10 Must-Read Books for Fall 2015

Nothing like fall book releases to make you want to run out and buy the latest novels, curl up in an armchair with a cup of tea and settle down as the chill begins to set in. This fall has a wonderful mix of established and new authors offering forth their literary efforts to readers across the continent. Their books will take you around the world, spanning continents and, in some cases, centuries. Some wild adventures, somber mourning, political spoofs and love lost and found again will bring you into fall. Here are 10 picks for you to look forward to: 1. Purity. Jonathan Franzens much anticipated latest novel is a departure from his past works which focused on the American family. This one traces the journey of a political activist from East Germany and his American intern who follows him to Bolivia where they operate a media and government-watch organization. 2. The Japanese Lover. Isabel Allendes story that spans the globe from Poland to San Francisco, during WWII, this story tells the tale of political refugee Alma Belasco and her unlikely romance with the son of a Japanese gardener in her aunt and uncles house in San Francisco. Ichimei, the gardeners son, is sent away to a Japanese internment camp and they are never reunited but remain in each others thoughts over the course of their lives. Then Alma begins to receive gifts in her nursing home that are suspected to be from Ichimei. A story that interweaves politics, fate and passion. 3. Death by Water. Nobel Literature laureate Kenzaburo Oes new novel is a captivating mixture of Japanese folklore, memoir and meta-fiction. The plot features a celebrated writer whose father had drowned and whos grieving process included writing a book about it. The books first sentence sets up the story beautifully: â€Å"The year I went off to university in Tokyo, something fateful happened when I returned home to Shikoku for one in the last in a series of traditional Buddhist services for my father.† 4. The Heart Goes Last. It is as surreal as any of Margaret Atwoods previous novels with the plot centering on a social experiment which allows couple Charmaine and Stan to live in a luxurious suburban home in exchange for agreeing to live in a prison cell every two months. While theyre serving their time in prison, another couple lives in their home. Eventually, the connection between the couples leads to feelings of sexual attraction, guilt and paranoia. 5. Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights. It is author Salman Rushdies modern take on Arabian Nights. With figures such as Henry James, Mel Brooks, Mickey Mouse and Aristotle, its an eclectic, comical and thoroughly entertaining tale. Weaving the forces of good and evil throughout the ages from 12th century Arabia to modern day New York, Rushdie travels through time and space to bring us this magical twist on a classic story. The first line he delivers sets you up for the ride: â€Å"Very little is known, though much has been written, about the true nature of the jinn, the creatures made of smokeless fire.† 6. M Train. Patti Smiths follow-up memoir to her celebrated Just Kids, M Train traces the singers artistic path through narratives that span 18 subway stations across New York City. In this new memoir, Smith takes us to the cafes where she used to drink black coffee and muses about her thoughts on other artists such as Frida Kahlo, Jean Genet and Sylvia Plath. She recounts the tragic 1994 death of her husband Fred Smith and its long-standing effect on her. 7. Fates and Furies. Lauren Groffs third novel is about the twenty year marriage of Lotto and Matthilde. Already garnering raves by Publishers Weekly and one of the most popular books on display at BookExpo America, Groffs novel about marriage, co-habitation, betrayal and heartache follows the arc of a long-term marriage. A comment on the beauty and hope of loving someone, as well as the tragic disappointments that sometimes come along with it. 8. The Story of My Teeth. National Book Foundation winner â€Å"Five Under 35†, Mexican writer Valeria Luiselli spins a mighty elaborate story of unparalleled traveling auctioneer Gustavo â€Å"Highway† Sanchez Sanchez. Set in Mexico City and following Sanchez Sanchez through more adventures than you could count, as well as racking up unusual talents such as imitating Janis Joplin and standing an egg upright on a table, the book gets its name from the fact that hes planning to replace his teeth. That and the fact that he happens to be in possession of a pair of dentures he swears belonged to Marilyn Monroe. Fun, wacky and defined by Granta as â€Å"delightfully unclassifiable†, reading this novel is an adventure in itself. 9. Numero Zero. Celebrated Italian writer Umberto Eco offers a fascinating conspiracy theory about Italys famous dictator Benito Mussolini. Moving back and forth from 1945 to 1992, the plot revolves around the idea that Mussolinis death may have been faked. The book features a love story between a ghost writer and a celebrity gossip writer who find a dead body in an alley in Milan. Theories begin to spin including the murder of Pope John Paul I, the Italian secret service and the CIA. The timing is right as 1992 marks the beginning of the truly tragi-comic era in Italian politics. 10. Man Tiger Beauty is a Wound. They are written by Eka Kurniawan and translated by Labodalih Sembiring and Annie Tucker respectively. Eka Kurniawan has broken onto the literary stage with stories that evoke the oral traditions of his home village in Indonesia. Man Tiger is the story of Margio, a young man who is also half white tiger. Beauty is a Wound is about a prostitute who rises from the dead as set forth in the first line; â€Å"One afternoon on a weekend in March, Dewi Ayu rose from her grave after being dead for twenty-one years.† Both books have earned enormous critical acclaim for their originality and scope of human suffering and spirit.

