Oedipus the King Essay Example for Free

Oedipus the King Essay In Sophocles Oedipus the King, the themes of fate and free will are very strong throughout the play. Only one, however, brought about Oedipus downfall and death. Both points could be argued to great effect. In ancient Greece, fate was considered to be a rudimentary part of daily life. Every aspect of life depended and was based upon fate (Nagle 100). It is common belief to assume that mankind does indeed have free will and each individual can decide the outcome of his or her life. Fate and free will both decide the fate of Oedipus the King. Both sides of the argument can be greatly supported. The Greeks believed in the idea that personality of the individual greatly affected his or her life (Nagle 120). Their personality was what decides their own free will. A wise man will make good decisions in his life; an ignorant and stubborn man wont be so fortunate. The character traits of a person have a certain positive or negative affect on the choices that he or she makes. For Oedipus, one of these attributes was the desire for knowledge and truth about his own existence. This driving force in the play led to the truth of his origin. This ties in with his own aspect of free will. His free will is based on his drive for knowledge. Throughout the entire play, Oedipus pushes Tiresias, Creon, Jocasta, the oracle, the messenger, and the shepherd for information regarding his beginnings. Each one of these characters in some way or form refused to give him a thorough answer. As he draws closer to the answer, another character tries to stop his journey. Oedipus continues moving onward even though others request he didnt. Oh no, listen to me, I beg you, dont do this. Listen to you? No more. I must know it all, see the truth at last (Sophocles 195). His desire for truth kept pushing him to continue his search, ultimately leading to his downfall. The entire time Oedipus had the capability to discontinue the plight. However he made the independent decision to continue. Another instance where choices directly linked Oedipus to the prophecy was at the crossroads. Oedipus demonstrates an important trait in his character, stubbornness. This trait is visible when Oedipus reacted to the man pushing him aside at the crossroads. the one shouldering me aside, the driver, I strike him in anger! . I killed them allevery mothers son! (Sophocles 189). In ancient times when a caravan was coming down the road they usually pushed you to the side. Oedipus didnt like this and flipped out, killing all of them. It was his stubbornness that caused this to happen. His personality led to the decision to kill the caravan and unknowingly, his father too. If he were a wise and content man, then his decision would have differed. When Oedipus defeated the Sphinx by solving the riddle, he could have refused to take the missing kings throne. He could have also declined to marry the former kings wife, unaware that the queen was his own mother. He accepted both of these without any regrets. If his decision was different it might have altered the course of events in the future. His personality made sure that the decisions went the way they did. These choices were made by Oedipus with his own free will, his own decisions. He didnt have to accept these gifts, but did none the less. These conclusions would lead to his own demise, but they were his own mistakes, not fate. Free will can also be found in the actions of Jocasta and Laius. The choices they made were not made by their own judgement, but rather reactions to a situation that neither of them was prepared to deal with. Upon hearing the prophecy that foretold the future sins in their household; they made a harsh decision out of fear. They had little Oedipus sent to die at the foothills of a mountain. This reaction seems very cruel, but back in ancient times it was very natural. Being that an oracle foretold the prophecy, Jocasta and Laius responded as any Greek parents would. They solved the problem by removing Oedipus from the equation, but in the end their decision wasnt the right one. This leaves the readers of the play to wonder what might have happened if Jocasta and Lauis never sent Oedipus to die as an infant. Would the prophecy still have taken place? It seems that it wouldnt have, because Oedipus wouldnt have engaged in the misled wandering after he left his adopted home. Oedipus would have had no reason to fulfill the prophecy, but that is another question that we dont know. On the other hand, if Oedipus didnt listen to the prophecy suggested to him in Corinth, he never would have returned to Thebes to carry out his destiny. All these instances can be looked at that free will was the deciding factor. Was it really? Fate can also be looked upon in every instance, equally a strong argument against free will. Oedipus desire for knowledge can also be looked at by the standpoint of fate. He was born with his own stubbornness. The Gods themselves made him that way and it can not be changed. No matter what his decisions were, their gift to him will lead to the path they gave him. He cant escape the fate the Gods have given him. He kept pushing farther and father, but it just led to his downfall. Nothing he could have done would have stopped that. The prophets make this clear in their prophecies throughout the text. All the premonitions they say come true. They cant be avoided because the Gods made you with your personality and it controls your life. Ultimately they control you. When Oedipus reaches the crossroads, it was fate that led to the events that took place. Short work, by god-with one blow of the staff (Sophocles 189). This quote reveals that the gods did play apart in the events that took place. Oedipus prophecy was to kill his own father. Unwillingly because of his stubbornness Oedipus struck down and did indeed kill his father. Because the gods gave him this trait, his fate was unavoidable. The traits of Oedipus would generate the right sequence of events that would eventually lead to his prophecy coming true. Oedipus personality was the cause of the events. His free will blended in with the fate given to him by the gods. All together it was fate that decided these actions. The prophecy given to Lauis and Jocasta is also another example of unavoidable fate. Even though it wasnt there own choices to get rid of their son, their reaction to the prophecy set up the events for the future. If they never sent Oedipus to die at the mountainside, he most likely never would have killed Lauis at the crossroads. Their reaction was to a message given to them by the Gods. The Gods dictated what was going to happen. They told the prophet to give out the prophecy. Leading to the vanquishing of little Oedipus. All along every action leads to ones fate in life. The greatest show of fate in the text is when Oedipus gauges his eyes out with the golden clips. He does this in reaction to the events that take place. Oedipus was aware that he alone was responsible for his actions and gauged his own eyes out. That is the free will standpoint on the issue. Oedipus was at the same time not responsible for his actions. The gods controlled his personality and therefore controlled the outcome of his life. If Oedipus realized this he might not have taken his own sight. The gods use their power to provoke humans free will. They were responsible for the demise of Oedipus, but in the same time convince the human that it was there fault. Free will and fate can be related to every aspect of Oedipus the King. The gods who control fate manipulate the thinking and concepts in humans free will. Ultimately fate is what overcomes all. It may not seem like it, but free will was given to mankind by the gods or God. So in turn the gods decide the fate of everybody when they created man. It was already decided and can not be changed. One can still argue the position that free will is more dominant, but if you relate to creation and how the gods made man, fate overcomes. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles made it clear to his fellow Greeks that mankind has the ability, even with prophecies and oracles, to make choices free from influence of divine forces. He also shows that fate does play a part in humans lives too. They tie into each other for a direct balance. Overall, fate is the divine power that controls free will and determines ones life.

