our mates to awake their sleeping instinct and make them aware of the importance of the groundwater for the environment and even for us. From antiquity, water especially water from underground has been utilized for irrigation and livestock. People with their narrow understanding of the environment in the past have succeeded in developing new simple methods to attract rain water and bring groundwater to surface so that they can use it easily. Many parts of the world face a lack of freshwater and groundwater occupies approximately two third of the freshwater resources, from that the groundwater is the most important, reliable source of freshwater sources. About 1% of water on the earth is made up by ground water and the groundwater volume is equal to a fifty five m thick layer in the earth surface. Groundwater supplies are the fundamental resources for people drinking, agriculture and even industry, about 80% of drinking water in Middle East, Europe, Russia and North America are groundwater. This Table (1) indicates the percentage of countries dependence on groundwater. Groundwater simply is the existed water in vents and scratches in rocks in ground layers. It is created from the collective of rainfall, melting ice and snow. Through the soil this banding water together moves into groundwater system stored in aquifers and when it find its way to surface it discharge from ground as lakes, streams and oceans. Therefore, groundwater is directly related to the water cycle which is related to the processes of the atmosphere and climate. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/wattab.gif Groundwater Occurrence: Through the soil the falling rain seeps down to the aeration or unsaturated zone which its vents are filled with air. It continues to seep deeper to enter the saturated zone where rocks vents are filled with water. The surface of that zone is called the water table that can occur everywhere in ground layers. Water table water reaches the surface at lakes and streams in humid climates. Thus, the amounts of floating water changes as seasons change. For example the depth of water table decreases during wet seasons and increases during dry seasons. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/chwattab.gif Groundwater Rocks Textures: Groundwater amount and flow rate is controlled by properties related to rocks: rock porosity The percentage of pore space in the rock volume that allocates the amount of water that a rock can store. Porosity in sedimentary rocks is based on the size of rock partials, their shapes and their sorting and cement degree. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/pores.gif Usually rocks with well-rounded rough partial sediments have higher porosity than fine-organized partial sediments, That is because the partials dont fit together very well. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/poorsort.gif Usually unsorted sediments have lower porosity than the well sorted sediments because sorted partials head for filling the empty space. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/cemented.gif Cements highly fill the space of pore, and it has lower porosity. rock permeability The percentage of how highly the spaces of vents are interconnected in the rock. Usually rocks with low porosity have also low permeability but this isnt always true. There are possibilities that a rock with many pored space has a little interconnections between these pores. Vesicular volcanic rock is a good example for this state. Vesicular volcanic rock has a high porosity which is given from the stored gas in its bubbles but in contrast it has a low permeability because pores in that rock are not connected together. Force of molecular attraction is when water faces a lack in ionic charge and becomes attracted to minerals in rock vents. This shows us that if the permeability is low then water wont move. This means that if the interconnections size isnt enough for the molecular attraction the water wont move. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/molecattr.gif Groundwater Aquifers: After rainfall seeps down to the ground, the soil carries away this water to springs and wells which is called aquifers. Precipitation recharge water into the ground in aquifers rocks vents and the recharge rate varies depending on the type of the aquifer rocks. If water is pumped from the well too much and with high speed then it will draw down in an aquifer and if this continues with the same high speed then the aquifer will dry out. There are two types of aquifers : Unconfined Aquifers : This type is the common kind of aquifers. Through unconfined Aquifer water table can expose to surface from aeration zone Confined Aquifers : This type is less common. It occurs when an aquifer constricts between impermeable strata layers. The figure below shows a distinctive kind of confined aquifer in artesian system. Artesian systems result in free flowing springs and wells. http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/springs.gif When the surface interacts with the water table on the earth surface causing water flowing out of the ground, springs are formed. They occur when aquiclude rock interacts with an aquifer . http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/wells.gif