Supply and Demand of Online Music Streaming Essay

Supply and Demand of Online Music Streaming - Essay Example Now, people can access their favorite music through internet by paying no or comparatively low prices to the suppliers. (Amberg, and Schrà ¶der. 2007). The online music industry is experiencing another revolution phase due to the development of technology and invention of Smartphones with a capacity to run online streaming any where through 4G connection. Initially, online paid music downloading facility was provided by the Apple’s iTunes in 2003, but it was a cumbersome task to download the music and then run it, therefore the online music industry players had started to develop such applications and platforms, where people can directly stream their favorite music without keeping them in their PCs or Mobile phones storage. For this purpose, online radio platforms, i.e. Pandora and Spotify have been developed to provide an online streaming facility to the music lovers over their computers and Smartphones. Streaming services are providing almost all sorts of music to their customers and people can access more than million of songs through a single click. Online radios, like Pandora and iTunes Radio, have chosen what the custo mers want to hear and these firms generate their revenues through advertisements. Whereas, other firms like Deezer and Spotify, offer a collection of 20 to 30 million songs on annual or monthly subscription basis and charge premium prices to their customers. Due to these changes the sales of record labels have decreased by 4% as compared to the last year, where on the other hand online streaming firms like Spotify has earned more than $1 billion in revenues. (Bhattacharjee, Gopal, Lertwachara, and Marsden. 2007). However, the overall online streaming industry was accounted for 21% of the total music industry revenues in 2013, which showed a very rapid growth in last 5 years. ( Hodgkins, 2014) Due to the high trend of Smartphones and development in the mobile phone services sector, i.e. the

Western Governors University Essay Example for Free

Western Governors University Essay The APEX Company has the mission to â€Å"Exceed customers’ expectations in providing consulting services of a superior value. † To be successful in that mission, it is imperative that we are diligent in maintaining a good and solid reputation in every endeavor we undertake. Who we are and how we run our business is guided by our ethics program. The purpose of our ethics program is to identify, prevent and correct ethics issues. Our ethics program consists of our Code of Conduct, compliance auditing, two way communications between management and employees, improvement and re-current training on ethical behavior. The policy set forth after this overview is expected to be adhered to by all employees from the CEO, down to the janitorial staff. All employees should become familiar with the ethics guidelines that follow this introduction. We are firm believers that the decisions we make today, determine our success for tomorrow. Sincerely, APEX Management B. Standards and Procedures APEX Code of Conduct †¢APEX management team welcomes concerns from employees and commit to open door policies for those ethical concerns †¢APEX employees are committed to ethical behavior and shall always act in the best interest of the client. †¢APEX employees are committed to providing professional services with integrity. †¢APEX employees are committed to treating everyone fairly and respectfully. †¢APEX employees avoid the appearance of unethical or compromising practices. †¢APEX employees only accept only those assignments for which they have the qualifications, knowledge and skill in which to serve the client. †¢APEX employees disclose any conflict of interests and avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of such. †¢ APEX employees do not accept simultaneous or competing assignments from two or more clients who have potentially conflicting interests without informing all parties in advance and securing all parties’ prior agreement. †¢APEX employees treat clients’ information as confidential and take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access. †¢APEX employees do not use company assets or business relationships for personal use or personal gain. †¢APEX employees promote a trustworthy environment and support positive ethics within the company. C. Ethics Training Program New Employee Training As part of the onboarding process, all new employees are trained in APEX’s ethics program; this includes an introduction into the corporate values and codes of conduct. Employees are instructed in identifying incidents of ethical behavior and the proper methods of reporting procedures of