Summary of Sam Shepard’s play: Buried Child

Buried child was penned down by Sam Shepard in 1978. This play is one of the Sam Shepard’s master pieces of all time. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Shepard received the Gold Medal for Drama from the Academy in 1992, and in 1994 he was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. Shepard is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of more than forty five plays. Shepard won Obie Awards for eleven of his plays including Buried Child. (Amazon) In his family drama, Buried Child, Shepard takes a shocking look at an American Midwestern Family who has buried their dark secret in the field.This takes a form of paradox because the characters seem intricately entangled to each other by dark secrets; they are also for all time alone. In the start of the play Halie and Dodge engage into a hilariously gaunt quarrel wich they seem to have been having forever. Married to Halie, 65 year old, Dodge is seventy years old drunkard, smoker and frequently has violent coughing outbursts. He is seventy years old. Halie spends time with the church Father. The father is an alcoholic and likes to spend time with women. He enjoys the not-so-secret affair with Halie.Dodge fathered three children with Halie. Tilden, the oldest son shows up after 20 years. Tilden was an All-American quarterback or fullback. Now he is mixed up in the head and can't take care of himself. Bradley is not considered very bright; he chopped his leg in a chainsaw accident. Bradley has serious discrepancy with Dodge. Ansel, the soldier died in a motel, on his honeymoon with the Catholic Italian girl. Haley believes that Ansel got unlucky the day he married. (Amazon) Vince, Tilden’s son, arrives at the farm house but nobody recognizes him.When Vince brings his girlfriend, Shelly, home to meet his family, she is at first charmed by the â€Å"normal† looking farm house. Bizarrely, no one seems to remember Vince at first, and they treat him as a trespasser and imposter. Ultimately, they r eluctantly agree on acknowledging him as a part of their greatly dysfunctional family. Slowly and gradually, the dark secret that the old couple has been hiding from their children and grandchildren starts to pop out like a seed grows and the plant pops out tearing the earth.Long time back, Dodge buried an unwanted child (the product of an incest relationship between Tilden and his mother) in an undisclosed location. From that point onward, the entire family lived under a cloud of shame that is at last chased away when Tilden discovers the ill-fated child's remains and carries it upstairs to his mother. This act seems to wash out the family of its curse. Corn grows in the fields where nothing would grow for years. The play ends with a declaration of hope from Halie.(Theatre) The most important symbol used in the play is the rain, that lets the crops in the field grow. At the beginning of the play rain falls on the family’s farmhouse and all its visitors, washing away the dirt and the smell and, symbolically, the sins of their past. Some of the most powerful symbols in this play are associated with nature and fertility. The dead land where no crops have grown forever symbolizes Halie. It suggests that Halie was past menopause.The rain that brought the land to life and vegetation and plant life popped out of the dead earth. This particularly symbolizes Tilden’s potential of conceiving a child with his own middle aged mother. Tilden handles to reap the bare fields. (Amazon) References: Buried Child by Sam Shepard, Amazon. com, Amazon (2010), web, July 11, 2010 from http://www. amazon. com/Sam-Shepard-Starving-Turista-Tongues/dp/0553346113 Buried Child, Theatre database, Plot synopsis, n. d. web, July 11, 2010 from http://www. theatredatabase. com/20th_century/buried_child. html

