Description of a Person Yao Ming, Indomitable Energy of Life

Description of a Person Yao Ming, Indomitable Energy of Life There are so many people to talk about and present my own admiration about them, this is why it is not that easy to choose one person only and describe his/her best and remarkable qualities. However, there is one person, who inspires me all the time and helps to pick out the best ideas and follow my dreams even without a direct participation in my life; this person has lots of own interests and desires and does not afraid to share his ideas with people. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Description of a Person: Yao Ming, Indomitable Energy of Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His interviews and autobiography, his participation in numerous competitions and behavior during the games, his personal appearance and style – all this causes so much respect from my side; and if I could get a chance to meet any famous person, talk to him/her, or have a dinner, I would choose this very celebrity without any doubts. T his indomitable person in my life, who inspires me to take significant steps and never regret about them, is Yao Ming, a Chinese basketball player from the National Basketball Association. My admiration of Yao Ming has lots of reasons, and one of them is his indomitability in games and in his life. It is not that easy to live this life without making mistakes and analyze them. However, all those steps, Ming takes in his life and career, have reasons and cause certain respect. First of all, his pleasant appearance during all the games deserves attention. He always has well-groomed air: his short-cut hair does not disturb him during the game and allows noticing the moves of his opponents. Telling the truth, good looking and proper behavior help to build a good career and have proper conditions for living, and all this is not easy for a foreign basketball player. It is necessary to improve your abilities and your personality day by day, think about the consequences and about the new ways to achieve the desirable goals. To my mind, each person should remember about his/her responsibility and weigh own abilities to succeed. This is the major principle of Yao Ming’s life, and it deserves attention. Yao’s personal life is also one more example of how indomitable Yao Ming is. His wife Ye Li, a great basketball player as well, did not want to pay her attention to this young man for a certain period of time, and Yao decided to win her with the help of some not ordinary ideas: he presented his favorite collection of pins, which he gathered during the 2000 Summer Olympics. Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Li was impressed, and Yao demonstrated his imagination and desire to win. His kind attitude to each member of his family, his attention, and his love help to realize how a real son and husband should look like. Sometimes, it is enough to look in h is kind eyes and see unbelievable understanding and support. His sensitivity and availability to help make him a real supported in his family. One more point that proves his indomitability is his personality and attitude to the things going around. It touches about each thing in this man: his smell gives no sign of fear or doubt, his look is always sure and reliable, and his smile always promotes support and understanding. Talks with this person may be of different kinds: educative, when he uses all his skills to prove something and explain; flirting, when he wants to attract people’s attention, using his charms and appearance; helpful, when his hands touch the body and make any person be in safe. His words cannot leave indifferent any person: â€Å"this is who I am. If I succeed, I feel that saying what I wanted to do helped me. And if I fail, I will feel that it brought me down† (Ming Bucher, 16). These words help us comprehend the true nature of this person: he i s not afraid of mistakes; he realizes that, one day, he may fail, and it will be his fault, but still, he is ready for it. If I got a chance to ask him a question, I would like to wonder how he finds more powers to become more and more famous in many countries and still be a good person, a kind husband, and a caring son. I hope to hear really worthy words to improve my own life, to see his smile and realize that he knows me and knows what is want, and to shake his hand in order to feel that power. Yao’s movements during the games, his respectful attitude to each player on the field, his attention to his family, and his participation in the cultural life of his country – all this evoke only pleasant emotions. Fire and ice, black and white, hot and cold – all these words about Yao; his prudence in work and care in family, his desire to help and desire to win – they are gathered in one person and make him really noticeable in this word. He achieves the desir able goals by means of fair competitions and notable actions. To my mind, this personality may be compared to a strong tree that is able to use the sun ray in order to live and be helpful for other people to shelter from rain or sun. Yao Ming is a kind traffic sign that may show the necessary way in the most unpredictable difficulties. This is why Yao Ming and his attitude to this life, his career, and other people may serve as a good example to follow and not to regret about everything.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Description of a Person: Yao Ming, Indomitable Energy of Life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ming, Yao and Bucher, Ric. YAO: A Life in Two Worlds. Miramax, 2004.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 56

Essay Example The various methods that can be applied in the research include participant’s observation. A sample of participants are selected and keenly scrutinised so as to note the characteristics and record appropriately. The other method may include the cross cultural comparison. This may involve the comparison of varied linguistic users basing on their culture. A survey research can also be applied to the research work so as to find the general trend of linguistic aspects. It may also involve interviewing of participants and use of archival research retrieval. Media analysis of the same can be done in order to carry out an efficient historical analysis. There are various indigenous languages that face the risk of extinction. This call for the need of anthropologists to carry out research on the community. In this article, the above methods have been used to carry out the research on pormpraaw which is an aboriginal community in Australia. Native languages which are faced by extinction may be chosen for such analysis in order to prevent the language from extinction. From this linguistic methods analysed from the research, the main objectives of the research are