Good Advice :: Psychology Advising Essays

Good Advice I consider good advice to be a balanced combination of many things. To me, the most important is that when I receive advice, it must not be forced onto me. When advice is truly sincere, it is given to me in the hopes that I might take it, but it should never make me feel guilty if I don't. A perfect example of a forced piece of advice, is article A that we read about contractions. To me, this article didn't advise the reader about what not to do, but it told them. It pretty much said that you "can" do this and you "can't" do that. Good advice should just throw another opinion up in the air, and let the advisee choose what to do with it. The whole idea behind giving advice, is that it allows the advisor to state their opinion about something concerning the advisee, and hope that it is of some use to them. Advice involves two people, the advisor (giver of advice), and the advisee (taker of advice). Both people play an equal role in the giving and taking of advice. Someone can give me all of the advice that they want to, but if I choose not to take the advice, then the cycle is incomplete. However, it doesn't mean that the advice is worthless, because it may be of use at a later date. My job is to determine what I want to do with the advice given to me. If I believe it is good, then I will put it to use, probably in the near future. If I don't agree with it, then I may disregard it totally. Another thing that constitutes good advice is that it should be honest. If I give someone advice that I wouldn't take, were I put in the same situation, then it most likely isn't good. If I know that the advice clearly isn't going to work, but it "sounds good," then that isn't good advice at all. Don't give it if you wouldn't take it. Good advice must also come from a reliable source. When I ask someone for advice I should trust that he/she won't lead me in the wrong direction. The information (advice) that they give me should, in no way, be of any benefit to themselves over the me and my situation. A perfect example of this is the advice that Earl gave to Jackie.

