Peter Matthiessen, Lyrical Writer and Naturalist, Is Dead at 86

Peter Matthiessen, a popular author well-known both for his fiction and non-fiction, died on April 5 in his home in Sagaponack, N.Y., at the age of 86. The cause of death, according to his son Alex, was leukemia – he was diagnosed with it about a year ago. The admirers of his creative work can get a last taste of his writing from his final novel, â€Å"In the Paradise†, which has been published by Riverhead Books shortly afterwards. Peter Matthiessen has been known not only as a prolific fiction and non-fiction writer, but also as an enthusiastic naturalist, and indeed, the majority of his writings in this or that way were dedicated to this one passion: he at great length explored the far corners of the world untouched by civilization and often put the protagonists of his books into them. He was a man of many talents and many interests, ranging from literature and journalism to Zen Buddhism; he was even at a certain period of time an undercover agent for the Central Intelligence Agency. But whatever were his other interests, the main passion of his life was still writing. He also travelled far and wide, visiting the most remote locations of all parts of the world, thus giving himself a lot of subject material for his books. Peter Matthiessen wrote more than 30 books, most often based on his travels, for example, to the Himalayas (â€Å"The Snow Leopard†), Peru (â€Å"At Play in the Fields of the Lord†), the Caribbean (â€Å"Far Tortuga†) to name a few. The vast majority of these books are non-fiction, but the author himself always considered them nothing more than a work of a craftsman, while thinking about his fiction to be his real accomplishments. According to Matthiessen himself, nonfiction at its best is like fashioning a cabinet, while fiction is sculpture – and as such, real art. And this estimation is made not only by him, but by a number of literary critics as well. For example, Matthiessen’s biographer, William Dowie, compares him to such literary titans as Herman Melville, Joseph Conrad and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. He started his literary endeavors pretty early in his life: as an undergraduate of Yale (where he majored in English and later taught creative writing for a little while) he won a prestigious Atlantic Prize for a short story. However, for quite some time his later work was left almost unnoticed, until he wrote â€Å"Wildlife in America†, which attracted the attention of The New Yorker editor William Shawn, who hired Matthiessen to travel around the world and write about endangered wilds, thus determining the major direction of his work throughout his later life.

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Symbolism Essay - 1130 Words

Symbolism Motifs within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is apparent that the author uses two dynamic literary devices to express and portray the importance of them within the narrative. These literary devices add to the text and correlate to broader themes within the tale. The use of symbolism and themes play a significant role within the poem because they represent abstract concepts, as well as shows how fundamental the theme of the poem is. Within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the audience observes the use of symbolism through the green girdle.Whereas, the theme can be identified through the changing of time. Overall the use of symbolism and themes are imperative within the poem†¦show more content†¦The men in Arthur’s court recognize Gawain’s mistake and decide to wear silk baldrics to support him and his message. By the end, the girdle symbolizes integrity instead of Gawain’s disgrace. Within the poem, the green girdle plays an imperative role because it symbolizes Gawains growth as a character. As well as shows how he learns to reclaim his honor and respect, all which can be interpreted by the readers perspective on the girdle. Within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is apparent that the theme of time governs the structure of the text. On New Year’s Eve, during the feast at King Arthur’s court, Gawain accepts the game offered to Arthur by the Green Knight. The Knight allows whoever accepts the challenge to strike him with his own axe. Gawain strikes, and now must be meet the Green Knight at the Green Chapel in a year and a day, from there the poem begins to be structured by time. In the beginning of part two, the poet illustrates the changing of the seasons, this imagery perceives Gawain’s departure fromShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay1975 Words   |  8 PagesSymbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight From the first time I read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight I have been troubled by the question of whether or not Sir Gawain was right or wrong in lying in order to keep the girdle and save his life. He was torn between honesty and his own life. The question he was forced to ask himself was what did he value more: his honesty or his life? Many scholars have struggled with this question for centuries, as well as the questions of why Gawain made theRead MoreOutline Of Grendel And The Green Knight1013 Words   |  5 PagesGrendel and the Green Knight I. Introduction II. Grendel’s Malicious Ways a. Why He Does What He Does b. Grendel’s Demise c. Symbol Grendel Wishes To Represent III. Green Knight’s Ways a. The Challenge at Hand b. Results of the Conflict c. Sir Gawain’s Repentance of Shame IV. The Unseen Pattern a. Beowulf’s Lesson? b. Sir Gawain’s Lesson c. Who gets more out of the Journey? V. Conclusion Russ Williams 19 September 2015 Dr. Daniel Pigg Out of Class Essay #1 Grendel and the Green Knight After goingRead MoreThe Audience, the Pentagle and the Green Sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1547 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Green Sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Works Cited Missing Although some early manuscripts of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight still exist, nothing, beyond speculation, is known about the poet, which is a pity when considering its rich language and imagery. Believed to have been written between 1375 and 1400, and some 2500 lines long, the unknown poet blent a unique mixture of chivalry, the Beheading Game and the temptation of a knight called Sir GawainRead MoreAnalysis Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1480 Words   |  6 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight is an Arthurian romance that is one of the first to highlight women’s roles during the period of change that comes with King Arthur’s demise. Culturally, during the time period, women had little perceived power. Women were treated well and often idolized, but they remained in a male-dominated society, where they were not respected as their own capable beings. 