What similarities and differences are there between historical and Essay

What similarities and differences are there between historical and scientific explanations - Essay Example Hence, scientists usually refuse to work in collaboration with historians and philosophers (Keller 2615). However, scientists should understand that the even though way they work and the way people from philosophy and historical field work are different, it does not mean that historians are wrong. Historians and philosophers use their creativity to reach conclusions. However, their creativity is based on the facts they have studied from the fragments available from the past and not based on the imagination. Even though their methods are different, their intention is one and that is to bring the truth in front of the world and let them know how things work. Hence, even though there are some similarities in the way the scientists and the historians work, there also are some differences and these differences make life a beautiful place to live. The theories developed by scientists have an intention of predicting a particular phenomenon (Peters 147). Their theories are developed to describe the functioning of a chosen subject in a scientific way. Scientists insist that the theories they develop are based on minute observation of the way the subject functions and hence, are able to predict the behavior of the subject in the future. According to Popper, a theory which tried to explain a phenomenon should also be able to tell how the phenomenon will function in the future (Peters 147). On the other hand, the theories developed by historians are not aimed at predating anything (Peters 147). The theories developed by historians aim at understanding the developmental stages of the event or an entity from the past (Peters 147). For example, their theories try to explain how people in ancient ages used to collect food, how they used to make clothes without machineries, what tools they used to fight animals etc. They are interested in understanding how the inhabitants lived their life in the past. Hence,

Copula, risk modelling and mathematic finance Essay

Copula, risk modelling and mathematic finance - Essay Example People and teams can influence future performance, though the cause and effect relationship lies more in the present than in the past. The ability of investment to produce future returns is fraught with probabilities. The alternative chosen for use of an asset is a matter of deliberation and discretion. It should therefore be possible to value an investment based on the risk-taking nature of the group that controls deployment of the asset. The matter is worth pursuing wherever there is value in predicting future cash flows from an investment, and when the past is known to be of low relevance for conditions in the future. It is also of interest because it could allow for the professional application of modeling to an area of widespread interest and concern amongst all communities of investors. Though a quantile approach can ameliorate the confusing scatter of past events with respect to independent variables, major qualitative changes in their complex inter-relationships can result in the most disruptive discontinuities as we extend past trends in to horizons of the future. There are situations in which statistical validity is inadequate for a decision on a risk with very serious consequences. We need, as far as possible, to create comprehensive scenarios in which the outcome can be reasonably guaranteed if specified conditions are met. The imperatives of a risk management approach will not allow for the degree of uncertainty to which mere smoothing of past variations may be restricted. Legislation, regulation and social pressures from organized groups are different today from their past arraignment. They continue to change as well. We are asked to discontinue things to which we are accustomed, new challenges arise from technology and new opportunities as well. Investments with long gestation are par for many courses, yet the futility of past data grows as we travel ever more distant in to the future. However,

Loft Living Essay Example for Free

Loft Living Essay My dictionary defines loft as a room or place used for storing things. (Oxford’s learner’s advanced. 2009 edition) Loft places have become a fashionable lifestyle choice in London. As a result the design of lofty interiors, their accessories and associated urban lifestyle have become iconic images of cool London or cool urban living. In this essay I will explore loft living as a lifestyle, its history, and reasons for its growing popularity plus tips on how to exploit the unique qualities it offers. Once thought of as strictly for artists and bohemian types, loft living is now a sought after lifestyle accessory. Previously, starving artists had to sleep in their studio lofts to avoid paying rent, but now loft living is one of the most sought after type of housing for most people. Loft living has its origin in Manhattan area of New York, but today a look at any downtown area across many cities reveals a trend that is gaining popularity. In London, loft living gained widespread use in the nineties. â€Å"In London, the loft boom is owed much to someone who was the furthest thing from cool- Margret Thatcher. In her government’s misguided attempt to boost the pockets of property owners, camouflaged as an attempt for urban regeneration, the use of Class Order of 198 was passed. Basically, this attempt to simplify planning meant that office and industrial property were classified as one, giving landlords the opportunity to change rents on inner city workshops and light industrial units. †(Richard, 2010) Most businesses especially in Clerkenwell area was affected as tenants were forced to move rather than pay the exorbitant rents. But with the onset of recession, most industrial buildings became vacant and in an attempt to regeneration, the Islington council changed use of the buildings to residential