The Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf Essay - 761 Words

‘The Death of the Moth† by Virginia Woolf Death is a difficult subject for anyone to speak of, although it is a part of everyday life. In Virginia Woolf’s â€Å"The Death of the Moth†, she writes about a moth flying about a windowpane, its world constrained by the boundaries of the wood holding the glass. The moth flew, first from one side, to the other, and then back as the rest of life continued ignorant of its movements. At first indifferent, Woolf was eventually moved to pity the moth. This story shows that life is as strange and familiar as death to us all. I believe this story was well written and will critique the symbolism, characters, and the setting. Woolf uses symbolism in her essay when she speaks of the moth and†¦show more content†¦This symbolism Woolf applies to everyday human life, making us understand that death will all happen to us one day, when it is our time. There is no escaping death when it comes for us. The character of the moth and the way that Woolf’s story unfolds makes you, as a reader, feel as if you are there actually watching the moth die. Her descriptions of the moth’s flight and the struggle against death as he lived his life that day involves you in the mourning of someone or something you love dying. You feel every movement that Woolf saw in the moth’s life that day by reading this essay. As Woolf describes how the moth â€Å"flew vigorously to one corner of his compartment, and after waiting there a second, flew across to the other, â€Å" you can feel the moth’s movements (1178). In Woolf’s essay, the battle between life and death is somehow seen as both pathetic and noble. Pathetic because death will always win regardless the desire for life; but noble in how one faces death – on our back, defeated, or on our feet, and in dignity. Woolf states â€Å"one could only watch the extraordinary efforts made by those tiny legs against an oncoming doom which could, had it chosen, have submerged an entire city, not merely a city, but masses of human beings; nothing, I knew, had any chance against death† and shows the moth’s courageous journey into death (1179). â€Å"As I looked at the dead moth, this minute wayside triumph of so great a force over so meanShow MoreRelatedVirginia Woolf - the Death of the Moth705 Words   |  3 PagesBattle between Life and Death Our existence is the battle between life and death. We face it everywhere; in people’s eyes’ and behavior, in the motions of the creatures that surround us and in the nature that somehow dies in the winter and gets a new life in spring. This battle is impossible to remain unnoticed because it is simply the way of life. In Virginia Woolf’s essay â€Å"The Death of the Moth†, she writes about a moth that is trying to get ‘a new life’ by going through the windowpaneRead More The Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf Essay735 Words   |  3 PagesThe Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf The Death of the Moth, written by Virginia Woolf, explains the brief life of a moth corresponding with the true nature of life and death. In this essay, Woolf puts the moth in a role that represents life. Woolf makes comparisons of the life outside to the life of the moth. The theme is the mystery of death and the correspondence of the life of the moth with the true nature of life. The images created by Woolf are presented that appeal to the eye. Read MoreThe Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf Essay example1065 Words   |  5 Pagessay, death is stronger than I am.† This is the last sentence of Virginia Woolf’s essay, The Death of the Moth, in which Woolf describes to her readers the cycle of life and the struggles that she faced because of the psychological issues that she possessed. There are various correlations between the moth in Woolf’s essay and her own personal life. What exactly is interpreted by the actions of the moth and the events that occur is a m atter of opinion. One may ponder the question, â€Å"why had Woolf chosenRead MoreVirginia Woolf And Annie Dillards Death Of A Moth703 Words   |  3 Pages In both pieces from Virginia Woolf and Annie Dillard’s Death of a Moth, the story revolves around the death of a moth and the consequential depiction of death both authors has on the occurrence. However, although both pieces share the same title, both authors had a completely different interpretation of the death of a moth, especially regarding tone and style. That is to say, Woolf gives us a view of death as honorable with subtle empathy, whereas Dillard pursues a more introspective notion, relayingRead MoreLife And Death Of A Moth By Annie Dillard And Virginia Woolf1153 Words   |  5 PagesLife and Death Told by a Moth In the short stories, the â€Å"Death of the Moth,† Annie Dillard and Virginia Woolf discover a moth flying and observes it. The short versions has two versions and both author tries to explore the theme of life and death and explains their perspectives on it. Both of the short stories have similar titles, but both pieces