Monday, December 9, 2019

Bladerunner Humanity and Nature Essay Example For Students

Bladerunner Humanity and Nature Essay The central theme of Bladerunner is the relationship between humanity and nature. More specifically it has a purpose in showing how science can negatively influence this fragile relationship. Set in Los Angeles of 2019 we see the decadence of western society into an inhumane harsh impersonal, technology-dominated realm. The inhabitants who fight for their daily survival are in desperate want for nature, contact with which is denied to them by the unrestricted scientific progress and the consequent exploitation of the natural world conducted for the sole purpose of profit. Humanity is also losing touch with its own nature. The compassion, the empathy, the love and the emotion are all rare or absent. This ailing relationship between humanity and nature is conveyed through the means of scene setting, dialogue, plot, camera techniques and other film features. All these elements of cinematography synthesise to create an effective portrayal of the unifying theme. In Bladerunner the most prominent element of cinematography is mise en scne. It generates a context for the film and therefore makes the plot and themes acceptable. To set an appropriate scene different variables need to be controlled. These variables include location, props, lighting and colour. In general the location of the plot is in the vast urban canyons of 2019 LA. The imposing dark buildings, the dirty fog, perpetual rain and the crowded dark streets devoid of vegetation make up the backdrop of most scenes. All this is filmed in dark lighting, which complements the effect produced by the fog in obscuring the living details. From this the responder acknowledges the deterioration of society, the harsh conditions that the humans are subjected to and the way the human spirit itself is progressively destroyed under such conditions. Filming such a location at night provides the director with the opportunity to use chiaroscuro (a technique of strong contrast) to further convey the dominance of technology over humanity. For example in outdoor scenes the garish flickering neons are obtrusively visible but they fail to illuminate the obscure, dark, fogged surroundings, including the multitudes of faceless people. The prominent visibility of artificial things over human presence together with the qualities of the location indicates the degradation of human life under the rule of science. The clothing worn by characters is an important choice made as part of setting the scene. Most of the street people wear hooded dark clothing covering their whole body. This is possibly to protect them from the rain but it also hides their faces and their eyes from the camera and from us, creating an impersonal atmosphere in conjunction with the harshness of the surroundings. We get a feeling that everyone hides from everyone else and human interpersonal interaction is limited to the bare necessity. Sometimes the style of clothing worn by characters tells us something about the characters themselves. For example the trenchcoat style garments worn by Deckard are a throwback to the 20s and 30s detective genre in film, and the responder instantly sees Deckard as such. There are times when the clothing worn gives us an insight into the themes of the film. When we first see meet Racheal (and we think she is a human), her outfit with geometric power dressing shape, the black hues and the perfect hair create an impression of power and efficiency, qualities that are valued in androids. The next time we meet her we see her in a fur coat and underneath, a soft white blouse. Then when she lets her hair down the transformation is complete. By now we know that she is a replicant and for a replicant to be so human is ironic when the real humans dont show such qualities. This irony elucidates the deteriorated nature of humanity very effectively. .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .postImageUrl , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:hover , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:visited , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:active { border:0!important; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:active , .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386 .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub38909acc61d7f73fb6a87ad8a105386:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Switched Networks EssayThe film is not only able to show the way humanity has lost contact with nature but also how much they appreciate and want it back in their society. The unicorn dream-scene conveys this effectively. The soft back lighting, the low tonal contrast, the colour and the lush vegetation create a setting that is very different to the usual scenes. It is contrasted with real world to further reinforce the lack of nature in society. The short .

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Pearl The Curse Of The Oyster free essay sample

