Evolution of the Haunted House in Early and Modern Gothic Novels Essay

Evolution of a Haunted House: The use of setting in early and modern gothic novels The setting for a novel plays a big part in how the story and its characters relate to the reader. This paper will examine how setting in gothic literature, plays an important role in the telling of a story by using Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto and Shirley Jackson’s The House on Haunted Hill as examples. During the eighteenth century, the Romantic period of literature emerged. The works of this time were often filled with imagination, strong emotional contexts, and freedom from the classical notions of art and social conventions (wordiq.com). The Castle of Otranto, while considered by many to be a Romantic drama, had a style that was distinctively different (Mulvey-Roberts, 226). Elements, not previously seen in works of literature were added to the story, much in the way embellishments were added to buildings of the time. Horace Walpole, used elements of the macabre, mysterious, and violent incidents; along with desolate and remote settings to create the first true English-language gothic novel (Merriam-Webster.com). The ruins of castles and other ancient settlements, set amongst the gloominess of the surrounding landscape provided the perfect backdrop for the early English gothic novel (Goldstein, Grider, Thomas 145-146). It was at once mysterious, foreboding, and could create a sense of fear and dread in the reader. Horace Walpole took advantage of setting in The Castle of Otranto. The castle evokes feelings of darkness, solitude, loneliness, and claustrophobia (Mulvey-Roberts, 174). There are secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, and areas of ruin. The aim is to produce the classic emotion of fear of the unknown. Add in a... ..., a moaning sound is heard prior (Walpole, 34). In The Haunting of Hill House, it is the female protagonist who hears a hammering against the upper edge of a bedroom door that sounded like â€Å"something children do†. She also hears "little mad rising laugh" outside the door (Jackson, 95,97). For more than two centuries, the setting of the haunted castle or house has played with our emotions and psyches. They create tension and fear, while we wait for the ghost or bogeyman to jump out. Author H.P. Lovecraft, known for creating these emotions with his own works, states â€Å"the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown† (Lovecraft, 12). This fear of the unknown continues to make gothic novels as popular today, as when Horace Walpole took a romantic drama, added a few shiny bits, and called it gothic.

King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear Assignment 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Betrayal, Reconciliation, Authority versus Chaos, and Justice are different issues or themes that Shakespeare presents to his audience and asks them to battle and wrestle against. The first issue is the betrayal of the king and of Gloucester, and the reconciliation between them and their loved ones in the end, and the authority versus the chaos in the city on England and finally the Justice issue in which both the bodies of the good and the bad lay next to the each other in the end of the play. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare implies a parallel between the two themes of Blindness and Madness. The two characters who suffer the most in the play are Lear and Gloucester. Their stories are similar in many ways; however, while Lear slowly goes mad, Gloucester is blinded but remains sane. Lear and Gloucester both seem to be able to perceive certain things more clearly after they lose their faculties. Lear realizes only as he begins to go mad that Cordelia loves him and that Goneril and Regan are flatterers. He comes to understand the weakness of human nature at the same time when Gloucester comes to understand which son is really good and which is bad at the very moment of his blinding. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Betrayals play an important role in the play and show the workings of wickedness in both the familial and political realms. Brothers betray brothers and children betray fathers. Goneril and Regan’s betrayal of Lear raises them to power in Britain, where Edmund, who has betrayed both Edgar and Gloucester, joins them. Also Reconciliation has an important role between Lear and Cordelia as a dramatic personification of true, self-sacrificing love. Rather than hating Lear for banishing her, Cordelia remains devoted to her king and father who meanwhile, learns a cruel lesson in humility and eventually reaches the point where he can reunite joyfully with Cordelia. These two issues of betrayal and Reconciliation have a clear relevance to our world today where there are lots of betrayals and reconciliations between families. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  King Lear wanted to divide the kingdom among his three daughters. He intended to give up the responsibilities of government and spend his old age visiting his children. He commanded his daughters to say which of them loved him the most, and promised to give the greatest share to that daughter. Lear’s two older daughters, Goneril and Regan, responded to his test, telling him in exaggerated terms that they loved him more than anything else.