How to Write a Good English Essay

How to Write a Good English Essay How to Write a Good English Essay As easy as it might for some people to write good English essays, there are others who do not know how to go about writing an essay that will earn them top grades. There are many things that have to be considered when writing a good essay on any subject. Do you want to know how to make a good English essay? Here are some tips that will help you write an A+ kind of essay for your English course. Before you sit down to write your essay, you have to have been prepared. Proper preparation includes making sure that you have all the materials you need to write a good essay. These materials are not just the usual pen and paper, but well researched information as well. When you are well prepared to write your essay, you will be able to write confidently and this will help you write an excellent English term paper. The writing process for an English essay starts with writing a good topic. A good topic should be unique, brief and well phrased. All essays have to have an introductory part. This is where you tell your reader shat the essay is all about. The introduction explains the topic and defines the relevant terms. Brevity and creativity are important aspects of any good introduction. a good English essay should have a well organized body. All the major points related to your topic should be discussed in the body. The body should be divided into paragraphs, each of which should cover different points. The essay should also have a conclusion where you end by summarizing all the main points covered in the paper. A good English essay should be free from grammatical errors. Make sure that you follow all the instructions that you will be given if you want to earn maximum points in the essay.

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 118

Case Study Example The movement of a company to a place with lower taxation regulations allows it to capitalize on the legislations present and attain as much investment and revenue from its activities. This provides it with a better way of looking at things and provides new opportunities that will boost its future investments (Lamb, 2012). Political motivation could also be a boost as it works on strengthening commitment to that country and providing more strength to its corporation. It will build good repute with the new economic aspects present to provide better commitment. It also positions the company as a global player and provides different investors with investment opportunities (Bischoff-Turner, 2008). The most important goal is to provide new avenues that will boost a country’s position in terms of employment opportunities. Relocations will see a loss of revenue, loss of jobs and more doubts about the country’s potential to sustain economic growth and development (Bischoff-Turner, 2008). High-quality service provisions may lack in the new area, and that could influence the company negatively as it seeks to attract new clients and provide them with quality services. It is always important to look into the impact this will have on its service provision (Lamb, 2012). The movement of a HQ from one country or city to the next will depend on the benefits noted in that particular area. The problem with this is the inability to generate the required amount to sustain the business in the new area and lack of stringent measures to pursue a competitive edge in the new area (Lamb, 2012). If these were sorted out, it would be good to move. The company will also move if the intended gains are both in terms of revenue and investor visibility. If the gains are more to the company and shareholder investments, the movement will be ideal, and the HQ will be relocated (Bischoff-Turner, 2008). Setting the right

4What do you consider are the main problems with the royal prerogative Essay

4What do you consider are the main problems with the royal prerogative Explain the extent to which you would reform the royal prerogative and why - Essay Example ?, the name for the residue of discretionary power left at any moment in the hands of the crown, whether such power be in fact exercised by the King himself or by his ministers†. Wikipedia describes the Royal Prerogative â€Å"as a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognised in common law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the Crown alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government are possessed by and vested in a monarch with regard to the process of governance of their state are carried out. It is not subject to parliamentary scrutiny but an individual prerogative can be abolished by legislative enactment† 2 . Practically speaking, Royal Prerogative is the usage accorded to the formal powers of the Crown within the executive process of the British politics. As part of the common law, the Queen represents the British constitutional monarchy that is apolitical, symbolic and impartial. The Queen exercises the Royal Prerogative on behalf of the elected ministers. As per the Royal Prerogative vested on the Monarchy, the Queen has the right to appoint and dismiss a prime minister.3 The Queen has the powers to appoint ministers, peers, senior C of E officials, head of BBC and senior civil servants. But, in reality, the Prime Minister exercises these powers. Only the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit are at the personal disposal of the Queen indicating that vast powers in senior appointments rest with the Prime Minister. Under the Royal Prerogative, the Queen has the right to grant pardons and input some sentences but this has mostly remained a theoretical power with the Home Secretary retaining this power in practice. The Monarch has the power to declare war or treaties internationally but the Prime Minister has been exercising these powers on behalf of the Crown as we have seen in case of war on Iraq in 2003. Also, the Monarch is above the law and has immuni ty from law. In fact, it is commonly