use. 1. The oxford learners dictionary, 2009 2. Richard Artus, 2010. The history of loft living. www. urbanspaces. com 2 It is now common to find loft apartments, usually in renovated factories or other commercial structures: the appeal for living in open spaces is growing day by day. â€Å"Loft living is no longer just meant for starving artists who could not afford to live elsewhere, today loft lifestyle is a much desired trendy way to live. Particularly hip among upwardly mobile young adults, typical lofts are generally located in urban centers which offer easy access to shopping, dining, and all things that are happening now. And along with being in the middle of the action, loft living offers a very specific lifestyle. Today while many lofts are housed in turn-of-the-the-century industrial buildings in metro cities like London, New York Chicago and Los Angeles, quite a few are actually built from scratch. It seems like the desire to this unique and contemporary way of living has caught on in areas where the number of available buildings has been depleted† (Deborah, Jun 29 2010) There are other factors that are contributing to the growth of the trend. Many lofts are situated in downtown areas, which mean greater access to many social amenities, shorter commutes and the joy of living in rejuvenated neighborhoods. Additionally, lofts can be customized according to the owner’s tastes: the space can be partitioned to incorporate several rooms as per the owner’s requirements. Many of today’s newer loft developments are being built without proper adherence to the original industrial feel-usually to save costs , but most offer other amenities for comfort and convenience. A typical loft utilizes large open space and so presents unique challenges. However, one should utilize the unique qualities offered by loft living. 3. Deborah s. Hildebrand Jun 29 2010. Choosing Loft Living as a Lifestyle. www. sute101. com 3 When buying or renting a loft, there are a number of things that one should bear in mind. Location is one of them. It should, ideally, be near a major thoroughfare, in a quiet place and yet accessible to social amenities such as hospital and schools. A potential buyer should also review, as in newer lofts, the integrity of the developer, builder or agent. The other thing is whether the package has any hidden costs. Loft living has its challenges though, and most of the challenges arise in design. Designing the interior decor for instance may present a challenge to many people. This is due to the fact that most lofts were not intended to be residential in the first place. Rebecca Tanqueray and Oviana Fielding in their book Loft: Living in space, says, â€Å"coming up with a lofty notion is one thing, coming home to a lofty apartment is another. Big plans converting big spaces need practical and artful solutions to manage all that scale, all that space and all those industrial-strength problems. Adaptive re-use in residential design may call for revising user assumptions and adaptations to such unusual spaces. †(Victoria Carlson, 1999) Most of the loft design in the area feature exposed brick walls, and support columns and vintage wooden flooring. Given that they were designed to be warehouses, they have high ceiling. And it is not uncommon to see duct work, beams rafters and pipes for an industrial edge. The lofts I visited use a certain measure of open plan living in which most of the living spaces flow into each other. This is different from what I am used to at home where rooms are separate and in some instances, a distance from each other. 4. Victoria Carlson, 1999. Review of the book, Loft: Living in space by Rebecca tanqueray and Oviana Fielding 4 Living in a loft should provide the same feeling as living in a condominium or a normal house. But there are several things that one should incorporate into the design, decor and the floor plan to create a homely mood. To begin, one needs to create a positive impression at the entry. Apart from introducing the house mood the entry area serves as catch-all for mail, bags, umbrellas, shoes and rain jackets. This problem may be alleviated by constructing a storage area. Once you have created space, it is easier to decorate the rest of the loft. A small rug placed at the entry will protect the rest of the house from dusty, wet or muddy shoes. In addition to that, family members or guests may want to check their appearance as the move in or out of the loft. So, the next piece of furniture that may be considered in the entry area is a mirror, hang over a table or narrow shelf. Alternatively, one may want to place to stop and wear shoes, so a small bench or love seat, depending on the available space, can also work in the new loft entry. After choosing the furniture and the flooring for the entry, one can think about whether to light this area separately. A small central pendant light fixture or a spotlight will create drama and a warm feel as will a table lamp. Finally, personalize the entry by including accessories like a wall painting, dried and fresh flowers, and holiday souvenirs. Decorating the loft interior may pose challenges as one needs to create an overall impression of cohesion while maintaining a suitable separate atmosphere for each area. If you have to paint the walls, choose colors that complement the general outlook of the interior. 5 Due to thee open nature of most lofts, one should put a touch of personality, and relate the same to its surrounding. For instance, prints of food works best in living, dining area and the kitchen. Some children find wall masks very scary and their preferences should also be taken into account. Avoid disturbingly provocative art in bedrooms or studies. Artwork should be framed to coordinate with the loft decor. Always select a frame that complements your decor style and the colors you have used in the loft. Where possible, use similar frames and mats for objects that will be displayed together. The loft interior plan too should incorporate a functional and comfortable floor plan with places for entertainment, working and storage. These individual living areas can then be defined with room dividers, rugs and furniture. Room division can be in form of sliding or folding screens and frosted glass panels. Another way of to establish subtle transition is the use of raised platforms. Furniture arrangement can be problematic if traffic flows between the open spaces