Consumer Behavior Audit: Proactiv Solutions by Amanda Huigens Essay

A.External influences 1.Are there cultures or subcultures whose value system is particularly consistent (or inconsistent) with the consumption of our product? The overall value system for the western culture, which is the dominant culture in the Unites States, is consistent with the consumption of Proactiv Solutions. The consumption of personal care products and services across different subcultures, such as class, race, and occupation, varies from being fairly equivalent to showing significant discrepancies. However, consumption of these products and services is evident in all subcultures, confirming that they are consistent with each subcultures value systems. 2.Is the product appropriate for male and female consumption? Will ongoing gender-role changes, affect who consumes our product or how it is consumed? Proactiv Solutions is appropriate for both male and female consumption. The current ongoing gender-role is for females to be the main purchasers and consumers of personal care products. This gender-role is constantly changing so that males are now more included in these purchases and the consumption of them. Both males and females currently consume Proactiv Solutions products. 3.Do ethics, social, regional, or religious subcultures have different consumption patterns relevant to our product? Regional and social subcultures have fairly equivalent consumption patterns. Some social subcultures may use different forms of personal care products, such as all natural ingredients or home-made products. They may also use different personal care services, or professional treatment, such as microdermabrasion, acupuncture, or hot rocks therapy. These different products or services may be used simultaneously with Proactiv Solutions depending on consumer want and need preferences. 4.Do various demographic or social-strata groups (age, gender, urban/suburban/rural, occupational, income, education) differ in their consumption of this product? Consumption among regions and among racial groups does not vary significantly. The social-strata groups that do vary in consumption include age, occupation, income class, and education. According to the US Consumer Expenditure Survey, the consumption of personal care products and services peaks between the ages of 35-54. Any age groups above or below this range consume less, with consumers under 25 years spending less. The only observation that differs from this data is that most of Proactiv Solutions consumers are under 25 years of age, meaning that older consumers may take part in the purchase process. Education, occupation, and income class social-strata groups go hand-in-hand as far as consumption of personal care products and services go. Consumers that are college graduates (four years or more) spend and average of $805 per consumer unit. Consumers with less than a four year degree only spend and average of $439 per consumer unit. The professional occupation subculture averages $753 spent on personal care products and services per consumer unit. All other occupations spend under $562 per consumer unit. Finally, income classes earning above $100,000 spend on average $868 and above per consumer unit, while lower income classes spend $761 and less. 5.Is this product particularly appropriate for consumers with relatively high (or low) incomes compared to others in their occupational group (ROCI)? Although the consumption patterns may be different for these groups, Proactiv Solutions is appropriate for all income levels and all occupations. 6.Can this product be particularly appropriate for specific roles, such as students or professional women? Although professional men and women may be more likely to consume Proactiv Solutions, this product is appropriate for all roles. 7.Would it be useful to focus on specific adopter categories? By focusing on innovators and early adopters, Proactiv Solutions will be able to develop a client base. These adopter categories tend to influence the other adopter categories, so consumers in these other categories may eventually purchase Proactiv Solutions. 8.Do groups in different stages of the household life cycle have different consumption patterns for this product? Who in the household is involved in the purchase process? Because acne may affect consumers of any age, all consumers may use Proactive Solutions. Younger age groups, especially teens, are more prone to acne, so their consumption patterns are noticeably higher. The influencers, deciders, buyers, and users are typically involved in the purchase process. Sometimes a consumer may be all of these roles, in which case they have complete control in the purchase process. In other cases, such as an unemployed teenager needing to treat acne, the roles may be different. In this example, the teenager would be the influencer and user, while the parents would be the deciders and buyers. B.Internal influences 1.Can this product satisfy different needs or motives in different people? What needs are involved? What characterizes individuals with differing motives? Yes. Some consumers may use Proactiv Solutions to improve their image, while others are more concerned about the health of their skin. For example, consumers in professional occupations or consumers that are trying to impress a member of the opposite sex may be most concerned about their image. Consumers who want to maintain young and healthy skin would be most concerned about taking care of their skin. 2.Is this product uniquely suited for particular personality types? Self-concepts? Proactiv Solutions is suited for all personality types (using Myers-Briggs personality types and Kiersey Temperaments). However, some personalities, such as Artisians, may be more likely to pay attention to their skin care. Consumers who take interest in the health or look of their skin or who believe that maintaining healthy skin is vital to their self-concept may be more likely to consume this product. 3.What emotions, if any, are affected by the purchase and/or consumption of this product? Knowing that they are improving the look and feel of their skin by using Proactiv Solutions makes consumers happy. This may also boost their self-esteem and confidence. 4.Is this product uniquely suited for one or more distinct lifestyles? Proactiv is suited best for consumers that allow for the inclusion of a routine skin care regimen. In order for Proactiv to work effectively, consistent use of the product is vital. 5.Do different groups have different attitudes about an ideal version of our product? Yes. Some consumers would prefer to see Proactiv Solutions offered in stores so that they can physically see it and/or buy it without the hassle of ordering it and having strings attached. (When you order Proactiv Solutions, your order is automatically sent to you on a regular basis.) Other consumers may not trust the quality of Proactiv Solutions because it is marketed using infomercials. C.Situational influences 1.Can this product be appropriate for specific types of situations instead of (or in additional to) specific types of people? Yes. Consumers who have a doctor recommendation to seek treatment for their skin in order to improve its condition or relieve pain may have more reason to use Proactiv Solutions. D.Decision process influences 1.Do different individuals use different evaluative criteria in selecting the product? Yes. Consumers, such as unemployed teenagers, who do not have to pay for the product are going to be more concerned about the outcome, the brand image, and the affects of being associated with that product. Consumers who are a part of the purchase process, in particular the payment part, are going to be concerned mainly with the price, but also with the brand image and the outcome. 2.Do potential customers differ in their loyalty to existing products/brands? Some consumers are very loyal to the brands that they currently use. Others may be open to trying something new. Reasons for being loyal include satisfaction with price, quality, and results. Consumers who are willing to try new products may have been unhappy with previous products or else they just might like to use the newest innovations in personal care products.

