Edgar Allan Poe’s Influence on Literature Essay

Edgar Allan Poe’s influence on American literature was nothing short of great; not only was he the creator of the detective story and the horror thriller, but he also influenced many great writers, among those William Faulkner and Fyodor Dostoevsky. While Poe is best known for his horror thrillers, being the creator of that particular genre, he has also fashioned two other literary genres, like the detective and the science fiction genre. Throughout his life, Poe read, reviewed, and critiqued many books for various magazines and papers. Poe did not hesitate to attack what he deemed inferior. â€Å"Is purely too imbecile to merit an extended critique,† he once wrote of a novel. Because of his readiness to attack what he believed to be unworthy, Poe helped set high standards for American literature (Meltzer 64). Poe had an influence on both American and non-American writers, like William Faulkner, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Faulkner, who is considered to be the South’s most renowned novelist, will be forever linked to Poe. Both writers were fanatically obsessed with what made mankind good and what made it evil. Their writings also dealt with common elements, like narcissistic doubling, vengeance, and violence (Wyatt-Brown). In Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury, the incestuous relationship between two of the characters, Quentin and Caddy Compson, draws a parallel between Poe’s own incestuous relationship with his first cousin, Virginia (Wyatt-Brown). Fyodor Dostoevsky, a Russian novelist, was also greatly influenced by Poe. Dostoevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment depicts a man who commits murder and becomes increasingly guilty throughout the novel because of it, until he is finally urged to confess by the woman he loves. The novel’s plot was prefigured in Poe’s A Tell Tale Heart, which portrays a man who commits a murder and is driven insane by the guilt as he hears the heart beating from underneath the floorboards, where he had stored the body. Dostoevsky once declared that Poe: â€Å"almost always takes the most exceptional reality and endows it with such details that the reader is convinced of its possibility, of its reality, when objectively the event or situation is impossible. † (Wyatt-Brown) Dostoevsky’s opinion on the matter relates exceptionally with Poe’s A Tell Tale Heart. One would not believe the story to hold even a semblance of reality, as Poe has infused the short story with the most absurd of details that make it so obviously impossible; however, while reading one becomes entirely immersed in the story that it does not seem so absurd anymore. According to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer of the famous detective series, Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe is the father of the detective story (Meltzer 83). Doyle was of the opinion that Poe had covered the genre’s limits so completely, that he could not see how his followers could find any fresh ground of their own (83). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s very own character, Sherlock Holmes, was inspired by C. Auguste Dupin, the detective of the stories who began the detective genre (Binns 114). Among many of Edgar Allan Poe’s writings is The Murders in the Rue Morgue, one of the Dupin stories. This story was the first ever detective story to be printed, which made it the archetype for the modern detective story (Meltzer 83). Although The Murders in the Rue Morgue was the first ever detective story to ever see print, Poe did incorporate new elements into other works that writers of detective fiction still make use of. For example, in The Purloined Letter and Thou Art the Man, Poe introduced post-mortem examinations, ballistic evidence, and the frame-up (104). Many believe Poe had begun the science fiction genre (Binns 114). His first attempt was Hans Pfall, a story in which a man travels to the moon on a revolutionized balloon. Poe included actual facts into his story, mixing it with entirely false scientific â€Å"facts† to make the story believable (Meltzer 64). Poe’s innovations would later expand the modern science fiction genre. His vivid imagination veered off from scientific facts to create believable details to incorporate into his stories. These details anticipated later discoveries in both geography and astronomy (64). Science fiction writers like H. G. Wells and Jules Verne learned a great deal from Poe, which they integrated into their own writings. The belief that Poe began the science fiction genre may also be attributed to Poe’s complicated piece of writing which explained his own view of the universe. Eureka: A Prose Poem was published in March of 1848, and in it, Poe introduced his theory, a mixture of science, theology, and intuition. Poe theorized that: â€Å"God existed before matter. God created the first atoms. They scattered to create the universe. They are all trying to join back together, but when they do, they will be scattered again. † Poe’s theory caused an upset in society, as it was not Christian; however, others believed it to be brilliant, as it showed both insight and clear thought (Binns 100). Poe’s influence has not limited itself on just literature. Alfred Hitchcock, director of classic suspense films like Vertigo and Psycho has stated that Poe was the reason he began directing films (Burlingame 100). And, as Hitchcock has become an influential being himself, with many other directors using elements from his films, Poe has indirectly influenced them as well. Aside from literature and films, Poe’s name and lyrics have been used among many musicians. Thirty Seconds to Mars uses a quote from The Raven: â€Å"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. at the end of their video for Hurricane. The quote seems entirely fitting, as the video, which embraces some of Poe’s own elements, like vengeance and violence, is entirely surreal and evokes a sense of fear as they’re being pursued by masked men. However, they fight back, not letting the men take control of them, refusing to become martyrs. Like many of Poe’s writi ngs, the video seems ambiguous, open for many interpretations. Although Poe has long passed away, he still continues to influence today’s society. Writers will continue to use the elements he created in their stories. Film directors will continue to use his stylistic elements to portray a sense of Poe into their films. Musicians will continue to use Poe’s lyrics in their music, as well as use different aspects of his writings in their videos. Not only will Poe continue to influence them, but he will also continue to communicate with people through his works. People will continue to connect with Poe, just like previous generations have, through the themes of his writings, and through the understanding that Poe was just as misunderstood and criticized as the rest of us.

