Academic essays, post your essays here

[Huang Zee]

This topic is for posting essays or research papers. It can be for school assignments or cram school work.

Edit: You may also post essays written in other language such as Chinese.

[Huang Zee]

Behind Global Warming

A Large amount of “Carbon dioxide” pollutes the air and damages our respiration system. Accordingly, our immune system weakens and we will become vulnerable to illness. A large amount of carbon dioxide is the source of global warming. Carbon dioxide keeps in the Earth’s heat, which causes glaciers to melt and increases the Earth’s sea surface level.

First, carbon dioxide captures heat and the earth’s temperature rises. The Earth’s average surface temperature was about 30 degrees before the industrial revolution in the 18th century. Gradually, the Earth’s average surface temperature has become about 40 degrees. If global warming continues, the Earth’s average surface temperature will eventually reach 50 degrees.

Meanwhile, the glaciers located at the Earth’s poles start to melt because of the rising temperature. The Earth’s sea surface level then starts to increase. Later, the world’s nations land area will gradually decrease and eventually submerge; both sea and land environments will consequently lose balance. Living creatures will die as the entire planet immerses in water.

If we are to stop global warming from threatening us, we must use reasonable methods to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide. Earth will be cooler and we will not have to worry about melting glaciers or growing sea surface level without a large amount of carbon dioxide. As a result, we can prevent global warming by growing more plants and using more public transportation instead of individual vehicles.

[Huang Zee]

Over Populating

Medical technology has improved through time extending the lifespan of human beings. Because of this, people now live longer. The population will increase rapidly and problems will arise. If this continues, society will become more crowded, more nature environments will be destroyed, the rate of pollution will increase, and society order will decay.

First, an overly large population will result in a crowded society. The streets will be full of people and people will not feel so comfortable. As a result, the prices of land will become incredibly expensive. Having too many people in a single area can be terrifying.

Moreover, over populating will cause more nature environments to be destroyed. People will take over unsettled areas in order to extend their residential territory. Hence, innocent living creatures will have to suffer and demise. All animals besides humans might extinct if this continues.

Furthermore, an enormous population will have an effect on the rate of pollution. More people imply more pollution. As a consequence, there will be more liter and unhealthy gases on Earth. Our planet will be a lot filthier than before.

In addition to crowding society, destroying nature environments and, increasing rate of pollution, the order society will rot. Crime will be more frequent as the amount of society members increases. Thus, people will hurt each other and cause daily chaos. People will have to suffer if society develops into like that.

Room for residents is decreasing, room for living creatures is decreasing, Earth’s health status is decreasing, and the power of society order is decreasing all because population is rapidly increasing. Therefore, improving medical technology is not entirety positive.

[Huang Zee]

Potential or Traditional Education

Computer technology has been improving and has been used so frequently that some people will declare that computers are ubiquitous. Since computers have made life become an integral part of our lives, pupils would probably have the opportunity to decide on studying through the internet at home and education can be customized to the individual student. This is the potential style education that is likely to emerge in the future. Despite the fact that potential education might be more convenient and efficient, I prefer the traditional style of education because it enforces access to the exterior.

Potential education is more convenient compared to traditional education, because students are able to study at home. All they have to do is to go on the internet through their computers. One the other hand, the young scholars of traditional education must either transport to the academy or settle in the academy. Traditional education does not have the convenience potential education has.

Moreover, potential education is more efficient than traditional education. This is because pupils can easily focus on learning at their secure and quiet environment. Comparing to potential education, the students of traditional education usually face inevitable distraction from other pupils. This is another disadvantage of traditional education.

Although potential education is more convenient and efficient than traditional education, potential education limits a young scholar’s access to the exterior, Pupils of potential education are likely to become poor communicators because of studying indoors and being isolated form the human interaction with other people. In contrast, traditional education enforces a student’s access to the benefits from other human interaction. This is because the young scholars of traditional education must experience communication with their supervisors and peers. Therefore, traditional education possesses an advantage that cannot be reached by potential education.

I would prefer the traditional style of education even if I have the opportunity to decide on using the potential style of education. Even though, it is excellent to study under the convenience and efficiency, having access to the exterior is more significant.

[Shadow122 the Hedgehog]

This is a good idea dude although i reall don't need it lol

[Huang Zee]

lol post your essays or research papers but remember that this is optional.