Characters Within “King Lear” Essay

There are many ways in which a person can use their appearance as extensions of their personalities. Through viewing the attire of another, their age, income or class, interests, nationality or religion can be determined. A person with a pressed black suit, a gold watch, alligator skin briefcase and golfer tie can be classified as a middle aged, business man with a good income living in a city. This is all concluded from examining image that that man was presenting. The outward appearance of a character provides a direct connection to that characters nature, and helps the readers interpret their emotions. Imagery is a word, phrase, or figure of speech (especially a simile or a metaphor) that addresses the senses, suggesting mental pictures of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, or actions. Images offer sensory impressions to the reader and also convey emotions and mood through their verbal pictures. Clothing images can be used to deceive, reveal truth and suggest a journey of self-discovery, within a character. Shakespeare uses clothing imagery within King Lear as a central theme in which readers may discern the complexity of the characters presented in the play. Garments can be used to reveal as well as conceal a character choosing to show either of these feelings. They can deceive through the means of a disguise. In King Lear deception is an underlying issue that is expressed in many characters. Goneril and Regan use their elaborate costumes to hide their true personalities. Thou art a lady: If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wearest, Which scarcely keeps thee warm. (Act II, scene iv, ll 301 – 304) Lear states that if warmth were all that were needed, then his daughters do not need their elegant dress. He emphasises to them that should they take off, or expose, their images of splendour, then the world would know what ungrateful and hypocritical daughters Goneril and Regan truly are. Another character masking his genuine identity is Oswald, as Kent points out: †¦nature disclaims in thee: a tailor made thee. (Act II, scene ii, ll 50 – 51) This insult indicates that nature denies any part of Oswald’s making, and Kent takes this offence further by saying: A tailor, sir: a stonecutter or a painter could not have made him so ill, though they had been but two hours at the trade. (Act II, scene ii, ll 53 – 55) Not even an amateur apprentice could have produced Oswald, and he is therefore an abnormality of nature. Only Kent and Lear have the correct insight into Oswald’s characteristics, which label him as a traitor and a disgrace. Each image of clothing expresses the means of discerning sharply between the apparent and the real. Just as disguises are used to produce deception, they can also be used to display honesty. Kent represents truth because although he is in disguise, this disguise is used to lead Lear down the correct path. That can my speech diffuse, my good intent For which I razed my likeness. Now, banished Kent, If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned, So may it come, thy master, whom thou lovest, Shall find thee full of labours. (Act I, scene iv, ll 2 – 7) Although Kent was banished, he still wanted to serve Lear loyally and so his  disguise was in faithful loyalty and integrity. He humbled himself in appearance and value to better serve his King. Edgar also indicates that although his attire has changed, he himself has not changed. †¦In nothing am I changed But in my garments. (Act IV, scene vi, ll 12 – 13) He, like Kent, uses his disguises to aid and assist others, as well as to keep him safe from his brother Edmund. Edgar helps his father Gloucester during his attempt at suicide by offering his service as a guide and also saving him from death. Edgar also helps Albany by revealing to him the murder conspiracy plotted against him. Edgar is able to use his speech and appearance to save those around him, thus symbolising the innocence in his simple garments and carefully accented voice. Wretched though I seem, I can produce a champion that will prove What is avouched there (Act V, scene i, ll 51 – 53)†¦ If my speech offend a noble heart, Thy arm may do thee justice. (Act V, scene iii, ll 153 – 154) Each of these characters were able to stay upright and commendable, while concealing their identities. They were able to stay true to their personalities using their disguises. Kent and Edgar were able to discover their true qualities through the need to â€Å"mask† their titles. Throughout the progression of a character’s disposition in King Lear, the character experiences a gradual change in clothing. This clothing, or change in immediate garments, is directly reflected on the characters change in situation or mood. As their garments change, the character is modified and  moulded into a new and hopefully improved individual. Lear refers to the conditions of his panoply, as displaying his current state of mind. He starts out arrogant and magnanimous, but as each untruth and disgrace offends him, Lear becomes unbalanced and depressed. He condemns the bitter justice in the world by crying: Through tattered clothes small vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide all. (Act IV, scene vi, ll 180 – 181) Lear rejects the empty extravagance of royalty and majesty because to him, it is all tainted with the betrayal of his daughters. Later on, when Lear is cleansed of his acrimony and resentment, a Gentleman states that, â€Å"†¦we put fresh garments on him† (Act IV, scene vii, ll 26), and Lear further emphasises this by saying â€Å"†¦and all the skill I have / remembers not these garments† (Act IV, scene vii, ll 75 – 76). This signifies the change in Lear from affliction and dejection to restoration and optimism. Throughout his transformations, Lear is always able to express his tribulations through his disrobing. The clothing images used within Shakespeare’s King Lear are the means by which readers feel imaginatively the deception, truth and self-assurance of the characters portrayed within the literature. The clothing of certain characters can represent as well as conceal their sincerity or hypocrisy. The journey of self-discovery can be viewed through the transitions between the appearance’s of how the characters attire themselves. Readers must be receptive to the images presented no matter how literally absurd they may be, and only then can the image be properly appreciated and understood. â€Å"Images operate, as one might deduce, in the realm of the imagination. They are the vehicle by which the poet’s thoughts pass into the reader’s mind as the reader’s imagination responds to the poet’s imagination.† (Harbage, 23).