exhibit several differences. Annie Dillard starts off her short story by beginning the death of the moth and realizes the valueRead MoreEssay about Use of Metaphor inThe Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf632 Words   |  3 Pages The essay The Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf, is a piece of literature that describes the physical struggle of a dying moth and also, an inner struggle that the writer is experiencing as well. Through these struggles that each of the characters in the story endures, the audience sees a connection through both subjects. Analyzing and describing this complex essay structure can be done by evaluating the meaning and metaphors used by the author to portray the message of the storyRead MoreDeath of a Moth Comparison Between Dillard and Woolf Essay782 Words   |  4 Pageslargely extrapolations and enhancements of ideas she expressed. She got a B+ on her version; I got an A on mine :). Annie Dillard, the author of Death of a Moth and Virginia Woolf, the author of The Death of the Moth have different perspectives on the subject of life and death. Annie Dillard sees the value of life, especially in ones death. Virginia Woolf, however, seems to perceive life as pointless and meaningless. It was merely a postponement of the inevitable to her. Each author writes herRead MoreDevices InDeath Of A Moth, By Virginia Woolf777 Words   |  4 PagesMoths, being a small insignificant creature, can possess an immense amount of energy when given the will to live, as they struggle trying to beat seeing the light. Virginia Woolf, in her essay â€Å"Death of a Moth,† emphasized how life is precious, as it can be instantaneously taken away from you, so you have to live life to the fullest, and to never give up hope. Throughout her essay, devices such as imagery, in addition to a certain syntax, and depressing tone, are used for the audience to understandRead MoreEssay on Dillard and Woolf Compare and Contrast905 Words   |  4 PagesDillard and Woolf Style and Effect Compare and Contrast Annie Dillard and Virginia Woolf both wrote beautiful essays, entitled â€Å"Death of A Moth,† and â€Å"Death of the Moth,† respectively. The similarities between the two pieces are seen just in the titles; however, the pieces exhibit several differences. While both Dillard and Woolf wrote extensive and detailed essays following deaths of moths, each writer’s work displays influence from different styles and tone, and each moth has a different effectRead MoreThe Death Of The Moth859 Words   |  4 Pages In her essay â€Å"The Death of the Moth†, Virginia Woolf depicts the struggle of life confronting death through the death of a moth. Woolf sees a moth flying in â€Å"a pleasant morning, mid-September, mild, benignant† (385). She uses this soft autumnal description of her morning to emphasize the beauty of life and the happiness one feels while being alive; however, she uses the moth to represent life itself and show its own struggles:  " [the moth] tried to fly across...the window-pane†, but â€Å"he failed†

Woodrow Wilsons Decision to Join the Side of the Allies in...

Did President Wilson have no choice but to enter World War 1 on the side of the allies? Seeing as Germany was planning on declaring war on America, Wilson had no choice but to join the side of the allies. President Wilson was a peaceful man but America was already being treated horribly by Germany before even entering war, and he couldn’t continue to watch innocent Americans being killed for something they weren’t even a part of. Wilson could not let American’s become helpless or violent creatures without scruples so he set aside his morals in order to not to become cowardly. For American neutrality, Zimmerman note, Nationalism, Imperialism, and Germany’s use of unrestricted U-boat warfare was too much to bear without a fair fight.†¦show more content†¦Soon the machine gun became a defensive weapon rather than an offensive weapon, as it was used to stop offensive enemy troops across this no man’s land. Gas was used infinitely by both sides in an effort to triumph over the trenches. If any trench was taken by an opposing force, a succeeding trench was dug just meters behind the one taken, making advancements longstanding and difficult. In this process many troops lost their lives, more so than any other war. U-boats were military submarines used by Germany in the war as a weapon. When the German Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg proclaimed Germany’s purpose to use unrestricted submarine warfare, his one main concern was that it would aggravate an American response – in this he was to be precise. By 1917, the war was not going okay for Germany on the Western Front. Unrestricted submarine warfare was an outcome of anxiety and the belief that the fierceness of such a tactic might just keep America out of the war if the outcomes were remarkable and outrageous enough. On May 7th 1915, German U-boats, patrolling in the Atlantic Ocean, fired torpedoes at the British ship the Lusitania, sinking her in 20 minutes. On the ship were 