[Shadow122 the Hedgehog]

I see...Well i don't really have anything but, i could use this for school

[Huang Zee]

lol

[Huang Zee]

酷孔夫子之快樂工廠

最能讓我快樂的事，就是玩音速小子系列的電玩遊戲。玩音速小子的遊戲，看著音速小子刺穿敵人，我就能夠感受到想要的刺激感。每當我放進 Sonic Heroes 或者是 Sonic Riders 的遊戲 CD 時，我就進入了音速小子的電玩世界，暫時忘了身邊的煩惱。扮演著音速小子及同盟英雄過關能讓我很快樂。我很期待得到音速小子最新的遊戲 ，出在任天堂 Wii 的 Sonic and the Secret Rings。

玩音速小子的遊戲能讓我快樂，聽音速小子的遊戲音樂也能讓我快樂。我想休息的時候會播放音速小子的遊戲音樂放輕鬆。我對音速小子的遊戲音樂百聽不膩，我都會重覆播放 Sonic Heroes 音樂加上 Sonic Adventure 音樂的 Triple Threat 專輯。我現在又喜歡用電腦上網聽音速小子最新的遊戲音樂。我最喜歡的一首是來自慶祝音速小子十五週年的遊戲，那就是Sonic Next Gen 裡面的 His World。

能讓我快樂的元素當中的其中一個，是進入音速小子的漫畫世界裡。當一個音速小子「粉斯」，不只要了解電玩遊戲，也要知道一些漫畫內容。音速小子 X ，最新的音速小子漫畫系列非常精采，尤其是它的第三季。音速小子 X 第三季充滿了科幻風格，音速小子與同盟和蛋頭博士聯合，收集卡歐斯寶石，打敗敵人，拯救宇宙。音速小子 X 真的很精彩，我看了還會想再多看幾次。

除了玩音速小子的電玩遊戲、聽音速小子的遊戲音樂、還有看音速小子的漫畫系列之外，另一個能讓我快樂的事就是上 SEGA 的論壇室討論跟音速小子有關的話題。我以 Cool Confucius 的身分，交了幾個好朋友。每天放學後打開電腦上論壇室已經成為我的日常習慣。在論壇室可以學到更多有關音速小子的事，又可以製作「粉絲外傳」，等於是玩音速小子「粉絲」聚集的神聖之地。玩音速小子是我的快樂工廠的來源。

[Huang Zee]

聖先師孔夫子

孔子，中國偉大的哲學家，中華文化思想的集大成者，儒家學說的創始人，滲入了中國人的生活和文化領域中的儒學思想提倡「仁義」、「禮樂」和「德治教化」，「均以民為體」。

孔子，名丘字仲尼，出身於沒落的宋國貴族家庭，三歲時父親去世，刻苦好學的他由母親撫養教育成人。他十五歲立志為學曾一度出任魯國的中都宰、司空、司寇等職。他為了讓學識更精進，在工作環境內學習貴族禮儀，自官府典藏中博覽群書，中年時開辦私學。

四年後春秋霸局時興、禮樂崩壞，還遭小人暗算，孔子棄職，率領弟子周遊列國，經十三年，晚年歸魯，繼續講學，整理古籍。孔子弟子及其再傳弟子紀錄孔子的言行，形成了《論語》二十篇。

孔子，至聖先師，基本治學態度為學不厭、教不倦、有教無類、還有因材施教。他從日常生活落實儒家精神的教育理念可從《論語》中見識得到。孔子過世後，他的學生就分散到各地宣揚儒家學說。再加上孟子在戰國時代的發揚光大，孔子之道成為立人、安邦、治國之良策，以致西漢武帝獨尊儒術。

有些人也許會認為孔子是一種宗教的創始人，但他並不是。他為了避免任何形式的形而上學，孔子少談論神，拒絕討論來世。他是一位重視個人的倫理道德和行為的現世哲學家，對人生的關係有深刻了解。

[Huang Zee]

A literature chunk of "The House on Mango Street"

“That’s nice. That’s very good, she said in her tired voice. You just remember to keep writing, Esperanza. You must keep writing. It will keep you free, and I said yes, but at that time I didn’t know what she meant.” (The House on Mango Street, “Born Bad”, page 61) Ironically, Aunt Lupe reminds me of the dead prophet in The Odyssey because they are both blind and speak of the future. Aunt Lupe encourages Esperanza to keep writing because it will allow her to emotionally escape and possibly escape literally in the future; writing can keep someone free by giving an abstract and private space. Writing allows the writer to emotionally escape reality. This is identified as the term “escapism”, which means the person’s focused mind enters the illusionary domain of literature. Moreover, writing expresses the writer’s desire to be free to readers. Possibly the readers might make a path for the writer to escape. Furthermore, writing can keep someone free by igniting the writer’s imagination. The writer is abstractly in a realm that is under his or her control and is not disturbed by others. Writing does make a person free when used correctly.

