Write about two characters whose acting impressed you in Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Write about two characters whose acting impressed you in Of Mice and Men Essay On Wednesday, March the 3rd; Roedean Schools LV English class took a trip to Eastbourne, Devonshire park Theatre, to watch a fantastic performance of Mice and Men. There was a large cast but it was clear to see that George and Lennie were the most impressive and prominent on stage. Thus I have chosen to study them, as I was most impressed by their mannerisms and appearance on stage. I have learnt that John Steinbeck, the author of this novel, is a very skilful creator of characters. It seems to me that his technique is to give a brief preliminary description of the character, and then to let the character convey his own personality to the reader by means of what he does, and more significantly by his speech and mannerisms. After reading the play I had my own idea of what George and Lennie were like, and the performance I saw seemed to have the same ideas, which is what particularly appealed to me. I felt that Lennies appearance really matched his character. From the story itself, we can see that he is in effect, a young child in a large mans body. Matthew Kelly elaborated on Steinbecks sketchy outline of Lennies character. Lennies size, shaved head, messy beard and clothes all added to his appearance. The fact that his clothes were hanging off his body, emphasised his massiveness, awkwardness and inattention to detail. From the way Lennie held himself, with his shoulders sloping, his heavy walk with his feet dragging a little and his arms that hung loosely at his sides, one can tell that he was an introvert and insecure character. His omnipresent hovering near George served to further reinforce this impression. However, I was quite unimpressed by Georges appearance and style, because I felt as though he didnt add any of his own touches. His clothes were functional and thus believable but not very noteworthy. He was suitably small (his physical appearance echoing his social) with defined, sharp features, which gave him a confident but slightly aggressive look. His delivery also left a lot to be desired. I felt that his vocal range was too shouty, thus leaving little scope for expression of true anger / frustration when needed. As well as being un-dynamic, the overall effect was rather tedious for the audience. In contrast, Matthew Kelly varied his lines well, according to the demands of the script. I found the appearance of the set very effective and beautiful. I loved the way they had the little pond in the first scene, and the way sets slid on and off. The set changed quite often, but I noticed that George and Lennie always remained constant in appearance, which I thought enhanced the effect of limited options for the two men. As mentioned above, I found Lennies mannerisms very effective. His constant twitching, which sped up whenever he got nervous or scared, was a convincing touch. His twisted facial expressions showed that he was a mentally ill man, and his shuffling gait made it clear that he felt out of place in his surroundings. However, I did feel that some of Lennies ways and reactions were somewhat overdone and so lost a little of their impact. In one scene they ate dinner together and Lennie was shovelling the beans into his mouth, and spilling them all around. Which is theoretically believable but Lennies acting just amused the audience and didnt get a positive, sympathetic reaction from them, as he wasnt convincing enough. George too had some notably successful mannerisms, besides the fact that he was confident. George had a suitably aggressive persona, he got both angry and defensive at the right times, without exaggerating. At the beginning of the play his character was weak, but as the story built, so did his character. I thought this was a good technique as it emphasised the climax in the story. George and Lennies relationship was another remarkable yet moving feature of this play. They helped support each other, and make things clear for the audience through their acting. It seemed as though George felt a sense of duty and responsibility towards Lennie, as we see him get angry about the things Lennie does but is unable to leave him. Lennie needs George, and would be lost without him, but it is equally true to say that George needs Lennie. George too craves companionship that will stave off the horrors of loneliness. I felt as though this need was evident in their body language and the way in which they dealt with each other. The words, because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, enforced this even further. Overall the whole cast was good, but I felt as though George and Lennie were better than average. I think their relationship was very important, because it actually gave both actors some one to rely on, and a constant companion. Lennie acted his part very well, though he was a bit on the creepy side- and seemed unreal at times. George however, maintained his character all through the play. He got even more involved it at the end, when he had to kill Lennie, in order to save him. This dramatic climax was effective and reached the audience in a meaningful way.

Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses Nature to symbolize both the negative and positive character traits which set the mood of the novel. By doing this, Hawthorne steps out of the traditional Romantic ideals, putting The Scarlet Letter into an her genre. I will call it post- Romanticism. Traditional Romantic writings only portray the positive side of human nature. They show the positive effects of individualism, the soul and freedom as only being positive. By comparing the imagery of nat e in relationship to the characters, we see the positive and negative, which is not a traditional Romantic theme. Hawthorne uses many different negative variations of plant imagery to illustrate his ideas. First of all, living plant life, portraying the torturing of Dimmesdale by Chillingworth, remains evident throughout the novel. For example, when Chillingwo h went to the forest to gather herbs he â€Å"dug up roots and plucked off twigs from the forest trees†(1511) which symbolizes how Chillingworth was â€Å"plucking† the life out of Dimmesdale limb by limb. Also, Hawthorne describes grass as pure and without weeds o kill the grass; however, â€Å"when poor Mr. Dimmesdale was thinking of his grave, he questioned with himself whether the grass would ever grow on it, because an accursed thing must there be buried†(1495). Dimmesdale feels himself dammed. It can not be a ued that Chillingworth is doing anything positive. From the beginning, when he first sees Hester, he had only selfish and hedonistic reasons for â€Å"helping† Dimmesdale. â€Å"It Irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, s nd on the scaffold by her side, But he will be known! - he will be known! - he will be known!†(1455). When Dimmesdale dies Chillingworth has no one to torment with his evil schemes. â€Å"All his strength and energy- all his vital and intellectual force- emed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away, and almost vanished from mortal sight, like a uprooted weed that lies wilting in the sun†(1552). During Chillingworth and Dimmesdale’s covert discussion about â€Å"the powers of nature call[ing] so earnestly for the confession of sin,[and discussing] that these black weeds have sprung up out of a buried heart, to make manifest an unspoken crime†(1 9) illustrates the idea of weeds filling the heart with sin and guilt. Moreover, â€Å"the black flower of civilized society†(1448) refers to the Puritans harsh attitude towards sinners as they view Hester’s punishment.

