Writing Essays - New View in Joyce's Short Story, Clay

James Joyce's famous short story, "Clay," was published in 1914 in his collection of short stories titled, Dubliners.

Like literally every other short story ever published, "Clay" makes a strong old view value statement early on and then shows a new view reversal of that old view at the end. Let me demonstrate a three-step method that helps you analyze any short story using those concepts and that will help you get started writing literary essays:

#1- EARLY ON, STRONG STATEMENT: At the beginning of a short story, a strong value statement, an old view, is given by or about the main character, asserting an evaluation or describing some characteristic, goal, or desire.

The very first sentence identifies a goal or desire of the main character:

The matron had given her leave to go out as soon as the women's tea was over and Maria looked forward to her evening out.

In the description of Maria's getting ready to go out for the evening, as she's preparing and serving tea for the women of the Dublin by Lamplight laundry, two strong old view value statements are made about two important characteristics of Maria, 

• Maria, you are a veritable peace-maker!
• Mamma is mamma but Maria is my proper mother.

Because of the strength of the first old view value statement, we are given expectations of finding out how Maria was a strong-willed, clever, resourceful peace-maker, one who could bring peace to any troubled situation. And we expect from the second one to find out how she was Joe's proper mother in all the idealistic ways that the phrase suggests.

#2-IN MIDDLE, SUPPORTING/UNDERCUTTING: In the middle of a short story, the old view is supported or undercut with descriptions, conflicts, and resolutions that set up the new view at the end.

DESCRIPTION: Many descriptions occur throughout the story that undercut the old views, so we'll have to zero in on those with the clearest impact on the old view - new view relationship in the story.

In the beginning of the story, there's a mixture of short descriptions of Maria's character, her past, her plan for her trip to Joe's house that evening, her relationship to Joe and Alphy as their nursing maid and nanny, how Joe and Alphy got Maria her the job at the laundry, Joe and Alphy's presently strained relationship, the happenings at tea time, and Maria's thoughts while dressing to get ready for her evening out.

During the tea-time meal, Lizzie Fleming said Maria was sure to get the ring and, though Fleming had said that for so many Hallow Eves, Maria had to laugh and say she didn't want any ring or man either; and when she laughed her grey-green eyes sparkled with disappointed shyness and the tip of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin.

Since Lizzie had said, Maria was sure to get the ring... for so many Hallow Eves, it is plain that Lizzie had long wanted for Maria to get the ring, get a man, and get married. So did Maria. Though Maria says she didn't want any ring or man either, her laughing with disappointed shyness says otherwise. She always wanted to be a proper mother, to raise her own family, but she never quite got the chance of getting married, which would have made that possible.

And what's up with the description of Maria's laughing and the tip of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin, which occurs again two sentences later, as well as at Joe's house, when she's being blindfolded to play another fortunetelling game? It must be important, though it's not clear how. Maybe it just emphasizes her disappointed shyness about her relationships with men and her feelings about wanting to get married.

Right after Lizzie Fleming's prediction, Then Ginger Mooney lifted her mug of tea and proposed Maria's health while all the other women clattered with their mugs on the table, and said she was sorry she hadn't a sup of porter to drink it in.

This description is important to bear in mind at the end of the story. I'll bring it up in my discussion about the story's ending, later.

CONFLICT: In the beginning, it was clear that Maria was always sent for when the women quarreled.

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Three Keys For Writing the Best Possible College Admissions Essay

College admissions officers consistently rank the personal essay as one of the most important factors in their decision to admit or reject students. It's one of the few parts of the application in which an applicant represents herself or himself not in dry statistics, but in her or his own words and ideas. A well-written personal essay transforms a student from a package of information into a real person for the committee, whose essential job it is to stand in judgment. No matter how smart and successful a student you have been, if you don't write a personal essay that quickly and effectively reveals you to be passionate, intellectually curious, and a person of strong character, you won't be asked to become a member of the university community. So, as you write your personal essay, consider these tips:

1. Think about your audience and write for them. Who are they? What is their task? Under what conditions are they reading your essay? College admissions officers read thousands of essays from hopeful applicants. And they read them over the course of a few short weeks, often according to a set of criteria that have not been made public and that are designed to reduce the pile of applications in front of them to manageable size. With a maximum of 1000 words and no more than a minute or two to create an impression, you have to make the reader's job easy and interesting and give them reason to spend more time reviewing your application. Your writing must be clean, clear, well-organized, and easy-to-read. What's more, the content of the essay must be original, compelling, meaningful, and distinctive. And, because your readers need to assess your analytical and intellectual skills, your personal essay must display the rhetorical markers of a highly-skilled thinker and communicator.

2. The personal essay turns you into a real person for the admissions committee. The person you represent yourself to be in your essay must be authentically you. But that doesn't mean it should be your deepest, most intimate, inner-most self. You're applying to become a member of a pretty special and exclusive kind of community. One, like any other community, that seeks to perpetuate its most important values. Present the wrong you to the college or university community and you'll be rejected.

