Essay about Romanticism - 1678 Words

Romanticism, Romanticism, in a way, was a reaction against rigid Classicism, Rationalism, and Deism of the eighteenth century. Strongest in application between 1800 and 1850, the Romantic Movement differed from country to country and from romanticist to romanticist. Because it emphasized change it was an atmosphere in which events occurred and came to affect not only the way humans thought and expressed them, but also the way they lived socially and politically (Abrams, M.H. Pg. 13). â€Å"Romanticism emphasized the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental,† (Thompson, E.P. Pg. 108-109). Among the characteristic attitudes of Romanticism†¦show more content†¦(Thompson, E.P. Pgs 33-34) The first phase of Romantic Movement was in Germany, which was marked by the innovations in both content and literary style and by a preoccupation with the mystical, the subconscious, and the super natural. (Abrams, M.H. Pg.68) The most momentous national movement was Germany’s. The Germans rebelled not only against Napoleonic rule, but also against the century old upper hand of French civilization. They rebelled not only against the French armies, but also against the philosophy of the Age of Enlightenment. â€Å"The years of the French Revolution and Napoleon were, for Germany, the year of it greatest Cultural Efflorescence.† (Abrams, M.H. Pg. 73) Germany became the most â€Å"romantic† of all countries, and German influence spread throughout Europe. In the nineteenth century, the Germans came to be widely regarded as intellectual leaders, like the French had been a century before. Most of the German thought had come from nationalism in a broad sense. A wealth of talents, including Friedrich Hà ¶lderlin, the early Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Jean Paul, Novalis, Ludwig Tieck, A.W. and Friedrich Schlegel, Wilhelm Heinrich Wackenroder, and Friedrich Schelling belong to this first phase. In Revolutionary France, the Vicomte de Chateabriande and Mme de Stael were the chief initiators of Romanticism, by virtue ofShow MoreRelatedRomanticism : Romanticism And Romanticism1444 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism was a period time 1750 to 1870 in Europe, Latin America and The United States. Romantic Movement didn’t reach to France until the 1820’s. Romanticism main spirit was against of rule, law and formulas that classicism the different characterized of general in 18th century. Imagination, Subjectivity of approach, freedom, Expression and the idealization of nature will be focused in movement of Romantic Literature. In this period industrial revolution with the social and political norms formRead MoreRomanticism : Romanticism And Romanticism1141 Words   |  5 Pagesmovements. Although Romanticism and Modernism differ in their styles, values, and ideology, they were both important periods in literature. Romanticism was a literary movement during the late 18th century until the early 19th century that had an emphasis on the imagination and emotions. The movement moved through every country in Europe, Latin America, and the United States from approximately 1750 to 1870. However, France did not see the movement until the 1820’s. Romanticism was basically a rebellionRead MoreRomanticism Vs. Romanticism : Modernism And Romanticism1050 Words   |  5 Pagesor what does it take to better the society? Well, the Europeans had adapted the Neoclassicism and Romanticism form of art belief, in order to find the answers that they were always looking for. Neoclassicism is the principal of logically viewing life in a mathematics and rational level, especially when it comes to solving worldly issues and it’s expressed through art and literature. However, Romanticism believe in the beauty of art, faith, and rely on intense emotions for judgement. Firstly, the societyRead MoreRomanticis m : The Era Of Romanticism1810 Words   |  8 PagesThrough the late 1700s and early 1800s, the period of Romanticism blossomed. â€Å"Romanticism† very loosely describes the era in which modern culture began to take shape. During the Romantic era, many advancements were made in all aspects of people’s lives and cultures. One aspect in particular has held great value even to this day. That aspect being the expansive amount of literature created during the era. The era of Romanticism had its name for a reason. It can be greatly attributed to the romanticRead MoreRomanticism1649 Words   |  7 PagesRomanticism in the Nineteenth Century The Romantic period followed the era of logical, philosophical, and social movement in the 17th to 18th century. However, as the 19th century began, Romanticism came into the light with a new perspective that intrigued the people. It stressed emphasis on emotions and imagination while also helping to realize the importance of self-expression. The American Romanticism movement illustrated inspiration, bias and predominance of individuals in the nineteenth centuryRead MoreRomanticism Essay833 Words   |  4 PagesRomanticism Soaked in sweat, I finally finished a mile run around the neighborhood. While grasping for air, my neighbor Kayla must have noticed that I took my daily run. She decided to bring me a bottle of water and converse a little while. One of the things we discuss was how I have been up multiple nights reading for all four of my classes that I have been taking this semester. Kayla was very shocked that I decided