The Awakening :: essays research papers

The Awakening The Awakening by Kate Chopin was considered very shocking when it was first published because of the "sexual awakening" of the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her unconventional behavior. Chopin moved to New Orleans after her marriage and lived there for twelve years until the death of her husband. She returned to St. Louis where she began writing. She used her knowledge of Louisiana and Creole culture to create wonderful descriptions of local color, and she incorporated French phrases used by the Creoles. The Awakening begins at Grade Isle, a vacation spot of wealthy Creoles from New Orleans. Edna is there with her two sons and her husband Leonce who comes and goes because of business. Edna is not Creole, but her husband is. She has never felt like she fits in with their lifestyle. Edna has always done what is expected of a woman, including marrying a man she did not love. He regards her as a possession rather than an individual. While on vacation, Edna falls in love with Robert Lebrun. She often goes to the beach with him. She begins to realize for the first time, at age 28, that she is an individual. Edna feels like one who awakens gradually from a dream to the reality of life. After this discovery, Edna changes. She disregards her husband's wishes and often ignores her children. She learns to swim which also makes her begin to feel more independent. Edna befriends two women, Mademoiselle Reisz, a pianist, and Madame Ratignolle, a motherly lady. Distressed when Robert leaves for Mexico, Edna often visits Mademoiseel Reisz to whom Robert often writes. Edna continues to disregard the customs of society. Her husband becomes Lowe 2 very upset and insists that they must observe less convenance if they want to keep up with society. He tries to get her to attend her sister's wedding, but she refuses. Leonce goes to New York on business, but Edna refuses to go with him. The children are with their grandparents so Edna enjoys her time alone. She starts an affair with Alcee Arobin. He introduces her to the importance of sex, which she did not enjoy with her husband. She closes up her house and moves to a smaller one. Upset, her husband puts a notice in the newspaper, which says that their house is being remodeled. He tries to hide Edna's strange behavior from his friends.

How Do Narrative and Genre Features Create Meaning Essay

As film audiences we have an expectation of particular conventions, which certain film genres work with and if these expectations are met, then viewing pleasure is certified. This is a result of our understanding of generic conventions, which derives from past experiences with films we have seen. The film industry understands this, but is however, constantly attempting to ? extend’ these genres sometimes for artistic reasons and sometimes to secure financial revenue. The narrative of a film is the sequence of events which are organised in a structure to tell and develop a plot. It is just as important in function as the genre is, with regard to securing audiences and satisfying their expectations and audiences will have particular anticipations for a narrative’s different segments. By this we can observe that a film producer is dependent at least partly on the satisfaction of the film’s target audience for the proceeds at the box office. This essay will discuss how a 10-minute sequence from James Wan’s ? Saw’ (2004), uses many conventions from a few different genres and it considers how the narrative ties in with this. The film in itself illustrates so many of the conventional rules attached to a thriller, that we have learnt to accept as ? normal’. I would describe this sequence as a pastiche as it is not only thrillerish but there are also elements of detective genre. These are all traits within a horror movie. The clip begins with what we believe is detective Tapp carrying out surveillance on Dr. Gordon’s house. He is filming their bedroom window and talking, but to whom we have no knowledge. As the camera moves from the television screen to a side wall, the frame reveals a compilation of images, of who we assume to be Dr. Gordon. It also shows that he has perhaps been recording phone calls from within Dr. Gordon’s household. The mise-en-scene (stacks of empty coffee cups and take away trays) illustrates that detective Tapp has been there for quite some time, and it is now evident that he is in fact alone. Suddenly, we are confronted with a wall plastered in a mass of newspaper clippings. We realise that this is not official police work, it could be stalking. This convention of the obsessed detective is a usual element of thriller films as well as in crime films. A cross fade is the utilised for the introduction of the next frame. Fades are usually employed to suggest a flashback or for the use of moving forward in time, but in this case we consider that it is a flashback, though we are still uncertain. This car scene involves Dr. Gordon being taken home by detective Tapp. Unlike others, this film concentrates solely on the plot and the characters and the director ensures this through the way there is never or