À Peu Près - French Expression

The French expression à   peu prà ¨s (pronounced  [ ah peu preh])indicates that whatever phrase it precedes or follows is a rough guess or estimate. It literally means at little near and is used to mean  about, around, approximately, pretty much or more or less. When used with numbers and amounts, à   peu prà ¨s is synonymous with environ and plus ou moins. It has a normal  register.   Examples and Usage Jai à   peu prà ¨s 10â‚ ¬ / Jai 10â‚ ¬, à   peu prà ¨s.I have about 10â‚ ¬. Il pà ¨se à   peu prà ¨s 20 kilos / Il pà ¨se 20 kilos, à   peu prà ¨s.It weighs about 20 kilos. Tu as à   peu prà ¨s son à ¢ge / Tu as son à ¢ge, à   peu prà ¨s.Youre about the same age as he is. À peu prà ¨s is used with adjectives, nouns, pronouns, and clauses to describe something or someone as approximately, more or less ___. Here, à   peu prà ¨s is synonymous with presque and plus ou moins. Les rà ©sultats sont à   peu prà ¨s normaux.The results are fairly / more or less normal. Je suis à   peu prà ¨s certain.Im fairly / almost certain. Ils sont à   peu prà ¨s les mà ªmes.Theyre about / almost the same. Cest à   peu prà ¨s tout.Thats about / pretty much all. Je vois à   peu prà ¨s ce quil veut dire. I kind of / pretty much / more or less see what he means. The invariable compound noun à  -peu-prà ¨s refers to a vague approximation. For example: rester dans là  -peu-prà ¨sto be very vague, to stick to vague approximations à ©viter les à  -peu-prà ¨sto avoid approximations Theres also  an à  Ã‚  peu  prà ¨s  gesture   and an   informal synonym, au  pif.

