The Old Man And The Sea Essays - American Literature, Free Essays

The Old Man And The Sea Essays - American Literature, Free Essays The Old Man And The Sea The Old Man and the Sea is a heroic tale of man's strength pitted against forces he cannot control. It is a story about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the Old Man and the Sea strives to teach important life lessons to the reader while also epitomizing Santiago, the old fisherman, as a Hemingway code hero. The relationship between Santiago and the boy is introduced early in the story. They are unlikely companions; one is old and the other young, yet they share an insuperable amount of respect and loyalty for each other. Santiago does not treat Manolin as a young boy but rather as an equal. Age is not a factor in their relationship. Manolin does not even act as a young boy; he is mature and sensitive to Santiago's feelings. He even offers to disobey his parents and accompany Santiago on his fishing trips. Santiago is viewed as an outcast in his village because he has not caught any fish for more than eighty-four days and is therefore unlucky. Nonetheless Manolin is loyal to Santiago and even when his parents forbid him he wants to help his friend. Their conversations are comfortable, like that of two friends who have known each other for a long time. When they speak it is usually about baseball or fishing, the two things they have most in common. Their favorite team is the Yankees and S antiago never loses faith in them even when the star player, Joe DiMaggio is injured with a heel spur. In this way Santiago not only teaches Manolin about fishing but also about important characteristics such as faith. In the story Santiago's bravery is unsurpassed but it is not until he hooks the great fish that we truly see his valor and perseverance. Through Santiago's actions Hemingway teaches the reader about bravery and tenacity in the face of adversity. He demonstrates that even when all is lost and seems hopeless a faith and willful heart will overcome anything. Santiago had lost his luckiness and therefore the respect of his village. Through the description of his cabin we also suspect that Santiago is a widower. Although Santiago has had many troubles he perseveres. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself. This is perhaps his greatest attribute because without it he would never have had the strength to persevere and defeat the giant Marlin. Faith is not the only thing that drives his perseverance. Santiago also draws upon his past victories for strength. After he hooks the Marlin he frequently recalls his battle with a native in what he calls the hand game. It is not just an arm wrestling victory for him it is a reminder of his youthful days. His recollections of this event usually proceed a favorite dream of his in which he sees many lions on a peaceful shore. These lions represent him when he is young and strong and could overcome any challenge. Although he is an old man and his body is no longer like it used to be his heart is still great and he eventually defeats the Marlin. Santiago's perseverance and bravery are further illustrated when he tries to fight off the sharks. He was a fisherman all his life and therefore he knows that the fate of his catch is inevitable yet he persists to fight the sharks. The battle between him and the sharks is about principles not a mere fish. Santiago is still a great warrior at hea rt and warriors fight until the end. One of the greatest and most obvious pieces of symbolism in the story is Christianity. From the beginning of the story the reader is shown a unique relationship between Santiago and Manolin. Their relationship parallels that of Christ and his disciples. Manolin is Santiago's disciple and Santiago teaches Manolin about fishing and life. One of the greatest lessons that Santiago gives is that of a simple faith. Have faith in the Yankees my son. This type of faith reflects the basic principles of Christianity. Hemingway's

