Thursday, January 23, 2020

Environmental Ethics Essay -- shallow ecological thinking, deep ecolog

"If we each take responsibility in shifting our own behavior, we can trigger the type of change that is necessary to achieve sustainability for our race or this planet. We change our planet, our environment, our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennia." -- Yehuda Berg The state of our environment has been deteriorating for centuries. Every part of the planet has been negatively impacted by man. Environmental degradation was greatly accelerated by the industrial revolution that took place in the 19th century. The industrial revolution mechanized the production of goods and introduced the use of machinery and other heavy equipment which were fueled by dirty sources of energy. At first, wood and coal powered the engines of industry, later they were replaced by natural gas and petroleum(Alters 51-63). At this point, it simply is not enough to just "do no harm" to the environment. We must immediately begin to act on behalf of the environment, instead of just not against it. My ethics concerning the environment have always run along the lines of "shallow ecological thinking,(Naess)" as Arne Naess called it. I choose to avoid pollution and to reduce, reuse, and recycle because these actions seem beneficial to humans in one way or another. This reasoning is shared by many people in regards to the environment and animal rights considering anything as a means to human ends, rather than as ends in themselves. Even the above passage from the Bible seems to allocate all the goods of the earth to humans and puts all the natural resources under their direct supervision. I understand the above passage to mean that man is obliged to look after the environment and to protect it, much like a mother looks after her chi... ...ered by a world of people. We need to keep in mind, however, that ethics do not develop spontaneously, so we must allow a bit of leeway, some room to move, grow, and evolve. With this mindset, the environmental damage can first be slowed, then stopped, and eventually reversed and mended. It may seem drastic, but this plan of action may be more necessary than the people of our needy planet realize. Works Cited Alters, Sandra, ed., â€Å"Coal.† Energy: Supplies, Sustainability and Costs. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. 51-63. EBC. OhioLINK Scholarly and Reference E-Books. Web. 17 Apr. 2015 Naess, Arne. "THE SHALLOW AND THE DEEP, LONG RANGE ECOLOGY MOVEMENTS" Inquiry (Oslo), 16 (1973). Web. 5 May 2015 http://www.alamut.com/subj/ideologies/pessimism/Naess_deepEcology.html Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics. Second ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

A place you would love to return to again

I would love to go back to Mumbai in India, if I ever get a chance. Mumbai is one of the metropolitan cities of India. It is famous for its warm people, moderate climate, Elephanta Caves and beaches like Chawpatti, Juhu and Marine drive.It is the capital of the state of Maharashtra. Seven islands whose names are Colaba, Mahim, Parel, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, and Matunga-Sion join together to form Mumbai. It is a city which is close to the Arabian Sea. It is also called Bollywood city, where most of the actors and actresses of the Hindi film industry live. I would love to return to this place because I have spent a memorable childhood in this city.Mumbai is very close to my heart. I got an opportunity to visit this place when I was studying in school. The place looked very beautiful in the eyes of a 9 yr old girl. We lived far from the city centre. There were mountains at the backdrop and when it rained, I could see the waterfalls from the window of my house.There were co conut tree all around which also added to the beauty. There was also a playing ground nearby where I played with other kids of my age. The place looked attractive to me because it was totally different from the place where we lived before we came here. In Mumbai I loved the open space it provided and of course the mountains.I have lovely childhood memories of Mumbai. I spend my school days in this city. I think this is one of the reasons that I love this place so much. I made many friends in this place. My best was a girl from Mumbai.I knew her from my school days; she studied with me in the same school. We remained friends for many years, even after I returned to Kolkata, my native place. I met girls and boys of different culture and background and had the opportunity to enjoy many parties, picnics and trips together.I still remember some activities that my family and I did in Mumbai, which was never possible in Kolkata as my father became very busy with his work. On holidays and s ummer vacations, we visited many places like the zoo, the Gate of India, Ajanta Ellora caves and Elephanta Caves.We also visited a nearby hill station called Bahabaleshwar and Goa, an exquisite place near Mumbai. I remember that most of the days after dinner we use to go for a walk. On the way there were many ice-cream stalls and my father always bought ice-creams for us. I also enjoyed different Indian festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja, Holi and Ganesh Puja.As a Bengali, we were away from home but the place felt like home to us because there were Bengali associations and our main festival, Durga Puja was celebrated in a grand way. Puja brought joy for me because I got new clothes and sweets.My mother always insisted that I and my sister participate in cultural functions. It was a good experience. I doubt that I was a good performer but I always receive loads of applauses from the audience. I grew up and because of my studies; I did not have enough time to participate in such cultur al activities anymore after we returned to our native land.  I know that Mumbai has grown a lot as a city in the past few years but I remember the place as I have seen seventeen year ago. I can still visualize my house, the playground, the mountains and the bright springs.Sometimes I fear that if I ever return to the city, I won’t be able to recognize and accept the changes that have taken place. Moreover my friends and other people whom I have known, most of them have moved elsewhere or have changed with time. However I still wish to go back and visit the place where I have spend my childhood days. It would give me immense pleasure to re-live my childhood again.Work Citation:â€Å"Mumbai Travel Guide†. 8 November 2007. http://www.mumbai.org.uk/>   