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe Essay

While most of the primary characters in the American Gothic cannon are members of the aristocracy, their societally dominant position does not guarantee them satisfying lives. The focus of this analysis will be the portrayal of the individual as it relates to his or her economic status: does having wealth mean that upper class characters are more likely to lead fulfilling lives than middle/lower class characters? Through a close reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables, Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby,† and Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, readers can clearly see a pattern of social commentary in which the members of the aristocracy are—in general—the most restricted,†¦show more content†¦And since the lives of upper class Americans were so consumed with physical wealth, the â€Å"fierce† â€Å"fissure† (121) that co nsumes the house shortly after does not come as a surprise. In The House of the Seven Gables, the primary character that is subjected to critical class-related analysis is Hepzibah. At the beginning of the novel, it is revealed that Hepzibah’s financial troubles have forced her into re-opening a shop and entering into â€Å"ordinary life† (Ch.II) As a lifelong member of the aristocracy, this upsets Hepzibah to no end: â€Å"from childhood† she has â€Å"fed herself with the shadowy food of aristocratic reminiscences† (Ch.II) Hebzibah is both frightened and ashamed that she—a â€Å"lady† (Ch.II)—must now do the work of a lower class woman. Continuously depicted with a â€Å"scowl† (Ch.II), the nature of the aristocracy in America causes Hepzibah to feel endless â€Å"shame† (Ch.II) over the loss of her societal position. It is not until Holgrave enters the store that Hepzibah is gently reprimanded for her dramatic reaction to her loss of â€Å"dignity† (Ch.II). Instead of wallowing in Hepzibah’s misery, Holgrave praises her for transforming from â€Å"lady† to â€Å"woman† (Ch.III): now Hepzibah is â€Å"lending her strength†¦to the united struggle of mankind† (Ch.III). Although she initially seems reluctant to adoptShow MoreRelatedThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1570 Words   |  7 Pagesingenious Edgar Allan Poe. A prime example of Poe’s spectacular work with single effect would be in the classic short story â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† which was published in 1839 and holds much critical acclaim. In the story, the narrator visits an old, mentally disintegrating friend and his dying sister in a house that invokes anxiety with mere proximity. While the whole tale is wrought with single effect, the most defining creepiness of the story was brought to life through Roderick Usher. ThroughRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesEdg ar Allan Poe is known for his poetry and short stories especially his tales of mystery and morbidity he was one of the countries first practitioners of short stories such as the Fall in the House of Usher many of his poems and short stories is said to have been inspired by Poe’s real and tumultuous life, in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† Edgar Allan Poe uses sound, feeling and sight imagery to create and explore an atmosphere of horror and to convey to the reader the idea that fear coalescedRead MoreThe Fall Of House Of Usher, By Edgar Allan Poe1603 Words   |  7 Pagesshown in the previous paragraphs of Cole and Poe, they are very different people who have had contrary life experiences . Yet their works are still very similar. To further prove my case I shall use some of their works as examples. Edgar Allan Poe s â€Å"The Fall of House of Usher† and Thomas Cole s â€Å"Vesper Hymn† will be the first two works of art that are comparable. Poe s â€Å"The Fall of House of Usher† possesses all of the Gothic elements like a haunted house, dreary landscape, unknown sickness, andRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe1438 Words   |  6 PagesThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe The mind is a complicated thing. Not many stories are able to portray this in such an interesting manner as in Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of the House of Usher. The haunting story of a man and his sister, living in the old family mansion. But as all should know, much symbolism can be found in most of Poes works. The Fall of the House of Usher is no exception. First of all, we have the symbolisme of Roderick Ushers mind and the House ofRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe668 Words   |  3 PagesThe Fall of the house of Usher Literary Analysis A â€Å"Royal house† refers to the Royal family’s members. The house becomes a representation of the family as the reputation of the house relies on the family’s actions and status. The Usher family was at one time a great family in the upper tier of society which is why they titled their family and home â€Å"the house of Usher.† Edgar Allan Poe uses this symbol to draw in the reader by giving the house of Usher human like characteristics similar to Lady MadelineRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1216 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is a famous short story writer who writes many short stories, novels, and poems in the 19th century. Although he is obviously a very prolific writer, he is most famous for his macabre literature. This literature of his is best known for its melancholy descriptions that establish a setting and mood that contribute to the overall tale. Poe’s goal through his literature is to evoke horror into the reader’s mind. In â€Å"The Fall of The House of Usher,† Poe presents the demise of a distinguishedRead MoreThe Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe946 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is known for the suspenseful and mysterious nature in his short stories, and to achieve this he uses repetitive symbolism. In the â€Å"Fall of the House of Usher†, the narrator gets a letter from an old friend saying that he needs his help. When he arrives he starts to hear voices that eventually cause the house to fall and results in the death of usher and Madeline. Poes â€Å"The fall of the House of Usher† portrays a melancholy setting and utilizes a motif of the supernatural, howeverRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1159 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† by Edgar Allan Poe is an ominous tale, told in retrospect, of a man who visited an old friend, Roderick Usher, who was dying of a mental illness. This visit was quite different then how the narrator believed it would be. The narrator explained the â€Å"insufferable gloom† he felt when he saw the mansion, and this dreary feeling only grew stronger the longer he stayed (Poe 1265). The narrator endured the bleak time with his old friend whoseRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe896 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe is well-known for his frightening and disturbing short stories. He portrays his characters in unforeseen circumstances that create an eerie atmosphere, and this then leads to unsettling actions. In his famous short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe utilizes dark mood, dreary allegory, and mysterious symbolism to create the thrill and suspense. The mood of the characters set the intensity of fear and gloom, while the story of the Ushers follows psychologicalRead MoreThe Fall Of The House Of Usher By Edgar Allan Poe1104 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fall of the House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe is best known for his unnerving and suspenseful writings, and â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is no exception. Just like Poe’s other clever writings, â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† portrays a sense of fear and paranoia yet also a touch of curiosity with his extraordinary descriptions about the setting and characters, along with the tone. Poe does a magnificent job creating an eerie tone while describing the setting. Even in the first paragraph of