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In this light, _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_ presents both a nostalgic support of the feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes, which, if left unchecked will lead to its ultimate destruction. I would suggest that the women in the story are the Gawain poets primary instruments in this critique andRead More Epic of Beowulf Essay1818 Words   |  8 Pageseven more fantastic. Every further mention of romance will refer to all of these ideas, the way it did when the term was introduced into english. If all things are to be considered this short essay would turn into a book. I would like to compare and contrast Beowulf, Lanval, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with some of the modern day creations especially in looking at the values, and belief systems in all of the three â€Å"classic† stories. I will apologize in advance to those who will read this andRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesmeasures—test scores and grades—were most important Ohio Wesleyan University Writing Center  © 2011 Page 1 and used the statement of purpose for borderline decisions. However, of liberal arts faculty who responded, approximately half valued the essays as much as other parts of the application package. ï‚ · Determine the importance of the mentor system. The importance of the statement of purpose increases, as Robert M. Brown notes, at institutions with strong mentoring programs ―because it is the only

The Individual, Marriage, and the Family Free Essays

string(63) " asked to leave if you are engaging in any of these behaviors\." Instructor: Mrs. Joy Jacobs, CFCS, MAEd (â€Å"Mrs. J. We will write a custom essay sample on The Individual, Marriage, and the Family or any similar topic only for you Order Now †) E-mail address: jacobsj@msu. edu Please always use â€Å"HDFS 145†³ on the subject line when you e-mail. Office hours: Mrs. J. will be in the classroom one half hour before and will stay after class until all students are gone, or you may make an appointment with her. Go to this website: https://ntweb11. ais. msu. edu/aas/ Because of advising responsibilities, she is not available for walk-in appointments and she cannot take phone calls from students. She HATES playing â€Å"phone tag†, so please do not try to leave phone messages in her office! Undergraduate Learning Assistants who will be helping with this class: Abbey Feldpausch feldpa62@msu. edu Keeps track of students whose last names begin with A through K Carly Lesoski lesoskic@msu. edu Keeps track of students whose last names begin with L through Z Office hours: Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 PM in the Student Lounge, Room 4 Human Ecology Two Required Texts (bundled together if purchasing new): The Marriage and Family Experience (11th edition) by Bryan Strong, Christine DeVault, Ted Cohen, Cengage Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Publishers (Do NOT let a book store employee tell you that the 10th edition is OK. The reading assignments will not make sense if you have the 10th edition. ) and FCE 145 Additional Readings supplemental text Custom Editor Steve Korb, Cengage Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Publishers The study guide to the Strong DeVault text is not recommended nor required, This class uses the ANGEL class management program. The syllabus, handouts, and some announcements will be posted on ANGEL, although some times you may will be contacted directly via e-mail. If you forward your MSU mail to another e-mail service, be certain that the transfer is working. You are responsible for knowing the content posted on ANGEL and e-mailed to your MSU e-mail address. Course Description: â€Å"The Individual, Marriage, and the Family† is one of several undergraduate courses offered in the area of family life by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. In this class we use a developmental approach, presenting individual, marriage, and family life cycles with special emphasis on the late adolescent and early adult years. This is a survey course over topics regarding maturation, intimate relationships, and families. Issues to be covered include the development of the person, of relationships, and of families; issues of gender, sexuality, child development, and parenting; methods of communication; work and family interface; and developing family strengths. An emphasis is placed on understanding diverse family types. You will be expected to learn basic concepts related to families, to understand specific developmental issues of both individuals and families, and to gain a level of tolerance for different perspectives. You will be provided opportunities to explore your personal values. In addition, specific methods will be taught that you may use to enhance your own personal relationships. Course Format: This course will use a variety of teaching techniques including lecture, discussion, videotape, and in-class individual and group assignments which will play a role in challenging you to develop different ways of thinking about various issues and to appreciate the opinions of your classmates. If you want to do well in this class, you will read the assignments, and ESPECIALLY, you will attend class. This class is a collaborative process and necessitates a commitment from all of us to properly prepare for each class session. There are many important topics in the areas of marriage and the family, however, there is not sufficient time to include all of them. Subject matter and activities are selected in an effort to be meaningful to people of college age, and to enhance their personal development. Course Objectives: 1. To gain both historic perspective and an accurate contemporary outlook of the demographic, political, social, and economic status of individuals and families. 