Passing Bells Essay Example

Passing Bells Paper Passing Bells is about the passing of the soldiers’ soul as he is killed in action, at war. The title itself ‘passing bells’ is referring to the moment when his soul leaves him, it ‘passes’ so to speak- the bell being their soul. The poem displays the stark contrasts between life and death, normality and a life of war. The life of a soldier is portrayed so clearly through his death. The death of a soldier is unknown for months, because there is no time for them to stop, to take the body back in the middle of war. We are so unaware of their deaths, it is almost casual, like the passing of a bell- Passing Bells an apt title to capture this. The use of ‘bells’ is also significant religious imagery, because England is a Christian country, the idea of having a funeral in a Church is widely understood and recognised- we remember that a soldier does not get this kind of ‘send off,’ because they can’t bring his body back with the survivors. â€Å"That moment when the soldier’s soul slipped through his wounds†. Duffy begins Passing Bells with the death of a soldier. She goes on to make his death a personal moment, as it goes on to say â€Å"seeped through the staunching fingers of his friend†. This soldier was someone’s friend, someone’s son, someone’s brother, even. Yet their death goes seemingly unnoticed, insignificant almost, because no-one knows. However, this makes the moment more personal to the fellow comrade, his friend, who witnessed his death and could only watched as the light left his eyes and the â€Å"soldier’s soul slipped through his wounds†. This moment is so emotional and personal to the witness of it, and Duffy captures this image perfectly in the first few lines in Passing Bells. The soul is described to then â€Å"like a shadow† slide across a field â€Å"to vanish, vanish, into textless air We will write a custom essay sample on Passing Bells specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Passing Bells specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Passing Bells specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer † We are provided we sonic imagery in these lines, due to the overuse of sibilance: â€Å"shadow,† â€Å"slid,† â€Å"across,† â€Å"textless,† it’s like the hissing sound you hear from a deflating balloon- the soldier’s soul leaves his body, and we imagine it to sound similar using the sonic imagery through sibilance. Also, by emphasising the word â€Å"vanish† repeating it twice, Duffy emphasises the importance of the soldiers’ death- so many die every day, but we are blissfully unaware as we go about our everyday lives. Bells are highly significant in this poem. They represent a manner of things, such as a soldiers’ soul, religious (funeral in a church) imagery, normalcy etc. The word ‘bell’ appears, therefore, several times throughout Passing Bells, not just as itself, but through the sound it makes: â€Å"jingling,† â€Å"tinkling,† â€Å"chiming,† â€Å"ringing,† â€Å"clanking†. I think this is because of it’s representation of the soul of the dead soldier most of all. However, I do not think this poem is just referring to one death, I think Duffy is telling you the stories of all the soldiers who have died fighting in wars. Their souls have not all ‘moved on,† so to speak. Many are still here on Earth, ‘drifting’ We hear them through the bells in the poem. Duffy presents a sense of unity through listing the different places in the UK: â€Å"there would have been a bell in Perth, Llandudno, Bradford, Winchester†. In doing so, she displays the sense of patriotism felt by those who choose to fight wars for their country. In England especially, patriotism is an important part of ‘being British,’ and this is extremely so for the soldiers. They are doing this for their country. However, this unity is also there to display the unity between the soldiers as the fight together, survive together, died together. For them, everything is done together. They shared possibly years of their lives with each other at war, so when one dies, they all feel the pain one would feel when losing a member of their own family, as this is how unified they became. When a soldier dies, the people they knew /back home’ may not find out