The Relationship Among Working Memory

The general focus of this research is to examine performance in standard cognitive frameworks and online tasks. The researchers hope to examine the influence that math anxiety exerts on mathematical cognition and to identify the processing components that are so influenced. HYPOTHESIS: The higher the math anxiety, the lower the working memory capacity, the higher the probability to get a low performance. VARIABLES: IV – math anxietyDV –working memory capacity, performance The independent variable math anxiety is manipulated into three levels: high, medium, low. The level of anxiety is determined through the use of sMARS (short math anxiety rating scale) is a 25-item version of the most widely used measure of this construct, 98 item MARS. The sMARS assesses an individual’s level of apprehension and anxiety about math on a 1-5 Likert scale, asking for participants’ responses about how anxious they would be made by various settings and experiences. The depend ent variables —– working memory capacity and performance.Salthouse and Bobcock’s listening span (L-span) and computation span (C-span) tasks assessed participants’ working memory capacity by requiring them to store increasing numbers of words or digits in working memory while processing simple verbal or arithmetic tasks. In L-span task, participants hear a number of simple sentences, one by one, and must answer a simple question about current sentence before hearing the next. In C-span test, simple arithmetic problems replace the sentences then the participants give the answer to each problem, one by one, and must recall the last number in each of the several problems within that, in order.In experiment 2, participants see the problem and are timed as they produce its answer verbally. In experiment 3, participants were given the L-span and C-span plus they were given a letter transformation task to test working memory capacity and processes. In the perfor mance, examines through the results of the intensive working memory tasks. PROCEDURE: Experiment 1 Experiment 2 Experiment 3 CONCLUSION: The researchers concluded with two more general remarks. First, math anxiety is not epiphenomenon — it is not a cognitive appraisal about oneself that is unrelated to the nature of mental processing.For example, statistics students who do poorly on an exam claim that they become confused, are unable to focus on the task at hand, or keep thinking about how poor they are at math. Regardless of the subjectivity of these claims, they are entirely consistent with the researchers’ main result: Math anxiety disrupts the on-going, task-relevant activities of working memory, slowing down performance and degrading its accuracy. Second, the researchers note the positive effects of following advice with which this article began: that effect is an aspect of problem solving that deserves empirical attention.Cognitive investigations that include ind ividual difference characteristics like math anxiety are rare, yet may prove useful in gaining an understanding of domain-specific cognitions. Furthermore, it now appears that customary assessments of working memory span, especially those using arithmetic stimuli, are sensitive to at least two classes of influences: the central capacity and processing characteristics of the individual, to be sure, but also the transitory effects of anxiety in the testing situation.Given current and important efforts that relate working memory mechanisms to processes such as reading comprehension, memory retrieval, and the like, it would be sensible to consider the possibility that anxiety or other individual difference factors may be influencing both the assessments of individuals’ working memory span and their on-line performance. * The subjects were assigned to the treatment are mixed —- in experiment 1 the lower level undergraduate sychology classes were recruited and they are to re ceive a credit for participating, in experiment 2 they have some subject from experiment 1 and the additional subjects volunteered their participation in return for extra credit, while in experiment 3 did again get additional subjects which also undergraduate psychology graduates . * The researchers used ANOVA — column 3 of table 2 (page 228) presents the correlation between sMARS and the remaining variables, using math anxiety group (low, medium, high) as a between-subjects variable.They also used ANOVA two-way to see if the decline in capacity differed as a function of type of span task. * The objective of the study was realized for they have gathered two general remarks form their experiments and they have explained well the conclusions they have made regarding the relationship among working memory, math anxiety and performance.

