Commentary on Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owens Essay

The sonnet â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† by Wilfred Owen explores the horrific and tragic conditions of the deaths of World War I soldiers on the Western front. By contrasting the soldiers’ deaths with the customary Christian funeral ceremonies, Owen comments on the dark irony that the young men who gave their lives to serve â€Å"God and their country† were denied the respectful yet superficial rituals that the religious society value so much. The title of the poem well expresses the sentiments Owen conveys throughout the sonnet. The use of the term â€Å"anthem†, which is usually refers to a joyous and often religious song of praise, is in this case referring to the widely held view that fighting for one’s country is joyous and honorable. This anthem, however, is for â€Å"Doomed Youth†, and there is a dark irony that this widely held sense of pride and nationalism about war actually results in futility and death. Owen chooses to describe the young soldiers as â€Å"doomed† because they are destined for death as soon as they enter the army, because of the futility of the strategies used in this war. The soldiers are also referred to as â€Å"youth† to emphasize their innocence and create the image of healthy, fit young men dying for nothing, which arouses pity in the reader. The first stanza is an octave that describes the horrifically violent conditions of these young soldiers’ deaths by contrasting and juxtaposing auditory imagery of the battlefield as the soldiers die with descriptions of customary funeral ceremonies. The first line is a rhetorical question, which forces the reader to truly ponder all that the soldiers lack in terms of acknowledgment and ceremonies of death, and this encouragement to think is further enhanced by the hyphen in the beginning of the second line, which forces the reader to pause. Owen emphasizes the shocking nature of the soldiers’ world, the war, by saying that the soldiers â€Å"die as cattle†, which conveys the manner in which these young men are slaughtered inhumanely as if they are worthless and are treated as if they have no identity. Instead of â€Å"passing-bells†, which is society’s way of acknowledging a death, these soldiers receive the â€Å"only the monstrous anger of the guns†, which indicates that their death goes unnoticed as if they were just cattle. Furthermore, Owen comments on all the rituals and customs that the soldiers fail to receive. The personification of the guns as being â€Å"angry† contrasts to the solemn sorrow the soldiers should have received upon their death. The repetition of â€Å"only† in lines 2 and 3 emphasizes all that the soldiers lack, as we are then told that instead of funeral prayers, the soldiers instead hear the â€Å"stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle†; the alliteration echoes the gunfire and the onomatopoeia allows the reader to hear the harshness and irregular but constant sounds of the guns. By implying that these guns â€Å"patter out their hasty orisons†, Owen points out the irony that these men who have gone to war for God are being killed and must have â€Å"orisons† muttered for them by the deadly machines that are responsible for their death. The â€Å"orisons† are described as â€Å"hasty†, which indicates the rapid pace of the war and the fact that these soldiers have little time to live. Furthermore, instead of church choirs, the soldiers hear the â€Å"shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells†, which seems to suggest a demonic sound, perhaps implying that the soldiers receive no peace even after death. The personification of the shells as â€Å"wailing† is ironic because the weapons that killed the soldiers sound