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Staying in a Bad Marriage - 967 Words

There are millions of women that are being abused in their marriages. Many of these women choose to stay in these marriages, which leads to many women being murdered and families being destroyed. While there could be various reasons why women may stay in these marriages, researcher Critelli (2012) provides one main factor that explains why many women stay in those marriages. This factor is based upon different religions, leadership obligations, and the interpretations of these particular religions. Christianity is a well-known religion that often includes various denominations. Four denominations that will be discussed within this paper are Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Methodist. These denominations have a wide range of approaches in relation to roles and treatment of women in relationships and marriages. In addition, these various denominations offer insight upon the different interpretations of the role of religion in abusive marriages. To understand why many women may decide to stay in abusive marriages, we must first understand how the different denominations of Christianity perceive marriage, the views of divorce, and the process of remarriage. Catholic View of Marriage Duba (2012) explains the Catholic view of marriage as a holy covenant between the husband and wife that should symbolize the â€Å"eternal relationship between God and the church† (2012/244). Duba also discussed that the Catholic view of marriage and marital relationship is often noted within variousShow MoreRelatedDivorce Where Children Are Involved Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesHowever, one must keep in mind that divorce is not always the answer. If there is a marriage that has only minor and easily remedied issues then they should try to reach a compromise. Married couples facing irreconcilable marital problems should not stay together for the sake of the children because they need to take their own welfare into consideration, divorcing may let them function better as a family, and staying together could put the children more at risk for psychological problems. CouplesRead MoreWhy A Good Divorce Is Better Than A Bad Marriage For Kids1747 Words   |  7 PagesBrette Sember, in her article â€Å"Why a Good Divorce Is Better Than a Bad Marriage for Kids†concurs when she notes ,†If you stay married for the sake of your children, you expose them to daily arguments, negative undercurrents, shouting, possible violence, and an atmosphere that is in no way calm and peaceful. This has a huge impact on your child† (Sember). In other words, she asserts that the children are exposed to negative conflict from their parent’s. The children will be affected if they stay togetherRead MoreWhat If Marriage Is Bad For Us?943 Words   |  4 Pages What is marriage? Is marriage a contract or love? What if marriage is not what people perceive it to be? What if marriage is not the happily ever after often seen in the movies? Laurie Essig and Lynn Owens are two scholars that wrote a piece entitled, What If Marriage Is Bad for Us? that co ntended the institution purpose of marriage is obsolete and in reality bad for society, and how marriage can lead to changed, unhealthy, and distressed. The book has a section entitled, â€Å"Marriage is traditional†Read MoreDivorce Causes in the United States Essay523 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to Websters dictionary â€Å"marriage is an institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family.†Marriages dont always last in divorce. Some spouses are unable to maintain or keep their relationship, so they divorce. when any couple wants to get married they should have something in common and share the same values, religion, beliefs or interest , so that they can minimize bad ending as break up .DivorceRead MoreStay At Home Mothers Or Working Mothers920 Words   |  4 PagesSTAY AT HOME MOTHERS OR WORKING MOTHERS 1. Introduction When a child is born into a family and one also have to look for the household expenses such as a mortgage, one needs to choose between either continuing working full time or staying at home. Statistics show that the number of working mothers is declining and trends are shifting to stay-at-home mothers. Employment figures for married mothers with children under the age of 6 have declined about 7% to 10% since the peak years ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Second Sex By Simone Beauvoir775 Words   |  4 PagesAnother thing that womanhood or motherhood encapsulates in this novel is the choice to choose between staying in a polygamous marriage or walk out, without being seen as weak or revolting. Ramatoulaye is portrayed as an example of individual identity and choice. She chooses to marry Modou against her family’s wishes (Letter 16); And when confronted with the same dilemma as her friend Aissatou – a polygamous husband, she chooses a different path – she looks inw ard, cut her loses and makes the decisionRead MoreLove Marriage Is Better Than Arrange Marriage775 Words   |  4 PagesLove Marriage is Better Than Arrange Marriage. Just as we all know, life is not a bed of roses. Things do not work as smoothly as we expect them to. Sometime, we often change ways, make compromises, stand stubbornly and let things fall apart. Marriage is the most beautiful relationship that happens to everyone at some point of time. Life is the way we make it to be. Peoples get married because they love each other. They want each of them close for the rest of their life. Due to this statementRead MoreThe Value of Marriage and Divorce in Society vs. Biblical Times957 Words   |  4 Pages The Value of Marriage and Divorce in Society Vs. Biblical times The scriptural definition of marriage in the bible is â€Å"A holy covenant before God, which can also be an eternal relationship between a man and a woman.† (KJV) This simple definition is believed to be a controversial meaning in Biblical scripture. The dictionary definition of marriage from www.merriam-webster.com states that â€Å"Marriage is the state if being united to a person of the opposite gender/sex in a consensual and contractualRead MorePremarital Cohabitation And Premarital Marriage1636 Words   |  7 Pagesboth of them. The couple is smiling from the happiness knowing that the relationship is advancing to the next stage which is moving in together. This, my friends, is an ideal scenario of moving into an apartment with your significant other before marriage, which is known as premarital cohabitation. Some couples participate in premarital cohabitation which is becoming part of a lifestyle for younger couples. Students that are in college, or young adults arou nd 20 to 30, and even students that justRead MoreDr. Andreas Kostenberger s Life1330 Words   |  6 PagesNew Testament on marriage, gender roles, headship, sex, child-rearing, divorce, and homosexuality. In the second edition of God, Marriage, and Family, by Kà ¶stenberger and Jones investigate the most recent contentions, social movements, and teachings inside both the congregation and society and further apply Scripture s immortal standards to contemporary issues. We live in a time period of a crisis in regards to marriage and the family, and the only way the institution of marriage can be rebuild