Instead, work hard to display essential personal qualities that are most relevant to the diverse missions of the college or university to which you are applying. Remember that universities and colleges are first and foremost institutions dedicated to the life of the mind. Words and ideas are passionately real at the university and are deeply integrated into the daily life of the people who live and work there. So any personal experience or ambition that you describe in your essay must become fodder for purposeful reflection that is of interest and use to university folk. You'll need to explain what your experience or ambition should mean to someone committed to an intellectual approach to life.

3. The personal essay is a writing genre, which means that its readers have concrete expectations of what should and should not be included in it. Ask those of your friends who have gotten great packages from the schools you want to attend to see their personal essays. Write or call the admissions department of your target schools to see if they have samples available. Use the internet to find successful samples. Prof. Allen Grove's website is a reputable place to start. He not only provides strong sample essays but explanations of how and why they work.

Once you've found great samples, study them carefully to learn how to build an essay that makes all the right moves, while signaling your originality and distinctiveness. Remember, even very proficient professional writers struggle as they learn to write in a new genre to a new audience. You may need to try (and fail) several times before you figure out how to write a truly great and authentic personal essay, one that will set you apart from the thousands of your competitors.

Dr. Eric Drown has helped students succeed at The George Washington University, UCLA, the University of Minnesota, and other great schools.

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How a Sample Personal Statement Essay Can Help You Land a Spot at a Prestigious School

Getting into a prestigious schools for college, graduate, medical, or law school is definitely a big plus for your resume. Many choose to apply for a spot at a prestigious schools because prestige has many benefits:

1. Good reputation means high quality of education

Prestigious schools are known for their reputation of providing a high quality of education, something that all student applicants want to have to gain advantage over others. It may be expensive to study at a prestigious school but it's all worth it if you get to be taught by the best professors and practitioners in their own fields.

2. Prestigious schools can help you establish networks with other successful individuals.

Graduating from a prestigious school is definitely an advantage, especially when you're job hunting. Knowing someone from the alumni of a renowned college or university means you can establish a network composed of well-known individuals who can help you with your career or business.

Now, how do you land a spot at your dream school known for its prestige? Aside from having excellent grades, exam scores, and recommendation letters from previous professors or mentors, you have to submit a winning admissions essay.

The admissions essay

Your admissions essay is where you can let the admissions panel see a more personal side of you. This is where you discuss your goals, motivations, and philosophy in life that made you decide to pursue further education at a specific school. To be able to come up with a winning essay, reading a well-written sample personal statement essay is a good idea. A well-written sample personal statement essay can help you figure out what to and what not to discuss in your own essay. Take note though that the sample personal statement essay should only be used as a guide. You shouldn't copy ideas from sample essays.

When writing an essay, think of a topic that can help you present your best foot forward. Some schools give questions to be answered by the applicants while some ask basic questions such as "Why do want to pursue further education?" It's up to the applicant to come up with a creative essay that will stand out and present the writer's strengths as a prospective student. If you can't think of a topic, surf the Net for sample essays. You may notice that many well-written sample essays discuss the writer's motivations, goals, philosophy, and personal experiences. Think of your own personal experiences and see which experience can best tell your story as a future lawyer, doctor, graduate student, or freshman at your dream school.

By reading several essays, you'll be able to pinpoint errors you should avoid when writing your own. These include grammar and typographical errors. You should also have to have a thesis and sentences and paragraphs that support each other, forming a cohesive output. Cliches should also be avoided, as these are overused and provide no personal touch to your essay. When looking for excellent sample essays to be used as guides, you can also ask samples from friends who have graduated or are currently studying at your dream school.

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Various Kinds of Tissue Paper

Tissue paper is one of the most common household items. And yet, we have gotten so used to having it be a part of our daily emergencies, be it a case of common cold, a spill, or just to wipe away dust, that we mostly never bothered to learn about all the different kinds of paper there are. Maybe it is time to catch up on that knowledge now. So here is a list of the most common kinds of tissue used in daily household life.

• The ordinary, soft tissue paper - This is the most commonly available type of tissue paper, and is used in case of emergencies like common cold or a throat infection. It is not very rough on the skin, and therefore, does not irritate the skin around the nose and mouth, as the skin in those areas is very sensitive.
It can also be used to remove make up after a nice day out, and to clean up the skin on sensitive areas like the face and neck. Since this kind of paper is soft, it does not cause any rash or irritation to the skin surface.

• The tough, durable tissue paper - This type of paper is used for toilet paper rolls and the like. These are tough, but not necessarily harsh on the skin. That is because sometimes, these tissues may be used on sensitive skin as well. The tougher version of this kind of paper can be used for more hardcore tasks like cleaning up dust and wiping the surface of furniture or gadgets. There are also these papers that come with special absorbent properties that help them soak up substances. These are handy for cleaning up after a spill.

• Scented tissue papers - Scented tissue papers are the classier version of ordinary paper. It comes with a fresh, unique fragrance, such as rose, jasmine, lemon, or other citric scents. There are even scented wet wipes that can be used to give the face a quick cleanup and lift when on the move, and there is no place to wash and freshen up. This is a boon for people who travel frequently, and need to get fresh and perky in between two or more appointments. Also, the fresh fragrance from these tissues makes the person alert.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. With minor changes and tweaks, there can be more types of this kind of paper created to meet varying needs of users.