as if they are mourning for them. Further down the stanza, Owen subtly criticizes the Christian religion and its ceremonies as he describes the funeral customs as â€Å"mockeries†. This term suggests the irony in the fact that these soldiers, who have given their lives for God and their country, are not able to enjoy these ceremonies that acknowledge their death, even though they may be the ones that most deserve them. The last line of the first stanza foreshadows the coming volta as it shifts the focus from the conditions of death in war to the sadness that the deaths in the war brings to those who knew the soldiers. The sound of the gentle and beautiful â€Å"bugles calling† is a sharp contrast from the violent noises of the war but the mention of the â€Å"sad shires† seems to imply that this sad calling is coming from anonymous â€Å"shires† far away. The sad, and less violent tone of the last line of the octave is carried onto the second paragraph, in which the tone becomes contemplative and sorrowful. There is a volta as the focus shifts from the violence of the war to the sober yet sincere way in which these young men die at war, with no elaborate customs but with pure, untainted emotion. Owen begins this stanza with another rhetorical question: â€Å"What candles may be held to speed them all?† The term â€Å"speed them all† seems to refer to the passage to heaven, and thus we are made to wonder: without candles or ceremony, will the soldiers be able to find their way to heaven, or will they haunt the battle grounds forever? In the following lines Owen gives us the heartrending but optimistic answer that indicates that although the soldiers are neglected of the traditional funeral ceremonies, nature itself and those who love them give them a metaphorical ceremony that is much more sincere and pure. Therefore, although the candles are not in their hands, they are in â€Å"their eyes†. This metaphor gives the image of sparkling, glittering eyes, as if the soldier’s eyes were brimmed with tears as he died. This pure emotion of sorrow of â€Å"goodbyes† is suggested to be purer and more sincere than artificial and elaborate ceremonies through the use of positive words such as â€Å"shine†, â€Å"glimmer† and â€Å"holy†. Owen suggests that through pure emotions, the soldiers have their own special kind of funeral as the â€Å"pallor of girls brows shall be their pall†, which conveys how the sadness of their loved ones acts as their funeral covering. This substitution of emotions for the ceremonial objects continues in line 13, when the â€Å"tenderness of patient minds† metaphorically become these soldiers’ flowers. The last line of the poem is very powerful as it concludes the poem by showing how the deaths of the soldiers are being acknowledged in a way far superior to the religious ceremonies. Owen depicts the way in which instead of having the â€Å"drawing-down of blinds†, that is a traditional act of acknowledging their death, all of nature is metaphorically drawing the blinds by slowly becoming dark in a â€Å"slow dusk†. The adjective â€Å"slow† conveys the respect that all of nature is paying to these brave men, even as society forgets about them. Ultimately, Owen takes the reader through an incredible journey in this short but deep sonnet. He conveys the the horrors of war and depicts all the religious ceremony that these soldiers are ironically denied off. However, towards the end of the poem, Owen brings us to realize the strength of the emotions and sorrow of those who loved these youth as their raw feelings became the soldiers’ funeral. Although the poem is bleak and dark throughout, the last stanza is poignant and heartrending as we realize that emotions and love are stronger and more important than any customs or traditions.

