Before you read this article, be sure to read Part one and Part two. Without it, you will not understand much of anything in this article.

Herriman 2

               In turn, Oscar realizes how destructive his life was as well as how it would ultimately end for him; The Picture of Dorian Gray symbolizes his life and the morbid ending, where youth is an illusion and the man’s folly was his own twisted fate, much like his real life. However, with all of the fame and misfortune, the trials and the blisses, Oscar Wilde showcased his thought process and disposition. In his De Profundis, he showcases himself almost as a Christ and the sinner, playing both parts, showing his regular brand of wishy-washiness that aided in his downfall and demise. He justifies his sexual sin with stories in the Bible, making the events lesser acts and downgrading their occurrence as normal as any other. Although understanding grace and forgiveness at a surface level, he uses this knowledge to his advantage, making for himself a more fitting, reputable name for himself while in confines.
The lack of humility that Wilde offers shows that he was not quite ready for a commitment of any sort – thought hungry for a love that would transcend his inconsistency. Dabbling in knowledge but not quite understanding wisdom of Christian theology, Wilde lived most of his life in a passive aggressive state of mind. As shown from his pursuit of the arts, although having been quoted that “all art is quite useless,” (Wilde 4) we are able to see his brash omission without commission. Nonetheless, he sought love from a wife, affairs, himself, and a God. What an ironic story that a logistic thinker, so profound in thought, would be so emotionally driven that he would risk everything to find some sort of inner joy and happiness. That he would give his life up for the prospect of love, masked by fun and foolishness.
Oscar Wilde’s life was very much so an extremity that is hard to comprehend for the average person. If we could pick his brain, to see his true intention and not what he masked, would we be so inclined to be so rash and extreme as well? In all that we do, we are all trying to find our own way. It is not a new concept to wish for greater purpose or understanding; instead, it is a new concept that we are to release our inhibitions and do as we please to receive what we believe will be a tailored brand of salvation. Oscar Wilde broke his heart, among other’s hearts, in his endeavors for deeper understanding.

Now you are able to see the fluidity in entirety of my research paper. Your research paper should be fluid, interesting, and must use several resources to prove your point – whatever your point may be. Stay tuned for an article on how to cite and create a Works Cited page.

A dramatist whose life was nothing short of dramatic. (photo by Tiseb)

If you’re just now viewing these posts, I implore you to revisit my last article, which is Part One of this paper. Entering into the conversation now will simply just leave you, the reader, confused. In this article, I will reveal to you more of my essay on Oscar Wilde.

During this time, in the states, it was an obligation to indulge in fantasies, including homosexual ones, in certain communities. Again, in the principle of “art for art’s sake,” ‘Feelings counted for nothing, only physical orgasms” (Mitchell ¶5). From the perspective of the man Wilde found himself intensely and almost cripplingly drawn to, Alfred Douglas discloses who Wilde truly was. In “…never committing himself to what might be considered a serious theory…,” (Douglas ¶1) Douglas showcases his understanding that he has Wilde around his fingers and can dominate him without heed. Perhaps it was Douglas’ nonchalant dominance that became a fixation for Wilde, in that others were enthralled by him regardless of what he would do or say. Perhaps it was the chase that Wilde thought would free himself from metaphorical (or perhaps literal) bondage. Being in submission and vulnerability, Wilde, in his inconsistent inconsistency, may have meshed the emotion and physical aspects of sex and fun – ultimately being a sort of his demise.
There are two reasons as to why meshing the two aspects of sex and fun would lead to one’s demise: it is both that it lacks the fundamental of aestheticism, as well as creates a danger with the Marquess‘ growth in understanding of the relationship between Douglas and Wilde. Wilde was put on trial for his transgression of indecency, as he spoke lovingly and romantically of Douglas in his letters, and was imprisoned for said acts (Montgomery 5).
Yet, all the while in his fun and sexual endeavors, he maintained a marriage with a wife who bore him two children. A marriage to a woman who, ironically was named Constance, through his inconsistencies. Understandably, during the trials, Constance sought separation, yet could not seem to divorce him, nor harbor bitterness to him, as she advises her children to maintain relationship with their father (Williams 8). As if bound by the same force that bound Lord Douglas to Wilde’s fancy, Constance was enamored with Wilde – regardless of his sin. Once more on the same page, the quote is given, “For each man kills the thing he loves…” Whatever the reason for his inconstancy, her faithfulness may have enabled him to continue his rugged lifestyle. It is quite possible that she, herself, could not see past the pains of adultery and fell into a state of passive aggression. When he desired to, once more, care for her and their relationship, he was unable to due to his sentencing in jail. Unfortunately, amends was never made, as she passed before his sentence was over – to which he responded with love and regret, understanding his folly and the pain he caused her (Williams 8). Wilde shows us how absolutely destructive we as humans can be, both mentally and physically, if constructs and regulations are not present in our lives.