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economic - Essay Example Technological advent has propelled the demand for the fuel around the world irrespective of the price of the same. On the other hand, being a natural resource with exhaustible limits, the fuel cannot be exploited boundlessly. The present research attempts to evaluate the trends in the demand and supply volumes of the commodity. Objectives and Research Questions Rationale behind the policy measures undertaken by different economic agents revolves around the profit that they are likely to yield as a result. As oil is regarded as one of the most important raw materials and hence is a decisive factor behind profit generation, it is highly important to keep a track in the price fluctuations of the same. Purpose of this study will be to analyse the gap between demand and supply of oil during 2000-2005 which justifies the price fluctuations of the commodity. In cases of excess demand, prices are likely to soar high in contrast to situations of excess supply. Thus a suitable research questio n in this case will be to assess the association between policies and availability of oil in the market. Factors determining demand and supply of oil Factors affecting demand of oil Firstly, globalisation has increased the demand of various nations for crude oil which has added to the already high demand for the same. Nations undergoing a period of transition pose a high demand for oil which is regarded as an essential raw material for production. As they are almost always in a rush to improve their economic growth rates, their demand for the fuel is proportionately high. A good example is that of China which has multiplied its demand for oil post the advent of the new millennium, due to similar issues (Energy Information Administration, 2005). Secondly, speculations about political turbulence in the producer nations or chances of stringent ties with their customer nations could lead to hikes in the present demand of oil as the latter want to store more and more reserves of the same . Similar could be the situation when there are possibilities of exchange rate system depreciating in the importing economy. In other words, economies rising high on inflation are likely to demand less of the fuel. Although they might be the consequences of political disruptions, the consuming nations often end up purchasing large stocks of the fuel hence raising its present demand (Pirog, 2005). Lastly, demand for oil is highly dependent upon the availability of other substitute fuels such as coal or natural gas. Regions, which are rich in these resources or could trade them at cheaper prices, attract a lower demand for oil. Moreover, stringency in OPEC policies is also a reason behind the aggregate demand for the fuel. Factors affecting the supply of oil Firstly, the supply function of oil is positively related to the market price of oil in the past. A low market price is of little incentive for the producers who invest lower sums in building refineries and discovering oil mines, to maintain high volumes of future crude oil supplies (Allen, 2005). In addition, higher the market rate of interest is, lower will be the long-run supply of oil in the market as investors will be less attracted towards borrowing and would rather prefer to deposit their money in safe locks (Spann, 1979). Natural catastrophes could prove to be hazardous

A Study On Television Studies Media Essay

A Study On Television Studies Media Essay Television is that fantastic media phenomenon that provides us with pursuit at the click of the remote after a long day at the office; the cultural artefact that we can all relate to in one way or another. A large majority of us have our ‘favourite, ‘must-see programmes that we religiously tune into; others simply choose to flick through the channels in hope of finding something ‘worthy of viewing; while many consciously choose not to watch certain programmes as they dislike them- chances being that their friends and colleagues will be talking about that programme the next day, making it almost impossible to be excluded from the discourses of social ideologies and construction that television presents. Each individual produces diverse reactions to television footage; whilst considering the representation of society through television media and flow, only we can conclude what we make of said footage, providing our own encoding of the text, thus possibly coming to a different supposition than another viewer of the text. Meanings are appropriated to the audience in different ways- meanings which are actively produced