[Huang Zee]

Compare and Contrast "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The House on Mango Street"

It is sometimes interesting to compare two books because you may find shocking similarities or opposites. Pupils in academies are frequently assigned to compare literature works from different authors. I am going to compare the protagonists of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. To Kill a Mockingbird emphasizes the racism in society and The House on Mango Street emphasizes the gender inequality in society. Although the backgrounds of both books are totally different, the protagonists are comparable. I am going to compare the experiences and views of Scout and Esperanza.

Let us examine the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird. Jean Louise Finch also known as Scout is a young girl. Scout at first viewed her society in a positive way until she witnessed the trail of Tom Robinson. She acknowledged that her society is full of racism when Tom Robinson was sentenced to death. As a witness, Scout lost her positive impression of her society. Scout is a witness who experienced her lost of innocence.

That was the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird, so let us now examine the protagonist of The House on Mango Street. Esperanza, a Mexican American, is also a young girl. At first Esperanza dreamed about sexuality but is later opposing to it when she saw Sally, her friend, sexually assaulted by the boys. Additionally, Esperanza was later sexually assaulted by the boys also; therefore she is against sexuality. Being a victim, Esperanza does not dream about sexuality anymore since it appeared to be cruel in her society. Esperanza is a victim who experienced her lost of innocence.

Comparing the protagonists of these two works of literature, I have discovered fascinating similarities and differences. Scout and Esperanza are both young girls who experienced the lost of innocence, but Esperanza is a victim in her unequal society while Scout only plays the role of a witness. When you are living under an unequal society, whether you are a victim or a witness the fact that you are part of your society does not change; therefore you should try to make your society better. I would like to see the two characters encounter.

[Huang Zee]

Huang Benjamin
Mr. Thompson
L.A. 9B
27 May 2007

THE CATHARSIS IN SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDIES

William Shakespeare, a famous playwright, wrote tragedies that impressed the entire world. He wrote tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Timon of Athens, Troilus and Cressida and Romeo and Juliet. His plays are so popular that are still favored by readers in this century. Moreover, his plays are part of the educational curriculum, so that teachers teach pupils about Shakespeare and his famous projects in literature class. It is reasonable why Shakespearean tragedies are worth teaching in academies. Shakespeare makes the readers experience catharsis by the effective use of emotional techniques, tragic elements, and plot structure.

When a normal person reads a tragic story or watches a tragic play, his or her emotions are controlled. This is because the author or playwright uses emotional techniques. In a Shakespearean tragedy, Shakespeare usually depicts a protagonist who falls from grace and dies along with a fair proportion of the rest of the cast. Moreover, it has been suggested that a Shakespearean tragedy is the polar opposite of a comedy because it demonstrates the sense that human beings are inevitably doomed through their own failures or errors. The human’s destiny, the human’s condition to suffer, and even the ironic action of the human’s virtue are portrayed perfectly in a Shakespearean tragedy. (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Shakespearean Tragedy) In conclusion, an unhappy ending is significantly requisite in a Shakespearean tragedy.

A tragedy is made out of certain elements that can be found throughout the narrative. As a five act play, a Shakespearean tragedy ends in the death of the majority characters. Moreover, the paradox of disappointment is the essence of Shakespeare’s tragedies. A Shakespearean tragedy is a story of a man who experienced the paradox, extreme life change, of tragedy, which is also experienced by individual men in real life. Furthermore, each play contains an element of hope that is disappointed or ambition that is frustrated. Finally, death is important in expressing a tragedy, because it is at the very heart of the paradox of disappointment. (“The Essence of Shakespearean Tragedy” David Chandler)

The exposition begins when the prologue is over. The exposition sets expounds, situation, or state of affairs, out of which the conflict arises. The audience is aware of the general settings, the people, and character traits, problems of the play, conflicts or potential conflicts. The overriding problem of the play, major conflict, players in the conflict, identity of the tragic hero, and the hero’s tragic flaw are acknowledged by the audience. (Global Campus, Shakespearean Tragedy)

