James Tiptree

During and after the American Revolution, two vital issues were debated among American intellectuals and politicians. The first of these issues was how to balance individual liberty and social order; the second was whether or not to ratify the proposed United States Constitution. The belief of abolitionists was that all men deserved the same rights to freedom as one another while those benefiting from slavery believed that the two races, blacks and whites, could not live in harmony. On the other…

Bruce’s father asks the question, “And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” This quote describes Bruce’s leadership perfectly. Throughout the movie, he is forced to overcome many obstacles, as most hero’s do, and though he finds success most times, he does fail from time to time. To me, leadership is best shown by example and this is what Bruce does best throughout the movie. Bruce’s dynamism is constantly on display and I believe that is what makes him such a strong…

In Frankenstein, author Mary Shelley explores how seeking vengeance can grip and ruin the lives of the individuals who give in to it. She creates a conflict between two emotionally driven characters, Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, who entangle themselves in an endless cycle of revenge. Examining cyclical revenge and its various aspects, the novel argues the futility of seeking vengeance. Strong emotions like anger and hatred towards his maker constitute the crux of the Creature’s…

Pierce’s pragmatic principle, James shifts the principle from a theory of meaning and understanding to a theory of truth. James begins his summarization by stating that “what truth means is indeed the conduct it dictates or inspires”. (67) Ironically, this explication of the principle is not what Pierce meant when he developed the pragmatic principle. Pierce equates the principle to be that the meaning of an object or idea is the utility that results from such object or idea. James equates the…

Kierkegaard statement that “Man lives forward and understands backward”, used as an epigraph by Robert L Patten in his essay on David Copperfield, goes someway towards demonstrating the dual nature of the text – both as a story of a boy progressing through life, and simultaneously as the story of a writer considering his early life. However, he nature of the bildungsroman in David Copperfield is distorted further by a second level of fictionalization: the nature of David himself as narrator and…

George Mason was the primary author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and maintained his Anti-Federalist viewpoints despite being from a primarily Federalist part of Virginia. It is because of George Mason’s comment on September 12, 1787 that the bill of rights became a discussion point. He simple stated he, “wished the plan had been prefaced by a Bill of Rights,” because he thought it would give “great quiet” to the people. He thought it would only take a few hours. Hence, having…

What would it be like to enter presidency while tensions are rapidly growing between the United States and two other countries? James Madison was practically forced to declare war on Britain in 1812, shortly after his inauguration. Great Britain had hoped to be a great ally to the United States. Instead, American ships were frequently seized by British forces. Both the vessels and their crewmembers were put to use in the service of Great Britain. Despite many efforts to contain the situation,…

Eveline, the title character, is greatly affected by feministic issues typical of its period. By exploring Eveline’s relationships with men, the society’s expectations of her, and her obligations toward her family, James Joyce not only focuses on the theme of escape, but also the moral history of his country. Eveline, a nineteen-year old, is much like the young women of Ireland in the early twentieth century. Having lost her mother and an older brother, Eveline is obligated to take up much of…

Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns is a groundbreaking masterpiece; It singlehandedly revolutionized the public’s perception of the character, Batman, whilst also addressing a large variety of themes throughout the four books making up the comic. One of the most revolutionary factors of The Dark Knight Returns is the way Miller presents the Batman’s resurgence. Miller successfully creates a fresh take on the character of Batman by telling a story, not through panels upon panels of grandiose…

Culture and Influence In her position of leadership, Mo’at reinforces the clan’s current culture, as well as to exert direct influence on the cultural changes that take place as the clan’s social structure evolves. Our first introduction to the character takes place in Hometree as she meets an Avatar prisoner. During her first interaction with Jake Sully in his Avatar form, she challenges the conventions currently held by the Na’vi by allowing Jake, a member of the “Sky people”, the opportunity…