The Pearl: The Curse Of The Oyster Essay, Research Paper In The Pearl, by John Steinbech, evil transforms certain low citizens into covetous barbarians. Evil was exhibited by the physician who refused to handle Coyotito because his parents had no money. When the physician heard of Kino and Juana # 8217 ; s luck in happening # 8220 ; the pearl of the universe # 8221 ; ( 722 ) , he boasted that they were patients of his while thought of a better life for himself in Paris. Coyotito was healed when the physician eventually came to their straw hut. He deceived Kino by giving the babe a white pulverization that made him travel into paroxysms. An hr subsequently he came and gave Coyotito the redress and instantly wanted to cognize when he was acquiring paid. The immorality in the pearl had reached the bosom of the physician. The pearl # 8217 ; s evil did non curtail itself to infecting Kino # 8217 ; s equals ; it besides affected Kino himself. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pearl The Curse Of The Oyster or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He wanted to sell the pearl and utilize the money to break his household # 8217 ; s criterion of life. He had dreams and ends that all depended on the pearl. When Juana wanted to destruct the pearl, Kino beat her unmercifully: He struck her in the face and she fell among the bowlders, and he kicked her in the side # 8230 ; He hissed at her like a serpent and she stared at him with broad unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before a butcher. (742)Juana saw through the outer beauty of the pearl and knew it would destroy them, but Kino’s vision was blurred by the possible prosperity the pearl brought. The malignant evil then spread to a secret cult known only as the trackers. This corrupt band of ruffians attacked and destroyed Kino’s life. The very night that the trackers learned of Kino’s pearl, they tried to steal it. The next night, Kino was attacked twice, which resulted in Kino committing murder. After the final struggle of the night, Juana went back to their home to find more baneful members of the heartless cult rampaging through their belongings to find the pearl. The end result was Kino and Juana’s house going up in flames. The trackers then committed the cardinal sin, they destroyed Kino’s canoe:This was an evil beyond thinking. The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. For a boat does not have sons, and a boat cannot protect itself, and a woun ded boat does not heal. (744)The trackers annihilated the most important material possession that any citizen of the community owned, â€Å"†¦for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something. It was the bulwark against starvation† (717). The evil invaded Kino’s life and everyone who knew of it.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on Dutch Republic

Essay: Dutch Republic There were many challenges that the Dutch Republic faced and had to try to overcome between 1650 and 1713. Unity wasn’t at it highest point during this time period either because of some problems that they faced. Prosperity was very vital to them because they needed money to fund the actions that they were planning. They had many security concerns that needed to be dealt with, including some foreign problems. The Dutch had many problems that they had to face but they eventually overcame them. Unity was a main concern but the Dutch seemed to fall short at their attempt. The French monarchs had helped the Dutch a lot of times but they also betrayed them as well. One of the many ways is how the French tried to stop and take over the trade and navigation of the merchants that were shipping for the Dutch Republic. (Doc-7) In a government document of the Dutch Republic, it says that there were problems with an election for a new king; do to the variations between the Dutch provinces. (Doc-9) With this being written by the Dutch Republic it must have been an accurate report stating some of the problems they had. There were many problems regarding unity that the Dutch had to face and were challenged by. Prosperity was at an extremely low point for the Dutch Republic because of poor decisions that were made. Sir George Downing, an English ambassador, wrote a letter to the English Government that stated that Holland would be stuck with the financial burden of all the other provinces in the event of a war. (Doc-4) With Downing being an ambassador he had experience and would know what was going to happen and he stated his opinion. A Colonial Administrator of the Dutch Republic wrote a letter stating, profits of our East Indian trade have turned into losses and the java trade is declining. With an Administrator stating this it shows that the Dutch were in a mess because of the wars that were happening and... Free Essays on Dutch Republic Free Essays on Dutch Republic Essay: Dutch Republic There were many challenges that the Dutch Republic faced and had to try to overcome between 1650 and 1713. Unity wasn’t at it highest point during this time period either because of some problems that they faced. Prosperity was very vital to them because they needed money to fund the actions that they were planning. They had many security concerns that needed to be dealt with, including some foreign problems. The Dutch had many problems that they had to face but they eventually overcame them. Unity was a main concern but the Dutch seemed to fall short at their attempt. The French monarchs had helped the Dutch a lot of times but they also betrayed them as well. One of the many ways is how the French tried to stop and take over the trade and navigation of the merchants that were shipping for the Dutch Republic. (Doc-7) In a government document of the Dutch Republic, it says that there were problems with an election for a new king; do to the variations between the Dutch provinces. (Doc-9) With this being written by the Dutch Republic it must have been an accurate report stating some of the problems they had. There were many problems regarding unity that the Dutch had to face and were challenged by. Prosperity was at an extremely low point for the Dutch Republic because of poor decisions that were made. Sir George Downing, an English ambassador, wrote a letter to the English Government that stated that Holland would be stuck with the financial burden of all the other provinces in the event of a war. (Doc-4) With Downing being an ambassador he had experience and would know what was going to happen and he stated his opinion. A Colonial Administrator of the Dutch Republic wrote a letter stating, profits of our East Indian trade have turned into losses and the java trade is declining. With an Administrator stating this it shows that the Dutch were in a mess because of the wars that were happening and...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