When human beings dig a deep hole in the ground that interacts with water table, wells are formed. Wells are one of the groundwater sources. They will dry out if we dig holes very deep in the ground. C:UsersLGAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesLowContent.IE5Y3H9SNP97_aquiferswells_large[1].jpg Groundwater Foundation and composition: Most of the shallow groundwater is composed directly from the nominated small amounts of rainwater and snow melt to the class that follows the surface. As for the groundwater remote valley has its adherence to the pores of the soil they remain stagnant for millions of years. Some of this type of water contains large amounts of dissolved salts may be salty sea water retained by the surrounding rock formation during a long time ago. In volcanic regions may produce small amounts of groundwater from molten masses of igneous rocks in the deeper part of the class that follows the surface. Even in areas where there is a hot spring, the quantities of water that originates from molten rock, generally less than 1% of the total hot water flowing on the surface. Through the various stages of geological evolution of groundwater have been too many changes in the structure occurred as a result of mutual influence between water and surrounding rock under the influence of pressure and heat. According to modern conceptions, the groundwater is formed at the expense of water molecules within the solid part of the earth. According to modern conceptions, the groundwater is formed at the expense of water molecules within the solid part of the earth. As a result of the receipt of water to the rocks from the outer shells also it result of dewatering of the sedimentary origin of metals. Groundwater originating outside Established this type of water as a result of leakage of part of the water runoff to the ground by the pores and cracks within rocks. This leakage depends on the quality of the rocks in the area of the leak. Ground water originating in the internal In addition to the emergence of underground water sedimentation and condensation also arise through the presence and the presence of water vapor and other gases resulting from (Amalgam) liquid in the range of the deep Earth. As a result of the movement of these (Amalgam), these gases and vapors separated from the (Amalgam) and the Federation of hydrogen and oxygen, forming water vapor, Which in turn condenses problem fluids rise through cracks and deep tectonic faults and appear on the surface in the form of metal springs are hot and you know this theory virginity. Groundwater chemical origin Many of the rocks under the water molecules attached to such Almirabelit (NasSO4.10H2O) which contains 55.9% water. Plaster and also contains 20.9% water and also Allimonayat and contains 25.2% water in composition. Under the changes affected by geothermal can be freed from a portion of these rocks, and water is a safe house of groundwater. Groundwater Movement: http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/movement.gif Groundwater movement is very slow, which means they will still exist in the ground and are available for very long periods so that could be used in multiple uses before they reach on its way to the sea and this is one of the most important characteristics. Underground water moves toward the bottom and as a result of Gravitation, and then laterally as a result of increasing pressure and movement might be in places where the alleged high pressure and high water to the places where the alleged low water pressure is less. The speed of ground water on several factors, including: a) Amount Alomta: t rev in the rainy season due to increased water levels a mile underground. b) Permeability: Increases the speed increase of permeability. c) Depth: at least speed up the water depth due to the loss of energy due to friction with rocks. The difference between the level of groundwater and surface water: water moves from the hills to the valleys in the rainy season as it moves from the bottom of the valleys in the dry season. Is determined by the rate of movement of groundwater on the basis of the permeability of rocks or sediments that contain this water and also the rate of decline of water level and the rate of flow of river water depends on the downstream slope. Groundwater Pollution : Water pollution: damage or corruption to the quality of water leading to an imbalance in the system in one way or the other, thereby reducing their capacity to perform its natural role. Collects groundwater beneath the earths crust of Foreign affairs , and these waters are considered the most important sources of water given by the states informed attention to the preservation of environmental pollution by attachment , environmental contamination and the indiscriminate use of groundwater resources threatens the groundwater in the world . There are several reasons for causing pollution of underground water, one of the causes of pollution is the human activities in the land that come through pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and chemicals spills and deep injection wells, these materials cause serious diseases in humans especially in children where up to humans through the irrigation and rain, who nominated them Egervan pesticides