rarely any background situations which might distract the audience. Everything excluding the characters is darkened out, leaving the audience nothing to observe but them and their conversation. The next scene reveals Tapp at his desk, watching evidence from the ? jigsaw case’, we can see that his desk lamp is focused on a mound of file work which may be more significant than the ? jigsaw case’, – work which he evidently does not see as priority. Detective Tapp’s back is turned to this mound of work and he is focused on the television screen, scrutinizing the video tape. Also, the mise-en-scene shows only a few newspaper clippings on the side of his work space in this scene, which might be suggesting this is the beginning of his ? stalking’ behaviour. With one desk lamp on in the entire room it is evident that all of his other colleagues are going or have already gone home. This type of behaviour (working over hours when everyone else has left) is suggestive of reclusive characters with little or no social or family life, having nothing but work to look forward to and these characters are usually found in crime-thriller movies or psychological-thriller movies. This ? work obsessed’ character is reinforced when his work colleagues invite him to accompany them and he declines without even removing his gaze from the television screen. The character of Tapp is played by the actor Danny Glover, frequently associated with the action-crime-thriller sequel films ? Lethal Weapon’. In these films he also plays a detective officer often involved in action, so it comes as no surprise that we have expectation of the narrative to place him in a place of police action. Again, the background is dark, suggesting that nothing else matters to this character, including his partner, Sing, who remains behind. Sing’s demeanour implies that Tapps behaviour is possibly recent and unusual, transpiring only, through the ? jigsaw case’. The frame illustrating half of the light on Sing may bring connotations that he is in half a mind about Tapp, he is unsure about what has happened to him and why. After noticing something about the evidence, Tapp hurriedly beckons Sing back. In this scene we see Sing under a more (although not much more) prominent light in contrast to before. Tapp is still the one mostly saturated in light, he is the one with the information and we see that as Sing learns and gains more information, the light shed on him also increases. The snapshots that the clip uses of the derelict warehouses, remind us of a stalker ? the way that detective Tapp stalks Dr. Gordon and the way ? jigsaw’ stalks his victims. This type of stalking behaviour again, links in with the conventions of the thriller genre. The next frame portrays both Tapp and Sing looking onto a map, both saturated in an equal amount of light. They are just as important as each other here; they need each other to make a break through. This is reflected in their names, Tapp and Sing ? when combined unified it creates rhythm and music, an outcome. This convention of crime/detective partners having a connection between their names, and their names revealing traits of their characters when they are together, is usually found in detective-thriller/action genre films, e. g. in the action ? crime-thriller ? Lethal Weapon’ the main characters are called ? Martin Riggs and ? Roger Murtauth’. The way that the first letters of their names are arranged, mirrors the way that the characters work in opposite ways (M. R. as oppose to R. M). On the car journey to the derelict factory, everything in the background is darkened out, thus creating the feeling of suspense and mystery. Also, with barely any street lighting, it could be proposed that this road is not popularly accessed by the public, signifying there could be danger here. These are all generic conventions of a thriller film. The mise-en-scene mainly supplies us with dark and dull colours, i. e. black and metal grey, which run throughout the film, connotating mystery, a cold and possibly even pain and depressing feelings, which create the theme for the entire movie. As the two detectives ascend the stairs, they are entering darkness; again a sign that they don’t know what is ahead of them. The use of a handheld camera panning the scene allows for a sense of first hand experience to take place, again correlated with thriller films, i. e. ; ? The Blair Witch Project’. As they approach the ? workspace’ of this scene, we notice how lighting is positioned over specific areas, where there are ?projects’ developing. Each of these are covered by a red cloth. To some, i. e. the police characters and some audiences, the colour red would have connotations of danger. In this case, the colour red signifies passion. The red cloth is used by ? jigsaw’ to signify passion for the projects that he has covered in the cloth. One main theme can be found in all of the characters in this clip ? they are all deeply passionate and devoted to their work. Conventions of a horror genre can be found in the next upcoming scene. Here we witness the detectives discover a seemingly insignificant man entrapped in a death contraption and we soon after