After the exposition, the rising action approaches. The rising action deals with a definite beginning, the growth and nature of the conflict, and forms the bulk of the play. This division unveils the developing complications arising from the conflicts as the problem intensifies. Time and a sense of urgency become increasingly important as the speed of the action increases. A sense of inevitability begins to advance as we watch the tragic hero alienating his allies and closest supporters, until he is all alone and with his back to the wall. (Global Campus, Shakespearean Tragedy)

Between the rising action and falling action, the play reaches the crisis, turning point. The crisis is the moment when a choice made by the main characters determines the direction of the action: upward to a happy ending, which would be a comedy, or downward to tragedy. This turning point is the dramatic and tense moment when the forces of conflict come together. (Global Campus, Shakespearean Tragedy)

Since the play reaches its zenith, the falling action takes place. The audience saw the action rising, with the tragic hero powerful, advancing, and scattering the opposition until a reversal of the situation starts taking place. Opposing forces begin to openly resist and to make plans for the removal of the tragic hero. Moreover, the hero’s power is obviously declining as the oppositions’ power advances. (Global Campus, Shakespearean Tragedy)

In the end of the play, the final and greatest climax occurs. Tragedies usually end with the deaths of the main characters. In the resolution or denouement the loose parts of the plot are all tied up. The play is over. (“A Tragic Pattern: How the Play is built” Elements of Literature Third Course page 732)

The play, Romeo and Juliet, is a tragedy because it ends with the fall of the tragic hero. Romeo is the tragic hero of the play, for he posses the certain qualities that classify one as a tragic hero. These qualities are his noble birth, tragic flaw, series of poor decisions, and the fact that he brought suffering to other people. (Online Shakespeare, PLAY SYNOPSIS & ANALYSIS - ROMEO AND JULIET)

Romeo has the quality of a noble birth because he is a Montague. The Montagues are a well known and respected family in the city of Verona. Benvolio once said in the play. “My noble uncle.” (Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1, Line 141) Benvolio was referring to Lord Montague, who is the father of Romeo. The Montagues are also a wealthy family which is why Romeo was respected. Lord Capulet said, “Verona brags of him... a bears him like a partly gentleman.” (Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 65-66) Through this quote, the audience knew that even Romeo's enemies know well of him and know that he is respected by the citizens of Verona.

Another quality that a tragic hero possesses is his tragic flaw, which in Romeo’s case, his impatience. (Online Shakespeare, PLAY SYNOPSIS & ANALYSIS - ROMEO AND JULIET) Romeo was first deeply in love with Rosaline, but he quickly forgot about her, and fell in love with Juliet. Juliet realized that Romeo's love for her was too fast when she said, “It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden.” (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2, lines 117-118).

The tragic hero of the play, Romeo, made a series of poor decisions. His first poor decision was going to the Capulet's party. Romeo would not have met Juliet if he did not go to the party. Moreover, it was unnecessary for Romeo to attempt to stop the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio. Mercutio would not have been killed, and the fight between Romeo and Tybalt would not have existed if Romeo did not try to stop the fight. Furthermore, Romeo made the wrong choice when he decided to fight Tybalt for the death of Mercutio. Romeo would not have been banished from Verona if did not fight Tybalt. Finally, Romeo’s last poor decision was the decision to commit suicide. Romeo would have been alive to see Juliet wake if only decided not to drink the poison he. (Online Shakespeare, PLAY SYNOPSIS & ANALYSIS - ROMEO AND JULIET) All these decisions caused Romeo to tragically end his life.

Romeo not only brought suffering to himself but also other characters in the play. Due to the actions of Romeo, Mercutio and Tybalt died and Lady Montague dies of a heart attack after Romeo's death, not mentioning Juliet. (Online Shakespeare, PLAY SYNOPSIS & ANALYSIS - ROMEO AND JULIET)

Romeo possessed a noble birth, a tragic flaw, and a series of poor decisions he made, and the fact that he brought suffering upon other people through his actions. Romeo is indeed the tragic hero of this play.

In the end of tragedy, the audience experience catharsis, which is a sudden emotional breakdown. A catharsis can be defined as a climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of any extreme alteration in emotion that results in the revitalization for living. Catharsis also refers to the sensation, or literary effect, that would ideally overcome an audience upon finishing watching a tragedy. (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Catharsis) “In contemporary aesthetics catharsis may also refer to any emptying of emotion experienced by an audience in relation to drama. This exstasis can be perceived in comedy, melodrama and most other dramatic forms. Deliberate attempts, on political or aesthetic bases, to subvert the structure of catharsis in theatre have occurred. For example, Bertold Brecht viewed catharsis as a pap for the bourgeois theatre audience, and designed dramas which left significant emotions unresolved, as a way to force social action upon the audience. In Brecht's theory, the absence of a cathartic resolving action would require the audience to take political action in the real world in order to fill the emotional gap they experience. This technique can be seen as early as his agit-prop play The Measures Taken.” (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Catharsis) Through watching tragedy the audience learns how to feel these emotions at the proper levels.

