Psychological Profile Roderick Usher Essay Example

Psychological Profile: Roderick Usher Paper The Fall Of The House Of Usher is a morbid melancholy story, common to the style of Edgar Allan Poe, whose works frequently incorporated death. The story is focused upon Roderick Usher, the last remaining heir to a wealthy family. Roderick was a hypochondriac who had an acuteness of touch, smell and taste, which could not handle bright lights. We are given an insight into the last days of Roderick through â€Å"his friend† who has been invited to stay. In those last days, the narrator (Roderick’s friend) describes Roderick to the reader, depicting his many states, moods, and actions. The story ends in the tragic death of Roderick and his twin sister Lady Madeline who, although is largely gone unmentioned throughout the story, plays a role in Roderick’s death. To get an insight into the Psychological mindset of Roderick, all one has to do is read the first two pages of the story. The clear description of the house of Usher, which is Metaphorically, linked directly to how Roderick is perceived throughout the story, given to us by the narrator. As soon as the story starts, its clear that there is a very dark depressing theme. The narrator describes the setting as â€Å"Dull, dark, soundless day †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ When the clouds hung oppressively low†. After establishing the mood, the reader is then introduced to the focus of the story. The House of Usher, â€Å"the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit†. The story then goes on in a more in-depth description of how the house appears to look and the types of feelings it arises within the narrator. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Profile: Roderick Usher specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Profile: Roderick Usher specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Profile: Roderick Usher specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The reason for the focus into the actual house of Usher instead of leaping into the introduction of Roderick himself is because of two things: Firstly, by capturing a clear idea of the area, of the house and its â€Å"bleak walls† we get a sense of the person(s) that inhabit the place. The place where one lives always represents the type of people that liven within it. You wouldn’t find Roderick Usher living in a newly built mansion, with its majestic view, which would stop people in their tracks because that does not in anyway fit his character. Secondly, Roderick and the house, throughout the story are linked so closely together to one another, that it is almost like they are one. When describing the feelings that the house represented the narrator comparing them â€Å"to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after dream of the reveler upon opium – the bitter lapse into everyday life†. The reference is to something that happens to living things, which in a sense brings the House alive, representing Roderick. Roderick Usher is a lonely man, a man of ill mental health. When we are introduced to the â€Å"master† of the house, he is much like the house he is living in. Quite old, with many cracks in the walls but continues to weather the test of time, although slowly rotting away. Roderick is a hypochondriac; this is mentioned several times throughout the story as one of his illnesses. He also â€Å"suffered from a morbid acuteness of the senses†. Like the house that he prevails in, Roderick might seem to be standing up right, been able to function, but inside he was dying. Opium is mentioned again throughout the story, but this time in direct reference to Roderick describing him as having â€Å"periods of his most intense excitement† The high point of the drug, It gives a strong hint that Roderick is living in his own reality, with little notice of the world around him, only when he comes out of the high, when he is back down to the depressing lows. Been primarily trapped inside his house it is easy to see how this would happen to a man such as Roderick. The narrator himself has obtained the thought that been inside the house, around Roderick, never going anywhere, been confined to the very few things that were on offer, he was to thinking that he was loosing his