determine when ? jigsaw’ returns, that this merely a ? test run’ for a later purpose. Sinisterly, ? jigsaw’ wears a cloak with a strip of the same cloth that he has used to cover his projects, he is truly devoted to this work and the matching cloak almost makes it seem like this is his ? team’. As the detectives leap out of their hiding places and confront him, ? jigsaw’ stamps the contraption to a start, leaving the detectives panicking and him in control of the situation. Again, by using a hand-held camera with an over the shoulder shot behind the ? jigsaw’, the audience sees the ? jigsaw’ as the largest figure and therefore the dominant party in this scene; consequently the detectives literally look small in this scene, clueless under the grasp of this psycho. This hand-held camera technique also delivers a sense of panic to the audience. Subsequently, fast editing shots build suspense and panic, leading to the peak where one person on each side of the room manages to escape ? the victim escapes his death, and ? jigsaw’ escapes the detectives, one a split second after the other. For that minute split second we have the high hope that the detectives have gained control of this situation. Our hopes are sunk however as Tapp is slashed across the throat and ? jigsaw’ escapes. This is an expectation that audiences have become acquired with in thriller movie narratives. This film delivers many expectations as well as offering new interweaves that may never have been supplied to a thriller audience before. In this next frame which shows Sing running along a corridor, two main genres come into place; horror and action thriller. The frame shows conventions of horror films through its use of the green coloured steam coming from the mouldy pipes along this gory corridor. The narrative of a police officer chasing a criminal is typical of an action thriller film. The scene where Sing is trying to protrude through the cobwebs to get to ?jigsaw’ as he lays ? dead’ on the floor is significant. This barricade of cobwebs is an illusion to cover the trip-wire which will be the cause of Sings death. This illusion is a reminder that nothing is as it may seem, a principle of psychological-thriller films. As Sing collapses dying, ? jigsaw’ rises, obviously still alive – another illusion. The last scene of this clip begins with a close up of the scar on Tapps neck, gained when he was slashed by ? jigsaw’. At this instant, our prior belief’s that this was all a flashback are confirmed. A scar takes time to heal and where Tapp’s physical scars have healed, his mental scars have not. We see him frantically talking to a framed picture of Sing, as well as talking to himself. A framed picture usually contains family or friends – people who are close to you, and so, it is reinforced to us that Sing was his only family. Tapp blames himself for the death of Sing, perhaps why, although he has already been discharged from the force, he feels he needs to close this case as he owes it to Sing. Word count: 1,927.

Career Options for Archaeology Degrees

What are my career choices in archaeology? There are several levels of being an archaeologist, and where you are at in your career is related to the level of education you have and the experience you’ve received. There are two common types of archaeologists: those based at universities, and those based at cultural resource management (CRM) firms, firms that conduct archaeological investigations associated with federal construction projects. Other archaeology-related jobs are found at National Parks, Museums, and State Historical Societies. Field Technician/Crew Chief/Field Supervisor A field technician is the first paid level of field experience anyone gets in archaeology. As a field tech, you travel the world as a freelancer, excavating or conducting survey anywhere the jobs are. Like most other kinds of freelancers, you are generally on your own when it comes to health benefits, but there are benefits to the ‘travel the world on your own’ lifestyle. You can find work on CRM projects or academic projects, but in general CRM jobs are paid positions, while the academic field jobs are sometimes volunteer positions or even require tuition. A Crew Chief and Field Supervisor are Field Technicians who have had enough experience to earn additional responsibilities and better pay. You’ll need at least a Bachelors level (BA, BS) college degree in archaeology or anthropology (or be working on one) to get this job, and unpaid experience from at least one field school. Project Archaeologist/Manager A project archaeologist is the middle level of the  cultural resource manager jobs, who supervises excavations, and writes reports on excavations conducted. These are permanent jobs, and health benefits and 401K plans are common. You can work on CRM projects or academic projects, and under normal circumstances, both are paid positions. A CRM Office Manager supervises several PA/PI positions. You’ll need a Masters Degree (MA/MS) in archaeology or anthropology to get one of these jobs, and a couple of years experience as a field technician is very helpful, to be able to do the job. Principal Investigator A Principal