The Lottery and Tradition free essay sample

The story may have been seen as an attempt to look at traditions that have become questionable. In â€Å"The Lottery† Jackson attempts to compare real world traditions that are no longer relevant, with those of the story by displaying what happens when traditions goes without question, when the reason or history is not known, and when there is resistance to change. Who stops or changes a male dominated society the oppresses women and children? At the beginning of the story, Jackson created an environment of irony. She described a village where it was summertime, the flowers were blooming, and the grass was described to be richly green. It was a setting that would be great for summer activities such as picnics or swimming. However, the villagers were preparing for something else: to stone the unfortunate person whose name would be drawn from the box fill with all the villagers’ names. Jackson described the activity as one traditionally done and called â€Å"the lottery. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lottery and Tradition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † All the villagers participated in the lottery. The box where the names were pulled from has been used for such a long time; it is even older than the oldest person in the village, Old Man Warner. A reader might begin to see how tradition has existed for so long that nobody even has questioned it. Everybody, including the young children, happily prepare for it. More than likely, a reader would recognize that the stones the young boys were gathering at the start of the story are to be used to stone the person whose name is selected, as tradition dictates. The way the villagers act is actually unsettling considering what they are about to do. The reader may begin to question why and how traditions like this may exist that bring upon suffering and even death, and why and how is it allowed. A modern day fictional story that is perhaps, more relatable in the present is Suzanne Collins’ â€Å"The Hunger Games. † This tale by Collins has the same situation where a tradition is annually held to celebrate a historical event. It has a game where children whose names are drawn from a lottery fight against each other for survival, which includes killing one another until only one survives. Jackson’s short story is similar to Collins’, yet it does not have something that makes Collins’ story a little more understanding to readers; a reason for and a history of the tradition. Jackson does not do this; there is no understanding available to the reader as to how or why this tradition is necessary. In Collins’ books, she explains the history of the tradition and why it is seen as necessary; to suppress any further uprisings from people of the other districts. Maybe Jackson did not feel the need to explain the history or why the tradition began, but she does present the oldest character in the book, Old Man Warner, making the statement that, â€Å"There’s always been a lottery† (Jackson, 2007). Later in the story, it’s mentioned that other villages quit the tradition and Old Man Warner said, â€Å"Nothing but trouble in that. † So it’s possible that while there are those who saw that the tradition as no longer valid, whereas the characters in this particular story have not made such a decision yet. Although they clearly no longer remember or can justify the existence of â€Å"The Lottery. † Jackson may have used Old Man Warner’s character to represent the older generations that have a hard time adapting to changes. When the thought of quitting the tradition was mentioned by Mr. Adams, Old Man Warner’s response was, â€Å"Pack of crazy fools. Listening to the young folks, nothing’s good enough for them. Next thing you know, they’ll want to go back to living in caves, nobody work anymore, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about ‘Lottery in June, Corn be heavy soon. ’ First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery. Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everyone† (Jackson, 2007). Old Man Warner illustrates how the older generation can sometimes be reluctant to change. The younger generations often are the ones who initiate change, which is frowned upon by the more traditional folks. What is interesting in the story is the way Jackson made Old Man Warner say of the young, â€Å"next thing you know, they’ll be waiting to go back to living in caves. † Is it, possible that Jackson thinks that the older generation’s reluctance to some changes initiated by  the younger generation is because the older generations take traditions as something that is an element of moving forward? Old Man Warner is sure that the â€Å"foolery† of the younger generation will bring back the old and harsher ways of living, that the tradition is a way of breaking away from them. In the story, the fact that the present or young generation is full of ideas and defiance is not lost in the story. First, the mention that some villages quit the tradtion and some are considering quitting it happens at the time of the present or young generation. The act of defiance is shown by the way Joe Summers was joking with