for months. For months, they carry on their lives normally, spending most of their time hoping and praying for the best- that their son, father, brother or even friend is alive. Duffy presents their personal experience of this by giving us several scenes of normality to contradict the death of the soldier and show us what is happening at the time of his death: â€Å"rung by a landlord in a sweating, singing pub,† â€Å"an ice-cream van jingling in the park,† â€Å"a songbird fluttering,† â€Å"a parish church chiming out the hour: the ringing end of school†. The reader is able to relate to this, because it is so normal for these things Duffy is describing to be happening. They are scenes we are used to, and personally understand, compared to the stark, harsh image of the soldiers’ death given to use at the beginning of the poem. Another poem where we are confronted with the harsh reality of a soldiers’ death is in The Falling Soldier. The title itself is significant, similarly to Passing Bells, because of its wording. The poem is not called The FALLEN Soldier- it is called the FALLING Soldier, present tense. It’s as if Duffy has done this in order to say soldiers are dying, one by one, war is cyclical. It could also be saying that the soldiers are constantly ‘falling’ for the lies of the government, who tell them that war is glorious and they will be coming home ‘in time for Christmas’ etc. when really, they won’t. They will most likely die and die alone. Similarly to Passing Bells, in The Falling Soldier the word ‘shadow’ is used as the soul of the soldier once again. â€Å"The shadow you shed as you fall is, brother, your soul. † Also, Duffy makes this moment personal with the voice of the poem calling the soldier â€Å"brother† because by this point he would have been like a brother to many of the soldiers he had lived and fought with over the time period they have been at war. At any moment a soldier could die suddenly, and this is also shown throughout the bells significance in Passing Bells. They are ringing, chiming, tinkling etc. throughout and I think this is important, because I feel that Duffy is trying to tell us that right now, a soldier could be dying but to us the moments we are in right now make it insignificant because we do not know, and will not know for some time, because it takes quite a long period of time for the news to get back to their country, their loved ones, and even then they can’t mourn properly- they don’t have a body to bury and pay last respects to. Another important thought to notice is that even though they are supposed to be so unified, in fighting together etc. the reality is they die alone. Alone and in pain, with no-one to help them, which is also why â€Å"seeped through the staunching fingers of his friend,† is an important line because someone tried to help him and failed- we are reminded through Duffy’s words and use of such a personal and emotional scene, that this friend will remember this for the rest of his life if he survives long enough to go home. The last three lines of this poem are of great significance, to me: â€Å"in city and in town and countryside – the crowded late night bus; a child’s bicycle; the old, familiar clanking cow-bells of the cattle. † The last thing the soldier will have seen before his or her death will have been scenes of war, blood, fear, gunfire etc. they will never see scenes of normality again, we are reminded of the fact that they die in such horrible conditions. Never again will they see â€Å"city and in town and countryside† or â€Å"the crowded late night bus; a child’s bicycle†. A powerful piece of imagery is in the final line of the poem: â€Å"the old, familiar clanking cow-bells of the cattle. † As well as more bells imagery, I think it’s important to recognise the significance of Duffy’s use of the word â€Å"cattle†. Cattle are slayed for us every day but we obviously think nothing of it. In the same way, it’s as if she is trying to say the soldiers are killed in such an unforgiving way, their lives snuffed out as suddenly as a member of cattle, such as a cow, and it’s as if she is telling us they die so suddenly that as every moment goes by their deaths become more and more insignificant and, over time we forget.