how to Order Mandarin Chinese in a Restaurant

how to Order Mandarin Chinese in a Restaurant When you are visiting China or Taiwan, you will have lots of opportunities to sample the local cuisine. Since food is a national passion, there are restaurants and food stalls almost everywhere. There are many different types of food available, from the various regional dishes of China to Korean, Japanese, and Western. Fast food outlets are in all major cities, and there are also upscale restaurants specializing in Western food - Italian seems to be the most popular. Restaurant Customs When you enter a restaurant, you will be asked how many people are in your party and will be shown to a table. If an English menu is not available, and you dont read Chinese, you will have to ask for help, either from the waiter or a Chinese friend. Most restaurants are open only during meal times - 11:30 to 1:00 for lunch and 5:30 to 7:00 for dinner. Snacks are available almost any time at coffee houses, tea shops, and street vendors. Meals are eaten relatively quickly, and it is customary to leave the restaurant as soon as everyone is finished. Usually, one person will pay for the whole group, so be sure to take your turn in paying for the meal. Tipping is not common in either Taiwan or China, and you usually pay for the meal at the cash register. Here are some phrases to help you order food in a restaurant. English Pinyin Traditional Characters Simplified Characters How many people are there? QÇ ngwà ¨n jÄ « wà ¨i? è «â€¹Ã¥â€¢ Ã¥ ¹ ¾Ã¤ ½ ? è ¯ ·Ã©â€" ®Ã¥â€¡  Ã¤ ½ ? There are ___ people (in our party). ___ wà ¨i. ___ ä ½ Ã¯ ½ ¡ ___ ä ½ Ã¯ ½ ¡ Smoking or non-smoking? ChÃ… uyÄ n ma? æŠ ½Ã§â€¦â„¢Ã¥â€"Ž? æŠ ½Ã§Æ'Ÿå â€"? Are you ready to order? KÄ›yÇ  diÇŽn ci le ma? Ã¥  ¯Ã¤ » ¥Ã© »Å¾Ã¨ Å"ä ºâ€ Ã¥â€"Ž? Ã¥  ¯Ã¤ » ¥Ã§â€š ¹Ã¨ Å"ä ºâ€ Ã¥ â€"? Yes, we are ready to order. WÇ’men yo diÇŽn ci. 我們è ¦ Ã© »Å¾Ã¨ Å"ï ½ ¡ 我ä » ¬Ã¨ ¦ Ã§â€š ¹Ã¨ Å"ï ½ ¡ Not yet, please give us a few more minutes. Hi mà ©i. Zi dÄ›ng yÄ «xi. é‚„æ ²â€™. å† Ã§ ­â€°Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¯ ½ ¡ è ¿ËœÃ¦ ² ¡. å† Ã§ ­â€°Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸â€¹Ã¯ ½ ¡ I would like .... WÇ’ yo ... . 我è ¦ ... 我è ¦ ... . I will have this. WÇ’ yo zhà ¨gà ¨. 我è ¦ Ã©â‚¬â„¢Ã¥â‚¬â€¹Ã¯ ½ ¡ 我è ¦ Ã¨ ¿â„¢Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¯ ½ ¡ That is for me. Shà ¬ wÇ’de. æ˜ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¯ ½ ¡ æ˜ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¯ ½ ¡ This is not what I ordered. Zhà ¨ bà ºshà ¬ wÇ’ diÇŽn de. 這ä ¸ Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã© »Å¾Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¯ ½ ¡ è ¿â„¢Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã§â€š ¹Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¯ ½ ¡ Please bring us some.... QÇ ng zi gÄ›i wÇ’men ... . è «â€¹Ã¥â€  Ã§ µ ¦Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥â‚¬â€˜...ï ½ ¡ è ¯ ·Ã¥â€  Ã§ »â„¢Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¤ » ¬...ï ½ ¡ Could I have the bill? QÇ ng gÄ›i wÇ’ zhngdÄ n. è «â€¹Ã§ µ ¦Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥ ¸ ³Ã¥â€" ®Ã¯ ½ ¡ è ¯ ·Ã§ »â„¢Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥ ¸ Ã¥ â€¢Ã¯ ½ ¡ How much is it? DuÃ… shÇŽo qin? Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã¥ °â€˜Ã©Å' ¢? Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã¥ °â€˜Ã©â€™ ±? Can I pay by credit card? WÇ’ kÄ›yÇ  yà ²ng xà ¬nyà ²ngkÇŽ ma? 我å  ¯Ã¤ » ¥Ã§â€ ¨Ã¤ ¿ ¡Ã§â€ ¨Ã¥  ¡Ã¥â€"Ž? 我å  ¯Ã¤ » ¥Ã§â€ ¨Ã¤ ¿ ¡Ã§â€ ¨Ã¥  ¡Ã¥ â€"? The bill is not right. ZhngdÄ n bà ¹duà ¬. Ã¥ ¸ ³Ã¥â€" ®Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ ° Ã¯ ½ ¡ Ã¥ ¸ Ã¥ â€¢Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ ¯ ¹Ã¯ ½ ¡

