Friday, December 27, 2019

The Effect Of Private Property On The Political Field Essay

=The interactions between the economy and the political field are very important to one another for they truly do have a major influence on what each does. Specifically, capitalism and democracy or a republic have major influence on each other as they both create a certain type of environment that for better or for worse affects the other. Namely the effect of private property on the nature of political life in a republic as well as the participation in that political life. Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Social Contract and The Discourses, James Madison in â€Å"Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51† and Alexis De Tocqueville in Democracy in America Volume 2 all discuss the relationship between property and political life. Rousseau argues that property and amour-propre causes humans to destroy their equal society in which there is no need for government as justice is natural, as inequality in the form of injustice and evil which forces them to flee to a government in order to seek protection. Rousseau also asserts that the government established by the social contract needs to always pursue the common good and when people try to alter that they need to be forced to comply as the common good trumps all. Similarly, Madison argues that property is the foundation of factions in the American system as property inequality divides people up and in the same vein, property and greed force the government to create branches and gridlock in order to safeguard against the personal desires ofShow MoreRelatedLocke s Theory Of Property1113 Words   |  5 PagesLocke’s political philosophy, specifically that which concerns the definition of property, how that property is acquired, and the role it plays in society, prove to be quintessential to the development of liberalism. Locke’s philosophy and the basis of liberalism encompasses ideas of sovereignty and rejects contrary phenomena such as absolute monarchy and Divine Right of Kings. It is even said tha t the Second Treatise of Government is a critique of King James II and an allusion to his exploitationRead MoreLocke vs. Marx: Views on Property Rights1466 Words   |  6 Pagesrenowned political philosophers, had many contrasting views when it came the field of political philosophy. Most notably, private property rights ranked high among the plethora of disparities between these two individuals. The main issue at hand was whether or not private property was a natural right. Locke firmly believed that private property was an inherent right, whereas Marx argued otherwise. This essay will examine the views of both Locke and Marx on the subject of private property and willRead MorePrivate Governance Reforms : Acknowledgement1461 Words   |  6 Pages NTCC report PRIVATE GOVERNANCE REFORMS Acknowledgment I would like to offer my sincerest thank you and deepest appreciation to my teachers Ms PUNEET GOEL for guiding me a giving me such a golden opportunity to work on the topic PRIVATE GOVERNANCE reform .It was a great and a knowledgeable experience.. INTRODUCTION Governance means All the processes of the governing, whether undertaken by a government market or network, whether over a family, tribe, formal or informal organization and whetherRead MoreIr A Second Largest Gas Producer On The World With Gas Production Of 360 Billion Cubic Meters /1216 Words   |  5 Pagesof the upstream gas production will require investment and technology from European and international companies. Iran has also expressed interest in injecting gas into the oil fields in order to maintain and increase oil production. EU companies can offer efficient solutions to increase the recovery rates of Iranian oil fields and hence help Iran produce more efficiently. Another promising indicator of Iran s economic potential is its human capital. The population [of Iran] is 73 percent urban,Read MoreA Comparative Study Of The Status Of Women1016 Words   |  5 Pagesgives grants to voluntary organizations for activities like construction/expansion of hostels for working women in cities.The analysis of six types of movements suggests that movements are generally initiated and spread by charismatic leaders or by political parties and religious organizations. In the former case, the ideologies are transmitted downwards while in the latter case, these are transmitted upwards. Once any movement based on certain ideology changes, it is not necessary that it will spreadRead MoreBriefly Compare the Political Regime Type in China and India. Which of the Two Would You Prefer to Do Business in and Why?1478 Words   |  6 PagesPOLI3001 Assignment No. 2 Briefly compare the political regime type in China and India. Which of the two would you prefer to do business in and why? India and China are two republics that have experienced very opposing political regimes throughout history. China has been fundamentally stable country with a lack of a distinct authority figure (Desai, 2003). Being a single party state China has been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party since the 5th National Congress held in 1927 (Wang,Read MoreKarl Marx : A German Influential Philosopher And One Of The Intellectual Fathers Of Communism1477 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosopher and one of the intellectual fathers of communism, writing when the industrial revolution and imperialism period was changing the nature of both the economies of individual nations and the global economy itself. He eradicated his view on the effects these changes had on individual