The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien Essay Example for Free

The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien Essay Rationale The intention of the following text is to elaborate the use of meta-fiction and narrative layering in Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s The Things They Carried through writing a narrated interview with Tim OÊ ¼Brien regarding Part FourÊ ¼s study: Literature and Critical Study. Using quotations/transcriptions of Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s statements within the fictional interview will support the structure of the text accordingly as a narration of an interview. First, I will address Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s brief biography regarding his career, education and works. The narration will continue with an introduction from the interviewer, briefly regarding his works and the incorporation of observed application of meta-fiction and narrative layering. Then, a personal acknowledgement of the use of meta-fiction and narrative layering in his work, The Things They Carried, will be mentioned discreetly and indirectly. Several techniques used to break down Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s work in aims to identify the usage of these literary devices will be addressed – then the narration will be preceded by several questions and answers addressing the application, role, and purpose of the usage of meta-fiction and narrative layering; this will be supported by direct contextual examples from the text studied. A brief re-cap on the definitions of both literary devices will be addressed. The closing of the interview aims to emphasize the coherent application and purpose of these techniques in the intervieweeÊ ¼s work. Narrated Fictional Interview Tim OÊ ¼Brien, an American citizen, is acknowledged as a novelist and/or a short story writer. He is highly recognized for his work, The Things They Carried. His works are under the genre of memoirs and war stories, more specifically those correlated with the Vietnam War, or as he would refer to it as the Vietnam Conflict. Neal Conan and Michiko Kakutani defines his work, The Things They Carried, as â€Å"a critically acclaimed collection of semiautobiographical, inter-related short-stories inspired by OBriens  experiences in the Vietnam War.† A stellar student, he was the president of the student body and earned his degree in Political Science in 1968 – after he graduated, instead of paving his own career path, he was drafted to join the United States Army. Sent to Vietnam, he was on duty until the 1970s. After his duty, he continued his studies in Harvard University, which lead him to his career as a writer. After being drafted and earning his graduate school degre e, Tim OÊ ¼Brien wrote in his memoir, â€Å"Can the foot soldier teach anything important about war, merely for having been there? I think not. He can tell war stories.† And so he did just that, he told war stories. Having the privilege of interviewing him personally, I addressed and accredited him for his excellent works – both for serving in Vietnam and his works as a writer. I planned to ask him regarding his work, The Things They Carried, to ask him regarding the observations of the usage of meta-fiction and narrative layering. I thought to myself in the beginning of the interview, how ironic it was to ask him about his experiences in the Vietnam War (or Vietnam Conflict) while I already read an entire book based upon his personal war stories. I decided to address my ironic thoughts and he responded, â€Å"DidnÊ ¼t you realize? The Ê »TimÊ ¼ I mentioned repeatedly in the book, is not based on me, Tim OÊ ¼Brien, itÊ ¼s a fictional character I embedded within the book! I honestly, did not refer to the real experience I encountered, instead I referred to my own fictional narratives.† Before I asked him my scripted questions, he led the interview towards the two topics I was t o talk about, narrative layering and meta-fiction. Based on everything2.com, the characteristics of works that use both these literary devices include the reference to itself as well as the creation and/or discussion of fictional works by fictitious characters. Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s works can be broken down when aiming to identify the application of meta-fiction and narrative layering. Within Speaking of Courage, a character Ê »TimÊ ¼ is present. Written in third person narrative, and having the same name as the author, I personally thought that Tim, the character, was Tim, the writer. Though the literal Tim OÊ ¼Brien addressed that â€Å"I am Tim, Tim OÊ ¼Brien, but Tim is not me.