Trifles Essay -- essays research papers fc

Little Trifles Add Up to a Big Case Detectives are always looking for little pieces of evidence when investigating a crime. After all, it is this evidence that can turn a trial around, whether be it for the good or bad. This is especially the case in Susan Glaspell's Trifles. When Mrs. Hale comes across little pieces of evidence, she passes them off as being "trifles", hiding them from the detective. She is the sole reason that very little evidence is collected that would convict Mrs. Wright, and can be believed to have some sort of involvement in the murder of John Wright. Mrs. Hale, being estranged from Mrs. Wright for over a year, had something to prove when she went into the house that day. Whether it is out of guilt from not seeing Mrs. Wright, or because she was actually an accomplice in helping Mrs. Wright get away with the act, we'll never know. However, Mrs. Hale knew what she was doing when she started to dismiss evidence before the detective's eyes had seen it. She was also very committed to showing that Mrs. Wright wasn't a bad homemaker, dismissing most of that evidence also. Mrs. Hale first shows signs of her guilt when she defends some bad housekeeping evidence, blaming it on things that men do. When attention it brought to a dirty towel, Mrs. Hale dismisses it because " Men's hands aren't always as clean as they might be"(1121). Her actions are then...

Descartes and Skepticism Essay

Rene Descartes was a great scientist, mathematician and philosopher. He was known for his extensive work on skepticism, and in particular a piece called â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† (written in 1641) which is still widely used by modern philosophers. In this publication, Descartes’ aim was to demonstrate that a persons’ soul is eternal and that God exists. He explains in Meditation One that it is possible to question the existence of all things; in Meditation two he goes on to give details regarding the existence of the mind and the soul. In the Third Meditation he gives arguments of proof of Gods’ existence; and in Meditation Four he explains the difference between truth and error. In the Fifth Meditation Descartes provides further arguments to prove the existence of God and in the Sixth and final meditation he brings it all together as he demonstrates how knowledge of the mind can be guided by God and therefore validates the knowledge we have of physical world. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). This essay will explain Descartes argument of the existence of God with specific reference to the Third Meditation discussed in the class handout- ‘Descartes and the problem of Skepticism’. Meditation Ð ¨- God’s Existence In the Third Meditation, subtitled â€Å"On God’s existence,† Descartes is certain that he is a â€Å"thinking thing† (pg 142) and sets out to prove God’s Existence. There were two major standpoints noted in his argument, though they were found to be closely linked. Firstly, he tackles the idea that his own existence and thoughts must have come from somewhere or something. He goes on to explain that the thought he has of God is one of an â€Å"eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, creator of all things† (pg 143). As a result, Descartes argues that the idea of God must therefore be far more complex than his mind alone can perceive- since his idea of God is that of an infinite, perfect being and Descartes himself is a finite being lacking enough formal reality to create such an idea on his own will. Put simply, Descartes believes that the idea of God could not have been created in his own limited mind; and he establishes that God must be the originator of his thoughts and therefore God exists. Secondly, Descartes battles with the idea that his existence must have a cause. He discusses the various possibilities that might have caused his existence including that he might have created himself; he might have always existed; his parents created him; that he was created by something less benevolent and perfect than God; and lastly, that it was God who created him. Descartes takes on an elimination process to figure out which one of these possibilities are likely true. He discusses that he could not have created himself because as he says â€Å"I would have given myself every perfection† (pg 146). Next he dismisses the idea that he always existed simply because as he describes that he is a dependent being that needs to be continually sustained by another. Descartes establishes that the idea of his parents being his creator only reintroduces the same problem regarding their own existence. He then thought of the possibility of a less than perfect God being his creator- but he argues that the idea of perfection that exists in his mind could not have originated from a non-perfect being. With this established, Descartes concludes that there must be a perfect God who is the cause of his existence and his perfect idea of God. In analysis of Descartes position, the observation is made that the basis of his argument is causal reasoning. This is shown when he suggests that there must be a cause of the idea of a perfect God and that this perfect idea must come from God himself. In my own reflection, I thought that living a predominantly Christian society might be the cause of my own idea of God. I have learnt all that I know about God from my parents and by extension the society. It therefore follows, that my parents’ idea of God might have come from their parents also, whose idea somewhere along the line came from the church- which is also made up of men who has parents. Descartes argument supports that at the end of this causal chain, there has to be a first cause, which is God. Since there is no direct of evidence proving or disproving the existence of God, the belief in his existence is widely accepted today, and the search for such a proof would always be a highly debatable and controversial topic. While there is still disagreement over Descartes argument as to whether or not God exists, it is generally agreed that God’s existence cannot be proved through the capacity of the mind and therefore we rely on such concepts as skepticism and reasoning to guide what we choose to believe of God. References * Smith, K. (2010, September 20). Descartes’ life and works. Retrieved October 11, 2011from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works * Class Handout- Descartes and The Problem of Skepticism.