ethical violations. This is initial training is refreshed in ninety days and then the new hire is in the training cycle with the existing employees. Current Employee Training Existing employees are trained on a continuous basis on the expected ethical behavior of APEX employees. This initial four hour classroom training is refreshed in quarterly sessions lasting one hour each and the four hour training is repeated annually. All training is conducted by the Ethics Officer D. Compliance Systems Monitor Supervisors are responsible for ensuring the adequate and efficient training for all subordinates. Signatures are obtained on the Verification of Training forms and are to be submitted to Human Resources for retention in the employee’s personnel folder. Employee misconduct will be monitored in by supervisory review of actions taken by employees, by conducting yearly surveys and also by implementing a reporting system. In our monitoring, we will be reviewing compliance and targeting deviations to our established ethical behavior. When the method of surveys is utilized, they will be nameless and must be completed within the thirty day allotted time. One feature of our reporting system is the establishment of our APEX Ethics Hotline, (800) 555-5555. This line is monitored by the Ethics Office and is open to anyone, the public, employees and customers to anonymously report unethical behavior or to ask ethics questions. With this system we are able to effectively monitor and evaluate unethical behavior and to take corrective action as required. The Ethics Officer compiles this data monthly and reports to the CEO with the trends and analysis. Audit APEX will conduct yearly audits to our Ethics program. This will determine if we are in compliance with our company’s ethics standards and will utilize the Six-Sigma model as a method of improving upon those standards. This type of model will allow APEX to spotlight areas that are outside of our goals. Auditing employee misconduct is performed by tracking our hotline calls by the types of incident, number of occurrences, general ethics questions and confirmed noncompliance. The audit are performed by the Ethics Officer on an yearly basis as well as on the spot checks to ensure that all employees are properly orientated in the company’s code of conduct and are familiar with the channels available for reporting violations. Our objective auditing processes will report our compliance and noncompliance with our ethics program and determine whether or not APEX has reached its goals. All of our internal findings will be verified by an external auditing firm, Wecheckem Auditors, LLC. Wecheckem will generate a report that will be furnished to the Ethics Committee for publishing on the company’s intranet. This third party company will use the results of this report, responses from customers, and the ratings of the surveys to audit the employees of APEX compliance with our Code of Conduct, the company’s officers compliance with our Code of Conduct, and to assess the company an overall score from 1, non-compliant, to 10, excellent, on our ethical program. Reporting Misconduct It is imperative that employees of APEX feel comfortable with bringing any issues and concerns to management’s attention. Ethical issues occurring with the staff should be communicated immediately. It is important to note APEX has a zero tolerance policy and any infractions of this code of ethics will be met with quick and decisive action. Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Often times, a concern may arise or even a simple question concerning ethical conduct. At those times, there are many different avenues whereby assistance can be sought. Some of those avenues are: †¢Management team †¢APEX Ethics Hotline (800) 555-5555 †¢Human Resources Department †¢ The Ethics Officer: Mr. Idoo Wright Esq. Suite 746 1400 Independence Avenue Corpus Christi, TX 64009 E. Ethics Program Assessment Review The Ethics Officer is responsible forming the Ethics Committee and for the continual review of APEX Company ethics program. The Ethics Officer shall conduct verifications of training records; compile a database of all reports of ethical violations and the resultant investigations and findings of same. The information gathered is then turned over to an outside firm specializing in Corporate Governance and Ethics for an independent review and assessment. Improvement The Ethics Officer and Ethics Committee shall review all ethical violations and in conjunction with the findings and recommendations of the outside audit firm,Wecheckem, LLC, to produce program improvements utilizing Lean Six Sigma methodologies. Standards and procedures shall be updated whenever there are improvements to the program.

