hum..I guess I am still alive.
I figured I would through this up as a bouncing board to think what you guys thought of my very first college paper. Input would be much appreciated! Well I'm off to camping at Cedar Bend for the weekend!
Compare/Contrast Essay(it's pretty long)
The Quill in Contempt of the Saber
The pen or the sword, the battle between these two instruments has raged for centuries. However, more then just instruments of human control they each represent an idea that goes much further then that of simple tools. In one corner stands the pen, flowing forth words that can build or destroy entire societies. In the other sits the sword, with its power to defend or to break those around it. They are found to be servants of both good and evil. However, each has a different way to help or burden pending on who it is that wields them. It can be seen throughout history that the ideas of the pen and the sword each have the ability to help those in need and shatter those they hurt, while always aiming at different groups of people.
The monk made his way through the crowded street. He worked his way up to the massive church door and with an iron regard for the truth he pounded a nail into the sturdy wooden gate. This very nail fastened the mans work not only to the door but to all of time as well. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses sparked the very being of the Reformation. His pen forged into existence a questioning of Catholicism that became the stepping stone towards the modern way of protestant life. Through his actions he proved that the pen could be used as an instrument of great valor and courage.
The pen has always had great power in our society. Starting right at the beginning of American culture the pen has been there to influence and protect those in need. Works such as Uncle Toms Cabin, The Jungle, and Common Sense all were penned with amazing marksmanship. They were literary cannons firing upon the social injustices of their time. The pen and its ability to reach out to the society and spark action has saved lives again and again. It brought forth notions that helped to end slavery, gain workers rights, and even to spark the freedom of an entire nation. The pen can not be shown as anything but a tremendous tool in this ever changing culture.
The young Mr. Hamilton burst through the door, minutemen of the Continental Army following right behind. As he cleared the door he pulled forth his sword. The Redcoats keeping watch had no idea what had befallen them until the sudden attack was almost over. The Continentals cleared the room within a few short minutes, no alert was sounded, no other British troops would know. The movie, “The Crossing” presents a point in American history in which the sword played a pivotal role in the fight for independence. Without the power behind the stained blade that night the British would have been alerted to the coming of Washington and his troops across the Delaware, assuring a much less fruitful outcome for the Continental Army.
The Sword has always held a necessary and powerful spot in our culture. Like the pen it has been an influential worker in helping those in need. Always considered a far more direct route the sword does differ in that way. However the sword, just as the pen, has helped to protect those who are in the direst need. The idea of the sword in our society has helped to defend us in a multitude of different situations. The War of 1812, the French and Indian War, and the world wars all tell stories of how the sword has maintained further peace through its painful strike. We have no choice but to accept that the sword has maintained the safety of our way of life.
The pen and the sword have always had the ability to be used for the evilest of uses. With the wrong hands grasping onto them they can be the cause of terrible damage and destruction.
A young girl sits intently listening to her teacher from the back of the room. Some classmates to the right, seemly involved in some other antic to pass the time, break into a cadence of giggling. Suddenly, a white square hops across her desk, discontinuing movement as it crashes to a sudden halt against her arm. She cautiously lifts the dispatch and starts to unfold it. Within seconds her eyes scan the first few lines, by the forth or fifth she can no longer make out the words due to the formation of tears in her eyes. As the tears invade her cheeks she comes to a sad realization, sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can still definitely hurt you.
Today’s society can at times be enthralled by how much pain and suffering the pen can cause. A simple note as looked at previously can be detrimental to a young child. As we grow though, the majority of people face much less detrimental affects by the power of personalized written language. The rich and famous are the one’s whom society still finds suitable to mock. Gossip columns, tabloids, and such materials basically constitute nothing more than graduated notes. Intended to hurt those who they mock, and give sheer enjoyment to all else. This is one of the most disheartening parts of the human condition. When blatant wrong is produced as comedy, we laugh and shake our heads, not realizing by doing so we’ve just assured the continuing pain to fall upon our children.