Explication Essay Paradise Lost Free Essays

Paige Gardner Julia Naviaux ENG 230: 003 February 1, 2013 Explication Essay: Paradise Lost- Lines 80-134 The debate of free will versus predestination is a very common, prevalent topic in any QA session or even religious sermon. The controversial issue of whether God has predestined His people for salvation or if God has given people the freedom in making their independent choice to do so is a question theologians will never solve. Many church congregations have lost members due to the church’s opinion on this topic. We will write a custom essay sample on Explication Essay: Paradise Lost or any similar topic only for you Order Now John Milton, English poet, used his epic poem Paradise Lost to present the story of the Fall of Adam and Eve in a way people of his time, seventeenth century, had never been exposed to. Throughout the story, we are enthralled with the revengeful attributes of Satan and the loving, forgiving, and even punishable attributes of God. Milton doesn’t present the character God until Book 3. In lines 80-134, Milton presents his audience with the idea of predestination and free will from God’s own point of view through a conversation between his characters: God and the Son. God expresses to His son the difference of knowing what will happen and predestining what will happen. In Paradise Lost, Milton uses the literary elements of repetition and sentence structure to reveal the truth of free will to his readers. Milton uses repetition to demonstrate to his readers the difference between knowing what will happen versus having a predetermined, influential stance on something. Milton uses the possessive pronoun ‘their’ to stress the importance on the matter of the people possessing something or something being a part of their possessions. For example, â€Å"their maker, or their making, or their fate† illustrates this concept in the epic poem (Milton, Book III, line 113). Here, Milton expresses how if people have free will they can no longer claim these things because they are a part of the human race and therefore possess human nature. From this, people have a maker who made them into the people they are today. Therefore, people are made with free will and cannot blame their maker for their own fate because people do not determine it alone. These three facets, in a way, intertwine with one another. People cannot blame one without the other two or vice versa. People’s fate is part of their making and people’s making is part of their maker, hence the possessive pronoun ‘their’. Milton says predestination â€Å"over-rul’d their will† (Milton, Book III, lines 114-115). Now the freedom is taken away. Everything is already determined and no choices will need to be made. In lines 116-118, Milton gives his returning argument against predestination by saying, â€Å"they themselves decreed their own revolt, not I: if I foreknew, foreknowledge had no influence on their fault†. Milton states here his stance on free will. God may know what will happen, but he is not influencing people’s decisions. He allows people to make them on our own. As well as repetition, Milton also uses sentence structure to relay to the readers the theme of his epic poem. In book III, lines 129-134, Milton uses three different colons in one sentence to make the reader realize that one point leads to the next. Colons in grammar are used to demonstrate lists. Milton does this by stating, â€Å"The first sort by their own suggestion fell, self-tempted, self-depraved: Man falls deceived by the other first: Man therefore shall find grace, the other none: in mercy and justice both, through Heaven and Earth, so shall my glory excel, but Mercy first and last shall brightest shine. †. Milton concludes this conversation between God and the Son with these lines. Milton utilizes the colons to express that these events would not happen without the preceding event occurring. Without sin or impurity, mankind is in no need of grace or mercy. Through these imperfections, the Lord is praised by his people. Humans are corrupt as people and tempted by each other. Satan, in the Garden of Eden, tempted Eve and Eve tempted Adam; mankind was self-tempted. Man fell because of his fellow man. Through mercy and grace, the Lord is glorified and his mercy outshines everything. By God offering his grace and mercy to mankind, He reveals His giving nature. He is offering mankind grace and mercy to be saved, but He not forcing it upon them. Through the free will God gave us, people can worship him with sincerity and genuine love. Sincerity people would not have if he predestined them. Milton is driving this point home in this section of his epic poem. God’s love and mercy is everlasting, and Milton says it will prevail through everything. The debate between free will and predestination will always be present. Regardless how many theologians research it and search scriptures for answers, this debate will always exist. There are some things the Lord does not reveal to His people so they are able to step out in faith and trust in Him. By using repetition and sentence structure, Milton expresses the view of free will from God’s perspective. Through Paradise Lost, Milton shows us a glimpse of what the wonderful Gospel of Christ truly is. How to cite Explication Essay: Paradise Lost, Essay examples