by the text- and whether we choose to agree with proposed meanings directly affects our own identities and representations. Firstly I am going to consider how far television is aiming to re-produce human identity and to what extent output creates and reinforces ideologies of UK culture. I will discover how genres of programmes can have a diverse impact on the ways in which we see representation in the UK. Using Baudrillard I will revise how ‘reality television can persuade us to conform to a new identity and representation. I will uncover how representations are obtained, and how these might be understood by the audiences. I wish to discover how constructed ideologies have forced us to accept specific cultural norms and values, and how television might reinforce this theory. I will also examine how, through the use of language and signs, media representations are understood in UK culture enabling me to gain a broader perspective on how such issues are reflected and how they may influence UK identity today. Using the theories of Hall and Saussure, I will discover how the use of a common understanding of representations enables us to construct identities today. Finally, I will look at how social class and sexuality are portrayed in television; my reason for this is that not are these matters an extremely apparent dynamic within television output, but it will enable me to correspond to Marxist theory, which I believe hold valid views to the links of power, social class and representation, allowing me to summarise how television output reflects representation. . When considering how evocative television is in the representation of the UK, many points have to be measured. Firstly we have to deliberate what the term representation essentially means. Marsen (2006:12) states: ‘A representation is a constructed pattern or design that describes or stands for something elseA representation could have a likeness with its object or it could be abstract. Language is to a large extent representational because it creates the object that it describes through words. Marsen is virtually saying that we construct representations through the discourses of language and dialect that we use in the UK. Relating this to the output of television, it erects the question towards what extent the system of signs within the TV flow represent how we perform as a society; investigating the theory that through the use of our common English language, this holds the basis of our cultural knowledge and understanding. I will begin by familiarizing Stuart Hall in my essay as I believe his theory of interpretation justifies the reasons behind why we study representation, relating to television output. In his book ‘Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, (1997), Hall introduces the theory of the ‘circuit of culture in which ‘meaning is constantly being produced and exchanged in every personal and social interaction in which we take part, (3). New meanings are being created from the basis of language narratives in the media- establishing unique representations and ideologies. Lyotard (1979:32) states, ‘the narrative function is losing its functors, its great heroes, its great dangers, its great voyages, its great goal. It is being dispersed in clouds of language narrative elements- narrative, but also denotative, prescriptive, descriptive Hall (1979) continues with the concept that meaning is also produced by mass media, circulating meanings between different cultures. ‘Meaning depends on the difference of opposites, (235). We recognise binary oppositions to define the diversity of representations within the world, thus have the ability to compare and criticise what would not seem a standard representation on UK television. This connects to my initial hypothesis that television representation is reflective on the ideologies we carry out today; not only through the distinctiveness that we ‘conform to reflected as an ideology in mass media, but these identities are constantly being re-produced, questioning whether we are also changing to be involved in such identities, thus feeling part of a society. ‘Visual signs and images, even when they bear a close resemblance to the things to which they refer, are still signs: they carry meaning and thus have to be interpreted, Hall (18). How signs are decoded by the audience of the UK varies through individual interpretation; television can only produce selected images and sounds, and therefore it could be argued that it eliminates the viewers reality, instead providing a representation securing passivity of the audience. ‘One characteristic of the symbol is that it is never wholly arbitrary; it is not empty, for there is the rudiment of a natural bond between the signifier and the signified, (Saussure, 1966:68). Through the uses of encoding and decoding, connotations and denotations of texts, as a nation it could be said that because of language, we have in common a general understanding of the mediated construction of representations within television. There are so many portrayals of identity throughout the UK today such as gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality and social class (to name a few), that it is almost impossible to summarise these differences into a single generalised point. We have to ask ourselves