† I gave  him a blank stare, attempting to understand his point then I realized that he used narrative layering within his work. The first layer can be considered as when Tim, the character, heard about BowkerÊ ¼s story, then the story lead to the second layer at which Tim, the writer, made it seem like Bowker is retelling the story. In fact, the whole story itself, is narrated by a fictional narrator, this discovery is and can be seen as the third and final layer. This discovery proves both the application of meta-fiction and narrative layering as it writes fiction based on fiction and is narrated by layers of fiction characters. Even within the beginning pages of the novel, though insignificantly mentioned, it is stated that it is a â€Å"work of fiction† and â€Å"lovingly dedicated to the men of Alpha Company, †¦ Jimmy Cross, Norman Bowker, Rat Kiley, †¦ and Kiowa†. â€Å"Did you realize? I schemed the writing of that page to enhance the fact that this entire novel is a fictional piece. Tim, the character – the fictional character, wrote this page, not Tim as in myself,† he smirked while explaining. â€Å"Within Notes, I began writing by referring to Speaking of Courage, that in itself can show that I referred to my own fictional work – that is meta-fiction,† he clarified. Whilst in On A Rainy River, a statement brings upon the reference of itself – as stated above, this technique can be used to identify the usage of meta-fiction. The narrator of the story explains, â€Å"Now, perhaps, you can understand why IÊ ¼ve never told this story before.† (Pg. 54) – the narrator addresses the story within the story. The story How to Tell A True War Story is the epitome of a meta-fiction-filled work. It starts off stating, â€Å"This is true,† (Pg. 64), then leads to the confusion of readers that if a war story â€Å"seems moral, do not believe it,† as it is a â€Å"very old and terrible lie.† (Pg. 65) Every definition of a Ê »trueÊ ¼ war story within is alternatingly opposed through the differing versions of the fictional characterÊ ¼s narratives. Patricia Waugh declares that meta-fiction-filled work â€Å"selfconsciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality,† at which is all present within this story. Evidently visible within his work, Tim OÊ ¼Brien demonstrates the usage of both literary decices. Acknowledging the help of these literary devices, he states that narrative layering makes â€Å"the source material stronger and the core story more engaging.†1 While the other literary device, meta-fiction is defined as the act of writing about writing, acts as a tool to remind readers that even though the narratives he writes are fiction, â€Å"sometimes stories can be more real than reality itself.† Using it to the extent of â€Å"foregrounding the fiction of fiction and reality,†2 he applies meta-fiction as how John Barth defines it. He writes based on the imitation of novels/narrative fictions rather than writing fictions based on reality, undeniably present, his works show self-conscious examinations of fiction by referring to itself. Written with excellence, Tim OÊ ¼BrienÊ ¼s works uses both literary devices – he explores thoroughly, the purpose of writing. 1 Goldhammer, G. (2013). Layered Narrative Storytelling: A Journalistic Standard for Creating Content. . Last accessed 23rd May 2014. 2 Waugh, Patricia. Metafiction: The Theory and Practice of Self-Conscious Fiction. NY: Routledge, 1984.

Roman Extrapolation :: essays research papers

Extrapolation of the World had the Roman Empire succeeded Everyone has wanted, at one time or another, to go back and change history. Have you really thought about what would happen should you do that? Things would be different, you wouldn’t be who you are, and the world would potentially change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the course of history, mankind has been judged on its actions and advancements. From the beginning of written history, we have strove to better ourselves in all aspects. Certain peoples stand out in our texts as the people that lead to these strides. Arguably, none greater then the Romans. Through the process of extrapolation, I will show you how the world’s governments, medical care, and culture would change had the Roman Empire not fell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rome was considered by many to be the height of civilization. Their advancements in every field were leaps and bounds ahead of what scholars today thought they were capable of. Their amazing advancements in technology undoubtedly lead them into this position. The Roman’s however should not, and cannot be held responsibly for their rise to power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rome started off like any other, as a small city-state with dreams of advancement. Unlike the other cities in the region, Rome was bloodthirsty. The Romans love for blood started early. While other cities were concentrated on scientific and agricultural advancement, Rome was preparing for war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Around the year 740 Rome started advancing its forces. They easily conquered their close neighbors. Knowing that expansion depended on people Rome decided instead of enslaving its conquests, it would absorb them. Rome continued this policy throughout its career. â€Å"Rome’s policy of taking in conquered outsiders produced tremendous expansion (Hunt et al 138).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This absorption of different peoples is how Rome achieved all its great discoveries. Some of which were said to have happened before Rome was founded. The common technological advancement credited to the Romans is roads. The ability to move an army quickly over land, it was thought roads were used to move troops quickly across the growing republic. In 509 B.C. Rome overthrew its last king and created the worlds first republic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Said to be their greatest achievement, the Roman republic is what many of today’s governments are based upon. Using Hammurabi as an example the Romans established a stable system of laws that its people were expected to follow. The â€Å"Laws of the Twelve Tables† was published in 449 B.

