Comparing and Contrasting the Sublime Essay -- Williams Shelley Trave

Comparing and Contrasting the Sublime What can be said about the sublime? Class discussion led to the definition of sublime as the element found in travel literature that is unexplainable. It is that part of travel literature where the writer is in awe of his or her surroundings, where nature can be dangerous or where nature reminds a human being of their mortality. The term "sublime" has been applied to travel texts studied in class and it is hard not to compare the sublime from texts earlier in the term to the texts in the later part of the term. Two texts that can be compared in terms of the sublime are A Tour in Switzerland by Helen Williams and History of a Six Weeks' Tour by Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley. There are similarities and differences found in both texts concerning individual perspectives of travel and the sublime. The main focus of this commentary will be comparing and contrasting the perspectives of Williams and Shelley within their respective texts, the language of the sublime and the descriptio ns of the sublime. Both Shelley and Williams write from a personal perspective. Both travel to and make observations on the area that interests them. Williams travels to Switzerland while Shelley travels through Geneva to Chamonix. In the introduction of Williams's text she immediately reveals the reason why she wishes to visit Switzerland while Shelley assumes that the reader recognizes that he is a traveler who wants to go from point A to point B. Williams's introduction reveals that she has already dreamed about what it would be like to visit Switzerland and she shares with her readers that 'I am going to gaze upon images of nature; images of which the idea has so often swelled my imagination, but whic... ...ering more leeway to understanding the sublime. On a more personal note, comparing how Williams and Shelley write about the sublime has made the idea more clear in my mind on how to approach readings that contain the sublime, it is much easier to understand and furthermore, it offers more than one way of looking for and at the sublime. Works cited Extracts from: "The Shelleys at Chamonix:1816." Mary Shelley and P. B. Shelley History of a Six Weeks' Tour. London: T. Hookham, 1817. Romanticism: The CD-ROM. Ed. By David Miall and Duncan Wu. Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 1997. Williams, Helen Maria. A Tour in Switzerland; or, A view of the present state of the Government and Manners of those Cantons: with comparative sketches of the present state of Paris. 2 Vols. London: G. G. and J. Robinson, 1798. http://www.ualberta.ca/~dmiall/Travel/Coxe-Williams.htm.

Impulse to Create Art Essay

This paper will provide a brief explanation on why humans have a great tendency to be creative and impulsive in creating art. This presumption will be based on the readings that have been used for class. Although not greatly thorough in it is depth and breadth in its analysis, Raymond Carver’s Cathedral and Emily Dickinson’s I died for Beauty are but an infinitesimal example on how humans have always had great capabilities in creating whatever it is they put their minds into. The Possibilities of Change and Creation: An Essay on the Human’s Impulse to Create Art To Live. That is one of Man’s most basic instinct. This is so intrinsic that one of the last taboos of the modern world is the acceptance of self-annihilation. Robert, the main protagonist in Carver’s Cathedral is more than just an ignorant man, he is the kind that couldn’t even bear to name the blind man who was his house guest. Compare him to the speaker in Dickinson’s I Died for Beauty, who has â€Å"scarcely adjusted herself† when she befriends the man who had died for truth. These two very dead people are more alive than the whiskey-sipping Robert. But there is the inevitable change, of the possibility of change: â€Å"I dwell in Possibility– /A fairer House than Prose– /More numerous of Windows– /Superior–for Doors—† (Dickinson, 1886, p. 926). It is this possibility, this impulse of life that makes us different from the written lives that we are constantly made to read. Give any child a pen and a paper, regardless of its ability to write, it will surely know as if by instinct that the pen is used to create something on paper. This same child with its impulse to throw or to taste plastic blocks will also surely put one block on top of the other, to form something even a shape crooked and unstable. It is a genetic imprint in us, and will remain in us as long as we live—because, that possibility exists. Moreover, as Dickinson had equated Truth and Beauty, those two noble purposes of artistic creation – this is Man