to enroll in British literature knowing that I strongly dislike the language differenceRead MoreDark Romanticism1392 Words   |  6 Pages4. Define â€Å"Dark Romanticism† as you understand it by discussing two works by different authors. Account for the rise of this kind of writing in America and evaluate its appeal and significance then and now. The Dark Side of Romanticism Romantic literary texts focus on the expression of emotion. Authors during the Romantic period developed and integrated the idea of the individual being the main focus in life. Romantic authors focused on the individual being at the center of their own happiness andRead MoreRomanticism And The Enlightenment1286 Words   |  6 Pagesgrowing, which emphasizes the scientific, practical evidence and rational thinking. Romanticism questioned the rationality of the truth of the road, that understanding the great mystery of life is not enough. These mysteries can be found with emotion, imagination and intuition. Nature is especially considered a self-discovery and spiritual learning classroom, the mysterious place can reveal the human mind. Romanticism emphasizes a life full of deep feelings, spirituality, and freedom of expression,Read MoreRomanticism Essay1493 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism Romanticism is a movement in the arts that flourished in Europe and America throughout much of the 19th century from the period of the French revolution in 1789. Romantic artists’ glorified nature, idealized the past, and celebrated the divinity of creation. There is a fundamental emphasis on freedom of self expression, sincerity, spontaneity and originality. The movement rebelled against classicism, and artists turned to sources of inspiration for subject matter and artisticRead MorePuritanism And Romanticism1825 Words   |  8 Pages There have been three major influential movements in American history—Puritanism, Rationalism, and Romanticism. Each occurring during generally different time periods, they produced a number of different types of literature reflecting their beliefs at the time. The Puritans, being some of the first settlers in modern day America, relied heavily on beliefs they brought with them from the Church of England. Rather than simply being f ollowers of their prior Church, Puritans believed in the Church as

Racism Racism And Racism - 990 Words

Racism is an issue in this country and it is just recently that anyone has taken any action to stop it. Some may have thought that racism was gone once slavery was ebolished, but that is not the case. Ask any black person to tell you the daily challenges and differ4ences they face compared to a white man and the list could go on and on. Some black men and woman will attest to the fact that if you re in a group of all colored people and walking on a street, a lot of people who aren t of color will lock their doors. This is not completeley their fault either. The stereotype that all black people steal or that they re all bad people has been around for a while. People grow up how they re taught to behave and the only way to end racism is to show this new generation not to look at color. Everyday people are killed by police officers, but more black people are killed annuanly than any other race. All over the news you ll hear about the newest incident with police killing unarmed black peo ple. These unarmed people not only are shot once, but sometimes are shot multiple times. If our law â€Å"enforcement† officers are trained to shoot then why are they shooting to kill when that is supposed to be the last resort? Why was Eric Garner choked to death begging to be let go and muffling the words â€Å"I can t breath†? Eric Garner was a New York resident who was caught before selling cigarettes. A cop was following him and Eric began to ask why he was harrasing him and saying he has doneShow MoreRelatedRacism : Racism And Racism1544 Words   |  7 PagesTo understand whether or not racism is learnt, we first have to divulge into the nature of racism. It is usually assumed that racism has been a part of civilisation since civilisation started, that it is embedded into how people work and that no matter what, it will always exist. Another assumption is that racism derives from the capitalism of the slave trade by white elitist men seeking to dehumanize people for economic gain, and used racism as a way to mask their financial motives to justify enslavementRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1003 Words   |  5 Pagesracism: Racism-â€Å"the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.† Imagine, 5 black men. Singing a church song still faithful for hope. Chained and cuffed together. Flies follow them as they walk by in the dry hot desert. With the white oppressor behind them yelling nasty words that poison their brain. Yet they still sing and wait and keep faith. In some statesRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1751 Words   |  8 PagesRacism Social Justice Topic Issue Corbin Metz H R – 3013 University of Oklahoma Racism Social Justice Topic Issue Today in our society, racism is a very popular social justice topic issue, which affects many of the lives of those around us on a daily basis. Individuals as well as organizations and institutions widely commit the act of racism and these issues are embedded in their policies, procedures, and practices (Calgary). The first signs of racism beginning to arise in the worldRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1971 Words   |  8 PagesRacism has come to be a very important topic in today’s society. Many are talking about the injustices when it comes mostly when it comes to African-Americans and Caucasians in authority. Many have deemed the incidents of Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, the Spring Valley High School video, and even the Charleston Shooting to name a few as reactions to racism. Out of the people talking about these events, only a few really know the meaning of racismRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism2243 Words   |  9 PagesRacism, a topic which has become especially touchy in modern times. It is quite clear that racism is alive not only in the United States, but across the globe. Though the topic is widely talked about, nobody really does anything to stop it. People will be quick to elaborate on the fact that it should be stopped, then make no changes themselves. Yet do they truly understand the concepts of racism and what it really means to be racist? Granted everybody understands that it is racist to hate a groupRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism953 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in America â€Å"Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and it deserves to be met head-on and stamped out.† - Pierre Berton Racism is the unjust hate for any people who are simply different for a various array of reasons. It is all around us and always will be, but that does not give us the right to be passive on the subject. This discrimination against culturally diverse people is hurting our â€Å" land of the free†, one racist remark at a time.Read MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1181 Words   |  5 PagesThis issue of racism is popular by name but tends to be sugar coated by the way people see it. In order to truly understand racism you need to take a bite into the topic in order to get a taste of what it is really like. Racism comes in many different forms and can be seen many different ways. But why even care about racism at all? Why does it even matter? One would think that with such a harsh background regarding racism in America it would no longer exist in society today. But sadly that is notRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism996 Words   |  4 PagesCovert Racism Introduction Racism; ‘the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others’ (Collins English Dictionary 2012) and thus leading to ‘abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief’ (Collins English Dictionary 2012). Over time, racism has transformed from a blatant and overt form into a passive style of prejudice and discriminationRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism989 Words   |  4 PagesRacism in America Racism discrimination has been one of our society’s most horrible social problems. In the words of the famous Martin Luther King judging an individual by the color of their skin rather than the content of their character can be a very dehumanizing experience that can have lasting effects on an individual life. Racism in America has not come to a cease. Racism promotes negative personal relations between people of different cultures. I believe slavery started around the 1500sRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1094 Words   |  5 PagesRacism has been an issue that has caused controversial debates for years. It is a topic that stirs up lots of emotions within people and continues to be an argument for all. When there has been a shooting between a white and a colored or a cop and a colored person, people blame it on racism. They state that since the white cop shot the black man it simply means the cop was racist. Then the people want to speak that justice needs to be served and the cop needs to be put in prison or released from

Application of Big Data In Business

Question: Discuss about the Application of Big Data In Business. Answer: Introduction The advancement of technology and its adoption in running of various businesses has shown great strides made by different organizations and companies. Technology has been identified as an essential item in the running of any business, and various managers and business owner have incorporated its use in the businesses(Bughin, Chui, Manyika, 2010). The ever advancing technology led to the innovation of Big Data Solutions, which has been accepted by many businesses and organizations in running their businesses. Understanding Big Data Solutions According to (Paper, 2013), Big Data can be said to be the combination of large volumes of data in terabytes or petabytes from different data sources that are distributed physically. These data are often unstructured, structured, semi-structured and poly-structured. Some of the data are generated at very high speed and sometimes expired at the very same high speed(Chaudhuri, Dayal, Narasayya, 2011). The White paper says that for a significant value to be realized by the organization, then various aspects are combined in the big data. These aspects include; the large data volumes, the different data types, the varied lines of evidence and the high speed in which they are generated. The Big data, according to (Chen, Chiang, Storey, 2012), provides a prospective fortune trove that is not traditional, fewer well thought-out records that can be extracted for helpful data. Examples of these structured data can be from social media platforms, emails, sensors and photographs/ videos.