Discussing the character of Charles Darke Essay Example for Free

Discussing the character of Charles Darke Essay Charles Darke is a character of huge importance in the novel because he embodies so many of the novels themes and is key to Stephens recovery after his loss of Kate and future journey. Events involving Charles Darke are not only significant to the plot but also teach the reader a lot about the movement of time and the confusion and issues surrounding childhood. The readers introduction to Darke shows him as a successful man in his publishing firm who has managed to acquire respect and power (New York and Frankfurt were on the line) however as the introduction continues the reader begins to see that under the surface he has a more childish side to him as he relishes receiving attention: making expansive remarks to a young writer was one of the more desirable perquisites to his profession. Even before his breakdown his youthful nature is evident for example choosing his political career is described as a parlour game. Darke is one of the characters that McEwan uses to present the major theme of childhood and adulthood, there is a constant conflict present within Darke of being a child and of being an adult. His successful political career shows that he must have debating skill and great intellect however at the same time his juvenile personality also breaks through. Having acted as a parental figure after the loss of Kate it is tragic that he should regress so rapidly away from reality. It is not only Darkes contrasting personality which warns the reader of what may occur later, he is obviously unsettled as shown by his rapid career moves and house move from Eaton Square to the countryside. Thelma also describes to Stephen how he lost his mother and had a cold upbringing with his father suggesting that Darke did not experience childhood at all. Charles Darke also jumped straight into being a successful and married businessman therefore missing out on important lessons that many adults learn through their mistakes. Just before the reader is introduced to Darke there is even a subtle echo of what will happen later as Stephen describes a picture: a grim-faced crow with a stethoscope round its neck taking the pulse of a pale young boy who appeared to have fallen out of a tree. Darke shows the reader a disquieting reaction to time because instead of moving forwards he moves backwards, the reader sees personal and sometimes eerie moments involving Darke, these help McEwan to show the reader what a precious state childhood is and how time cannot be manipulated. Darke also embodies the theme of politics. Not only does he move the political plot forward by getting Stephen onto the committee but he is also the reason that Stephen meets the Prime Minister. The novel was written during the Thatcherite era of the 80s and this is clearly reflected in the tone of the book and McEwans opposition to this right-wing rule. Stephen Lewis is cynical about the Conservative views that Darke has decided to take on and the short, abrupt syntax that McEwan uses emphasizes his suspicions of the government in power. It is a cruel irony that, like the Beggar Girl, Charles eventual death is a result of his political career and the harsh culture surrounding him. Different opinions can be taken on what Darkes specific role is within the novel. He clearly is important for McEwan to carve in the political aspect of the novel and McEwans own political views however his regression back into childhood carries a much more complicated message. The title of the book The Child in Time at first may seem to describe simply Stephens loss of Kate however one can go much deeper and find that perhaps what McEwan is trying to show the reader is Stephen and Darkes search for their own child in time. While Stephen searches constantly for the physical Kate he also looks for her in time through memories and visions of her growing up. Darkes search for the child in time is different, he has had no childhood of his own so he searches for it and eventually finds it by regressing into boyhood. On the surface McEwan presents this as a natural step but it is actually quite disturbing and this is shown by the smile on his face at death. The conflicts within Darke show the reader the bitter sweet nature of childhood, while Darke is happy and carefree he also believes himself invincible and this eventually causes his death. Charles Darke is also important for the readers understanding of Stephen Lewis. It is because of Darke that Stephen meets Thelma who is important as she looks after both of the characters and gives the reader another way to look at time. The reason that Thelma chooses Stephen as the one person who she allows to see Charles after his breakdown is because she knows that he will not judge or condemn and it is important for the reader to know this feature of his character. Stephen has experienced loss and thought endlessly about childhood and is therefore understanding about Darkes regression. The reader also learns about Stephen through the contrast of the characters. Darke becomes part of the right wing government while Stephen is saddened by the two tribes in the Supermarket. Stephen sees Charles Darkes death first hand and this may help him reach an understanding about his loss of Kate because he has to come face to face with the reality that she too maybe dead. The fact that Darke dies with a smile on his face may remind Stephen that if Kate is dead then she has at least died in a happy part of her life and has not yet lost her innocence. Darkes relationship with Thelma can also be contrasted with Stephens relationship with Julie. As the novel progresses Thelma becomes more and more of a mother figure to Darke and her older age implies that it has never been a marriage of passion and deep love but one of a mutual understanding, acceptance and care. In contrast to Darkes seemingly sexless marriage Julie and Stephen have a much more real and natural relationship where there high points and low points are kept private and by the end their genuine love for one another is clear. Darke offers McEwan the means to show the reader his themes of time, childhood and politics but he also has deeper significance. Darke shows the reader how childhood, or the lack of it, effects ones whole life and how reaching adulthood is a continuous process that may never end. The search for The Child in Time by Darke is an emotional and metaphorical journey that eventually liberates him from the stresses and pressures of his hectic work life even if it does ultimately cause his death.