everyone, which Old Man Warner deeply disapproved of, and the way Mrs. Hutchinson protested against the conduct of the drawing are examples of the way the present or younger generation go against traditions. Joe Summers’ joking around can be said to be a representation of how younger generations may not always treat traditions with the same reverance that the elders do. Mrs. Hutchinson’s protest is an example of the start of defiance from the people oppressed by such traditions. Interesting enough, Mrs. Hutchinson also belongs to one of the more marginalized sectors of society, as women, just as much as she also belongs to the younger or present generation. She has the audacity to protest against the way the lottery was conducted even when she was already being stoned. The obvious description of the patriarchy which was dominant in the 1940’s give the reader an understanding of how deeply traditional the society setup is in the story. From the beginning, Jackson painted this picture by having the boys gather stones while the girls stood idly by. It was also the men who drew for the lottery. When Mrs. Dunbar was allowed to fill in for her husband, Mr. Summers protested by asking, â€Å"Don’t you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey? † (Jackson, 2007). Jackson did narrate that the whole village knew the answer but politely waited for Mrs. Dunbar’s response, the fact that the question was even asked is common in a male dominate society where men are expected to represent their families and not the other way around. After Mrs. Dunbar pulled, she asked her son to go tell Mr. Dunbar, the results. What the woman, the wife, the mother has is only the power to pull from the box but the results have to be immediately conveyed to her husband. What really makes the story very disturbing is the fact that the children are very naive about the situation. They give witness and participate in a tradition that is harsh and violent. A society is expected to protect the innocence of children, but sometimes they are shown violent practices that are demanded by tradition. As an example, the highly controversial female genital mutilation, which is a tradition that even young girls are not saved from. In fact, the age among countries who participate in female genital mutilation can vary from as young as nine years old in Kenya to 16 years old in Kamba (UNICEF, 2013). In Jackson’s short story it is brought to the readers attention how the children are expected to participate in â€Å"The Lottery. †, instead of taking advantage of a beautiful summer day. The children were expected to gather stones and assemble in order to participate in the violence that was a tradition in their village; even looking forward to it. While they go to school like most children, the stoning tradition has become part of their summers. While schools are suppose to help young minds into becoming good citizens of society, the participation of the children in such a violent manner is considered normal in that setting. The story ends with the loud protest from Mrs. Hutchinson, â€Å"It isn’t fair, it isn’t right. † She questioned the fairness and appropriateness of the tradition, even though only after she was selected, but her protests, did not stop her fellow villagers from stoning her. In the end the tradition won. It was an ending that was open-ended. Maybe it was Jackson’s way of leaving it to the present and younger generation to address. She presented the idea: There are existing traditions that are questionable and oppressive, what will the younger generation do about it? She also left something for those that seek to end oppressive and questionable traditions; the society will come for you the way the villagers came for Mrs. Hutchins despite her pleas. There is truth in this picture painted by Jackson. The road to protesting tradition and changing a long-standing practice may be met with disapproval. History is filled with examples of how people protesting traditions and calling for change were ignored and criticized for a long time before they were successful in accomplishing their goals. Some of such protested practices would include slavery, women’s suffrage, civil rights, and so many others. Maybe another lesson to be gained from the open-ended way Jackson ended her story is that there is strength in numbers. In the story, it was Mrs. Hutchinson alone that expressly voiced her protests. What if the other women or just the girls joined in on her protest? If there were one, two or maybe more that joined her, the stoning may not have occurred. Sadly, no other voice joined hers, she was alone and everyone else chose to go along with the tradition. There is a lot to be learned from Jackson’s story, if one takes a deeper look at the story. What should not be lost is the possibility that the story is a call for young readers to take a critical look at traditions that are being practiced. Is there a need to review the necessity of traditional practices?  Is there a need to break way from social norms? It is upon the younger generation to cause change where there is a need for change and only retain those that are justified by present social needs.