workers and society. This introduced many of his theories, one of which was the idea of alienated labor. Alienated labor was written in 1844, Marx sets the view that alienated labor focuses on the idea that industrializedRead MoreG eopolitical. Collective Goods Problem1749 Words   |  7 PagesThe first one, called non-rivalry, means that the consumption of the good by an actor does not prevent its consumption by another one. The second characteristic, the exclusion, means that nobody is excluded from the consumption of this good. The field of the world collective goods covers so many different domains such as: the reduction of the global warming, the basic research, the fight against the distribution of diseases (AIDS or malaria), the stability of financial markets, struggle againstRead MoreThe Industrial Revolutions Influence on European Society1389 Words   |  6 Pagesclasses and equality. The rise of the middle class had a momentous effect on the population of Europe and was a catalyst for many changes in the social makeup of the region. The influence of technology and electricity changed many aspects of social interaction and created a new class system. The migration of workers and the separation of the classes had political and social repercussions throughout Europe. Labor unions and political parties provided protection and a voice to many of the working classRead Moreeconomic climate uk1370 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿MATTEO Exchange rate Housing issues Private and public consumption Investments opportunities: pros and cons EXCHANGE RATE Sterling has been floating since the UK withdraw from membership of the ERM in September 1992. Since that moment, the Bank of England has not intervened to influence the pound’s value, as it became independent from the UK government. With a free floating exchange rate, the value of the currency is simply determined by supply and demand of the market. The Central Bank

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Much Ado About Nothing Essay The Character of Don John

The Character of Don John in Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy in which he uses one of his more peculiar villains. The antagonist in this play is Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro. In this paper I will discuss the role of Don John as well as his motives and the character himself. I will also delve into Shakespeares use of Don John as the antagonist. I will be comparing Don John to other characters in the play as well as to other villains in Shakespeares works. While Don John does not spend a great deal of time on the stage in Much Ado About Nothing, he still plays a vital role in the plot of the play. The plan that he sets in motion is one of the two main stories within†¦show more content†¦It may also be possible that overthrow refers to Don Johns own dishonor and shame that causes him to be overthrown in the good graces of Don Pedro (Spivack 410). Whatever motives for Don Johns bitter hatred for Claudio the reader infers, it is obvious that Don John will stop at nothing to see Claudio miserable. The character, Don John, is evil in every sense of the word. He mentions several times of his sadness and he seems to revel in his own distemper. He says of himself in act one that though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain (Shakespeare 15).Shakespeare uses him in a perfect contrast against the good guys. Whenever you have a villain as mean and deceitful as Don John, your heroes in the play, no matter how flawed, cant help but look more appealing. Shakespeares villains are some of the most interesting characters in British literature. The one that is most similar to Don John, in my opinion, is Claudius, the traitor king in Hamlet. Both Don John and Claudius were deceitful in their plots toward their brothers, even though Don Pedro was not affected nearly as much as Hamlets father. I believe what sets these villains off from other rogues is the fact that they were directing their vengeance and wrath at their brothers, and the people around them. That kind of deceit is more disgusting than any other form. In order for Don John to successfully complete his planShow MoreRelated The Character of Don John in Much Ado About Nothing Essay1320 Words   |  6 Pages In the play ‘Much ado about nothing’, Don John is a puppet whose strings are pulled by various characters and the society in which he lives. Although he does monkey businesses like every character in the play, he is the one who gets harshly judged and punished for it. His villainy is not an innate trait but rather, he chooses it to distinguish him from others. Don John is the illegitimate half brother of Don Pedro in the play. Don Pedro is the Prince of Aragon and is highly respected throughoutRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing And Hamlet1503 Words   |  7 Pagesthe definition of the character by means of their thoughts, well-being, actions, and interactions with the other set roles. William Shakespeare’s plays included dissimilar characters and different methods of characterization. The two plays that will be compared and contrasted are William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet. As for the characters from each play, Beatrice, Benedict, Don John, Don Pedro, Claudio, and Hero will be assessed from Much Ado About Nothing and from Hamlet, HamletRead MoreGender Roles In Much Ado About Nothing1059 Words   |  5 Pages This essay is an exploration of the play Much Ado About Nothing, and the gender roles involved in the deceit and trickery that transpire and develop throughout the story. As