His life was nothing short of intriguing. (photo by Abode of Chaos)

As I stated in my last post, I would provide a personal example of a research paper. This was my finale of high school papers that should suffice as a good example of what to do when it is time for you to write one. Of course, if this proves unsatisfactory for you, I have provided two other examples of research papers not written by myself here and here.

I will discuss also, in another post, the citations I used, link to them, as well as explain how to use the ¶ symbol effectively.

Herriman 1

Amber Herriman

Teacher

AP Literature and Composition 3

16 April 2013

Oscar Wilde: Background, Sexuality, and Perhaps Why

                 It has become increasingly apparent that Wilde was, for majority of his life, in a state of uncertainty. From his works as an authorwhich often paralleled to his life as a person, to the deepest confines of his heart, including homosexuality and marriage to a woman, as well as a conquest for love – though masked. Wilde was always trying to find his place in the world around him. In essence, this desire for certainty through uncertain acts and cognitive processes allowed for, what we see today, as a mentally self-destructive lifestyle – one that, through observation and analysis of literary works such as letters and his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde was aware of his inevitable end.

                 In understanding rudimentary building and construction principles, we acknowledge that without a strong foundation everything else built on top of that is subject to dismantle. From childhood, a creative expression was asserted in Wilde’s household – an expression that may have not been the social convention for others, such as dandyism and aestheticism (Ridley ¶1). These things, though eventually spewing out of balance like a blender without a lid securely pressed to it, led to his initial popularity and (though we should not regard him as such) followers due to his almost philosophical insights. For example, Wilde’s life was often centered around prospects of aestheticism – in Laymen’s terms, art for art’s sake. How profound a thought, one that most do not wish to grasp – yet, if Wilde was always searching, must mean that aestheticism was not an effective way of life for him. Even still, it is worth noting that people are still drawn to his ideologies and revere him as a beautiful, insightful man, who contrary to some beliefs, did understand life in its full entirety. Perhaps it is his eloquence in speech that allows even for people today to act in such obscure ways – such as kissing his tomb “to death.” (The World ¶6).

                  It can be said that his “open” childhood could have given leeway into his desires and fetishes in early adulthood to death, though certainly other aspects could have just as much weight, such as a boisterous, thrill-seeking disposition. Regardless of how the matter occurred, Oscar was a nympho in every sense of the world. Oscar’s life was depicted in every sense by his works, which are now compiled into volumes and put on display on bookshelves.

Stay tuned for the next post to read more of this paper.

Oscar Wilde statue (photo by EoinGardiner)

We are about to enter college – a place where your cornell style notes do not exist, unless you want them to, and a place where what matters are your essays and your tests. The rest is up to you. Many of us, in our last year of high school, have been given the assignment of learning to write research papers the way they are intended to be written in college. Although, for those of us who have yet to write a research paper – this is for you, in case you’re anxious and worried. This is how to start a research paper, where eventually, in a later post, I will reveal to you my own as an example.

