Whats Eating Gilbert Grape free essay sample

Background: For this assignment, we will focus on what is wrong with the life of the main character, Gilbert Grape, in the film bearing his name. We will want not only to explain what is wrong right now, but to trace, as far back as possible, the causes of the causes of his problem, until we reach the earliest or deepest possible cause, sometimes called the first or primary cause. We will peel back the layers that contribute to his unhappiness and passiveness, until we expose and analyze the deepest underlying cause(s). Each time we locate a cause, we will ask ourselves, What is the cause of that cause? This is a psychological movie, and its meanings continue to unfold as we think and talk about them, so its important to view the film as many times as possible. View it and talk about it with friends, roommates, family. We will write a custom essay sample on Whats Eating Gilbert Grape or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Become as familiar as you can with the characters and their lives. Each incident, each casual exchange of dialogue between characters becomes important. (Be sure to write about events in the film in the present tense! For example, When Arnie climbs up the water tower. . . not climbed. ) Task: Write a well-developed, carefully supported essay in which you answer the question Whats Eating Gilbert Grape? Your thesis statement will answer that question directly, and your topic sentences will break the answer down into component parts. Organization: Many possible ways of organizing the material in the film (and your investigation into it) present themselves. Here are just a few that might yield interesting results: A. This film focuses centrally on food, hunger, and eating. The title uses the idea of eating not in a literal sense, but in a metaphorical sense: something (what? ) is eating away at Gilbert, and our job is to figure out what. (Even Gilberts last name is a food. ) The film is chocked full of images of and references to food: family dinners, Mamas weight and size, the grocery store where Gilbert works, the competitive chain grocery store, shopping for food, cookie- and cake-baking, ice cream eating (several times), two birthday cakes, diner scenes, outdoor meals, picnics, etc. Each of these references to eating provides a clue to what is wrong with Gilbert. Group them into categories that you can work with, and analyze several per body paragraph. Provide a topic sentence that probes into the meanings of the scenes. B. Its clear that Gilberts unhappiness has its roots in his family, and so it might prove useful to analyze his relationship with each member of his family (including his absent father: at one point, he says, My father built this house, and its my job to do the repairs. What happens to the house by the end? ) Devote a paragraph to each family member, beginning with the least significant, perhaps, and moving towards the most significant; by coming to terms with Gilberts family dynamics, we might come closer to understanding whats eating him. C. Focus primarily on Gilberts relationship with his brother Arnie in order to understand whats bothering Gilbert. At one point, Arnie repeats what hes heard said about himI could go at any time! and its funny, in part because Arnie doesnt understand the significance of what hes saying. But what he says is true, of course, not only for him, but for all of us. If it is true that we, too could go at any time, how should we live? The film, by dramatizing Gilberts crisis and the way he finds to grow through it, offers an answer to that question. D. Focus primarily on Gilberts relationship with Becky in order to understand whats wrong with Gilbert. How is Beckys life different from Gilberts? What does Becky, and her connection with travel and the road come to represent in the film? How does Becky intervene in Gilberts life and in his relationship with his mother and with Arnie as well? What does Becky offer to Gilbert that he has been unable to provide for himself? What does it mean, in the end, that Gilbert chooses to go on the road with Becky and Arnie? E. Focus on the films symbols in order to explain its meaning, particularly regarding Gilberts problem(s): what does the house symbolize? the basement? how about climbing (the tree, the water tower, the stairs)? eating? the road? the caravan? water (the incident of Arnies bath; Gilbert, Arnie, Becky bathing and playing in the stream? Mr. Carver drowning in the wading pool? and fire. The film is richly symbolic; it offers a great deal to think and write about. Important Note: No matter which approach you choose, you must come to terms with the change Gilbert undergoes by the end of the movie. Every paper must deal with the ending of the film. Note how the ending repeats, with significant differences, the beginning of the film. Comment on, explain these differences. Account for how they came about. Mechanics: Give your essay a good title. Analyze each quotation and/or example fully and in considerable detail. Refer to characters by name (say Amy, or Ellen, not just Gilberts sister).

