Grendel & Existentialism Essay Example for Free

Grendel Existentialism Essay â€Å"I understood that the world was nothing; a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears. I understood that, finally and absolutely, I alone exist. All the rest, I saw, is merely what pushes me, or what I push against, blindly-as blindly as all that is not myself pushes back. † Existentialism is a philosophy that I, personally, was unfamiliar with until we talked about it in class. The relationship between Grendel and existentialism was profound to me not only in the way that it drew lines of symmetry, but in the way that it helped me to interpret the concepts behind the philosophy. This quote spoke to me because it demonstrates how Grendel is pressured into living an existentialist lifestyle by the very forces that he says push upon him. Grendel delves into the psyche of a man-beast whose only choice is to react to the world as an existentialist; the world (specifically mankind) exemplifies all of existentialism’s concepts, proving Grendel’s niche to be that of an existentialist. â€Å"Dark chasms! † I scream from the cliff-edge, â€Å"seize me! Seize me to your foul black bowels and crush my bones! † I am terrified at the sound of my own huge voice in the darkness At the same time, I am secretly unfooled. The uproar is only my own shriek, and chasms are, like all things vast, inanimate. They will not snatch me in a thousand years, unless, in a lunatic fit of religion, I jump. † [Grendel, pg. 10] Grendel knows that he is alone, despite his attempts to fool himself. This is ratified by his mother’s inability to speak to him, the fear animals have of him, and the rejection he receives from mankind. He has no explanation for anything in existence due to his inability to communicate with anyone, until the dragon comes along. â€Å"My knowledge of the future does not cause the future. It merely sees it, exactly as creatures at your low level recall things past. And even if, say, I interfere even then I do not change the future, I merely do what I saw from the beginning. That’s obvious, surely. Let’s say it’s settled then. So much for free will and intercession! † [Grendel, pg. 63] Lack of free will is another concept of existentialism. Grendel’s previously mentioned lack of communication makes him eager to soak up any idea that the dragon shares with him, and eventually he takes this to mean that his war on the mead hall was not done of his own free will, but because it was his future as the dragon foresaw it.

A Students View Of Paulo Freires Pedagogy Of The Oppressed Essay

A Student’s View of Paulo Freire’s "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" Freire was one of the most radical insistent educational thinkers of his time. He proposed his own educational theory for society. His argument was for an educational system that focused on creative learning and freedom. Freire’s method was known as "the problem posing" concept. It would allow students and teachers to communicate through dialogue while both are equally responsible in the learning process. Freire’s assessment of education did not support a system that mechanically deposited and reproduced pre-selected information with no communication or dialogue from the student. He feared this would manage and oppress society. This method was known as the "banking" concept. I am of two minds about Freire’s claim that the problem posing concept is most effective. On the one hand, I do agree that the problem posing concept is often effective in the freedom of creativity in certain subjects such as art and creative writing. On the other hand, the banking concept is a necessary evil because it sets down the foundation of education in subjects such as English, science, and mathematics. In the problem posing concept the teacher and the students work together through communication. The teacher no longer just teaches and the students no longer just listen. They both are in dialogue and are able to teach and learn from each other. With this method the students are allowed to share their own ideas and freedom of expressions. When a student expresses his/her thoughts with others he/she is challenged and becomes more aware of his/her own reality, allowing transformation into the world of freedom and not domination. Jone Lewis cites Freire who says, "Education either functions... ...ed to being shaped. The student must be able to be creative and see the world freely as a reality in progress. Freire also claims that this concept may be resisted by the oppressing classes to any changes in class. He insists that the banking concept of education is a ready- to- wear approach. A student is an object to be filled with pre-selected information. This approach he believed minimized a student’s creativity thus making him/her adaptable and more manageable in society. My feelings on these issues are truly mixed. I do believe that a student should be able to do more than reproduce pre-selected information while learning. On the other hand, I feel that it is important to learn the basic facts first. I do agree that the problem posing concept is effective in some subjects, however I think other subjects of education are better served with the banking concept.