(Chen, Chiang, Storey, 2012), further illustrates that Big Data is a combination of these three types of data; Traditional enterprise data that incorporates transactional data, information from customers, general ledger data and web store transactions. Sensor/ machine generated data. It combines all the data from call detail record, manufacturing sensors, web logs, gear logs, elegant meters, and trade system records. Societal records that encompasses social media platforms, micro blogging websites, and customer feedback streams. Technologies Available for Big Data Big data require different kinds of technologies majorly software, and according to Oracle (2013), some of these Softwares include; (NoSQL) database community edition Big Data appliance plug in for enterprise manager Statistical package R Linux Operating System and Java VM Cloudera Manager that administers aspects of Cloudera CDH Apache Hadoop (CDH4); that allows data virtualization and information delivery in real time from various sources. According to(Fan, Lau, Zhao, 2015), various technologies exist for significant data based on Forrester analysis. They include; Predictive analytics that analyzes bug data through deployment of predictive models to mitigate risks and improve the performance of business. Tools for search and knowledge discovery that support self-extraction of information and data from both structured and unstructured sources. Software for stream analysis that can aggregate, filter and scrutinize a large volume of records from numerous different information sources. In memory records fabric; software that enables the dispensation of large quantity of information and enhances the provision of low latency access throughout a computer system. Mongo DB, Amazon Elastic MapReduce (EMR), Apache Pig, Apache Spark Couch Base, and Apache Hive. These are tools for data orchestration/integration across all solutions. Selection of the Appropriate Big Data Applications Many organizations and businesses always want to get the best out of all systems they incorporate, and Big Data cannot be left out(Fujitsu, 2012). To select the best Big Data, then the exact unique requirements that will enhance smooth incorporation into the business without any hitches. According to (Gandomi Haider, 2015), these three major requirements and steps should be considered; Data Acquisition The infrastructure required for data capturing and acquisition should be able to deliver very low predictable expectancy and capture data in executing straightforward and short queries(Katal, Wazid, Goudar, 2013). These should be able to handle enormous capacities of data frequently in a disseminated environment and support distributed, even, dynamic data. Data Organization The infrastructure required for the Integration of data should have the capacity to operate data at the source in both structured and unstructured formats saves both money and time for moving about huge amounts of information(Lohr, 2012). The infrastructure should also be to deal with comprehensive data processes and support their output. Data Analysis The required infrastructure must be able to sustain deeper analytics in addition to a larger multiplicity data types, deliver quicker response time based on behavioral change, automation of decisions based on models used in analysis and sale to extreme data volumes. Desired outcomes should incorporate features from Hadoop; a system that is used primarily for an organization of structured data sets for analysis of Big Data while maintaining their footprints as data warehouses. Hadoop combines the use of Not Only SQL (NoSQL), which is used as solutions for developer-centric specialized systems and SQL which is the most trusted and secure type of relational database management systems(Mayer-Schonberger Cukier, 2013). An Application of Big Data Solution inMarketing Among the superior technologies mentioned for Big Data, lets talk about Mongo DB for instance as one of the applications used for marketing. According to social media websites, Mongo DB is the software that is designed to enable the storage of data and information in the cloud storage system(DB, 2016). When used, it automatically displays data and allows the balancing of queries across various clusters. The data is managed from redundant servers hence access of data is enabled even when offline and delivered as a service to the end users. According to (DB, 2016), Mongo DB is combined with other software like Hadoop and NoSQL to ensure complex queries are performed while the efficiency and ease of use are maintained. When these combinations are made, advertising is made easier and assessable to the customers and businesses can capitalize on their Big Data marketing hence improved innovation and successes(Mayer-Schonberger Cukier, 2013). The advantages that can be found from using Mongo DB include; It provides both offline and online solutions for a long term analysis. It facilitates informed decision-making processes in the analysis of data and the advertising of products or services. Enhances the combination of both offline and online Big Data technologies. These ensure that data is processed in batches and enhanced joining of multiple documents and maintain operations like the standard deviation(Minelli, Chambers, Dhiraj, 2012). An example is the combination of Hadoop and Mongo DB. It provides