is not carefully planned. Different activities can overlap. For instance, it ca be difficult to conduct a conversation in the living area wile the children play noisily in the dining room. Part of the charm of loft living is that it allows a family to connect to each other and their guests informally. For example, a meal can be prepared while guests wait by the dining table taking their pre-dinner drinks. When decorating, one should think of the loft as a one entity instead of creating a different personality and themes for every room or living area. This creates cohesion and simplifies your decor choices. One should use similar or complementary decorative finishes throughout, linking 6 any two sections that open up into each other with similar paint, wall paper or using the same curtains. Also keep the flooring similar to visually expand the space. Proper loft planning should also be extended to furniture arrangement. The first step in creating an ideal furniture arrangement is choosing a focal point which might be an architectural detail such as a fire place. Since most lofts do not come with a fireplace built in, you can have one built. In an area with no discernable focal point, you can create one. This can be the wall facing you when you once you enter the room or the entertainment unit in a family room or area. The next step is to arrange your furniture around the focal point. In the living area, for instance, the sofa should ideally face the focal point or be arranged around it to underscore its importance. After placing the biggest furniture item, lace the items that relate to it next. This could be coffee tables or side tables. Place all other items in a manner that enhances the living experience. For example, the TV might look great in a corner but can it be viewed from the main sofa? Is there somewhere to place a cup of tea as one watch TV? As one place the furniture, one has to bear in mind how occupants will use the room. Is there enough space between the furniture items to allow for someone to sit down comfortably and stretch their legs without touching another person or a piece of furniture? More often than not the issue of space is very important, as most lofts have large spaces. The most common mistake people make when furnishing a loft is having too much furniture in 7 screens, they separate two areas but ensure that the two sections of the room are not claustrophobic. How one arranges the furniture and electronic equipment and how much of it you include can make or break the vision of the beautiful living space one might be trying to achieve. The best furniture placement maximizes on your current space instead of limiting it, it allows for smooth traffic flows in and out of the individual spaces and enhances the living experiences.. By making complementary furniture choices, your furniture sits well in both rooms, For instance, one should use chairs that can double up as extra seating in the living room area. One should avoid using too much furniture and opt instead for multifunctional furniture. For example a rectangular or oval table can be elongated or folded into a small unit for a dining table. When not in use as a dining table, it can act as a console. Since most loft spaces are huge open spaces, making individual spaces becomes inevitable. One option for physically creating some privacy while still maintaining spaciousness is the use of folding screens. When placed between a dining area and living room, or living room and bedroom, it can hide the mess of one area. Decorative room screens divide the room without cutting out the light, and come in a variety of materials including wood and wrought iron. If hand carved or well crafted, they can be a visual statement in the area. See through shelving units are good room dividers as they also provide additional storage and attractive display opportunities. 8 Another form of shelving is a low wall of kitchen base units that divide the room only up to waist level. Some shelving can either be permanent or free-standing. The least way of dividing a living area is by arranging the furniture so that it forms a natural barrier. However it is important to ensure that the back of whichever furniture piece is used is presentable. Another factor that one should consider is weather. Most lofts were built for other purposes other than residential, so it is very important to consider the issue of weather in the interior design. For instance the general needs during the cold, dark months are warmth, comfort, security and indoor stimulation. The loft may become inhabitable through the cold or the hot season. So the interior should incorporate designs that would cater for cold as well as the hot seasons. Due to the big nature of most lofts spaces, conditioning the rooms may prove to be a challenge. So, when shopping for things like furniture, it important to bear in mind that some pieces retain heat while others lose it easily. Generally, the less solid a piece is and the less fabric it has, for example wicker, rattan and bamboo, the faster it will lose heat. However, chunkier heavily upholstered chairs help in retaining heat. Also recliners keep you warmer by keeping your feet off the floor. Regardless of how cold it is, one can still make the full use of the natural light, afforded by the loft’s big windows, and heat as well as use some artificial heat sources from fireplaces or heaters. In the cold months if you have sheer curtains it is advisable to replace them with heavy window draperies to keep out cold draft of air and retain heat indoors ,artificial light fixtures too, will help in creating feelings of warmth and comfort. Glass, stainless steel and plastic, look and feel very cold because they are smooth, textured surfaces on the other hand trap pockets of air and add warmth. So, where possible, bring in textured materials and items. 9 For throws and cushion covers, choose from fleece, wool or cashmere and drape one across the arm of a chair or over the back of a sofa, or at the foot of a bed. Marble or tile flooring will definitely be colder in such weather. A wooden floor is much warmer. However, for softness underfoot and insulation from the cold turn to carpet in your living room and bedrooms. To provide further luxurious comfort, ensure that the carpet is lined with under-felt, in addition, provide area rugs for passageways, thick bath mats and bedside rugs. Loft living may or not be viable and significant solutions to the housing solution to the housing problem facing many city planners and designers, but the trend is opening new frontiers and creating many opportunities-we simply cannot afford to ignore it. The challenge, however is to make this former warehouses, churches and sawmills into habitable and most importantly, comfortable homes. Works cited: 1. The oxford learners dictionary, 2009 2. Richa Deborah s. Hildebrand Jun 29 2010. Choosing Loft Living as a Lifestyle. www. sute101. com 3. Richard Artus, 2010. The history of loft living. www. urbanspaces. com 4. Victoria Carlson, 1999. Review of the book, Loft: Living in space by Rebecca tanqueray and Oviana Fielding