gender is one of the main themes in the plot, identifying the expected gender roles of the characters, and how the contrast between characters highlights these expected roles. In Shakespeare s time, known as the Elizabethan Era, men and women’s roles and expectations were starkly different. Elizabethan women, no matter whatRead MoreMuch Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare as a Satire Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesMuch Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare as a Satire This essay will analyse the way in which Shakespeare makes this comedy bitterly satirical, and a comment on not only the pretentious style and swank of Spaniards, namely Don Pedro and his gang, but human stupidity as a whole. Much Ado About Nothing portrays the issues of sex, war, marriage and chivalric courtly love in an ironic and satirical way. On a topical level, the play satirises Spanish, Sicilian andRead MoreBeatrice and Benedick as a Couple in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1336 Words   |  6 PagesBeatrice and Benedick as a Couple in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespeare play set in Mecina. It is a comedy, about Don Pedro and his friends. The play focuses on the relationships of the characters, especially that of Beatrice/Benedick and Claudio/Hero. The two romances follow two different ideas, one an average romance in Shakespeares day, the other a not so average romance. Beatrice and Benedicks history together isRead MoreSocial Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1568 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing There has been much discussion about whether or not Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ it is based more around social pressures rather than true love; this essay will see to what extent the play supports this idea. Shakespeare wrote the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ around 1598. It was located in Italy, because Italy at the time was seen as a romantic exotic country, writers duringRead More The Dramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1642 Words   |  7 PagesDramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 in the romantic comedy Much ado about nothing is of great dramatic significance to the whole play, as it is in Scene 1 where Shakespeare brings out the different sides of the characters to illustrate the complexities of love and relationships. Act 4 Scene 1 is clustered with different incidents and in this essay, I will go through each event and describe its importance to theRead More Importance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III2277 Words   |  10 PagesImportance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III Speech is often the strongest indicator of personality and motivation in Shakespearean histories and comedies. Each turn of phrase is a small insight into the essence of the character. Stringing together each line from the mouth of the character allows the audience to discover each nuance created by Shakespeare. By connecting the actions to a manner of speech, which mirrors those actions, ShakespeareRead MoreA Marxist Study of Much Ado About Nothing2206 Words   |  9 PagesA Marxist study of Much Ado About Nothing Using the Marxist approach to one of Shakespeare’s comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, this essay deals with the unconscious of the text in order to reveal the ideology of the text (as buried in what is not said) so as to discover the hegemony behind the text. The ideology perpetuated in Much Ado About Nothing revolves around, centrally, ensuring the needs and insecurities of the aristocratic – the need for a patriarchal power, the need to reject, stigmatizeRead More Movie Essays - Narrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays2130 Words   |  9 PagesNarrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays My subject in this essay in playtexts and in films of those playtexts. Drama offers the storyteller a simple choice about how to communicate each element of the story to the audience: show it, or have a character describe it. Often in drama narration is used because an event cannot be shown, but occasionally telling is used when showing is perfectly possible and Shakespeare uses this device self-consciously to draw attention to the medium

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Role of Censorship within Entertainment Industry for Censorship

Question: Discuss about theRole of Censorship within Entertainment Industry for Censorship. Answer: Role of Censorship within the Entertainment Industry First of all we all should know the meaning of censorship. It means destruction of speech or omission of chatty material which can be vocal or non-vocal and which may be deliberated as intolerable, destructive, delicate or problematic to the administration or media officialdom or public at large as determined by a censor board. Censorship in an entertainment industry is very apparent and is existent in the most evident form. Movies, television serials news or any form of communication have involved public at large and it will influence the common interest of public so government has to put some regulation over it, so that common interest of public are not harmed at any cost. But on the other play writers, script writers, distributors, actors or performers are offended by the censorship act as it inhibit with the law of freedom of speech. Many movies are censored due to their objectionable scene which are not good for children and adults of specific age to protect them from knowingly or unknowingly to