Analysis Of Critical Analysis Of Leaves Of Grass By Walt Whitman Essay

Analysis Of Critical Analysis Of Leaves Of Grass By Walt Whitman Alex Perez Perez 1 Mrs. Michels 05/00 Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman In the twentieth century, the name Walt Whitman has been synonymous with poetry. Whitman's most celebrated work, Leaves of Grass, was the only book he ever wrote, and he took a lifetime to write it. A large assortment of poems, it is one of the most widely criticized works in literature, and one of the most loved works as well. Whitman was unmarried and childless, and it has been noted that Leaves of Grass consumed him greatly; James E. Miller Jr. writes: he guided his poetic offspring through an uncertain, hesitant childhood, a lusty young manhood, and a serene old age?it is difficult to write the life of Whitman without writing instead of the life and times of his book?Whitman was the kind of parent who lives his life through his child.? (Miller 15) The ?poetic offspring? that Miller writes of is of course Leaves of Grass. Whitman poured his soul into the work, as he questioned himself and observed his demeanor through his writing. He ?fathered? the tome, as after its initial publishing Whitman went on to release revision after revision as time progressed. Miller goes on to reflect on Whitman's methods, as he tells the reader of Whitman's curiosity towards life, particularly curious about his own meaning in the world in which he lived. ?Like any individual of depth and complexity, Whitman was continuously curious about who he was?(he had) a lusty enthusiasm, a hearty relish for life lived at all times to its fullest intensity.? (Miller 17) The life Whitman lived ?to its fullest intensity? started in West Hills, Long Island, May 31, 1819. He was one of nine children to Walter and Louisa Whitman, his father a farmer and his mother a devout Quaker. Quakerism was the only religious inheritance the Perez 2 family passed on to Walt, and, as Miller notes, could also be seen later in his famous ?sea-poem?. ?Out of the cradle endlessly rocking, Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle, Out of the Ninth-month midnight? Passage to more than India! Of secret of the earth and sky! Of you o waters of the sea! O winding creeks and rivers!? O day and night, passage to you!' (Whitman 180-294) ?His use of ?thee' and ?thou' in his poetry, his reference to the months by their sequential number (?ninth month' for September), and his instinctive adoption of the inner light?all of these Walt could trace back to his Quaker background.? (Miller 17) This Quakerism also contributed to the style of Leaves, told with certain closeness and a certain emphasis paralleling that of a preacher. Miller comments on this style: ?His was a day of evangelism and oratory. As a child he was no doubt frequently exposed to both. The passionate intimacy and pleading of many lines in Leaves of Grass could?have been used by an itinerant preacher (Miller 43) Aside from his Quaker traces, Leaves of Grass has been criticized as being an extension of Whitman's life. Just as Miller described the work as Whitman's child, John Kinnaird comments on the great level of importance at which Whitman held his masterpiece: Leaves of Grass suggests so much of the original existential Whitman that criticism must continue to recover and understand, particularly since this is the first poet who ever insisted that his book was in reality no book.? (Kinnaird 24) Kinnaird reinforces the criticism of Miller Jr. as he emphasizes the autobiographical and introspective nature of Leaves. It seems that Whitman used this work as a release, and Perez 3 had a marvelous interpretation of life in general. He also had a unique estimation of poetry itself. In his introduction to Leaves of Grass he writes: ?The power to destroy or remold, is freely used by him (the greatest poet) but never the power of attack. What is past is past. If he does not expose superior models and prove himself by every step he takes he is not what is wanted.? (Whitman 8) The introduction from which the passage was taken is one of great length, with elaborative and expressive sections, in which Whitman further explains the muse behind his book, the ?child? he conjured up at the time, as he was without any family

Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War

Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War The Battle of Ia Drang was fought November 14-18, 1965, during the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and was the first major engagement between the US Army and the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN). After a North Vietnamese strike against the Special Forces camp at Plei Me, American forces deployed in an effort to destroy the attackers. This saw elements of the air mobile 1st Cavalry Division move into South Vietnams Central Highlands. Encountering the enemy, the battle was primarily fought at two separate landing zones. While the Americans won a tactical victory at one, they took heavy losses at the other. The fighting in the Ia Drang Valley sent the tone for much of the conflict to come with the Americans relying on air mobility, air power, and artillery while the North Vietnamese sought to fight at close quarters to negate these advantages. Fast Facts: Battle of Ia Drang Conflict: Vietnam War (1955-1975)Dates: November 14-18, 1965Armies Commanders:United StatesColonel Thomas BrownLieutenant Colonel Harold G. MooreLieutenant Colonel Robert McDadeapprox. 