Ben Franklin Norris

Ben Franklin Norris Essay Benjamin Franklin Norris, one of the leading figures in the naturalistic style of writing, was born in Chicago in 1970. During his teenage years he moved to 1822 Sacramento Street to live with his father in San Francisco. He traveled to Paris and studied Art and was first exposed to one of his influential writers Emile Zola. He returned to San Francisco and studied the philosophy of evolution at the University of California at Berkley. He transferred to Harvard and took writing classes under Lewis E Gates. Upon graduating he attempted to make a name for himself as a travel writer. He traveled to South Africa and wrote an article about the Boer war. His plans to stay there were cut short as he was captured by the Boer army and deported back to the United States. When he returned to San Francisco, Norris began writing for the magazine The Wave. It was at The Wave that he wrote his first published article that later turned into a novel. Norris continued to work as a journalist, covering the Spanish-American war and he published a few more novels. In 1900, he began work on his second trilogy and most influential set of writings called The Epic of Wheat. The first book of his trilogy, The Octopus, was published in 1901. The second novel, The Pitt, was just near finished when he suffered from appendicitis and had to go under the knife to have his appendix removed. Unfortunately he never recovered from his surgery, and the third book of his trilogy was never written. Norris was married to a girl named Jeanette, and had bought a ranch ten miles west of Gilroy, California along route 152. Because of his death, he never got to stay there and continue writing as planned. His body is buried at the foot of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, plot twelve, lot 105, site 11, on the cemetery map. Although Benjamin Franklin Norris, or Frank Norris as his gravestone reads, died at the young age of 32. He still managed to be recognized to be one of the best naturalistic writer s at the turn of the century. Norris had a short life, but it was packed full of things that had a huge impact on him. He witnessed different wars, and the industrial revolution firsthand. As a naturalistic writer, your experiences are what drive your work. Norris writing was very creative as a result of his experiences. You also could tell about his life by looking at the themes in Norris fiction books. A great example of this, is the impact of the industrialization on what he thought of as peaceful agricultural communities. The chaos of the people who lived in those communities was an expression of Norris discomfort of what was going on in his life at that time. These themes are best showcased in his novel, The Octopus. The tentacles of the octopus are a metaphor for the twisting steel tracks of the railroad choking the countryside. Norris got the idea for The Octopus from the Santa Carla valley___ where he stayed on extended vacation. It was that valley where he became aware of t he struggle between the farmers who grew wheat and the railroad monopoly that controlled the transportation of it. In The Octopus, the war is fought out in the open with violence and also behind closed doors with bribes. With this novel, Norris single handedly created a social drama in American literature. This was done through his interpretation of the ruthless era. The Octopus is hailed by many critics as Norris most impressive work or as Warren French said, A magnificent, imaginative achievement, one of the few American novels to bring a significant episode from our history to life. According to Norris, realism is the literature of the normal and the representative. The smaller details of everyday life, things that are likely to happen between lunch and supper. He says naturalism brings together the best from realism, romanticism, while displaying detailed accuracy and philosophical depth. It is a school by itself, unique, somber, powerful beyond words. Its Naturalism NorrisWord s/ Pages : 726 / 24 READ: Quick History Of Art Essay Research Paper

Death Penalty in the United States Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Death Penalty in the United States - Assignment Example Bessler argues, throughout the book, that the American death penalty is not only cruel but also unusual. Bessler claims that the United States’ persistence with the death penalty is simply an escapist measure to avoid dealing with its socioeconomic problems. This article is one of the most intriguing and critical pieces of the American judicial system and death penalty. Boys, a recognized authority on criminology, contends that the death penalty is a retrogressive policy that the country would be better off without. Boys also compare America’s stand on the death penalty to other countries’ citing the fact that it is one of the few world powers that still practice this ‘draconian† policy that is an inhumane solution to managing crime. Brown begins his article by stating that the United States is lagging behind most countries in the world when it comes to the death penalty. In an era in which most countries are abolishing the death penalty, America is still using capital punishment as an excuse for mitigating social and economic problems. Brown also states that the death penalty is a policy that the United States should leave in the age of the founding fathers. In this thought-provoking book, Deger delivers a critical take on capital punishment in the United States and Great Britain. In America, Deger delves into the history and evolution of the death penalty to date, and its impact on American society. Deger argues that the death penalty is nothing more than a blatant disregard for human life that is perpetuated by a fear of change. Lyon begins his book with a discussion of the history of capital punishment in the United States and then delves into an examination of the reasons the death penalty is a constant in the judicial system of most US states.

Wk6 Forum INTL304 HUMINT Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wk6 Forum INTL304 HUMINT - Coursework Example Hungarian refugees were a good intelligence target since they were young and educated. The article notes that processing, resettlement procedures, and the federal government’s views on intelligence exploitation defined the methods of collecting information in this case (Coriden 2011, 1). Apparently, some refugees were willing to give intelligence to western powers in exchange of better treatment and to manifest their patriotism. In this context, the intelligence community depicted a high degree of dedication (Coriden 2011, 1). Nevertheless, the intelligence community encountered the challenge of exploiting the Hungarians despite establishing that most Hungarians crossed the border to seek refuge in the Free World (Coriden 2011, 1). The article notes that the ability of the intelligence community to collate and digest loads of information helped in filling major gaps in intelligence information (Coriden 2011, 1). From the article, I learn that intelligence agents or officers must understand the characteristics of human nature that include emotions, intentions and motivations of people. I also learnt that a young and educated population is a good intelligence target. Additionally, the intelligence community should work as a team since human intelligence can help in developing and maintaining foreign and national security. I learnt about the need for effective methods of collecting information. Dedication and professionalism are important aspects in human intelligence. Moreover, the intelligence community should aim gathering the information at a minimum cost and with utmost respect for the rules of human conduct. Coriden, Guy. 2011. Report On Hungarian Refugees. Central Intelligence Agency, Aug 03. https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol2no1/html/v02i1a07p_0001.htm (accessed February 12,