Springboard Level 5 Unit 2 Embedded Assessment 1 Essay Example

Springboard Level 5 Unit 2 Embedded Assessment 1 Essay Example Springboard Level 5 Unit 2 Embedded Assessment 1 Essay Springboard Level 5 Unit 2 Embedded Assessment 1 Essay In Bend it Like Beckham, the main character, Jess is faced with many cultures. These cultures pull her mind in two opposite directions. One by pleasing her mom and becoming a Punjabi women and the other being a good soccer player. The movie follows her internal and external conflicts, where she struggles to make a decision regarding her life. Jess struggles between these two conflicts and is very emotional through the whole movie. Additionally, one of the main conflicts that Jess faces is her goals and aspirations versus her family’s expectations. Jess love of her life is soccer, she does anything to play, and once she is given the chance to play competitively she comes to see her true skills. Jess realizes that she has the talent to be a professional football player, and wants to do everything she can to secure this chance. The other side of this conflict is that of her family’s expectations. Due to their cultural background, they oppose Jess’ desire to play football. In Punjabi culture, women are confined to their home the majority of their time. They learn to cook and manage the household. Once a woman comes of age, her only duty is to find a suitable husband. Her parents share all these ideals and enforce strict control over their daughter so that she does not play soccer. While the parents reasoning may seem strange to outsiders, these gender roles are clearly identified in Punjabi culture. Jess feels torn because she doesn’t like lying to her family and rebelling against their decisions, but she also doesn’t want to miss out on the chance of a lifetime with her exquisite soccer skill set. Last of all, Jess is able to resolve the conflict with her family after attempting many different resolutions. After presenting logical arguments to her parents, they still don’t budge. Her gay friend is willing to pretend to marry her so that she can go to a university in the United States to play football. Jess, disapproves of lying to her parents again, and lets the truth spill to her mother. She explains her talent, that she was being scouted, and that she truly desires to play football. Her mother still disapproves and only reluctantly agrees after a persuasive argument from her husband. They come to see that having their daughter happy is more important to them rather than forcing her to live in a culture she is not happy in. The conflict is finally resolved when she receives her parent’s blessings to go to America and pursue her dreams. All in all, Bend It like Beckham is a perfect example of a child’s expectations versus family and cultural expectations. Jess plays the role of the rebellious girl pursuing her goals, and her family plays the role of strict and old culturally sound ways. Their conflict is resolved and both sides learn from the struggle and accept each other’s thoughts and ideas.

The Devil in the White City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Devil in the White City - Essay Example many as 200) and the World Fair that was going on at the time in the same city produces a vivid picture of America that presents both its best and its worst sides. The two stories, of creation and destruction, come together to create a whole: The so-called Gilded Age of American history was indeed a time of remarkable productivity. After the damage and chaos of the civil war a sudden spurt of energy occurred throughout America, but especially in Northern and mid-Western cities such as Chicago. An echo of the English Industrial Revolution that had transformed Britain a century before, American industry blossomed, and with it is cities. However, as Larson suggests, along with the growth of great cities with populations measured in the millions comes the anonymity, strangeness and loneliness associated with them. Holmes was both a product of these tendencies, and also took advantage of them. His comments regarding his own moral state, while melodramatic, may also encapsulate the great battle that was occurring between Labor (ie. individual human beings) and Capital (the great productive force) that was producing highly efficient, but somehow inhuman cities: While obviously self-serving, Holmes brings up an important factor – the sense of powerlessness within the modern cities as the battle between Labor and Capital played out. The idea of creation is vital within the book, in the sense of an industrial construction of various worlds that both clash with and yet strangely compliment one another. Thus, Daniel Burnham struggles against an unforgiving landscape (swamps) and government bureaucracy to see his dream rise above the city; and all the while Homes is building (and then secretly adapting) his torture and murder house. The fact that Holmes was a Doctor of Medicine adds a further layer of irony to the book. A person trained to help and cure people, who one might expect would be least likely to actually enjoy doing the opposite, enjoys doing just that.