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ACT Prep Course and College Essay Help For a Successful Career

It is true that all the students looking for a higher education are under terrible pressure. They have to select the appropriate career option well in advance so that they get proper training and are well prepared. There are Tests such as SAT and ACT which help students determine the course which they can take up. It will help them get admission in good colleges. ACT tests open up more options for the students in various educational fields. ACT test was originally known as American College Testing Program. Once a student takes up this test, he/she will be clear in terms of education.

An ACT Prep Course helps a student prepare thoroughly for the test. It is crucial for a student to understand the necessity of ACT Prep Course as taking up this course will help students clear the test smoothly. This testing program help the student decide the college which they can study in. Enrolling for ACT Prep Course would be beneficial for all the students.

Some colleges judge the capabilities of the students based on the score of ACT test. If the students score well in this test they can get admissions in renowned educational institutions. The students can take their own decisions and select their favorite stream and come up with flying colors. Students who have appeared for ACT test are always given preference over other students. This is because they come from various backgrounds. ACT Prep Course will give exposure to the students who want to appear for this test and help them get good grades.

ACT scores has a great impact on the student's education as with good grades, and one can go for an affordable education. If the scores are higher, the financial burden decreases. This will decrease both from student and parents mind. If the student really wants to improve his/her option, then enrolling for ACT Prep Course would be the most right thing to do.

Apart from this, there are educational solutions which offer College essay help. With College essay help, parents as well as students get guidance for choosing the right career. Such educational solutions help you score well in writing a great college admission essay test. They conduct online aptitude test in order to access the student.

This also helps them moderate, which stream the student should take up. They have dedicated counselors who make the students understand take up the appropriate course. They also direct the students focus towards professional career.

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Professional Essay Editing Services - Online

It would be rather difficult for students to sit and write an essay for a university, when asked to. A trial professional editing service can help with writing academic papers, which can be a very intimidating, especially for university entrance tests or for the publication, and not just for the typical tests of University.

Many writers are less than confident in their ability, to preset logical ideas, while avoiding typos and factual errors; so, they usually think to use an essay editor before submitting. They need to decide on a test to choose their editor for this particular job. There are many advantages to having professional editing services correct the proofs of your research or school essay. There are usually Teachers or professors who will review these types of tests and look for a certain tone type of argument. Having a professional writer who has experience with school tests can help you turn mediocre writing to superb writing.

A professional editor reads your writing and will completely fix all the grammatical errors, misspellings, and incorrect word choices. Some try correcting the proofs of service and will go a step further and publish the organization, clarity, and structure. If you consider sending each school paper that you write, to an essay editing service, before you were filming it, you might want to make sure that your editor understands your needs. Most teachers can develop a good idea of your tone and point of view during the semester. A professional editor will test your writing academic and conditions of publishing.

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Relevance of Gandhi Today - Essay

The memory of Mahatma Gandhi today, in India is reduced to rituals. His ideals are forgotten and much of what he stood for is remembered only in parts and misunderstood. Many young people brought up on modern ideas wonder what wisdom there is in turning the other cheek if someone strikes you on one cheek. Similarly, there is no place for simplicity in one's life, when everybody is turning towards western life styles and way of thinking. In the care free money oriented attitude that pervades our life today, talk about morals and non-violence certainly seems out of place.

Gandhian philosophy is vast and contains many ideals. It is easy to take any part of Gandhian thought and criticize it. Gandhi belonged to everyone, so there is no danger of any minority community reacting and issuing a death sentence on those who do so. Any two bit politician or journalist who wants to get away with it. It is perhaps a reflection on the sorry state of the country that its icons can so easily be defiled without punishment.

But this easily answers the question about Gandhi's relevance today. If he was irrelevant, as many people are bound to say, why is he not forgotten like many other twentieth century thinkers and leaders who remain buried in library books? Why does Gandhi evoke strong emotions in those who criticize him? The answer lies in the universal relevance of Gandhian philosophy not only in the country but all over the world. Many ideas come back to us finding acceptability in the West; and Gandhism may also have to wait till it is discovered.

In an age when our bureaucrats cannot stand up for their beliefs and crawl when asked to bend, it is difficult to think of one man - "a half naked fakir" - who could stand up against the might of the British Empire. The courage of one man who was neither a dictator nor a politician can only be a cause of wonder. If the life in public life commanded only half the courage of the fakir, India would not be debating on the criminal-politician nexus today or the corruption that pervades the society.

There is no doubt that Gandhi was a man ahead of his times. He foresaw many of the problems that we face today. In 1927 he wrote "a time is coming when those who are in the mad rush today of multiplying their wants will retrace their steps and say, what have we done"?

If we see around us, many of the contemporary problems of the world have arisen from senseless development. Industrialization and high tech. have resulted in such high quantities of waste that countries do not know what to do with it. Nor do we know what to do with the huge quantities of arms that the world powers have collected. Today, the nuclear weapon states have collected deadly weapons capable of destroying the world several times over. If only a part of the money blocked in arms could be available to fight poverty and disease, the world would be a better place to live in.

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