non analyst Baltjah aquifers . http://www.55a.net/firas/ar_photo/15/water777.jpg It is important to know that groundwater is a very important source of potable water for use, and may be wasteful in the use of much of the work cause a major threat to the presence and continuity of fresh water is the most important problems who cause reduce the chances of the availability of groundwater collapse of the land and the leakage of salt water to wells constantly Vidhar water and causing her substantial pollution and a clear change its characteristics of natural and unfortunately there are some wells close to the surface of the earth, which expose it to contamination of biological or chemical Valabar that contain ground water should preferably be at altitudes appropriate to avoid what might happen around them .. If the rise was more than 40 feet reduces the pollution of groundwater Only in this case, the layered porous half permeability is working to rid the water of impurities and contaminants, and if there is contamination of the groundwater may be difficult to filter t he whole it is difficult to liquidate quickly, because this water Tkwon slow flow and movement in the ground may not exceed several meters of movement may affect the location and quality of water filtering. There are several diseases caused by pollution of underground water, such as: 1 Cholera. 2 Typhoid. 3 All kinds of dysentery. 4 Hepatitis. 5 Malaria. 6 Schistosomiasis. 7 Liver disease. 8 Poisoning. There are several ways to prevent contaminants from reaching groundwater and some solutions for the liquidation of underground water of pollutants such as: * Chemical precipitation to remove water hardness. * Sedimentation to remove sediment resulting from chemical treatment. * Disinfection process to kill micro-organisms causing disease. * Desalination of saline groundwater. * Wastewater treatment before arriving to the soil and water bodies. * Dissemination of human consciousness for water conservation. * Passing laws to deal with toxic waste and follow the process to get rid of toxic waste. * Passing laws to deal with toxic waste and follow the process to get rid of toxic waste. Groundwater in the UAE Human activities impact: Human activities have a significant impact on groundwater in the United Arab Emirates. Groundwater is the source of the most commonly used provision in the United Arab Emirates, where it is facing a heavy pressure from population growth, urbanization and agricultural and industrial practices. As a result of these activities has become ground water is used excessively in recent decades and, more from the past.  The height of these human activities require an increase in the use of groundwater, which led to their use of groundwater stored in aquifers key and so will this lead to a decrease of excessive use of groundwater in the main stores in the United Arab Emirates.  And also as a result received excellent groundwater degradation where it met with many of the problems that reduce the quality in the United Arab Emirates, and one of these problems, groundwater salinity and will progressively become more saline, and the other problem that may harm the quality of groundwater is due to the imbalance between the annual recharge and discharge. Recently several wells in the eastern and the northern parts of the country went dry. On the other hand, the oil industry and the practice of agriculture are key factors in the pollution of groundwater.  As a result of the oil industry is to increase the salinity in groundwater due to solvents, waste oil thrown staged near areas of groundwater example Bu Hasa area.  The agricultural practices are increasing pollution of groundwater due to the use of pesticides and fertilizers staged affect the quality of groundwater. Future plans: Increase continuity in the use of groundwater has led to decreases dramatically and this is what was observed in recent decades, after studies staged held in the UAE and this is the main reason to re-examine the sources of water in the UAE and building plans for the future adopted by the State in the use of water source and the most important groundwater. Of the most important future plans to maintain the underground water level and the reduction of use, is to regulate the drilling and exploitation of groundwater wells and the exploitation of the groundwater in agriculture properly be used in any modern irrigation methods staged availability of ground water and keep them from drying. In addition to the expansion of the establishment of dams to hold rainwater, and include the application of a program to conserve and rationalize water use, groundwater, and enhance the statistics of groundwater, especially in the area of authentication and authorization withdrawals of water and develop a program to improve methods for rainwater harvesting in order to feed water tank underground. Construction of dams:   Given the importance played by dams in the custody of rainwater for later use feed water storage underground, especially since the natural nutrition are only a small percentage of the amount of water withdrawn and did not exceed in any case 10% were interested in the United Arab Emirates establishment of dams, which now numbered114 dams with a capacity of storing 114 