Healthy Food and Junk Food Essays

Healthy Food and Junk Food Essays Healthy Food and Junk Food Paper Healthy Food and Junk Food Paper Healthy Food and Junk Food: An Annotated Bibliography This article discusses the effects of eating junk food on children’s development, health, and behavior. It provides the physiological and psychological effects of junk food eating. The article points out the demise of the traditional value of dining because of the preference for junk food. It cites the common diseases that children may experience later on in their lives out of their habit of eating junk food. Food to Have Sometimes.   March 2007. Better Health Channel. 13 November 2007 betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_to_have_sometimes?open. This fact sheet provides information regarding the common ingredients in junk food. It also discusses how these ingredients harm the body when consumed regularly. However, the fact sheet also states that eating junk food occasionally is still healthy. It suggests that the important thing is to eat healthy and natural food regularly and to moderate the intake of junk foods. Bauer, Joy. Can Junk Foods be Good for you? March 8, 2007.   Today Show, MSNBC. 13 November 2007 http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17515303/. This article attempts to show that junk foods will never be good for an individual if taken excessively. With the emergence of healthy junk food, such as whole-grain, low-fat, or low-salt versions of the common types of junk food, Bauer answers the question, â€Å"Are these really healthy?† Bauer’s answer is no. In using the Krispy Kreme Whole Wheat Doughnut as an example, Bauer points out that despite the use of whole wheat, the doughnut has still a large amount of trans fat and still has a high calorie count.   Basically, Bauer points out that there are no substitutes for the natural and more nutritious snacks like fruits and vegetables. More importantly, some treats are just meant to be taken occasionally, whatever vitamins, mineral or grains are added to them. Larsen, Joanne. Junk Foods. Ask the Dietitian. 13 November 2007 dietitian.com/junkfood.html. This article provides a definition of what junk food really is. Larsen describes junk foods as those that are high in sugar, salt, fat, or calories and have low nutrient content. Larsen states that junk foods usually have empty calories. Some of the common junk food are salted snack foods, candy, most sweet desserts, fried fast food, and carbonated beverages. The article then characterizes each of these. Also, the article lists down ways of how to identify junk food. It emphasizes the need to consult the nutritional label of each food item. It provides suggestions of how to classify foods as junk or not. Koh, Vivienne. The Battle Between Junk Food and Health Food. Ezine Articles. 13 November 2007 http://ezinearticles.com/?id=708154. This article describes junk foods. It provides a definition of what junk food really is. It lists down some reasons why junk foods are so popular. It cites the taste, price, and availability as common reasons for its popularity. Koh also identifies the reasons why junk foods should be avoided as much as possible. She points out the health hazards that can result out of eating too much junk food. She cites the common diseases and attributes these health hazards to the ingredients of these food items. The article ends with a call to consumers to be more wary of what they buy. It calls consumers to consult nutrition labels for medical bills are far more costly than junk food.

Love in Red Azalea by Anchee Min and Stone Butch Bluesby Leslie Essay

Love in Red Azalea by Anchee Min and Stone Butch Bluesby Leslie Feinberg - Essay Example The authors patterned the two novels in this way, to intensify the difficult struggle that the two main characters had to go through, just to have a chance to freely define who they really are. The farm where the Red Azalea's lead character, Anchee Min worked left her feeling suffocated, which was why she wanted to try her luck in theater. Moreover, the stigma of the Communist Revolution drove Min to feel more repressed, as the ideals of communism to dampen the individual's desire for self-actualization for the benefit of the collectivist society. Stone Butch Blues is set in upstate New York, during a time of political turmoil in the 1960s. The lead character, Jess, was constantly asked whether she was a girl or a boy, and was thus being forced to fit into a society that only tolerated masculine behavior for men, and feminine behavior for women. The settings of the two novels both provided a backdrop by which tension could occur, since it was made clear on both novels that the two lead characters wanted to define themselves in settings where they were trapped - physically, politically, emotionally and sexually. The places, the times, the surrounding people, as well as the prevalent ideas and culture defined the repressive environment in which the two main characters lived in. The settings and surroundings definitely took their toll on the psyche of the lead characters, and the authors used strong language to show how the stifling effects of the ideological suppression were to the main characters. Compared to Jess, Min kept more to herself, but the author portrayed the latter as having humorous and insulting images of the surrounding people that oppressed her. Jess, on the other hand, was a more active social rebel, in the sense that she showed everyone that she wanted to be her own person, despite the dictates of society. Noticeably, Stone Butch Blues was written in the first person, such that the author did not have to use the pronouns "he" or "she" to refer to the novel's main character. This, in itself, is a bold statement implied by the author through her narrative style, in the sense that she did not want her main character to be defined by stifling sexual conventions and norms. Through the plot of both the novels, Min and Jess both had unique encounters that gave them glimpses of the life experiences that their respective surroundings had tried to hide from them. These experiences moved and invigorated them in very deep ways. These further roused their curiosities, as if to make them feel that the things that they had been longing for all their lives, actually do exist and are in fact in front of them. These encounters provided an opposition against the ennui and stigma that the respective settings provided. For Min, she met Yan, who was a charismatic woman who happened to be affiliated with the revolutionary movement. Min developed a strong and deep friendship with Yan, as latter's character provided warmth against the desolation that the former experienced. Jess, on the other hand, was introduced to the thrilling world of lesbian bars - where strong butch women would fight for the admiration of their feminine lovers. Here, Jess finally fulfills her long-time yearning for love and companionship, while getting the chance to be the masculine female that she had always wanted to be. These encounters both gave Min and Jess a window of escape from the stifling