George Washington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

George Washington - Essay Example Specifically, the film portrays George Washington as an instrumental figure in the quest for independence. Conquerors in any war exercise a lot of courage in going beyond the normal expectation. In the movie ‘The Crossing’, George Washing took the lead in crossing the Delaware river on the Christmas day to fight the British soldiers. The American troops under leadership of George Washington had to employ numerous war tactics in order to defeat their opponent. Critics believe that good leadership leads to success. In the same way, in the movie, George Washington who was the commander in chief earns credit as an outstanding leader. The American troops sneaked and attacked the Hessian mercenaries that belonged to the Britons. The central theme in the movie is George Washington’s role in liberating his nations. The photograph below portrays George Washington leading his foot soldiers to cross the Delaware River. Crossing of the river was not easy because it had frozen ice. Source: http://www.flagsbay.com/flag/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/washington-crossing-the-delaware.png The movie illustrates various character traits of George Washington. For example, the crossing of the Delaware River portrays Washington as a brave leader who does not only lead his troop to the war, but also make a timely target to the opponent. The crossing of the Delaware River took place on a Christmas day. ... The motion pictures George Washington as a hero. The war in Trenton handed them a big win because the American soldiers were able to capture the Hessian mercenaries (Pencak 340). In war, soldiers protecting the arsenals mean a lot to their troop because they vital mercenaries needed in the war is under their custody. This means that an attack at the arsenal would make the opponent lose. Largely, the attacked troop will not have a means of replenishing their weapons once the enemy has ceased the arsenal. The photograph below illustrates the challenges that George Washington had to endure. Source: http://www.davidhanauer.com/buckscounty/washingtoncrossing/photos/washington_crossing1.jpg A spectacular event occurs when Washington and his troop arrived at the banks of the Delaware River; his troops lack food, boat or medicine, yet Washington believed they had to continue protecting their nation. The British troop has been lying at Trenton, equipped with best mercenary. Moreover, the troo p that Washington is about to fight is the best among the British forces. This attribute seems to worry other generals in Washington troop. These generals proposes to Washington that they risk dying if the crossed the river, but to their surprise Washington does not give an after thought about crossing the river. He made a good suggestion on how to cross the river by acquiring boats from an angler. Ideally, the situation seems to be perilous but Washington demonstrates courage in his attempt to cross the river. It is observable through motion pictures in the movie that George Washington was an exceptional leader who could not retreat once he had made a decision to fight the opponents. The success of the American Revolution largely depends on the

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 36

Marketing - Essay Example In the paper we will analyze how the companies operating in retail businesses are currently managing their customers through marketing with the help of tools like BCG Matrix, Mintzberg intended strategy, 7P/8P analysis and techniques described in the case. The companies operating in retail businesses starve for obtaining customer loyalty. Conventional wisdom of loyalty describes that customers show loyalty towards companies and brands that tend to go above and beyond others. But according to Dixon & Freeman (2010), customers are more loyal to the companies that exceed their expectations in terms of products and services. Many retail companies like Tesco, Wal-Mart and M & S offer a refund or free product or even some other benefit in lieu of that in case the product has undergone expedited shipping. This helps them in retaining loyalty of their customers even in case of delay in product delivery or service. Product: The products of the companies operating in retail format vary from format to format. Whilst companies like Tesco and Wal-Mart have SBU structure and their products have similarity of being a departmental and multipurpose stores whereas the companies like GAP, Zara and French Connection are mainly apparel stores with specialized products. The product of a company is the first phase of generating loyalty from them. A product delivered in acceptable and good condition delights the customer whereas a product which defects and expedited delivery upsets him and tends to reduce his loyalty. Providing service to customer performs an integral part of gaining loyalty from them. According to Dixon & Freeman (2010), bad service by a company has its ripple effects in a way that it even repels perspective customers from a company. The research showed by them highlights that only 25% of the customers say positive about their experience of service with a company whereas almost 65% of them are likely to speak negative about the experience.

