...Now, when I say that I am in the habit of going to sea whenever I begin to grow hazy about the eyes, and begin to be over conscious of my lungs, I do not mean to have it inferred that I ever go to sea as a passenger. For to go as a passenger you must needs have a purse, and a purse is but a rag unless you have something in it. Besides, passengers get sea-sick—grow quarrelsome—don’t sleep of nights—do not enjoy themselves much, as a general thing;—no, I never go as a passenger; nor, though I am something of a salt, do I ever go to sea as a Commodore, or a Captain, or a Cook. I abandon the glory and distinction of such offices to those who like them. For my part, I abominate all honourable respectable toils, trials, and tribulations of every kind whatsoever. It is quite as much as I can do to take care of myself, without taking care of ships, barques, brigs, schooners, and what not. And as for going as cook,—though I confess there is considerable glory in that, a cook being a sort of officer on ship-board—yet, somehow, I never fancied broiling fowls;—though once broiled, judiciously buttered, and judgmatically salted and peppered, there is no one who will speak more respectfully, not to say reverentially, of a broiled fowl than I will. It is out of the idolatrous dotings of the old Egyptians upon broiled ibis and roasted river horse, that you see the mummies of those creatures in their huge bake-houses the pyramids. No, when I go to sea, I go as a simple sailor, right before...
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...by a river. Some get struck by lightning. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people, dance. Benjamin Button: You never know what's coming for you. Benjamin Button: Your life is defined by its opportunities... even the ones you miss. Benjamin Button: It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you. Benjamin Button: Sometimes we're on a collision course, and we just don't know it. Whether it's by accident or by design, there's not a thing we can do about it. Benjamin Button: You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could swear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go. Daisy: We all end up in diapers. Ngunda Oti: You'll see little man, plenty of times you be alone. You different like us, it's gonna be that way. But I tell you a little secret I find out. We know we alone. Fat people, skinny people, tall people, white people... they just as alone as us... but they scared shitless. Mrs. Maple: [at piano] It's not about how well you play, it's how you feel about what you play. Benjamin Button: It's funny how sometimes the people we remember the least make the greatest impression on us. 相助 The Help (2011) Aibileen Clark: You is kind. You is smart. You is important. Charlotte Phelan: Love and hate are two horns on the same goat, Eugenia...
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...The Fate of A Cockroach A Modern Adaptation By Ray Alcodray (Adapted from the plays “Fate Of A Cockroach” and "Not A Thing Out of Place" by Tawfik Al-Hakim) Cast of Cockroaches King Queen Minister Savant Priest Cast of Humans Adil Samia Youssef Doctor Ray Alcodray 1420 Dacosta Dearborn, MI 48128 U.S.A. 313 563 4126 info@arabtheater.org The Fate of A Cockroach - Copyright Ray Alcodray 2003 Page 1 of 49 The play opens in the Cockroach kingdom. A place behind the wall of the home of Adil and Samia somewhere in the occupied lands of the Middle East. Lights Up KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: Come along – It’s time for a day’s work. It’s not even dark yet! It will be any moment. Has the blinding light of day completely disappeared? Almost. Until it disappears completely, let me be, and don’t bother me. What laziness! What a state! I wasn’t sleeping you know. You must remember I have to make myself up. This beauty doesn’t come without a little effort. Don’t forget, I’m Queen! Heaven help all husbands. I’m the King. I’m exactly the same as you. There is a difference. And what might that difference be pray tell. My whiskers. Hah! Just as you have whiskers, so have I. Yes, but my whiskers are longer. That is a trifle of a difference. So it may seem to you. You mean to you. It’s your sick imagination that always makes it appear that there exists some difference between us. The difference is real – it can clearly be seen by anyone with eyes to see...