Frontal Lobe Syndrome :: Brain Medical Neurology Essays

Frontal Lobe Syndrome Although volumetrically the frontal lobes are the largest portion of the brain their function remains somewhat elusive (Jacobs, 2005). Even neuropsychologists have a difficult time creating test that accurately test frontal lobe functioning. We do know however, that the frontal lobes are involved in the storage of memories, concentration, abstract thought, judgment, and self control. The frontal lobe lies directly behind our forehead (NINDS, 2005) It contains the primary motor cortex and the prefrontal cortex, which extend from the central sulcus to the anterior of the brain. The posterior part of the frontal lobe is the precentral gyrus which is specialized in the control of fine movements. The very most anterior portion of the frontal lobe is the prefrontal cortex. The neurons in this area have up to sixteen times as many dendritic spines as neurons in the occipital lobe or primary visual cortex. As a result, the prefrontal cortex is able to integrate a great deal of information (Kalat, 2004). For most people the left frontal lobe controls language and the right non-verbal abilities (UNL, 2005).On the left frontal lobe is an area called Broca’s area which allows thoughts to be transformed into words. In addition, there are many connections from the frontal lobe to other parts of the brain that control vision, respiration, blood pressure and gastrointestinal activity (NBTF, 2005). Damage to the frontal lobe results a range of behaviors referred to collectively as ‘frontal lobe syndrome.’ There are numerous ways of damaging the frontal cortex including lesions, tumors, and strokes. Lesions damage the frontal cortex when a blow to the head or a sudden change of motion causes the boney structure underneath the frontal lobes to tear the axons (as is the case with prefrontal lobotomy or leucotomy). A stroke can result in ventral and medial frontal lobe damage. Tumors can damage the frontal lobe by being located on one of the lobes, or by causing pressure on the frontal lobe, as is the case with meningioma, subdural hematoma or similarly meningitis (UNL, 2005). Frontal lobe syndrome results in the impairment of language, motor functions, social behavior, abstract reasoning, and cognition. Furthermore, there is often a change in personality (UNL, 2005). Although language remains fluent and in proper syntax, the overall amount of talking decreases. Patients have difficulty maintaining conversations and some even become mute. Motor functions are often uncoordinated and patients often have difficulty constructing three

‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac

When first set this assignment I was mildly exited. Although I usually choose quiet good books to read, I thought it might give me a different literacy experience. Having had faith that all the books on the list are reasonably good I didn't spend much time choosing. I picked one my cousin had and launched into it with enthusiasm. It was called ‘On the Road' and was written by Jack Kerouac. Basically the book is about a young fairly innocent young aspiring writer who gets captured I the ideology of the American dream. Like many people after the great depression Sal Paradise gets caught in to urge to break out and experience adventure. He felt that his life was not sufficient to the visions and expectations he had. So he left his home where he lived with his auntie and with fifty bucks decided to go to the west coast, hitchhiking most of the way. His first stop was his mates house Remi Boncour, who similarly to him also waiting foe his big break. During his hitchhike he meets ‘a middle aged woman' and a ‘tough truck driver with popping eyes', ‘two boys from the university of Iowa'. The fundamental thing bout these characters is that they all seem to know where they are going not jut literarily to their destination but also metaphorically in their lives, all these people have cars and are picking Sal Paradise up, pulling him to his destiny. One of the characters he encounters on his way to the west who is in the same position as him is Eddie who is also looking for a new life and heading to meet a ‘girl and a new girl'. Eventually he gets a ride two brothers who are picking up everyone they see on the road. He spends a few nights drinking talking to the unhopeful crew. All these characters have a hope of a better life and what Jack Kerouac, the writer, does is put them all together because collectively they keep each other's dreams alive. Following this he meets a Mexican girl who surprise, suprise is also running away from something (an abusive husband). This particular portion of the book I think should be and perhaps Kerouac intended it to e significant. However, his style of writing which is very chronological and minimally descriptive takes away the importance of Sal's and Terry's meeting. He spend a good few months with her and her young son, we are told of the hardship he goes through to support them but the writer failed to touch me whit it. I feel this is because once they part they arrange for her to follow him to New York. However despite this the writer adds ‘But we both knew she wouldn't make it'. This line takes away the wonder and hope from their time together and I think it wipes out any feeling the characters had for each other that the writer was trying to implant earlier in the reader. Maybe its because I am a romantic, but I didn't believe they loved each other enough if it was so easy for the author to wipe it away. Sal Paradise is an example of the youth at that time. Jack Keurack wants us to see through Sal the feeling and expectations of the youth. To fulfil the lack of fulfilment the youth searched for their personal freedom in sex drugs and jazz. This book was described by some as ‘makes the reader want to go out there seize the day and live, live, live'. Personally it makes me want to slam it shut. When I mentioned that I had faith in the list, well I was very wrong. Apart from making me go to sleep this book did absolutely nothing for my imagination. Kerouac's writing annoys me tremendously there is nothing worse that telling a story completely chronologically. When I read the book it felt like I was reading boolet-points. I think this might be because the writer must have had similar experiences and so the excitement for him was drained and no matter hoe hard one tries to regain the enthusiasm it is impossible because once experienced the magic is taken away. I understand the concept of the story and what the author is trying to achieve but it feels like his missed out on writing what potentially could be a great book. Compared to classics that I read this book is not predictable, usually this should be the exiting and fun but in this case it just seems to annoy me and I know exactly why? Simply, deep down, like the lone characters in the book, I to am an idealist.