who is conducting the representation of culture in television today; and what are the aims of the producer in representing certain characters and themes in specific ways. Speaking of how television representations often come across as biased and almost undermining, Williams Williams (2003:67) say ‘in most British television discussions there are indeed some ground-rules, expressed in abstraction in the concepts of ‘fairness and ‘balance, but these are normally dissolved into actual presentation, and given little or no emphasis. What emerges is a representation of the state of ‘informed opinion, with its own internal differences and nuances. Considering the diverse identities that television produces, we must consider what impact this could have on the representational identity of the viewer. ‘Realism in television can refer to an adequate relationship between what television represents and how it is represented. (Bignell, 2004:206). The viewer often becomes involved when watching a television programme. A television drama, for example, often creates a high impact in the emotions of the viewer; through the use of characterising actors to represent the observer in daunting situations, or by representing the character so as to reflect the lifestyle of the viewer. An example of a realist drama is the 1960s hit ‘Kathy Come Home, directed by Ken Loach; in an attempt to reflect the daily life of urban UK, it represented the experiences of ‘everyday. Drama constructs and mediates a sense of everyday identity. Issues such as the time and channel that the programme is presented on; the ‘target audience of said programme or its definitive place in the television ‘flow can also provide theories into how television output reflects UK representation. ‘Whereas representation attempts to absorb simulation by interpreting it as a false representation, simulation envelops the whole edifice of representation itself as a simulacrum. (Baudrillard, 1981:6) From this quote, Baudrillard (1981) is almost suggesting that although television reproduces representation of ideologies so as not to constantly repeat to the viewer; the repetition of ideologies withholds the notion of representation to the audience, therefore ideologies must be repeated and representations constant in order to keep the viewers understanding of ‘common culture. We recognise and acknowledge certain connotations that we distinguish in UK culture as representations. As Thornham Purvis (2005:134) state, ‘regardless of social class or gender, sexuality came to be seen as the single-most determining aspect of personal identity. Media output has often been underpinned by a heteronormative ideology. Sexuality is often a definitive aspect when it comes to presenting identities; take a look at how homosexual characters are stereotypically presented in genres such as soap operas or comedies; the media often choose to create an identity only representative of cultural ideologies, and therefore does little to reinforce the national representation of homosexuality, as heterosexuality is represented as the norm. ‘We need to see ourselves- all people, not just vanguard intellectuals- as active participants in culture; selecting, rejecting, making meanings, attributing value, resisting and, yes, being duped and manipulated. (Storey, 2006:171). Referring to the quote from Storey (2006), it suggests how the television and the media often successfully attempts to construct our values, feelings and opinions, all through the use of proposing new ideologies upon us, or presenting representations of ambitions we should aim for, and those which we should discard. Therefore, it could certainly be argued that television, in itself, does not represent the UK, but constructs it. Discussing the how similar the representation of the UK in television is to that of ‘real UK life; we must define what we mean by the term ‘real. Reality is such a vague expression when referring to representation; surely we have no definitive proof what reality truly is. The ‘granted centrality of identity as a basis for activity, ideologically inflected reviewing of the arts and the increased stress on the role of the consciousness and culture in our general understanding of why and how things are as they are. (Dyer, 1993:6). Dyer states that the reason we accept representations as they are is because of our cultural understandings through the use of language. Linking such hypothesis to Ferdinand Saussure and Stuart Hall; without language there is no representation; therefore through the commonality of language we can see the ideologies that we maintain uphold our fascination with the media. An example would be the representation of a major celebrity within the media; the media constructs the celebrity as a referent to conform to a certain representation, making them appear in a certain way to the audience, thus objectifying the celebrity. When we see a photograph of said celebrity in a magazine, it is not the actual person that we are seeing; it is a representation of that person, shown via text using discourses of ideologies that present a depiction of an identity to the viewer- therefore how can we ever be assured of what reality actually is? An example of the representation of reality is through the use of documentaries and reality television