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...Fate, Mistakes or Something Else? Is there such a thing as a mistake? We all talk about how everything happens for a reason. I believe in the idea of timing. I realize that our experiences shape us. They make us who we are, and we would not be who we are without them. In life, we learn to accept the decisions we make, and we call them decisions rather than mistakes because they are all part of the master plan that develop us into who we will eventually be when we die? I do not know. When do we become who we are? Are we always becoming and never being? Or is that the secret? Do we spend all our time trying to become and never pay attention to the fact that we actually are all along the way? If everything is an important and significant experience in our constant formation, then nothing could be a mistake; it is always just an experience. I am a skeptic of this belief. I think there is such a thing as wasted time. And if time were wasting, then every second of that time would be a mistake in the making. Though I have been positive and happy with every experience I have had, I know there are people in the world whose lives are nearing an end, and they live with regret. It is something I hope never to know. I pray that I will do everything I can to be aware of myself, my life, my feelings – to be as honest as I can be so that I never have to look back on this life and think, “I wasted so much time. I wish I had done this. I wish I had done that." I have always wished I had...
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...West Linn a rich, drug filled community. Kids are rude, adults are snobby, and there’s a pinch of drama everywhere you go. I walk along the perfectly made sidewalks, with freshly cut grass and trimmed back bushes, the typical family walks by 2 kids, 2 parents, one dog, the casual “hey” or “good evening” is spoken to make sure that a long conversation doesn’t get started without being rude; every 16 year old that drives by is in their brand new Audi or Mercedes, paid for by their oh so gracious parents. All the teenagers are materialistic, the only thing they care about is the social aspect of life, most of the teens obviously do drugs or are bad students because that’s what comes with being rich, not having to care about anything in the world....
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...Yellow Puppets and Prophecies The idea of fate has existed alongside humans since before the creation of even the most primitive, simplistic religions. Throughout history, there has always been a clear divide between those who believe in fate and destiny, and those who believe in their own free will. The struggle to prove or disprove the existence of fate is one that has been present along with the idea of fate since its beginning. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles not only clearly shows his own opinion on the existence of fate, but also demonstrates the struggle humans encounter when trying to determine whether they have control over their destiny. Ancient societies, such as the Ancient Greeks, strongly believed in religious ideals to a greater extent than many modern societies; however, Oedipus’s story is one of few from Ancient Greece that openly questions the existence of fate, and dares to entertain the idea of free will. The time described in the play is one where the truthfulness of religion was being heavily questioned, and at its core, Oedipus the King is about the existence of fate. Throughout its pages, the play shows characters who both believe in destiny like Tiresias, and also characters like Oedipus, who transition from believing in fate to believing in free will, and back again. In Oedipus the King, the difference in opinions between Oedipus and Tiresias regarding the existence of fate, clearly show the nature of fate in the play, and Sophocles’s opinion on the...
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...Abstract Free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate, the ability to act at one's own discretion. Do you believe in free will or fate? Free will, we are responsible for our actions, we must pay the price for every choice we make. Fate believes that you may not pay the price for any wrong doing and thinks everything happens for a reason. Many people live life by fate. FREE WILL Free will was compromised when people started believing that everything happens because that’s the plan god has, People started believing in fate. Many believed it to be compromised after Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed flight 9525 on 24 March 2015, killing himself and the other 149 passengers and crew, they believed he suffered from depression. People thought he was a mass murderer and that he lost his free will because of depression. We struggle to find the causes and actions for mental illness; we wonder what make people commit the crimes they commit. We blame their childhood, their mental illness and life struggles. “The problem is that his behavior seemed deliberate and calculating; yet it is also difficult to think of him as being in full control of himself. Such questions might be for clinicians and legal experts. But the philosophical question of free will also has a role to play in how we understand such acts”(The Philosophers' Magazine online). Working at my previous call center job made me a harsh person, I believed that people lied to get their...