A Comparative Analysis of the Hero’s Quest: Harry Potter Vs King Arthur Essay

ABSTRACT From the pages of literature many ideas are born. Often these ideas are borrowed, passed down and transferred from work to work; author to author. This has led many to conclude that a generic mold has been established for certain ways of telling-or in some cases retelling-a story, and that authors often write to fit this mold, whether purposefully or not. The main mold discussed by celebrated novelists such as Joseph Campbell, and used frequently by renown authors like J.K. Rowling and T.H. White, is that of the classic hero. Rowling has made her young protagonist, Harry Potter, very similar to the King of Camelot, as presented by the many Arthurian authors, including T.H. White and Sir Thomas Mallory. There are a great deal of parallels between Potter and Arthur and I have analyzed the plot and other aspects of both stories-along with the works of critics and researchers like Campbell-to demonstrate the shocking similarities between the two heroes. The amazing similarities from both stories spawn from the constant recycling of the hero and his quest. Harry Potter as a person, is a very dynamic character with complete mood changes and varying personalities, yet when it comes to his adventures he is not at all unique. King Arthur, as a hero, is a very dynamic character but as a person he is flat and boring. To compare both I read the complete Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling ( Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.), I’ve read the authoritative Arthurian legends (The Sword in the Stone, by T.H White, and Le Mort d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory.) The author’s own life stories were also analyzed in hopes that I could perhaps come to a conclusion of why their Heroes are so alike. HARRY POTTER VS KING ARTHUR The King Arthur novels have been a part of literature for years, influencing authors, movies and even song writers. This generation’s â€Å"King Arthur† is known by another name. He was conceived on a napkin by a struggling single mom and goes by the name of Harry Potter. Many parts of Rowling’s Harry Potter Series are infused with elements of the Arthurian legend. From reading and researching both stories I have found many parallels between both tales. Arthur and Harry are both the protagonists of their worlds, both were deprived of their parents at an early age, both were on quests to achieve their destiny, both had old wizard mentors, and neither knew of his own importance till a late age. This extended essay explores the themes and characters linking the two tales and also analyzes the author’s life and language and how they affected the story. Joseph Campbell is a world renown author who wrote the book â€Å"The Hero With a Thousand Faces.† Mentally digesting this book has helped me to understand the bonds that tie all heroes together and was what led to the thought that Harry and Arthur are very similar. Both Arthur and Harry fit into the category that Joseph Campbell refers to as the ‘classic hero.’ Both character’s lives follow the pattern of up and downs that rules the life of any literary being. Using excerpts and themes from this and other novels written by Campbell I will bring to light the chilling parallels between both dramas. Both Harry Potter and King Arthur lived lives that were chosen by them. This may seem obvious as their lives were written out by their author’s imagination, but in the novels themselves their fates were pre-destined. Harry Potter was the only person ever to survive Lord Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra curse, also known as the killing curse. Any time that someone does something for the first time–something that was thought impossible–they are immediately raised on a pedestal of awe and leadership. Having survived the curse, Harry thwarted Voldemort’s plan of world domination, therefore saving the wizarding world. Besides being the first to survive the curse, Harry was also the wizarding community’s savior, and he was only one year old. So at a very early age Harry already had a reputation to live up to. What put the final seal on the situation was Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy which stated that â€Å"neither can live while the other survives,† meaning that when Voldemort returned to conquer the world Harry would be the only one capable of saving everyone†¦again. No pressure Harry. His destiny was chosen for him, but then again isn’t every protagonist’s destiny chosen for them in a sense? The magician Merlin, who is living life backwards was already aware of who Arthur was going to be when he urged Uther Pendragon to give him his first born child in exchange for his help to lay with the Duke of Cornwall’s wife, Lady Igraine. Merlin knew Arthur would grow up to be King and save Britain from the Saxons when he saw the Wart stumbling across the forest floor in T.H. White’s â€Å"The Sword in the Stone.