see indecent matter which will influence their minds adversely and which are not right matter for them to see. Except movies, radios and television are also regulated by government from broadcast any indecent content which has adverse effect on the children and adults of specific age. For instance if on television if any show have the scenes of brutal fights and murders, and if it is seen by any children then it will adversely affect the mind and attitude of that children. As the television is the source of information all age groups. In todays world television internet become the main source of information which can be accessed by anyone of any age group. So in order protect society from objectionable and intolerant material many rules and regulations and restrictions were passed by government. There are many cases in which rulings about censorship has been passed by the Supreme Court. In one of the cases Supreme Court said that it is lawful to delete and omit obscene content to take precaution to keep away children from pornography and to defend adults to perceptively and unintentionally view licentious material. In other case named Stanley vs. Georgia Supreme Court held that people can see objectionable content in private. In case of one of the theatre the court said that playhouses and cinema halls are open places and therefore strict regulation are to be applied to these places as it involves public at large of all age group. In order to evade the expurgation the motion pictures association of America legalises itself via a controlled rating system. However later on, the motion pictures association of America on the track of Supreme Court judgements developed a grade or rating system established on audiences age. According to this grading or rating system A G rating is an indicator that the content is for wide-ranging audiences. PG rating indicated parental guidance needed to view the content. PG-13 strongly assistances the supervision for children under age 13 for the reason that there may be inappropriate material. R rating indicates that children under age 17 should be accompanied by an adult. NC-17 or X rating indicates the restriction for underage children to enter into a theatre. There is a freedom of expression for everyone but there should be some constraint on the content in order to keep up the spiritual and collective harmony because there are many cases of communal disharmony due to the objectionable content which were showed on the television or movies or internet etc (CQ press, 2017). Now let us discuss what is Obscenity, it means viewing or keeping pornographic material which is seemingly permitted but circulation of such material is barred by law. There are different censor boards were made in different countries with different ratings to the movie or show for the permitted audiences. Like in India there is Central board of film certification which provides ratings and permit films to be released with proper content. Like movies which have sexual matters involved are to be restricted for the age group of below 18 years. And the telecast of these films on Indian television has been made by board in the late night apertures. Films, television shows, music videos even audio are vulnerable to omission of scenes and wordings and also disposed to prohibition. The study over censorship increased during 60s among wider traditional and dogmatic changes. Across the different countries and administration advocates that censor ship usually contend that monitor exemplification effects approach and behaviour more than the other form of media. Freedom of speech in arts and entertainment is a big question nowadays. American civilisation has continuously been intensely indecisive about this question (Hollywood, 2017) Insulting and debateable art and in your facade amusement put our obligation to free dialogue to the trial. We should ask some question regarding censorship and its motives that is why should we be in conflict with censorship when the sections of killing and anarchy take over the television displays, when effort of skill can be perceived as the straight offense to the spiritual opinions, and when much sexually open content can be seen as humiliating to lady. The answer to these questions are modest an unrestricted society is grounded on the belief that collectively and every single individual has the right to choose what fine art or show business he desires to obtain or to craft. Sexual category in a fine art and amusement is the most recurrent aim of suppression. There many examples of that (Prezi , 2017) Todays demands for suppressions are not encouraged exclusively by impermanence and perception as well as by extensive confidence that exposure to images of violence causes people to act in destructive way. However there is no proof that frictional viciousness can make the normal person violent. Debate can be considered on the issue of screen violence versus real violence. Some children are tested after the experiment of showing them the television for many hours a week and the result was temporary aggression towards the things but not toward against any person or individual. In doing some international comparisons also not much has been revealed because in many countries where movies shows high rate of violence the crime rate of those countries are much lower than the rest of the countries where watching television is less. The solitary vibrant proclamation that can be prepared from this is that the association amongst fine art and human deeds is very multifarious one. In North Korea ranks no. 1 in the list of ten most censored countries. North