Outsiders free essay sample

Ponyboy Curtis is a 14-year-old boy whose world has been turned upside down. His parents were killed in an automobile accident just eight months before The Outsiders story takes place. He lives with his oldest brother, Darry, who is 20 years old and has legal custody of him and his other brother, Sodapop, who is 16. Darry characterizes Ponyboy as lacking common sense. Pony agrees with this assessment. He readily admits that he is smart at school, but sometimes he just doesnt think. These occasions get Pony into trouble that he could avoid. This is one aspect of his character that readers are able to see evolve throughout the book. Ponyboy learns that his behavior impacts others, and this newly acquired maturity leads to the telling of The Outsiders story. The brothers are greasers, a class term that refers to the young men on the East Side, the poor side of town. We will write a custom essay sample on Outsiders or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They are known for their long, greased hair. The brothers also belong to a small, tightly knit neighborhood gang. Pony explains, there are just small bunches of friends who stick together, and the warfare is between the social classes. Pony is the youngest member of their gang, and the other gang members represent extended family members to him. He is able to find security in his friendships with them, and they help fill the void created by his parents deaths. Ponyboy narrates the novel, and this narration is a catharsis for him. The reader is able to see the changes in Ponys viewpoints as he is dealing with many issues that are common in an adolescents life. The most powerful issue is that life is not fair. From the deaths of his parents, to the economic conditions that cast them as greasers, to the deaths of his friends, life is not fair to Ponyboy. During this two-week period, Pony has to weather three deaths — two greasers and one from the rival gang, the Socs. The Socs, short for Socials, are the West-side rich kids. By realizing that death at a young age is equally unfair for all of them, Pony is able to not only survive, but to justify his own existence. He takes it upon himself to make their deaths mean something. Darry and Sodapop Curtis are Ponyboys older brothers who, along with being greasers, are adjusting to life on their own. Darry has taken over the esponsibility of guardianship, forfeiting college and working to enable the three of them to stay together. Soda, never very good in school, has dropped out at age 16 and is working to help support the family. Both boys focus on the future of Ponyboy; ensuring his success is the driving force of the family. Perspective is a very important issue that runs throughout this novel. Being an outsider is a matter of perspective. The brothers relationships are viewed di fferently according to each others perspective. Pony resents Darrys constant nagging and discipline. But Darry is imposing these rules out of concern for Ponys well-being. Pony loves Soda and is thankful for him: Soda always takes up for me. But he is unaware that the strain of being the one in the middle is almost too much for Soda: @Golly, you two, its bad enough having to listen to it, but when you start trying to get me to take sides. . . . Tears welled up in his eyes, Were all weve got left. Dally Winston had been in gangs in New York City before joining the greasers. He is Ponyboys least favorite member of the gang, and Pony considers him tougher, colder, meaner. Johnny and Pony turn to Dally when they need help escaping after Johnny kills Bob.