mind. Been the Heir to a wealthy family Roderick was a smart man, been able to read in many languages, having the ability to play the guitar, to draw, and write. On of â€Å"rhapsodies†, which is mentioned in the book called â€Å"the Haunted Palace† shows very strongly that although Roderick is mentally ill, he understands the situation that he has been placed in. The rhapsodies starts of with a wealthy family, all is well, before it descends into darkness. â€Å"But evil things, in robes of sorrow, assailed the monarch’s high estate† Whilst reading this part there are two ways you can interpret it. One was that been the only remaining Heir in the family, with no prospects of been able to expand, the Usher family tree was coming to an end, hence the â€Å"sorrow†. The other is a possible mention of Lady Madeline who is diagnosed with an unknown â€Å"disease† and was also dying. Lady Madeline’s death is treated in a rather peculiar way. Roderick’s nervousness and handling of the situation suggests that he knew the truth about her all along. That she hadn’t died when he had stated she did, but was rather in a hurry to be rid of her, for she was only weighing down his few spirits. Seeing her in the state she was, a mere ghost walking around the house. After been placed in her tomb, Roderick had â€Å"assumed, if possible, a more ghastly hue† pacing his house without attending to his regular hobbies, such as playing the guitar and singing. He was been troubled by what he had done, and now was fearful of what will be of him, for a hypochondriac this is especially intense. The final night of Roderick’s life, the man literally comes alive. The uncanny readings of his friend at the exact moments of the sounds that were heard as Lady Madeline, poetically speaking, rises from her entombment to come for her revenge of the brother who tried to dispose of her. Before the last moments as Lady Madeline was approaching the room of Roderick and his friend, Roderick has become a madman. His death, rather strange and somewhat unexplainable ends the legacy of a family forever. As the Man had died, so was the house destroyed by the storm on that very night. After all Roderick Usher and the House were metaphorically speaking as one body. The fall of the house of Usher was just, for now that the â€Å"master† has perished, the Usher dynasty has come to a bitter end, and with it so does the house of Usher. Roderick Usher was a man trapped within his own self, trapped in his own reality. The House had overpowered him, and with his only real close friend, who had not seen him since they had been children Roderick was alone. His sister lady Madeline was the walking dead in a sense. Alone in his house, the house that had raised many before him, was solely his. Solitude is one of man’s most feared enemies. For it cannot be thought physically, but mentally. It will slowly eat away at you like a bug. For when you are utterly alone, nothing, no one is there to save you. Roderick Usher had the â€Å"desire† to see his friend. I think that taking in all that happens throughout the story with Lady Madeline and Roderick’s unforeseen death. It could be said that this â€Å"desire† for Roderick to see his friend was only there so he could be comforted in his last days of life. Having lived most of it in solitude, it was his wish to not die in solitude. Roderick knew that although he could have his doctors attempt to find a cure for Lady Madeline it was hopeless, much like most things within his house. It is also possible that Roderick wanted a witness to all that was happening in last few days of life, to forever pass on the legend of the House of Usher since Roderick could not himself, extend his family tree, to keep the Usher name alive he could at least pass on a memory of his life to his only friend. Roderick Usher’s mental illness seized most power within him, but he was still able to think, to understand. This would have possibly driven further into insanity knowing what was occurring to him and around him. Death comes to all, it is a certainty to life, but few who are lucky, will forever leave legend in their place. Roderick Usher in his last few days of life left a legend to be told. Bibliography Fall of the house of Usher and other writings, Edgar Allan Poe, Penguin books published 2003