Bio Ecological Model of Human Development Essay

The bio ecological model of human development has four basic systems. The four basic systems are macrosystems, exosystems, microsystems, and mesosystems. I will summarize the four systems and how the influences have on a child’s development. I will describe how the four systems in the model differ from oneother. I will provide examples of the four systems of their relationships and interactions with one another. A microsystem: a relationship and activity that experienced by a developed person in immediate environments like family, school, peer group, community and media. Family provides affection, nurturance, and opportunities. School is a formal learning environment. Peer groups help with experiences in independences, companionship, support, cooperation, and a role to take. Community helps children learn how to do by watching people work. Media helps provided the view of the world. Mesosystem: an interrelationship and linkage between two or more person in a microsystem that compromise of connections between immediate environments likes a child’s home and school. The impact on a child depends on the number of interrelationships. Exosystem: a setting that children do not participate, but it does affect one of their microsystems. Read more:Â  Factors that influence child develop Also, their external environmental setting indirectly affects the development like a parent’s workplace. An example: a low-income family would have to get food stamps, Medicaid, and or TANF. My family is part of this system because my family gets food stamps and Medicaid. We had to fight for the help though. Macrosystem: a society and subculture that belongs to a developing person with certain beliefs, lifestyles, interactions, and changes in their live that consist of a larger cultural context of national economy, political culture, and subculture. Examples of macrosystems are family planning services and affordability of contraceptives which can influence teen pregnancy and birth rates. Young women are taking to the Planned Parenthood in their area to get birth control pills to prevent teenage pregnancy. According to Hall; there are two classifications of macrosystems; low and high context. Low-context macrosystem concise of progress, practicality, competition, and rationality. Examples: communication and relationships of social and natural environment. High-context macrosystem are concise of group identity, tradition, intuitiveness, and emotionality. Example of high-context macrosystem is adaptively. The ecological model’s most basic unit of analysis in the microsystem is the immediate settings, including role relationships and activities. Microsystem mostly of the family, but as they grow and are exposed to day care, preschool classes, and neighborhood playmates, the system becomes more complex. Microsystems are dynamic contexts for development because of the bi-directional influences individuals impart on each other. Many micro-level determinants of health affecting early child development investigated and proposed. Factors like nutrition, shelter, hygiene, stimulation, support, attachment, and parenting style, investigated and correlated with later outcomes. The relative quality and/or quantity can have either positive or negative effects on health. On a practical level, the amount of parent involvement in the child’s education related to children’s educational achievement (Canadian Council on Social Development, 1997), and the specific language and cultural practices of the family, such as the amount of time spent reading together (Bus, van IJzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995) can have effects on the development of individual capacities. Similarly, family arrangement, constitution, and the amount of contact with extended family can affect child development through the kinds of interactive opportunities these arrangements provide (Hernandez, 1997). There are also two of the most important factors of children’s social functioning are parents’ psychiatric health and marital status. These two factors explain much of the variability in children’s social and emotional competence (Goodman, Brogan, Lynch, & Fielding, 1993; Kershner & Cohen, 1992; Kochanska & Kuczynski, 1991; Miller, Cowan, Cowan, Hetherington, & Clingempeel, 1993). The risk factors associated with behavioral and emotional disorders in children linked to parental variables such as single parenthood, marital separation, young motherhood, poor family relations, and maternal mental health symptoms (Sameroff & Fiese, 2000; Williams, Anderson, McGee, & Silva, 1990). The presence of one or more of these risk factors compounds the risk for poor social functioning of children. The mesosystem: the second of Bronfenbrenner’s environmental layers, and refers to the interrelationships among different microsystem levels, such as home, school, and peer group settings. For instance, what happens at home influences at school and in turn what are in the school environment will likely influence family interactions? Specifically, parents’ involvement within the school in conjunction with teachers’ involvement with families represent mesosystem functioning. In addition, the community expected to affect distal family processes, and a family’s ability to provide the necessary support for their child. He will also focus on factors such as physical safety, problems