The Fall of the House of Usher; More then Meets the Eye Essay Example for Free

The Fall of the House of Usher; More then Meets the Eye Essay The Fall of the House of Usher written by Edgar Allen Poe was written in 1839, as the age of enlightenment and reason were on the rise. It is a horror gothic story, with an atmosphere of evil, as well as a sublime that overwhelmed the reader with fear. The Fall of the House of Usher is not only a dark romantic, written with a great deal attention to imagery, enhancing the parallelism and symbolism that arises as a correlation between the house the Ushers live and the family itself. When first beginning the story, the dark and gloomy imagery is interring, leaving the reader with a desire to continue reading. However, it soon becomes apparent that special attention is casted on the condition the house is in: â€Å"Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web work for the eaves†¦ there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of pars, and the crumbling condition of individual stones†¦the fabric gave little token of instability†¦ eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barley perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn.† (Poe, 25) The house its self could be drafted as a character, as a great deal of attention description was put into it. However the house its self is not the only dynamic that Poe focused on when writing, The Usher Family was drafted to be complex as well. Madeline Usher was defined by her illness: â€Å"the disease of the lady Madeline had long baffled the skill of her physicians. A settled apathy, a gradual wasting away of the person, and frequent although transient affections of partially cataleptically character, were the unusual diagnosis. (Poe, 28) It was Roderick Usher however that was the most dynamic. Once a healthy man, is now a â€Å"mere exaggeration of the prevailing character of these features, and of the expression they were wont to convey, lay so much change that I doubted to whom I spoke.†(Poe, 26) His deterioration resembles that of the house, having once been a flourishing mansion, with upkeep. It is now simply falling to the ground day by day- much like Roderick him self. Upon reading The Fall of the House of Usher it becomes clear that the â€Å"House of Usher† does not only signify the house the family resides in but also the family line, as their will be no one to carry on the family name, when they pass, thusly the â€Å"house† will disappear all together. Both the internal state of the family and the external state of the house are paralleled in The Fall of the House of Usher. Poe made a significant correlation between â€Å"the crumbling condition of individual stones† (Poe, 25) and Madeline’s deteriorating condition. Instability within the household is also defiantly visible, as it is clear that both Roderick and Madeline experience insanity in different ways, this instability is once again paralleled by the fabric mentioned in the description of the house. Roderick’s insanity was mentioned as: the manner of my friend I was struck with an incoherence an inconsistencyhabitual trepidancy, and excessive nervous agitationHis action was alternately vivacious and sullen. His voice varied rapidly from a tremulous indecisionto thatof the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium (Poe, 26) Nevertheless, it was the barley visible fissure that Poe mentions that seems to be a symbol for the family the most, it was not until the final pages that it becomes clear that the House of Usher is more then just the house itself and the fissure becomes a symbol for the family falling apart. Upon being buried, Madeline rises from the cellar and her presence upon weeks of being in the cellar, results in the death of her brother. However the narrator notes that while looking back that the house â€Å"fissure rapidly widened†¦ my brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder†¦ the deep and dank tarn as my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the â€Å"House of Usher.† (Poe, 36) The symbolism between the house collapsing as well as the deterioration of the family dynamic is crucial to the understanding that the house and the family are one. Adding to the short story a great deal of depth, making it much more then just another short story with a great sublime and gothic feel. This technique may slip through many readers attention, however if an analysis and a further in-depth reading is done, the story gains dynamic and meaning. Leaving the reader with more then met the eye. Work Cited Page Stott, Jon C. and Raymond E.Jone. The Harbrace Anthology of Short Fiction. Tronto, Ontario: Nelson Education Ltd. 2012. Print. Text used: Edgar Allen Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher. Pages 23-26.