Gender Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Gender Issues - Essay Example Gender Issues: Basically the story is about a little boy who is depicted as a "typical" little boy. Of course this is a stereotype, because his room is messy, his hair is tussled and many of his toys are on the floor. On the second page, there are three boys sitting at the table and they receive boy toys (a Corvette Sting Ray car kit and a Junior Undercover Agent code ring) in their cereal boxes. In the next pages a mother is driving the kids to school and there is only one girl seen in the entire book. There is a female teacher, an din Alexanders classroom, there are only two girls; there is one girl of color and all the rest of the children are Caucasian. On the next two pages, there are four girls and three boys; there is one boy of color. The next two pages have a girl and three boys, one of the boys is a boy of color. In the dentists office, the dentist is male, and it is the mother who brings the kids to the dentist. On the next two pages, there are only boys. The boys get into a small fight and it is mother who breaks them up. The next two pages show three male children. Towards the end of the book, we finally se a father. It is very apparent that the father is the "bread winner" and the mother is the homemaker. This is shown because dad is in a suit and tie and working in an office. The kids mess up his office and his reaction is "please dont pick him up anymore". This shows that the father does not take equal care of the boys. The story portrays a traditional family with mom taking care of the kids and the home. The father is at work in an office so he is the one who makes money for the family. The written depictions are about Alexander and his day so Alexander is spotlighted. Personal view: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a hilarious book. There is charm and with in it. I particularly liked that Alexander was always wanting to move to

Organic food Essay Example for Free

Organic food Essay We asked Food Scientists a simple question: â€Å"What foods do you avoid? Experts from different areas of specialty explain why they won’t eat these eight foods. Food scientists are shedding light on items loaded with toxins and chemicals–and simple swaps for a cleaner diet and supersized health. Experts from different areas of specialty explain why they won’t eat these eight foods. Clean eating means choosing fruits, vegetables, and meats that are raised, grown, and sold with minimal processing. Often they’re organic, and rarely (if ever) should they contain additives. But in some cases, the methods of today’s food producers are neither clean nor sustainable. The result is damage to our health, the environment, or both. So we decided to take a fresh look at food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering what’s safe–or not–to eat. † Their answers don’t necessarily make up a â€Å"banned foods† list. But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you better health–and peace of mind. 1. The Endocrinologist Won’t Eat: Canned Tomatoes Fredrick Vom Saal, is an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A. The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. â€Å"You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,† says vom Saal. â€Å"I won’t go near canned tomatoes. † The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, likeTrader Joe’s and Pomi. Exposure to BPA Causes Permanent Damage In OffSpring 2. The Farmer Won’t Eat: Corn-Fed Beef Joel Salatin is co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming. The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. But more money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. â€Å"We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure,† says Salatin. The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It’s usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don’t see it, ask your butcher. 3. The Toxicologist Won’t Eat: Microwave Popcorn Olga Naidenko, is a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group. The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize–and migrate into your popcorn. â€Å"They stay in your body for years and accumulate there,† says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then. The solution: Pop organic kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix. Make it organic and use coconut oil. If You’re Still Eating Microwave Popcorn, You’re Not Fully Grasping The Health Consequences 4. The Farm Director Won’t Eat: Nonorganic Potatoes Jeffrey Moyer is the chair of the National Organic Standards Board. The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes–the nation’s most popular vegetable–they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. â€Å"Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,† says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc. , the publisher of Prevention). â€Å"I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals. † The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn’t good enough if you’re trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh. Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds. 5. The Fisheries Expert Won’t Eat: Farmed Salmon Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, published a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish. The problem: Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. â€Å"You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,† says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. â€Å"It’s that bad. † Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals. The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon. Farmed Fish vs. Wild Fish: How Healthy Is The Fish At Your Favorite Grocery? 6. The Cancer Researcher Won’t Drink: Milk Produced With Artificial Hormones Rick North is project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society. The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. â€Å"When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,† says North. â€Å"There’s not 100 percent proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,† admits North. â€Å"However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries. † The solution: Buy raw milk or check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products. Why Do Humans Still Drink Milk? 7. The Biotech Specialist Who Won’t Eat Conventional Soy: GMO Unfermented Soy Michael Harris is biotech specialist who has directed several projects within the biotech sector including those for genetically engineered food. He has been a consultant, manager and director for companies such as Xenon Pharmaceuticals and Genon Corporation. The problem: Genetically engineered food is a cause of great concern due to the manipulation of DNA and genetic code including transfers from one species to another. Fermented Soy Is The Only Soy Food Fit for Human Consumption and since almost 90% of soy in the world is genetically modified, if you are not ensuring sources are organic, long-term health problems are inevitable, especially since soy has been found to affect hormonal balance and even cause cancer. The solution: Check labels to ensure soy is Non-GMO or organic and never consume unfermented sources. If possible contact the company to find out exactly where the Non-GMO soy was obtained. 8. The Organic-Foods Expert Won’t Eat: Conventional Apples Mark Kastel, a former executive for agribusiness, is codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods. The problem: If fall fruits held a â€Å"most doused in pesticides contest,† apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. â€Å"Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,† he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease. The solution:Buy organic apples or apples from a farmer that you trust!

