Essays - More Capital Punishment and Less Taxes :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Essays - More Capital Punishment and Less Taxes More than 13,000 people have been legally executed since colonial times, most of them in the early 20th Century. By the 1930s, as many as 150 people were executed each year. However, public outrage and legal challenges caused the practice to come to a halt. By 1967, capital punishment had virtually halted in the United States, pending the outcome of several court challenges. Since our nation's founding, the government, colonial, federal and state, has punished murder and, until recent years, rape with the ultimate sanction: death. I think that the nation should still actively use this form of punishment when necessary. More than 2,000 people are on "death row" today. Virtually all are poor, a significant number are mentally retarded or otherwise mentally disabled, more than 40 percent are African American, and a inappropriate number are Native American, Latino and Asian. Does the Death Penalty deter crime, especially murder? No, there is no credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime. States that have death penalty laws do not have lower crime rates or murder rates than states without such laws. And states that have abolished capital punishment, or instituted it, show no significant changes in either crime or murder rates. Don't murderers deserve to die? Certainly, in general, the punishment should fit the crime. But in civilized society, we reject the "eye for an eye" principle of literally doing to criminals what they do to their victims: The penalty for rape cannot be rape, or for arson, the burning down of the arsonist's house. We should, therefore, punish the murderer with death along with all other heinous crimes. If execution is unacceptable, what is the alternative? Incapacitation. Convicted murderers can be sentenced to lengthy prison terms, including life, as they are in countries and states that have abolished the death penalty. Most state laws allow life sentences for murder that severely limit or eliminate the e possibility of parole. At least ten states have life sentences without the possibility of parole for 20, 25, 30 or 40 years, and at least 18 states have life sentences with no possibility of parole. A recent U. S. Justice Department study of public attitudes about crime and punishment found that a majority of Americans support alternatives to capital punishment: When people were presented the facts about several crimes for which death was a possible punishment, a majority chose lengthy prison sentences as alternatives to the death penalty. Maybe it used to happen that innocent people were mistakenly executed, but hasn't that possibility been eliminated?

Romanticism in Friedrich’s “The Monk by the Sea”

Darkness, emotions, and mysticism—these are just some of the terms that can be used to describe Friedrich’s â€Å"The Monk by the Sea. † Produced in 1809, this oil on canvass ideally characterizes the period to which the artist belongs: the Romanticism. With its subject, color, style, and theme, the artist successfully evokes the main tenets common during the Romantic Age. Formalist and thematic analyses of the work can lead modern viewers to a better understanding of the work and the message that the artist wants to convey. Brief Background Caspar David Friedrich was a German painter born in 1774 in Greifswald, Germany. Despite poverty, the artist received formal art study from artist Johann Gottfried Quistorp, who conducted art sessions outdoors. Exposure to the local color and environment thus helped the artist master the art of landscape. His paintings, which generally reveal tenets of the Romantic Age, make him â€Å"one of the most important artists during his time. † (Vaughan, 1972, 65). Particularly, as Murray (2004, 338) notes, his landscapes direct â€Å"the viewer's gaze towards†¦ metaphysical dimension†. His seascape titled, â€Å"Monk by the Sea† won admiration even from the 15-year-old King Frederick III Wilhelm of Prussia, whose purchase in 1810 declared the artist’s work as his masterpiece. Analysis of Form A formalist analysis of the painting suggests the artist’s overall craftsmanship. Minimalism best defines the style that the artist employed in his work. Basically, the image of the monk, which appears very minimal and solitary, helps achieve emphasis on the subject. The minimalist use of a variety of colors for the whole background readily implies the contrast between darkness and light that the artist wants to portray. Specifically, the submission of darkness to light or vice versa narrows down the color and texture of the painting. This minimalism of color and structure thus allows the author to present some characteristics ideal to Romantic art. The whole image can be divided horizontally into three different parts, namely, the sky, the sea, and the land. The great expanse of the sky, which covers at least â€Å"five-sixths