Elementary School Science Fair Projects

Elementary School Science Fair Projects It can be a challenge to come up with an elementary school science fair project idea thats fun and challenging. Even at the grade-school level, there will be fierce competition to come up with the winning idea- but winning first prize should not be the focus of your childs project. Learning and making the project fun and encouraging a genuine interest in science should be your top priority. Elementary School Science Fair Project Basics Elementary school projects arent supposed to be rocket science (though of course, they can be). Keep in mind, judges will disqualify projects if they suspect parents did too much or all of the work. Part of science is making a reproducible procedure. Resist the temptation to let your child make a display or do a demonstration. Instead, gear the project toward answering a question or solving a problem. Start by finding a video an online tutorial for a project that appeals to your child and then let him or her try to reproduce it. Make sure to follow all directions and safety precautions outlined in the experiment to the letter. Documentation is also essential to the success of your childs project. Keeping careful notes and taking pictures as the project progresses is a great way to document data. These notes should include how well his or her results match those of the original project. How Much Time Should Be Devoted to the Project? Time is a factor that has to be considered for all science projects. Even though the actual number of hours spent to complete any given project may be the same, some science fair projects can be done over the space of a weekend, while others that involve recording data over a period of time (say, 10 minutes per day over the course of a few weeks). Finding out if theres going to be a year-end science fair that your child will be expected to participate in will allow you to plan accordingly. Weekend Projects The following projects can be accomplished fairly quickly. Make sure your child sets a specific goal to be achieved or question they will be attempting to answer. Gather the specific items needed to complete the project in advance. Have your child document the steps in the experiment as they go along and also record his or her conclusion at the end. Try making colored bubbles. Can you color them with food coloring? If so, what differences do you notice between colored bubbles and regular bubbles?Can you predict what things will glow under a black light?Will chilling an onion before cutting it keep you from crying?What ratio of vinegar to baking soda produces the best chemical volcano eruption?Are night insects attracted to lamps because of heat or light?Can you make Jell-O using fresh pineapples instead of canned pineapples?Do white candles burn at a different rate than colored candles?Compare using saltwater (a saturated solution of sodium chloride) and freshwater to dissolve Epsom salts. Will the saltwater dissolve the Epsom salts? Does the freshwater or saltwater work more quickly or effectively?Does the shape of an ice cube affect how quickly it melts?Do different brands of popcorn leave different amounts of unpopped kernels?How do differences in surfaces affect the adhesion of tape?If you shake up different kinds or brands of soft drinks (e.g., carbonated), will they all spew the same amount? Are all potato chips equally greasy (you can crush them to get uniform samples and look at the diameter of a grease spot on brown paper)? Is greasiness different if different oils are used (e.g., peanut versus soybean)?Can you use a household water filter to remove flavor or color from other liquids?Does the power of a microwave affect how well it makes popcorn?If you use invisible ink, does a message appear equally well on all types of paper? Does it matter what type of invisible ink you use?Do all brands of diapers absorb the same amount of liquid? Does it matter what the liquid is (water as opposed to juice or milk)?Do different brands of batteries (same size, new) last equally long? Does changing the device in which the batteries are used (e.g., running a flashlight as opposed to running a digital camera) change the results?Is the nutritional content of different brands of a vegetable (e.g., canned peas) the same? Compare labels.Are permanent markers really permanent? What solven ts (e.g., water, alcohol, vinegar, detergent solution) will remove the ink? Do different brands/types of markers produce the same results? Is laundry detergent as effective if you use less than the recommended amount? More?How does the pH of soil relate to the pH of the water around the soil? You can make your own pH paper, test the pH of the soil, add water, then test the pH of the water. Are the two values the same? If not, is there a relationship between them?Do clear flavored drinks and colored flavored drinks (same flavor) taste the same? Does it matter if you can see the color?What percent of an orange is water? Get an approximate mass percent by weighing an orange, liquefying it in a blender, and measuring the strained liquid. (Note: other liquids, such as oils, will be present in trace amounts.) Alternatively, you could bake the weighed orange until it is dried and weigh it again.Does the temperature of a soda affect how much it sprays?You can refrigerate a soda, warm one in a hot water bath, shake them up, measure how much liquid is sprayed out. How do you explain the results?Do all brands of soda spray the sam e amount when you shake them up? Does it matter if its diet or regular soda? Do all brands of paper towels pick up the same amount of liquid? Compare single sheet of different brands. Be sure to use a teaspoon to measure incremental additions of liquid and record the number accurately. Continue to add liquid until the sheet until it is saturated, let any excess liquid drip off, and then squeeze the liquid from the wet paper towel into a measuring cup. Week-Long Projects These projects may take more than a few days to complete, as the processes they involve dont always happen overnight. If one of these projects interests your child, make sure he or she will have enough time to see it through to its conclusion, and again, make sure they document the steps they take along the way. What type of plastic wrap best prevents evaporation?What plastic wrap best prevents oxidation?Figure out how much of a weeks worth of your familys trash could be recycled. Compare the recyclables against the total amount of trash to determine what percentage is thrown away what could be re-used.Does light affect the rate at which foods spoil?Do the same types of mold grow on all types of bread?How does temperature affect the growth of Borax crystals? Crystals can be grown at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in an ice bath. Growing crystals takes from two to five days. Since boiling water is required to melt the Borax, make sure to supervise your child.What conditions affect the ripening of fruit? Look at ethylene and enclosing a fruit in a sealed bag, temperature, light, or nearness to other pieces or fruit. Plant Germination and Growth (Long-Term Projects) Projects that involve growing plants over a period of time to see how different factors affect growth rate and germination are very popular with kids but they do take time and careful tending. You want your child to be excited by science. If it seems like a chore, they may lose interest. Younger children or those with short attention spans may be better off with a project from which they can see the results more quickly. If your child is good at keeping up with commitments and has the patience to watch things unfold, these projects are excellent examples from which they can learn and draw their scientific conclusions. How do different factors affect seed germination? Factors that you could test include the intensity, duration, or type of light, the temperature, the amount of water, the presence/absence of certain chemicals, or the presence/absence of soil. You can look at the percentage of seeds that germinate or the rate at which seeds germinate.Is a seed affected by its size? Do different size seeds have different germination rates or percentages? Does seed size affect the growth rate or final size of a plant?How does cold storage affect the germination of seeds? Factors you can control include the type of seeds, length of storage, the temperature of storage, light, and humidity.Does the presence of detergent in water affect plant growth?What is the effect of a chemical on a plant? You can look at natural pollutants (e.g., motor oil, runoff from a busy street) or unusual substances (e.g., orange juice, baking soda). Factors that you can measure include rate of plant growth, leaf size, life/death of the plant, the color of ​the  plant, and its ability to flower/bear fruit. Does magnetism affect the growth of plants? Science Fair Projects Beyond Grade School If your child loves science and is nearing grade school graduation and you want to keep their enthusiasm engaged, you can plan ahead by getting familiar with these science project ideas geared toward more advanced levels of education. Middle School ProjectsHigh School ProjectsCollege Projects