Aspects of employment among Chinese international students after Dissertation

Aspects of employment among Chinese international students after graduated from universities in the UK - Dissertation Example The Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) is working hard to open opportunities between countries to provide educational services. The team is striving to assemble stakeholders from both educational sectors and trade in international forums. They focus mainly on assessing and maintaining records of cross border post secondary education and making all efforts to increase the demand of such education. They are also monitoring the pattern of quality development to see that international standards are maintained. Since the beginning of this century, various programs of cross border education have emerged. Such programs create the opportunities for many international benefits like educational institutes in all countries are focusing on developing an international approach in their systems. There are four mutually associated approaches behind such developments: â€Å"desire to promote mutual understanding; the migration of skilled workers in a globalised economy; the desir e of the institutions to generate additional revenues; or the need to build a more educated work-force in the home countries† (Internationalisation of Higher Education, 2004). There has been a rapid growth of international mobility of students in the last few years. In mid-1990s, OECD countries hosted around 85 percent of all students from across the world who have approached foreign education. Europe is the most popular choice for foreign students but North America ranks first in providing educational opportunities to all students striving for education abroad. Research has shown that 60 percent of all international students are from the Asian region (OECD, 2004, p.11). There are many other elements attached to cross border education that needs explanation. Globalization which means flow of people, culture, knowledge etc. across borders helps to promote interconnectivity and interdependence between nations. Education is one sector which is strongly affected by globalization. Then there is internationalisation of higher education which means making educational activities like teaching, research and service of international standard and also integrating intercultural elements into education system. There are also internationalisation activities which include agreements between institutes across borders, international or intercultural standardization of teaching process, mobility of teachers and students, and also campus based extracurricular activities. Another term associated with cross border education is trade of education services which focuses on â€Å"cross border education initiatives that are commercial in nature and are usually intended to be for-profit in nature† (Cross border tertiary education, 2007, pp.23-24). In recent times there has been a growing demand of post secondary education as well as profession based courses. There are various reasons behind this like increasing population in countries, increasing number of students complet ing their secondary education, growing demand for continuous education till late age and growth of consciousness regarding importance of education. It is now becoming difficult for public sectors to cope with the rising demand of higher education. Therefore, alternative processes of education are developing. Such processes include private sectors getting involved in providing education, emphasis on distance learning which has become more prominent with

Developing and Managing Performance (Organisation Essay

Developing and Managing Performance (Organisation - Essay Example In order to enhance performance, it will be essential to develop a reward system whereby the best performing individuals will be rewarding, thus promoting competency in their undertakings. (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2012, p.1). The senior management team will also undergo extensive training on various management perspectives, which will ensure that they will guide their juniors appropriately. This will be implanted in line with the current technological developments to ensure that efficiency is enhanced, which would consequently improve the overall performance of the company. 6 Strategies to Implement 6 Reward System 8 Challenges and How to Overcome Them 8 Conclusion and Recommendations 10 Developing and Managing Performance in an Organisation Executive Summary This report contains a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the different challenges faced when implementing and developing performance management and reward strategy. It puts forward the Bath model e laborating on how it can be used for performance management; moreover, a reward strategy has also been put in place with its significance being indicated. Significantly, the report starts by evaluating the challenges that are known to initiate from implementation, since this is known to be the basis of all the other problems, and proposed a number of ways that they can be countered so as to ensure that the strategic plan goes through to the end without any difficulties altogether. Introduction Over the years, there has been a lot of attention given to performance management and development with the demand for thorough information being actually intensified with the economic downfall. Human resources specialists have toiled to make sure that they keenly evaluate performance between relevant and fair measures putting most of their focus and efforts on essential aspects of any business. Essentially, the different efforts have circled around making sure that the processes are similar in nature with the requirements of a changing breed of line manager, and stream line the systems that are paper based and facilitate admittance through media. Nonetheless, most of the human resource strategies that have been implemented in the past are also focused on ensuring that managing the performance delivers in an environment where the evolution of numbers and effect on organisational brand and innovation is based on the ways of the business success. Concurrently, the report focuses on evaluating the challenges an organisation may incur when putting into place a performance and reward strategy using knowledge from the results of past case studies and theories from different specialists on the field, but mostly on human resources. Currently, the nature of work is altering with diverse organisations and corporations operating in more of a specialized network that is also flexible and natural; basically, the frequency of strategic partnering arrangements between organisations incr easing the need for management relationships to be managed beyond the organisation and hence further work is required. On the other hand, reward systems are also a critical part of any organisations design and how well they are compatible with the rest of the systems has an equal effect on to what extent they will be