Free Essays on George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson

George, Johnny, and T.J. When someone mentions the â€Å"Founding Fathers† of the United States, one easily remembers George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Their accomplishments are well known by many. But do they know the men behind the achievements. John Ferling helps us better understand the lives that these men led when they weren’t fighting for independence or working hard to establish a lasting government. He also helps us become more aware of the problems, like the countrymen of their time, faced and had to overcome. George Washington as General Henry Lee stated was, â€Å"first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.† Later generations have crowned him with the simple title â€Å"Father of His Country.† George Washington was born in 1732 in the small town of Pope’s Creek, Virginia. Unlike Adams and Jefferson, Washington lacked a formal education, for he received most of his schooling from his father and, after his father’s death in 1743, from his elder half-brother Lawrence. Washington’s political and military career began as early as 1754 when he participated in the French and Indian War as a leader of a Virginia regiment. During his service under the British army, Washington started developing revolutionary concepts. It was during this time that, â€Å"Washington understood that colonists were second-class citizens within the British Empire.† (p. 65) To add to his anger of Britain, the mother country began to tax her across the ocean citizens by the passing of such taxes as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and the Townshend Duties. This not only caused unrest for Washington, but for all colonists, who were now thinking of breaking away from King George III and England. Washington was named head of the Continental Army for he â€Å"†¦was wealthy, relatively young-he was forty-three in 1775-and in good health. Here was a man accustomed to leading others, a man who could make life-and-d... Free Essays on George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson Free Essays on George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson George, Johnny, and T.J. When someone mentions the â€Å"Founding Fathers† of the United States, one easily remembers George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Their accomplishments are well known by many. But do they know the men behind the achievements. John Ferling helps us better understand the lives that these men led when they weren’t fighting for independence or working hard to establish a lasting government. He also helps us become more aware of the problems, like the countrymen of their time, faced and had to overcome. George Washington as General Henry Lee stated was, â€Å"first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.† Later generations have crowned him with the simple title â€Å"Father of His Country.† George Washington was born in 1732 in the small town of Pope’s Creek, Virginia. Unlike Adams and Jefferson, Washington lacked a formal education, for he received most of his schooling from his father and, after his father’s death in 1743, from his elder half-brother Lawrence. Washington’s political and military career began as early as 1754 when he participated in the French and Indian War as a leader of a Virginia regiment. During his service under the British army, Washington started developing revolutionary concepts. It was during this time that, â€Å"Washington understood that colonists were second-class citizens within the British Empire.† (p. 65) To add to his anger of Britain, the mother country began to tax her across the ocean citizens by the passing of such taxes as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and the Townshend Duties. This not only caused unrest for Washington, but for all colonists, who were now thinking of breaking away from King George III and England. Washington was named head of the Continental Army for he â€Å"†¦was wealthy, relatively young-he was forty-three in 1775-and in good health. Here was a man accustomed to leading others, a man who could make life-and-d...

