The Man Who Walked Between the Towers Essay Example for Free

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers Essay Mordicai Gerstein was born November 24, 1935 in Los Angeles. He attended the Chouinard Institute of Art before moving to New York City where he lived and worked for twenty-five years making animated films for television. He tells on his official website, that he never thought to be something else but a painter, when he grows up (http://www. mordicaigerstein. com). To support his family, he designed and directed animated television commercials. In the mid 1960s he made some films of his own until 1970, when he met Elizabeth Levy, who asked him to illustrate for a children’s book she has written. Encouraged by her and other editors, he started to write his own books in 1980s. In 2004, he received the Caldecott medal for his book â€Å"The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. † Besides the Caldecott medal, he received numerous awards such as AJLA SidneyTaylor Award in 2005, Hornbook Award in 2004 and was chosen as the gold award winner of parents’ choice in 2002. His works include among others Sholom’s Treasure, What Charlie Heard, The Wild Boy, The Mountains of Tibet and many more. Mordicai Gerstein is also a painter, sculptor, and prize-winning designer and director of animated films. Mordicai Gerstein lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, Susan Yard Harris, who is also an illustrator, and their daughter, Risa (http://www. mordicaigerstein. com). The Man Who Walked Between the Towers Narrative Consideration In 2003, Roaring Brook Press published Gerstein’s children’s book â€Å"The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. this story opens, French aerialist Philippe Petit is dancing across a tightrope tied between two trees to the delight of the passersby in Lower Manhattan. Gerstein places him in the middle of a balancing act, framed by the two unfinished World Trade Center towers when the idea hits: He looked not at the towers, but at the space between them and thought, what a wonderful place to stretch a rope† (Gerstein, 2004, p. 4). The rising action takes place when Petit knew that the police and the owners of the towers would never allow him walk across the two towers. So he and his friends disguised as construction workers, carried a 440 pound reel of cable and other equipment on an August evening, causing the conflict in this story. After carrying everything up to the roof, Petit and his friends tied the line to an arrow and shot it from one tower to the other and tightened it. After the dawn he started to walk on the wire and the story has reached its climax. He was arrested and was sentenced to â€Å"perform in the park for the children of the city† (Gerstein, 2004, p. 25). This story ends with the picture of the World Trade Center which is long gone now. Based on the narratives, this book contains characteristics of a good plot since it includes â€Å"a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning should quickly engage the reader’s interest (†¦) established by using characters and a conflict that the reader can relate to and care about. The conflict should grab the attention of the reader and create a desire to find out what happens† (Sawyer, 2012, p. 84). Gerstein’s story definitely encompasses this concept. The main character, Philip Petit is captivating and fascinating. His courage and stubbornness can be detected throughout the story. Sawyer (2012) mentions in his textbook that â€Å"a good author will let the reader know the personality and motivation of the character through the character’s thoughts, words, actions, language, and expressions (†¦) the character may change and grow, but the basic portrayal must remain intact† (p. 78-79). Petit’s character certainly remains consistent throughout the story and provides the reader with the feeling of intensity and even personal closeness to Petit himself, while following his actions closely. Interestingly, this mesmerizing story has a real hidden theme which is the 9/11. Using Petit’s character as the medium, Gerstein addresses the effect of the tragedy happened ten years ago. This enables the story to evoke different emotions in readers and offers the opportunities to tackle different topics depending on the level of understanding and maturity of a child. Art Consideration â€Å"In picture books, the illustrations play a key role in conveying the message of the story† (Sawyer, 2012, p. 93). This can be seen in this book. The story is masterfully illustrated using pen and oil colors. Gerstein’s drawing is dramatic and even reckless. This is especially suitable for this story as the plot itself is full of suspense. As the conflict arises and is reaching its climax, the pacing of sentences decreases and eventually becomes a single sentence in order to draw the attention from the readers to the illustration and to increase the expectancy. In its climax, the text completely disappears and a small, framed close-up of Petits foot on the wire yields to two three-page foldouts of the walk. One captures his progress from above, the other from the perspective of a pedestrian. Even though the text is not placed consistently on the same line, they are simple and short enough to follow and are always synchronized with the pictures. The illustration is mesmerizing in its color which matches to the different mood as the events take place chronologically. â€Å"The final scene depicts transparent, cloud-filled skyscrapers, a man in their midst. With its graceful majesty and mythic overtones, this unique and uplifting book is at once a portrait of a larger-than-life individual and a memorial to the towers and the lives associated with them† (www. amazon. com). Overall analysis After reading this book, I had mixed feelings. First of all, I strongly feel that this targets readers at the age seven and above. The reason is first of all the theme which addresses the 9/11. It is a tricky and difficult topic for children to understand as any tragedy can be. Second reason is the moral of the story. Even though the Caldecott award does not necessarily focuses on the moral or any educational intentions, I did not agree with Petit’s actions. After reading the book, I automatically assumed that the story encouraged the reader to follow any goal they have whether it is ethical or not. The main character even gets away with his rule-breaking action without any punitive consequences. It is clear that his action is an admiration for his profound commitment to his own â€Å"mission† and his willingness not to limit his life according to the constraints set up by society. However, this book not only depicts but even seemingly glorifies deceits and it can be alarming for authoritative figures such as us future teachers. One can argue that it is inspiring to observe someone having such tremendous control of their body and mind with determination. Nonetheless, the way this book comes across can be defiant of authority especially of the police, given that there were many policemen who came to serve alongside the firemen during/after 9/11. Perhaps this book will be a good tool to discuss these issues. In conclusion, despite my disagreement with the moral of the story, I have to give props to the author/illustrator for his skilled and entrancing story and drawings. It is, without doubt, a very interesting story and something that can be conferred in depth. In this regard, I think this book does deserve the Caldecott medal. Although I did not think this book was suitable to read to my children, if used wisely by knowing their level of maturity and understanding, this book can be utilized effectively to help them think for themselves. In his acceptance speech in 2004, Gerstein emphasized this by saying â€Å"children do need adults; I think it’s children that make us become the adults they need. We must give them love and nourishment and books, which, as we know, are part of a healthy diet. My intention in all my books is to give children just what I want to give everyone: something beautiful, magical, funny, and soulful: something that provokes good questions: questions about what an incomprehensible, beautiful and seemingly impossible thing it is to be a human being in this incomprehensible, beautiful and seemingly impossible world. What could be more difficult and more wonderful? † (http://www. mordicaigerstein. com) I hope that he follows through with this philosophy and continues to create children’s book based on this regard.