of the canvass† (Web Gallery of Art, n. d. ), attracts attention considering the light it sheds on the whole image. Through devoting much space to the sky, the artist achieves artistic drama, which is very typical of the Romantic Movement. Specifically, the center clouds where a rich combination of colors is applied, capture the motion of light breaking into the darkness and at the same time the darkness eating up the light. Such drama found in nature suggests some Romantic thoughts that draw out sentimentality from the audience. Depicting the sea with great darkness, Friedrich made it a point to limit this part to at least one-eights of the canvass. This allows the other images, such as the sky, the land, and the monk to take form, while it allows the purpose of showing the location of the monk at the same time. On the one hand, the element of darkness suggests the artist’s tendency to contemplate on the darkness of nature and its mystery. On the other, it also suggests the themes of death and the obscure, which other painters similarly dealt on during this time (i. e. Goya, Delaroix). The monk standing by the sea seems lost and forlorn, thus unable to see the great storm coming. In a description by Marie von Kugelgen, one of Friedrich’s followers, the lady wrote to her friend Friederike Volkmann: â€Å"A vast endless expanse of sky †¦ still, no wind, no moon, no storm – indeed a storm would have been some consolation for then one would at least see life and movement†¦ On the unending sea there is no boat, no ship, not even a sea monster, [which] make the loneliness even more desolate and horrible† (Web Gallery of Art). This clearly shows the initial attention that the work garnered from the public. Widely recognized for the great landscapes he formerly depicted, the artist must have surprised his followers with the dark portrayal of the sea coupled by the view of the monk who seems to submit himself unrelentingly to the vast rupturing sky and the deep dark sea in front of him. Nevertheless, the purchase of King Frederick III Wilhelm helped the work gain much favor it deserved. Later on, Clemens Brentano’s description of the work suggests the acceptance of the work by the public. From the horrible experience the work evoked in Kugelgen, Brentano notes the splendid, infinite loneliness of the monk by the shore (Held, 2003). This shows the public’s appreciation of the work, following its acceptance by the king. In Brentano’s critique, we may note the contemporary viewer’s appreciation of the work, despite the loneliness it presents. This also shows the ability of the viewer to relate to the monk’s experience, thus reflecting the positive attitude toward the theme of death, which other Romantic artists and writers demonstrate in their works. Further to the thematic analysis of the work, one can perceive the artist’s idea of communing with nature. The idea of the monk leaving the monastery in order to enjoy or contemplate the quietness and simplicity of nature strongly suggests a Romantic attitude. However, aside from portraying the greatness of nature, the view also shows that while the Romanticists regard nature as beautiful and powerful, they also view it with â€Å"sensuous nuance. † The dark colors of the sky and the sea imply the coming of a destructive storm. This reflects Friedrich’s attempt to break the usual concept of a beautiful sky at midday. Anticipating the great storm, the audience may feel a certain concern for the monk, some anxiety that destructs quiet contemplation. In addition, the combination of darkness and light yields the artist’s spontaneity and freedom. Since the monk is the only figure meant to appear at vertical angle, the rest of the image appears to be painted with free hand and brushstrokes that conjure at some point with a vanishing effect in the light colors of the sky. Furthermore, the solitariness of the monk asserts the Romantic idea of individualism. Using the monk as subject reveals Friedrich’s attempt to explore on the thoughts and emotions of a common man. Normally looked upon for their wisdom and strength, the image of the monk amid the darkness and light somehow distracts the idea of perfection among the religious members of the society. This characteristic adheres to the Romantic Age by the artist’s â€Å"rejection of traditional values of social structure and religion. (Worldwide Art Resources Web Site, n. d. ) Through the use of nature, the artist reveals the monk’s seeming confusion and loneliness as he casts view at the sea. Although the audience may have different perceptions of the experience that the monk undergoes, the image nevertheless suggests the imperfection in the life of a monk, the loneliness that they undergo, and the need to take part in the usual activity of nature. Centering on a single hero, the w ork portrays the individual struggle of every monk. By making the monk turn his back from the audience, the artist portrays his contemplation. More importantly, however, this