2. To examine personal and societal attitudes, assumptions, and values about intimate relationships and families. 3. To examine the range of lifestyle options available to young adults. Special attention will be given to intimate relationships and to the social forces of the young adult period of life. 4. To appreciate the diversity of ethnicity, gender, religion, and social class which is represented in our society, and to gain an accurate perspective of the challenges and strengths of diverse people. 5. To examine key family issues such as communication, parenting, and the balance of work and family. -26. To develop an accurate understanding of the problems/challenges that some families confront, including but not limited to relationship violence, infertility, divorce, single parenting and child custody. 7. To gain an appreciation for and an understanding of intimate relationships over the entire life cycle. 8. To gain interpersonal skills working with others involving discussion, compromise, and evaluation. Attendance: It will be to your advantage to attend all class sessions, to be on time, and to remain in class for the entire session to learn from the lectures and to have the opportunity to do and to receive credit for the assignments. Absences for illness, for family emergencies, or for religious observances may be excused, but you must e-mail Mrs. J. BEFORE THE START TIME (8:30 AM) of the class you are going to miss. (See â€Å"Make-Up Policies† on page 3. ) Absence from class because of participation in a required activity for another course or for a University event (a field trip, an intercollegiate athletic contest, etc. ), will be excused, but you must provide written information in advance from the athletic advisor, the instructor of the other course, or from a University administrator. You must make arrangements with another student to look over his/her lecture notes when you miss class. Student Behavior: Your conduct in class must be quiet, attentive, and respectful toward your fellow students and the instructor. Reading the paper, working crossword puzzles, playing games on your laptop, talking to class mates, sleeping, or using a cell phone or PDA during class is rude and unprofessional, and you may be asked to leave if you are engaging in any of these behaviors. You read "The Individual, Marriage, and the Family" in category "Family" No credit would be given to you for an in-class activity if one is offered during that particular class session. ) If you are expecting an important cell phone call, please set your phone to vibrate, and leave the classroom to take care of your call. Academic Honesty: The Department of Human Development and Family Studies adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in the All-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarsh ips and Grades at http://www. reg. msu. edu/read/UCC/Updated/integrityofgrades. pdf We expect students to behave ethically, and will not tolerate dishonesty. For example, a student who would photocopy another student’s make-up assignment paper or cheat on an examination would receive no credit for the assignment or exam which will be counted as one of the scores used in figuring the student’s final grade, and notification will be made to the student’s College Dean. A student who commits a second offense will receive a grade of 0. 0 for the course. Selling or Buying Class Notes: Lectures and supporting materials distributed or exhibited in this course include intellectual property protected by copyright law. It is against University policy for any student to sell or profit from the transmission or reproduction of these materials (whether directly to other students, by contract with third parties, or through commercial note-taking services) without the express written permission of the instructor. The relevant MSU policy about attendance and class notes is found at http://www. reg. msu. edu/read/UCC/Updated/attendance. pdf Students who provide class materials to anyone for profit are subject to removal from class, pending a hearing by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Accommodations for Disabilities: If you have a disability (dyslexia, ADD, hearing difficulty, sight limitation, etc. ) and expect preferential treatment, you must register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities and submit to Mrs. J. the official â€Å"VISA† with a counselor’s suggestions for reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with RCPD, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY). We work closely with the counselors to do whatever we can to help RCPD students succeed. Evaluation for Grades: Syllabus Quiz: Posted on ANGEL is a quiz which we will discuss during the first class session. Your syllabus quiz scantron is due in class any time before, but not later than, 8:30 AM Tuesday, September 18. Examinations: Questions are about 50% from lectures and 50% from text and ANGEL information. We ask that you be in the classroom by 8:45 AM on exam days to have enough time to finish the exams. There will be one exam over each quarter of the course and an optional comprehensive final. If you take all five exams, only your four highest exam scores will be used when we figure final grades. Exams are computer scored, and results are sent directly to you from the computer scoring center. Activities/Assignments: During six class sessions (unannounced), we will do assignments which will enhance learning. You may be asked to write a â€Å"five-minute paper† expressing your opinion about a current event, to work with another student to debate a topic and list your combined conclusions, or to answer questions and provide an ending to a case study. You will print your last name and PID on the upper right-hand corner of your activity paper. A point will be deducted from your score if your last name and PID are not in the upper right-hand corner of your paper. We must have both a paper with -3your last name and PID and a completed scantron with your name and PID â€Å"bubbled in† for you to receive credit for an assignment. If we do not have both, you do not receive credit. For each activity, you may earn up to fifteen points. (You would receive fewer points if instructions are not followed completely or if your response is insufficient. ) Some activities will be based on personal opinion, however, your responses should always demonstrate understanding of class concepts. On some activity days, score sheets will be passed out as you enter the classroom. On those days, you must arrive at the classroom by 8:45 AM to receive a 15-point scantron for an activity. Students who arrive between 15 and 30 minutes late will receive no more than half credit. Students arriving more than 30 minutes late will receive no scantron, and no credit for doing the activity, although they may do it if they wish. Our learning assistants go by the time on the clock on the back wall of our classroom. Please do not argue with them about the time you entered the classroom. If you must leave a class early, let Mrs. J. now before class starts or give your name, e-mail address and reason for leaving to one of the learning assistants as you exit the classroom. If an activity is planned and your excuse is reasonable, you will be sent a make-up assignment. Community Service Assignment: This assignment is not just to volunteer. It is to serve others. To earn full credit, you must work for at least four hours for a program, agency or organization where you can make a difference by your work, and you must write an acceptable reflection paper about the experience. More information on the assignment is on our ANGEL site. If you have an idea for your service but you are concerned about its acceptability for the assignment, please check with Mrs. J. BEFORE you participate in the activity. We strongly suggest that you not put off doing your service, because your schedule will become busier as the semester passes. Examples of service accepted in the past includes running or helping with the MSU Museum Dinosaur Dash or a fund raiser walk for breast cancer, work at an animal shelter, and tutoring elementary students one-on-one. Volunteer activities such as directing traffic for the Homecoming Parade, setting up chairs for a fraternity party, or decorating a church’s Christmas tree are NOT acceptable. MSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement is a good place to find a service opportunity. Make-Up Policies: A make-up assignment will be given if you e-mail Mrs. J. BEFORE the 8:30 AM start time of the class you will miss with the reason you will be absent, or if you check out with one of the student assistants to leave class early. If your reason is acceptable, you will be e-mailed a make-up assignment. If you miss a class but do not notify Mrs. J. before the class, you must have medical documentation or other acceptable proof that you were where you said you were, and you must notify Mrs. J. within two weeks of the missed class. Make-up activities must be turned in by the due date listed on the activity (two weeks from the day missed). Each student will be given one â€Å"free† assignment make-up, if the reason for absence is justifiable. You must notify Mrs. J via e-mail within two weeks of the missed class. If you must miss an exam, send Mrs. J. an e-mail before 8:30 AM on the exam day with your reason for missing. Exceptions may be made if you are not able to notify her. Exams are made up during the learning assistants’ office hours and should be done within two weeks of the missed exam day. Receiving Your Scores: You will receive your exam scores via e-mail from the Computer Scoring Center within 24-48 hours. Assignments are hand-graded, so you will not receive those scores as quickly. Please allow a week. ) The e-mail you receive from the Computer Center will say that the sender is Mrs. J. This score report will show the number of points earned for a particular assignment or exam, and also, at the very bottom, will show your cumulative points. After each exam, print and save the report you receive because it shows your answer to each question, and will be useful if you want to review the exam during the helpers’ office hours. Mrs. J does not receive this report, so there is no way to get another copy if you do not save it yourself. Points Possible: Syllabus quiz @20 points Exams @ 65 points – 5 given, but only 4 are counted Six activities/assignments @ 15 points Community service assignment Total 20 points 260 points 90 points 30 points 400 points (100%) -4- About 65% of your final grade comes from the exams, and about 35% of your final grade comes from the rest of the class (syllabus quiz, in-class activity assignments, and the community service assignment). There will be several additional questions on each exam and we will do two 5-point â€Å"bonus† assignments to enable all students to earn some extra points. In reality, at least 25 points of extra credit will be built in to the class and are available to every student. No student will be given any other kind of extra credit—please do not ask at the end of the semester. Scale for Final Grades: *** 400 points is 100% *** 374 total points or more 354 through 373 points 334 through 353 points 314 through 333 points 294 through 313 points 274 through 293 points 254 through 273 points 253 and below 4. 0 3. 5 3. 0 2. 5 2. 0 1. 5 1. 0 0. 