surpassing time and death. To create is to leave a testament to our existence that we are reading the words of long-dead people attest to the supremacy of creation over time and death. Robert, dead-like in his ignorance and inarticulacy, and the other man, blind but seeing the possibilities of life—together these two men who are temporarily brought together by death (the blind man’s wife) are drawn to create a Cathedral. The cathedral, that massive structure of faith, stone and of the ego that Robert is unable to describe to the man but with whom now he is able to draw with – that pen and paper drawing of that idea: â€Å"So we kept on with it. His fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. It was like nothing else in my life up to now† (Carver, 1984, p. 455). For until that time that we could do something on our own, even if it is riding our own bike or making our first lopsided ashtray, we are but half-alive. We to have these cathedrals in our minds, and as long as the moss has not covered our lips, â€Å"The spreading wide my narrow Hands/To gather Paradise—† (Carver, 1984, p. 455), we too are free to the possibilities of life. And with life is creation—with small fidgety fingers, we can still tap that subway tune or doodle in Chemistry class. We can still look at the sky with flight in our minds. It is life. References Carver, R. (1984). Cathedral. Ed. R. DiYanni. Literature, Reading Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. (p. 455) Dickinson, E. (1886). I Died For Beauty. Ed. R. DiYanni. Literature, Reading Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. (p. 926)

200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs

Homonyms are two or more words that have the same sound or  spelling  but differ in  meaning. Homophones—which means same sounds in Latin—are two or more words, such as  knew  and  new  or  meat  and  meet, that are  pronounced  the same but differ in  meaning, origin, and often  spelling. Homographs, meanwhile, are words that have the same  spelling  but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes  pronunciation, such as the verb  bear  (to carry or endure) and the noun  bear  (the animal with a shaggy coat). Words that fall under any of these three categories often confuse readers and writers alike. But they need not perplex you: Understanding the meaning of these three grammatical terms and, especially, being able to recognize them can help clear up any confusion. A list of some of the most common  homonyms, homophones,  and  homographs can help any writer use these words correctly and any reader or listener recognize them when they occur. Homonyms, Homophones, and  Homographs   Here is a listing of some the most common homonyms, homophones, and  homographs. The first column contains homonyms in alphabetical order, while the second and third columns list the corresponding homonym, homophone, or homograph as applicable. accept - take in except - other than ad - advertisement add - join, combine advice - guidance advise - recommend aid - assist, assistance aide - one who gives assistance ail - to suffer poor health ale - a beverage air - atmosphere ere - before heir - one who inherits property aisle - a passage I'll - contraction of I will isle - island allusion - an indirect reference illusion - false appearance altar - table in a church alter - to change ate - past tense of eat eight - the number 8 bail - to clear water bail - release of a prisoner bale - a large bundle band - a ring, something that binds band - a group banned - prohibited bare - uncovered bear - large animal bear - support, yield bases - starting points bases - four stations on a baseball field basis - a basic principle beat - to strike, overcome beat - exhausted beet - a plant with red roots blew - past tense of blow blue - the color bread - baked food item bred - produced buy - purchase by - near, through bye - goodbye capital - punishable by death capital - chief city capitol - building where legislature meets ceiling - top of a room sealing - setting, fastening cell - compartment sell - vend cent - penny coin scent - an odor sent - past tense of send cereal - breakfast food serial - sequential chews - gnaws with teeth choose - to select Chile- country in South America chili - bean stew chilly - frosty chord - musical tone cord - rope cite - quote site - location sight - view close - opposite of open clothes - clothing coarse - rough course - path, procedure complement – enhance; go together compliment - praise conduct - behavior conduct - to lead council - committee counsel - guidance creak - squeak creek - stream of water crews - gangs cruise - ride on a boat days - plural of day daze - stun dear - darling deer- woodland animal desert - to abandon