series such as Big Brother, in which the audience can become actively involved in the production of the show itself. Ideologically represented as ‘truthful, reality television is still not complete real life- people are aware cameras are being used- and even if they did not know this factor, the definitive fact is that through the theory of ideology, we cannot be sure whether we construct what we deem to be representations of ourselves or we simply conform to expected ideologies, and therefore are never ‘ourselves. Documentary on the other hand offers what seems to be contact with the real world which has been dismembered via representation. However, documentaries are still a representation of reality; what we must also consider is that there will never be one collective view from an audience, an audience must always be assumed depending on their social context within society. Using Baudrillards Intervention theory (1981), he speaks of a simulacrum in which he calls the ‘hyper-real, of which there is no original. Representations of experience are mediated to the audience through the use of imagery; television strives for ‘reality, reproducing identities and new found representations of how we should live our lives. Individuals then consume lifestyle produce that equate with that ideological representation. The media produce an ‘ideal for the masses to conform to. Contrasting to this is the Marxist viewpoint in which it is argued that television is in fact constructed around the framework of social order; therefore the knowledge and power dynamic patterns often shift between social classes, thus reinforcing representations. Caughie (2000) speaks of such an instance in new found television drama introduced post 1956, where the central theme was focused around the dislocations of class ability. Caughie (2000:85) states ‘It was a generational identity that seemed new to television, drawing on the culture of commitment and experiencing at first hand the contradictions of class. This occurred right up until the first screening of Coronation Street in 1961, thus offering the fact that social class representations were indeed purely reinforced by the media. Althusser (1984, cited Purvis Thornham, 2005:75) speaks of television acting as a ‘hailing device towards the audience that is difficult to be separate from. Television interpellates the viewer in such a way that it is difficult for them to turn off, transforming the viewer into a subject shaped by an ideological process of representation. ‘The image which Marxism offers of capitalism is that of a system frozen in its fixed modes of representation, yet mobilising a desire which overturns all representation, (Eagleton, 1996:61). Representation of class then, through the eyes of Eagleton (1996) is one which is not only an ‘out of date Marxist theory, but is portrayed in the media in such a way that we can no longer escape from these ideologies of class; a collective class consciousness that we are all aware of reflected through television. ‘Representation in the mediated ‘reality of our mass culture is in itself power; certainly it is the case that non-representation maintains the powerless status of groups that do not possess significant material or political power bases. (Seiter, 1989:131). Relating this quote to Marxist theory and hegemonic social class; through hierarchies, Seiter is stating that in television, the ruling class- the bearers of existent supremacy- do not request mediated evidence, whilst the working class- those at the lower stance of the hierarchy, are relatively ignored by the media. Prohibiting and insertions of such class judgements holds a direct influence on how we view and decode the representations we are presented with in television today; creating a paradigm where identities and representations are obtained, mediated and reproduced by the viewer. After examining how representative UK television output is of the identities of the UK itself, I have come to a number of conclusions. Although television often attempts to construct a believable representation of society as it is today, the way that such representations are interpreted depends entirely on how the audience choose to decode the text. Programme producers constantly need to conjure up new ideas so to keep the general audience interested- this could mean producing new formations of representations that use unexpected ideologies; producers are in competition with one another to cater for the audiences acquired taste; by playing on representation stereotypes or reinforcing previously implemented ideologies, it involves the audience in some way. Siegler, (1994, cited 2000:23) states on the bearing of television programmes, it is ‘what makes the whole thing very precise and empirical, and at the same time totally absurd and unpredictable that captures the viewers attention. Using the theories of Hall and Saussure, I can see how the cultural understanding of language is vital in understanding how representations can be formed and perceived in contemporary society today. Not only is this relevant in the way we subsist our lives, but is also extremely evident in the production of television programmes. UK television output changes with society; when new ideological norms and values are absorbed, television attempts to reflect