† So the fact that he knew Arthur would become King when he asked Uther for his child means that Merlin is the person who chose Arthur’s fate. Had it not been for his request to receive Arthur, Uther would never have given him over and perhaps Arthur would never have become King. Furthermore, Merlin was the one who placed the sword in the stone and prophesied that whoever pulls it out would become King. Merlin already knew that Arthur was of noble blood, but had he not placed the sword in that stone nobody would have known that Arthur was the heir to the throne. So not only did Merlin arrange for King Arthur to actually be born, but he also arranged for the circumstances that made his nobility come to life, therefore Merlin steered Arthur’s destiny. Arthur and Harry were also raised in complete ignorance of their true lineage. Merlin knew that Arthur would not be safe with the Duke of Cornwall on the prowl for Uther’s heir, so he hid him away with a knight named Sir Ector. Knowing that Arthur would be safe Merlin went to live in the woods nearby, and left him alone until his services were needed again. Therefore Arthur grew up thinking he was Sir Ector’s nephew and had no idea of his noble heritage. He lived comfortably enough and managed to gain the proper morals and code of honor that would one day benefit him as King. Harry was not so lucky. From what we surmise from JK’s novels, Harry Potter would have lived quite a comfortable and quiet life had he not been thrown into tragedy when Voldemort attacked. On the night of the attack Harry was barely a year old, and his parents and he were quietly enjoying their evening at Godric’s Hollow. Voldemort burst in and massacred James and Lilly Potter, Harry’s parents, but when he attempted to kill Harry, the love that Harry’s mother had shown in trying to protect her child formed a sort of protective barrier which caused the curse to bounce back and strike Voldemort. Dumbledore hid the orphaned Harry with his Aunt and Uncle Dursley, who wished to have nothing to do with him due to his being of â€Å"that lot,† meaning a wizard. For eleven years Harry grew up hated and ridiculed with his aunt and uncle, not having a clue of his magical world connections. At this point we notice that while Arthur grew up comfortably with his loving foster family, Harry grew up hated and down trod with his unbearable aunt and uncle. Also, while Arthur’s foster brother Kay greatly helped him on quests and adored him as his own brother, Harry was bullied and annoyed by his cousin Dursley. Another striking similarity between Arthur and Harry is that they both exist to protect and save the people they lead. When Harry unwittingly vanquished Lord Voldemort as a young baby he saved the wizarding community from the greatest threat it had ever faced, at least until Voldemort returned in The Goblet of Fire. So from a surprisingly early age Harry was the savior of his people. When he attended Hogwarts and became a prominent figure in the lives of many people he was not only their â€Å"leader,† but their savior. After Lord Voldemort had returned to power Dumbledore started to guess that he and Harry would be pitted against one another until one was vanquished. This was made certain by was Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy: â€Å"‘The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches†¦ born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies†¦ and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not†¦ and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives†¦ the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So once again Harry was made the only one capable of saving the world from the evils of Marvolo Riddle, or Lord Voldemort. The power which he had that Voldemort knew nothing about was his deceased mother’s love, which made it possible for baby Harry and teenage Harry to thwart Voldemort on every attempt he made to conquer the wizarding world. In the final part of J.K Rowling’s thrilling series Harry vanquishes Lord Voldemort once and for all, therefore f ulfilling his prophecy and saving â€Å"his people.† Arthur also was presented as a hero and savior for his subjects. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, historian and author of History of the Kings of Britain, around 1100 Britain was overrun by Saxons, Picts, and Scots. Arthur came about due to the subdued and downtrodden imaginations of the British people. Whenever a people are subject to tyranny they create heroes and saviors. Arthur was the product of poverty, hunger and injustice, so in the Arthurian legends he is the ultimate hero, the total savior and the peace bringer of Camelot. Another similarity between both heroes is that Arthur is helped on his way to victory by the legendary Sword Excalibur, and Harry defeated Lord Voldemort with the aid of The Elder Wand. As both novels developed the presences of many characters guide the protagonists in the right direction, but none more so than their mentor and protector. For Harry it is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and for Arthur it is the enigmatic Merlin. Harry was hidden for his own safety by Dumbledore and throughout the whole series he was nudged in the right direction by him. In the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry how the Mirror of Erised works, in the Chamber of Secrets he sends Fawkes to rescue him from Slytherin’s Heir and the basilisk, in The Prisoner of Azkaban he gives Hermione the Time Turner†¦there are a cornucopia of examples on how Dumbledore is always helping Harry along the way. Although J.K. Rowling claims that Dumbledore had flaws and was ‘gay,’ he was still one of my favorite characters due to his complete devotion to the novel’s cause: defeating Lord Voldemort. In this sense Dumbledore is Harry’s main parent al figure, aside from his Godfather, Sirius, and he sees him through all the hard times. Merlin is that reason that Arthur exists. So if anything, you could sort of call Merlin Arthur’s father. Not only did he arrange for the birth of Britain’s greatest king, but he made him king by putting the sword in the stone. He guided Arthur through his quests and adventures and made him Lord of the Knights of the Round Table. Whenever anyone thinks about Arthurian legend they think of Merlin. Merlin, who found Wart wondering in the woods. Merlin, who taught him valuable life lessons by turning him into different animals. Merlin, who gave him the marvelous sword Excalibur. In both books the mentors are described as having long, white, flowing beards, pointed hats with stars and astrological robes of purple, half rimmed spectacles and twinkling blue eyes. Is it coincidence that J.K. had all these parallels between Arthur and Harry AND Dumbledore and Merlin? Both Harry and Arthur lead very distinguished, eventful and public lives. The life of the hero isn’t an easy one, but it is quite rewarding. As Campbell puts it â€Å"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself† (Campbell). Both of these heroes have accepted their fate and played the role perfectly. A common thread found in most hero stories is the chance at immortality. Campbell writes in his novel, â€Å"The Hero With A Thousand Faces,† that â€Å"To this very day, the possibility of physical immortality charms the heart of man† (Campbell, 188). All hero figures, from Gilgamesh, to Buddha, to Jesus, even Arthur and Harry are all presented with immortality. This longing for eternal life can be understood when we see what a hero is and how man (and woman in JK’s case), fears death. As we know, a hero is spawned during times of upheaval and social distress. Arthur was thought up during the Saxon’s occupation of England and Harry was born when J.K. needed to be saved from poverty and discontent. Whenever a peoples is oppressed they think of becoming rich, overcoming their difficulties and living forever. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry is presented with the opportunity to keep the Sorcerer’s Stone, from which he can create the Elixir of Life, enabling him to live forever. In the Deathly Hallows he was searching for the three Deathly Hallows, one of which was the resurrection stone. The Resurrection Stone made it so that Harry could bring back anyone from the dead. Yet because he didn’t want the Sorcerer’s stone or the Resurrection stone for his own use, he made himself immortal in a different way. He made himself immortal in his follower’s memories and in his many fans’ minds. Arthur, also, had the chance at immortality. On his quest for the Holy Grail he was presented many times with challenges and dilemmas for which the reward was immortality. When Arthur is killed by his son Mordred, he is then taken to the Isle of Avalon to be treated. A popular legend, current among the British people, claimed that King Arthur had never actually died and that he would one day return to his people when their need was great. In this sense King Arthur was thought to be the perfect man, pure of sin. Harry is similarly clean of sin – as Dumbledore tells him in Half-Blood Prince, â€Å"In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, just as pure as you were at the age of eleven.