a dynamic data model that can be used easily thereby the best online data solution for marketing. Some of the other features in Mongo DB that are mentioned on the site apart from the ones already mentioned include; It enables the creation of ad hoc queries in all the fields involved in the analysis of Big Data hence less costly. Indexing both in primary and secondary indices is enabled for documents used in Mongo DB. Copies of data can be created, written, read o stored/maintained by the use of MongoDB interchangeably in primary and secondary data structures. Balanced distribution of data in a process known as shading over multiple servers and the duplication of data to maintain the system and even keep it running during hardware failure. Despite the above, some disadvantages can also be seen from Mongo DB and include; the security level of data is not 100% guaranteed, stale reads could be returned on failure to read between two different Mongo DB processes and queries against an index may miss documents that are in the course of being updated since they arent atomic. Advantages of Big Data Solutions in Comparison with Rraditional Methods Evolution of technology has made data analysis very easy for the analysts and replaced conventional methods of storage and analysis of data. According to (Press, 2016), the values found in Big Data include; It makes the analysis of data easier since it allows al kind of data, structured, semi-structured or unstructured, unlike the traditional method which only used relational databases that did not allow unstructured and semi-structured data(Russom, 2011). It has made data analysis easier since only relevant information can be queried and leaving out the ones that are not relevant. It accommodates large amounts of data which is not structured and further allows the more efficient access to data due to the flexible query language used. It is different with the rigid query system from the relational database from the traditional method. Differences Between Offline and Online Big Data According to (Zicari, 2012), working with data either offline or online has very different characteristics regarding; Offline Big Data involves applications that change, transform, and manage data in group perspective and do not generate information while, Online Big Data is ingested, formed, managed and modified /examined to maintain equipped applications and the users. The volume of data generated online is higher and from newer sources compared to that which is created offline. This creates a problem in the discovery of quality relevant data, comprehensiveness and scalability and the course of timely scrutiny and delivery of results hence the need for Big Data solutions(Sharda, Delen, Turban, 2013). The management challenges arising from online data since some may be sensitive and need; privacy, security, ethics and proper governance procedures without destroying the reputation of the business(Vera-Baquero, Colomo-Palacios, Molloy, 2013). On the other hand, files containing offline data that contain sensitive information could only be handled by authorized personnel to preserve their privacy until they are worked on. Online generated data faces technological obsolescence problems. Since it is still developing, the data and new technology constantly require newer skills that may end up being costly(Chen, Chiang, Storey, 2012). Offline data, on the other hand, is analyzed by the same methods or newer ones but the system of collection, analysis, and storage may be the same hence fewer inconveniences. Online generated data requires the internet connection to be accessed and worked on while offline data can be accessed and worked on without internet connectivity. The Big Data Impact on Businesses and Organizations Various businesses have seen positive results from Big Data, and according to (Paper, 2013), some include; Many organizations can discover facts and insights about their customers who were hidden in the past. Many businesses and organizations can be able to build up a more meticulous perceptive appreciative of their industry that will lead to a robust competitive spot in the market; improved innovation hence enhanced productivity. It provides a perfect measure for digital advertising and in turn leads to retaining of customers at a less expensive method. There is creation of more accurate measures of assessment thereby the optimization of strategies for distribution and production. The insights and strategies of different suppliers and other competing businesses can be identified from the unstructured data. Discrete information from the markets, market demands, and their operation will be available for the scrutiny and use of the business. Root causes of issues or complaints and comments by customers and the costs of goods and services will be identified from the Big Data hence enables the organizations to adjust. The potential risks that may be facing the organizations and any impending dangers could be identified from the Big Data. Predictions business opportunities and trends that will improve the operational, tactical and strategic decisions can be found from Big Data. Conclusion Technology is ever evolving and many businesses and organizations have adopted it for use in efficient running of their activities. The adoption and incorporation of Big Data into the organization has even led to more effective methods of data analysis. The