in the neighborhood, and neighbors and examine their links to children’s prosaically skills. The third environmental layer of the model in the exosystem consists of the contexts that children cannot a part of but does influence their development. For example, decisions by the school boards and parents’ workplaces do not include the child but may influence and impact the child’s development. A school board sets the educational policies that can relevant to the child reflective of exosystem influences. The school board would adopt a policy that states that children with disabilities go into special classes. This may affect that child’s academic and social progress. The policies do set by parents’ employers’ maybe impact a child’s development. Where parent’s leaves may not allow flexible work hours may not an option. Parents’ availability to their child can influence a child’s development (Fagan & Wise, 2001; Thomas & Grimes, 1995). The outer layer of the ecological model in the macrosystem layers composed of the cultural source that influences most of the child’s immediate experience but impacts the child through attitudes, practices, and convictions shared in society. The most distant or macro-level wealth of the nation or region and how the wealth distributed among the people. The variables can be more distant because there effects are more outrages. The individual and population level of the environmental predictor of health and developmental outcomes because some of the measure of relative affluences socio-economic status. According to the National Forum on Health: Determinants of Health Working Group Synthesis report (1997), child poverty, unemployment, youth underemployment, involuntary retirement, labor force restructuring, cuts in social programs, decreases in real income, income inequities, the disintegration of communities as we once knew them, single parenthood, and the ever-increasing pressures of work on families and all factors that determine population health. The more equitable a society, the more widely shared feelings of self-esteem and control, the more empowered its members, and the better overall health status. Conclusion, we have yet to confront the reality that the growing chaos in the lives of our children, youth, and families today simultaneously pervades too many of the principal settings in which we live our daily lives in the family, health care systems, child care arrangements, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods, the workplace, and means of transportation and communication between them.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Essay example - 1619 Words

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Sometimes in life people are forced to conform to a certain situation for lack of a better alternative, and this is the case in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. These such people lack the will to stand up for their scruples, and intern are simply guided through their mundane lives by the powers that be. Until someone comes along offering them leadership and the prospect to become â€Å"big again.† The man who does so is no other than R.P. McMurphy. Scanlon, Harding, Bibbit, and Chief Bromden may have become adjusted to the oppressive system in which they lived, but certainly were much better adjusted to the real world and life in general after their experience with McMurphy. Some people may argue†¦show more content†¦Soon McMurphy encourages Harding to break the rules by exposing him to the gambling, which he has known so well from the outside world. â€Å" I am wagering that I can bug her so she comes apart at the neat little seams and shows you guys she ain’t as unbeatable as you think,† McMurphy says about Ratched. Harding gladly takes the bet and even puts odds on it â€Å"fifteen to five.† McMurphy also gets Harding riled when he stages a pretend baseball on the television, Harding exclaims, â€Å" Run, you mother loving turkey, run!† knowing very well that he will anger Nurse Ratched. Just from a few days with McMurphy, Harding has become more independent and confident than he has been for the last dozen years. Towards the end of the play Harding has gained so much confidence and courage that he deliberately says, â€Å"Lady we think you are full of so much bull,† to Nurse Ratchet, the woman whom he had feared for years. Slowly McMurphy is unintentionally building him up to the point where he can become adjusted the every day life and eventually re-enter the outside world. A second person which McMurphy affects is Billy Bibbit, the youngest patient on the ward. When McMurphy first comes to the hospital, Billy is nothing but an innocent boy, afraid to confront other people, and stand up for what he feels and believes. In the beginning of the play he is deathly afraid of MissShow MoreRelatedOne Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest875 Words   |  3 Pages In â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest† by Ken Kesey, Nurse Ratched symbolizes the oppression of society through archetypal emasculation. The male patients at the ward are controlled, alienated and forced into submission by the superior female characters. Throughout the novel, there is a constant fear of female superiority; Randle McMurphy, the sexually empowered male protagonist, states how they are essentially being castrated. 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