Global Perspectives. Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global Perspectives. Portfolio - Essay Example Activity Section 3 - Once you have completed this task take one global issue and one global process and undertake some further research on the internet. Write a brief summary of your research (retain for your portfolio) and then share with others in your respective Group Discussion Forum. On completion of the forum discussion write a brief summary of what you have learned from the discussion. Brief summaries of research and what you have learned from the discussion: Put here what you retained for the portfolio: a brief summary of your research (approx. 200 words) and a brief summary of what you have learned from the discussion (approx. 200 words). Activity Section 4 (part 1) - On the basis of your reading and experience what is your view of globalisation and how does it impact upon your experience? What are the benefits (of globalisation) and from whose perspective, and what are the negative consequences? Prepare a summary of your responses Task Section 5 - Chose one global issue that particularly interests you. Conduct your own research on your chosen issue and evaluate how knowledge varies depending on its source. Consider why there are discrepancies in opinion in your chosen issue and what the implications are in terms of the importance of who says what and when and most importantly why (what interests are at stake? Formal or informal, explicit or implicit). (maximum 1 page) Activity Section 6 (part 1) - Search the internet to learn about sustainable development. You are asked to consider two questions: If the economic model is based on continual growth is this at odds with sustainability and why? What is the role of business with regard to sustainable development and what does your organisation do with regard to sustainability? In this section you have been asked to note a number of responses as you have gone through the material. Scenario for UNEP Representative - Imagine you are a representative of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and have been

Law Enforcement Culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law Enforcement Culture - Term Paper Example These cultural forces do not allow one to report any form of irregularity that another police officer engaged in even if you do not agree with it. This could be corruption incidences, illegal use of force to the public or any other acts not in line with good police rules and regulations. In essence, shapes what is right or wrong as amongst them whether or not it’s in the book. Those who violate this kind of norm are met with severe sanctions from, not just the officer on the wrong but also the entire workforce. This sanction may include even physical assault on each other. Some writers have argued that this kind of culture grows stronger because generally police officers feel alienated, (Dellattre, 1994), and the only people who can understand them are other police officers who are able to identify with their specific problems and so they need to participate in the code of silence for them to feel accepted. Since police institutions are filled with injustices, hard punishments and corruption of the superiors, most of the police officers feel that their workplace has largely victimized them and use this excuse to engage in misconduct. Then if they are caught in their acts, they will manipulate other officers or even engage in arm-twisting to escape punishment. Participating in the code of silence is their way of not just achieving a sense of belonging but also of hiding away from punishment from their misconducts since no other colleague will be testifying against them. Effective Communication and Proper Presentation of Oneself Since talking to the superiors about a colleague’s misconduct is against the culture and may result to sanction from one’s peers, it is important to be careful if you are planning to maintain good morals and dignity in the workforce. First of all, effective communication is paramount, (Anonymous, 2006). Good communication will help other police officers feel accepted in their workplace to drive away their feelings of victimization and frustration. They need to accept their job and the challenges that come with it. It will help them maintain a positive attitude when they are working and they needn’t try and drown their frustration on innocent citizens or in drugs. One also needs to ensure that there is a good channel of communication with the superiors through which the police can air their grievances. The police administration needs to know the things that their subordinates are not comfortable with, whether it’s in promotion, way of carrying out discipline or other issues. All functions of the administration should be performed fairly and in transparency so that no one is left with feelings of bitterness and resentment. Those who have been caught in any form of misconduct should be justly punished so as to deter others from doing the same and to make them see that justice is being done. Ethical training amongst the police force should be advocated for which will instill upon them a sense of dignity and responsibility not to engage in certain acts. Further, one needs to carry themselves with dignity and needn’t succumb to the vices of their colleagues. They should be the ones to correct their colleagues when they are about to engage in misconducts and give them warnings against doing the same. He should not be afraid to condemn wrong actions as well as congratulate good behaviour and as such, be the custodians of good morals within the institution. For the few who