Principles of Direct Marketing Example

Principles of Direct Marketing Example Principles of Direct Marketing – Research Paper Example Principles of Direct Marketing The Facts: The direct media used for this communication is internet. This email had arrived on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, at around 8 O’clock in morning. The Device: Description: The communication was in the form of an email. The subject line was â€Å"Grab the opportunity before it elapse†. The email was quite colourful, having a picture of Santa holding a bag. From the bag, gifts were continuously coming out and on each gift, the word â€Å"discount† was flashing. The whole body of the e-mail had small pictures of gifts, balloons, stars and bells. I received the mail early morning, and as soon as I clicked on the inbox, my attention went straight to that mail. Offer: This email was regarding Christmas sale taking place in a shopping mall in which high discounts were offered on different gift items, clothes, jewellery electronic items, toys and many more. It was stated that one can avail discounts up to 80 percent on different items. The creativity: The email was designed in a manner that would seek immediate attention. The email used different icons like Santa, gifts, balloons and other decorative objects to create a Christmas feel. The colour combination was restricted to bright hues like red, white and black. Flash was used to make things livelier. Cost: Since the mode of communication was an email, hence the cost of sending the document was nil. However, the company had to pay for developing the graphics of the email. The single mail was send to millions of persons at a practically negligible price. Analysis: The shopping mall was trying to reach out to shoppers purchasing for Christmas and thanksgiving. The company attempted to target that customer base that uses internet on a regular basis to communicate and prefers to purchase goods from shopping malls. This email was used as a tool by the shopping mall to motivate the target customers to purchase gifts and other goods for Christmas and thanksgiving from them. With time, the degree of competition has increased in the retail market. The companies thereby resort to aggressive advertising and attractive promotional tools to attract customers. This mail was a part of the marketing campaign of the company. It was used for making people aware of different marketing promotional tools like high rate of discount, coupons for free lunch and free passes for the theme park to selected customers. The reason for targeting me is, I believe, that I visit the mall far too often. There I filled a form for luck draw where I was asked to provide my name, some personal details along with my email id. The company might have accessed my personal details from such data base. The email was indeed very attractive. The graphics and texts were designed in manner that grabbed immediate eyeballs. However, some information was exaggerated that did create a negative impression on the reader’s mind. If I wasn’t in this class I might not have responded to this email. The fact that Christmas and thanksgiving is just a month away is a reason good enough to respond to this mail. I think this communication process will help the shopping mall to attract more customers in this festive season. Though the email was quite effective in conveying the information but more innovation could have been done in the manner in which the information is presented. This would have made the mail more comprehendible and attractive for the readers. Bibliography Kimmel, A. J. Marketing communication: new approaches, technologies, and styles. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. 2005.

Pier scour in coarse bed and cohesive materials Research Paper

Pier scour in coarse bed and cohesive materials - Research Paper Example This results to approximately 60 percent of all bridge failures. The societal repercussions that are associated with failures and the costs that are linked to repair are amplified in Alaska, alternate routes of ground transportation between several cities are not in existence. Bridge culvert damages cost a lot to the economy, for example, in 2002 the damage in Kenai Peninsula was estimated at about 19 million dollars. This led to bridge site examination for scour. This paper therefore seeks to discuss the background of scour, its description, the pier scour, and its equation. Scour Scour is a hole that remains behind when sand and rocks, sediments are washed away from the river bottom. Even though scour often occur at any particular time, the scour action is strong especially during flood season. This is because swiftly flowing water has much energy than slowly flowing calm water to lift and wash away sediments from the river bottom. Scour is of a great concern to bridges. This is be cause if rocks or sediment on which bridge is supported or rest is scoured by the river, it is most probably that the bridge could be very unsafe for travel purposes. For example, in 1987 when the Interstate Highway bridge over Schoharie Creek in the state of New York collapsed following a flood, the Federal Highway Administration demanded that each state to specify bridges on the highway over water that are likely to experience problems of scour and to have the bridges with severe scour identified. This knowledge of bridge sites in which there are potential scour problems will enable the States to improve and monitor the bridge conditions ahead of time before they pose danger to travelers. Types of scour There are three main types of scour that affect bridges. The following are the major types of scour that may pose danger to highway bridges over water: Local scour: this occurs when sediments are swept away from around bridge piers and/ or abutments. Piers in this particular case a re the pillars that support bridges, while abutments are the ones supporting the end of the bridge. Flowing water past abutment or pier may scoop holes out in the sediment resulting into scour holes. Contraction scour: this type of scour occurs the sediments are swept away from the sides and bottom of the river. Contraction scour is majorly caused by an increased speed in water flow as it flows through an opening of a bridge which is narrower than the natural channel of the river. Degradation scour: this is a general removal of sand and rocks, sediments from the bottom of the river by the flow of the river. This is often a natural process of sediment removal that lowers the bottom of the river resultantly. In most cases, the process removes large quantities of sediment with time. Pier scour Piers scour is the removal of sediments around the pier. This occurs when rocks and sand in which the bridge rests are removed by flowing water. This is very dangerous to travelers and may cause high magnitude accidents. Adequate definition of potential pier scour at piers is very essential to a proper construction, design, and maintenance of bridges. Designing cost effective and safe bridge depends on accurate estimate of the depth of scour. Thus, underestimating the depth of the scour can place both human life and structures at risk. On the other hand, consistent