1,000 menNorth VietnamLieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Anapprox. 2,000 menCasualties:United States: 96 killed and 121 wounded at X-Ray and 155 killed and 124 wounded at AlbanyNorth Vietnam: Approximately 800 killed at X-Ray and minimum of 403 killed at Albany Background In 1965, General William Westmoreland, commander of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, began utilizing American troops for combat operations in Vietnam rather than solely relying on the forces of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. With National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) and Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces operating in the Central Highlands northeast of Saigon, Westmoreland elected to debut the new air mobile 1st Cavalry Division as he believed its helicopters would allow it to overcome the regions rugged terrain. Ia Drang - Vietnam. US Department of Defense Following a failed North Vietnamese attack on the Special Forces camp at Plei Me in October, the commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Colonel Thomas Brown, was instructed to move from Pleiku to seek and destroy the enemy. Arriving in the area, the 3rd Brigade was unable to find the attackers. Encouraged by Westmoreland to press towards the Cambodian border, Brown soon learned of an enemy concentration near Chu Pong Mountain. Acting on this intelligence, he directed the 1st Battalion/7th Cavalry, led by Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore, to conduct a reconnaissance in force in the area of Chu Pong. Arriving at X-Ray Assessing several landing zones, Moore chose LZ X-Ray near the base of the Chu Pong Massif. Roughly the size of a football field, X-Ray was surrounded by low trees and bordered by a dry creek bed to the west. Due to the relatively small size of the LZ, the transport of the 1st/7ths four companies would have to be conducted in several lifts. The first of these touched down at 10:48 AM on November 14 and consisted of Captain John Herrens Bravo Company and Moores command group. Departing, the helicopters began shuttling the rest of the battalion to X-Ray with each trip taking around 30 minutes. Soldiers of the U.S. Amry 1/7th Cavalry disembark from a Bell UH-1D Huey at LZ X-Ray during the battle of Ia Drang. US Army Day 1 Initially holding his forces in the LZ, Moore soon began sending out patrols while waiting for more men to arrive. At 12:15 PM, the enemy was first encountered northwest of the creek bed. Shortly thereafter, Herren ordered his 1st and 2nd Platoons to advance in that direction. Encountering heavy enemy resistance, the 1st was halted though the 2nd pushed on and pursued an enemy squad. In the process, the platoon, led by Lieutenant Henry Herrick, became separated and was soon surrounded by North Vietnamese forces. In the firefight that ensued, Herrick was killed and effective command devolved to Sergeant Ernie Savage. As the day progressed, Moores men successfully defended the creek bed as well as repelled assaults from the south while awaiting the arrival of the remainder of the battalion. By 3:20 PM, the last of the battalion arrived and Moore established a 360-degree perimeter around X-Ray. Eager to rescue the lost platoon, Moore sent forward Alpha and Bravo Companies at 3:45 PM. This effort succeeded in advancing around 75 yards from the creek bed before enemy fire brought it to a halt. In the attack, Lieutenant Walter Marm earned the Medal of Honor when he single-handedly captured an enemy machine gun position (Map). Day 2 Around 5:00 PM, Moore was reinforced by the lead elements of Bravo Company/2nd/7th. While the Americans dug in for the night, the North Vietnamese probed their lines and conducted three assaults against the lost platoon. Though under heavy pressure, Savages men turned these back. At 6:20 AM on November 15, the North Vietnamese mounted a major attack against Charlie Companys section of the perimeter. Calling in fire support, the hard-pressed Americans turned back the attack but took significant losses in the process. At 7:45 AM, the enemy began a three-pronged assault on Moores position. With the fighting intensifying and Charlie Companys line wavering, heavy air support was called in to halt the North Vietnamese advance. As it arrived over the field, it inflicted major losses on the enemy, though a friendly fire incident led to some napalm striking the American lines. At 9:10 AM, additional reinforcements arrived from the 2nd/7th and began reinforcing Charlie Companys lines. By 10:00 AM the North Vietnamese began withdrawing. With fighting raging at X-Ray, Brown dispatched Lieutenant Colonel Bob Tullys 2nd/5th to LZ Victor approximately 2.2 miles east-southeast. Moving overland, they reached X-Ray at 12:05 PM, augmenting Moores force. Pushing out of the perimeter, Moore and Tully succeeded in rescuing the lost platoon that afternoon. That night North Vietnamese forces harassed the American lines and then launched a major assault around 4:00 AM. With the aid of well-directed artillery, four assaults were repelled as the morning progressed. By mid-morning, the remainder of the 2nd/7th and 2nd/5th arrived at X-Ray. With the Americans on the field in strength and having taken massive losses, the North Vietnamese began withdrawing. Ambush at Albany That afternoon Moores command departed the field. Hearing reports of enemy units moving into the area and seeing that little more could be done at X-Ray, Brown wished to withdraw the remainder of his men. This was vetoed by Westmoreland who wished