Balance Of Diversity And Unity Cultural Studies Essay

Balance Of Diversity And Unity Cultural Studies Essay For a country to be considered a superpower, it must have prominent import/export trade capacity, command political power in the world (allies), sustain a powerful military, and provide a substantial a high Gross National Product. What is usually overlooked is how the microeconomics is affected in a highly positive manner by the harmonious balance of diversity and unity within the successful countries that are operation so proficiently. The inner-workings and confluence between the cultures of any high ranking country are most probably functioning in a well defined rhythm. If there is a glitch in the smallest cog of the machine of any country it can usually be traced back to unrest in the social balance of diversity and unity, which results in the decline of a country’s economic success. A very crucial balance between unity and diversity within society is not an easy goal to achieve. Finding the perfect balance between any two principles can be an extremely difficult task, if not impossible. In this difficult search we look back in history to feudal China, where the philosophy of yin and yang were created. Svebor Hlede, an expert on the history of Chinese philosophy states that â€Å"The dual concepts of yin and yang which describe two primal opposing but complementary principles or cosmic forces said to be found in all non-static objects and processes in the universe† (Hlede). This seemingly paradoxical concept is the very nature of unity and diversity. Unity and diversity are two contradictory philosophies which must work in unison to allow a society to stray away from stagnation and stasis. When looking at the yin and yang circle, two parts which will represent unity and diversity are put together in a circle. This circle represents society as a whole, the two parts are contradicting aspects, they fight and interchange each other. Whenever the trend of unity increases, the trend of diversity decreases and so on. (Hlede) Abraham Lincoln, the si xteenth president of the United States, said â€Å"United we stand, divided we fall,† he was discussing the north/south cultural differences that brought on the Civil War. This concept of the absolute importance is appropriately valid in modern times to this day. One cannot survive on one’s own; therefore life is based upon and requires unity. Agreeing that unity is a principle building block in the base of a successful nation does not mean that the whole world follows this logic. For some, violence between cultures is such an ingrained tradition that balances between unity and diversity seems an improbable goal. It is the unfortunate truth â€Å"that when certain people in power try to promote unity within nations/countries, other certain people in power will do and say something that will cause disunity, which brings about war and all other types of evil things† (Thoughtz). For example, the current president of Iran invites aggravation when he states that the Holocaust did not happen. In another speech he advises the state of Israel should be wiped out. The condition of the Middle East is a proper example of no unity or acceptance of diversity. There is ongoing tension between the Israelis and its surround neighbors the bordering Arab countries. If one tries to promote unity in the Middle East, it is easily pushed aside when such an inflammatory statement is made by the president of Iran; this causes a tremendous uproar because the Holocaust did happen. Even in America there can be seen a sway in the balance of race relation and race unity. Racism is still happening in the US and also discrimination. Although progress has been made in the last half a century that unity can be disrupted when a racist incident occurs like the Jena 6 case. Racism is a leach on the social structure that keeps sucking away whatever unity seems to be gained.

Basketball as the Most Popular Team Sports Essay

Basketball as the Most Popular Team Sports - Essay Example Thus, it can be said that a basketball team, although not too large a group, is a discourse community in that the members have developed a specific institutionalized way of thinking through the use of all forms of communication, be it through speech, actions or text. The very specific language used to communicate between players, between coaches and players, between the referees and players, between the referees and coaches, and between the players and fans contributes positively to the whole experience and excitement of the game. In fact, it is inevitable as is a game that has very specific rules. This perpetuates the creation of phrases, words, signals and actions that are exclusive to the game. Furthermore, because the game is fast-paced, effective communication is necessary in order to be able to play and win the game. It contributes to the enjoyment of fans, as they are able to follow and understand the game and experience a sense of belonging. This paper aims to argue the poin t that the establishment of a discourse community in basketball positively affects the perception, experience and enjoyment of the game and is inevitable through a discourse community analysis based on the observations of this author of several basketball games. Discourse is a concept that pertains to â€Å"all forms of communication,† which means that language as used here denotes spoken language, sign language, and even written language (El Hadi 1). However, because written language is not used much in basketball—unless printed commentaries are analyzed, which is not a part of the observable factors in the game—the word language, when used generally here, will mean words and actions. When discourse is combined with the world community, it now points to how language has been used by groups with  the same social characteristics. This is a testament to the progressive notion that discourse functions within standards and practices that are defined by communities.  