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Global Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Global Leadership - Essay Example Coffee exporting possibilities range from exporting raw beans, roasted product, packaged products as well as fast moving consumer products (Such as coffee ready to drink). Although there is already a significant coffee production infrastructure it is my opinion that the market is worth entering. The Coffee association of Canada (2003) indicated that coffee is among the most popular beverage choices in Canada with over 81% of Canadian adults drinking coffee on an occasional basis and over 63% of Canadians drinking coffee daily. Building on this previous point, Agri-Food Canada (2010) indicated that coffee makes up approximately 16% of all non-alcoholic beverage sales in the Canadian market. Source: Agriculture and Agri Food Canada. It was further indicated that average coffee consumption is approximately 2.6 cups a day which exceeds the relative frequency of the United States. Moreover Canadians consume coffee through a number of different channels, home made, at work, through special ty shops discount coffee retailers. By the shear presence of major specialty coffee shops such as Starbucks, Second Cup etc. and major discount retailers such as Tim Hortons or the coffee shop it is apparent that Canadian consumers are familiar with coffee and as such will not need to be educated as consumers on how to consumer coffee.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Violence in the Work place Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence in the Work place - Article Example However, several states have formulated legislative measures such as the establishment of comprehensive prevention program for nurses as well as hefty fines for those found guilty of assaulting nurses while in their line of duty. The BON has through the Nursing Practice Act has formulated the following measures to address the issue. It has authorized hospitals to post warnings discouraging people from violent behavior; it has passed resolutions that have it mandatory for managers to initiate policies that promote a safe workplace and discourage violent behavior. It has also recommended jail term for those convicted of physically assaulting a nurse (Humphreys and Campbell, 2011). The BON has suggested that the nurse restrain from any form of violent behavior even when they are provoked by the patient. Nurses found quality face the possibility of losing their license for a given duration but in severe cases jail term is recommended. The approach taken the BON is effective since its introduction the workplace is safer for nurses and patients and according to the USA department of justice there has being decline in the numbers of cases reported (Humphreys and Campbell, 2011). In order to understand the magnitude of this problem, the American Nursing Association (ANA) has compiled statistics detailing the various occur of violence in the workplace. According to the ANA, 15% of all no fatal violence occurs in the workplace based on figures obtained from the department of justice. In 2009, the Department estimated that 572000 nonfatal violent crimes and 521 deadly crimes were committed against people in their workplace. It is disturbing to note that 60% of the nonfatal violent crimes were perpetrated against people in the healthcare and social assistance industry. The figures were obtained from the National labor bureau. Lastly, according to liberty mutual the company has paid over $603 million in compensating works which have suffered

