English paper

Title Will Durant, a U. S author and historian, writes, â€Å"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. † This means that all the knowledge people once had is misleading to what the truth really is. Similarly, in Plato's â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† and Frederick Douglass's â€Å"Learning to Read and Write† a painful process of gaining knowledge through all the ignorance is described. Plato describes a prisoner going on a Journey to gain knowledge that is behind him, after he was stuck staring at a wall of shadows his whole life.He goes back to tell the other prisoners of his iscoveries and they want to kill him. Douglass is a slave who learns to read and write, going through stages to achieve each step. As he begins gaining knowledge he finds the truth about slavery which startles him. Socrates' idea that gaining knowledge is a difficult Journey to undertake because by doing so it changes the way people see the world, as proven by Douglass' exper iences. In Plato's â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†, Socrates illustrates a metaphorical story about attaining knowledge.He describes a cave with men who are chained, prisoners of the cave. They face a wall; that is all they can see because they cannot move their heads. They cannot even look behind them to see a walkway and a fire. As a person passes on the walkway, a shadow is projected onto the wall in front of the prisoners; this is all they know. Only the shadows are what is real to them because it's all they have ever known. Socrates says, â€Å"How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads? † (Plato 479).The main point is that people cannot understand anything except what is being projected right in front of them. Socrates' point is that society has a limited understanding of knowledge, and is ignorant about what is beyond the surroundings. To acquire knowledge of the truth beyond the cave, one prisoner is freed. As his eye s adjust to the light, he starts to see the real objects from the images that are projected onto the wall. He understands how the shadows were a false truth and Just an illusion and he feels bad for the other prisoners still stuck in the cave.He understands that they are not seeing the truth. Socrates states, â€Å"What he saw before was an illusion† (Plato 480). So the prisoner returns to tell the others about his knew knowledge, but they couldn't understand what they were being told. The other prisoners will not accept the knowledge the escapee has learned and my even put him to death. But the chained prisoners don't understand that the whole world outside the cave is more real than the false illusions, or the shadows being projected onto the walls. Society doesn't want to accept knew knowledge; people often resist changing what they know.Socrates' prisoner goes through stages or the process of knowledge, which is also shown in Douglass. In the allegory, when the prisoner f irst leaves the cave he stares at the sun and cannot see; it takes time to get accustomed to the brightness. Socrates describes, â€Å"And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves† (Plato 480). In time the prisoner will begin to understand the â€Å"realities † (Plato 480) that ne is tacing by going through the stages.This is shown in Douglass as well. Douglass is first taught to read by Mistress Hugh, but then she refuses to teach him. So Douglass turns to kids that e makes friends with to finish teaching him to read. Douglass Sates, â€Å"The light broke in upon me by degrees† (Douglass 73); in other words, education is being achieved in stages. This is like the prisoner going through a process of gaining knowledge. Once Douglass is introduced to reading, he teaches himself to write by tricking the white boys into helping him learn.The process endured outside the cave by the prisoner- or the process endured by Douglass- will be â€Å"tedious† (Douglass 74), and take time, but steps must be taken to gain any knowledge. The process of gaining nowledge can be painful; Socrates idea of pain by being enlightened is played out in Douglass. When the prisoner is in a cave he is comfortable with the shadows on the wall and his surroundings, but if the prisoner is freed he will feel pain: â€Å"And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take refuge in the objects of visions which he can see† (Plato 480).The new knowledge that he will gain is so different than what he is used to. This can be seen likewise in Douglass as well. When Douglass learns to read he learns the ruth of slavery which â€Å"tormented† (Douglass 71) him. He writes, â€Å"It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but no ladder upon which to get out† (Douglass 72). This is similar to the pri soner leaving the cave. He understands slavery and his rights are taken away, they ways that they are taken from their homes and made into nothing is so cruelly wrong.This causes him great pain; the only thing he has to look forward to is the hope of being freed. Because becoming enlightened is a painful process, many will resist or challenge what they believe, as illustrated by Socrates and Douglass. After the prisoner goes on his Journey of being enlightened, he goes back to the cave to tell his friends what he has learned, but they reject him. Socrates says, â€Å"If any one tried to lose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch he offender, and they would put him to death† (Plato 482).The other