Koreans does not have self-governing newspapers, and all transistor and television receivers are wholesaled in the country are protected to supervision identified rates. The other top 5 countries which topped the chart are Burma, Turkmenistan, Equatorial Guinea and Libya (Oxford bibliographies, 2017). Other kinds of censorship in entertainment industry apart from movies, television, and radio are internet censorships. Let us discuss some matters on laws around the world regarding internet censorship around the various countries of the world. Since 1995 many governments of the world are facing the trouble of content on the internet that is unlawful under their disconnected mode laws and also deliberated damaging or also inappropriate for youngsters. Government policies regarding censorship on the internet are as follows: Policy related to self-control and regulation for the internet users such as to filter and block technology. This step has been taken by many countries such as Canada, United Kingdom and many other countries of Western Europe. In these countries law of general application apply to the content which is not legal such as child pornography and racial discrimination or political issues which can bring disharmony amongst the public at large. There were criminal penalties were applied to the matters providers on the internet which is prohibited for children and minors such as fines or monetary penalty or imprisonment. This step is also taken by many countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and many. Requirement of internet access provider is there in some countries to block the objectionable matters on the internet while some a direct governmental restricted access. There are direct government prohibition to the internet access in some, one has to register or take permission for access to the restricted sites above. Censorship becomes important due many factors such as damaging effect of media on youngsters and minors, there is dilemma whether censorship is important or not in an entertainment industry there many cases which has due the violently pictured scenes in television shows which influence children who often watch them to act violently. But on the other hand many studies shows no such kind of results on the children. During the course of the history civilisations practised innumerable forms of suppressions in the faith that the public as epitomized by administration was accountable for cornice the person (ACLU, 2017). The innumerable fragments of statute rise queries around mass media of self-censorship and the part of federal communication commission in amendable liberty of communication. The matters of childrens television by restricting the number of commercial and induces broad caster to show scholastic program was regulated by the children television act 1990. To control the matters on the television another act was passed in December 1990 called television violence Act. In the year 1996 another act was passed known as telecommunication act which require the producers of the television sets to create a chip to be inserted in the television especially for parents to block programs depended on their sensual and ferocious matter. Conclusion:- So from the above discussion it is clear that censorship is very significant fragment of show business industry. It not only applies to movies but also to radios. Music, theatres, internet and all source of media. Many people gets offended by censorship and are not in favour of censorship such as play writers, theatre actors, movie actors, script writers etc. they are offended by such censorship in entertainment industry due to the constraint on the legislation and right of freedom of expression, however censorship is important as there are many issues and contents which are inappropriate for the audiences of less age that is teenagers or small children because they will be impacted by such inappropriate content on television or in movies and via audio through music. Sometimes censorship becomes important to maintain the religious and communal harmony in the country. Many countries follows different laws regarding censorship of the content to be displayed. Hence it can be concluded t hat censorship plays a vital role in entertainment industry. References: CPJ(2017)Committee to Protect journalists [online] Available at: https://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php [Accessed 9th April. 2017] Prize(2017)Censorship in entertainment industry [online] Available at: https://prezi.com/l94jjjoridoa/censorship-in-the-entertainment-industry/ [Accessed 9th April. 2017] Hollywood(2017)Cannes[online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-japans-entertainment-sector-faces-795554[Accessed 9th April. 2017] Indiabix(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.indiabix.com/group-discussion/censorship-in-movies-our-culture/[Accessed 9th April. 2017] CQ press(2017)Censorship of movies and tv [online] Available at: https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre1961041200[Accessed 9th April. 2017] CPJ (2017) 10 more consored countries [online] Available at: https://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php[Accessed 9th April. 2017] ACLU(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.aclu.org/other/freedom-expression-arts-and-entertainment [Accessed 9th April. 2017] US legal (2017)Censorship [online] Available at:https://entertainmentlaw.uslegal.com/censorship/[Accessed 9th April. 2017] Oxford bilbiographies(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199791286/obo-9780199791286-0015.xml [Accessed 9th April. 2017].[1]