Mystery in Charlotte Brontes Napoleon and the Spectre and Charles Dick

Mystery in Charlotte Bronte's "Napoleon and the Spectre" and Charles Dickens' "Signalman" The two stories that I have been studying are 'Napoleon and the Spectre' and the 'Signalman' written by Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens respectively. Both the stories are set in the nineteenth century, a period of time when the country was experiencing rapid change. Bronte's story 'Napoleon and the Spectre' is a story about the Emperor of France who at that time was a leading figure in society, a symbol and trademark of France's important position in the world. Napoleon was a gallant and valiant soldier and he supposedly murdered General Pichegru. In the story Napoleon comes in to contact with a strange supernatural creature who entices him and takes him on a deeply strange tour of the streets of Paris. Napoleon allows himself to be taken on this tour partly due to his courageousness and the fact that the ghost exerts a power over him, encouraging him on with enticing remarks such as, 'Follow me Napoleon and though shall seek more.' With Bronte's story being on one side of the spectrum Dickens is on the other as it tells a completely different type of story. It is once again set in roughly the same period of time when the civilized world was in the middle of a period of great change as the country was gripped in the Industrial Revolution. The Revolution saw the beginning of the steam railway, the introduction of telegraphs and the availability of electricity, all this was the catalyst for the class divide to become more exaggerated, with the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer. It was also the period in which people were still generally strict Christians and Catholics, sceptical to anything n... ...r particularly interested in what the eventual outcome of the story will be. I feel it doesn't meet the necessary criteria to be a good short story, it is not entertaining nor exciting, but more a social/historical commentary of that time. Dickens saw it as his role to write about the plight of the poor and under privileged and wanted to encourage people to think about social inequalities. Where 'Signalman' has its short comings, Bronte's 'Napoleon and the Spectre' meets the criteria perfectly, it is short, has the necessary excitement and action to have an impact on the reader, which is what the aim of a short story should be. Bronte sensationalises a public figure and portrays him as a 'bad' man, consequently it could be said that this story also carries a moral in that we should be accountable for our actions no matter what our position in life may be.

“In Training” By Helen Lawson Essay

Helen Lawson uses a number of sound and picture devices in the poem â€Å"In Training†. How do they help us to enhance her description of the swimmer and the river?We have all seen a swimmer racing at all sports competition before, â€Å"In Training†, by Helen Lawson brings back the thoughts in our memory but moves the background setting to a calm, smooth river in the morning. The poem uses a series of sound and picture devices to help us imagine the swimmer powering through the water. Lawson explains the swimmer’s movements and uses extensive comparisons to help produce detailed pictures in the reader’s mind. Similes are a comparison between two people, places or things. This helps to create a picture in the reader’s mind of what the poet is portraying. There are a number of similes in the poem,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦leaves/ that hang like a veil†, refer to a series of branches drooping over the river to resemble a veil. â€Å"Like a velvet glove†, describes the river gently folding over her as she dives into the cool water of the river. â€Å"†¦velvet glove†, pictures the water grasping onto her as she streamlines underwater. These similes help to describe the image of the swimmer by relating to similar objects. Metaphors are used effectively in this poem to make a more direct comparison. These metaphors help in describing the swimmer and her surrounding with more detail. â€Å"Over the glass ribbon† portrays the river’s water to look clear and â€Å"glassy like in appearance†. â€Å"Then she is an engine† describes the swimmer powering through the water. Just like an engine, as she swims through the water her body moves in a repetitive and rhythmic way. Also, for an engine to function all the parts need to work together. The swimmer uses her legs and arms together to swim strongly. The metaphors used are very useful to help picture the swimmer in ones mind. Personification is used to make an object seem human like, even though it is non living, Lawson uses personification to give the impression of human feelings and movements. â€Å"Dawn Whispers† describes the sounds of the morning leaves and trees rustling in the light and fragile wind. â€Å"The river/ gently enfolds her† reflects on the river closing in and filling the empty spaces around the swimmer as she dives into the water. â€Å"†¦Morning’s secrets†,  describes happenings that only happen in the morning, some of the mornings hidden secrets that can only be seen in the early hours of the day. Personification is an effective form of describing movements and action of non living things, Lawson uses personification very well in this poem. Onomatopoeia is a sound device used in poems to give the impression of sound and effects. â€Å"Stirring the leaves† gives the impression of leaves rustling in the wind. Another example of onomatopoeia is â€Å"†¦ bursts through the surface†, this sentence gives the sound of a big rush of water as she surfaces. â€Å"†¦explosion of action and sound†, portrays water been splashed up by the powerful body movements. The swimmer and the water’s movements and sounds are clearly shown in the text and can be visualized easily. â€Å"In Training† is effective at portraying the swimmers burning desire to win. The poem helps us to feel the swimmer’s want to succeed by starting slowly, complimenting the calm setting of the story, but then building up to large and powerful words. This follows the pace of the swimmer. The swimmer starts slowly, but by the end is powering through the water, splashing up droplets of water that catch the sunshine. I can greatly reflect on this poem, times in the past I had the same passion, but also currently in my life, I have the same burning desire to win and succeed. References: – â€Å"In Training†, Helen Lawson (Poem)- Helen Lawson – An Analysis, Unknown Author (2005)