People Have Become Overly Dependent on Technology Essay

The world today is more dependent on technology than ever. Over 90% of Americans today own a computerized gadget (Gahran, 2011). People receive email and text messages on cell phones, order fast food online, cars can park themselves, and even when we are driving, the traffic lights are controlled by a centralized computer system (Greenman, 1998). But what is all this access to technology doing to humans? What would we do if our high-tech gadgets failed us do to a wide-spread lack of power or cyber-related attack? The fact is that people of become so dependent on technology that they aren’t prepared for service interruptions. With non-disaster related blackouts up 124% since the early 90’s (Patterson, 2010) and disruptive weather patterns on the rise, people should begin to take steps to break their dependence on technology, or at least have better planning in place when the things do go dark. We should also be more aware of what information is available about us online. The most damaging information is often information released willingly, with little regard for who is viewing it. Read more: Is Society too Dependent on Technology Essay People are too dependent on technology related services for communication, internet commerce, and social media. Technology has had a huge effect on the way people communicate. Many people have traded the convenience of a wired phone in their homes in favor of only cellular phone service. In fact, a study in June 2010 showed that more than one in four homes only has cellular service, up from 13. 6 percent in 2007 (Blumberg, 2011). It’s not just urban areas that have seen in increase in cellular service, every state in the US experienced an increase (Blumberg, 2011). Electing to only subscribe to cellular service is dangerous because cellular phones require frequent charging to function. Additionally, the cellular towers must have power to provide adequate coverage of the signal. Finally, in the event of an emergency, cellular signals can become overloaded. Last August when the East Coast experienced an earthquake, cellular service was disrupted in the DC area for as much as 20 minutes due to the overwhelmed relay stations (Goldman, 2011). Wired phone service doesn’t require power to operate. Choosing to retain wired phone service is one way we can reduce our reliance on technology. You can’t write a paper about technology without mentioning the impact of the internet. For many of us, internet related technologies have forever changed how we work and play. The internet can bring vast amounts of information, entertainment, and conveniences to our fingertips. However, it can also bring unwanted guests in the form of cybercriminals and spammers. A computer virus disguised as or targeting one of these amenities could have serious effects on our personal finances and privacy. Internet commerce has changed the landscape of the business world. Amazon. com and Google have been become two of the most powerful companies in the world, ranking #56 and #73 on the 2012 list of the Fortune 500, but how? Amazon uses the internet to link sellers to consumers, taking a small percentage of the transaction in the process (Kay). When this process is repeated millions of times a day, profits roll in. Google on the other hand generates most of its revenue through advertising (Google). The Amazon’s and Google’s become dangerous when crooks get involved. With Amazon there are many fraud reports concerning both the buyers and sellers. Since Amazon is just the company that brings the parties together, they will investigate but are not liable for fraud. Some of Google’s ads have been unknowingly infected with malware and computer viruses (Mills, 2010). The perpetrators of the Amazon fraud and Google viruses have one goal; your personal information. Information gained from internet commerce transaction can be used to steal your identity. We need to demand that these retailers work harder to eradicate these crooks from penetrating their networks. Social media has become the next big thing in the internet media revolution. People can give friends and family up to the minute updates on their activities and events. Ever look at a typical teenager’s Facebook page? It often reads like a book of their thoughts, ideas, and sensitive information. Allowing this type of access to our most private information could have personal ramifications for years. The internet’s memory is unlimited. What may be funny, interesting, or newsworthy today may not be interesting in the future. In fact, what we say and post online has become the items that make up our â€Å"online footprint† (Clark, 2009). This online footprint is being used by potential employers as a background check type tactic to gain access to people’s private information. Users of social media sites are basically giving their personal information away. A recent study found that 13% of Facebook users and 92% of Twitter users connect with anyone who initiates a connection request (Bradley, 2009). We need to be smarter about what we post and who we allow access to. All users of social media must learn to educate themselves about the privacy policies of these social media outlets before they join and post information. As mentioned, people are too dependent on technology related services for communication, internet commerce, and social media. These technologies in particular have lowered our defenses to cyber criminals and make us less prepared if a true disaster strikes. We need to learn to use these technologies in the proper context and take the appropriate precautions to ensure that our lives are not adversely affected if technology fails us.