Affects of Westernization on Youth and Culture Essay

Youth are the back bone to a nation. The young generation occupies a special place in a society. They can change the future of the society with their spirited behavior. In a broader sense, the future of any society depends on the youth. The youth are ready to adapt changes because they are young, in search of truth and they are open to different ideas. Young people have better concentrating span contrary to old ones and that is how changes are brought in a society. All societies pay special attention to the youth. The youth acts as the motivating force of revolution. No revolution can be successful without the efforts of youth in a course of action. Their youthful energy enables them to perform great in every field and enables them to be innovative and skillful. Culture is the complete range of learned human behavior patterns. It includes a set of Customs, beliefs, and traditions. Culture is also shaped by Religion, language, festivals, dress, arts and craft. Culture is passed down from generation to generation. Youth of a society preserves its culture. All Cultures are naturally prone to change and, at the same time, to resist change. There are three general sources of influence that are responsible for both change and resistance to it: Forces at work within a society, Contact between societies and Changes in the natural environment. Within a society, processes leading to change include invention and culture loss. Inventions may be either technological or ideological. Technological inventions include new tools, energy sources, and transportation methods. Culture loss is an unavoidable result of old cultural patterns being replaced by new ones. For example, not many Pakistanis today know how to care for a horse. A century ago, this was common knowledge among many people because buggies and horse-riding were the only means of transportation. Since then, vehicles with internal combustion engines have replaced horses and horse care knowledge lost its importance. As a result, children are rarely taught these skills. Instead, they are trained in the use of the new technologies of automobiles, televisions, cellular phones, computers, and iPods. The processes leading to change that occur as a result of contact between societies are diffusion, acculturation and transculturation. Diffusion is the movement of things and ideas from one culture to another. When diffusion occurs, the form of a trait may move from one society to another but not its original cultural meaning. Acculturation is what happens to an entire culture when unfamiliar traits diffuse in on a large scale and significantly replace traditional cultural patterns. Transculturation is what happens to an individual when he or she moves to another society and adopts its culture. The word westernization is defined as â€Å"The social process of becoming familiar with or converting to the customs and practices of Western civilization†. The youth of Pakistan is talented and dedicated. Unfortunately, the youth today is involved in activities which are neither useful to them nor the nation. All that keeps them busy during the day are games, TV shows, movies and socializing with their peers which these days, is commonly called â€Å"hanging out†. At night, they’re busy chatting on the internet, listening to music, attending late night parties and some are even involved in illegal activities like smoking and drinking. They have no vision and instead of improving themselves or doing something productive, they choose to waste their time. All this is because of westernization of youth in Pakistan. Over the past decade, the youth of Pakistan has been adversely affected by western culture. A significant change has been observed in the culture of Pakistan. Many regional rituals have either been forgotten or replaced by western rituals; young people prefer western attire over national dress, fast food is preferred over regional food, family values are not practiced the way they used to, dating has become very common and violent behavior has become a trend among youngsters. In such a situation, culture cannot be passed on in its original form; it would rather be modified or to be more specific, westernized.

Changes in Teenage Lifestyle: Indonesia

Lifestyle is a person's behavior indicated in the activities, interests and opinions especially those related to self-image to reflect the social status. Modern lifestyle synonymous with luxury. Lifestyle is also very closely related to the times and technology. Increasing age and increasingly sophisticated technology, the more widespread implementation of lifestyle also by humans in everyday life. In another sense, lifestyle can give positive or negative effects for those who run it. Well, depending on how the person living it. Today, the lifestyle is often misused by most teenagers. Moreover, teens who are in a Metropolitan city. They tend to follow fashion lifestyle today. Of course, fashion that they copied from the west. If they can filter out the good and proper, then the effects may also be positive. But otherwise, if not good at filtering out of the western mode, it will negatively affect their own. One example of the lifestyle of teenagers who follow Western fashion in everyday life is a matter of â€Å"dressed†. Problems clad teenagers of today are always associated with the times and technology. Because, in Indonesia, particularly teenagers, in clothes always obeying the prevailing fashion. Even more sadly, in many tv stations show examples of life style in the teens dressed people who follow western fashion. Metropolitan Auto not only teenagers who follow fashion, but also the people who are in villages or countryside. The next example, lifestyle most teens follow the western culture is taking a drink – booze, drugs, and the like. They assume that if it does not consume these goods, then he will be judged as a society that is out of date or not slang. Most of the youth of Indonesia has not been able to filter culture with properly. So, the negative effect arising from the teen's own self. We know that the mode adopted by most western people deviate from the moral. While we are aware that Indonesia is famous for luhurnya kesopanannya and kindness. However, some Indonesian teenager then mimic or follow the Western mode without the filter is good and right. And maybe it would be bad for our future generations. Therefore, in this modern era of the all parents who have teenage children should monitor the social, friends, and lifestyles which they apply. And for the teens should be cautious in accepting the culture from the outside and should be able to filter the culture from the outside in good and proper.