The Cathedral :: essays papers

The Cathedral I have had many experiences that changed my outlook towards life. One of them was when I went to London, England. It was called St. Paul’s Cathedral. I had never been to a â€Å"cathedral† before, and I didn’t especially care to go and look at one. But my coach made me, and when we got there I heard a voice in my head yelling, â€Å"You’re going to hate this!† Regardless I was there and without chance to leave, so I figured I might as well try to appreciate it. Boy, am I glad I did because as I stood at the bottom of the enormous concrete steps towards the doors of St. Paul’s Cathedral, I looked up and noticed the resemblance to the capitol building. The dome on top the building looked as if it just kept going all the way to the heavens. Sitting almost on top of the dome were four statues, each pointing true North, South, East, and West. The statues of the Virgin Mary, made of gold, immediately caught my eye. I couldn’t help noticing their beauty, as I looked upward. The doorway to the cathedral resembled an enormous Indian arrowhead. There were sculptures lining the inner arches of the doorways. Each sculpture was done so intricately it looked as if it was the sculptor’s crowning achievement. On the outer edge were carvings of angels all the way to the top. Each one stacked above the other and all in different poses. Just to the left was the next row of sculptures, this one of people standing one above the other playing instruments. The third row was much like the first, of angels, except every sculpture was different and each looked frozen in time as if it was waiting for the perfect moment to come back to life. Directly above the doorway was a three level carving. The first, on the bottom, was of common people, all facing towards the center and looking as if they were begging for forgiveness from God. The second level, done on a much larger scale, was of the Disciples of Christ. Dressed in robes and all sitting down in chairs with their scruffy beards looking outward as if they were a council ready to judge me. The third level was of Christ himself. Angels, all praising him and tending to his every need surrounded him.

Compare and Contrast London by William Blake and Island Man by Grace Nichols Essay

Compare and Contrast â€Å"London† by William Blake and â€Å"Island Man† by Grace Nichols. Consider How Each Poem Conveys Alternative Attitudes To Life And Society. Introduction The poem â€Å"London† written by William Blake (1757 – 1827) is a clever poem. Although we can appreciate it, and understand William Blake’s ideas, it was not understood or valued when it was written all those years ago. In contrast the poem â€Å"Island Man† written by Grace Nichols is a contemporary poem. The single idea that brings these two poems together is that they are both about the city of London. â€Å"Island Man† is in language that we understand today, Blake’s poem uses the English language of the 18th century. Brief Historical Background William Blake was born in a district of London called Westminister on the 28th November 1757. His obvious artistic talent lead his draper father to enter him into Par’s Drawing School in the strand. This lead on to him later being apprenticed to James Basire, an engraver who worked for the Royal Society of Antiquaries. He married Catherine Boucher in the August of 1972 when he became a freelance engraver. Blake was an accomplished artist in many areas, not only did he write novels and poems, he was also interested politics and religion but he could paint and engrave to a very high standard. Blake was introduced by Joseph Johnson to other radical thinkers of the day including Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Joseph Priestley and Thomas Paine. In his books such as The French Revolution 1791, and America: A Prophecy 1793. He developed his attitude of revolt against authority, combining political belief and visionary ecstasy. The political situation of the time was such that some of his work was printed anomalously because he feared government persecution. In 1800 Blake moved to Felpham where he began work on his epic poem, â€Å"Milton† and â€Å"Jerusalem†. In these poems Blake reveals his social criticism combined with prophecy and biblical legend. In 1803 Blake was charged with high treason on the testimony of a drunken soldier named John Scofield fortunately he was acquitted and moved back to London. Blake died in obscurity in 1827 and was buried in an unmarked grave at Bunhill Fields. The poem â€Å"London† is obviously drawn from Blake’s own experiences of the London in which he lived. He saw London for the hell hole that it was through the eyes of a man that seemed to feel all the poverty and degradation of everyday life that ordinary people understood. His religious beliefs embraced Unitarianism a very simplistic form of Christian worship which was in direct confrontation to the Church of England and all its values. This sensitive artistic man saw all the horrific abuses in society, and this poem was his way of making people confront the problems. Even though he did not have a solution to the problems, he wanted people to face up to the problems and try to work together to make their society a better place. Main Criticism of â€Å"London† Title Blake chose the simple title â€Å"London† to engage his reader’s interest about their capital city. London was the heart of the country, the city of government. It was a symbol of power and majesty. As the reader would examine the poem however they would realise how ambiguous the title really was. Blake was preparing the reader for a powerful poem, but the power of the poem was in showing the reader how sordid their beloved city really