portrayal makes the monk anonymous. Depicting a monk in this way makes his experience—his struggles and loneliness—universal in nature. It also suggests the commonness of the place, the scenery, and the emotion, to which viewers can possibly relate. Brentano’s description of the work reflects the artist’s successful attempt to make the meaning universal. According to the author, the scenery allows the viewers to relate to the scene, making one feel that â€Å"one has gone there, that one must return, that one would like to cross over†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This implies that despite the centrality of the work to the image of the monk, the audience can still relate to the contemplative experience that Friedrich depicts. The universality of the subject and the surroundings makes one long to reflect on a similar struggle the audience may have had at certain points in their lives. Another Romantic characteristic that the work reflects is the artist’s interest in the mystical aspect of life, which he portrays through the mysterious and vast skies and the dark sea. As Brentano claims, these evoke mixed feelings, â€Å"from the horror of one viewer, comes a grayness of the other† (Held, 2003, 84). Such combination of emotions that the artist draws from the audience signifies its successful portrayal of the mystical motifs in life, such as the union between darkness and light, the Apocalyptic view of the skies, and the solitude that such a view creates in everyone who witnesses it. Showing the figure of the monk amid the chaotic tendency of nature suggests the mystic relation among God’s creation. Overall, the structure and theme that Friedrich employs in his work consistently reflect valuable characteristics of Romantic art. Up to now, the darkness, emotions, and mysticism that the artist projects through his choice of subject, color combination, tone and structure still provide the modern audience with the same experience that viewers of the painting had in 1809.

Emotions Essay examples - 834 Words

Emotions No matter how hard you try, you cannot control your emotions, only attempt to hide them. Emotions influence every aspect of our lives, what we do, what we say, and et cetera. All of our emotions, from anger to insecurity, are influenced by several factors, just as our lives are influenced by our emotions (Gelinas, Emotions 35). First of all, it causes problems when one does not trust himself, and it shows up in many ways. Some people brag to call attention to themselves, causing others to believe that the egoistic person has a lot of self-respect. Very often though, egotism can be an attempt to cover up insecurity in a person who does not feel they will be good enough without it (Gelinas, Emotions 36).†¦show more content†¦Many factors influence anger. Most anger is caused by a situation that makes one feel uncomfortable (Licata 14). This uncomfortable feeling could also be described as feeling threatened. Feeling threatened could lead to angry feelings because a threat can cause harm. Things that could make one feel threatened include disapproval, betrayal, deprivation, exploitation, manipulation, frustration, violence, and humiliation (Gaylin 95). One has their own ways of handling anger, most of which are unhealthy. Denial is one way of handling anger by using self-deception. In denial, one does not allow themselves to register a feeling that is threatening in one way or another (Gaylin 96). Bigotry is another way of handling anger. â€Å"A person that is prone to anger must create an object to be angry at. Therefore, the object of the anger is not the cause of the bigot’s pain, but the solution† (Gaylin 114). Anger can sometimes turn into hate. Some different terms for hate could be annoyance, irritation, hostility, or maliciousness. Some of the â€Å"symptoms† of hate include wanting to hurt, humiliate, damage, destroy, threaten, and wanting to seek revenge on someone. Some people try to justify their actions by having the motive of wanting to destroy to rebuild on a stronger foundation (Gelinas, Anger 12). There are fiveShow MoreRelatedEmotions, Emotions And Emotions Essay1988 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction ​Emotions are what drive us towards our peers, and they can be defined subjective states that trigger reactions reaction to either external or internal stimuli. On the other hand, these emotions should never be confused with feelings since these two terms form a distinct meaning and implications. Feelings tend to be brief while emotions have lasting impacts on the lives of individuals. Indeed, moods are strongly affected by our emotions rather than by our feelings. ​Furthermore, emotions areRead MoreEmotions, Emotion, And Expression Of Emotion849 Words   |  4 Pagesand they are able to do so through expressing their emotions. Their emotions depict how they feel about a particular situation or action. 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