million cubic meters. Modify the patterns of agricultural and irrigation:   Given that agriculture is the largest consumer of water in the state (about 80%) of total water consumption has turned the state in recent years to use the patterns of modern agricultural reduce water consumption through the promotion of workers in the agricultural sector on the use of means and methods of modern irrigation, training in their use,  It is through the provision of irrigation systems, modern farm prices are almost free in some cases, have succeeded the State had notable success in mainstreaming the use of these means, as increased area cultivated areas that are irrigated by the use of those means more than 70% and on that used by some parties   to the plans set standards and specifications for water quality and crops to be cultivated and determine the area and the regulations and conditions of the agricultural plan. Conclusion: So far, we have seen that groundwater is very essential freshwater resources for us without it we will face a remarkable damage in human life span. So, from this importance of groundwater UAE holds many projects to preserve the water sources because I said the water sources in the United Arab Emirates due to lack of rainfall.  Among the most important of these projects the project primarily in the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the underground injection His aim is to maintain strategic reserves of water in the emirate, through improving the quality of groundwater, which has become unfit for the use of high salinity due to depletion in the past years.

War and Bush Essay -- essays research papers

War and Bush   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  War has taken place all over the world. It is brutal at times even necessary, and the United States of America has seen its own share of wars. Since September 11, 2001, the President of the United States has launched a war on terrorism, and currently we are still at war. The War on Terrorism has been one of the most important battles our country has ever had and overall it has been the best for the U.S. as well as Iraq. The United States does have its motives for the war, and those purposes are what make this country as safe as it is today. Before September 11, 2001 many individuals assumed they were living in a safe country. The news showed bombings and war in different countries, but people in the U.S. were too ignorant to know such things can occur in the land of the free. When the brutal 9/11 attack occurred President George W. Bush made the proper decision of fighting back by launching a war on terrorism. This was a logical decision because most of the country felt vulnerable after the attack. Furthermore if our country did not fight back, other countries would take it into consideration that we are weak and they can take advantage of us. About 90% of polls conducted by various news stations before and the beginning of war stated the people overall supported it. (http://www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm) People argue now that we have been at war for a while some people are changing their minds, but not as many as the media makes it seem out to be. All the media has done for the war is damage it. The media's main desire is to make ton of money and in doing so they will try to make the Iraq war seem as pointless as Vietnam. Polls that are conducted may be rigged. One fact that can easily display that is that conservative news sources will have more people supporting the war than media that is non-conservative; this is too close to be a coincidence (www.chronwatch.com). Furthermore, many times on the news a group of kids from school will be interviewed and say how terrible of a job Bush is doing with the war. It does not make sense to interview these kids who probably do not even know why there is a war, much less looked up information from a reliable source and know what they are talking about. People who pose as experts never are experts, the only people who can give a clear aspect of the war are someone who has ... ...r country is not fighting to stop it. The plans for the war have not changed at all. Even though the name has changed to the march toward freedom it is the exact same thing as the war on terrorism. The U.S. is full of Euphemisms and the war on terrorism was changed to the march toward freedom mainly because most Americans cannot face reality. These same people who cannot face reality are the same people who are hurting the war. Whether these individuals like it or not we are at war and complaining will not do anything to benefit it. Many people argue that polls state that most of the U.S. opposes the war this obviously cannot be true because after all Bush was elected our president by a majority of the American people. In conclusion, the Iraq war is not a pointless battle that the U.S. continues to fight each day. The country has motives to fight and those will continue to be carried out despite what the media as well as anti-war individuals persist to believe. Only the people who have been in the war can give a good aspect of the war. The battle for security has only made the country feel much safer. Without the war the U.S. would not be as secure from terrorism as it is today.