this. Relating this to postmodernism, we can contemplate the fact that television not only reflects ideologies created by culture, but enforces brand new ideologies, forcing additional representations to be formed. Lyotard (1979:39) sees postmodernism as ‘an internal erosion of the legitimacy principle of knowledge. Therefore, it is questionable whether postmodern television presents a welcomed world of new representations, or whether it simply offends our already imposed knowledge of ideologies, creating new identities. He continues, ‘if we accept the notion that there is an established body of knowledge, the question of its transmission, from a pragmatic point of view, can be subdivided into a series of questions: Who transmits learning? What is transmitted? To whom? With what effect? (48). This clarifies that it is impossible to know how the audience will decode certain television texts thus ultimately it is questionable as to whether television both reflects and produces representations in the UK. Arguably, I can see to an extent how representations are used to reflect a certain stance on society, but at the same time, using the Marxist theory of social class, I can see how representations can sometimes be enforced negatively, and the viewer can either choose to accept and believe it, or oppose it. Overall, I can say that television output in the UK can sometimes represent the UK to a certain extent, through the notion of conforming to certain ideological expectations and values. However, in many ways, it creates false representations of identity and confirms stereotypes, promoting certain feelings and creating a false ideology towards the viewer. Reality television also emits false representations of the UK, as it is never real; it is only an edited representation of what we think is real. UK television therefore is the main bearer and producer of representations within the UK. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baudrillard, J. (1981). Simulacra and Simulation. U.S.A, The University of Michigan Press. Bignell, J. (2004). An Introduction to Television Studies. Oxon, Routledge. Branston, G., Stafford, R. (2006). The Media Students Handbook. Oxon, Routledge. Caughie, J. (2000). Television Drama: Realism, Modernism and British Culture. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Creeber, G. (2001). The Television Genre Book. London, British Film Institute. Dyer, R. (1993). The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. London, Routledge. Eagleton, T. (1996). The Illusions of Postmodernism. USA, Blackwell Publishers. Gitlin, T. (2000). Inside Prime Time. Berkeley, University of California Press. Hall, S. (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London, Sage Publications. Lyotard, J.F., (1979). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. U.S.A, University of Minnesota Press. Marsen, S. (2006). Communication Studies. Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan. Purvis, T., Thornham, S. (2005). Television Drama: Theories and Identities. Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan. Rushton, D. (1993). ‘Citizen Television: A Local Dimension to Public Service Broadcasting. London, John Libbey Company Ltd. Saussure, F. (1972). Course in General Linguistics. U.S.A, Open Court Publishing. Seiter, E. et al. (1989). Remote Control: Television, Audiences Cultural Power. London, Routledge. Storey, J. (2006). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction: Fourth Edition. Harlow, Pearson Education Limited. Williams, E. Williams, R., (2003). Television: Technology and Cultural Form. London, Routledge.

Free Essay: Analysis of Sonnet 12 :: Sonnet essays

Analysis of Sonnet 12 When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night: When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls o'er-silver'd all with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard: Then of thy beauty do I question make That thou among the wastes of time must go, since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake, And die as fast as they see others grow; And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence save breed to brave him when he takes thee hence. This is an enjoyable sonnet that uses nature imagery, found extensively in Petrarca, that Shakespeare uses to get his point across. Not much explication is needed, aside the sustained images of nature, to fully understand its intent, but I would like to point out a peculiar allusion. When reading line 3, "the violet past prime" has made me think of Venus and Adonis. In the end, Adonis melts into the earth and a violet sprouts where his body was, which Venus then places in her heart, signifying the love she has for him. Reading this into the poem makes the few following lines more significant. Having Adonis portrayed as the handsome youth, Shakespeare is alluding to the death of youth (in general and to the young man) through the sonnet. In the next line, it is not certain if "sable" is an adjective or a noun and if "curls" is a noun, referring to hair (which is plausible) or a verb modifying "sable." Invoking the allusion to Adonis here, Shakespeare portends that if Adonis did live l onger, he too would have greying hair; thus, Shakespeare sees ["behold"] an Adonis figure, the young man, past his youth.