Monday, December 30, 2019

Bacteriological Warfare in History

Bacteriological Warfare in History Today, when we speak about a bacteriological warfare, the image that flashes in our minds is almost certain that of people in white coats mixing something in test tubes, or of people in environmental suits loading some extremely deadly staff in a ballistic missile. It may come as a surprise for many people to know that germ warfare is not a new thing at all, though the term is. Klaus Bergdolt in his book â€Å"The Black Death in Europe† says that as far as in the 14th century the Tartar khan Janibek used biological weapon, though, of course, in rather a crude fashion, against the denizens of Kaffa, a fortress in the Crimea. When the city was already about to fall, the Black Death (i.e., the bubonic plague), an extremely lethal disease, previously unknown in Europe, came from the East, decimating the Tartar ranks. They, however, managed to turn the situation in their favor, tying the bodies of those who died of the plague to the cannonballs and firing at the town with them. The Black Death immediately broke out within the city walls, inducing the horrified citizens to try and leave the trap, unwillingly spreading the scourge across the whole Europe – first bringing it to Sicily, then to Italy and France. Less than in one year the disease reached as far as England and Scandinavia, leaving thousands of unburied corpses in its wake. The pestilence seemed even more frightening, as it seemed to prefer the young and healthy to the older people. Due to the inadequacy of the medicine of that period, more than a third of Europe’s population died of the disease in four years. Such facts can only be described as a successful result of the bacteriological war – something that hasn’t actually happened ever since, in the age when the methods are much more elaborate and refined.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Truth Behind Cia Drone Strikes - 2590 Words