Influence & Detachment in the Picture of Dorian Gray

In Oscar Wilde’s only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, many influences are at play throughout the book. The relationships between the characters are all about the influence they have on each other’s life. However, out of them all, one of the characters stands out as a more detached figure who has mastered the art of influencing without being influenced by others himself: Lord Henry Wotton.To study the different forms of influences in the book, we shall first focus on the link between art and influence before turning to the study of the influence of Lord Henry and Basil on Dorian, to finally discuss the effect of all the influences on Dorian and debate over whether Dorian can be considered as an evil character at the end of the book. The first character who embodies the link between art and influence is Sybil. From the start, Sybil is a character that is only depicted through her art.She is an actress and all her life is devoted to acting to the point that the frontier between her life and her act is not always very clear to her and to the reader. She even makes her story with Dorian sounds like a fairy tale depicting him as a prince, â€Å"Prince Charming†, coming to rescue them from Mr. Isaacs to whom they owe money: â€Å"We don’t want him any more, Mother. Prince Charming rules life for us now. † Just like Dorian, Sybil is a sort of creation which accounts for her suggestibility. She is what her mother and Mr.Isaacs made her. Her mother does not want her to â€Å"think of anything but [her] acting† and because she ignores everything about real life, she lives the roles she plays as real life which is precisely what makes her such a great actress. And it is her talent as an actress that arouses Dorian’s interest. Yet, by enabling Sybil to discover the vanity of acting through her discovery of real love, Dorian ruins Sybil’s talent. And by ruining her talent he ruins his interest in her which leads him t o despise her and leave her.Clearly, Dorian’s influence on Sybil’s life and art is crucial but she is not the only character influenced by Dorian. Dorian’s portrait is described in the book as Basil’s masterpiece and it is so because Basil had never been as inspired by a subject before. The first time Basil saw Dorian he tried to avoid meeting him and justifies his doing so by saying that he â€Å"did not want any external influence in [his] life†. This sheds light on the fact that he already knew before even talking to Dorian that his influence on him and his art would be so great.And it is the very influence of Dorian that enabled Basil to reach a new level in his creation. Not only has Dorian allowed Basil to achieve â€Å"the best thing [he] ha[s] ever done† – according to Lord Henry – in painting Dorian’s portrait but he has also inspired him in every piece of art he has painted since he met Dorian, as shown in this extract: â€Å"Some subtle influence passed from him to me, and for the first time in my life I saw in the plain woodland the wonder I had always looked for, and always missed. It is clear that meeting Dorian is a real turning point in Basil’s artistic life. However Dorian cannot be described as a mere source of inspiration to Basil; he is his muse who involves more than inspiration but also adoration and idolatry. The extent of Dorian’s influence on Basil’s art and life is made obvious when Basil does not want to expose the portrait and says â€Å"I have put too much of myself into it†.When Lord Henry asks Basil more details on how he met Dorian and how it changed dramatically his life as an artist, it becomes clearer and clearer that Basil feelings for Dorian are feelings of love. And those feelings bring Basil to contradict himself on what he thinks art should be. After being so eloquent on Dorian’s influence on his art, he seems to regret the way he felt and thought and explains that he was â€Å"foolish† of thinking so: â€Å"Even now I cannot help feeling that it is a mistake to think that the passion one feels in creation is ever really shown in the work one creates. After adopting that way of thinking, Basil’s painting gradually â€Å"go[es] off† as Henry later says: â€Å"It seemed to me to have lost something (†¦). When you and he ceased to be great friends, he ceased to be a great artist. † If Dorian’s portrait is Basil’s masterpiece, the portrait’s role in the story is not limited to being a great piece of art and the picture can be considered as a character in its own right.

Arfa Batik

From the backyard of the founders house, our exclusive hand drawn batik is now a multi million ringgit industry with markets as far ranging as Europe and the Middle East. Our batik fashion house or haute couture combines contemporary design and traditional Malay motifs into batik of simple elegance, and are very much sought out by discerning customers from around the world. WHAT WE DO We are involve in various batik production processes from manufacturing from printing, colouring/dyeing, designing and tailoring, wholesaling, exporting to retailing of our batik products. We seek to open a chain of Noor Arfa Batik retail throughout the world through franchising. Noor Arfa is Malaysian’s largest commercial Batek producer. Noor Arfa has built a reputation as the leading manufacturer of superior hand – drawn fashion items and accessories. We also train and develop master craftsmen that consistently produce quality with excellence. We stand out as leader in our industry in the way we have perfected the art of combining distinct colour with classic designs and traditional Malay motives, to create Batek of simple elegance. The Market Noor Arfa Franchise operates in a dynamic and evolving marketplace. Consumers are presented with many options for batik textile and we see a growing interest in fashionable and contemporary batik that address the need to be trendy and yet unique in identity. We find our customers desiring the look that is Malaysian and yet global in application. Noor Arfa addresses this gap in the market by providing a more comprehensive product range that addresses the various needs of the different segment of the market for batik wear and textile. Our customers would also not have to worry about quality as we provide a consistent buying experience with our quality policy which is to produce excellent quality product that satisfy our customer needs. We also believe there are other areas of the market that would benefit from our products which we have not yet targeted. For example we see huge potential in offering our product to the trendy and fashionable young market which is looking for cool and â€Å"in† fashion wear. This is an area of the market that is fully aware of the benefits of self identity and yet contemporary.