prisoners think he is being â€Å"ridiculous† (Plato 481) and want to put him to death for his story about life outside the cave. They don't understand that they are the ones trapped in ignorance and the freed prisoner is telling them the truth. This also pl ays out in Douglass. Mistress Hugh began by being a caring lady and teaching Douglass how to read, but slavery soon made a big impact on her. â€Å"l have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension† ( Douglass 70).The violence she projected toward Douglass when snatching the paper from him shows the resistance she now has toward him being educated. Many will resist being enlightened because society doesn't like to change what they already know. While society tends to resist enlightenment, those who are enlightened cannot eturn to their former ignorance, and pities others who are stuck there; which is shown in Plato and Douglass. English paper Ago then plans to backstab Othello and ruin his love with Desman. Based on Shakespearean focus on the character and his actions that developed the plot, it is shown he believes that freewill directs our lives. He does so by using development of the antagonist and sequencing of events. Shakespeare starts off with the story with the development of direct characterization of Ago as the antagonist who seeks revenge on Othello.In Act 1, Scene 1, lines 54-56; we have Ago start off speaking and Introducing his evil plan to sabotage Othello for not promoting him, yet instead promoting some new kid. Ago states, â€Å"These fellows have some soul, and such a one do I profess myself. For, sir, It is as sure as you are Ordering, Were I the Moor, I would not be Ago. In following him, I follow myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty. † From this quote, we see that Shakespeare directly develops Ago as an antagonist character.After reading what Ago has said, we learn exactly that he's actually doing everything for his own benefits and that he could really care less about others. Ago does not try to curve or seem to attempt to hide anything from the audience, so the sense of selfishness peaks out to the audience and the message Is conveyed pretty clearly that he will do anything In his will to be In the position of higher power as well as take over those who are In the way. In Act 1, Scene 3, and line 12; we have Ago complaining and speaking towards the audience again.This time he says, â€Å"Cassia's a proper man: let me see how: To get his place and to plume up to my will. In double-knowing?How, how? Let's see?after some time, to abuse Othello ear, that he is too familiar with his wife. After some time, to abuse Toeholds ear. † Ago shares his plot to destroy Othello tit the audience. Since Othello is so gullible, Ago manipulates that fact and will make him believe that Desman is having an affair with Cassia. This is all happening due to a result of l agans choice to sabotage Othello and get him back.The direct characterization of Ago as an antagonist is showing how he plans on using one of Toeholds weak point?such as his love shared with Desman?to help revenge Othello and ruin him due to the fact that he did not promote him but instead, promoted Cassia. He also gets back at Cassia as well, by Incorporating Cassia Into his Lana to make It seem Like Desman Is cheating on Othello. Shakespeare then continues to use direct characterization as a development of Ago is thinking of another one of his mini plans to help get back at Othello.He is thinking of using the handkerchief that Othello had gave to Desman and place it in the hands of Cassia in order to convince Othello that Desman has truly been cheating. â€Å"Trifles light as air, Are to the Jealous confirmations strong, as proof of holy writ: this may do something. † Shakespeare develops Ago as an antagonist using erect characterization by having him purposely plan out thi s evil plan of killing Adhesion's and Othello love life and having Ago saying exactly to the audience what he believes shows a direct characterization.Another example that supports the idea that Shakespeare uses direct characterization to help support the idea of freewill is in ACTA, scene 3, line 12. Here, he is specifically saying what he truly feels towards the Moor (Othello), â€Å"l hate the Moor: And it is thought abroad, that twixt my sheets, He has done my office: I know not fit be true;† With Ago directly saying that e hates the Moor shows a direct characterization that he is the antagonist because with him directly announcing that he hates the Moor, we can Just tell from that statement that he is our antagonist.This supports the idea of free will, because this quote also shows that although he hates the more, he is purposely going to play nice to him in order to get back at Othello. Shakespeare then uses sequencing of events to help support the idea of freewill. In the beginning of story, Shakespeare starts off with Ago planning to purposely tell on Desman and Othello and how they have ran off.In ACTA scene 1 and line 5 Ago says, â€Å"Call up her father, Rose him: make after him, poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,† With Ago purposely putting himself out there as the person whose responsible for telling on Othello and Adhesion's relationship, and agreeing to Adhesion's father that he will bring back Desman we see that with the book beginning with Ago depicted as being a 2-faced person that this is only the beginning and that his characteristics as an antagonist will strengthen as we progress through the story.Because he was one of Othello men, and by him being unload and running to tell about their relationship shows that he Just wants to sabotage Othello and isn't being faithful to Othello at all. At the end of the book, where it is the last time Ago speaks in the play, his freewill is yet still empha sized. Othello has captured him as a prisoner after he found out what Ago had did to him and demands that Ago tells him why he did what he did. Ago says, â€Å"Demand me nothing: what you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word. (5. 