Interview with My Mom Essay

For this assignment, I decided to interview my mom. Her name is Tracy Michelle Jorgensen, but she goes by Michelle. She is a strong woman who single handily raised two girls. With a heart of gold, she always puts others first. She is generous and would never expect anything in return. And although I may be biased, she is the best mom I could possibly ever imagine. As wonderful as she may be, seldom does she ever go into detail about her past, mostly because she is a very private person. So given this opportunity, I can now better understand what has made my mom the person she is today. Before I conducted the essay†¦. Born on July 21, 1954 in Canada, my mother grew up in a small house with seven brothers and sisters. After her parents divorced, she barely spent time with her mother, as she always had to work to support the family. The hardest part about childhood was â€Å"feeling lost in the shuffle† my mom said. â€Å"I felt invisible, and I was blamed for everything†. When my mom started school, she met her friend Lisa. My mom described to me the time they got in trouble. â€Å"The only time I’ve ever stole anything was with her,† she said. â€Å"The cops found us stealing quarters from the newspaper boxes† and â€Å"I was mostly scared that my mom would find out.† Once my mom was old enough to leave the house, she moved in with her boyfriend and started to work for him. At the age of 23 she was expecting her first child. Things became rough in the relationship, as her boyfriend was being unfaithful to her. They moved to Florida in search of better job opportunities, when all of sudden, baby number two was on the way. Even with her doubts, my mom found it best to get married. â€Å"That was my biggest regret,† said my mom. â€Å"Having my two daughters were the best blessings, but actually marrying your dad is my only regret in life.† After splitting with my dad, my mom became determined to create a good life for us. She became part of the neighborhood church where she met Father Brian. He was the most impactful person in her life, because he fully believed in my mom. â€Å"When I felt like I couldn’t do it, he had this way of making everything okay† she said, â€Å"and making me feel stronger.† For my mom, his support was the kindest thing anyone had done for her, and because of it, it encouraged her to not let anything hold her back. Growing  up, we were a huge s occer family. My sister and I would eat, sleep, and breathe soccer. â€Å"It was my most favorite past time to watch my girls play,† my mom said. She would love nothing more than to be back on the sidelines hollering and cheering us on. Being an avid soccer fan, it’s my mom’s favorite sport to watch. I once made the mistake of taking her out in public to watch a World Cup match, as her tendencies to scream and holler follow her everywhere she goes. Even though it’s a past time for her, she relishes in the fact that she will one day watch her grand children play. 4 years ago, my mom found out she was going to be a grand mother. At first she freaked because she felt like she was too young to have that title. She said, â€Å"It made me feel like I instantly aged 10 years†. However, it brought out a new sense of fulfillment for her as she stated, â€Å"in 20 years I would love nothing more than to be a soccer grandma, cheering on my grand kids!† My mom then br iefly told me how her dream has always been to travel Europe. Her face instantly brightened, and she began to almost overflow with excitement about how her first trip to Europe would be like. She said enthusiastically, â€Å"If someone could give me a gift of anything, it would be a trip to travel Europe†. She even mentioned in one of her three wishes that she would fly on a magic carpet and travel around Europe. I sort of chuckled at the thought of that idea, but soon realized her unique and kid-like imagination is what keeps her dream more thrilling. It puts life into perspective for me to see how my mom overcame her struggles growing up. She made mistakes, but always got up, brushed her shoulders off and kept moving. When I asked her what made her unique, she briefly paused, then said â€Å"Conviction.† â€Å"If you let your stress, and tough situations weigh you down, you can’t move past it, and you will miss out on the great things that lie ahead.† Her conviction has been her guiding light in life. That answer really hit home for me, and encouraged me to push through any hard times I face. I learned a lot about my mom in this interview, it was refreshing to see her goofy side, and it was humbling to see how she overcame her struggles. If anything has changed, its that my love for her has grown.

Indian Version of Big Brother, Big Boss, Derived from...

The popular television ‘reality’ show, Big Boss has really caught up with the Indian audience, with the winners enjoying their 15 minutes of fame, producers making their money and viewers enjoying their dose of entertainment. Few are aware that Big Boss is in fact the Indian cousin of ‘Big Brother’, the internationally popular original show where contestants are closely monitored by cameras in the house and personal microphones. The term ‘Big Brother’ and the basic idea behind it originate from George Orwell’s novel 1984(NineteenEighty-Four) published first in 1949. Written in 1949 and set in 1984, the book is a futuristic view of a totalitarian society of Oceania that is present day Great Britian. The Queen is no longer the ruler of†¦show more content†¦The book is surely not meant for the weak hearted. The idea shown in Big Boss or Big Brother of having a few people locked up inside a house and each and every of their movement being caught on camera and beamed on television across the world may seem to be a source of our entertainment, but have you ever tried to relate it to our lives? How would our lives be if even our bedrooms are installed with telescreens and we are constantly told what to do what not to? When history is erased and what remains after all is just fantasy or fiction instead. Where there is no luxury of choice and not the slightest possibility of love or affection. A generation where the government propaganda is so strong that it turns your children against you. It is indeed a matter of debate whether this is a piece of classical literature or is in fact a prophecy trying to warn us of future times. The people of Oceania are monitored round the clock by Big Brother. Where you go, what you do, when you do, it cannot go unnoticed. No, I am not talking about how is the present world under scrutiny all the time. How we are surrounded by CCTV in the name of security or how we are monitored on the internet. But it does sound a little similar to Oceania, doesn’t it? The book does talk about endless wars being fought without winning or losing because winning or losing doesn’t matter. What matters isShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesdilemmas. The book engages in an imaginative way with a wealth of organizational concepts and theories as well as provides insightful examples from the practical world of organizations. The authors’ sound scholarship and transparent style of writing set the book apart , making it an ingenious read which invites reflexivity, criticalness and plurality of opinion from the audience. This is a book that will become a classic in organization studies. Mihaela L. Kelemen, Professor of Management Studies, Keele