Beowulf Is A Christian Hero Religion Essay

Beowulf Is A Christian Hero Religion Essay Have you ever had the privilege of reading George Orwells novel known as Animal Farm? If so, you are probably well aware that it is a book that reflects the government and leadership of the days in which it was written. Many people believe that Beowulf is similar to Animal Farm in that it also reflects a part of the culture of its day. But instead of reflecting government, like Animal Farm, Beowulf reflects the changes in the religious culture of England. While describing the background of Beowulf, Burton Raffel points out, When Beowulf was composed, England was changing from a pagan to a Christian culture. Therefore, Beowulf signifies the Christian culture that is overcoming and replacing the pagan culture, which is signified by Grendel, his mother, and the dragon. Beowulf, the poem, may have been written by a heathen (which is a debate for another paper) but Beowulf the character was a Christian. Raffels point can be taken a step further. Not only did Beowulf symbolize the Christian culture, but he also symbolized Christ himself. Along with that comes the idea that Grendel, his mother, and the dragon not only symbolize the pagan culture but also Satan, the devil, or simply evil. The most obvious act of displaying Christ seen in Beowulf is when he sacrificed his own life to kill the dragon and ensure the safety of his people. The next example is not quite as obvious as the first but is still reasonable. Throughout the entire poem, Grendel and his mom are both referred to as the devil or a demon several times. So Hrothgars men lived happy in his hall/ Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Raffel 39). Later on, after Grendel attacked and killed some soldiers in Herot, the name calling continues: In Herot, a mighty prince mourning/ The fate of his lost friends and companions,/ Knowing by its tracks that some demon had torn/ His followers apart. (Raffel 40). Later on when Hrothgar tells Beowulf of what his people have seen, they describe Grendel and his mother in the following way: And theyve said to my wise men that, as well as they could see,/ One of the devils was a female creature. (Raffel 49). Sometimes the author is not as flagrant in his or her references to Grendel and his mom as the devil or demons. Sometimes the author simply hints at the idea. Speaking of Grendel he says, living down in the darkness, where the darkness is referring to hell (Raffel 39). The most obvious hint at the idea is when Grendel will not touch Hrothgars throne because it was protected by God: Though he lived/ In Herot, when the night hid him, he never/ Dared to touch King Hrothgars glorious/ Throne, protected by God God,/ Whose love Grendel could not know. (Raffel 41). This point can be further understood after reading James 2:19. Grendel knows of God yet lives in fear of him. The last hint the author gives is when he calls Grendels mothers cave the God-cursed roof to once again have the place where they live resemble Hell (Heaney 211). Considering the fact that Beowulf defeated these demons or devils pushes the idea even further that he is a Christ figure throughout the poem. Now thinking realistically, how could a story about a pagan who resembles Christ last for several centuries if never written down? It simply could not have. Realistically, for an oral story to last so long, the Christ figure must have intentionally been depicted by a Christ follower or else the story would have basically no meaning or value to anyone at all and therefore be forgotten. Throughout the text, God, as well as many Biblical characters and events, are mentioned and recognized and even prayed to by Beowulf himself. In the very beginning, literally the seventh line of the poem, the Creation is spoken of: The Almighty making the earth, shaping/ These beautiful plains marked off by oceans,/ Then proudly setting the sun and moon/ To glow across the land and light it (Raffel 39). Not too long after that, Cain and Abel are mentioned: Conceived by a pair of those monsters born/ Of Cain, murderous creatures banished/ By God, punished forever for the crime/ Of Abels death. (Raffel 39-40). The most significant segment is when Beowulf prays to God and thanks him for his loot or treasure: For this, this gold, these jewels, I thank our Father in Heaven, Ruler of the Earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Raffel 59). This shows us not only that Beowulf acknowledged Gods mere existence but that he also considered Him the Ruler of the Earth and knew that He was the one who brought him al l of his wealth. Yes, it is true that even Satan himself believes in Gods existence and that He is the Ruler of the Earth. In James 2:19 the Bible states, You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder. But Beowulfs belief in and of God goes further and deeper than the demons belief. This is backed up later on when Beowulfs eternity in heaven is mentioned. Please do not take my word and my translation of the poem alone. This is