incorporation of technologies like Mongo DB in marketing of organizational products and businesses. More users will be able to access and be served, more insights will be created and used easily and the results will be of more value to the business world. Big data is very important and when correctly managed with the right skills, can produce better results that lead to a stronger competitive position in the market, improved innovation and enhanced productivity. References Bughin, J., Chui, M. and Manyika, J., 2010. Clouds, big data, and smart assets: Ten tech-enabled business trends to watch.McKinsey Quarterly,56(1), pp.75-86. Chaudhuri, S., Dayal, U. and Narasayya, V., 2011. An overview of business intelligence technology.Communications of the ACM,54(8), pp.88-98. Chen, H., Chiang, R.H. and Storey, V.C., 2012. Business intelligence and analytics: From big data to big impact.MIS quarterly,36(4), pp.1165-1188. DB, M. (2016). Bringing Online Big Data to Business intelligence analytics. A Mongo DB White Paper . Fan, S., Lau, R.Y. and Zhao, J.L., 2015. Demystifying big data analytics for business intelligence through the lens of marketing mix.Big Data Research,2(1), pp.28-32. Fujitsu. (2012). White Paper: Solutions approaches for Africa. Gandomi, A. and Haider, M., 2015. Beyond the hype: Big data concepts, methods, and analytics.International Journal of Information Management,35(2), pp.137-144. Katal, A., Wazid, M. and Goudar, R.H., 2013, August. Big data: issues, challenges, tools and good practices. InContemporary Computing (IC3), 2013 Sixth International Conference on(pp. 404-409). IEEE. Lohr, S., 2012. The age of big data.New York Times,11(2012). Mayer-Schnberger, V. and Cukier, K., 2013.Big data: A revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Minelli, M., Chambers, M. and Dhiraj, A., 2012.Big data, big analytics: emerging business intelligence and analytic trends for today's businesses. John Wiley Sons. Paper, O. W. (2013). Big Data for the Enterprise. Press, G. (2016). Top 10 Hot Big Data Technologies. Forbe.com . Russom, P., 2011. Big data analytics.TDWI best practices report, fourth quarter, pp.1-35. Sharda, R., Delen, D. and Turban, E., 2013.Business Intelligence: A managerial perspective on analytics. Prentice Hall Press. Vera-Baquero, A., Colomo-Palacios, R. and Molloy, O., 2013. Business process analytics using a big data approach.IT Professional,15(6), pp.29-35. Zicari, R. (2012). Big Data: Challenges and Opportunity.

My Mind free essay sample

Mentally, I am a type of soldier. I eat two squares of dark chocolate everyday that I leave the house- four for stressful events. My consistent intake of chocolate occurs because of my necessity for order –quasi-OCD, or so people tell me. The specific type of dark chocolate that I eat, Lindt 70% cocoa, serves more for its ubiquity –What grocery store doesnt have this?- and packaging: a shiny silver foil. Dark chocolate and its packaging reminded me of a bedtime story that I often read: â€Å"The Chocolate Soldier.† The Soldier stood in a seemingly protected store, wearing a shiny metallic uniform, an aesthetic face covering a vulnerable inside. Im clearly not shiny, but my nonchalance stood as my uniform. Beginning by accident when I stumbled across some in the pantry, my dark chocolate habits emerged out of anxiety over my indecisive future – typical amongst teenagers, but my friends had niche interests–, a pressure, a burning ray of sunlight in my protected store. We will write a custom essay sample on My Mind or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Like the Chocolate Soldier, I felt that I was melting, grasping for nonexistent connections. I tried using numerous rankings, projections, forum threads, and reading job descriptions to work backwards to find a subject that interested me and thus build myself around the occupation and vice versa -like assembling from a blueprint while trying to design the blueprint with materials. But I, along with the melted Solider, flowed into a drain, doing the minimum to receive good grades, becoming that chocolate fish to stay afloat. When the Chocolate Soldier approached the frying pan, I fell in a cycle of shifting to stay afloat -my fish kept melting and reforming, from actuary to optical engineer to quant to technical writer to diagnostic radiologist and on and on. Summer began, and I followed the Soldier: I melted and flowed into the pocket of the fisherman. But unlike the Soldier, who realized his state as a coin once he was passed from the fisherman to a boy, I saw myself as a coin when placed within a community of thirty-six intellectually gifted –why else would they want to do research?- students. My coin, my transportation back to my original store, my house, my mind. And I rose with the Soldier to the level surface, to those with similar aesthetic designs -or rather, in my case, just high school students-, with a transformed outlook: hold onto the leash to the origin, remember the coin. Dark chocolate, and thereby â€Å"The Chocolate Soldier,† reminds me of my past self: a shifter. I couldn’t decide who I was because I didn’t need to be one person, but was what I needed to be –cliche? Of course. Using dark chocolate as a way of reminding me of when I wavered seems like a bittersweet comfort -literally and metaphorically. And that’s okay with me, since I like being realistic. Sometimes. Even when I seem ridiculous. But what’s my coin? Well, I’m just†¦odd.