Comparing Zoline's Heat Death of the Universe and Calvino's Cosmicomics
There is a fundamental dilemma that, presumably, each person faces as they begin to develop an understanding of their existence and identity which is something like, "What am I? Who am I? Where am I?" These questions are almost identical because they each address the same essential metaphysical issue of identity, "How and why Am I; why do I exist; what am I? What is the origin of I? Where am I going?" The answers to these difficult questions, whether intellectually satisfying or not, come in the form of cosmologies. Cosmologies create systems with which we understand the existence of the phenomenal world, and our own existence within it. They offer us a map, a concept, of our existence, tell us why we are here, where we are, and most often, where we are going. Of course, the most pervasive cosmologies are directly linked with particular religions, for religions are based upon the same issues: identity, origin, purpose, structure. However, this is not the domain of inquiry that I wish to pursue here, rather, I am interested in how the genre of Science Fiction creates, or recreates, cosmologies with which we might understand the universe and our individual meaning within it. How does SF create linguistic models of the cosmos, and what are the underpinnings of those cosmologies? If cosmological representations are created so that we can understand reality, in some sense, how is it done, and what questions do these cosmologies pose for the disciples thereof? I will look at two works in particular for this inquiry, Italo Calvino's short story cycle, Cosmicomics, and Pamela Zoline's short story, "The Heat Death of the Universe." I have chosen to focus my in...
... middle of paper ...
...osmos may be infinitely vast and awesome, it is also as familiar as you are to yourself.
Sources Cited
Aldridge, Alexandra. The Scientific World View in Dystopia. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1984.
Calvino, Italo. Cosmicomics. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1968.
Hume, Kathryn. "Science and Imagination in Calvino's Cosmicomics" Mosaic: a journal for the interdisciplinary study of literature. Winnipeg: Univ. of Manitoba, (34:1) 2001.
Lefanu, Sarah. In the Chinks of the World Machine. Feminism and Science Fiction. London: The Women's Press, 1988.
Suvin, Darko. Metamorphoses of Science Fiction: On the Poetics and History of a Literary Genre . New Haven : Yale University Press, 1979.
Zoline, Pamela. "The Heat Death of the Universe." 1967. The Heat Death of the Universe and Other Stories. Kingston, NY: McPherson & Co., 1988.
Haney-Peritz, Janice. "Monumental Feminism and Literature 's Ancestral House: Another Look At 'The Yellow Wallpaper '." Women 's Studies 12.2 (1986): 113. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
Foremost, the myth reminds us that our fate cannot be avoided through the example of Acrisius' death. Nevertheless, Perseus creates the image of the perfect hero. Should an individual wish to fit this image, they must respect their parents and show bravery and determination in times of stress in order to overcome challenges. Information Sources
Haney-Peritz, Janice. "Monumental Feminism and Literature's Ancestral House: Another Look at 'The Yellow Wallpaper.'" Women's Studies 12:2 (1986): 113-128.
What is marijuana? Marijuana substance extracted from the plant Cannabis can be smoked as tobacco, but it can also be consumed by other means, such as mixing it with food or beverages. Marijuana is the most commonly used poison after tobacco. The impacts are a mixture of arousal and a weakening of the central nervous system, and its impact depends on the kind of mental activity and dose consumed by the individual. Marijuana is a hallucinogenic and usually causes addiction. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. “They all contain THC the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana’s effects on the user depend on its strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s" (http://uodos.uoregon.edu/SupportandEducation/SubstanceAbusePreventionandStudentSuccess/Marijuana/tabid/83/Default.aspx)
Before Americans can make accusations that marijuana can only be used for the sole purpose of euphoric pleasure, they should first become knowledgeable of cannabis’s original and highly valuable uses that gave the plant its primary popularity. The herbal plant was actually a food source around 6000 BC, and it was used as a fiber two thousand years later. Another couple thousand years later was when cannabis obtained its first medical record in China and soon traveled to India and North Africa where cannabis began its use as a “recreational hallucinogen.” When Europe greeted marijuana at about 500 BC, users began classifying in what methods the plant can treat various medical conditions. The Americas were first introduced t...
Among Calvino's later works of fantasy is Le Cosmicomiche (1965; Cosmicomics), a stream-of-consciousness narrative that treats the creation and evolution of the universe.
Marijuana has been a frequently abused drug for quite some time, but is just now receiving national attention on the controversial issue of the question if it should become legalized, and what effects this will have on Americans and their communities. Recently there have been many arguments made about how marijuana should be legalized for medical reasons since, for example, it is a great option for people attempting to manage their chronic pain. By legalizing the drug, many people will begin to accept the fact that it is okay and will result in an extreme increase in drug use throughout the United States. Marijuana is known to be a gateway drug in the sense that it leads to a person using narcotics that have even worse physical and mental effects
Shaw, Susan M., and Janet Lee. Women's Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
Haney-Peritz, Janice. "Monumental Feminism and Literature's Ancestral House: Another Look at 'The Yellow Wallpaper'" Women's Studies. 12 (1986): 113-128.
The effects of marijuana are minimal. The high has a feeling of euphoria, peacefulness and well-being. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active chemical in marijuana. It’s estimated that a person would have to ingest a dose 20,000 to 40,000 times the average dose before death would occur. In the early 1990’s sophisticated research on marijuana began. The scientists discovered THC stimulates special receptors in the brain. Researchers have now isolated a natural substance that appears to produce the same effects as THC in the brain. Recently the medical uses of marijuana are being more and more accepted, and many marijuana smokers wonder how it can be harmful if it helps/treats patients.
The word Marijuana also known as cannabis, pot, weed, herb and green stuff has been universally criticized since the beginning of the century. According to (Fitzgerald, K. T., Bronstein, A. C., & Newquist, K. L. 2013) “the term "marijuana” typically refers to tobacco-like preparations of the leaves and flowers” (Fitzgerald et al., (2013). (McGuinness, Teena M, PhD,P.M.H.-N.P., B.C. (2009) stated that “Cannabis cigarettes are also called joints, nails, and reefers; pipes for smoking are also known as bongs and bowls” (McGuinness et al., 2009) The truth is that the legalization of Marijuana has positive effects on both society and the wellbeing of individuals and should be legalized. The government can monitor and tax Marijuana thus helping the economy. Secondly Marijuana can be used as medical therapy; thirdly there would be less youth and adults in jails and prisons. Conversely the use of Marijuana can be proven highly addictive among individuals in our society; Marijuana is more harmful that cigarettes and Marijuana is known as the (Gate Way) drug to harsher drugs. The benefits of legalization Marijuana outweigh the cons.
In the third paragraph; Sincero she mentions how genes play a role in our behavior, and describes how faternal twins that get seperated often end up portraying similar characteristics and traits. This is the last explanation she offers for Nature and proceeds to discuss what nurture is and how it is the prime factor in the upcoming
Meditation has been around for thousands of years. In every religion, the instructions for meditating are the same; only the words differ ("Buddhist Meditation"). There are two major types of meditation that benefit the user, Mantra and Vipassana meditation ("Buddhist Meditation") By meditating, the human mind...
Cooper, Lawrence, Cary Murphy. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Chicago: Taylor & Francis, 1996
The primary source of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is the household sources, which accounts for 55 to 65 percent of the total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated. This is closely followed by the commercial sources (EPA, 2011) while Commercial and Institutional Waste locations accounts to about 35 to 45 percent of total MSW (EPA, 2011) generated globally. The industries contributes a very miniature part of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) since most industries recycle and manages most of its own solid residuals by recycling, reuse, or self-disposal in industrial waste landfills. Nevertheless some industrial waste still end up in MSW landfills sites.