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Inwardlistening free essay sample

Do you see the eel in the wheelbarrow?My father swiftly highlights the smaller word encased in the larger one with aleathery finger that acts as his yardstick in our makeshift classroom. My mind iselsewhere, meandering back to the display at the Natural History Museum,revealing the bones of one fish interred in the bones of another. I amremembering all the fish, staring back at me with their pinprick eyes, bearingteeth straight and narrow as the tines of a fork, their dried-out scales, thinand fragile as onion paper, glowing in the dimly lit air-conditioned hallway, asdark and dank as the seas chilly infinite to a girl, not yet half her grownheight, whose small hand is growing gummy inside her fathers larger one. To tell it beginning with school would be foolish. The story goesback further, to words mingled with glass breath, tumbling in arabesquesfrom a training tongue and shattering in mid-air, a sound,enchanting. We will write a custom essay sample on Inwardlistening or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My father is looking at me expectantly, so I focus withfeigned intensity. These reading lessons are an evening ritual. We clear thetable of our mismatched plates and bring out the McGuffy Readers, phonics drillsand twin pink books filled with lists of compound words. We do this so that I canhopefully start next year at a private school. From what I can gather, my parentsreally want this for me. My father spends his days in a cramped apartmentabove ours, writing about education to the beat of the typewriters shriekingartillery. On afternoons and weekends I sit contently at his feet, beneath thecollapsible plastic table that is his desk, and write plays about princessescrushed by elephants, or poems about families of rocks. I am beginning to realizethat re-reading my own writing inevitably makes my ears flush with shame.Occasionally my father will stop typing, lace his hands together behind his headand stretch, leaning back in his squeaky cherrywood chair. He will peer under thetable to ask a question about school, or once, to show me the inside of one ofhis books, a photograph of the author, his crooked gap-toothed grin spreadingfrom one wonky ear to another, like that of a beggar or snake charmer. This, hewould explain later, was Piaget, adding, Isnt he scary looking, Grace?Would you like to be taught by someone who looked like him? I came tounderstand that this was more a reflection of my fathers distaste for Piagetsreasoning than for his appearance. I am still unclear whether my fatherswriting was intended to morph into a coherent book, or if it were only for us.One thing I understood, though, was that I was his educational guinea pig, a roleI loved. I cannot yet read my fathers books, adorning our shelveslike trophies. Instead I breathe the manifold musty luxuriance of brittleyellowed pages, tearing at a touch. This is the reason I am readingand rereading the word wheelbarrow, trying to understand its syllables andintonation so that I can sound it out honestly with my eyes, ears and tongue allin agreement. It is a funny word whose concentricity seems to double back onitself, the convex wheel resting in the concave barrow the first half of theword whizzing out of my mouth, with the second half somersaulting lackadaisicallybehind. It is the kind of word I want to holler down the drainpipe. Myfather sees that this lesson is wearing on me, so he suggests a walk. Outside therain is falling in sporadic spits. Standing on tiptoe in front of the window, Ican see a few umbrellas blooming above the asphalt; they are gradually slickedover with the gloss of rain, making them gleam sapphire, onyx andtourmaline. Neither of us tote umbrellas; we do not like to carry anythingand instead revel in freedom of movement. The rain quickly begins to pearl in myhair, soft and thin it hangs low on the nape of my neck. I try to imitate myfathers walk. Beneath his Greenwich Village uniform a sheepskin coat, marledwool cap, and faded Levis he is as dignified as a heron. We make ourway downtown toward the river. I leap over the deceitfully shallow-lookingpuddles surrounding each corner like a moat. When we reach the river, the rain isnearly done and the misty Hudson is redeemed by the orange light of early eveningshining down the brick of nearby buildings. My father stands next to mewith his hands in his pockets like theyre keeping him balanced. I notice that hehas let go of my hand. I am looking at him, and he is looking at theriver. Across the waves where the twilight deepens all the sky at once, a transition, seamless as the lining ofreverie. My father gave me my independence in bits and pieces, entrustingit to me with the same care and consideration of one placing something preciousand breakable into a hand of unknown steadiness. I try to knot back togethersmall moments like these to give my childhood some kind of incremental coherence,but it is as difficult as recalling my grammar and spelling lessons atfive. Years later, when I graduate from high school, after having triedthe full spectrum public and private, traditional and progressive, coed andsingle sex, downtown and uptown I will look back and feel thankful for thecross-section, however incomplete. Mostly, though, I will go out walking in thehours when the street lamps are warming into dusk and the city is infused with awomb-like familiarity, taking time to stop and read the crooked letters, es likecurlicues, and as leaning into downtown, that a child has scrawled on thepavement, with a smooth stick of chalk.