Weather
One of the many unique aspects of South Africa is its intense cultural background and tradition. It is very common in South Africa to know several myths about different towns and cities and to pass the stories on to each generation. There are some myths that explain all sorts of various aspects of South African life, but more importantly, there are some that relate to the weather. One of these myths has to do with a weather pattern that occurs everyday in Cape Town, and is one of the great myths of South Africa. The myth has to do with Table Mountain, the central mountain in Cape Town. Although the myth has been around for many generations, the weather aspect it relates to is true and still happens today.
To begin, one must understand that Table Mountain sits in the center of Cape Town, while the town inhabits a circular form around the mountain. Table Mountain has become a focal point of the city and attracts many tourists to see it and also some venture up via the cable car. It seems very fitting that this mountain would be the focus of a very famous story in South Africa.
The story goes as follows (it is told in many variations, this is as told by Lauren Smith, who studied in Cape Town in the spring of 2004): Their once was a man in Cape Town who was very well known and respected. He would smoke his pipe more than anyone else in Cape Town. Every afternoon he would smoke on top of Table Mountain. No one could ever out smoke this man, he was simply too good. One day, someone approached him and challenged him to a smoking contest. He agreed, figuring there was no way anyone could possibly out smoke him and he would surely win. The two contestants went on top of the mountain and smoked and smoked all afternoon. They smoked so much that it created huge billows of smoke that collected atop of the men and rolled down the mountain towards the Cape Town. The outcome of the bet is somewhat insignificant in this, because it is the billows of smoke that relate to today’s current weather patterns in Cape Town. In any case, the man realized he was smoking against the devil because the devil wasn’t affected at all by the smoke he was inhaling.
“I’d Rather Smoke than Kiss.” is Florence King’s very astute retort to anti-smokers. In this writing she advocates for smoking as a simple enjoyable thing to do. To emphasize this she recalls her first smoking experience, which is for the most part very normal and unexciting. However, this inconsequential account is not indicative of the rest of the story. King quickly switches gears as she goes on the attack. In the first section she labels hatred of smokers as a form of misanthropy which she goes on to say is “the most popular form of closet misanthropy in America today” (King 32). This perspective is further augmented by the fact that she considers second-hand smoke an invention; a means for the “Passive Americans” (King 32), to justify prejudice towards smokers.
Describe the weather throughout the story. What is the weather at the beginning of the story and how does it change by the end of the story?
So does Ponyboy; all the sudden incidents horrified him, a fourteen-year-old barely matured boy; it was too hard for him to accept the cold or even horrendous facts, so he chose to neglect the reality he had to face in order to eliminate his fear and affliction. When Pony and Johnny were on the run, Ponyboy kept thinking about cigarette, as if he could not live without it. “I was shaking. I want a cigarette. I wanted a cigarette. I want a cigarette.” But smoking did not bring him peace; instead, brought him bigger trouble. The lit cigarette triggered the fire, put those innocent children into danger. Ponyboy realized his mistake, running into the church regardless of his own safety. This is the act of facing the reality, compensating the mistakes he had made by actively doing things to stop things from getting worse. That was the time Pony felt relieved and free from guilt, it was just what cigarette could not bring him. Similarly, later Ponyboy refused to accept Johnny’s death, he kept persuading himself that Johnny was not dead, escaping from the truth. Lying in bed smoking, doing badly in schoolwork, he tried to use illusion and dreaming to distort his
He speaks of how a sunny day sets the tone for a happy story, and how rain can set up for times for confrontation, or anger. However, in The Kite Runner, there is not a lot of rain, and with it being in Afghanistan, it is assumed to be sunny, even when it is not mentioned. However, the weather is specifically mentioned when it snows. Amir speaks of snow and says, “Snow is clean, stark, severe, warm (and insulating blanket, paradoxically), inhospitable, inviting, playful, suffocating, filthy” (Foster 80). Hosseini plays off societies preconceived notions and attitudes towards weather and the tone associated with it in his book. In his naivety, Amir thinks of the snow like most children, with excitement and happiness. It’s “inviting” and playful”, as Foster said before. Amir describes his love for the winter, “I loved wintertime in Kabul. I loved it for the soft pattering of snow against my window at night, for the way fresh snow crunched under my back rubber book” (Hosseini 49). The snow was fresh and clean, just like is conscious at the time. This is when he’s naive, before the rape, before he feels all of the pressure from his father. Later, when he feels the pressure from his father, the snow feels more “suffocating”. “Snow blanketed every rooftop and weighed on the branched of the stunted mulberry trees that lined our streets” (Hosseini 60). Then, immediately after the rape,
After falling behind in classes with grades in previous semesters, I plan to start early and not slack off and think I have time. Before I tell you how this will be accomplished I will tell you why I am taking Meteorology 206. I am taking this class first and foremost because it fulfills my science requirement. However, I chose Meteorology 206 because I have always been interested in the weather and how it works. The first step for my success will be to take my own notes in class because it helps me to remember the information more. I will then take these notes outside of class to use to study for exams and for assignments. Also outside of class to prepare for class I will read the upcoming chapter. This will not only help for class but will
Weather is like an author in itself, telling a story. In the book Holes. There was a vast, vibrant lake that made the town living by it survive. The lake produced every kind of nourishment for the town. It was the center of life. When Sam, the simple black man making a living from the lake crops, is murdered, the town suddenly stops getting rain. The lake ends up drying up and the town lays to waste. The lack of rain symbolizes the harsh payback the murderers had coming. It was a punishment to the town. Also Sam's girlfriend Kate is telling the story at that point, so the dried up lake means a sense of hopelessness for her. She wants to dry up and die just as the lake that Sam had lived on had done. Hopefully everyone knows the story of Stanley
“I can’t tell you what it would mean to most people, but I do know what it means to me. It’s a sort of showing what’s inside - things half mechanical, half alive. The mountain itself can represent almost anything - a human being, life, the world, and fundamental thing.”