A Raisin in the Sun and Brown versus Board of Education :: Race Racial Segregation Lorraine Hansberry

The American Dream Langston Hughes wrote a poem, in 1951, called â€Å"Harlem†. It sums up the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry: â€Å"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore- and the run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?† Lorraine Hansberry uses this poem to open A Raisin in the Sun. This dialogue suggests what happens to the African American’s dream during the Brown v. Board of Education trials. While critiquing this play I was a little disappointed that Brown v. Board of Education was not discussed directly. However, I did find the plot of the play, and the people who were attending it to be very interesting. The plot of A Raisin in the Sun does not directly talk about the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Actually, very little of the play, until the end, deals with any kind of racial segregation. The play revolves around four main characters; Walter, a defiant husband who desperately wants to become rich; Ruth, Walter’s devoted wife; Beneatha, Walters intellectual younger sister, who is much better educated than the others and wants to become a doctor; and Mama, the head of the household, and also Walter and Beneatha’s mother. Mama inherits some money from her dead husbands insurance. With this money she buys a house in an all white community, and gives the rest to Walter. He is instructed to put some money away for Beneatha’s medical school, and the rest into a checking account for himself. Walter, however, desperate to become rich foolishly gives the money to his friend to invest in a liquor store. His so called friend runs off with all of the money Walter gave him. In order to get some money back for Beneatha to go to school, Walter wants to sell the house back to the white community. The community offered the Younger family a lot of money for the house, because they did not want Negroes living next to them. In the end however, Walter, realizes that it is this house that unifies the family and is what truly will make them happy, instead of being rich.

Effects of Peer Pressure on Decision Making Essay

Our Peer-to-Peer interaction affects us every day. From decisions, we make, to the places we go. It is human nature to listen and learn from other people. Though we would like to think we have control over outside influences, studies show that our surroundings play a key role in how we function. Solomon Asch’s (1950) social experiment demonstrated, consumers often modify their responses, consciously or subconsciously, when surrounded by others with conflicting opinions. Peer Pressure is only rising in today’s society; it can’t be escaped! Our teenagers are the most influenced by peer pressure. Peers influence people because they want to fit in, be like peers they admire, do what others are doing, Its only natural for people to identify with and compare themselves to their peers as they consider how they wish to be (or think they should be), or what they want to achieve. see more:negative effects of peer pressure Peer Pressure is essential to social development. Its can’t be escaped! In turn peer pressure can develop a good character, if its learned to be worked the right way. There are 3 main goals that individuals have in the long term: †¢Accuracy – in that individuals seek practical, consistent actions that are reproducible, through the information they already have and the actions that they do. Think of it as a need to achieve goals effectively and with the greatest perceived reward. †¢Affiliation – in that individuals seek gratification that their actions ingratiate them with other individuals. Think of it as a need to create social relationships with others in a meaningful, maintainable manner. †¢Maintenance of a Positive Self-Impression – in that people have a constant want to increase their own self-awareness so that they can feel better about themselves. Think of it as a need to behave in a manner that boosts their pre-existing self image – through action, statement, belief etc.