Hero Honda Success

‘Motorcycles are a hit in rural areas' Monday, April 15, 2002 Many continue to be surprised at the ability of India ‘s 2-wheeler segment to buck the present recessionary trend in the economy. What, they ask themselves, accounts for such resilience: competitive pricing? Quality? Technology? Or, is it ready availability? Mr. Brijmohan Lall Munjal, chairman, Hero Group of Companies, addresses some of these issues in an interview with Soumya Kanti Mitra. What makes the 2-wheeler segment so impervious to demand fluctuations? A 2-wheeler is the most necessary consumer durable good owned by lower Middle, and middle class, households. There is multiple ownership of this product in such households. Firstly, there is an income effect that influences 2-wheeler demand. Per Capita GDP growth of 3. 7 per cent per annum has been pushing households up into higher income brackets. The push effect is more in lower and middle- income groups – hence the increased demand. It also links up with the higher contributions of the service sector to GDP; the income impact of that has been greater on lower income households. A second major reason is the inadequate public transport. The percentage of people who use public transport has fallen from 85 per cent to 75. Entry-level transport options like two- and three-wheelers have mostly filled this gap. They have also become a sort of necessity and thus do not show heavy fluctuations in demand. Increased demand for two-wheelers from households has also led financial institutions to increase credit in a sustained way in the last three or four years. That too has imparted stability to this item, compared to others. A good proportion of sales owes to replacement demand. Are motorcycles gaining an edge over scooters? What is your experience as a market leader? There are few fresh issues with scooters. Firstly, the technology was dated. Secondly, most were two-stroke vehicles, less fuel-efficient compared to motorcycles. The only advantage was that one could carry along a spare tyre. But motor- cycles have been preferred in rural areas for better ground clearance, larger wheels and better suspension. They can easily be used on rough roads. Scooters are preferred in urban segments. New generation vehicles with four-stroke engines may soon hit the market and that will boost the sagging scooter market. For the last two years scooters sales have been less than a million per annum. Are you, and others in the industry, planning changes in output and investment? Considering the developments in household incomes and transport requirements we believe that the average annual growth of 2-wheelers for the next three years should be of around 8-10 per cent. There is over-capacity, but investments may be made in individual instances. The demand for motorcycles, however, is expected to grow by 15-18 per cent. That should attract investments. Abroad, certain top-end models in BMW's, Honda's or Ducati's ranges have actually become ‘lifestyle' statements for executives. Do you see anything like that happening in India ? The next 2-3 years may see a small beginning with the introduction of high-end motorcycles. But the concept is too early for India . We do not have nice roads where the customer can ride such high-end bikes. With affordability not being widespread, who will manufacture to cater to such small volumes? We may see some inroads after imports get fully liberalised, but I think it is early days for that. Are exports from the sector under siege owing to the international slowdown? That could be a major factor. Also, there is over capacity in most countries in the 2- wheeler industry. Markets in Latin America and Africa are impacted, while intra- Asian trade is very competitive.