128 Americans. President Wilson, demanded that Germany stop attacking passenger ships, and declared that America was too proud to fight. Wilson also tried to mediate a compromise settlement but failed. Wilson also repeatedly warnedShow MoreRelatedThe Outbreak Of The Treaty Of Versailles1968 Words   |  8 Pagescaused by the Allies’ divergent peace aims, their repercussions on Germany and the disregarded cases of Japan and Italy and then we shall address the relinquished opportunity for peace that was the League of Nations. During the Paris Peace Conferences delegates from 27 nations were assigned to 52 commissions and yet the core of the decisions where taken by three men: Georges Clemenceau, president of the French council, David Lloyd George, British prime minister and Woodrow Wilson, president of theRead MoreMedia Influence on the People of the Us During Ww12659 Words   |  11 Pagesof people in the US had common views throughout the First World War was because of the media influence. When the US was under the neutrality agreement, the media helped people feel good about being neutral. However, when the time came for the US to join the war, the media suddenly changed and tried to gain public support in favor of joining the war. During the war, however, to keep the home front happy, the media had to portray the war in a way that made the people forget the previous reasons forRead MoreHow Significant Was the Presence of Foreign Powers as an Influence on the Nature and Growth of Arab Nationalism in the Years 1900-2001?2133 Words   |  9 Pageslaunched against the Ottomans. This was the beginning of British intervention in the Middle East. After WW1 Europe still regarded the Arabs as a ‘subject’ race that were ruled by the British. It was also felt that the Arabs should be grateful that they’d been liberated from the Ottoman rule. The sole key figure to believe that Arab self-determination was underestimated was Woodrow Wilson of America. When Britain was to move into Egypt and discover the wealth of the cotton industry, however, theRead MoreModern History.Hsc.2012 Essay25799 Words   |  104 Pagessank the British liner Lusitania in 1915, with 128 Americans aboard, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson vowed, America is too proud to fight and demanded an end to attacks on passenger ships. Germany complied. - Wilson unsuccessfully tried to mediate a settlement. He repeatedly warned the U.S. would not tolerate unrestricted submarine warfare, in violation of international law and U.S. ideas of human rights. Wilson was under pressure from former president Theodore Roosevelt, who denounced German acts

My Experience At The End Of The Tunnel - 878 Words

Change, a word that scares many individuals. At the same time, a word that to some, it presents itself as an opportunity of a life time, a way out,even salvation. To me it appeared as a sacrifice with a life changing reward at the end of the tunnel. Moving constantly as a child between three countries and several schools was definitely not something I expected to encountered. Waking up everyday wondering if the last day where I called home was approaching. Did not realize until my are high schools years that this had many positive aspects. The people I met, the experiences some only witness in movies, and the many Professors I came across with their different instructing styles that always seemed to end up sneaking one more teaching towards that I would end up needing and using for all the endeavors I would eventually encounter. Not to mention the friendships I created which will last for along as I live. Still, it wasn t until the last time that I moved to the United states that I truly felt overwhelmed, pressured, and Intimidated. Before that I was living with my mother in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Was a very committed student and highly competitive soccer player. All my life my biggest sacrifice was pushing that extra mile or giving everything on the field until my last breath to one day be given the opportunity to continue my career as a student athlete in the states. However for me and my mother, there was nothing left for us in the U.S. I continued my passion andShow MoreRelatedThe End Of The Tunnel809 Words   |  4 Pageslight of heaven or the end of the tunnel? Jerry knew he could not be dead because he heard, â€Å"Jerry, Jerry! Are you ok? Can you hear me† a subtle yelp coming from outside of the tunnel. As Jerry heard that, he knew he had to snap out of whatever daze he was stuck in because he would not make it out of the tunnel otherwise. His mind was ready to get out of the â€Å"trance† but his body was not. Because Jerry s neck and below was numb, due to the unnatural coldness in the tunnel, he could not swim. HeRead MoreWhy Is Baba Home So A Zodiac Sign?1005 Words   |  5 Pagesdiagnosed with some kind of illness and discovering that my own father has been diagnosed with Stomach Cancer. A wise man once said, â€Å"A father is a son’s first hero and a daughter’s first love.