Abortion Essays (4361 words) - United States Law, Abortion

A couple decades ago, when abortion was illegal, thousands of women died because they did not want to bear an infant and attempted to terminate the child's life by themselves or with an unprofessional approach. After 1973's Supreme Court decision, which allowed women to have the choice to abortion, thousands of women were saved. Abortion can save thousands of lives of women and thus, should remain legal in the United States. Imagine you have a balance beam. On one side you have the physical life of an infant and on the other you have the mental and emotional life of a mother and her unwanted child. Which side can we, as civil humans, claim as more valuable? Up to this current day, abortion has become an exigent issue that faces everyone nationwide. As a moral and ethical issue, abortion is a dilemma for society. Abortion was illegal before the 1973 Supreme Court decision in the trial of Roe v. Wade, but now that abortion is legitimate, women have the freedom and the choice to live their life the way they want to. Albeit, abortion is criticized by religious sects in America and some of the public, the practice of abortion should remain legal in the U.S. because it allows a woman to choose her destiny and prevents unwanted children. Definitions are essential to define in this issue. Abortion is the forcible removal of a developing baby from the womb of his or her mother, using surgical, mechanical, or chemical means. Medical definition holds that abortion is any termination of pregnancy before 20 weeks. Medically defined, abortion is the "end of a pregnancy before viability." Therapeutic abortion is the termination of pregnancy via the intervention of a physician through surgery or the use of RU-486 or some other medications. Conception is a synonym for fertilization or creation. An embryo is a stage of prenatal mammalian development which extends from 2 to 8 weeks. Fertilization is the penetration of an ovum by a single sperm. A fetus is a stage of prenatal mammalian development which extends from 9 weeks after fertilization. Miscarriage is the interruption of pregnancy prior to the 7th month, usually used to refer to an expulsion of the fetus which starts without being induced by medical intervention. About a quarter of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage. An ovum is the mature sex cell generated by females in an ovary. Trimester is a period lasting nominally 3 months. A human pregnancy is often divided into three trimesters, from fertilization from birth. From a historical perspective, the purpose of abortion has been undoubtedly to act as a life saver for both child and mother. In the two decades before abortion was legal in America, it's been estimated that about one million women per year underwent illegal abortions. In the process, thousands of American women died and thousands more were maimed. Whenever a society outlaws abortions, it induces the women to seek abortions in the back alleys where they become deleterious, exorbitant, and tarnishing. Thus, to protect the woman's life, we must keep abortion legal in America. According to abortion statistics from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, about 15,000 women have had abortions each year because they become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. Fortunately, the nation's leaders were able to stop this butchery of women. In Roe v. Wade, a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1973, stated that a woman and her doctor may freely decide to abort a pregnancy during the first trimester, sta te governments can restrict abortion access after the first trimester with laws intended to protect the woman's health, and abortion after fetal viability must be available if the woman's health or life are at risk. In other situations, state governments have the right to prohibit abortions. Abortion, thereby, became authorized in the United States of America because the court decided to preserve the right to choose an abortion as a constitutionally protected liberty. It is possible for one to be supportive of abortion on a political level, but against abortion on a personal level. Although many individuals say this notion is contradictory, different people evidently have different morals and values based on religion, from parents, friends, family, experience, and knowledge.

ENVS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ENVS - Essay Example On the other hand, I used three Tissue papers and diverted then to garbage can. However, I have wasted a little juice in my glass. I used two more tissues. In the similar way, I have written down the weekly routine and the Assessment is as under. The weekly average of all my waste in combination and calculation becomes. At the end of the first day, I have thrown, one full egg, about 100 ml juice, 2 slice of the bread,100 gram of beef and little oil that is required to fry it. On the other hand, I have wasted 14 tissues, 3 notes papers and 5 computer papers. At the end of the second day, I have wasted one full egg; about 67 ml of juice, 2 and a half slice of bread, 67 gram of chicken and some oil to fry it. I have wasted 13 tissues, 4 notes paper and 2 computer papers. At the end of the second day, I have wasted one full egg; about 117 ml of juice, 2 and a half slice of bread, 132 gram of chicken and some oil to fry it. I have wasted 12 tissues, 5 notes paper and 6 computer papers. At the end of the second day, I have wasted one full egg; about 113 ml of juice, 1 and a half slice of bread, 106 gram of beef and some oil to fry it. I have wasted 11 tissues, 2 notes paper and 4 computer papers. At the end of the second day, I have wasted one full egg; about 109 ml of juice, 1 and a half slice of bread, 106 gram of chicken and some oil to fry it. ... I have wasted 17 tissues, 4 notes paper and 2 computer papers. Weekly Results In Packs My Food Waste 1 Littre Juice-16 slices of the Bread, 7 eggs, 375g Beef, 300 g Chicken and Half a litter oil, 212 ml of milk My Paper Waste Country Average 101 Tissues, 25 notes papers, 34 computer printed papers. 4 juice tetra packs Bottles and Plastic Can waste 3 milk bottles, 7 beverage bottles, 17 plastic bags, 8 plastic food cans. The pattern of the garbage shows that I am producing much waste but an Average person, in the country I live in, produces the similar quantity of the waste. There is need to change the way I live and the way, the food products are delivered. I am much surprised that I am producing such a massive amount of waste. There is need that I must reduce the waste by adopting the waste reducing tactics and planning. Most of the waste, I threw in the garbage, can be recycled. While, the food waste can be composted in order to extract the waste energy out of it. There is a need t o manage my food waste, as I am filing full glass with the juice while; I should fill half the glass and fill it again if I feel the necessity. In the similar way, I should take less slice of bread to reduce the waste. I realized that I am frying one egg daily in the breakfast just to fill the garbage. I should fry only one egg. In the similar way, I am filling full glass with the milk; I should fill half and take more if it is required. Beef and chicken should be cooked according to the need not more than the need. I realized that I use much tissue papers, I should use hand towel at home to reduce the need of tissue papers. On the other hand, the waste of computer printed papers and

