Shorthand

Are We Dumb? With the creation of television and the internet, there has been the long-standing debate about whether or not these advancements are helpful to the human race. Every single advancement in the field of technology is met with controversy and dislike. Many people believe that the technological advancements are more hindering to younger generations than helpful. However, the advancements made for the younger generations are giving them a new grasp on learning and intelligence. One of…

“A strong woman who recklessly throws away her strength, she is worse than a weak woman who has never had any strength to throw away”- Thomas Hardy. Dracula, by Bram Stoker was written during the late nineteenth century, and is classified as a horror film. Further analysis however, has brought to light the buried symbols and themes of sexuality that the novel holds within it. Mina and Lucy are very significant to the novel as they are the only female characters, and they are both given very…

daughter’s desires to be a poet or a teacher. However, she will only accept Esther’s ambitions as long as they don’t impede her domestic duties, hence she too encourages Esther to learn shorthand “My own mother wasn't much help. My mother had taught shorthand and typing to support us (…) She was always onto me to learn shorthand after college, so I'd have a practical skill as well as a college degree.” (p. 21). Though Mrs Greenwood loves her daughter and does everything for her wellbeing, her…

Although many celebrities, and just normal people always need advice, in my opinion Richard Nixon needs the most advice from the their past self to their future selves. Nixon was the 37rd president for the United States, and could’ve been a much more excellent president. Nixon could have been an amazing president, and could’ve finished his term with just a little advice. When Richard Nixon departed as president in 1974, he was generally disliked as an aftereffect of the Watergate scandal.…

The Bell Jar was written around the 1950’s and 1960’s, when women were expected to adhere to specific societal norms. Often, these norms included being a mother of children, staying at home cleaning or cooking, and being an obedient wife. Society placed high importance, along with these expectations/behaviors, on the women while they were at home or in public. Society accepted women who met all these factors. Esther, a character in The Bell Jar, and Sylvia’s autobiographical figure, lacks all of…

In the 1940’s Hollywood established a style of filmmaking that would institute an artistic movement. French film critic Nino Frank established the term “Film Noir”, also defined as a black film. These black films characterize as a style of filmmaking and genre that contains several elements such as crime, mystery, thriller, menace, and fatalism; these particular films are set in the era of crime and war. The dark tones and setting of the films attracted a wide number of audience, film Noir’s…

A famous country singer once twanged the refrain, "Just call me Cleopatra cause I 'm the Queen of Denial”. In fact this performer is one of many vocal artists to employ this pun in some way. Even politicians like Al Gore have used the phrase, "denial ain 't no river in Africa". The ubiquitous image of an ostrich with its head buried in the sand is another icon of denial. Perhaps no human failing is more ubiquitous and insidious than the propensity to ignore the truth and deny reality.…

The denotation of an insecurity is “a lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt”, another, simpler definition is “instability” (“Insecurity”). The connotation associated with insecurities is that they are rooted from uncertainty of society’s views. This is interesting because society’s opinions can also be deemed unstable. Sylvia Plath comments on this relationship in her novel, The Bell Jar. By telling the relatable story of a protagonist, Esther, who faces society-induced depression, the…

internet and social media it can be harmful. People often give their honest harsh opinions online without thinking of the other people involved. The internet has created a new way for people to be bully. The difference now is they can do it using shorthand and not to their face. People often hide from people, so they do not have to face the reality of what they have done. Instead of communicating face to face people do it online creating many harmful things. It can cause depression, anxiety, and…

“Just because you find that life’s not fair, it doesn’t mean that you just have to grin and bear it! If you always take it on the chin and wear it, you might as well be saying, you think that it’s okay- and that’s not right!” –Matilda the Musical This quote is very important to me for many reasons. It’s from my favorite musical about a young girl who fights back against adults who abuse their authority over her. This quote is from the song titled “Naughty,” and it is a reoccurring line and…