† In that case my father is all of the above. My father hid his cancer well, suffered a lot, and left this world peacefully. Writing was the only escape for me from at that time. I came home after school to my find my father sleeping in his room. My dad never comes home this early, I wondered. â€Å"Momma† I calledRead MoreThe Symbolism Of Tunnels In Literature1559 Words   |  7 Pagesrecurrent symbol, character, or situation that is an instinctual expression of man’s nature and experiences that are universal, the author is incorporating archetypes. In the novel , author Stephen Chbosky develops several archetypes with a purpose of aiding the reader in understanding and connecting with the novel and its characters. By including several prominent archetypes such as symbolic tunnels and seasons, a hero, a wise old man, and an unhealable wound, Chbosky helps the reader to relateRead MoreThe Tolkien s The Hobbit979 Words   |  4 PagesAs the story of â€Å"The Hobbit† by J. R. R. Tolkien develops, readers of this book can see that one of the main characters experience a metamorphosis. From the beginning of the story throughout the end, Bilbo goes through a change, but for the better. Tolkien’s main character Bilbo in â€Å"The Hobbit† shows the theme of becoming a hero by gaining courage and confidence as the story progresses. During the beginning of â€Å"The Hobbit† Bilbo likes to stay to himself in his hobbit hole. We see that he is alsoRead MoreGuerilla Warfare in the Vietnam War620 Words   |  3 Pages1973 . US reasons for their involvement in the war was their fear of â€Å"The Domino Effect† - or – the US fear that communism would spread to Vietnam and Southeast Asia, making them a major threat to national security. The Fall of Saigon marked the end of the war in 1975. â€Å"If the tiger ever stands still, the elephant will crush him with his mighty tusks. But the tiger does not stand still. He lurks in the jungle by day and emerges by night. He will leap upon the back of the elephant, tearing hugeRead MoreInner Demons and Endless Tunnels: Ellen Hopkins Impulse1155 Words   |  5 Pagesdown a seemingly endless tunnel of shadows is overwhelming for a vast amount of people. The tunnel is as dark as the blackest part of night, and those individuals cannot see a shining light that represents a hopeful end to their troubles. Some experience an inability to recover from hardship or stress in their lives, while others may have a lack of self-confidence or sense of purpose. These are the people who have the hardest time seeing that light at the end of the tunnel and might do just aboutRead MoreEssay On The Tournament727 Words   |  3 Pageswarming up early. â€Å" You got this kid, just wrestle smart† said my dad. â€Å" I know† replie d Logan. He ran out onto the mat, he felt great like he could beat anyone. His match went into overtime, but Logan ended up winning. The crowd was going crazy, Logan felt great. He ran up the stairs and hugged his mom and the rest of his family. Now he had a three hour wait until the finals. They had to build the stage and they had to build the tunnels that the wrestler ran through. Logan was going to be green, soRead MoreAs I Get Ready To Leave The Locker Room, I Strap On My1334 Words   |  6 PagesAs I get ready to leave the locker room, I strap on my black under armour cleats, tighten my blue gloves, put on my silver helmet with the lightning bolt logo, touch that sign that says â€Å"Play Like A Champion Today,† and walk into the tunnel with a band of brothers. We look to our left, then to our right, and nod our heads to acknowledge that we are ready. Finally, the announcer calls your team’s name and you run out of the tunnel ready to face all your fears, show your strengths, and defeat thatRead MoreTolumne River Essay1043 Words   |  5 Pagescourse, many destinations in Tuolumne County to see the spectacle of snow melt, but one of my favorites is Rainbow Pool and the nearby collision on the South and M iddle Forks of the Tuolumne River. The merging of these two streams is mesmerizing, even more dramatic because you are able to stand so close. Drenched with spray and the sound and fury of the rivers blocking out all other sounds, it is an experience not to be missed. And I will bet you will want to revisit this site yearly. The area isRead MoreHanoi Case Study828 Words   |  4 Pageson a private city tour with your driver and guide. Visit Ho Chi Minhs former home, the Temple of Literature (the first university in Hanoi) and perhaps the Fine Arts Museum which has a wonderful collection of art and sculpture. The tour comes to an end in Hanois busy Old Quarter before returning to your hotel in the afternoon. Day 4  Halong City This morning take a private transfer to Halong City, where you board your traditional Vietnamese junk. Spend the afternoon cruising around Halong Bays thousands

Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer Web Sites Term Paper