Sunday, November 17, 2019

On the Road by Jack Kerouac Essay Example for Free

On the Road by Jack Kerouac Essay Now considered not only a legendary work within the history of American literature, Jack Kerouac’s â€Å"On the Road† is also regarded as the pivotal work of an entire generation of young Americans looking for purpose and direction in a nation not far removed from world war, and becoming increasingly complicated and fast paced. In the midst of the sweeping societal changes depicted through Kerouac’s characters in â€Å"On the Road†, the protagonist of the story, Dean Moriarty, stands as an iconic, enigmatic figure. In this essay, the dynamics and complexities of Moriarty’s personality, as well as the changes that this personality undergoes as â€Å"On the Road† unfolds will be discussed in order to better understand not only Moriarty as a character, but also what he represents. Dean Moriarty’s Changes Within the Plot of â€Å"On the Road† The changes that Moriarty goes through in Kerouac’s book are symbolic not only of the general direction of his life itself, but also the society in which he lives, the people with whom he interacts, and what the future holds for everyone, including this character himself. Gaining even a fundamental understanding of the character of Moriarty in necessary to make this possible. Dean Moriarty makes a notable entrance into the plot of â€Å"On the Road†; from the very beginning, he captures the interest of the other characters in the book because of his very nature, which is highly animated, yet appealing because of his obvious passion for life and his interest in living every moment to its fullest (Whissen, 1992). At the same time, showing that he is a constantly changing individual, Moriarty is alienated from some of the more conventional people who are friends with other main characters in the story, a divide which none of the main characters make an effort to remedy, setting the stage for Moriarty to blaze his own path in subsequent sections of the book. Perhaps on of the most significant characteristics of Moriarty, which serves as a catalyst for many of the changes through which he goes, is the fact that he is very appealing to the opposite sex; this sort of romantic tension creates a bit of mystery about Moriarty (Swartz, 1999). This charisma also opens up a world of possibilities for Moriarty to explore, and presents him with many temptations and challenges that other people may never experience. Whether this charisma with women was something that came about just by the way that Moriarty presented himself, or it was something toward which he aspired and took specific steps to ensure that women would find him desirable, this aspect of his personality was the first step in the changes that he undergoes throughout the story. First, in regard to Moriarty’s changes, the fact that he carries on multiple relationships with women, many at the same time, makes it necessary for Moriarty to constantly travel throughout the nation, truly embodying the â€Å"on the road† lifestyle which forms the backbone of Kerouac’s book. The consequences of these many relationships, and the ensuing complications and commitments that come out of them, create problems for Moriarty that he is forced to confront, and conform to as well. The complexity of these relationships is made even more dramatic by the fact that eventually, Moriarty fathers multiple children with multiple women, making it all but impossible for him to carry on any kind of a conventional life or to remain stationery in one place for any amount of time; the ability that most people have to lead an ordinary, day to day existence, is denied Moriarty because of the choices he makes in his personal life until almost the end of the book. A second area of change for Dean Moriarty is seen in his social interactions with friends beyond the level of romantic interludes. Socially, Moriarty also undergoes a great deal of change as the plot of the book unfolds. Because of Moriarty’s alienation from people beyond his immediate circle of close friends, he becomes more withdrawn from the regular social aspects of everyday society and has a sort of sadness and emptiness about him. This emptiness is filled with sordid affairs with women as was discussed earlier, travel, and excesses such as drinking and outlandish behavior, which will be discussed in more detail in a subsequent section of this essay. Moriarty’s charismatic nature in some instances is also important to realize from the viewpoint of the change that he affects in others, perhaps most significantly in the case of his best friend, Sal Paradise. Because Sal looks up to Dean in basically every area of life as a role model of sorts (Whissen, 1992), he imitates even Dean’s worst behavioral traits, including the constant traveling. The foolishness of this imitation is made more dramatic by the fact that Sal is older than Dean, making the implication that Dean could in fact learn a lot from Sal if the situation were somehow reversed. Finally, a change that Moriarty attempts is as significant as any of the others which he ahs undergone throughout â€Å"On the Road†. Ultimately, Moriarty attempts to take on the persona of a civilized and responsible individual when he acknowledges his responsibilities to his marriage vows and the children that were created as a result of his marital union. Getting a job and attempting to settle into a normal, structured home life, Moriarty does give this endeavor and life change a sincere effort, but he soon finds that this is more difficult for him than he may have expected. Due to this realization, which some might say is a recognition of his own nature as a traveling, somewhat chaotic individual with a high level of appeal to women in general, he quickly loses interest in being a good father and husband; for example, ignoring the cries of his child, obsessing about the other women with whom he was involved in the past, and more than likely