It’s not as scary as it seems. (photo by th0mi)

Of course, considering you should already have the works you will use compiled together, and notes or a notion on what you would like to write about in your paper – we are about to start!

However, before doing anything, you will want to set your font to Times New Roman at 12 points. This is the standard font set for papers of any sort. You will also want to set your document to double-spacing, which in Microsoft Word is 2.0 under Format, then Paragraph. Then, you will want to correctly establish that you are the writer of this paper. You must do so by aligning your text to the left, at the utmost top of the paper. Do so by utilizing the Header setting on your document writer. You will use your last name, and the page number, as I will depict below.

Now, you are ready to start your paper. Do not indent, for you will need to further signify who you are and what this paper is for. Then you will write as follows, in double spacing of course, your name, your teacher or professor’s name, the class and period (or when the class takes place,) then the date.

This is what your paper should look like currently:

Last Name 1

Your name (First and Last)

Professor’s or Teacher’s name

Class name and time (or Period)

Date (In Number, Month, Year Order)

Now, your paper is started –  which is lovely because here is where the actual work comes into play.

Go ahead and skip the next line, then center your text. Here’s where the title of your paper is going to be. Be sure to make it short, simple, and to the point. For example, my research paper was on Oscar Wilde, with a focus on sexuality. Therefore, I titled my paper “Oscar Wilde: Background, Sexuality, and Perhaps Why.” Of course, I felt I could not outright state “why” considering I will never know his true intentions, and no article on the internet that I used could simply state why he did what he did. Nonetheless, your title should be fairly simple.

Skip another line, indent, and run free. Remember, research papers are much like any other paper. They have introductions and conclusions too!

Stay tuned for the next post: it will reveal an example of a research paper in entirety, followed by a post on how to cite.

Many writers use creativity to wonderfully execute their points across – such as writers at the Onion implementing their own brand of satire to make people think. Although the Onion is mainly a source of news, there are many other forms of creative writing and thinking, such as poetry. For you analytical thinkers – speculate upon the poem by Jose Rizal, entitled “Education Gives Luster to Motherland.” 

This is what we owe our children. (photo by woodleywonderworks)

Wise education, vital breath
Inspires an enchanting virtue;
She puts the Country in the lofty seat
Of endless glory, of dazzling glow,
And just as the gentle aura’s puff
Do brighten the perfumed flower’s hue:
So education with a wise, guiding hand,
A benefactress, exalts the human band.

Man’s placid repose and earthly life
To education he dedicates
Because of her, art and science are born
Man; and as from the high mount above
The pure rivulet flows, undulates,
So education beyond measure
Gives the Country tranquility secure.

Where wise education raises a throne
Sprightly youth are invigorated,
Who with firm stand error they subdue
And with noble ideas are exalted;
It breaks immortality’s neck,
Contemptible crime before it is halted:
It humbles barbarous nations
And it makes of savages champions.
And like the spring that nourishes
The plants, the bushes of the meads,
She goes on spilling her placid wealth,
And with kind eagerness she constantly feeds,
The river banks through which she slips,
And to beautiful nature all she concedes,
So whoever procures education wise
Until the height of honor may rise.

From her lips the waters crystalline
Gush forth without end, of divine virtue,
And prudent doctrines of her faith
The forces weak of evil subdue,
That break apart like the whitish waves
That lash upon the motionless shoreline:
And to climb the heavenly ways the people
Do learn with her noble example.

In the wretched human beings’ breast
The living flame of good she lights
The hands of criminal fierce she ties,
And fill the faithful hearts with delights,
Which seeks her secrets beneficent
And in the love for the good her breast she incites,
And it’s th’ education noble and pure
Of human life the balsam sure.