The causes of crime are ultimately matters of individual Essay

The causes of crime are ultimately matters of individual responsibility and choice. Critically discuss - Essay Example Many of the different approaches to dealing with crime are developed within those frameworks from the various assumptions and values which hold sway within that particular nation. It is more likely that, for countries or systems that believe a criminal is a product of his or her environment, money will be spent on rehabilitation and treatment with much less emphasis on custodial sentences. For those who believe people are responsible for their actions and intend to commit crimes (indeed intention, or mens rea, is required in all systems in order to convict someone of crime), the emphasis is likely to be on punishment, generally not specifically intended to address rehabilitation, such as custody. Clearly these concepts require a great deal of unpacking which will be done in the course of this essay. The key thing is to examine the various explanations as to why people commit crimes, be they biological psychological or sociological, and what sorts of criminal systems such approaches g enerate. It is quite imperative to begin this analysis by acknowledging the variety of definitions of crime as used by various criminal justice systems all over the world. The variety of such definitions has been brought about by the modern society whereby some people differ on what is good and what is wrong. In relation to this, some crimes are said to be acceptable in some circumstances by some groups while others, non-criminal, actions are believed unacceptable. What then ringers in our minds is who has the power to define the term crime? However, the term has had a number of definitions. To start with, a crime is said to be an act prescribed by law and is subject to punishment. It can not only be an act, but also an omission which is failure to act where law enforces a duty to act. It is worth noting that in the recent times, crimes are not only being restricted to acts and omissions that can violate that rights of other people, but also those which can either harm the

Internal Assessment Front Sheet Essay Example for Free

Internal Assessment Front Sheet Essay

The Story Of English :: essays research papers

The Story of English Many people may ask, " What is the Bayeux Tapestry?" In the following paragraphs, the significance of the Bayeux Tapestry will be recognized. First of all it should be understood that it is not a Tapestry in the full sense of the word. It is an embroidery. It was constucted from eight separate pieces of linen which were joined to make up it's length. It is approximately 70 meters long and a half a meter wide. It is evident that at one stage it ws longer, probably by as much as seven or eight meters are missing. This is a tragedy as it may have answered many of the questions that gives cause for debate today. It is generally agreed that Bishop Odo was the architect who commisioned the Bayeux Tapestry. It was designed and constructed reasonably soon after the battle in 1066. It was made without any shadow of a doubt to celebrate and record for posterity the events leading up to battle and its aftermath. If it is reasonably confident that Bishop Odo commissioned the Tapestry, debate still reigns as where to it was constructed, and by whom. It basically comes down to the allegiances. If one is French, they would like to believe that it was made in France. There are so many clues in its construction that indicate otherwise. Whereas it is known as the Bayeux Tapestry in England, it is sometimes referred to in France as the Tapisserie de la reine Mathilde or Queen Matilda's Tapestry. Matilda, one will remember, was William's wife. To infer that she and she alone constructed this work of art defies all credibility. As Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy, she would never have had the time. Another factor which excludes her from the equation is that she does not appear in it herself (although she may have been in the missing section). So if you discount the construction being undertaken in France, where was it made? Over the years, the Tapestry has been studied by experts in this field and the consensus of opinion is that it was of English construction. Certain historical facts of the time and features of the Tapestry indicate where it was made. Following the battle in 1066, Bishop Odo was made Earl of Kent. This was partly because he was William's half brother and secondly because William was duty bound to repay the loyalty of his nobles.

Life After College

In high school and college we have guidance counselors, course requirements and teachers. But the minute we graduate into adulthood, it seems we are immediately expected to understand where to go, what to do, and how to get wherever we’re going next. Once we do land a decent job, we’re expected to know how to do whatever it is our boss asks us to do. Once the first paycheck comes, we’re supposed to know about taxes and healthcare and direct deposits and investing and saving for retirement. We go from being surrounded by our friends all the time in college to being surrounded by a scattered few once we graduate. With graduation fast approaching, I must now embark on the next phase of my life. I’d love to work at a small e-Learning company, which means I’d play lots of different roles. I’ve heard about it from a very good friend of mine. My job title would be Manager of Instructional Design. I will write the fact sheets. The website copy. I will work on the demos. The content, not the graphics. In the area of Project Management I’ll just manage the project. Check in with the development team. See how we're doing on the schedule, communicate with our clients, write all the design documents, project plans, change orders, etc. This is a new area for me. Untested waters. And I'm really excited about the project I'm working on. We've got a gig to help an organization with a large membership craft an e-Learning strategy. Such an opportunity! This will be my job. I hope! Like any other girl I hope I’ll have a very nice family. A good husband, brave children and a big house, of course.