Babbitt by Lewis Sinclair Essay Example For Students

Babbitt by Lewis Sinclair Essay The depressing tragedy known as Babbitt, by Lewis Sinclair, accurately portrays the convention of life in the 1920’s. Sinclair precisely evokes the conformity and orthodox life styles that shaped a growing culture. Man, in the 1920’s, is caught in a lifestyle where he is continually fed on what to think. Lewis cunningly explains the constraints of convention that plagued George Babbitt, and mocks society as a whole for its lack of liberal views. Babbitt throughout the novel seems to be trapped in a maze, and is told by â€Å"the machine† when to turn. Only when Babbitt revolts against conservative America does his life change, but the question is was it for the better? The economy is booming with success, and your wealth portrays ones position in society. George Babbitt is infatuated with having the latest â€Å"gadgets† and technology in his home, as is the rest of Middle-class America. Lewis portrays society as a group of self-centered people who must have the best of everything (sounds similar to our world today). Middle-class America is disturbingly the same to the last detail in the 1920’s. Life begins for Babbitt waking up to an unappreciative family, and a typical fake show of affection from his wife. Babbitt realizes his life is dull and mundane. Even the kiss from his wife is typical. Babbitt, like most men in the 1920’s, finds his home not as a haven but as a depressing reality of what his life has really become. Babbitt recognizes he is disgusted with his life, and that he doesn’t even love his wife. Only when Babbitt escapes his home does he find satisfaction. Babbitt is found in his community as a role model of every businessmen, even the mechanic at the gas station commends him for organization. Babbitt temporarily feels relief when freedom encompasses his life, but later in the novel Babbitt illustrates that even â€Å"business† is shaped by society. Just as business is shaped in Zenith, so are the women who live there. Women in the novel are accurately portrayed as they were in the 1920’s. Lewis presents two different scenarios in the novel, but both of these cases can follow the same mannerisms. First, Lewis depicts the loving housewife. Myra, Babbitt’s wife, continually comforts Babbitt throughout the whole novel. Myra even accepts the blame when Babbitt decides to cheat on her. Women are depicted throughout the novel as inferior when compared to men. They stay home and cook. Unfortunately, Zilla and Paul, friends of the Babbitts, don’t have a similar relationship. Paul is Babbitt’s best friend and they experience many of troubles together. Zilla, like Babbitt, wants to change her current situation and takes her frustration out on Paul. Zilla, Paul’s wife is overbearing in the marriage, and uses this tactic to cover up the insecurity she feels in her life. The strife between Zilla and Paul is so deep that it affects every aspect of Paul’s life. It even brings him to the act of shooting his wife. Both George and Paul have the same attitude toward their wives, and it takes a private vacation to Maine for them to realize that they must treat their wives better. Later in the novel, when George is experiencing a downward spiral in his life, he realizes that his marriage is becoming similar to what Paul experienced. Babbitt begins to experience many new things and women when he finds himself in these circumstances. He begins flirting with women, and also begins to suffer a mid-life crisis. This is Babbitt’s attempt to break the norm of everyday life, and acting on impulses is his way of doing this. Women can dramatically affect the way society thinks, and therefore play a crucial role in the novel. Babbitt experiences a cultural clash everyday in the novel. Babbitt is extremely hypocritical in the way he improves his ranks in society, as is rest of the world. Every person wants to associate with a group of people that are â€Å"higher† than them. A perfect example would be the McKelveys and the Overbrooks couples. .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .postImageUrl , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:hover , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:visited , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:active { border:0!important; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:active , .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734 .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u19509e671be5ae4c891a9016693e4734:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Burger King Ehtics EssaySpending time with a couple seems to be how your rank is determined in Zenith. If you spend time with a superior class than your rank improves, but if you spend time with an inferior class than your rank falls. George strives to be accepted by the McKelveys, but completely ignores his long time companions the Overbrooks. This is identical of what we see today. Many people exhibit self-pleasure, but do not have any time for what is true. Finding what is true is George’s problem throughout the novel, and he is blinded by society in finding it. What is true is that it is better to give than to receive. People as a whole want to have the best of everything, and whatever they do have never is good enough. Lewis describes this theme brilliantly throughout the novel. Even church is used as a tool for social acceptance. Another example would be the strikes. Babbitt in a way is mad that the strikes are affecting his business, even though people are being mistreated. Society as a whole is only seeking self-pleasure, but the hand of social order is telling them this is â€Å"ok. That is why liberal views in Zenith are so quickly extinguished. The superior class wants people to think that there always must be a lower class because that is the way God has planned it, which in retrospect sustains their rank as the higher class forever. It’s ironic that this idea is still relevant today. In conclusion, Babbitt’s revolt toward society had actually changed nothing. He went back to not loving his wife and continuing his job as a realtor. His popularity recovers from his era of revolt. Babbitt regains his place in the world by allowing society to influence his life. He stops fighting and this is the simple reason why his life is a tragedy. How does Babbitt analyze the successfulness of his life? He never took complete control and experienced freedom in any of his actions. He only valued the acceptance of others, rather than what was true to his heart. Babbitt life had no meaning, since he constantly let the constraints of society shape it. One must wonder if society in the 1920’s could have changed by reading this novel. This is not probable, considering that society is the same today as it was 80 years ago.