to avoid the appearance of a retreat. As a result, Tully was instructed to march the 2nd/5th northeast to LZ Columbus while Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDade was to take the 2nd/7th north-northeast to LZ Albany. As they departed, a flight of B-52 Stratofortresses was assigned to strike the Chu Pong Massif. While Tullys men had an uneventful march to Columbus, McDades troops began encountering elements of the 33rd and 66th PAVN Regiments. These actions culminated with a devastating ambush in the vicinity of Albany which saw PAVN troops attack and split McDades men into smaller groups. Under heavy pressure and taking major losses, McDades command was soon aided by air support and elements of the 2nd/5th which marched in from Columbus. Beginning late that afternoon, additional reinforcements were flown in and the American position was appearance during the night. The next morning, the enemy had largely pulled back. After policing the area for casualties and dead, the Americans departed for LZ Crooks the next day. Aftermath The first major battle that involved US ground forces, Ia Drang saw them suffer 96 killed and 121 wounded at X-Ray and 155 killed and 124 wounded at Albany. Estimates for North Vietnamese losses are around 800 killed at X-Ray and minimum of 403 killed at Albany. For his actions in leading the defense of X-Ray, Moore was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Pilots Major Bruce Crandall and Captain Ed Freeman were later (2007) awarded the Medal of Honor for making volunteer flights under heavy fire to and from X-Ray. During these flights, they delivered much-needed supplies while evacuating wounded soldiers. The fighting at Ia Drang set the tone for the conflict as American forces continued to rely on air mobility and heavy fire support to achieve victory. Conversely, the North Vietnamese learned that the latter could be neutralized by quickly closing with the enemy and fighting at close range.

Sports Econimic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sports Econimic - Essay Example Examples of these policies include securing women through the league and free agency. All of these have been discussed in detail. Other factors like labor, salaries and coaching involved in the league have also been mentioned since they are the key contributors towards the league. Keywords: Australian Football League (AFL), Salary, Competition, Competition Balance, Season, Team, Free Agency, Percentage Distribution, Scores, Point, Clubs, Discrimination, Assault, Harassment, Couch, Policy, Rules Football is no doubt an embraced game all over the world. It has intensively attracted a great number of people from different continents. For a long time, men had dominated this game while the women were left out. Today, it is a game for all regardless of the gender and age factors. If you are not a player, then you are definitely an audience. Sports are perhaps what many deny the attention but the Australian football League! You cannot afford to miss it. It consists of both games played usin g hands, like rugby and football termed as soccer in the U.S. Since the beginning in 1897, there has been progress in the game which a keen audience cannot fail to note. However, there are various issues surrounding the progress of this union, and needs to be reviewed from often to avoid loosing track. Competition existence: Competition in itself is a strong foundation for the growth and the interest of the football league. Every club has to prepare their team well enough to win the match. It is absolutely arguable too, to say that competition is also a disaster as much as it is the propeller for this league. Comparing them with the African league, they are definitely ahead. Very many components contribute to competition; every clubs player within the team has to work to his best as is expected for each team. It is through this that they market their clubs and draw more funs on their side. Booth suggests that â€Å"Most measures of within-season competitive balance focus on the dis tribution of team’s season winning percentages,† (p. 9), which applies in the case of 2012 AFL 25th season. Using the AFL ladder, you will note that several teams strived to acquire higher points to move up. Hawthorn and Adelaide teams have 68 points each, while Sydney (P) and Collingwood hold 64 points each. Their percentage distribution appears as follows respectively; 154.59%, 132.46%, 140.58%, 116.46%. (Coach – AFL, n.d.). This is appealing, and having two teams ranging with the same points but quite some distributed percentage, proves no club leaves behind a loose-end to be the Premier. Today, each club is striving to get the best player in the team for which he or she gets hired at a high price. Nothing good comes out of nothing and it is the reason you will find them striking deals every now and then. Everyone wants a high pay, so why not support the free agency timeline? So be it that, â€Å"Under the new system, if an offer is made for a restricted free agent, the club of that player has to match or better the offer if they wish to retain the player's services.† (â€Å"AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou Defends Free Agency†, 2012). Though some may refute the idea, this will be a step to improving the poor clubs’ performances in the game resulting to more desired contest. Competition balance between the teams: All variables put together, there will exist a miss and come a plus. To measure the balance, then consideration of external factors counts within a given