Investigator is a Project Archaeologist with additional responsibilities. She conducts archaeological research for a cultural resource management company, writes proposals, prepares budgets, schedules projects, hires the crew, supervises archaeological survey and excavations, supervises laboratory processing and analysis and prepares as sole or co-author technical reports. PIs are typically full-time, permanent positions with benefits and some retirement plan. However, in special cases, a PI will be hired for a specific project lasting between a few months to several years. An advanced degree in anthropology or archaeology is required (MA/Ph.D.), as well as supervisory experience at the Field Supervisor level is also required for first time PIs. Academic Archaeologist The academic archaeologist or college professor is probably more familiar to most people. This person teaches classes on various archaeology, anthropology or ancient history topics at a university or college through the school year, and conducts archaeological expeditions during the summer terms. Typically a tenured faculty member teaches between two and five courses a semester to college students, mentor a select number of undergraduates/graduate students, run field schools, conduct archaeological fieldwork during the summers. Academic archaeologists can be found in Anthropology Departments, Art History Departments, Ancient History Departments, and Religious Studies Departments. But these are relatively difficult to get because there arent that many universities with more than one archaeologist on staff—there are very few Archaeology Departments outside of the larger Canadian universities. There are Adjunct positions easier to get, but they pay less and are often temporary. You’ll need a Ph.D. to get an academic job. SHPO Archaeologist A State Historical Preservation Officer (or SHPO Archaeologist) identifies, evaluates, registers, interprets and protects historic properties, from significant buildings to shipwrecked vessels. The SHPO provides communities and preservation organizations with a variety of services, training and funding opportunities. It also reviews nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and oversees the State Register of Historic Sites. Has a very large role to play in a given states public archaeology effort, and is often in political hot water. These jobs are permanent and full-time. The SHPO, him/herself, is usually an appointed position and may not be in cultural resources at all; however, most SHPO offices hire archaeologists or architectural historians to assist in the review process. Cultural Resource Lawyer A cultural resource lawyer is a specially-trained attorney who is self-employed or working for a law firm. The lawyer works with private clients such as developers, corporations, government, and individuals in connection with a variety of cultural resource-related issues that may arise. Those issues include regulations that must be followed in connection with property  development projects, ownership of cultural property, treatment of cemeteries located on the private or government-acquired property, etc. A cultural resource attorney may also be employed by a government agency to oversee all cultural resource issues that may arise, but will probably entail work in other environmental and land development areas as well. She may also be employed by a university or law school to teach subjects related to the law and cultural resources. A JD from an accredited law school is required. An undergraduate degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, Environmental Science or History is helpful, and its beneficial to take law school courses in administrative law, environmental law and litigation, real estate law and land use planning. Lab Director A laboratory director is typically a full-time position at a large CRM firm or university, with full benefits. The director is in charge of maintaining artifact collections and the analysis and processing of new artifacts as they come in out of the field. Typically, this job is filled by an archaeologist who has additional training as a museum curator. Youll need an MA in Archaeology or Museum Studies. Research Librarian Most large CRM firms have libraries—both to keep their an archive of their own reports on file, and to keep a research collection. Research librarians are typically librarians with a degree in library science: experience with archaeology is typically beneficial, but not necessary. GIS Specialist GIS Specialists (Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analysts, GIS Technicians) are people who process spatial data for an archaeological site or sites. They need to use software to produce maps and digitize data from geographic information services in universities or large cultural resource management companies. These can be part-time temporary jobs to permanent full time, sometimes benefited. Since the 1990s, the growth of Geographic Information Systems as a career; and archaeology has not been slow in including GIS as a sub-discipline. Youll need a BA, plus specialized training; archaeology background helpful but not necessary.