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...Jane Wearren Mr. McGill English- Block B 25 October 2012 Fate or Coincidence Fate can be described as something that which is inevitably predetermined. People say things happen for a reason and at times people cannot control how things go. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus hears from a prophet that he will kill his father and marry his mother. One day on his way into the city he encountered some people whom and he got in a fight with and ended up killing, little did he know it was his father. Since he solved the riddle from the Sphinx in front of Thebes he became ruler. He fell in love with a woman named Jocasta, little did he know it was his mother. Oedipus had no idea how bad things were but he would soon realize. After a bad plague was cast on Thebes, the blind prophet, Tiresias, told Oedipus that whoever killed the Laius the king would have to confess to it. Tiresias blames Oedipus for the crime saying “this day will bring your birth and your destruction” (Sophocles 184). Oedipus had no idea that Laius was the king and better yet his father. Was this just a coincidence this happened or was it fate? Oedipus never knew how bad things were or else he probably would never have done those things. Someone has a plan for everyone and things are going to happen for a reason. When Oedipus finds out the truth of what happened he is shocked. He even denied it when accused of committing the crime but now he “called down a dreadful curse upon [himself]” by denying it (Sophocles...
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...The Fate of the Gods Iliad considered as a masterpiece at all levels, Homer combines literally devices in his books to create a vivid image for the reader there by evoking the readers’ emotions. Homer set the scene by giving vivid details of every important warlord and the gods in the battle. Homer includes the role the warlords and the gods play in the battlefield at every stage. Not only does Homer characterize individual roles in Iliad, but also symbolizes the individual’s achievement in the battle by. Gives the details roles the gods play in the battle, which keeps the reader focus on the central conflict. In Iliad, most of the scene depends on the individual’s character decision including the gods. From book 11, it can be seen as Zeus, the head of the gods controls the progress of the battle by first raining blood on the Achaeans causing them to panic. In retrospect, Zeus sends Iris to deliver a message “Hector, son of Priam, Father Zeus Has sent me here with a message for you. As long as you see Lord Agamemnon storming to through the ranks and laying them low you should hold back and order other troops to engage the enemy” (p204, 220) , one of the Homer inclusion indicating the war inspired by the gods. The relationship of fate and human keeps the reader focus and in suspense as the wall of the Greeks is doomed to fall by Poseidon and Apollo. The fall of the war justifies Homer uses of prophecy to progress the plot of the poem personifying the involvement of the...
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...The Fate of A Cockroach A Modern Adaptation By Ray Alcodray (Adapted from the plays “Fate Of A Cockroach” and "Not A Thing Out of Place" by Tawfik Al-Hakim) Cast of Cockroaches King Queen Minister Savant Priest Cast of Humans Adil Samia Youssef Doctor Ray Alcodray 1420 Dacosta Dearborn, MI 48128 U.S.A. 313 563 4126 info@arabtheater.org The Fate of A Cockroach - Copyright Ray Alcodray 2003 Page 1 of 49 The play opens in the Cockroach kingdom. A place behind the wall of the home of Adil and Samia somewhere in the occupied lands of the Middle East. Lights Up KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: KING: QUEEN: Come along – It’s time for a day’s work. It’s not even dark yet! It will be any moment. Has the blinding light of day completely disappeared? Almost. Until it disappears completely, let me be, and don’t bother me. What laziness! What a state! I wasn’t sleeping you know. You must remember I have to make myself up. This beauty doesn’t come without a little effort. Don’t forget, I’m Queen! Heaven help all husbands. I’m the King. I’m exactly the same as you. There is a difference. And what might that difference be pray tell. My whiskers. Hah! Just as you have whiskers, so have I. Yes, but my whiskers are longer. That is a trifle of a difference. So it may seem to you. You mean to you. It’s your sick imagination that always makes it appear that there exists some difference between us. The difference is real – it can clearly be seen by anyone with eyes to see...