2. 1) Lagos intentions was to completely revenge and ruin Othello life and make him feel the pain and disappointment that he has gone through when he was not promoted. By having Othello still not knowing why Ago did what he did, even at the end of the story shows how the freewill of Ago was really meant to Just put Othello in great pain. Even though there were many events that supported the idea that Shakespeare believes in freewill, fate on the other hand can also play a role in directing our lives.In ACTA, science, page 15 Ago eventually ended up getting caught in his own plan ND did eventually get captured as a prisoner by Othello. We see this through the stage directions, â€Å"(enter Ladylove, Montana, Cassia carried in a chai r and officers with Ago, prisoner) By having Shakespeare use stage directions to clarify that Ago is now situations his ending result is still for him to fail in life again which was how he felt like he was when he wasn't promoted. In conclusion, Shakespeare starts off the story with Ago introducing his hatred for Othello to show how his freewill will pullout later through the story.We see how his revenge and all the situations he's gone through in order for himself to succeed in his own plan was freewill. How he decided to ruined Adhesion's and Othello love life was freewill. By looking at Shakespearean main emphasis on the development of the antagonist, Ago and sequencing of events it is shown how Shakespeare believes that freewill directs our lives. One lesson that can be taken by this story is to not put in too much trust and high expectations for someone, because once they slip up it'll hurt you lox more. English Paper Ambition In human beings is positive, but like most things else, It can be taken too far, and the results can compromise a person's happiness. When people AR e most ambitious, problems can occur because less time is spent doing the things that they I Eve, social Interactions are affected or physical Injuries can occur, thus compromising happiness In this poem by Des Walsh, a man has fallen victim to poverty because he took his ambition too far. This man is thinking back to how he got to where he Is, and he rime members a happy, glorified life.He remembers reading books and then imagines writing a book where he was not so ambitious and where his life was different. Somewhere In this mans' life, h e was over ambitious and this was the cause of his poverty. When people strive to achieve goals, they often do not know their own limits and therefore, can fall into a pothole in the road of life. Some people experience such a life of hopelessness caused by ambition that they fear to make ago Is, Hereford they need help from other's to hit the survivable that ambition has thrown t heir way.Ambition also affects the social Interactions that take place within society, If a person is striving 1 OFF The result is that he will degrade others and will push others down if it means that he can climb higher toward his goal. This only creates a path that over time, will close in on him. Each per son that is pushed away from him will eventually fall back upon him, crushing him and ending h is hope to achieve such goals. The result, happiness is compromised. Another way of thinking of this social concept is if one imagines throwing a rock up into the air, down a hill.The rock will go up, resisting gravity which represents other people. Eventually the rock will begin to fall a s the gravity pulls it down and it will land, lower than it started from. The result is a short time off leaning like he is on top of everyone else, then a long time of depression caused by loneliness. By less seeing goals and maintaining a healthy social life, happiness will be maintained while goals can still be achieved, only over more time. It would be like the rock rising very slowly from the grog undo, but instead, using gravity to assist it in its climb.I understand that this is a bit off unreal cystic comparison, but it works, right? There is one other result of ambition however, this on e I have experienced. When people are too ambitious, physical harm can be caused. People will stop at nothing to achieve goals and that includes ignoring body signals and pushing their b dies to the points of injury. Every year, many baseball pitchers need to go for â€Å"Tommy John† surge ere cause they have goals to throw the ball harder each time, pushing out past the pay sisal limits of a human being.Fielders collide and end careers because of a determination to run down that fly ball. Everyone has experienced bodily harm from pushing their bodies too hard. R inners pull hamstrings, fo otball players throw themselves into risks of concussions, all because t hose people will not consider the risks that are between them and their goals. For me how ever, one time when ambition harmed me was when I was younger. I was at the park with some