Essays on Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer Web Sites Term Paper The paper "Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer Web Sites" is a brilliant example of a term paper on e-commerce. Present-day business and market environments are characterized by enhanced globalization, advancement in technology, increased exchange of information and knowledge which has resulted in sophisticated customers and rising consumer demands and changing needs and stiff competition as supported by Senn (2000, p.3). In search of an environment, it becomes important for organizations to identify and implement varied strategies and techniques to not only produce quality commodities and services but also, to ensure efficient and effective delivery of the produced groups and improve the efficiency of operational systems and processes. Among such strategies is technology.Technology has provided a reliable and cost-effective platform for making products and services available to the customer wherever and whenever time hence, ensuring the needs, expectations, demands, and pr eferences of the customer are adequately met. Among technological tools that organizations are using include developing websites.Although trade and commerce between one business and another and trade between an enterprise with its customers have long been established, the internet has given the transactions a whole new meaning generating new terms for the transactions such as B2B, B2E, C2C, and B2C. This report seeks to analyze B2B and B2C web site and compare and contrast them. The report will do this by highlighting a literature review on the nature of B2B, B2C, C2C, and B2E web sites and provide an overview of the 2 sites, that is B2B and B2C websites selected. In addition, analyze how well developed the two sites are and generate some recommendations for improvements to the two sites.B2B entails Business-to-business commerce transactions where products, services, technology, and information are exchanged among enterprises as indicated by Lucking-Reiley Spulber (2001, p.55). It is also referred to as e-business. Good illustrations are transactions between the producer and the wholesaler and a manufacturer and a distributor. B2B transactions deal mainly with supply chain management and allow businesses to use online platforms to transact directly with their suppliers or distributors (Senn 1).B2C entails Business-to-consumer transactions where the consumer is linked directly with the suppliers or manufacturers such as ebay and Amazon among others. It is also referred to as e-retailing (Ranganathan Ganapathy, 2002, p. 458). The C2C entails Consumer-to-consumer transactions where consumers transact with other consumers and B2E entails Business-to- Employees transactions where businesses use the internet such as social media like Facebook and My Space to connect with its employees.

Western Native America Medicine Free Essays

In such a situation, I would first create a good rapport between Mr. Wolf, his wife and I. I would start by thanking them for visiting the health care centre and for allowing me to run some tests on Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Western Native America Medicine or any similar topic only for you Order Now Wolf. I would then advise him that it is a good thing to look after our health as this is the only way that we will be able to live to see tomorrow. As Broome, B. Broome, R. , (2007) says, the Native Americans value their traditions very much. It is therefore necessary to act as one of them or rather to respect these values and demonstrate to them that they are important. By doing this, I will be able to prescribe some new medication and at the same time, I will be certain that Mr. Wolf will respect and adhere to the directions that I would give him. After examining him, I would give him the antibiotics that he is supposed to take. I would try to educate him on the importance of these drugs as they would help him to regain his health. I would do this by explaining the consequences of prostatitis and the effects or damage that it might have if it is not treated. I would not discourage him from taking his herbal medicines that he was prescribed. Instead, I would thank him for visiting the healer or the health counselor or advisor. I would encourage him to continue taking the herbs as they were directed by the healer or the health counselor. In addition, I would also advise him to take the medications that I have administered to him without fail. This way, he will feel that I am supporting him and at the same time I am respecting his culture. According to Cohen (2003), American Indians or the Native Americans value their tradition very much. This means that if at all I will act as if I am not respecting this fact, there are chances that he will not follow my directions and therefore he might not get well at all. Alternatively, there are some herbal medicines that are not likely to do well with the hospital medicine. I would therefore ask him to go home with the medicine that I had administered to him and make sure he takes them. I would explain to him that there are some herbal medicines that would counteract with the hospital medicines that we are taking. I would advise him to come with the herbal