desert - dry land dessert - after-dinner treat dew - morning mist do - operate due - payable die - cease to exist dye - color discreet - tactful discrete - distinct doe - female dear dough - uncooked bread dual - double duel - battle elicit - draw out illicit - illegal eminent - distinguished imminent - soon ewe - female sheep you - second-person personal pronoun eye - sight organ I - first-person personal pronoun facts - true things fax - a document transmitted via telephone fair - equal fare - price fairy - elflike creature with wings ferry - boat faze - impact phase - stage feat - achievement feet - plural of foot find - to discover fined - charged a penalty fir - type of tree fur - animal hair flea - small biting insect flee - run flew - did fly flu - illness flour - powdery, ground up grain flower - blooming plant for - on behalf of fore - front four - three plus one forth - onward fourth - number four foreword - introduction to a book forward - advancing gene - a chromosome jean - fabric; pants gorilla - big ape guerrilla - warrior grease - fat Greece - country in Europe groan - moan grown - form of grow hair - head covering hare - rabbit-like animal hall - passageway haul - tow halve - cut in two parts have - possess hay - animal food hey - interjection to get attention heal - mend heel - back of foot hear - to listen here - at this place hi - hello high - up far hoarse - croaky horse - riding animal hole - opening whole - entire holey - full of holes holy - divine wholly - entirely hoarse - rough voice horse - animal hour - sixty minutes our - belonging to us knead - massage need - desire knew - did know new - not old knight - feudal horseman night - evening knot - tied rope not - negative know - have knowledge no - opposite of yes lead - metal led - was the leader leased - past tense of lease least - the minimum lessen - make smaller lesson - class loan - lend lone - solitary made - did make maid - servant mail - postage male - opposite of female marry - to wedmaterial merry - very happymateriel meat - animal protein meet - encounter mince - to chop finely mints - type of sweet morning - a.m. mourning - remember the dead none - not any nun - woman who takes special vows oar - boat paddle or - otherwise ore - mineral oh - expression of surprise or awe owe - be obligated one - single won - did win overdo - do too much overdue - past due date pail - bucket pale - not bright pain - hurt pane - window glass peace - calm piece - segment peak – highest point peek - glance patience - being willing to wait patients - person treated in a hospital or by a doctor pear - a type of fruit pair - two (usually matching) plain - ordinary plane - flight machine plane; flat surface pole - post poll - survey poor - not rich pour - make flow pray - implore God prey - quarry principal - most important principle - belief rain – water from sky rein - bridle rap - tap wrap - drape around read - past tense of the verb to read red - color real - factual reel - roll right - correct; not left write - scribble ring - encircle wring - squeeze road - street rode - past tense of ride role - function roll - rotate rose - flower rows - lines sail - move by wind power sale - bargain price scene - landscape seen - viewed sea - ocean segment see - observe with eyes seam - joining edge seem - appear sew - connect with thread so - as a result sow - plant soar - ascend sore - hurt place sole - single soul - essence son - male child sun - the star that lights the solar system some - a few sum - amount stair - step stare - to look at steadily steal - swipe steel - alloy suite - large room in a hotel sweet - the opposite of sour tail - animal’s appendage tale - story their - belonging to them there - at that place they’re - they are threw - past tense of throw through - passing from one place to another to - toward too - also two - the number 2 toe - foot appendage tow - pull along vary - differ very - wail - howl wail - howl whale - huge sea mammal waist - area below ribs waste - squander wait – kill time weight - measurable load war - battle wore - did wear warn - caution worn - used way - path weigh - measure mass we - us wee - tiny weak - not strong week - seven days wear - to don attire where - question word weather - climate whether - if which - that witch - sorcerer wood - material coming from trees would - conditional auxiliary your - belonging to you you’re - you are Practice Using Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Complete each of the following sentences by filling in the blank with the correct word. Youll find the answers at the end of the exercise. To heighten interest, all of the sentences are quotes from various authors writings in books and magazine articles published over the years. Feel free to use the previous table to help you if you get stumped. â€Å"He simply sat down on the ledge and forgot everything _____ [accept or  except]  the marvelous mystery.