A red flash of light cuts through the air, spinning, twirling and finally colliding with great strength into the solid blue beam. The creature holding it, with the menacing grin upon its face stares intently upon his prey. With a quick spin and swing he finds his righteous adversary unarmed, a simple graceful stroke a life is extinguished. “Star Wars” gives a very distinct and deliberate look at what the characteristics of those who use the sword for evil are. The evident darkness is plainly painted upon the unholy individuals, crafting an absolutely undeniable evil.
Like a drifter trying to make his way through life, the sword has a history of darker days. Intuitively, the sword has always been a thing to fear. Not because of the power it holds to defend ones life. Rather, because from birth we are filled with tales of evils the wicked can cause the sword to do. Its shadowed blade has given us tales such as “Star Wars” and “Gladiator”, tales which have shown us there are those who would aim to do us harm. No matter how much protection the sword can bring, there will always be those who would use it instead for fear and pain.
One thing that seems to differ greatly between these two ideas is who they are generally aimed at. Although both can be used for good or for evil, they tend to strike at different targets.
The pen has a very widespread base of attack. The highest onset of damage by pen seems to happen with the very young, and the famous. The undeniable power of the note gives way around the age of 18. At which time most of the affected tend to slip away into the unseen ranks of the world. For a few select, however, the punishment is allowed to continue. Celebrities tend to find a much longer road ahead when it comes to dealing with the issue of the power of the pen.
The sword, on the other hand, tends to rest it’s blade on a different segment of our society. While the pen strikes at the young and famous. The sword tends to find its way to the average. As the footmen of the Middle Ages fought against the dark nights of a far away land, so does the sword tend to follow the same path today. We send men, not yet even able to drink, to fight our wars. The system has never changed.
The battle between the pen and the sword is well met. These weapons of both good and evil have the power to shatter or protect the world around us. If used in union they hold the power to strike out at the world like lightening. Doing damage yet never striking the same place twice. Benjamin Franklin has remembered for saying, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Is this true, or does Terry Pratchett have more resound when she says, “The pen is mightier than the sword if the sword is very short and the pen is very sharp?” It would seem both are true in a sense, for they are each a weapon of great strength in the hands of those who would control them, either for better or for worse.
Compare/Contrast Essay(it's pretty long)
The Quill in Contempt of the Saber
The pen or the sword, the battle between these two instruments has raged for centuries. However, more then just instruments of human control they each represent an idea that goes much further then that of simple tools. In one corner stands the pen, flowing forth words that can build or destroy entire societies. In the other sits the sword, with its power to defend or to break those around it. They are found to be servants of both good and evil. However, each has a different way to help or burden pending on who it is that wields them. It can be seen throughout history that the ideas of the pen and the sword each have the ability to help those in need and shatter those they hurt, while always aiming at different groups of people.
The monk made his way through the crowded street. He worked his way up to the massive church door and with an iron regard for the truth he pounded a nail into the sturdy wooden gate. This very nail fastened the mans work not only to the door but to all of time as well. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses sparked the very being of the Reformation. His pen forged into existence a questioning of Catholicism that became the stepping stone towards the modern way of protestant life. Through his actions he proved that the pen could be used as an instrument of great valor and courage.
The pen has always had great power in our society. Starting right at the beginning of American culture the pen has been there to influence and protect those in need. Works such as Uncle Toms Cabin, The Jungle, and Common Sense all were penned with amazing marksmanship. They were literary cannons firing upon the social injustices of their time. The pen and its ability to reach out to the society and spark action has saved lives again and again. It brought forth notions that helped to end slavery, gain workers rights, and even to spark the freedom of an entire nation. The pen can not be shown as anything but a tremendous tool in this ever changing culture.
The young Mr. Hamilton burst through the door, minutemen of the Continental Army following right behind. As he cleared the door he pulled forth his sword. The Redcoats keeping watch had no idea what had befallen them until the sudden attack was almost over. The Continentals cleared the room within a few short minutes, no alert was sounded, no other British troops would know. The movie, “The Crossing” presents a point in American history in which the sword played a pivotal role in the fight for independence. Without the power behind the stained blade that night the British would have been alerted to the coming of Washington and his troops across the Delaware, assuring a much less fruitful outcome for the Continental Army.