Symbolism of Blindness

Symbol of Blindness in King Lear Blindness is usually defined as the physical ability of the eye to see. But in King Lear by William Shakespeare, blindness is not just a physical quality but also a mental flaw that people possess. This mental flaw can then lead to people making bad decisions because they can’t see the truth. In King Lear, the recurring images of sight and blindness that are associated with the characters of Lear and Gloucester illustrate the theme of self-knowledge and consciousness that exists within the play and these characters.Gloucester’s characters plot parallels that of King Lear’s. Throughout the play, we explore what is meant by eyesight or the lack of it. King Lear is the first and the main character that faces problems by this idea of blindness. In act one, Lear asks his three daughters to express their love for him in order to get the share of the land and dowry. Goneril and Regan come up with an elaborate speech that uses with wit an d deceit.She starts off by saying â€Å"Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter; dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty; beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; no less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; as much as child e'er loved, or father found; a love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; beyond all manner of so much I love you† (Foakes 1. 1. 55-61). The metaphorical language and beauty of Goneril and Regan’s speeches blind Lear.Cordelia truly loves him a lot but he doesn’t see it in her response when she says â€Å"Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave; my heart into my mouth: I love your majesty; According to my bond; nor more nor less† (Foakes 1. 1. 93-95). But on the other hand, Cordelia’s speech makes him feel less powerful. Her language is legalistic and delimiting. It suggests that it is a contractual relationship (Kronenfeld 96). By using the word bond, she makes it more formal but she’s talking to he r father so she should be able to express her feelings in a less formal way.She declares her love to be of no surpassing quality. She is not like her sisters because it is not in her nature to solicit her father with outward showings of love but instead will show it through her actions (Kronenfeld 106). He misunderstands her love and is unable to see the love she actually has for him because of the way all three of the daughters respond. The two older sisters flatter their father instead of speaking the truth so they can get what they want and this leads to Cordelia being disowned.The cause of his blindness appears to be an infatuation with his own rank and station, which is a result of senility. Lear’s kingdom is used as a symbol of affection towards his three daughters. In the first act, it is implied that Cordelia is his favorite daughter. He feels that dividing up the land by the level of love they show to him is the right thing to do. He does not see that Goneril and Reg an will use this as a chance to become his favorites. They will say whatever they need to for their own benefit because they are greedy.Driven by his own blindness, King Lear begins to make many mistakes not just with his daughters but also with his loyal supporter Kent. His blindness doesn’t allow him to see the truth in a person’s personality and character. When Kent hears about Cordelia getting disowned, he is shocked by the decision that King Lear. He tries helping King Lear understand the truth about his daughters but ends up getting banished himself. King Lear wants Kent â€Å"out of my sight† (Shakespeare 1. 1. 159). Kent responds by saying â€Å"See better, Lear; and let me still remain; The true blank of thine eye† (Foaks 1. 1. 60-161). Kent is trying to make him reconsider his decision but Lear’s anger gets the better of him and he banishes him from the Kingdom. The blank can refer to the center of a target but also the absence of somethi ng which captures the ambiguity and vulnerability of our seeing. Kent was King Lear’s eyes and ears and literally helped him see things clearly. Without Kent, he is even blinder to the reality than before. Kent disguises himself and manages to get rehired by King Lear which further shows his blindness. He knew Kent very well and yet couldn’t figure out that he was the same person.His vision and insight on other people never really improves and this leads to his downfall and eventually his death. Shakespeare uses a lot of offstage episodes which also shows the blindness to the audience. This indirect mode of presenting highly significant events generates doubt and confusion because the audience can’t see what is happening but is known only by reports of those who claim to have observed them. But it is hard to rely on here say because of characters like King Lear who are oblivious and blind from the truth.Due to King Lear’s lack on insight, it causes him to make bad judgements and leads him to endure great emotional pain and suffering