† Finally, the greatest parallel between both heroes is the quest. The myths and legends surrounding King Arthur center on the quest for the Holy Grail. According to legend, King Arthur saw the Grail in a vision, and subsequently he and his knights attempted to find the Grail. The Holy Grail and the vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper that was then used by St. Joseph to catch the blood of Christ were then thought to be the same cup. While the location of the Grail was forgotten over time, there was a prophecy at the Court of King Arthur that the Grail would one day be rediscovered by a descendant of St. Joseph. According to the prophecy, the person who would find the Grail would be the person designated to sit in the Siege Perilous, the perfect seat at the round table. This would be Sir Galahad. In comparison Harry Potter is also on a quest. In fact seven quests, one for each book written. Each one of the Harry Potter books written involves quests. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Voldemort is on a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone to achieve immortality. Voldemort’s quest becomes Harry’s quest, as Harry believes himself to be the only one capable of stopping Voldemort from obtaining the Stone once he learns that Dumbledore has left Hogwarts. The quest takes Harry through a series of obstacles, and while he is accompanied at first by Ron and Hermione, it is he alone – like Galahad – who must complete the quest and save the Stone from Voldemort. Philosopher’s Stone actually tells us about two quests – the quest for the Stone, as well as Voldemort’s quest to kill the boy who has been prophesized to be the only one who can be his undoing. As Galahad’s seat is marked with his name, signifying that he is the only one who can find the Grail, Voldemort’s attack on Harry as a baby leaves him marked with the scar that signifies Harry as Voldemor t’s equal and as the only one who can vanquish Voldemort. Also, Harry is the only one who can achieve the quest for the stone, like Galahad is the only one who can find the Holy Grail. As in Arthurian legend, Harry is not the only one who embarks on quests through the Harry Potter series. In Philosopher’s Stone, Voldemort uses Quirrell to try to find the Stone. The entire Hogwarts teaching staff (with the one notable exception of Professor Lockhart) is looking for the Chamber of Secrets in Book Two. The Dementors are searching for Sirius Black in Prisoner of Azkaban. The other contestants in the Triwizard Tournament, like Knights of the Round Table, are also on quests as they complete each Tournament task in Goblet of Fire. At the Yule Ball, the contestants and the judges even sit at a large round table. In Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort is on a quest to obtain the prophecy and regain his power. This signifies that many try, or feel compelled to achieve the status of hero, but the true hero doesn’t choose his destiny. The true hero becomes what he is because he has no choice, because it is in his blood. Like Harry and Arthur, who did not choose their future, and never wanted fame and glory, the true hero does things alone. There exists many parallels between both heroes and in finality we can conclude that this is no mere coincidence. Rowling must have intended to at least base her protagonist off of Britain’s greatest hero: King Arthur. The reason that J. K. Rowling is able to put so much life and actuality in her writings is that she herself has experienced much of what she writes. She was born on July 31st, 1965 in Gloucestershire, England. Divorced and living off of welfare Rowling wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on a napkin between her daughter’s naps. When Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published her life changed. Much like Harry’s life, Rowling’s has the characteristics of a fairy tale. Barely making a living she managed to get by and lived in a small apartment flat in Edinburgh, where she says she was rescued by Harry Potter. She was given money to finish her books and has since become richer than even the Queen. She has written the harshness and nightmares of her pre-Potter life into her books, which is why they appear so real. Whenever a people live an oppressed lifestyle they create saviors to rescue them, which is what J.K did. T.H White, on the other hand lived a pretty well off life, yet displeased with the world he too re-made a hero for himself, Arthur. There isn’t much in common between both authors other than their British descent and the fact that they write. Their language is also very similar and the way they write is strikingly alike. Perhaps it’s the fact that they both attended Exeter college? In the quest for literary glory, both authors overcame tremendous upheaval and problems of a bad economic start. Yet they both wrote novels that changed mankind, and that continued the Hero’s journey through literature. It is certain true then, that â€Å"There is only one hero, and he has a thousand faces† (HWTF, Campbell). BIBLIOGRAPHY White, T.H. â€Å"The Sword in the Stone.† Random House, Inc. October 1963 Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.† Cornell Books Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Campbell, Joseph. â€Å"The Hero With A Thousand Faces.† New World Library Books, 1949, First Ed.