Legislative Acts (Evolution of Management Class) Essay

Legislative Acts (Evolution of Management Class) - Essay Example ERISA ensures that employees get their due benefits within the given time in a reasonable and just manner. Employees get surety and contentment that at their retirement age, they will get income security and welfare plans. As ERISA is related to employees working in any organization, therefore, the act is quite influential in business sector. The employees get satisfaction related to their retirement and there is a sense of hopefulness that they will not be left unattended at their retirement age. Due to this act and its implementation, the employees are encouraged to work in any business sector with job and income security. They do not face problems regarding their retirement as according to the act, they have their due rights such as income security and welfare plans associated with retirement. The United States department of Labor ensures that employers or other authorities, who are responsible for violating the act, are taken under check considering civil action. Criminal penalties are also imposed on the violators of the act due to which, the employers are restricted to take care of their employees (United States Department of Labor, 2009). Due to ERISA, the business is influenced to a great extent as the employers as well as employees, everyone is aware of his rights and the reaction of violating the act. The employees get a sense of security while the employers get a sense of responsibility towards his employees. ERISA is quite a significant act as it ensures that employees get their due rights even at their retirement. The act fulfils the tenets of humanistic era as the employees get reward for their work and get a sense of contentment related to their jobs with businesses. Employees are able to recognize their hardships and works related to their jobs and are also able to gain knowledge about their rights according to their jobs. ERISA makes sure that employees get what they are to get because of their jobs. The employer

What are the pros and cons of the new military retirement system Research Paper

What are the pros and cons of the new military retirement system - Research Paper Example Retirement from services is the common end to all professions, whether in financial services, educational services, government jobs, or jobs in the defense sector. However, the provisions and procedure of retirement varies from sector to sector and across time periods. The retirement policies followed in the military system, too, has varied greatly with the passage of time. There are large differences between the retirement policies followed by the military in earlier times and the ones practiced in the 20th century. The greatest attraction of a strenuous military career has always been the benefits and incentives offered on retirement. Since the earlier periods, through the World War II era to the current times, dialogues have been exchanged on the subject of reform of the military retirement schemes. The primary focus of all these meetings and discussions was to reduce the government expenditure on the military system, by reducing the monetary compensation paid to the retirees. How ever, it is interesting to observe â€Å"that of the dozens of study groups, commissions, committees, boards, task forces, and the like that have recommended making major structural cuts, only one such has been enacted into law, in 1986 -- and that was essentially repealed (i.e., its cuts made voluntary) in 1999, seven years before it would become effective†. ... The retirement allowance of the active military personell is based on the longevity of their services. Usually, after 20 years of services a person is allowed to retire and enjoy pensions and benefits. The retirement decision of the disabled retirees, on the other hand, may depend on the longevity of service or the degree of disability suffered. The monthly annuity of retirees is calculated on the basis of Cost-Of-Living-Allowances (COLA), which ensures that their income is guaranteed against inflationary trends. These monetary benefits are accompanied by some non-monetary benefits â€Å"which include exchange and commissary privileges, medical care through TRICARE, and access to Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities and programs† (Henning, 2008) The old discussions on the reformation of these provisions have continued in recent times as well and their objectives have remained much the same, i.e. a reduction in government expenditure. This paper will, now, study in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the current military retirement system. Advantages of the new Military Retirement System: Monetary Benefits: The present system of military retirement is divided into three categories of compensation. They can be described as follows. For the people who have entered the services before 8th September, 1980, the monthly annuity will be calculated over the basic pay. This is referred to as the System 1. For the people who have entered the services during the period of 8th September, 1980 to 31st July, 1986, the monthly income will be the average of the highest income in three years. This system is called System 2 or High 3. Lastly, those who entered the services on or after the date of 1st August, 1986, have the right to choose between the High-3 system and the