The Truth behind CIA and JSOC Drone Strikes for Professor Kim Colantino Technical Writing Instructor Chemeketa Community College Salem, Oregon by Harmanjot Singh Writing 227 Student December 09 , 2014 Table of Contentsî ¿ ¿ Abstract Introduction Violating the Hague Convention Commencing Hostility without Declaration of War Civilian Causalities from Drone Strikes in Pakistan Table 1: Percentage of Civilian Deaths of the total killed in Pakistan from 2004-2011 Civilian Causalities from Drone Strikes in Yemen Table 2: CIA Drone Strikes Conducted in Yemen from 2001-2011 Illegal CIA Drone Strikes CIA Drifting from its Primary Mission Transferring Drone Strikes to DOD Violated Rights of American Citizens American Citizens Killed in Yemen Violating the American Constitution Conclusion Works Cited î ¿ ¾ Tables and Figures Table 1: Percentage of Civilian Deaths of the total killed in Pakistan from 2004-2011 2 Table 2: CIA Drone Strikes Conducted in Yemen from 2001-2011 Abstract CIA and JSOC drone strikes are illegal. They violate the Hague Convention that states contracting powedrs cannot attack one another without declaring war or giving an ultimatum with conditional declaration of war (Hague III: Opening of Hostilities, 1907 ). The CIA has also drifted away from its primary mission of collecting data. The drone strikes conducted by the CIA kill many militants however also kill just as many innocent civilians. Yemen and Pakistan are the victims toShow MoreRelatedThe End Of The Cold War Essay1740 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout the Cold War In a way of strategic competition with the USSR. This post-polarity vision is, nevertheless, a mirage (Center, 2016). As Western powers were limited to create a measures of punishment of Russia, Putin was meeting with Xi Jinping to strike a major energy deal, as well as a strategy of de-dollarisation (using a different currency) of trade between the two countries. In all their aspects, the agreements help shape their ow n fields of action, as opposed to USA. In the Ukrainian conflictRead MoreWikileaks : A Not For Profit Media Organization3513 Words   |  15 Pagesother publishing and media organisations around the globe, instead of following the traditional model of competing with other media. We don’t hoard our information; we make the original documents available with our news stories. Readers can verify the truth of what we have reported themselves. We believe the world’s media should work together as much as possible to bring stories to a broad international readership.† In December, 2006, WikiLeaks posted its first document: a â€Å"secret decision,† signed byRead MoreComputers and Technology: the Downfall of Civilization8392 Words   |  34 Pageswere first developed to calculate missile trajectories and break enemy codes† (Johnson, 2005). Computers and technology now dictate how we fight wars and defend our country. Prior to computers, their technology, GPS, unmanned surveillance and attack drones, our generals and decision makers depended on personal reports presented by hand by soldiers on the battlefield to make wartime decisions. Mission planning has become far more detailed and thorough. With the use of computers and their technology we