medicine that he is taking so that we can see if they have any content that might react with the antibiotics. This way, we would be able to prevent any further reaction in his body. When they bring the medicine, I would analyze it and assess whether it has any reaction with the antibiotics that I would have given him. If there is a reaction, I would change the antibiotics, alternatively, I would try to advise him that there is a serious reaction that might take place if he took both the medicine that I administered and the herbal medicine at the same time. I would then try to explain to him that the diseases that he is currently having is very serious and therefore he need to give it a first priority. According to Moses, L. Wilson, R, (1985), Native Americans are known to speaking in parables. I would therefore try to formulate a story about a patient who had such a disease and who defied or rather who refused to take the medication that I had given him and chose the herbs. He only stayed for five months before succumbing to the illness. This would be in the aim of convincing Mr. Wolf to give the antibiotics the first priority and stop taking the herbs for some time. I would advise him that he can immediately go back to the herbs onces the antibiotics are over. How to cite Western Native America Medicine, Papers

A body that learned to live free essay sample

I was once the criminal, the culprit to myself; a body with out meaning, a thought with out care; a figure just floating through life, wishing it was anything, but what it was. Thankful? But for what? I had two legs, but they complained to walk and never dared to run. I had a mouth that was forced to not eat all and seldom shut as my brain came up with new ideas that it wanted to let out. I had lungs to breathe in air, but so did every living person. Grateful? Why should I have been? I was born just the same as anyone else. Looking back at how I once felt, I feel ashamed, selfish, and ignorant. To think health was not something to be thankful for, take pride in, and cherish while the rarity of it was yours, is beyond foolish, but is also a common thought that scurries through the minds of all. We will write a custom essay sample on A body that learned to live or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, these thoughts vanished from my body, as tears poured gathered around my eyes my junior year of high school; I had decided to begin volunteering at Special Strides. Special Strides is a non-profit organization that locally helps children with autism, cerebral palsy, and other challenging diseases through therapy by horses. Children of all ages and sizes come to Special Strides to receive therapy that doesn’t make them cringe, but makes them laugh and smile instead. I began volunteering because I wanted to help children, yet I truly believe it was the children who saved me. The boy I’ll never forget is Michael. Michael is three years old, yet words cant leave his mouth, food cant enter it, and air struggles to find it’s way through it and into his lungs. His body doesn’t move the way he wants it to and according to doctors, he should not still be alive. Michael, a boy depraved of common speech, the ability to walk or play ball, the knowledge of his future, and the simplest taste of food finds happiness in the world and his life. He constantly smiles, and if he could talk, I know he’d be thankful for everything he has even though it’s a lot less than most people. Michael brings tears to my eyes every time I see him and his smile. I like to believe I helped make his days easier, his nights better, but in the end. It was Michael who changed me. Because of him I love life and no longer take it or the little things that encompass it for granted. It’s immaculate to say that a little boy taught me the lesson that remo lded my view of life, but I truly owe it to him. Michael is not the only boy who saved me; after volunteering at Special Strides for more than a year, I can honestly say that my new output, morals, and values are all stolen pieces from children; children who were born with permanent obstacles in their life, but love every minute of it. My legs no longer argue, yet they take each step with a sense of appreciation; my mouth no longer shuns the common taste of food, yet it savors every bite; my mind no longer allows itself to be fenced in, yet it expresses itself constantly; my lungs, they still breath, but not because they have to because I take pride in them doing so. By living life ungratefully the way I was, I was letting down children like Michael; I now not only live life for myself, I live it for those who wont be able to, for those who will not grow old. Volunteering has sculptured my life from the block of clay it once was and into a beautifully loving statue that will not stop shining for anything; I continue to volunteer a t Special Strides now, not because I need the childrens help, but because I want to help their lives; I want to give them back the gift of life that they gave me; if anyone deserves the miracle of life, it is them.