was. Type of Poem This poem is warning the whole of London’s population just how hideous the real face of the city was. Blake was behaving like a prophet advising that people should fundamentally change their way of life. â€Å"Runs in blood down Palace walls† is a caution to people in authority that if they continued on their course of closing their eyes to the poor and the conditions in which they lived, what had happened in France namely the Revolution and the slaughter of the Monarchy making France a republic would happen in Britain. The theme of constraint and social control runs through the whole of the poem. People could not choose how they lived their lives. Subject of Poem & Its Treatment The subject of Blake’s work includes the exploitation of people and their eventual corruption in every conceivable part of society. â€Å"How the youthful Harlot’s curse†. Blake explains here that these young people had no choice but to resort to prostitution. Society corrupted them and they then in turn became sinful and corrupted. Voice The poem is written through the eyes of one person, but this person wants you to experience all the oppression and social injustice that is all around. This person has strong beliefs and is prepared to stand up and speak out for those who are less fortunate than himself. â€Å"I wander thro'† begins the poem and so sets the reader on their own personal journey through the disgraceful city of London. Mood & Tone A desperate and hopeless mood runs through the whole of this poem, it is negative and offers no solution to the terrible torment that the people suffer. â€Å"And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness marks of woe.† Blake makes no secret of the fact that he sees misery, illness and oppression in every individual that he meets. Form & Structure The structure of this poem consists of four stanzas each of which contains four lines, this is known as a quatrain. Blake chose this arrangement to reflect the idea of control and authority with great effect. The monotonous structure of this poem reflects the way in which life is played out. This poem is very much like a ballad in that it tells a story of a walk through London and the terrible sights to be seen. Blake shows his genius in the third stanza when every first letter of the line spells the word â€Å"hear†, this being the last word of the second stanza. This technique is known as an acrostic, and is usually used in romantic poems, however in this case the poet uses this skill to underline the message of the poem, being that society must listen to his warning of approaching doom. Rhyme The rhyme scheme of this poem is ABAB. It is regular and gives a sense of control. The narrator is obviously sure of his ideas and completely confident in the knowledge that he holds the moral high ground. Rhythm The rhythm of this poem reflects the rhyming scheme in that it is very controlled in order to make the poet’s point of view quite clear. There is a continued steady beat, which seems to reiterate the poet’s ideas. Imagery Imagery features throughout this poem from beginning to end. Feelings and ideas are evoked by Blake’s particular choice of language. â€Å"Every blackning Church appals†. How can the reader not fail to appreciate the distressing nature of this poem when this line is read. A Church should be a place of God, holy and pure. This Church was black, which suggested unholyness, and ungodliness. The blackness underlines the feelings of despair and helplessness A Church should be welcoming, it should not repel people. The blackness of the Church contrasts deeply with the red of the blood that runs down â€Å"Palace walls†. The blood is an image of the violence that is all around. A very strong image is â€Å"The mind-forg’d manacles I hear†. Obviously the people’s thoughts were being controlled; they had no freedom of thought. The image of the physical manacle is powerful when it is used in the context of people’s minds and thoughts being constrained. â€Å"And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse†. We see in this image the death of marriage and the death of family values, marriage is under threat. Married men were known to visit prostitutes. In this final line many ideas are represented, one would not expect the word â€Å"hearse† which represents death and the ceremony of a funeral in the same line as the word â€Å"Marriage† which represents life and the ceremony of a wedding. The word â€Å"plague† in this line conjures up the idea that it is inevitable that society will fall apart, it is inescapable, and the very fabric of society was rotten. â€Å"Marks of weakness, marks of woe†. In this line thoughts of oppression appear on individuals faces. It is noticeable that social injustice has made them weary and downtrodden. The word mark is used to convey two different meanings, firstly how he notices these people, and secondly the physical marks of oppression on the peoples faces. Language The poet chooses the words he uses very carefully to invoke very specific ideas. â€Å"Plague† is a word associated with suffering and helplessness. â€Å"Woe† is used to convey feelings of distress and oppression. â€Å"Runs in blood† makes us think of violence and the brutality of life. â€Å"Harlot’s curse† shows us the negative side of the sordid life in which they lived. These words appear throughout the poem, powerfully showing the ideas Blake feels is his duty to share with society. Techniques â€Å"In every† and â€Å"cry† are repeated. This is to get the point across very forcefully. The effect of the terrible conditions in which people lived stretched across the whole of society. â€Å"Cry† in this context shows their fear, they are not screaming, they are experiencing internal agony. The full spectrum of people were â€Å"marked†. Blake is quite revolutionary in the line â€Å"In every Cry of every Man†. He uses the word â€Å"Man† to mean every ordinary man, they were important. Alliteration is used to great effect in the phrase â€Å"Soldiers sigh†. The words are bound together intensifying the feeling of the desperation that these royal servants felt. In the line â€Å"Marks of weakness, marks of woe† the alliteration strengthens the repetition technique. â€Å"How the youthful Harlot’s curse Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear†. This is an example of enjambment, the rhythm and thought are continued from one line to the other and is reflective of the flow of