Friday, December 13, 2019

Perspectives Free Essays

Pavlov (1927), founder of classical conditioning used dogs in his experiments. The key terms within his experiment were stimulus and response. The unconditioned stimulus of the child’s fear would be the presence of animals and the unconditioned response would be the behavior of crying. We will write a custom essay sample on Perspectives or any similar topic only for you Order Now The unconditioned response would become conditioned as It’s associated with the stimulus (Doherty, Hughes, 2009). Skinner (1966) developed operant conditioning, focusing on reinforcement or punishment to elicit changes in behavior. He found reinforced behavior becomes strengthened and repeated whereas behavior not reinforced becomes extinct and weakened. For child X, his previous experience with animals may have been negative; therefore he may prefer the experience not to occur again (Miller, 2011). Watson (1924) believed Individual differences and experiences mould our behavior as emphasized below. â€Å"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own special world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select†¦ (quoted in Schaffer, 2004, peg. 336). Influenced by Pavlov, Watson believed behavior can be controlled through understanding relationships between stimulus and response. Child Ax’s home or educational setting could change to adapt a pet policy within the environment, to become confident to eradicate his fear. Bandeau (1986) emphasized on behavior as imitation with four elements; attention, ment al representation, mitotic response and motivation. Child X could have seen someone showing negative affection towards an animal (attention allowing him to remember his observations (mental representation). This may be the reason as to how he behaves In the same way (mitotic response) when he felt the urge to cry (motivation) (Levine, Munich, 2011 This theory highlights people learn from imitation as a direct reinforcement of their own behavior within their environment. â€Å"The psychodrama approach focuses on the role of internal processesÃ'›. In shaping personality, and thereby behavior. † (Clansman, Had, 2009, peg. 224) our preconscious mind or they are totally inaccessible within our unconscious mind. Our unconscious thoughts can become conscious through dream interpretation, free association and transference. Many unconscious thoughts are experiences best forgotten (Gross, 2010). Child X could have experienced a negative incident with animals causing him to erase this event from his mind. Freud recognized three structures of personality resulting in clashes. Old is the basic personality wanting everything and will do anything to feed it’s desires through operating a ‘pleasure principle’. For child X, the id would make him cry while looking at animals making it uncontrollable. Superego is the sensible structure conditioned by the environment and has a conscience of both right and wrong, so would tell child X not to seek attention by crying. Ego is a mediator between id and superego; therefore controls both structures (Hermann, 1994). However, as child X grows older, his superego ill control his id through moral principles resisting temptations of crying. Humanists are optimistic and recognize behavior through own free will (Gross, 2010). Mason (1968) and Rogers (1951) regarded personal growth and fulfillment in life as basic human nature. Both theorists emphasis on growth and fulfillment for a person to be able to self-actualities (Nee, 1996). Mason believes individuals have capability to progress towards the level of self- actualization highlighted through hierarchical stages (see appendix 1). However, if there is a failure to meet lower level needs, progression to the next stage is delayed. Although there are many needs to be met at the bottom there is a potential to achieve for all (Nee, 1996). Child X may have experienced a dangerous situation with an animal; therefore his safety needs would need to be met for him to progress onto the next stage. Rogers believed humans have one basic aim; to self-actualities by fulfilling their own potential. His theory highlights self-esteem as the ‘real self and the ‘ideal self. Being able to achieve what one is capable of allows self-actualization and positive regard from others to promote self-esteem (Doherty, Hughes, 2009). If child X was shown positive regard when in the presence of animals, he may remove his fear and begin to self-actualities. â€Å"Cognitive psychology is concerned with†¦ Perception, learning, memory, language, emotion, concept formation and thinking. (Essence, 1995, peg. L) Cosmogonists view people and their environment as important. Piglet’s (1969) constructivist theory is based on age ability of stage learning. His theory describes children’s perspective on their world (Levine, Munich, 2011). Pigged identified four stages of learning (see appendix 2) believing past experiences shape children’s organization of the world. Reflec ting on Piglet’s stages, child X would be in the very early stages of the pre-operational stage as he cannot see his fear of animals from another perspective. Using symbolic features within this stage may allow him to make links between reality and fantasy (Dates, Grayson, 2004) forming close links to the psychodrama approach regarding accessing the unconscious mind. Child X may not access his unconscious mind due to unpleasant past experience. Weights (1978) emphasized social interactions through scaffolding and understanding of the world (Curtis, Change, 2005). Like Pigged, he constructed a stage theory (see appendix 3). Child X may understand emotions and experiences if knowledge is stored within him. Making him understand there is nothing to fear about with animals, may be beyond his intellectual capability because of his global developmental delay. He may not have reached the stage of maturity within ZAP to remove his fears. However, through reconstruction and social interactions, he may become used to the presence of animals within his environment. The cultural context within stages may influence his fear as family contexts may imply a ‘no pets’ policy, Hereford imitating the family attitude. Behaviorist’s emphasis on connections between the environment and the behavior and ignore physiological and cognitive events occurring. Pavlov and Skinner experimented on animals whereas Bandeau and Watson experimented with children. The behaviorism perspective is concerned with nurture as the environment is the stimulus of it’s theories. It does not take into perspective holism, therefore against the humanistic approach (Clansman, Had, 2009). Humanists found the psychodrama approach to be too pessimistic in comparison to their optimistic approach. This approach is individualistic and studies internal world of the person rather than external. Measles hierarchy suggests moving upwards in regards to achievement similar to the stage theories for other perspectives. Although his theory is not age related, it is similar to Hoosegows as individuals’ progress accordingly. However, Pigged identified children cannot progress onto the next stage without having developed fully in the previous. All these theorists have one thing in common; failure to meet lower level needs results in a delay or fixation to develop (Gross, 2010). How to cite Perspectives, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Edgar Allan Poe and Gothic Imagery in The Cask of Amontillado Essay Example For Students