The Sword has always held a necessary and powerful spot in our culture. Like the pen it has been an influential worker in helping those in need. Always considered a far more direct route the sword does differ in that way. However the sword, just as the pen, has helped to protect those who are in the direst need. The idea of the sword in our society has helped to defend us in a multitude of different situations. The War of 1812, the French and Indian War, and the world wars all tell stories of how the sword has maintained further peace through its painful strike. We have no choice but to accept that the sword has maintained the safety of our way of life.
The pen and the sword have always had the ability to be used for the evilest of uses. With the wrong hands grasping onto them they can be the cause of terrible damage and destruction.
A young girl sits intently listening to her teacher from the back of the room. Some classmates to the right, seemly involved in some other antic to pass the time, break into a cadence of giggling. Suddenly, a white square hops across her desk, discontinuing movement as it crashes to a sudden halt against her arm. She cautiously lifts the dispatch and starts to unfold it. Within seconds her eyes scan the first few lines, by the forth or fifth she can no longer make out the words due to the formation of tears in her eyes. As the tears invade her cheeks she comes to a sad realization, sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can still definitely hurt you.
Today’s society can at times be enthralled by how much pain and suffering the pen can cause. A simple note as looked at previously can be detrimental to a young child. As we grow though, the majority of people face much less detrimental affects by the power of personalized written language. The rich and famous are the one’s whom society still finds suitable to mock. Gossip columns, tabloids, and such materials basically constitute nothing more than graduated notes. Intended to hurt those who they mock, and give sheer enjoyment to all else. This is one of the most disheartening parts of the human condition. When blatant wrong is produced as comedy, we laugh and shake our heads, not realizing by doing so we’ve just assured the continuing pain to fall upon our children.
A red flash of light cuts through the air, spinning, twirling and finally colliding with great strength into the solid blue beam. The creature holding it, with the menacing grin upon its face stares intently upon his prey. With a quick spin and swing he finds his righteous adversary unarmed, a simple graceful stroke a life is extinguished. “Star Wars” gives a very distinct and deliberate look at what the characteristics of those who use the sword for evil are. The evident darkness is plainly painted upon the unholy individuals, crafting an absolutely undeniable evil.
Like a drifter trying to make his way through life, the sword has a history of darker days. Intuitively, the sword has always been a thing to fear. Not because of the power it holds to defend ones life. Rather, because from birth we are filled with tales of evils the wicked can cause the sword to do. Its shadowed blade has given us tales such as “Star Wars” and “Gladiator”, tales which have shown us there are those who would aim to do us harm. No matter how much protection the sword can bring, there will always be those who would use it instead for fear and pain.
One thing that seems to differ greatly between these two ideas is who they are generally aimed at. Although both can be used for good or for evil, they tend to strike at different targets.
The pen has a very widespread base of attack. The highest onset of damage by pen seems to happen with the very young, and the famous. The undeniable power of the note gives way around the age of 18. At which time most of the affected tend to slip away into the unseen ranks of the world. For a few select, however, the punishment is allowed to continue. Celebrities tend to find a much longer road ahead when it comes to dealing with the issue of the power of the pen.
The sword, on the other hand, tends to rest it’s blade on a different segment of our society. While the pen strikes at the young and famous. The sword tends to find its way to the average. As the footmen of the Middle Ages fought against the dark nights of a far away land, so does the sword tend to follow the same path today. We send men, not yet even able to drink, to fight our wars. The system has never changed.
The battle between the pen and the sword is well met. These weapons of both good and evil have the power to shatter or protect the world around us. If used in union they hold the power to strike out at the world like lightening. Doing damage yet never striking the same place twice. Benjamin Franklin has remembered for saying, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Is this true, or does Terry Pratchett have more resound when she says, “The pen is mightier than the sword if the sword is very short and the pen is very sharp?” It would seem both are true in a sense, for they are each a weapon of great strength in the hands of those who would control them, either for better or for worse.