A History Of Marriage And Divorce: Cohabitacion Can Result in a Positi

In the past fourteen billion years, the world has evolved numerous times. From creatures’ extinctions to the rise of technology, the world is constantly on a path of changes. And, even though not all events have been pleasant experiences, humans have definitely had the chance to learn from those happenings: one example being, marriage and its effects on family development. Since the beginning of time, open relationships between people, one reason being for the purpose of reproduction, have existed. It is simply part of human nature to bond with others; human instinct. History also shows that legal contracts did not tie up the first relationships during the Stone Age. However, due to society, marriage has been represented as the basis of a family, therefore, portraying that a legal contract amongst two heterosexual people is required in order to have the â€Å"happily ever after† story. But what happens when problems within a marriage exist, and the people involved are n o longer happy? What about those cohabitants who have gone through rough situations and still remain together for many years? So does a legal contract really determine the longevity of a marriage? What is the real definition of marriage? From the start of the Stone Age to current day, humans have witnessed the evolution of marriage, and the benefits of opting for cohabitation. The definition of marriage has gone from being a mandatory arrangement, to being part of the civil right movement, to cohabitation being the best or only alternative to marriage. Once humanity became civilized, the meaning of intercourse relationships went from it being a human instinct to a social requirement: â€Å"Apparently the single most important function of marriage throughout history has been... ... Moral Communities On Cohabitation.† Review Of Religious Research 54.1 (2012): 45- 67. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Apri. 2014. Kuby, William. â€Å"Making Marriage Work: A History Of Marriage And Divorce In The Twentieth-Century United States.† Journal Of American Culture 35.3 (2012): 279-280. Literary Reference Center. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Marriage.† Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster Incorporation, 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Murray, Melissa. â€Å"Marriage As Punishment.† Columbia Law Review. 112.1 (2012): 1-65. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. Staub, August W. â€Å"Marriage, A History† Magill’s Literary Annual 2006 (2006): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. Stevenson, Betsey, and Justin Wolfers. â€Å"Marriage And Divorce: Changes And Their Driving Forces.† Journal of Economic Perspective 21.2 (2007): 27-52. Business Source Elite. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.