Carcinogen Definition What Are Carcinogens

A carcinogen is defined as any substance or radiation that promotes cancer formation or carcinogenesis. Chemical carcinogens may be natural or synthetic, toxic or non-toxic. Many carcinogens are organic in nature, such as benzo[a]pyrene and viruses. An example of carcinogenic radiation is ultraviolet light.   How Carcinogens Work Carcinogens prevent normal cell death (apoptosis) from occurring so cellular division is uncontrolled. This results in a tumor. If the tumor develops the ability to spread or metastasize (becomes malignant), cancer results. Some carcinogens damage DNA, however, if significant genetic damage occurs, usually a cell simply dies. Carcinogens alter cellular metabolism in other ways, causing affected cells to become less specialized and either masking them from the immune system or else preventing the immune system from killing them. Everyone is exposed to carcinogens every day, yet not every exposure leads to cancer. The body uses several mechanisms to remove carcinogens or repair/remove damaged cells: Cells recognize many carcinogens and attempt to render them harmless through biotransformation.  Biotransformation increases the solubility of a carcinogen in water, making it easier to flush from the body. However, sometimes biotransformation increases the carcinogenicity of a chemical.DNA repair genes fix damaged DNA before it can replicate. Usually, the mechanism works, but sometimes the damage isnt fixed or is too extensive for the system to repair.Tumor suppressor genes ensure cell growth and division behave normally. If a carcinogen affects a proto-oncogene (gene involved in normal cell growth), the change can allow cells to divide and live when they ordinarily wouldnt. Genetic changes or hereditary predisposition play a role in carcinogen activity. Examples of Carcinogens Radionuclides are carcinogens, whether or not they are toxic, because they emit alpha, beta, gamma, or neutron radiation that can ionize tissues. Many types of radiation are carcinogenic, such as ultraviolet light (including sunlight), x-rays, and gamma rays. Usually, microwaves, radio waves, infrared light, and visible light are not considered carcinogenic because the photons dont have enough energy to break chemical bonds. However, there are documented cases of usually safe forms of radiation being associated with increased cancer rate with prolonged high-intensity exposure. Foods and other materials that have been irradiated with electromagnetic radiation (e.g., x-rays, gamma rays) are not carcinogenic. Neutron irradiation, in contrast, can make substances carcinogenic through secondary radiation. Chemical carcinogens include carbon electrophiles, which attack DNA. Examples of carbon electrophiles are mustard gas, some alkenes, aflatoxin, and benzo[a]pyrene. Cooking and processing foods can produce carcinogens. Grilling or frying food, in particular, can produce carcinogens such as acrylamide (in french fries and potato chips) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (in grilled meat). Some of the main carcinogens in cigarette smoke are benzene, nitrosamine, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many of these compounds are found in other smoke, too. Other important chemical carcinogens are formaldehyde, asbestos, and vinyl chloride. Natural carcinogens include aflatoxins (found in grains and peanuts), the hepatitis B and human papillomaviruses, the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, and the liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis and Oposthorchis veverrini. How Carcinogens Are Classified There are many different systems of classifying carcinogens, generally based on whether a substance is known to be carcinogenic in humans, a suspected carcinogen, or a carcinogen in animals. Some classification systems also allow for labeling a chemical as unlikely to be a human carcinogen. One system is that used by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO). Group 1: known human carcinogen, likely to cause cancer under typical exposure circumstancesGroup 2A: probably a human carcinogenGroup 2B: possibly a human carcinogenGroup 3: not classifiableGroup 4: probably not a human carcinogen Carcinogens may be categorized according to the type of damage they cause. Genotoxins are carcinogens that bind to DNA, mutate it, or cause irreversible damage. Examples of genotoxins include ultraviolet light, other ionizing radiation, some viruses, and chemicals such as N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU). Nongenotoxins dont damage DNA, but they promote cell growth and/or prevent programmed cell death. Examples of nongenotoxic carcinogens are some hormones and other organic compounds. How Scientists Identify Carcinogens The only certain way to know whether a substance is a carcinogen is to expose people to it and see if they develop cancer. Obviously, this is neither ethical nor practical, so most carcinogens are identified in other ways. Sometimes an agent is predicted to cause cancer because it has a similar chemical structure or effect on cells as  a known carcinogen. Other studies are conducted on cell cultures and lab animals, using much higher concentrations of chemicals/viruses/radiation than a person would encounter. These studies identify suspected carcinogens because the action in animals may be different in humans. Some studies use epidemiological data to find trends in human exposure and cancer. Procarcinogens and Co-carcinogens Chemicals that are not carcinogenic, but become carcinogens when they are metabolized in the body are called procarcinogens. An example of a procarcinogen is nitrite, which is metabolized to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. A co-carcinogen or promoter is a chemical that doesnt cause cancer on its own but promotes carcinogen activity. The presence of both chemicals together increases the likelihood of carcinogenesis. Ethanol (grain alcohol) is an example of a promoter.