not just a personal opinion. Other literature experts have said the exact same thing that I am. Larry D. Benson suggested that the pagan material was added to Beowulf in order to arouse sympathy (Ogilvy 169). An anonymous student wrote a short paper on the matter. Speaking of the poem Beowulf, he said, Although showing signs of being a pagan story, Beowulf is primarily a Christian story. The argument for Beowulf as a Christian poem goes hand in hand with my first point that it signifies the religious and cultural changes that were taking place in its time. Now here are a couple of the top arguments that try to say Beowulf is not a Christian. Arguably the most popular argument is that Beowulf does not believe in God but instead believes in fate. Someone that wrote a paper on Beowulf, who is known as Ultisch said, Many times throughout Beowulf, the author will reference fate, while speaking of Godà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ To reword, they are saying that, yes, Beowulf does mention fate, but when he does, he is referring to Gods ultimate sovereignty and control and not something of pure chance or luck. Some people also like to argue that Beowulfs death bed wish to see the treasures he just earned, instead of his family or something of more long term value, is proof that he was not a Christian. As he dies, Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring him the treasure that the dragon was guarding. (Raffel 58). Now think reasonably. How can this logically prove that he was not a Christian? He is simply being reasonable and realistic. He knows he does not have enough t ime left and that he can not see his family. In their book, J.D.A Ogilvy and Donald C. Baker say, Beowulf is dying why not see the treasure? Even if this was not the case and Beowulf was being greedy, it still would not prove anything. Is a mans greed proof that he is an unbeliever? The obvious answer is no. In Roman 3:23 the Bible says, For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Just because a man sinned does not mean he is not a Christian. In conclusion, Beowulf was a Christian man and did go to heaven in the end. Yes, there is more proof for that too. At the end of the poem, Beowulfs death is described in this way: His soul left his flesh, flew to glory. (Raffel 59). The word glory here quite obviously means heaven. Also, before he fights the dragon, Beowulf says, Ive never known fear, (Raffel 54) saying that he is not afraid to die. This shows us that he knows his eternity is secure in the Lord. This proves that Beowulfs belief in and of God goes further than that of the demons and that he truly is a child of God.

Odour of Chrysanthemums as a Classic Essay -- Odour of Chrysanthemums

Odour of Chrysanthemums as a Classic    The claim that "Odour of Chrysanthemums" is a well-crafted story is hardly brave or risky, for many would agree. For instance, the man who in a sense discovered Lawrence, English Review editor F. M. Ford, said this about "Odour of Chrysanthemums": The very title makes an impact on the mind. You get at once the knowledge that this is not, whatever else it may turn out, either a frivolous or even a gay springtime story. Chrysanthemums are not only flowers of the autumn: they are the autumn itself. . . This man knows what he wants. He sees the scene of his story exactly. He has an authoritative mind. (Ford 257) As a fiction editor, he is quite receptive to Lawrence's descriptive gifts. He is impressed with Lawrence's sense of purpose. But readers needn't assess the short story by Ford's methods alone. Modern readers have a very different perspective than Lawrence's contemporaries, ensuring that many different analyses of "Odour of Chrysanthemums" are possible. However, the plot itself is very simple. In the 1914 version, Elizabeth Bates spends most of the story waiting for her husband to return from the mine, fretting that he is once again dallying at a favorite pub. His coworkers drag him home, but he is not in a drunken stupor. He is dead, suffocated in an accident at the mine. Initially it seems that the moment when Elizabeth learns that her husband is dead is the story's climax. However, this is not the story's most riveting moment, for Lawrence's foreshadowing has already given this ending away. Elizabeth often unknowingly hints at the coming death, saying, "They'll bring him when he does come--like a log" (Lawrence 290). The real surprise comes after the reader discove... ...e sense alone. This idea reflects people's deepest fears, or perhaps evokes new ones. "Odour of Chrysanthemums" is not successful and shocking because of particularly beautiful writing, realistic characters or even a surprise ending. It is shocking because of a surprise thought.    Works Cited Lawrence, David Herbert. "Odour of Chrysanthemums." D. H. Lawrence: The Complete Short Stories (Vol. 2). New York: Penguin Books, 1976. Bolton, James T. "Odour of Chrysanthemums: An Early Version." Renaissance and Modern Studies 13 (1969), 12-44. Ford, Madox Ford. "D. H. Lawrence." Portraits from Life. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1937. Lawrence, David Herbert. "Women Are So Cocksure." Phoenix. London: Heinemann, 1936. 167-69. Lawrence, David Herbert. "To T. D. D." 7 July 1914. Selected Letters. Ed. Richard Aldington. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.