Free Essays on A Rose By Any Other Name

. This symbolic meaning shows that physical appearanc... Free Essays on A Rose By Any Other Name Free Essays on A Rose By Any Other Name A Rose By Any Other Name While symbolism is found in both of Blake and Wordsworth’s works we have been studying in class, the images’ meanings and importance vary greatly in the two poems. However, both authors are able to use regular scenes in nature to represent deeper understandings of love, solitude and life. As we have found in studying Blake’s Songs of Experience, the author loves to use symbolism to ‘mourn’ the harsh experiences of adulthood and how it can destroy what was once good and innocent. In Blake’s ‘The Sick Rose,’ a rose exists literally and as a literary symbol, most likely associated with love. On the surface, the poem seems to be speaking of a rose who has been infected by an ‘invisible worm’ that has crawled into its flower bed during a howling storm. The secret presence of the worm is destroying the sick rose, and the rose will soon die. However beyond the literal meaning lies a metaphor, as is the case with almost all of Blake’s works. Much like in ‘London’, Blake uses the image of a worm, most commonly associated with filth and post-mortem decay, to represent the sexually transmitted Venereal disease and ultimately, death. The ‘bed’, which this disease creeps into, can be seen as both the literal flower bed of the rose as well as the bed of a woman, most likely a prostitute who is unknowingly carrying the disease. The ‘crimson joy’ of the rose represents both the prostitute’s sexual pleasure as well as her shame, as red is quite commonly associated with shame in literature from this time period. The last line of the poem suggests that since prostitutes were considered the outcasts and lowlifes of English society, the ‘dark secret’ of the diseased worm will go on unnoticed and will eventually lead to the woman’s death. Wordsworth’s poem begins with metaphorical imagery as he describes himself wandering like a cloud until he encounters a field of daffodils... Free Essays on A Rose By Any Other Name Interpretation covers the ability to understand and explain according to an individual’s belief, judgment, or interest. Readers can interpret any quotation such as â€Å"†¦a rose by any other name would smell as sweet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Understanding the quotation becomes clear by assessing two elements. This quotation has the capability of teaching readers effective lessons for living. The initial path of comprehending the quotation uses the literal interpretation, or recognizing the significance of dictionary explanations. By using this method, the quotation â€Å"†¦a rose by any other name would smell as sweet†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , a reader could construe: the smell of a rose stays the same, even if someone changes the name. The scent does not change due to the fact that the designation has no bearing on the fragrance of the rose. Using the second technique of analysis can bring a reader to a dissimilar conclusion about the quotation. Symbolic meanings suggest another idea for the quotation that cannot, in itself, surface. In other words, the symbolic meaning draws a picture for the reader. Use of this form of study can bring a reader to the conclusion: the components of an entity create the item the label does not. Having the ability to interpret can give any person the chance to decipher age-old universal truths. A universal truth presents an idea assumed true by the masses worldwide based on the interpretation of that truth. By solving two additional truths used in daily life, one can learn a little more about mankind. The first universal truth â€Å"†¦don’t judge a book by its cover†¦Ã¢â‚¬  can teach an efficient lesson in living. If interpreted literally, one can assume that the image depicted on the cover of a book does not necessarily reflect the content of that book. Using connotative interpretation takes a person down an alternative route to understanding, which shows the meaning behind the words. This symbolic meaning shows that physical appearanc...

The Relationship between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence Research Paper

The Relationship between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example The strong bond of man to animals shows the capacity of the former to create meaningful bonds with other creatures not at the same step in the ladder of the intelligence hierarchy. Also, the positive effects of animals on human behavior became numerous as time progressed, which eventually lead to the creation of a new branch of sociology called environmental sociology, which deals with the relationship of the environment and the society (Zilney 1). Within the familial relationships that are abusive in nature, various kinds of cruelty are reported to exist. These would include emotional, physical, sexual, financial, and deliberate animal abuse (Taylor). Not only would one parent be suffering from either one of the abuses, but also the pain would resonate to other members of the household, including the children or pets. The perpetrator would most likely take down the weakest members of the household such as the pets in order to control the other victims (Brimer 654). However, because of the possible imprisonment that domestic violence could do to the abuser, the anger and aggression is instead turned to the animals instead, to further silence the other victims regarding the abuse. This makes it easier to detect animal abuse than domestic violence because even when the children or the abused parent are hidden from authorities, there are high chances that the neighbors would be witnessing such violence being done to the animals. Also, even without the presence of law enforcement officers, visiting veterinarians could assess if the animals are properly kept or not, thus further strengthening suspicions of domestic abuse (Ascione and Shapiro 571). It is also helpful to ask victims of abuse about their pets and how they interact with the abuser, because these victims may not be able to tell authorities right away about what they experience. By asking about their pets, law enforcement officers could identify if the abuse is not limited to the animal alone, which is mo re likely the case. Thus, by starting the interrogations from the treatment of animals, it can be expected that the victims would eventually confess to being abused themselves, thus implicating the abuser not just in hurting pets, but also other members in the family unit. With this in light, while the strength of the assumption that performing animal abuse itself causes domestic violence in the future, it is implicitly confirmed by researchers that animal abuse is highly correlated with domestic violence and therefore can be used to predict the abuser’s violent history as well as violence in the abuser’s future. Why the Study of Human-Animal Relationships went at a Slow Pace The relevance of understanding human relationships with non-humans were said to give additional insights to the need to study how the interactions of numerous creatures to men were able to help shape mankind’s behavior and culture (Zilney 6). Because of this notion, ethical lectures during the period of enlightenment by Immanuel Kant became ingrained sturdily in how men should treat animals. Kant was said to have mentioned that people who are cruel to animals are also cruel in dealing with other people (Linzey 1). Also, being abusive to weaker creatures become