planning the next step of his symbolic and literally road journey in a search for what is missing in his life, and what the life of an average husband/father, in his view, fails to deliver. An Insight into Moriarty’s Mindset By studying the pattern of Moriarty’s behavior, and the different personalities and attitudes he embraces, it is much easier to profile the mindset of this enigmatic and complicated character. Moriarty’s inner emptiness is apparent when his actions and value systems, flawed as they are, are separated from the action of â€Å"On the Road†, and the story itself is looked at in a more philosophical way. The argument can be made that Moriarty’s mindset is symbolic of the state of affairs in America at the time that Kerouac wrote his book; because the nation was in the process of gaining a new identity following World War II and before the Korean War reached its climax, the nation collectively, and Dean Moriarty individually, began to question what the nature of life is all about and whether the regular, day to day life of the average person is the best state of living that one can reach (Begnal, 1998). A restless nation, reflected in the restless persona of Moriarty, comes shining through, towering over the plot and other characters of the book itself. Also, the question of the nature of Moriarty’s charisma is important when gaining a fuller understanding of his mindset and value system. If one takes the position that Moriarty was embedded with charisma and it was beyond his control to do anything but to submit to its power, then Moriarty can be sympathetically viewed as a victim. However, if the position is taken that Moriarty was a calculating individual whose romantic flings were deliberately worked toward and pursued as a goal, then Moriarty can be seen as less than a charming Casanova, and more accurately, a dangerous predator that poisons every relationship with which he comes into contact. The many changes of Dean Moriarty, as well as the changes he influences in others and the effects that he has on those with whom he interacts, all conspire to create within him a great deal of conflict and anxiety, which displays itself in a sort of madness. This madness is also important to understand when studying the dynamic nature of Moriarty himself. Moriarty’s Descent into Madness By creating human conflict, chaos and turmoil for virtually everyone he meets, Moriarty has built for himself a complicated lifestyle that can be said to be rooted in madness. This madness, like so many of the other facets of Moriarty’s being, eventually spill out into the open for everyone to see, much like the classic example of someone wearing their heart on their sleeve. Generally speaking, it can be fairly said that one of the most characteristic displays of some level of madness in the mind of Dean Moriarty can be seen in his wanderlust-based lifestyle and personality. Just as Moriarty traveled from one romantic liaison to another, and fathered one child after another, he journeyed from one physical location to another. This journey can be viewed as a quest to fill the emptiness within his soul in some instances, or a desire to escape from any form of commitment in others. The comparison of this journey to the journey of realization that America was taking at the time is also accurate and appropriate. Whichever comparison one chooses, no one can deny that the rapid pace at which Moriarty went back and forth from one destination to another is indicative of at least some level of madness. As Moriarty traveled about, his madness was further shown to be strong and prominent by his disregard for the wellbeing of others. Specifically depicted in the book is Moriarty’s journey to Chicago, during which his outlandish behavior puts others at risk, but he seems not to be concerned about it in the slightest. Yet another piece of evidence that speaks to the level of madness that Moriarty reaches in the book is punctuated by the behavior that he not only sees as nothing out of the ordinary, but also that he recommends to others, and tries to convince them to participate in as something that is acceptable. Specifically, Moriarty at one point makes the suggestion that his protege of sorts, Sal, and his wife join Moriarty in stripping off their clothes and running about in public. What this shows is not only Moriarty’s deteriorated sense of right and wrong, but also his general contempt for the trappings of conventional society, rebellion against that society, and his desire to express his total freedom and ability to do whatever he wishes, whenever he wishes, without any notable consequences for himself or others. Sadly, of course, his actions are creating chaos wherever he goes, even if he is blind to it. Lastly, something needs to be said about Moriarty’s drunken lifestyle, as well as its influence on his behaviors and choices. When he indulges in alcohol binges, his erratic behavior increases, more bad choices are made, and more people are affected for the worse. The women and children that he leaves in his alcoholic wake are forced to pick up the pieces and clean up the messes that Moriarty creates. All the while, he carries on- seemingly oblivious to what he is causing to happen, and dulled by his own vices. Conclusion Just as â€Å"On the Road† profiled an entire generation and reflected the spirit of a nation in transition, so too did Dean Moriarty. Based in part on actual people whom Kerouac knew, this character represented a composite of the quest for happiness and meaning in a chaotic world as well as the paradox of someone who wants to pursue their own enjoyments but too late realizes that total indulgence carries with it a steep price. In conclusion, what is seen in both Moriarty and the story in which he exists is the brilliance, and frailty of the human mind, the search for enlightenment, and the journey along the way- basically, the road that is chosen and what that means for the traveler.