Phoenix Rising Essay

The Young adult novel Phoenix Rising: or how to survive your life by Cynthia D. Grant is a candid sensitive story about the serious effects of seventeen-year-old Helen Castle’s death from cancer on her family. The story is told through the eyes of Jessie who has been traumatized by her older sister’s death. Jessie and the other members of her family begin a healing process, while Helen, whose world we see through Jessie comes to terms with a life that seems capricious and unjust to Jessie. She feels pain, anger, loneliness, confusion and withdrawal throughout the novel. The family is shattered. Its new dynamics are realistically revealed with the already strained relationship between Lucas, and the father that become explosive. Jessie reads on in the journal to learn Helen’s feelings as her cancer progresses, which ranges from morbid despair to soaring hope that is made more poignant to the readers reading along with her. The setting of the story is white, comfortably middle-class, California suburbia. The characters in Phoenix Rising are of average intelligence and are raised above being stereotypical characters by the pain, reflection, and eventual growth of Helen’s death forces upon them. They remain true to their backgrounds and natures throughout their trials and adjustments. It is the mark of Cynthia D. Grant’s talent that the reader never doubts they are reading this novel through believable teenage eyes. The central character of the novel is Jessie, and the one who is most dangerously affected by the older sister’s death. Jessie’s tendency is not only to idealize her sister making her feel worthless, and unattractive but she also feels that she has failed to reach Helen and talk to her about her illness making Jessie shut herself off from her father, mother, her friend Bambi, Helen’s boyfriend Bloomfield, and their next-door neighbor; little Sara Rose. Jessie not only stops eating toward the end of the novel, she also shuts herself off more ultimately refusing to leave her room. Jessie’s brother Lucas is the kind family philosopher. On the surface, however he plays a role of a rebellious youth whose love for loud rock music. He is an exceptionally good electric and acoustic guitarist and this puts him at odds with his father, whom he engages in arguments at the slightest opportunity. Jessie’s hard-working architect father seems fixated on his role as a family provider and Lucas as the antagonist. Jessie tells the reader â€Å"My father thinks he won’t cry as long as he keeps screaming. It is as if the father and the other members have been so traumatized by the Helen’s death that a kind of static role-playing is easier for them than facing their world and moving on with their lives. Jessie’s mother seems simply to have been bludgeoned into being a relatively passive person who can do little more than to keep up with the necessary household chores, to weep for her oldest daughter, Helen as well as the self destructive, Jessie and to drink several glasses of wine to dull her pain. Two more important characters round out the characters in this novel. One is Bloomfield, who is always called by his last name. He is Helen’s boyfriend and the other is Bambi. Bambi is both sister’s plump, loud mouthed, and mildly sex-crazed friend. Jessie reads further into the Helen’s journal and discovers Bloomfield is not the fair-weather friend she has criticized him as being. Similarly, she finds there is more to the tattooed, fake nailed Bambi than meets the eye. She is surprisingly admirable for her down-to-earth, her common sense ability to cut through the silliness that ordinarily surrounds her.

Disability Does Not Mean Inability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Disability Does Not Mean Inability - Essay Example e, disabled people may need more commitment and determination to pursue goals since they may lack certain physical or mental characteristics to perform well in this or that sphere (Wasserman & Asch, 2013). Nonetheless, they have courage and strength to go beyond any possible limits. Paralympics can be regarded as one of the brightest examples of this determination and people’s desire to prove that disability is not inability. For me, the phrase â€Å"Disability is not inability† is associated with unprecedented but inherent quality of a human being. Humans can adjust to any environment and any condition. More so, they may benefit from any condition. Disability often touches only one or a few spheres of the human life. If a person cannot hear, it does not mean that he/she cannot write beautiful stories, paint marvelous pictures, build houses, save people’s lives (being a scientist) and so on. People have a variety of opportunities to make a difference. Hence, disability puts certain limits to certain spheres only. It is also important to remember that the development of technology opens up new horizons. Thus, people whose limbs were amputated participate in sport competitions and show remarkable results. Surgeons often perform outstanding surgeries and people start hearing or seeing again. Healthcare has improved the quality of people’s lives significantly. Personally, I do not have any impairments and I can only imagine what it feels like to be different. However, I know some people who have to live with it. Notably, these people are also examples of determination and capability. Thus, Alex does not walk and is confined to a wheelchair. Nonetheless, he has never complained or drawn people’s attention to his impairment. He works for a multinational as a translator and he is highly valued in his organization. He is punctual and hard-working. What impresses me most is that Alex does sports and has a hobby. He is a great photographer and he is thinking of