Frankenstein Support (Mock-Persausive Letter Forma Essays - Fiction

Frankenstein Support (Mock-Persausive Letter Forma Essays - Fiction Frankenstein Support (Mock-Persausive Letter Format) (Author's Note: This was a semi-creative project. We had to address the issues in a persuasive letter rather than a boring ol' report, so please become unconfused as far as the format..) Cal Tech Curriculum Committee: Scientists are all too ready to lock themselves away with their research, unwilling - perhaps even incapable - of seeing the consequences of their actions. It is our duty as their educators to provide them with not only a means to gain knowledge but also insights into the society into which they will ultimately release their findings. Since none here are literary or English majors, it may seem difficult at first to integrate such needed sociological concerns into their current courses of study, so it is our duty to give them easily-reliable examples which parallel with their own course of study, examples that will be memorable. And what better to illustrate and retain attention than a tragedy? I suggest that the Mary Shellys novel Frankenstein be included as a central text in the current Humanities courses required here. The reason Frankenstein may hold more relevance as part of the program than say, a classical Greek play, is the subject matter alone. Hopefully, the literary connections are more likely to be drawn, if we can appeal to the students interests as best as we can. Perhaps then they are more likely to believe that the humanities do have something to do with them. The specifics it also raises about ethics and responsibilities of science speak more than enough of the novels behalf.Many scientists in the far-reaching fields today may feel overwhelmed, perhaps even taking on a Gaudi-esque credo to their respective research. That Spanish architect is quoted as saying that he didnt have time to wonder, that he had to spend all of [his] time working. While this is a commendible work ethic, such a belief can lead scientists to bring the curse to mankind that Einstein warns us against. While a piece of art may incite violence, certain sciences may uncover information that can physically provide the means of violence. Scientists provide the power, they are the vehicles of the force - but it is rarely they who end up wielding it. Governments, companies, and monetary sponsors are those that are really calling the shots, and since they only bought out that technology without acquiring that knowledge themselves, they may prove irresponsible with that power. They have no responsibilty towards it, so it is up to the scientists themselves to determine if the rest of the world is ready for thier data. A common misconception is that the computer industry is out of control - but what is really growing beyond its rights is the monopolization and marketing of those computers. Unwitting engineers have explained to the executives how operation systems work, and now that simplified knowledge in turned against the users. This issue is addressed well in the Frankenstein novel as well. Had Victor taken in his monster and walked it into humanity slowly, instead of abandoning it when it needed him, his creation might just have fit in afterall. Could or should maybe do not even enter the picture. Science will continue to refine itself and go onward in some form throughout our lives. Someone will reach the next step or the higher level, and more will build off of it. However, the best precaution to learning and releasing innovative concepts to the society at the right time is giving our future scientists a wide range of possible scenarios to consider. In the novel, Victor understood how to perform his experiments, he had insights into what had been done in reliable fields before. But based on his seclusion and his obsession, his blind devotion to only his ideas, he could never predict the outcome of his experiment. He had no thesis to work towards. Knowing a bit of biology and chemistry does not qualify one to single-handedly delve into potentially dangerous projects. Why did he do it? Passion, obsession, the need for individual worth? We cannot allow egos to interfere with safety. We also cannot be willing to encourage our students complete withdrawal from society, with the possible loss of their own self to their science. A self-absorbed mind is not as likely to make responable conclusions. We should never sacrifice the individual for the collection of data or the progression of technology, because the progression will never stop. Thrown into motion such as it is, it will continue forward until we reach

How to Remove Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate Adhesive)