the Thames that runs through London. â€Å"Runs in blood† is a very powerful metaphor, the idea of oppression is cleverly communicated through this technique. â€Å"Mind-forg’d manacles† is used to illustrate just how oppressed people felt not only in body but also in spirit. The poem starts with the personal pronoun â€Å"I†. The poet wants us to understand that he has strong personal beliefs contained within this poem. He is prepared to stand by these beliefs and try to make the reader understand his views on society and social justice. Blake puts the words â€Å"Man†, â€Å"Chimney-sweep†, â€Å"Church†, â€Å"Soldier† and â€Å"Palace in capital letters. Here he is emphasising the importance of every section of society, and how each word symbolises every section of that particular status. Senses The poet appeals to our sense of sight and sound in his poem. In stanza one the sense appealed to is visual talking about the river Thames and the streets of London full of business activity. Blake concentrates on the physical surroundings. One stanza is in direct contrast to the other. The word â€Å"cry† is repeated several times, this together with â€Å"Soldiers sigh† gives the reader an understanding of the pitiful sounds that surrounded the poet as he journeyed through London. The poet wants us to listen to everything he says, he emphasises this in the third stanza with the first letter of every line spells the word â€Å"hear†. Our sense of sight cannot help but be engaged by â€Å"Every blackning Church†. Black is a colour associated with evil and bad happenings. Tenses The poem was written in the present tense. All the sights and sounds he experiences are happening now and need to be addressed immediately. Society needs to examine itself and change. Punctuation is used by the poet to control the rhythm and the pace. The commas are used to list the many problems that are witnessed â€Å"In every voice, in every ban†. The poet also uses other techniques of punctuation such as a colon in the line â€Å"Every blackning Church appals:†. This is to differentiate between two different subjects being the Church and the Monarchy, it is to make clear who he is accusing of being hypercritical and who he is accusing of being violent. The Effects on the Reader The effects on the reader are quite profound, we are left reflecting and wondering what is really going on in society. Blake hoped his poem would make a difference and reach people who could make society a happier and fairer place to live. He offers no solution towards the end of the poem, but hopes that others would think about the problems that he sees and make some effort towards change for the better. Brief Historical Background Grace Nichols was born in Gorge Town, Guyana in 1950. She grew up in a small coastal village and moved to the city when she was 8 years old. As a child she lived through the countries struggle for independence. She has worked as a teacher and a journalist and has a strong interest in Guyanese folk tales. Grace arrived in Britain at the age of 17, bringing with her the warmth of her Caribbean sensibility. Her poems celebrate sensuality and generosity, and attack petty mean-spiritedness. She has won many awards and prizes and is especially noted for her contribution to children’s literature. The poet spent her informative years in the Caribbean and so sees London in a different perspective from someone who has lived there all their lives. Grace Nichols also has a completely different cultural background to someone who has been brought up in London. Main Criticism of â€Å"Island Man† Title The title represents solitude and isolation, an island represents a place of escape and provokes feelings of a natural environment. â€Å"Man† is universal; it is anonymous and could mean any single man. We see here the similarities with Blake’s poem London in that his poem is from the perspective of an anonymous man. Type of Poem The poem is about a man who has a dream about a beautiful island, he would love this island to be his reality, however his reality is â€Å"Another London day†. The theme of pleasant solitude and peaceful isolation runs through this poem. There is a free lifestyle and a sense of liberty that combined with naturalness makes this poem easily readable. The poems are both concerned with the reality of London life. They maybe set at different times, but they both set in the same city and both are dissatisfied with London life. Subject of Poem & Its Treatment The subject of Grace Nichols poem is the wonderful quality of life on an island compared to the â€Å"dull† lifestyle of contemporary London. More than half the poem is taken up with the description of the island, we wonder therefore if the poet would rather be on the island than in London. The poet has experienced two different ways of life and seems to prefer the island life. In Blake’s poem however, Blake doesn’t seem to have experienced another way of life, his poem just concentrates on the appalling conditions f London. Voice This poem is written through the eyes of one person. This person wants you to understand just what its like to live on a beautiful island and then come back to the â€Å"dull† reality of their life as it is now. Mood & Tone The mood of this poem is one of longing. The poet wants to escape into her fantasy of island life. The fantasy is in stark contrast to her life now. Her sense of hope emerges when she describes the island; â€Å"breaking and wombing† is a phrase that reflects on nature and natural happenings, it gives hope. Despair seems to return when she describes London. The sadness appears in the poem when the dream ends, and he wakes up to reality, â€Å"island man heaves himself† he is weary before the day even begins. This is in stark contrast to Blake’s poem where desperation and hopelessness for everybody runs through the poem. In Grace Nichols poem, island man feels sorry for himself because he hasn’t got the quality of life he wants. Form & Structure The structure of this poem is random; it is obscure and has no particular form. It is purposefully freestyle and reflects a modern poem. The distinct irregularity and variety of each line length is planned. It reflects island life which isn’t planned. This is in distinct contrast to Blake’s poem which is in the form of a quatrain. Rhyme The part of the poem that deals with island life has no rhyme, however when we come back to London in the third stanza we see one