Birth Order Essay Disagreeing Example For Students

Birth Order Essay Disagreeing Does birth order have an effect on personality? Does being first born make people more responsible? If someone is the middle born child, are they going to be more rebellious? If people are last born are they more likely to be on television? Are first born children inconsiderate and selfish or reliable and highly motivated? These, and many other questions are being thoroughly studied by psychologists (Harrigan, 1992). In 1923, the renowned psychiatrist Dr. Alfred Adler, wrote that a persons position in the family leaves an undeniable stamp on his or her style of life (Marzollo, 1990). Research has shown that birth order oes indeed affect a child; however, it does not automatically shape personality. If it did, life would be much more predictable and a great deal less interesting (Marzollo, 1990). Yogi Bera, a famous baseball player, said Every now and then a reporter who thinks he is Freud asks me if being the youngest is why I made it (playing professional baseball). I almost alw ays say yes, but I dont think it had anything to do with it (Harrigan, 1992). Birth order doesnt explain everything about human behavior. Personality is affected by many different factors, such as heredity, family size, the spacing and sex f siblings, education, and upbringing. However, there is an awful lot of research and plain old law of averages supporting the affect of birth order on personality (Leman, 1985). There are four basic classifications of birth order: the oldest, the only, the middle, and the youngest. Each has its own set of advantages, as well as its own set of disadvantages. While the birth order factor isnt always exact, it does give many clues about why people are the way they are (Leman, 1985). If there is one word that describes first born children it would be perfectionist (Harrigan, 1992). First born children end to be high achievers in whatever they do. Some traits customarily used to label first born children include reliable, conscientious, list maker, well organized, critical, serious, scholarly (Leman, 1985), self-assured, good leadership ability, eager to please, and nurturing (Brazelton, 1994). Also, first born children seem to have a heightened sense of right and wrong. It is common in most books about birth order that first born children get more press than only, middle, and youngest children. This can be explained by the fact that the first born child is typically the success story in the family. They are he ones that are extremely driven to succeed in high achievement fields such as science, medicine, or law (Leman, 1985). For example, of the first twenty-three astronauts sent into outer space, twenty-one were first born or their close cousin, the only child, which we w ill discuss later on. In fact, all seven astronauts in the original Mercury program were first born children (Leman, 1985). Also, first born children tend to choose careers that involve leadership. For example, fifty-two percent of all U. S. presidents were first-borns (Lanning, 1991). Researchers say that, in general, first born children tend o have higher IQs than younger siblings. This is not because they start off more intelligent, but because of the amount of attention new parents give to their first child (Marzollo, 1990). Experts claim that a first borns will to succeed begins in infancy (Lanning, 1991). The extraordinary love affair that many new parents have with their first child leads to the kind of intensity that can probably never be repeated with a younger child. In the first few weeks, a new parent imitates the babys gestures in a playful game. A rhythm is established by mimicry of vocalizations, motions, and smiles. Think what his cycle of action-reaction might mean to an infant: Im pretty powerful, arent I? Everything I do is copied by someone who cares about me . After a couple of weeks of game playing the infant develops a sense of I recognize you! (Brazelton, 1994). This special parent-child interaction helps to instill a deep sense of self-worth in first born children. In short, the parents put their first born child on a pedestal or throne. Also, new parents are convinced that their child is the cleverest child in the world when he or she rolls over or says Mama or Dada (Jabs, 1987). Even though the child is a baby it an still sense the profound sense of enthusiasm. So, first borns want to maintain their parents attention and approval (Lanning, 1991). This is when the arrival of a second child is often a crisis for the first child. They are knocked off their pedestal by the baby (Leman, 1989). They are no longer the center of mom and dads attention. This often causes them to become resentful toward their younger sibling. To reclaim the position at the center of their parents attention, he or she will try imitating the baby. When the first child realizes that his or her parents frown upon a two-year-old who wants bottle or a three-year-old who needs a diaper, he or she decides to aid his or her parents in caring for the younger child (Jabs, 1987). Parents usually tend to reinforce the older childs decision to be more adult by expecting him or her to set a good example for the younger child. These experiences help to make the first born a natural leader. However, first borns are sometimes so preoccupied with being good and doing things right that they forget how to enjoy life and be a kid (Jabs, 1987). Along with being the first child comes pressure. Each achievement becomes a miracle in a new parents eyes. However, when a mistake occurs it is viewed as an enormous failure in the childs eyes because their parents werent ecstatic, and so the child goes to enormous