Romeo And Juliet - The Role Of Love :: essays research papers

The modern literature community recognizes Shakespeare as one of the most brilliant minds in the history of dramatic theatre. His unmatched ability to represent human behavior and emotion makes the love in Romeo and Juliet the driving force behind the play's success. Shakespeare incorporated many different types of love in order to capture the hearts of the Elizabeth Era. Juliet's nurse shows amazing concern for the young girl's well being. She, in some ways, takes the place of her natural mother ("Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet"). Lady Capulet treated Juliet as a naïve young girl with no knowledge and feelings of her own. Nurse recognized the maturity of Juliet and helped to make her truly content. During the entire traumatic experience of arranging a marriage between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, the nurse aided the two young lovers in their quest to be together. She acts as a messenger from Romeo, Juliet, and the friar ("Examples of Love in Romeo and Juliet"). Despite the nurse's efforts the plans go array because of the arranged marriage between Juliet and Paris. At this time, the nurse shows her love for Juliet once again. She goes to Juliet's defense and stands up to Lord Capulet by saying: "God in heaven bless her!/ You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so."(Act III, Scene 5, Line169-170). One is easily able to see the motherly care the nurse shows for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. The counterpart to the love nurse displays for Juliet as a "mother" is the fatherly love the Friar gives to Romeo. The prince exiles Romeo because of his murder of Tybalt. This leaves the young man alone and scared of his future. The only person available to aid Romeo in his sufferings is the Friar. He tells the fugitive "Arise, one knocks/ Good Romeo, hide thyself" (Act III, Scene 3, Line 71). This shows that Friar puts himself at risk in order to make certain no harm comes to Romeo He provides insight to the situation at hand and helps Romeo to see the next course of action. Another example of fatherly love was shown through Lord Capulet to Juliet. He saw that his daughter was in great grief over the death of Tybalt and the exile of her love Romeo. He lovingly tries to ease her remorse by finding a husband for Juliet. He presents the arrangement in an attempt to lighten the spirits of his daughter:

History of E-Commerce

The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright. History of E-Commerce The History Of Ecommerce, The Early Years In the 1960s, very early on in the history of Ecommerce, its purpose was to exchanging electronic data long distance. In these early days of Ecommerce, users consisted of only very large companies, such as banks and military departments, who used it for command control communication purposes. This was called EDI, and was used for electronic data interchange. In the late 1970s a new protocol was developed known as ASC X12 which was used for the exchange of business documents and information electronically.Another system was being developed at the same time by the Military known as ARPAnet, and was the first to use the â€Å"dial up† method of sending information via telephone networks. It was considered the grandfather of the modern Internet. I guess we can thank the cold war for something! In 1982 Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol known as TCP & IP was developed. This was the first system to send information in small packets along different routes using packet switching technology, like todays Internet! As opposed to sending the information streaming down one route.These were amongst the largest developments in the history of Ecommerce that set the stage for a revolution in the exchange of electronic data, but it was not for another quarter of a century that Ecommerce became accessible to everyday people like you and me. he History Of Ecommerce, Beginnings Of An Electronic Revolution The Internet took a giant leap into the modern age in 1991 when a computer scientist working under contract for  CERN  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tim Berners-Lee† made a huge advancement by communicating via the Internet using  HTTP. The birth of the  World Wide Web  was upon us!He is now considered the father of the World Wide Web. This opened up the door for everyday people like you and me to use this wonderful new technology, however it was not until 1994 that the first truly user friendly browser was developed with built in security protocol to protect peoples personal information online. This made way for secure transactions to be conducted on the internet. A year later 3rd party credit card payment services became available to the still small online community. The stage was set, and the  future of Ecommerce  was about to take off.The History Of Ecommerce, The Revolution Takes Off! In 1995, with the introduction of  online payment methods, two companies that we all know of today took their first steps into the world of Ecommerce. Today Amazon and Ebay are both amongst the most successful companies on the Internet! One month after selling his first book online, founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos was selling to every state in the U. S and over 40 other countries. Ecommerce allowed the easy processing of orders and shipping also enabling him to buy directly from the publishers.Ebay saw growth that was just as staggering. By allowing anyone to buy and sell online, in just a few short years the co mpany became a household name with a turnover of hundreds of millions a year. From its humble beginning in 1995 modern Ecommerce has become the fastest growing area of business, showing continued growth year after year. Technology has advanced further making it so much more accessible to people from all walks of life, and entire industries have been built around Ecommerce which are today, the who's who of the business world.Today virtually anything can be purchased online, from your pizza to your car. And people love to shop online, figures show that in the U. S over 60% of adults have purchased goods online this is a figure that is set to explode over the coming years as the youth of today mature fast, being the first to have been raised with this exciting environment interwoven into all aspects of life. If there is one thing we can learn from the history of Ecommerce it is that anyone given a little motivation and drive can become successful.It has never been easier to get a footh old into the exciting online world of Ecommerce, all anyone needs is an internet conection a computer and an idea. The  advantages of Ecommerce  are endless. Ecommerce has become the great leveler, giving anyone the ability to  build an Ecommerce website, and sell to a world wide market with outstanding results. The history of Ecommerce has shown us just how fast people can embrace a new technology, It has evolved in leaps and bounds to become what it is today and the future is looking bright.

Marine Biology And Wild Life Conservation - 1927 Words

All my life I have pursued my fascination for animals and the ocean anywhere from volunteering to going to the University of Rhode Island to getting certified in diving to teaching. With my experiences and passion for the field of marine biology and wild life conservation I know I can make a considerable difference in any research project. My first substantial step toward making a career out of my interests for the oceans and all its aquatic life was my volunteer work at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration. When I was a sophomore in high school I was accepted into the docent program at the Aquarium. There I was responsible for the safety of the public and animals while providing an educational and inspiring environment†¦show more content†¦After I started at Mystic I got involved with 2 different organizations at my high school that had a huge focus in volunteering and giving back to the immediate community that we were raised in. The first club is a student run volunteer organization called Vision that focused on work in our immediate and surrounding communities. The second organization I received membership into was the Mark Twain Chapter of the National Honors Society. This society was composed of an elite group of students that had high regards for character, service, and education. In order to apply one had to have a GPA of a 3.5 or higher and once you were able to apply you must have 30 recorded hours of community service and then an essay explaining yourself in terms of character, service, and education. Once welcomed into the society, we did volunteer work for the community and other events to help other students improve their abilities in a variety of school topics. The volunteer work from both clubs included helping and participating at our annual blood drive, relay for life, food drives, Christmas present drives, helping elderly care for their lawns, and cleaning up our town’s schools’ grounds. Each project involved a group effort from everyone involved and we ended up making a huge difference for our community. I still continue to help out in my community by doing beach clean ups and food drives. During