Nature of Entrepreneurship course Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nature of Entrepreneurship course - Coursework Example Everyone can become an entrepreneur as it is the easiest thing to do. Easy in the sense that, one doesn’t have to go to school or use a lot of many to become an entrepreneur. As Seth Godin says, one has to study for very many years to become a neurosurgeon (Seth, 2012). However, you doesn’t have to do such for you to become an entrepreneur. This qualifies the fact that entrepreneurs are born. It is also interesting to know that not everyone can become an entrepreneur, even though anyone is able to become one. The nature of entrepreneurship has some connections with other terms such as monopoly, market, entrepreneurial learning, opportunity and creativity. In this essay, we will discuss the nature of entrepreneurship course with relation to the above mentioned terms that are connected to it. Monopoly is a very important tool for entrepreneurs. For one to become a successful entrepreneur, as Seth Godin says, they must have the power of monopoly on various aspects. Monopoly sets in on the issue of space, product, customers and even idea. When an individual can command the market of a particular location, it means they have a monopoly of supply in that location. This is one of the things that keeps them in business and make them successful as entrepreneurs. Monopoly can also exist in the idea that an entrepreneur has. For instance, Apple is able to do what it does because it has a monopoly of idea of meeting the demands of its customers. It provides products that solve the customer’s problems, hence, making their products most likable in the market against their competitors (Nabi & Holden, 2008). Therefore, the idea of monopoly in entrepreneurship, refers to having control over the unique ways of doing business that makes you what you are in what you do. Entrepreneu rship is basically built by the creation of monopoly that becomes like a brand name in business. People can have great ideas that lead them to becoming great entrepreneurs. However,

African American Girls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

African American Girls - Essay Example While studying the two contradictory family settings of African American girls, it was observed that the girls with father can enjoy healthier life than those who are fatherless. The paper focuses on discussing about two types of African girls, one is the girl with father and another is without father. For the healthy development of the child the presence of father in the family is very essential. In the family setting regarding this issue, the basic characters involved are the girl, her mother, father and sometimes other members of the family such as her siblings and her close relatives. The scope of the paper is African American girl with father and her counterpart, the girl of same race without father. Here also we have to take into consideration the status of the father, that means whether the father present in the family is a biological father of the girl or he is the social father (mother’s second husband) it makes a lot of difference in the girl’s life. While com menting on the relationship of father and daughter especially in African American family, Belgrave Faye states, â€Å"Father-daughter relationship is important in the shaping of a daughter’s body image, self worth, and other self attributes.† The setting in which the relationship of a father and his daughter shapes is the family. It is the centre point from which the personality starts shaping. The bringing up and the behavioural pattern are decided by the family and the overall surrounding he/she gets especially at home. The common view of a healthy family means the presence of both father and mother. If anyone of them is missing, the life of the children gets affected adversely. Our paper basically focuses on the importance of father in shaping the life of the Black American Girls. The study aimed at focusing on the major factors of African American girls’ lives and they are as follows: The physical and mental development of African American girls and the role s of their fathers, in shaping them The second theme was to study the behavioural pattern of African American Women in the presence and absence of their fathers. While studying it was hypothesized that: The African American girls having fathers live healthier life physically and psychologically. The behavioural pattern in African American girls having fathers is more balanced and normal as compared to the girls who are fatherless. African American girls with fathers are brighter academically than the girls without fathers The African American Girls with Fathers: Fathers’ role in the physical activities of their daughters is very crucial in the family. For psychological needs, they rely on their mothers but for physical activities, they get support, encouragement and motivation from their fathers. Taylor et al. (1999) studied African American and Letina middle school girls regarding physical activity and found that African American girls ages 14 – 18 reported biological fathers positively influence their physical activity levels. Bungum and Vincent (1997) also found that fathers are instrumental in physical activity promotion among African American girls. (Tara Blackshear P. 24) In the study of Thompson (2003) it was found that African American girls require additional social support to increase physical activity behaviours, especially from their fathers. The girls are so much close both to their fathers and mothers. When it is a question of spending time with the father, they like to engage in sports activities with their fathers (such as playing sports, attending sports events, or going for any amusement with their father. While engaging with their parents, girls are equally engaged with