How to Remove Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate Adhesive) Super Glue is a strong, fast-acting adhesive that sticks to just about anything almost instantly, so its easy to accidentally glue your fingers together or drip the glue onto clothes or surfaces. Even though it sets quickly and wont wash off, you can remove Super Glue with acetone. Acetone: The Anti-Super Glue Super Glue is a cyanoacrylate adhesive. Its impervious to water, but it can be dissolved in an organic solvent such as acetone. Some nail polish removers contain acetone, but be sure to check the label because many acetone-free products are available and will not dissolve Super Glue. You can find pure acetone in stores that sell home or art supplies because it is a useful solvent. If you view the Material Safety Data Sheet for acetone, youll see its flammable and toxic, so its not a chemical you want to ingest or inhale. It is absorbed into the skin on contact. It dehydrates and de-fats skin, so wash any spills with soap and water and apply a moisturizer, if possible. Removing Super Glue How you apply the acetone depends on what you stuck together with the glue. Do not apply acetone to your eyes or lips, but its still possible to remove Super Glue from other areas. Fabric: Acetone will remove Super Glue from fabric, but it may discolor the material or alter its texture. Work acetone into the affected area from both sides. Use a gloved finger or a soft-bristled toothbrush. The acetone will dissolve the glue and be rinsed away by still more acetone. Acetone evaporates quickly, but wash any fabrics that can withstand cleaning. Glass: Super Glue does not bond very well to glass, so you can scrape it off. It may help to soak the affected area in water until the glue is loosened. Acetone wont harm glass, but its use shouldnt be necessary. Counters and surfaces: Acetone dissolves Super Glue on counters and surfaces, but it may harm varnish on wood. It will cause some plastics to become cloudy in appearance and it may discolor some materials. Try to pry or scrape off the adhesive using acetone as a last resort. Skin: For fingers and most body parts, remove Super Glue by soaking the skin in warm water and then slowly peeling away the glue. You can usually pull the stuck skin apart because your skin is more likely to tear than to detach from the glue using this method. If necessary, apply a small amount of acetone using a cotton swab. Since acetone is toxic, avoid using it if possible. If you do need to use acetone, apply only the smallest amount needed to remove the glue. When to Seek Medical Help If you stick together lips or eyelids or if Super Glue gets stuck on an eyeball, contact a physician: Do not use acetone. The cyanoacrylate adhesive bonds instantly to moist areas, so its nearly impossible to swallow liquid Super Glue or for it to travel far into the eyes. Thats the good news. The bad news is that youll have to wait for your cells to rid themselves of the glue on their own. Fortunately, eye and lip tissue regenerates very quickly, so the glue naturally detaches. If you get Super Glue on your eyeball or eyelids, you may wish to wear an eye patch or cover it with gauze. The glue naturally detaches from an eyeball after several hours. According to Super Glue Corporation, there are no known cases of permanent damage from this type of injury. It may take a couple of days to unstick eyelids or lips, although tears and saliva hasten the removal. People who have stuck their lips together tend to work at it with their tongue, but even if you leave the area alone, it will un-stick in one to two days.

The U.S. Environmental Movement

The U.S. Environmental Movement When did the U.S. environmental movement begin? Its hard to say for sure. Nobody held an organizing meeting and drew up a charter, so there is no absolute definitive answer to the question of when the environmental movement really began in the United States. Here are some important dates, in reverse chronological order: Earth Day April 22, 1970, the date of the first Earth Day celebration in the United States, is often cited as the start of the modern environmental movement. On that day, 20 million Americans filled parks and took to the streets in a nationwide teach-in and protest about critical environmental issues facing the United States and the world. It is probably around that time that environmental issues also truly became political issues. Silent Spring Many other people associate the beginning of the environmental movement with the 1962 publication of Rachel Carsons groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, which spelled out the dangers of the pesticide DDT. The book awakened many people in the United States and elsewhere to the potential environmental and health hazards of using powerful chemicals in agriculture and led to a ban on DDT. Up until that point, we understood that our activities could be harmful to the environment, but Rachel Carsons work suddenly made it clear to many of us that we were also harming our bodies in the process. Earlier, Olaus and Margeret Murie were early pioneers of conservation, using the burgeoning science of ecology to encourage the protection of public lands where functioning ecosystems could be preserved. Aldo Leopold, a forester who later laid the foundations of wildlife management, continued focusing ecological science on the quest for a more harmonious relationship with nature.   A First Environmental Crisis An important environmental concept, the idea that active engagement by people is necessary to protect the environment, probably first reached the general public at the very beginning of the 20th century. During the period 1900-1910, wildlife populations in North America were at an all-time low. Populations of beaver, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey, and many duck species were almost extinct from market hunting and loss of habitat. These declines were obvious to the public, which largely lived in rural areas at the time. As a result, new conservation laws were enacted (for example, the Lacey Act), and the very first National Wildlife Refuge was created.  Ã‚   Still, others might point to May 28, 1892, as the day when the U.S. environmental movement began. That is the date of the first meeting of the Sierra Club, which was founded by noted preservationist John Muir and is generally acknowledged as the first environmental group in the United States. Muir and other early members of the Sierra Club were largely responsible for preserving the Yosemite Valley in California and persuading the federal government to establish Yosemite National Park. No matter what first sparked the U.S. environmental movement or when it actually began, its safe to say that environmentalism has become a powerful force in American culture and politics. Ongoing efforts to understand more clearly how we can use natural resources without depleting them, and enjoy natural beauty without destroying it, is inspiring many of us to take a more sustainable approach to the way we live and to tread a little more lightly on the planet. Edited by Frederic Beaudry.