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...the ancestors of the Scandinavian Anglo-Saxons, whose descendants eventually became the British, because the culture described in the epic is pagan and by the 11th century Britain had been Christianized. The pagan belief of “fate” makes this a part of pre-Christian times; the belief that fate controls the events of one’s life is a reoccurring theme in the English epic. Fate strongly influences the character and beliefs of Beowulf; He attributes his success and struggles in fights to fate. The author shows that God has the power to control any and everything due to predestination of fate. “Fate goes ever as fate must.” (Ln. 455) Spoken by Beowulf in reference to how fate control the destiny of man, this the how Beowulf’s atmosphere is dark and pagan. The pre-Christian world believed that there was nothing man could do to avoid death. They needed to embrace fate. At Beowulf’s funeral the...
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...comparison with the Iliad, the theme of the importance of fate is displayed through the different coincidences throughout the story. The theme of fate is illustrated through the different meetings and interactions such as the meeting between Sarah and Nathan, the meeting of Professor Apolland and his son, Aaron, and finally the meeting of all the characters in interactions with Marta. When Sarah wakes up from the entire ordeal and has gained confidence in sitting for her midterm. In addition, the idea of divine blessing is addressed when Nathan and Sarah are rewarded for their assistance from Professor Apolland, when he gave them an extension on their midterm for their help with both Aaron and Marta....
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...In 1606, The Scottish Play, also know as Macbeth, was casted in the theatres of England. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth (the main character) is told his fate by three witches. The information that is told to him was misleading.The play presents a series of experiences in which the main character makes decisions that ultimately lead to his death. Continually, throughout the play one will see Macbeth make decisions he regrets, however he turns around and repeats the same actions. Even though Macbeth was told his fate , it does not mean he could not be the author of his own book. Fate is when an event is unavoidable. The three witches tell Macbeth his fate when he is with Banquo, a friend, near Forres. One witch greets Macbeth with the title “Thane of Glamis”. The second witch greets Macbeth with “Thane of Cawdor”. The third witch makes a statement which hints to Macbeth becoming king (1.3.48-50). Banquo and Macbeth knew the witches made precarious remarks but Macbeth was intrigued. For instance, the second witch announced “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” (1.3.65). The witches vanish, leaving no clarity for Macbeth, who asked many questions. He called them “ imperfect speakers” (1.3.70). Macbeth could not avoid becoming Thane of Cawdor and eventually the...
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...Fate essay You are on the street, trying to find food for the day, constantly having a struggle to stay warm. How did you get to this point? You try to say it was fate, that you couldn't control it. But is it? "Is it my fault I'm here?" you ask yourself. It is! We are the masters of our fate. There might be some chance involved but you can overcome whatever life throws at you. You might think that the only reason that you aren't successful is that you didn't have the talent that other people have. But regardless you still need to work hard. Some people may say that everything is forced upon us, that we have no choice concerning what happens to us. But we have control. Even when something is forced upon us we have the ability to...
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...3. ‘In Oedipus the King, Oedipus suffers because of a fate he cannot avoid rather than because of any errors he has committed.’ How far do you think this is true? (20) Within ‘Oedipus the King’, Oedipus is shown to be a character who suffers from an amalgamation of many different factors which ultimately, drives him to his insanity and his fall from grace. Sophocles presents Oedipus as a character who is essentially, not entirely good but not entirely bad either; he is like many other characters that are faced with a hard-hitting truth in a difficult situation, with a hard decision to make in order to resolve it – and like other characters, Oedipus’ situation was created by past events and fate (divine intervention). However, it could be argued that Oedipus is simply a dramatic tool used by Sophocles to give the audience a cathartic ending (in order for them to think about their lives, the events of the play and the circumstances within Athens at the time) – Oedipus could be seen as a political device used by Sophocles to present his ideas and feelings towards to contemporary Athens and its political situation at the time that the play was being performed. The character of Oedipus could be seen to suffer simply due to that fact that the gods have fated this to happen. Throughout the play, there are several references to fate and divine intervention by the gods which could be seen to influence to outcome of the story; there are many instances in which gods are reference by...
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