Severe Economic Downfall During The Great Depression

The severe economic downfall during the period from 1929 to 1941 is known as The Great Depression. The stock market crashed and millions of people lost their jobs and ended up homeless. It was one of the most terrifying eras in the US’ history. Industry and agriculture were both major causes of the Depression. Many things were replaced due to the fact of development of the technology. For example, railroads lose to automobiles and coal loses to hydro elective , natural gas, and oil. Also, fewer houses are built because almost all of the industries were declining, so businesses also declined since there was no one to built houses. Furthermore, businesses who relied on or were related to those industries were also dragged down, such as wood companies, furniture factories, and real estates. This was the same for railroads and coal as well. Another significant cause was the decline of the agriculture. Farms over-produced during World War I in order to feed Europe, and corn and whe at tool out loans. Farms cut down trees to try to extend their land to produce more crops. However, since there were no more trees, the soil got loose and became easily picked up by the strong winds. This created huge dust storms, which also had nothing to stop it, and became known as The Dust Bowl. After the war, the crops declined 40% and the prices dropped as farms produced more. These unfortunate cycles lead to the depression. The president at the time was Herbert Clark Hoover, who was elected inShow MoreRelatedSevere Economic Downfall During The Great Depression1360 Words   |  6 PagesThe severe economic downfall during the period from 1929 to 1941 is known as The Great Depression. The stock market crashed and millions of people lost their jobs and ended up homeless. It was one of the most terrifying eras in the US’ history. Industry and agriculture were both major causes of the Depression. 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Industry and agriculture were both major causes of the Depression. Many things were replaced due to the fact of development of the technology. For example, railroads lose to automobiles and coal loses to hydro elective , natural gas, and oil. Also, fewer houses are built because almost all of the industries were declining, so businesses also declined since there was no one to built houses. Furthermore, businesses who relied on or were related to those industries were also dragged down, such as wood companies, furniture factories, and real estates. This was the same for railroads and coal as well. Another significant cause was the decline of the agriculture. Farms over-produced during World War I in order to feed Europe, and corn and whe at tool out loans. Farms cut down trees to try to extend their land to produce more crops. However, since there were no more trees, the soil got loose and became easily picked up by the strong winds. This created huge dust storms, which also had nothing to stop it, and became known as The Dust Bowl. After the war, the crops declined 40% and the prices dropped as farms produced more. These unfortunate cycles lead to the depression. The president at the time was Herbert Clark Hoover, who was elected inShow MoreRelatedSevere Economic Downfall During The Great Depression1360 Words   |  6 PagesThe severe economic downfall during the period from 1929 to 1941 is known as The Great Depression. The stock market crashed and millions of people lost their jobs and ended up homeless. It was one of the most terrifying eras in the US’ history. Industry and agriculture were both major causes of the Depression. Many things were replaced due to the fact of development of the technology. Fo r example, railroads lose to automobiles and coal loses to hydro elective , natural gas, and oil. Also, fewer housesRead MoreCinderella Man Analysis1474 Words   |  6 Pagesand losses. 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Many people had been taking advantage of these charity organizations and soonRead MoreThe Great Depression Caused A Massive Unemployment917 Words   |  4 PagesThe great depression was an event that impacted the U.S in a very drastic way. It caused many to lose their jobs, therefore losing wealth. It was a long lasting economic crisis during 1929. Lasting until 1940s. It started the beginning of involvement from the government to the country’s economy and also the society altogether. The government wanted to find ways to end this. After almost a decade of prosperity and high optimism , the U.S is now faced to a period of despair. Many had to recover fromRead MoreFranklin D. Roosevelt And The Great Depression1337 Words   |  6 Pagessociety. Periods of turmoi l often give rise to an individual of power, who provides citizens with a sense of hope and security. 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Considering the amount of hardship Canadians were going through during The Great Depression, it seemed as though the Liberal government was doing nothing to help withRead MoreThe Great Depression And Its Effects1166 Words   |  5 Pages The Great Depression The Great Depression is one of the single most important events in the financial history of the United States and the world; the effects of and leading to the Great Depression lasted for several years (Shindo). The great depression was a very difficult time in the time that it occurred. It hit people hard and left an everlasting memory (Shindo.) It would lead to a lot of devastating events better all over would feel the affect of this crisis. It was a very unexpected and suddenRead MoreEffects Of World War I Ended On The 1920s1567 Words   |  7 Pageswitnessed dramatic changes in their lives from the 1920s. The 1920s was a period of prosperity and economic success, while the 1930s was a time of economic downfall. The economy fluctuated between times of great prosperity and times of undoubtable depression. Following these economic downturns was a period of rigorous attempts to recover from severe economic loss. It did not take long for this economic hardship to lead to some more sig nificant and durable political and social transformations. SuchRead MoreThe Worst Economic Depression Ever Felt Theu.s. Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesThe worst economic depression ever felt in U.S. history was not only felt in north America, but this also became a worldwide economic slump. The Great Depression caused by many factors raised a question of how will the we take a step into recovery. The Election of president Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 was the beginning of the shaping of the U.S. government interaction with American citizens. Roosevelts campaign helped him win the election of 1932 with his laudable ideas of how to combat the effectsRead MoreThe Great Depression : The Greatest Depression1257 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Depression was one of the lowest points ever seen in history that began in 1929 and lasted until 1939. It can be defined as an economic slump in North America and Europe, along with other industrialized areas of the world. The Great Depression was the longest, most severe depression ever seen, and experienced by the newly, industrialized Western world. Although there are pros and cons, as it brought in deep social and personal problems as well as a new introduction to thought and culture