And like a rock that rises with pride
In the middle of the turbulent waves
When hurricane and fierce Notus roar
She disregards their fury and raves,
That weary of the horror great
So frightened calmly off they stave;
Such is one by wise education steered
He holds the Country’s reins unconquered.
His achievements on sapphires are engraved;
The Country pays him a thousand honors;
For in the noble breasts of her sons
Virtue transplanted luxuriant flow’rs;
And in the love of good e’er disposed
Will see the lords and governors
The noble people with loyal venture
Christian education always procure.

And like the golden sun of the morn
Whose rays resplendent shedding gold,
And like fair aurora of gold and red
She overspreads her colors bold;
Such true education proudly gives
The pleasure of virtue to young and old
And she enlightens out Motherland dear
As she offers endless glow and luster.

In my lack of expertise but dutifulness in attempt, I find that his message, though long reveals that education is essentially for an upstanding country. Which is true, if you take into account that the more educated a person is, the less likely they are to commit crimes among other things. Of course, that sounds like a bad stereotype – but in the sense that I am talking about, which is a generalization more so than an individualization, you can see the truth behind it. Another great analysis is given by a commentator on yahoo! answers – where he says the key is to flip every statement – to truly understand what Rizal was stating.

I’m sure you’ve seen drugs like Adderall publicized on a television show – or perhaps you know someone in real life who has taken Adderall, as they see it’s their only way to make that extra two hundred points on the SAT – or more than likely, you know someone who takes the drug because they actually deal with ADD or ADHD. Regardless of where you’ve seen it, you know it’s out there. Many are prescribed this drug each year to help give them some solace, but the brainy culture of high school and college students buy it illegally, then take it to improve their scholastic efforts.

The mentality of a lot of today’s “brainy” youth. (photo by Cainad)

Although we have to question how “brainy” these kids are (a better word would be “desperate,”) it doesn’t make the seriousness of this drug any less important. From speaking to those who have admitted to doing these drugs for recreational purposes, they are “more chatty,” “…[able to] do better in school,” and “…lose weight a lot quicker.”

Of course, from an outsider looking in, or even a health professional, this is a dangerous, dangerous drug to mess with. It simply was not designed for the average person who can focus on their own. According to today, a dad claims that Adderall changed his son. The boy in question was much like other children who abuse this drug – smart, ambitious, and seemingly, having their head on their shoulders. Then he became addicted to the drug, ultimately ending up with him in a psychiatric breakdown. Then he hung himself from a bedroom closet in 2011.

How could you go from a smart, ambitious, head-on-your-shoulders person and then all of a sudden, spiral into someone that nobody knows? Someone who would become so severely depressed that he would commit suicide? The answer is simply that this drug wasn’t made to be abused.

Unfortunately, the drugs do not even work that well over time for those who have ADD and ADHD. They even change the people who take them – which is why there is a lively market for Adderall. There are people who want to take them, but don’t need them, and there are people who take them, but don’t want them. As quoted from that same article, “Although the Food and Drug Administration has warned of a slightly increased risk of psychiatric problems from Adderall abuse, Richard’s suicide is an extreme, rare reaction to the drug.”

It doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you. Or your friend who is abusing it for the first time. The scary thing about it is that students will never believe they are addicted when they “only use it for academic purposes.” Frankly, when you are in high school or college, you do have an urgency with due dates and big tests that make the use of Adderall more likely.

As it turns out, brynmawr.edu claims that 1 in every 5 high school students have taken Adderall at one point or another. In the same article, a journalist describes that he was clearing away the “underbrush” that had been hindering his performance.

Dealing with college nerves.(photo credit tim sackton)

There are but just a couple days until senior year is over. The days of walking through the halls in your high school will be done. No more high school football games, dances, or events. It is a bittersweet but common feeling. You are also excited and ready to be an adult and go on your own. You may feel tired of being told what to do and want to make your own decisions. College is an exciting part of your life and so many new obstacles and events will come but anxiety and nerves are common to feel when heading off to college. You can not just go to your mom’s room when you are having a bad day and you can not just say no to studying because you do not feel like it. College has more freedom but also more responsibility. No one is going to be around to remind you of things that need to be done. Professors will not treat you how your high school teachers did. It is a big change and you are expected to act like an adult and be able to handle it. You should be strong and prepared but also know that all those feelings are perfectly normal and able to control.