The Poetry Of A. E. Housman Essays - A. E. Housman, Free Essays

The Poetry Of A. E. Housman Essays - A. E. Housman, Free Essays The Poetry of A. E. Housman Housman was born in Burton-On-Trent, England, in 1865, just as the US Civil War was ending. As a young child, he was disturbed by the news of slaughter from the former British colonies, and was affected deeply. This turned him into a brooding, introverted teenager and a misanthropic, pessimistic adult. This outlook on life shows clearly in his poetry. Housman believed that people were generally evil, and that life conspired against mankind. This is evident not only in his poetry, but also in his short stories. For example, his story, "The Child of Lancashire," published in 1893 in The London Gazette, is about an child who travels to London, where his parents die, and he becomes a street urchin. There are veiled implications that the child is a homosexual (as was Housman, most probably), and he becomes mixed up with a gang of similar youths, attacking affluent pedestrians and stealing their watches and gold coins. Eventually he leaves the gang and becomes wealthy, but is attacked by the same gang (who don't recognize him) and is thrown off London Bridge into the Thames, which is unfortunately frozen over, and is killed on the hard ice below. Housman's poetry is similarly pessimistic. In fully half the poems the speaker is dead. In others, he is about to die or wants to die, or his girlfriend is dead. Death is a really important stage of life to Housman; without death, Housman would probably not have been able to be a poet. (Housman, himself, died in 1937.) A few of his poems show an uncharacteristic optimism and love of beauty, however. For example, in his poem "Trees," he begins: "Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Hung low with bloom along the bow Stands about the woodland side A virgin in white for Eastertide" ...and ends: "Poems are made by fools like me But only God can make a tree." (This is a popular quotation, yet most people don't know its source!) Religion is another theme of Housman's. Housman seems to have had trouble reconciling conventional Christianity with his homosexuality and his deep clinical depression. In "Apologia pro Poemate Meo" he states: "In heaven-high musings and many Far off in the wayward night sky, I would think that the love I bear you Would make you unable to die [death again] Would God in his church in heaven Forgive us our sins of the day, That boy and man together Might join in the night and the way." I think that the sense of hopelessness and homosexual longing is unmistakable. However, these themes went entirely over the heads of the people of Housman's day, in the early 1900s. The best known collection of Housman's poetry is A Shropshire Lad, published in 1925, followed shortly by More Poems, 1927, and Even More Poems, 1928. Unsurprisingly, most collections have the same sense and style. They could easily be one collection, in terms of stylistic content. All show a sense of the fragility of life, the perversity of existence, and a thinly veiled homosexual longing, in spite of the fact that many of the poems apparently (but subliminally?) speak of young women. It is clear from these works that women were only a metaphor for love, which in Housman's case usually did not include the female half of society. More Poems contains perhaps the best statement of Housman's philosophy of life, a long, untitled poem (no. LXIX) with oblique references to the town of his birth, Burton-on-Trent, and statements like: "And while the sun and moon endure Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure..." Indeed, how much more pessimistic can one be? Not only a poet and storyteller, Housman was a noted classical scholar. He is known for his extensive translations of the Greek classics, especially Greek plays by Euripides and Sophocles. Unfortunately, the bulk of his manuscripts were lost in a disastrous fire in his office at Oxford, which was caused by a lit cigar falling into a stack of papers. There were rumors that Housman was hidden in a closet with a young boy at the time, and therefore did not see the fire in his own office until it was too late to extinguish it. The Trustees of the college, however, managed to squelch the rumors, and Housman's academic tenure was not threatened by the incident.

pollock essays

pollock essays Jackson Pollock was a trailblazing painter. He was also an alcoholic, a manic-depressive and completely out of control. Truth of the matter is, though, there are a lot of brilliant, self-destructive people in the world. What the movie Pollock has to do... and ultimately fails to do... is make us believe there is a reason that we should be more interested in him than all the other brilliant self-destructive people in the world. Yes, his painting was revolutionary, but we can see that in a museum, why should we have to sit through this movie? Pollock doesnt even have faith in its source material. Other characters are constantly telling him (and by extension, the audience) how brilliant and revolutionary his art was when the paintings themselves should do the talking. Ed Harris (who also directed) does an incredible job of portraying Pollock, but in the end Jackson Pollock was an unlikable, selfish, chronically insecure man which makes it real tough to care about the centerpiece of your story. Marcia Gay Harden also does well with the essentially thankless role of his wife Lee Krasner, another artist who gave up her career to manage his, and to put up with his whims and foul moods. Fine performances by the likes of Jennifer Connelly, Jeffrey Tambor, Stephanie Seymour and Amy Madigan are also pretty much wasted, all they really get to do is stroke Pollocks ego, then look away in embarrassment when he flies off the handle and does something anti-social. Jackson Pollocks art may have been unique, but his life story seems to have been pretty standard fare. (12/00) ...