Oedipus Rex and “Master Harold” and the boys are dramatic tragedies that tell the story of two men who, as Kreon would put it, “serve [their] own destruction. Although the two plays are completely different in plot and setting, they are similar in respect to the irrational decisions that the main characters make. The main characters also share many of the same characteristics which include a false sense of pride, intelligence which is over shadowed by irrational decisions, clouded judgment, and shame of their actions. Although the characters serve their own destruction, it can be argued that the environment shaped the downfalls which take place in each play.
Timbuktu has a very interesting geography. Timbuktu is a desert city that is located in the westernmost part of Africa, 18 miles north of the NIger River. Timbuktu is a large trading post for Mali. The largest amount of salt is traded out of Mali. Since it’s a desert city it is very hot and dry year round. The summer and springs high getting to 104˚ F and the low ranging from 80˚ to 90˚. There is a ton of rainfall that causes floods and landslides but there is also a lot of sand storms. There are many sand storms due to the large amounts of sand dunes. Some even reach as high as 600 feet (Lonely Planet). Some of the other landforms that can be found in Timbuktu are the Niger River and the well known Traditional Landscape of Tellem and Dogon People. The Traditional Landscape of Tellem and Dogon People is art that is cut into the side of a cliff. It is located south of the bend in the Niger River. This extraordinary artwork brings a
The Mountaintop is a unique one act play based on Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night before he was assassinated. The entire play takes place in a single setting, room 306 of the Lorraine Motel. The production brings an interesting perspective into play by introducing a female supporting act that at first seemed to represent one of King’s infamous mistresses, but turned out to be an angel who was sent to take King up to heaven. The play covers many aspects of King’s life and attempts to show him on a more personal level. The main theme of the play seemed to be based around humanizing King, showing elements of his life many people didn’t know about. Overall the play had good composition, many historical references, and quality acting.
Climbing the mountain was also a task undertaken with great enthusiasm and the offering of hope for what their society could be. This was the peak of their civilization. Ever since then their society has been "declining" or going "downhill", so the mountain represents the "peak" or "height" of their civilization. As the boys' civilization fell apart, it became primitive and controlled increasingly by evil elements (Jack). Because of this the boys began to fear a beast.
The setting of a short story plays a major role in imitating the main characters ' circumstances. There are many factors that construct setting, as shown in “Hills like White Elephants”. The train station, landscape, and surrounding area all contribute to establishing a strong vantage point of the characters ' situation, emotions, and circumstances. This story in particular is built upon its setting and the characters ' circumstances can be easily withdrawn from
In an age when man has forgotten his origins and is blind even to his most essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the victim of his indifference. South Africa, one of the most advanced countries in Africa, with a thriving economy based on technology and agriculture, is currently facing a downward slope in terms of water availability.
Scientists, economists, and policy makers all agree the world is facing threat from climate warming. Climate warming is caused by excess greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide which are heat trapping gasses. Human use of fossil fuels is a significant source of these gasses. When we drive our cars, heat our homes with oil or natural gas, or use electricity from coal fired power plants, we contribute to global warming. Including any loss of trees or forests also contributes, considering trees convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Global warming will have a worldwide effect but the problem is expected to be most severe in Africa, where the people are poor, temperatures are high, precipitation is low, technological change is slow, and where agriculture drives the economy. Climate changes in Africa will ultimately affect their habitats, native and non-native species, agriculture, weather, health, and energy use.
Hurricanes occur all over the world, at different times, but commonly through June first and late November. However in late August 2005 a catastrophic hurricane struck. This was Hurricane Katrina. With winds traveling over one hundred miles per hour making it a category five on the Saffir- Simpson Hurricane Scale it was said to have cause billions of dollars’ worth of damage. Hurricane Katrina flooded nearly forty thousand homes, and killed at least two thousand people (“Hurricane”). An average category five hurricane has enough energy to power street lamps for more than twenty seven thousand hours (Williams 58). Knowing about Hurricane Katrina, and the devastation of the city in New Orleans would be beneficial. Also, general information on hurricanes can help civilians and people of higher authority better understand and prepare for damage that could once hit their town and community. Because experts know the general information on these storms they can help explain to the public why and how Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes occur. Hopefully, in the future civilians will know and use this information to their advantage against hurricanes.