Edgar Allan Poe and Gothic Imagery in The Cask of Amontillado Essay ENG 341-Studies in Literary Genres| The Significance of Imagery | In Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† | Lauren Grilli 6/7/2010 | Imagery is described as the ‘mental pictures’ one interprets from reading any type of literature; this can be done using any of the five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight and sound. Edgar Allan Poe is notorious for his use of dramatic imagery in the gothic genre. â€Å"Gothic literature has a number of conventions, including evocations of horror, suggestions of the supernatural, and dark, exotic locales such as castles and crumbling mansions† (Canada, 1997). In this paper, I will examine the imagery Poe has chosen in The Cask of Amontillado, and explain why it is vital to the furthering of the plot. In The Cask of Amontillado Poe uses descriptive language and imagery to create a sense of intrigue and an enticing character and situation, expanding the rhetorical strategy of maintaining a state of suspense. Although it remains a mystery, throughout The Cask of Amontillado, the reason why the narrator harbors such hatred toward Fortunato, this missing information adds to the suspense and allows the reader forge a bond with the words Montresor speaks, as he cunningly guides Fortunato to his death. Aside from creating a closer attention to the descriptive language, Poe also uses imagery to create the sense of impending doom. Two main contributors to the impending doom and suspense, which course freely through the structure of the entire story, are irony and foreshadowing. Poe highlights these components through imagery, creating, for the reader, a sense of place that becomes overwhelmed with underlying fear. In sum, the story of The Cask of Amontillado relies heavily on descriptive language and imagery to achieve a sense of atmosphere that parallels its dark plot. Some critics, like Phillips, argue that Poe’s extensive use of dark imagery â€Å"in an effort, largely successful, to create mood, sacrificed (willingly or inadvertently) both characterization and plot† (1972). I, along with many other critics, do not believe this to be true. In fact, it is his use of the extensively dark and ominous imagery that gives The Cask of Amontillado the intense suspense necessary to achieve the effect the final act of violence and murder has on the reader. The character’s actions and descriptions produce the horror that Poe intended to enhance the suspense and the shock value of the story’s outcome. In the next paragraphs, I will analyze Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, and demonstrate the importance of the imagery in the furthering of the plot by building suspense through setting, characterization, foreshadowing and irony. Poes use of descriptive language and imagery, to create suspense, goes far beyond his creation of character and motivation alone. He carefully chooses words that convey a strong sense of place and, in turn, create more tension. The Cask of Amontillado’s setting has begun at â€Å"about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season† (DiYanni, 2004). Instead of being given a portrait of a carnival with a light atmosphere, it is the end of the day and, much like the narrator’s intentions, it is growing dark. Poe describes the ambiance of the setting as taking place during a time of â€Å"supreme madness† and thus it becomes clear that there is something sinister about the setting (DiYanni, 2004). There is an air of madness and chaos, rather than joy and fun, through such details in the setting. Montresor is smiling during the search for Fortunato; waiting to begin his plan of revenge for the â€Å"impunities† he has suffered at Fortunato’s expense (DiYanni, 2004). His smile causes the reader a certain degree of uneasiness and morbid curiosity towards this impending punishment, and it becomes obvious that Montresor is twisted and evil. When Fortunato appears he is â€Å"drunk† and wearing â€Å"a tight-fitting, parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells† (DiYanni, 2004). The fact that he is dressed as a clown and is unknowingly in store for a punishment is comical and horrifying all at the same time. The suspense builds when it becomes clear Fortunato has no clue about his fate. Montresor informs the intoxicated Fortunato of the Amontillado stored in the vaults below. After a little ego-trip, Fortunato convinces himself he must go and sample this grand vintage wine. As the story progresses, so does Montresor and Fortunato’s hell-like descent into the vaults, and also the â€Å"nitre† which â€Å"hangs like moss upon the vaults† (DiYanni, 