rhyme â€Å"soar† and â€Å"roar†. This suggests that there is some structure and control to reality of city life. These words have an aggressive violent sound, they seem to symbolise the aggressive life of London. This is a contrast with Blake’s poem which has a rhyme scheme of ABAB which helps him to convey a sense of controlled aggression throughout his poem. Rhythm The rhythm of this poem reflects the poet’s thoughts. A dream follows no set pattern, and neither does this poem. This contrasts with Blake’s poem which is very controlled and obviously not a dream but a living nightmare. Imagery Imagery features throughout the poem. Feelings and ideas are evoked by Grace Nichols particular choice of language. â€Å"Morning† this is the first line of the poem, just one word. â€Å"Morning† conjures up images of a hopeful start to the beginning of a new day; there might be new opportunities in the new day ahead. â€Å"Wombing† is a word that invokes feelings of a safe environment. He is surrounded by the sound of â€Å"blue surf† and is in a womb of his own making. Feelings of the continuing cycle of life are reflected by the use of this word. â€Å"Wild seabirds† is written again on its own line to emphasise the importance of nature, they were completely free. However nature worked in harmony with inhabitants of this island, fishermen were a fond memory of â€Å"island man†. The poet highlights the fact that the sun rises in the â€Å"east†; the sun is a symbol of life giving and newness, the light of a new day. The â€Å"east † symbolises an area of beauty and mystical ideas. Some religions pray facing east, this is a very positive idea. â€Å"His small emerald island†. Emeralds are very precious gems, they are beautiful and unique like the island to the island man. The island is his treasure, his to own, he belongs there. The memory of his island enables him to exist in the realities of city life. His frequent dreams and thoughts always bring him back to where he believes he really belongs. When the poem comes back to reality the images are of â€Å"grey metallic† sands, these are not natural. We are reminded of the grey and dismal polluted streets of London. It was not a natural environment. The use of the word â€Å"North† has connotations of coldness and harshness. The â€Å"North Circular† is a road that the inhabitants of London travel around, it is a controlled motorway and symbolises the hectic pace of city life. A circular road around the city makes the reader think that island man is now in a life that he can’t get out of. In Grace Nichols’s poem there are many images of nature, quite unlike Blake’s poem where even the river Thames is exploited and controlled. The seabirds were â€Å"wild† they were completely free, quite unlike Blake’s poem where there were â€Å"mind-forg’d manacles†. In Blake’s poem there is no escape from the realities of life, of the helplessness and despair that surrounded him. In Grace Nichols’s poem she has an escape, she escapes into her dreams. Language Grace Nichols uses the language of today. She uses modern words such as â€Å"groggily† and â€Å"muffling†. Blake would have had no idea what these words would have meant. She uses words to contrast ideas such as the â€Å"east† representing island life and the north representing London life. Grace Nichols is not as detailed or aggressive as Blake but they do have the same attitude to London life. â€Å"Blue surf† represents island life whilst â€Å"grey metallic† represents London life. The whole of Blake’s poem consists of negative language over half of Grace Nichols’s poem, the part that deals with island life consists of positive language. Techniques Grace Nichols uses the repetition of the word â€Å"groggily† to move from one part of the poem to the other, it is a turning point; it separates island life from reality. Island man does not want to leave the island, it is an unpleasant experience in which the island man is confused. Repetition is again used in â€Å"Muffling muffling† to emphasise the fact that although his dream was clear, real life is confusing. Blake also uses a repetition technique, but he uses it to convey his ideas. An example of alliteration in Grace Nichols’s poem is â€Å"sun surfacing†. This paints a picture in the reader’s mind of the sun rising over the water, a very powerful image of island life. Blake again uses alliteration in the same way to evoke effective images. Enjambment is used to great effect, the poem is at random with irregular lines to reflect the randomness of a dream and the confusion felt well awaking. Blake’s poem also has thoughts running from one line to the other. The poem â€Å"Island Man† is written in the third person, it communicates a sense of detachment and could well be someone else’s experience, there must be many people in London who are away from home and feel a sense of isolation even tough they are surrounded by hoards of people. In comparison Blake’s poem was written in the first person making â€Å"London† a more personal poem. The same senses are evident in both poems, each of the poems only deal with sight and sound, but are treated in different ways. The poem â€Å"Island Man† sights and sounds are linked â€Å"sound of blue surf† gives the reader an idyllic image of a perfect island beach. In the poem â€Å"London† the whole of the first stanza is concerned with sight and the whole of the second stanza is concerned with sound. Tenses The poem â€Å"Island Man† is written in the present tense in modern-day London. In comparison the poem â€Å"London† although also written in the present tense is concerned with 18th century London. Punctuation Grace Nichols’s technique of using absolutely no punctuation what so ever is very effective, it communicates the idea of freedom and a dream like state. There are no rules in this poem, thought continues from one line to the other. â€Å"His crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself†. This is in direct contrast to Blake’s poem which is ruled by punctuation. The poem has either a comma, full stop or colon. Effect on the Reader â€Å"Island Man† in the first half of the poem is very bright and cheerful and shows a very natural and free way of life, which every reader could identify me with and would hope to aspire to. The second part of the poem deals with the reality of London life again, which many people can identify with. In contrast Blake’s poem â€Å"London† is a very gloomy poem all the way through.