†Ã¢â‚¬â€ Lawrence Sargent HallI live in the Oakland Hills in a tiny house on a street so windy you can’t drive more than ten miles per hour. I rented it because the _____ [ad or add]  said this: Small house in the trees with a garden and a fireplace. Dogs welcome, of course.— Pam HoustonFrancis wondered what _____  [advice or  advise]  a psychiatrist would have for him.— John CheeverThe _____ [aid or aide] gets out of the way, picking her skirt out of the rubble of children at her feet.— Rosellen BrownHe seemed to want to  recapture the cosseted feeling  hed had when hed been sick as a child and she would serve him flat ginger _____  [ail or  ale], and toast soaked in cream, and play endless card games with him, using his blanket-covered legs as a table.— Alice Elliott DarkHe sat down and leaned forward, pulling  the chairs rear legs into the _____ [air,  ere, or heir]  so that the waitress could get by.— Stanley Elkins[T]he stewardess was moving down the _____ [aisle, Ill, or isle],  like a trained nurse taking  temperatures in a hospital ward, to see that they were all properly strapped in for the take-off.— Martha GellhornMrs. Parmenter laughed at his _____ [allusion or illusion]  to their summer at Mrs. Sterretts, in Rome, and gave him her coat to hold.— Willa CatherIn the long years between, she had  fashioned many fine dresses—gowned gay girls for their conquests and robed fair brides for the _____ [altar or alter].— Mary LernerOn a Saturday morning soon after he came to live with her, he  turned over her garbage while she  was at the grocery store and _____ [ate or eight]  rancid bacon drippings out of a small Crisco can.— Pam DurbanThe barn was bigger than a church,  and  the falls fresh hay _____ [bails or  bales]  were stacked to the roof in the side mows.— John UpdikeHer  two spare dresses were gone, her comb was gone, her checkered coat was gone, and so was the mauve hair-_____ [band or banned] with a mauve bow that had been her hat.— Vladimir NabokovWithout the shelter of those  trees, there is a great exposure—back yards, clotheslines, woodpiles, patchy sheds and barns and privies—all _____ [bare or bear], exposed, provisional looking.— Alice MunroThis was the time when outfields were larger than they are today and well-hit balls would roll for a long time,  giving  runners ample time  to round the _____ [bases or basis]  for a home  run.— Deidre Silva and Jackie KoneyThe conductor had his  knotted signal cord to pull, and the motorman _____ [beat or beet] the foot gong with his mad heel.— Saul BellowNancy held the cup to her mouth and _____ [blew or blue] into the cup.— William FaulknerA pigeon landed nearby.  Ità ‚  hopped on its little red feet  and pecked into something that might have been a dirty piece of stale _____ [bread or bred] or dried mud.— Isaac Bashevis SingerHe was wearing a new  hat of a pretty biscuit shade, for it never occurred to him to _____ [buy, by, or bye] anything of a practical color; he had put it on for the first time and the rain was spoiling it.— Katherine Anne Porter Answers to the Exercise 1. except  2. ad  3. advice  4.  aide  5. ale  6. air  7. aisle  8. allusion  9. altar  10. ate  11. bales  12. band  13. bare  14. bases  15. beat  16. blew  Ã‚  17. bread  18. buy Sources Hall, Lawrence Sargent. The Ledge. The Hudson Review, 1960.Houston, Pam. Waltzing the Cat. Washington Square Press, 1999, New York.Cheever, John. The Country Husband. The New Yorker, 1955.Brown, Rosellen. How to Win. The Massachusetts Review, 1975.Dark, Alice Elliott. In the Gloaming. The New Yorker. 1994.Elkins, Stanley. Criers and Kibitzers, Kibitzers and Criers. Perspective, 1962.Gellhorn, Martha. Miami-New York. The Atlantic Monthly, 1948.Cather, Willa. Double Birthday.  Uncle Valentine and Other Stories. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Neb., 1986.Lerner, Mary. Little Selves. The Atlantic Monthly, 1915.Durban, Pam. Soon. The Southern Review, 1997.Updike,  John. My Fathers Tears and Other Stories. Knopf, 2009, New York.Nabokov, Vladimir That in Aleppo Once... The Atlantic Monthly, 1944.Munro, Alice. Meneseteung. The New Yorker, 1989.Silva, Deidre, and Koney, Jackie. It Takes More Than Balls: The Savvy Girls Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Baseball. Skyhorse, 2008, N ew York.Bellow, Saul. A Silver Dish. The New Yorker, 1979.Faulkner, William. That Evening Sun Go Down. The American Mercury, 1931.Singer, Isaac Bashevis. The Key.  A Friend of Kafka. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979, New York.Katherine Anne Porter, Theft. The Gyroscope, 1930.