2004). Jackie robinson EssayThe imagery used in this short story, not only creates suspense through setting and characterization, but also through irony and foreshadowing. In The Cask of Amontillado, situational irony occurs when the setting is revealed through the imagery of the carnival season and the impending punishment Montresor has planned for the clueless Fortunato. The name Fortunato also possesses irony because it is derived from the word ‘fortunate’ meaning ‘of good luck or fortune’ which, in this story, unbeknownst to him, he will not end up lucky after all. The comical nature of Fortunato’s attire is ironic because he is travelling to his death dressed as a jester, ordinarily comical, yet, in this story, is no laughing matter. The description of the mason’s â€Å"grotesque† gesture, which Fortunato does in response to Montresor’s telling him he is a member of their union, creates the greatest irony in the story (DiYanni, 2004). This is because we know that Montresor is not truly a mason; but tonight he will assume the role of one, as he bricks up Fortunato’s horizontal grave. These events all occur with the doomed Fortunato totally in the dark, creating the suspense necessary to enhance the final scene and the horror of the murder’s details. The imagery in The Cask of Amontillado also gives clues as to what is going to happen next. The foreshadowing of the impending crime can be observed in the imagery associated with Montresor and Fortunato’s constant descent into the maze of crypts, the increasing â€Å"web-like nitre† on the walls and the dampness which increase Fortunato’s â€Å"cough†, and the only light being that of the torch (DiYanni, 2004). The haunting jingle coming from the bells on Fortunato’s â€Å"conical cap†, also foreshadow death, yet it is not until the story’s end that the sound begins to haunts the reader, which continues long after the story is over (DiYanni, 2004). The imagery is almost screaming death and the foreshadowing gives every indication that Fortunato is, indeed, going to die. As explained, imagery plays a sizeable and essential role in many aspects of the plot of The Cask of Amontillado. The descriptions of the odd, morbidly humorous Fortunato and the maniacally evil Montresor serve only to contribute to the play’s suspense. The carnival setting, which ordinarily suggests a fun and comical tone, ends up being anything but fun and comical, creating a sense of twisted strangeness, favored by Poe, in order to build up the suspense, accentuating the horror of the final death scene. Also, Poe uses dramatic contrasts of imagery, like the carnival setting for a murder and the jester’s attire Fortunato is wearing, to create a plot that confuses yet, at the same time, satisfies the reader. Thus, the imagery becomes Poe’s most powerful and effective tool in the plot’s construction. While many critics agree that Poe was a master of gothic imagery, using it as his primary tool in the construction of The Cask of Amontillado, other critics feel as though his efforts sacrificed the characterization, atmosphere and, in general, the entire plot of this story. This statement, in my opinion, is far from true. As an avid reader of literature in the gothic genre, I find Poe’s style precisely more effective than other, more subtle approaches seen in other works in the gothic genre. The Cask of Amontillado held my interest throughout the entire structure, despite the early revelation of its outcome and its lack of a motive. The story was so well-crafted that, having been completely absorbed in its intricate details and imagery, I failed to realize that a motive was missing until I began to analyze the story for this paper! The early revelation of Fortunato’s ‘punishment’ hardly mattered when the twisted ending was revealed and still managed to surprise me. I cannot imagine the plot of this story being as powerful or effective without Poe’s dramatic usage of imagery. Annotated Bibliography Baraban, Elena V. (2004). The Motive for Murder in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allan Poe. Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, Vol. 58, No. 2 (2004), pp. 1-110. Retrieved May 14, 2010, Stable URL:   http://www. jstor. org/stable/1566552 Benton, Richard P. (1991). Poes `The Cask and the `White Webwork which Gleams. Studies in Short Fiction, 28. 2, pp. 183. Canada, Mark. (1997). Edgar Allan Poe. Canadas America. 1997. http://www. uncp. edu/home/canada/work/canam/poe. htm (5/27/2010). DiYanni, Robert. (2004). Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. New York: McGraw-Hill. St. John Stott, Graham. (2004). Poes The Cask of Amontillado. Explicator, 62. 2 : 85.