0 At the end of the semester, the score report total from the computer center will include all five exam scores if you have taken all five. You must then subtract your lowest exam score from the total to figure your final score for the course. It is to your advantage to take all five exams, since you cannot hurt your grade by doing so. ~~~~~~~ Michigan State University takes seriously the opinion of students in the evaluation of the effectiveness of instruction, and has implemented the SIRS (Student Instructional Rating System) process to gather student feedback. This course utilizes the â€Å"online SIRS† system. You will receive an e-mail sometime during the last two weeks of class asking you to fill out the SIRS online form at your convenience. MSU’s Thanksgiving break starts at 5 PM Wednesday 11/21. The community service assignment is due as you enter the classroom on Tuesday, 11/27. Papers turned in after 8:30 AM this day will earn no more than half credit. Chapter 8, p. 293 â€Å"Middle-Aged Marriages† to end Chapter 10, p. 370 â€Å"Parenting and Caregiving†¦.. † to end Death dying Exam #4 Chapter 10, p. 347 â€Å"Infant Mortality† to p. 349 â€Å"Giving Birth† Over all information since Exam #3 Make-up assignments for any time during the last two weeks are due as you enter the classroom today. No make-ups will be accepted after 8:30 AM this date. Fri. 12/14 Final Exam – OPTIONAL 7:45 to 9:45 AM Same room where class meets. We will be ready to start early at 7:30 AM. The final exam is comprehensive, over all information since the beginning of the semester. Please do not ask to take the final exam early. The University sets the final exam schedule and exceptions are made by a University committee, not by the instructor. If you will want to take this final exam to try to improve your grade, do not plan to leave campus before exam week is over unless you can come back Friday morning to take the exam. HDFS 145 Community Service Assignment Instructions Most of our students have found a real sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in this assignment. You are to find a service opportunity at a program, agency or organization where you can do something meaningful for your community. You will then write a â€Å"reflection† paper about your experience. You may find your own service opportunity or ask for help at the MSU Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement in the Student Services Building. The Center has over 300 registered agencies and programs in the local area where students are welcome for community service. Their website is: http://www. servicelearning. msu. edu/ however, most students find going to the Center is preferable to trying to navigate the website. Your work must be done between the first day of class and the first day back after Thanksgiving break (Tuesday, November 27). Acceptable assignments turned in before 8:30 AM on Tuesday, October 2, will earn five bonus points. Community service you might have done previously (for example, as part of your high school graduation requirements) is not acceptable. The purpose of this assignment is to do something to benefit your community, not just to volunteer. A service assignment for another class (for example, an ISS class or HDFS 270) or for your athletic team may not be appropriate for this class, although if the service meets our requirements, you may use it. If you are unsure about the service opportunity you are considering, please e-mail Mrs. J before you spend time doing something that will not be acceptable. We do not want you to lost points on this assignment because you did not meet the requirements. A few examples of unacceptable assignments: directing traffic for the Homecoming parade; decorating a church Christmas tree; speaking to students at your former high school about your life in college; helping at your aunt’s daycare; helping coach at an athletic competition of your former high school or club athletic team A few examples of acceptable assignments: participating in or passing out water to runners in a 5K run to benefit cancer research; cleaning cages at an animal shelter; tutoring elementary students in math or reading; sorting and packing food at the MSU Food Pantry; helping prepare and serve a meal at a homeless shelter; being a â€Å"running buddy† at a Special Olympics track meet To prove your service, print and take with you the Community Service Assignment form on ANGEL, and ask whoever supervises your work to fill it out and to sign it. This will be the first part of the â€Å"proof† of service you turn in to receive points for this assignment. The second part is a reflection paper you will write (one page, size ten font, double-spaced, name and PID in top right corner) explaining your service and reflecting on your feelings about helping your community. Service required is a minimum of four hours. Students who work less time will not earn full points. If your program, agency or organization cannot use you for four hours at one time, you may do two sessions of service or you may work at two different places. In the second case, you should fill out a form for each service opportunity, but you need to write only one paper (turn all pages in at the same time, please). You may not earn extra points for this assignment by working extra hours, however, you may earn five extra points by turning in the assignment by 8:30 AM on Tuesday, October 2. If you want to wait and do your service in your home community over the Thanksgiving break, you might want to check with Mrs. J first to be sure the agency, program or organization you are considering will meet the requirements for the assignment. We recommend that you set up your service before you go home. Don’t wait until you get home to look for something to do! When you turn in your assignment to one of the helpers, you will be asked to fill out a special scantron. Community Service Assignments will be graded by the end of the semester, and the scantrons will be run at the same time scantrons for the fourth exam are run. How to cite The Individual, Marriage, and the Family, Essays