as a result. It is through his and Gloucester’s characters that Shakespeare has allowed the audience to see what great emotional torment can plague a person because of disloyalty especially when it is that person’s fault due to a lapse in judgement. Shakespeare uses the plot of Gloucester to explicate Lear’s plot by contextualizing Lear’s blindness with Gloucester’s physical loss of vision.His character is very similar to Lear’s because they both couldn’t tell which of their children truly loved and cared for them. Edmund blindsides his father into believing that Edgar was plotting to kill him so this would allow him to gain power. Gloucester was easily convinced that the letter was real and never considers thinking if his son could actually do such a terrible thing. Both Lear and Gloucester are very quick to believe their children that use their language in a smart way to deceive their fathers.Gloucester also ends up disowning Edgar even though Edgar is the son who truly loves him. He doesn’t feel that he is making any wrong decisions and feels that â€Å"Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles† (Foakes 1. 2. 363-364). The word need means requiring something that’s important so in this case, being able to see the truth is a necessity but Gloucester feels that he doesn’t need that. It denies him the ability to distinguish between his good and evil sons. Gloucester ends up getting his eyes gouged out which is like a wake-up call for him.Edgar feels that â€Å"The Gods are just and of our pleasant vices; Make instruments to plague us; The dark and vicious place where thee he got Cost him his eyes† (Foakes 5. 3. 170-173). Not only does Edgar deceive his father but believes that his father got what he deserved. The blinding of a man is a symbol for the destruction of one’s manhood lik e getting castrated (Halio 222). Gloucester is an adulterer and is somewhat proud of this fact. Edgar goes on to say â€Å"Met I my father with his bleeding rings, Their precious stones new lost; become his guide, Led him, begg’d for him, sav’d him from despair† (Foakes 5. . 188-191). Edgar uses the word stone to refer to Gloucester’s lost eyes because it is a slang term for testicles which implies that the blinding was like Gloucester getting castrated (Halio 223). Once Gloucester became physically blind was when he actually started seeing clearly. It is very ironic when Gloucester says: â€Å"I have no way and therefor want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ‘tis seen Our means secure us, and our mere defects Prove our commodities. Ah dear son Edgar, The food of thy abused father’s wrath!Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I’ld say I had eyes again! † (Foakes 4. 1. 18-24) His inability to see the realities of his s ons when he was mentally blind but managed to see his son’s true colors when he was physically blind because his eyes were gouged out. He eventually learns that vision is not just through your eyes but rather through your heart and mind. Gloucester’s subplot paralleled that of King Lear’s. Cordelia’s silence throughout the play usually signals acquiescence as she never stood up against her father or her older sisters.In Shakespearean tragedies, it generally conveys feelings of fear, despair, and confusion but Cordelia’s silence is evidence of her strength and constancy. Cordelia’s silence in the first few acts can be compared to her unwillingness to communicate in the later scenes. Lear is very similar to Cordelia in the sense that they both are very inarticulate when expressing emotions. After everything that her father has done to her, Cordelia is still devoted to helping her father and brings an army to help him. She doesn’t need t o try to convince her father with words but instead her actions show it all.They are able to reconcile their relationship because of the love that she has for her father unlike her sisters who are willing to do anything to get power. Even though he has wronged her, she sees that he has recognized the errors of his ways. Cordelia is the only loyal daughter King Lear has. Even though she is silent and doesn’t have great communication skills, you can still feel the love she has for her father from the few things that she says. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses King Lear and Gloucester to demonstrate how metaphorical blindness can cause a person to make erroneous decisions.King Lear’s lack of sight led him to banish Cordelia and Kent, the two people that supported him the most. Similarly, Gloucester is affected by this metaphorical blindness as well and leads to detrimental decisions for him and his family. Ironically, when Gloucester gets literally blind, he starts to think clearly but it is too late at this point to improve things. Only after they lose everything, they recognize that their blindness to honesty has cost them everything. Cordelia chooses to stay silent which she thinks is beneficial but in turn ends up getting her and her father killed.