Tips on calming down your anxiety as you head off to college:

• You may not think you are ready, but you are. No one would let you go off if you were not ready. The university admitted you because you are qualified and they want you there. There was no mistake. Do not doubt your ability to succeed in the university. You are capable and will do great things at whatever you set your mind to. 
• Yes there are people and places you are leaving behind but it is not forever. It is for some years and for good reason. You can keep in touch with the people you wish to. It may not be the same but they would want what is best for you and what is best for you is for you to go off and become what you wish to be and excel.
• You can always visit your home when you wish to but do not become dependent. If you visit home to recently from moving away to a university, you will only prolong your ability to move on. You need time to get adjusted and familiar with your new surroundings. Wait until you are ready to visit and do not visit too often.
• Enjoy the little things such as packing and buying new things.
• Be happy. Be proud. You are now on your own. You have been wishing to be independent for so long and now it is time to prove yourself. Flap your wings and fly off and show how much you can really do.
• Your parents are there to support you in whatever way you need. They have been in your shoes. Do not shut them out but also do not depend on them too much.

College is not an easy transition but it is worthwhile.

Free wireless internet can be beneficial, but there are risks involved as well (phto courtesy of RambergMediaImages on flikr).

With the demand for distance education on the rise, and the seemingly constant increase in cost for personal internet, it was inevitable that one would develop a website where free wireless internet could be located. By now, most of us know Starbucks, McDonalds, and most airports offer complimentary wireless internet, but what other local establishments in your area can you visit while completing classwork?

How to Find Free Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Free Spot: This site offers free searches for local establishments offering wireless internet to its patrons. The steps are simple: click on your state, scroll down to your city, and review all known business. For example, when I select ‘Louisiana’ and scroll to ‘Lafayette,’ there are over seventeen different businesses, in addition to the large corporations we all know offer the service, that have free wireless internet.

JiWire Global Wi-Fi- Finder: Expanding to more than just restaurants and cafes, this website provides you with an easy-to-navigate search tool to find free wireless internet anywhere throughout your selected town. After searching ‘Bradenton, FL’ I found seventy-nine local businesses and/or areas that offer the service to visitors/customers.

We-Fi: We=Fi is a network of over a million people who, together, have established a database of free Wi-Fi hotspots around the world; there are currently over 16 million hotspots on the site’s maps. When you install the We-Fi software, it will automatically search for the closest hotspot and connect you.

Whisher: Whisher is a free share-your-internet network of individuals. Once your network is shared through the software, access to other shared networks becomes available. The software is currently available for both Mac and Windows, although Vista operating systems are not supported.

Google TiSP: Shown in Beta on the website, Google TiSP is a free service that requires minimal installation of Google’s products in your home. The upload and download speeds, however, are advertised as being faster than DSL, but boast only 2Mbps upload and 8Mbps download.  

The Benefits

Obviously the biggest benefit of having free wireless internet access is that you don’t have a monthly bill (that’s usually more than seemingly necessary) to pay. Plus, by having to leave your home in order to access the internet you have the opportunity to get outside, network with other students, and (my favorite) people-watch.

The Disadvantages

Open wireless networks are usually not secure; I say usually because I am not familiar with ALL open wireless networks. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. Remember, when accessing the internet through a public network it is possible for people to access files and information on your computer; with this also comes the possibility for viruses.

Be aware of the symbol associated with the wireless network you are connecting to. If using Windows XP, the icon should look like an antenna; in Vista it will be a single computer. If it the icon is ever a pair of computers, you are viewing an ad-hoc network and you should stay away.