Significantly, the audience learned to be more empathetic. “The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.” (Meryl Streep) “Empathy is commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and directly experientially feel the emotion of another.” (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Empathy) “Empathy is often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes", or experiencing the outlook or emotions of another being within oneself, a sort of emotional resonance.” (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Empathy) Pupils who study literature are training themselves to be empathetic all the time.

The readers experience catharsis because Shakespeare effectively used emotional techniques, tragic elements, and plot structure in his tragedies. Readers “walked in Romeo’s shoes” when they read Romeo and Juliet. It is understandable why Shakespearean tragedies are taught in schools, because they are great reading materials for students. There is no doubt about the popularity of Shakespeare’s plays because it is known around the world.

Works Cited
“Tragedy” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 6 February 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy>
“Shakespearean Tragedy” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 6 February 2007
<http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki.Shakespearean_Tragedy>
“The Essence of Shakespearean Tragedy” David Chandler 6 February 2007
<http://www.mathwithoutborders.com/writtings/Tragedy.htm>
“Shakespearean Tragedy” Global Campus 6 February 2007
<http://global.cscc.edu/engl/264/TragedyLex.htm>
“Explaining Shakespearean Tragedy” Joel Littaner 6 February 2007
<http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/resources/shakespeare/Shakespearean.Tragedy.html>
“Shakespearean Tragedy” Answers.com 6 February 2007
<http://www.answers.com/topic/shakespearean-tragedy>
Kathleen Daniel. Elements of Leterature Third Course Holt, Rinehart and Winston
“Dramatic Structure” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 23 May 2007
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure>
“Climax (narrative)” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 23 May 2007
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climax_%28narrative%29>
“Catharsis” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 23 May 2007
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis>
“Empathy” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 23 May 2007
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy>
“PLAY SYNOPSIS & ANALYSIS - ROMEO AND JULIET” Online Shakespeare
24 May 2007 < http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/romeosyn.htm>

[Huang Zee]

To Be or Not to Be a Cannibal

If you are not a vegetarian, I bet you have eaten meat such as beef and pork during your life time. Have you ever thought about devouring the tissues of your own kind? Have you thought about chewing the organs of your friends or family members? In Lu Xun’s “Diary of a Madman and Other Stores”, the narrator claimed that it is unjust to consume flesh of a human being.

One day, the narrator visited a village with his brother. The villagers gazed at him awkwardly. After experiencing unintended hints, the narrator acknowledged the fact that he entered a village of cannibals. Being in a cannibal village is not the shock. To his surprise, the narrator discovered that his elder brother is a cannibal. This is indeed a shocking revelation indeed.

Full of courage, the narrator went to his elder brother and made a speech about how cannibalism is inhumane. He stated powerful pieces of information supporting his view, but his elder brother is not convinced at all. The narrator attempted to alter the policies of the village. Unfortunately, the roots are too strong and deep to be plucked. The villagers retained the same life style and the same applies to their next generations.

In summary, the opinion of the narrator towards cannibalism is that it is cruel. I suppose most people today think the same. What is your opinion of this subject?

[Huang Zee]

Hair, a Beloved Friend and Hated Enemy

Have you ever been punished unreasonably for an insignificant matter? A society may suffer from strict yet nearly futile laws from a government. In Lu Xun’s “Diary of a Madman and Other Stories”, Mr. N spoke of the period when the Manchus established their dynasty and forced the Chinese to wear queues. He suffered and suffered until the first Double Ten arrived.

One day, Mr. N cut off his queue simply because it was inconvenient having it. He was then detested by people just because of this minor act. Another day, he bought an artificial queue and wore it. He was still cursed by people due to the fact that his queue is artificial. At that time, pupils were expelled and employees were fired just for cutting off their queues. Wearing different clothing or holding a walking stick would not make any difference.

After the first Double Ten, many people got their own queues cut off by officers. Double Ten marks the day that Mr. N is free from the pressure of being sneered at.

In conclusion, Mr. N’s experience is an ideal example of how a person may suffer just because of an insignificant act. The difference between having and not having a queue was overly exaggerated. Is hair that important?