Music and Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Music and Gender - Essay Example Music as a popular culture has the power to influence almost anyone. In hip-hop music, male dominance is a powerful tool, that appears to make the female entity more or less an object of fascination. One take on the subject of patriarchal power is defined by Bell Hooks in the following excerpt: "The sexist, patriarchal ways of thinking and behaving that are glorified in gangsta rap are a reflection of the prevailing values in our society, values created and sustained by white supremacist capitalistic patriarchy."(M.Dot, 2008). The essay written by pseudonym writer M.Dot relates how black hip-hop music tends to follow the 'white suprematist' ideals that men are above and beyond women and for that reason can be seen as objects of men's fantasy rather than having a voice and meaning of their own. The figures of Condoleza Rice and Hillary Clinton are thorns in the flesh of those trying desperately to maintain their place as masculine hegemonous figures. Two reasons for this may arise and one of which may be pure speculation but is however a valid reason. In Hip Hop and Rap, both music genre's make the women predominantly into 'boodies' and 'boobs', crudely arranging them with very little if any mental capacity. Sean Kingston recently released the album with the single "Beautiful Girl" where the featured girl was seen merely as a 'gold-digger' looking for a meal ticket in the form of a man. "You know you'll never work", denotes that because of her beauty she will never have to support herself, further making the man the power image to provide for the woman. 3. Liberal and radical feminism are quite obviously anti-patriarchal power. Country music exemplifies the ideals of the romantic cowboy sweeping the lady-love off her feet on his glittering steed. The hegemony displayed in this genre of music plays up the romantic ideal of masculinity, not the reality. "Since women are believed to factor centrally in human social relations, the male psyche seeks to subordinate women, and thus sustain the illusion of male centrality."(Robinson, 2006: 46). Robinson writes about the fact that in order to make the male the controller, the woman must make herself the controlled (Ibid). This makes for entertaining although unrealistic visions of societal norms. In a sense the modern hip-hop and gansta-rap as urban phenomena, are trying to reinforce something that is being contested, while the rural inspired country music is still hanging onto the romanticised idealism of when men were cowboys. It depends however very much n who is listening to the music. 4. Constantine hip-hop has had rather a bad image, being largely directed by sex in all its forms. It is by far the more popular of the hip-hop styles and centers around the inadequacies of femininity and tries to form the perception that women are all tending towards prostitution. One feminist website describes Constantine hip-hop as focussing on women, and black women in particular as sex objects with the camera's focussing on gyrating body parts (Ayanna, 2008). In this case we are talking Puff-Daddy and Snoop-Dogg rather than the more genteel Sean Kingston. Prophetic hip-hop is a genre more directed towards the future of the world. It often places great emphasis on the doom of modern society, painful break-ups and

Leadership in organizations Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership in organizations - Term Paper Example Therefore, in asking this question, the expected answer that would demonstrate leadership in general, and the ability to lead Microsoft in particular would therefore comprise of the following fundamental leadership principles: Strong value system Leadership is defined in different parameters. Nevertheless, the common denominator for effective and successful leadership is that the leader at least believes in something, and consistently seeks self-improvement through strengthening the visionary attributes. Therefore, possessing a strong value system is a vital aspect of effective and successful leadership, considering that it makes the leader consistent in pursuing the goals of the organization, without being deterred by any challenges (Manfred and De Vries, 7). Take for example, Bill Gates has ranked on top of the richest people in the world, yet with all that money, he still woke up every day and headed to his place of work, until his retirement. Such characteristics can only be demo nstrated by a leader who really believes in something, and that belief gives him the drive to pursue the vision and the objectives of the organization every single day, even when money, fame and power is no longer the motivating factors, having already achieved them. Thus, the fundamental and the most important answer that would be expected of a candidate for the post of the Microsoft CEO, should comprise a statement indicating that the candidate is visionary, and has a strong value system, making it possible for the candidate to consistently pursue the vision of the organization. However, being visionary alone is not adequate to make an individual effective and successful leader, whenever it is devoid of the ability to construct the vision and the belief system into a solid and tangible construction that can be perceived by all the organizational stakeholders (Manfred and De Vries, 8). The vision of Microsoft over the past decades has been to transform and change the world. While t his can simply be categorized as a general, inarticulate and overambitious vision, it simply defines the great belief that Bill Gates and the organization had, to reach every part of the world and supply their products, to form a platform that would transform the whole world. Today, there is no denial that Microsoft has transformed the world, through making the dream of having a computer in every household in the world become virtually true, since even for those who do not have desktop computers, they have other gadgets that are utilizing the Microsoft developed software to run. Demonstrate a sense of humility, tolerance, tact and charisma In answering what defines the candidate’s leadership style, a sense of humility is among the most sought characteristic that the candidate should be able to demonstrate, among the fundamental principles that constitutes effective and successful leadership (Manfred and De Vries, 12). Good and effective leadership is characterized by humility , where the leader is not simply leading the organization through issuing orders and placing a firm hand on his employees, but where the leader becomes the example in accomplishing the objectives and visions of the organizat