A critical review of methods of water quality assessment Essay

A critical review of methods of water quality assessment - Essay Example As per the report of Chapman, it is easier to note that biological methods allow careful screening of any effect which may be arising because of any reservoir or water body (Hartje 2002). It should also be noted that the biological methods are applied in order to help measure the intensity of the change in the ecological cycle. However, there are many indicators which would give a clear idea as to what extent is being noted in terms of ecological change (Yamaguchi andWesselink 2000). These indicators can be dead fish or the changing colors of the water etc. At one hand these indicators might help in analyzing the changes which are undergoing in the ecological cycle while on the other hand there are some of the aquatic changes which will take place and cannot be identified without the usage of aquatic biota. One of the biological assessments which is being commonly used in order to undergo water quality assessment is the past time assessment of the environment (Dinar and Albiac 2009). This is in the context of the fact that aquatic organisms leave their traces to affect the ecological cycle which can be noted when the changes is already on its final stage. In simpler words, it is complicated for the biologists to evaluate the change in its initial stages (Roy, Oborne and David 2009). It is because of this reason that assessment is undertaken by considering past time and the present time of the environment. Another method which is being employed world wide is acute toxicity testing which is applied in cases where water is greatly affected by pollution (EnecoTech 2004). Chemical method for assessment of water quality is noted as a very expensive form of quality measuring tool. Chemical method does not show a longer duration result as in the biological method in which organisms give a longer period results. In this way assessment can be done without loosing any sample (Northern Territory Government

Discipline of planning policy in the UK Assignment

Discipline of planning policy in the UK - Assignment Example This paper is intended to explain the national, regional and local framework for planning policy and practice identifying the main instruments for plan making in the UK. The paper focuses on particular policies relating to sustainable urban regeneration and critically examines the impact which these polices have had on a selected city in England.The salient feature of the UK planning system consists in a paradox – being born and clearly rooted in local government practice (Cherry, 1988, p.72) during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it tended to be highly centralised over the time, but in contrast with many other countries, there is a lack of a spatial plan at national level (Balchin, Sykora and Bull, 1999, p.89). It may have its origins in the British governmental system which, as Cherry writes (1988, p.183) is generally characterised by three-component, interactive structure providing periodic responses to demand for reform and innovation. The first element is the bureaucracy (local government and the civil service) which is conservative in terms of outlook; the second are the active pressure groups – reformist in nature; and the third element is represented by the elected politicians who decide policy and implement the taken decisions. Given this scenario, planning regulations are categorically a political act and represent the outcome of conflict/degree of compromise between competing views. Plan making itself, being considered not just a technical activity, but deeply political, deriving legitimacy from values expressed in the community, has become a highly sophisticated process of complex bargaining and negotiation, in which powerful interests (including professions) ‘both mediate and promote their preferences’ (Cherry, 1988, p.184). There are three distinctive patterns of policy that dominated the post-war Britain, and which have left their imprint in the field of planning – the concept of welfare state manifested in the redistributive policies and decentralist land use strategies particularly characteristic of the period between the 1940s and 1970s; the significant neo-liberal shift in the 1980s characterised by interventionist practices – market-driven, ad hoc, piecemeal and responsive to particular pressures, with certain limitations on local government practice in terms of strategic role and oversight on town and environmental planning (Cherry, 1988, p.1

Make vs Buy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Make vs Buy - Assignment Example The restaurant is intended to sell diverse products, which include buffet, pizza, soup, sauces and desserts. In addition, the restaurant will have a self-service soda bar. Although there are other companies such as McDonalds serving the area, the prices of their products are not affordable to most people in Florida. Moreover, these companies do not have physical locations in the area but rely on suppliers. This means that Papa Geo has the potential of competing effectively in the market and possibly gaining competitive advantage (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The fact that the products of the company are rare in the market consequently highly demand makes the company more competitive. This will ensure that the company records high sales volume. Moreover, the company will register high sales volume because they produce variety, which gives consumers the ability and freedom of choice. Finally, the company strategy is effective because it attracts children too, which will boost sales since it will be assumed to a family restaurant (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The offers given by financial lending institution will be enough in setting up the business and repayment period is reasonable, which will grant the owner the opportunity to repay comfortably. Therefore, the business can be set up but it requires effective analysis and forecasting due to uncertainties in the business environment. Proper financial budgetary planning is fundamental in achieving the company’s strategy. Sale forecast forms the most critical part of this budget proposal because, it is through proper and accurate forecasts in sales that the entrepreneur would be able to determine the amount to repay either in monthly or annual basis. The above sales forecasts are made with the assumptions that one unit in the company goes at $7, and each individual in the 15-minute area purchases one unit