Primary Colors

3/7/13 Film Review: Primary Colors The film I reviewed for this assignment was Primary Colors; the film is very closely related to Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. The film stars John Travolta who plays a charismatic southern governor by the name of Jack Stanton. Jack is trying to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States. Henry Burton, an idealist is impressed by Jack’s warmth and likeability with the people so he joins Jack’s team as a political adviser. This is an example of material covered in lecture; Jack Stanton’s party was very influential so they recruited Burton.After participating in an intense debate against his democratic rivals, Henry’s ex-girlfriend asks Jack a question about his previous arrest during the 1968 democratic convention in Chicago. Jack’s team of political advisors becomes worried that his blemished past could come into play and effect his chances to win. The team hir es Jack’s old friend Libby Holden and basically keep her on retainer. The presidential advisors hired her in anticipation to womanizing allegations that might surface since Jack was notorious for that.Libby Holden’s job is to respond to attacks that can negatively affect Jack’s candidacy. One of the women Jack was having an affair with produces secret taped conversations of the pair to prove that the affair took place. After finding out that the tapes have been altered, Libby finds the man responsible for the tapes. Libby forces him at gunpoint to sign a letter admitting what he did so the public can see. The campaign team is shocked when â€Å"Big Willie†, Jack’s old friend tells Burton that his 16 year old daughter is pregnant and Jack is the father.They convince Big Willie to keep quiet on the issue. Jack’s team decides to take a different approach to the campaign since they are falling behind in the polls. Jack attacks his rival, Senator Lawrence Harris for being pro-Israel and also for wanting to cut Medicare. During a radio debate, Harris confronts Jack but has a heart attack. Harris later announces that he will be withdrawing from the presidential race. Fred Picker, a former governor of Florida and friend of Harris takes his place. Jack’s political advisors see Picker as a potential threat so they dig up nformation about his past. Henry and Libby discover that Picker had a cocaine addiction as Governor of Florida and it ultimately lead to the end of his first marriage. Henry and Libby also find out that Picker had a homosexual affair. They share their findings with Jack and his wife Susan not expecting them to use the potentially harmful information. Jack and Susan decide to leak the information to the press and Libby in turn threatens to tell about the affairs and reveal the real results of the paternity test that says his is the father of the 16 year girl’s baby.Libby is an emotional wreck and ca n’t believe what kind of people the Stanton’s really are. Libby can’t bear the fact that she has idealized them her whole life and they are not at all what she thought, she commits suicide. Filled with guilt after Libby’s death, Jack goes to Picker and presents all of the information and apologizes for everything. Picker willingly admits to his past and withdraws from the campaign. After everything, Henry is not happy being part of Jack’s team and is thinking about withdrawing from the campaign.Jack convinces Henry to stay and says they will make history together if he stays. Jack ultimately wins the election and becomes president of the United States. The class lecture reinforces what took place in this part of the film. Political advisors/consultants first seek out political candidates to work for just like in this particular film. When Henry tried to quit the campaign after realizing what type of person Jack really was, the Political Candidate w as the one who asked for help.Political candidates are seeking out political advisors/consultants because they can improve their chances of winning an election. This film is a fairly accurate portrayal of presidential candidate Bill Clinton in 1992. Clinton is essentially played by the Southern Governor Jack Stanton. Primary Colors provides an interesting insight on the scandals of Bill Clinton’s presidency. I find it interesting that these political candidates are fighting to be the leader of the nation and they use foul language and engage in questionable ethical behavior.Jack Stanton’s character who is running for president is a womanizer and resorts to Nixon style tactics. Jack believes that if the ends justify the means then it is okay. I can’t imagine a sequel to this movie for two reasons; the first one is the fact that the film is over 20 years old, and the second reason is the fact that neither Hillary nor Bill are in the public eye as much and Hillary Clinton did not win the presidential election. In my opinion, manipulation is the most important theme in this film; the political consultants manipulate the presidential campaign in favor of Jack Stanton.Since the film is closely centered on the 1992 Clinton campaign, I find it to be an accurate portrayal of campaign communication. A sense of charisma may be projected in a candidate’s image, most often through the communication of campaign discourse. Chapter four in our book states â€Å"A charismatic candidate may also be one who conveys a warm and friendly image, who seems genuine and personable, one who is comfortable speaking and who has the capacity t speak from his or her heart†. This definition fits Jack Stanton’s character to a tee. He seemed warm and genuine and he was extremely likeable.

Who Invented the Spark Plug

Some historians have reported that Edmond Berger who invented an early spark plug (sometimes in British English called the sparking plug) on February 2, 1839. However, Edmond Berger did not patent his invention. And since spark plugs are used in  internal combustion engines  and in 1839 these engines were in the early days of experimentation. Therefore, Edmund Bergers spark plug, if it did exist, would have had to have been very experimental in nature as well or perhaps the date was a mistake. What is a Spark Plug? According to Britannica, a spark plug or sparking plug is a device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap across which current from a high-tension ignition system discharges to form a spark for igniting the fuel. More specifically, a spark plug has a metal  threaded  shell thats electrically isolated from a central  electrode  by a  porcelain  insulator. The central electrode is connected by a heavily  insulated  wire to the output terminal of an  ignition coil. The spark plugs metal shell is screwed into the engines  cylinder head  and thus electrically  grounded. The central electrode protrudes through the porcelain insulator into the  combustion chamber, forming one or more  spark gaps  between the inner end of the central electrode and usually one or more protuberances or structures attached to the inner end of the threaded shell and designated the  side,  earth or  ground  electrodes. How Spark Plug Work The plug is connected to the high voltage generated by an  ignition coil  or  magneto. As current flows from the coil, a voltage develops between the central and side electrodes. Initially,​ no current can flow because the fuel and air in the gap is an insulator. But as the voltage rises further, it begins to change the structure of the gases between the electrodes. Once the voltage exceeds the  dielectric strength  of the gases, the gases become  ionized. The ionized gas becomes a conductor and allows current to flow across the gap. Spark plugs usually require voltage of 12,000–25,000  volts or more to fire properly, although it can go up to 45,000  volts. They supply higher current during the discharge process, resulting in a hotter and longer-duration spark. As the current of electrons surges across the gap, it raises the temperature of the spark channel to 60,000  K. The intense heat in the spark channel causes the ionized gas to expand very quickly, like a small explosion. This is the click heard when observing a spark, similar to  lightning  and  thunder. The heat and pressure force the gases to react with each other. At the end of the spark event, there should be a small ball of fire in the  spark gap  as the gases burn on their own. The size of this fireball or kernel depends on the exact composition of the mixture between the electrodes and the level of combustion chamber turbulence at the time of the spark. A small kernel will make the engine run as though the  ignition timing  was retarded, and a large one as though the timing was advanced.