Edgar Allan Poe s The Raven - 2149 Words

Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the greatest literary writers, but he was highly under-appreciated during his time, Poe was constantly looked down upon and suffered a bad reputation due to rumors created by authors who disliked him. Poe was seen as arrogant, mad, and a melancholy man who had no friends and spent his time drinking and using drugs. Poe s success came when The Raven was published in 1845, â€Å"†¦though it made Poe popular in his day, it did not bring him significant financial success. As he later lamented, ‘I have made no money. I am as poor now as ever I was in my life—except in hope, which is by no means bankable.’† (The Clinker Press, â€Å"The Raven† by Edgar Allan Poe’s Boxed set, 3 paragraph.) Edgar Allan Poe is known for being one of the top Gothic writers of all times, his poem The Raven is proof of his greatest literary work till this day, it has become part of pop culture and is usually referenced in differen t television shows or illustrations. Although, he wasn’t appreciated or considered a mysterious, dark, melancholy, and disturbing author, his pain and sorrow in The Raven helped attract an audience, making him finally gain the respect he deserves. In the first stanza of The Raven, Poe sets a gloomy dark atmosphere, midnight dreary, and details the narrator sitting in a chair reading old books and feeling, weak and weary. It then goes into the narrator falling asleep and suddenly awakens when he hears a tapping at his chamber door.Show MoreRelatedEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven944 Words   |  4 Pagesto display the evils of humanity. Edgar Allan Poe, American Gothic poet, often wrote unsettling and dark poetry marrying the natural and supernatural in order to demonstrate difficult to grasp human emotions such as grief or depression. Poe’s The Raven is a powerful, yet dark piece of poetry that utilizes rhyme, meter, and symbolism to entertain fans of Gothic literature a nd completely pull them into the drama of the piece. In the opening stanzas of The Raven, Poe establishes the tone of the poemRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven Essay1642 Words   |  7 PagesAn Analysis of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven Death. A strong topic, frequently but solemnly discussed. However, when I read Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Raven†, I was immediately captivated by the new angle brought to my attention regarding death. While the topic of death is usually associated with either sympathy or horror, Poe succeeded in portraying a feeling caught between the two; and at the same time bringing forth new feelings I would never thought to consider regarding death. These feelings reflectRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven2600 Words   |  11 Pagesone of the world s most difficult forms of art. Many poets live throughout their lives and are never recognized for their achievements in their community. Edgar Allan Poe is one of the world s most renowned poets and wrote mainly in the form of poets and short stories. Some of Poe s most renown poems include The Raven, Annabel Lee. The poem The Raven deals with problems such as insanity and grief and the poem Annabel Lee deals with problems of grief a nd young love. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a lot aboutRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven1464 Words   |  6 Pagesstarts† Edgar Allan Poe one of America s best known poet, and author who became mad in the sense of insanity after his wife Virginia died of Tuberculous. This made Poe spiral into a deep depression which he wouldn’t be able to get himself out of because of the loss of his beloved Virginia. Poe had a very difficult, strange life, and a writing style like no one had ever seen before and that is what led him to be one of America’s most famous poets, and author. â€Å"The Raven† is what made Poe the wellRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Raven 1602 Words   |  7 PagesJadon Vanderslice. Ms. Glass English 1213 5 February 2017 Poe Edgar Allan Poe, arguably one of the best poets ever, has wrote many great and deep-meaning poems, such as â€Å"Annabel Lee,† and â€Å"Dream Within a Dream.† Both putting off a rather dark image and goth-like elements, a way of writing Poe loved best. Mostly known for â€Å"The Raven†, Poe’s Poems all have real deep and mysterious meanings that make people think a bit more to figure it out. The way he expressed terror, the suspense, the heighteningRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Raven1232 Words   |  5 Pages Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven Literature is a very powerful tool that is used to make a huge impact on society or in someone’s perspective. As complex as the world, literature can appear in many forms using unique vernacular that expresses human endeavors. In some cases, social reform is Transcendentalism is an American literary, philosophical movement, promoting the idea of independent progress. The central idea is the optimistic viewpoint of humanity. People, men and women equally, have knowledgeRead MoreAn Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Raven1954 Words   |  8 Pagesauthors, Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Bradstreet, and Emily Dickinson, had poems in which they explored the common theme of death. Their unique views on death, as reflected in their poems, tells us of the different ways people looked at death during their respective times. In this essay, I will explore and explain three poems of Edgar Allan Poe, and one from Anne Bradstreet and Emily Dickinson respectively, and then compare the differences between the three authors. In Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, he usesRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven788 Words   |  4 Pages Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most successful writers of all time. Twelve of Poe’s works are known for their literary construction. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous poems in history and was first published in 1845. This is a poem that many readers may describe as dark, twisted, and even scary can be oddly moving and eye catching. What were the meanings in his masterpiece, and what did Poe want his readers to understand? Poe’s literary work The Raven shows literary elementsRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe series of unfortunate events that Edgar Allan Poe experienced in his lifetime are what influenced his writing. His poetry heavily reflects the built-up emotions that he carried within himself. He repeatedly dealt with loss, rejection, and poverty throughout his entire life. When his wife, Virginia, was deat hly ill, Poe wrote his poem, â€Å"The Raven†, in which the reader can observe the speaker slowly fall into madness while grieving the death of his love, similar to Poe’s own experiences. Poe’sRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven And The Black Cat1225 Words   |  5 Pagesthe father of the modern horror story, Edgar Allan Poe was previously viewed as a drunken failure. Within Poe’s writings much of his own life riddled with guilt, anxiety, alcohol, depression and death shines through resulting in works that appear unrelated yet once dissected prove similar. This is true for Poe’s works â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"The Black Cat†. Poe’s examples of gothic fiction share the use of the color black and a rapid digression of the narrator s sanity while seemingly unveiling Poe’s internal