Making Salt Lab

Let’s Make Salt Purpose: Could NaCl be made using NaHCO3, hydrochloric acid, and a boiling chip? Hypothesis: If I combined NaHCO3, hydrochloric acid, and a boiling chip I think it will form NaCl because when you balance the equation it makes a new chemical reaction. Materials needed: test tube cleaner, test tube, test tube tongs, hot plate, a scale, graduated cylinder, water, goggles, fire retardant glove, beaker, test tube holder, a scoopula, hydrochloric acid, sodium bicarbonate, soap, pipette, and a boiling chip. Procedures: 1.Clean your test tube with a test tube cleaner, soap, and water. Make sure the test tube is clean and dry. 2. Place a boiling chip in the test tube and measure it. 3. Add 1g of NaHCO3(sodium bicarbonate) to the test tube with the scoopula, then measure. 4. Take about 5mL of hydrochloric acid in your graduated cylinder. Using your pipette add the hydrochloric acid to the NaHCO3. It will start to bubble, when the bubbling stops, don’t add anymore acid. 5. Once the bubbling stops, swirl what’s inside the test tube to be sure everything mixes together. 6.Place the test tube in a beaker with water. It will start to boil. Continue letting it boil until all liquid is evaporated out of the test tube. 7. Once the test tube cools off measure what’s inside the test tube. 8. Place the test tube back inside the beaker on the hot plate for 2-3 minutes. 9. Allow the test tube to cool and re-weigh it again. Observation/Data: NaHCO3+HClNaCl+H2O+CO2 1gNaHCO3*1molNaHCO3/84gNaHCO3*1molNaCl/1molNaHCO3*58gNaHCO3/1molNaCl=. 6904761905 . 6904761905theoretical yield 1actual yield 1/. 6904761905=1. 448275862 1. 448275862*100=144. 275862 144. 8275862percent yield Mass of test tube & boiling chip| 20g| Mass of test tube, boiling chip & NaHCO3| 21g| Mass of NaHCO3(b-a)| 1g| Mass of test tube & boiling chip NaCl (1st hearing)| 20g| Mass of test tube & boiling chip NaCl (2nd hearing)| 21g| Mass of NaCl (e-a)| 1g| Conclusion: My hypothesis was correct because both substances together formed NaCl in the end. In the lab everything worked out right because in the end none of my masses were the same as I started with. It weighed 20g in the beginning and ended with 21g and the mass of NaCl 1g.

Caribbean Basin essays

Caribbean Basin essays The motives behind the establishment of American relations and intervention in the internal affairs of smaller nations have been anywhere or anything from security, ideological, economic to psychological (Pastor 1998). The attention pattern the US shows is said to fluctuate between obsession and disinterest, or something like a "whirlpool." In its obsessive stage, that attention results in, or introduces, massive security, political and/or economic programs in critical times in that small nation or region. When the crisis is over, the preoccupation also In the case of the Caribbean Basin, the US relations suggest a drive to draw from its resources, uproot opposing ideologies, implant a particular political philosophy or install an economic policy. But the US is mainly driven by security, not out of the desire to control the region but to keep situations from going out of control to the point of opening itself to the control of hostile or opposing influences. If the US wants to control a certain nation, it would imprint and leave its military presence after a particular crisis. If it only wants to keep rivals out of a region or nation, the US withdraws when the crisis is over, as it did in the case of the Caribbean Basic (Pastor). The Caribbean Basin is too small and poor to win or induce an acquisition or pose as a threat to the US. Clearly, it only wanted to ward off powerful opponents from Europe or Asia from establishing links with it to the point of utilizing it as a strategic base for a future attack or trouble on the US or adjacent neighbors. So that when that threat of penetration disappeared, US interest vanished too. This explains why the Caribbean Basin has remained in a perpetual cycle of What changes have occurred in the Caribbean Basic in the last 20 years of relation and intervention by the US' US foreign policy in the region covers four period...

Origins and Transformations of Western Art Essay

Origins and Transformations of Western Art - Essay Example from Egypt and the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin (2254-2218 BC, Akkadian Dynasty). Both images depict a moment in their respective nations history, inscribed in stone to project an image of power and influence of the nations respective leaders and their gods. There is a distinct difference, however, in the way in which the two images are presented, which can be used to identify the cultural and geographical differences that lie between the graphic representations of the two societies. The Palette of Narmer presents a continuous telling of the story of Narmer’s unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Narmer’s presence, presented in frontality form, overshadows that of those who surround him. The images are portrayed over three sections, upper, middle and lower, each of which presents a different aspect of the story. The symbolic representation of the Narmer, as a conquering bull, is used in concordance with an abstract sense of perspective, in which the figure of Narmer presides over the majority of the front of the palette, causing it to remain the foc al center. The summation of images gives off the impression of chaotic struggle held tightly under the reigns of authority. In contrast, the image of the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin is presented as one singular event in time. Where the Narmer Palette is divided into clear sections that detail different elements of the general story, the stele of Naram-Sin depicts a singular event when the king expanded the boundaries of his dynasty further than they had ever gone before. The image on the stele depicts the king leading his army up the treacherous sides of a mountain slope, trampling the Lullubi enemy beneath their feet as they go or tossing the dead bodies over the cliff edge. There are similarities with the palette of Narmer, though, in the fact that the king remains the largest figure in the image as a means of denoting his importance, and there is a degree of

Science fiction writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Science fiction writing - Essay Example If so, then life can be traced back to the single element that composes all living things – which is carbon. Is the fifth element the carbon? We are not sure. The four elements were of course obvious even if the film was not explicit about it. As we already know in our physical world, the four elements are earth, water, wind and fire. Recent movies were also made about the four elements such as The Last Airbender and even a band was named after it that made the four elements a common knowledge. In our chemistry class, the fifth element is boron but it cannot be because the fifth element in the film was supposed to come from outer space that will be used by the extra terrestrial Mondoshawans to defeat the Great Evil that attacked earth. Also, combining the four other elements by the fifth element to become a Divine Light that will defeat Zorg and the Great evil sounds more like religion than science. It is not plausible to explain in scientific terms because it rests on faith r ather than facts and science. Again, the Egyptians were used as a conduit by the Mondoshawans aliens to leave the elements that will defeat the Great Evil. ... They were just economically prosperous so they have more time for study, research and discovery of their natural world which is why they were advanced and not because an alien lend them their technology. The only thing that is scientifically plausible in the film is the reconstruction of Leelo where her hands were used to build the whole thing (Leelo). This science is called cloning where another life can be reconstructed from the codes contained in a DNA sample which in this case is the hand. Albeit its propriety is highly debated, the application of this science (cloning) is already done in animals and was it was quite successful in recreating another life from mere DNA codes. In the case of the reconstruction of the Fifth Element, the DNA sample may have been collected from the remains of the hands of the original Leelo and from there, the fifth element was recreated which is scientifically plausible. II. The world and technology In my opinion, the movie The Fifth Element was one of the few exceptions in sci-fi movies where technology should harmonizes with the world as it narrate the story. The Fifth Element movie did not necessarily follow this formula yet it was a success both in the box office and among critics. The plot of the story was good although it was not grounded on sound science. We are instead entertained by the good visuals of the film (fight scenes, space scenes, etch) and the exceptional rendering of the actors and actress including the enchanting song of the opera singer who contained the four elements. There was nothing scientifically enlightening in the film whereby the audience will understand how some scientific concept works. It may be a sci-fi film but it also