lengths to make his or her parents happy with their performance. Some parents may also burden the child with their own unfulfilled dreams and with setting the standard for the younger children (Brazelton, 1994). Norval D. Glenn, Ph. D. , professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, explains that firstborns often suffer from pseudomaturity. They may act grown-up throughout childhood, but because their role models are grown-ups rather than lder siblings, they may tend to reject the role of leader in early adulthood (Marzollo, 1990). Also, a firstborn is not always the most gracious receiver of criticism. An adults constant criticism of his or her performance may cause the child to become a worried perfectionist. They m ay come to fear making mistakes before eyes that he or she feels are always watching them. First born children may also come to hate any kind of criticism because it emphasizes the faults that he or she is trying to overcome (Marzollo, 1990). The first born child does not have unlimited time to view himself as the hild in the relationship with parents. When a sibling arrives, he or she tends to eliminate the view of himself or herself as a child and he or she struggles to be parental (Forer, 1969). In The Shooting An Elephant, George Orwell Describes An Internal EssayAny number of life-styles can appear, but they all play off the first born (Leman, 1985). He or she may try to imitate the first-borns behavior. If they feel that they cant match up, they may go off in another direction, looking for their identity, often in the exact opposite of that taken by his or her older sibling. The general conclusion of all research tudies done on birth order is that second borns will probably be somewhat the opposite of first born children (Leman, 1985). In general, middle born children suffer from an identity cris is. They are always striving to be different from their older and younger siblings. Middle children feel that they are born too late to get the privileges and special treatment that firstborns seem to inherit by right and born too early to enjoy the relaxing of the disciplinary reins, which is sometimes translated as getting away with murder (Marzollo, 1990). Neither the achiever nor the baby, the middle child may feel that he r she has no particular role in the family. They may look outside the family to define themselves. This is why friends become very important to middle children (Marzollo, 1990). Middle children search to find their own identity and define their personality. Because middle children have to fight for their parents attention, they become highly competitive. This generally makes middle children more successful in sports. Lacking the benefit of the exceptions parents make for their first borns and last borns, middle children may learn to negotiate, to compromise, and to give and take, valuable skills that will elp them succeed (Marzollo, 1990). They can become effective managers and leaders because they are good listeners and can cope with varying points of view. Also, experts have found that because middle children have had to struggle for more things than their siblings they are better prepared for real life. One big plus for middle children is a well developed sense of empathy because they know what its like to be younger and older. However, all the competing and negotiating may cause middle children to have an overall low self esteem and a self-deprecating attitude (Marzoll o, 1990). Nevertheless, middle children ave many advantages. They can learn from the older sibling but can also regress to be like the younger one, doubling their learning opportunities. Yet, they may also have many mood swings between grown-up and baby-like behavior, especially during the teen age years (Brazelton, 1994). Leman (1989) says to Remember, the average teenager has only two emotional outbursts per year. The problem is they last about six months each. Because slightly more than one third of American families today have only two children, many parents find themselves thinking in terms of the first born and second born. Middle and second born hildren share many of the same characteristics. Like the middle child, the second-born is likely to search for ways to be different from the first-born child (Marzollo, 1990). Dr. Kidwell says, Problems arise when a family has very rigid expectations. If the only thing that matters is straight As and the first kid is doing that, the middle kid has a profound dilemma. He or she needs something else to be known for (Jabs, 1987, p. 29). Some famous middle and second children who have found their own identity include Bea Arthur (actress), Glenn Close (actress), Matt Dillon (actor), Linda Evans (actress), Jessica Lange (actress), Cyndi Lauper (singer), Tom Selleck (actor), Mary Decker Slaney (runner), Richard Nixon (president), Princess Diana (British royalty), George Burns (comedian), Bob Hope (comedian) (Jabs, 1 987; Marzollo, 1990). If a group of psychologists randomly picked out ten youngest born children, chances are that nine of them would have these characteristics: manipulative, charming, blames others, shows off, people person, good salesperson, precocious, engaging, and sometimes spoiled (Leman, 1985). By the time the youngest child is born, his or her parents have become veterans in the field of child care (Lanning, 991). They are more experienced and confident in their parenting practices, and so they often decide to let the last born enjoy childhood as long as they can (Marzollo, 1990). This is why youngest children tend to be more pampered than older siblings. The youngest or baby of the family is often given an extra dose of affection and attention, as well as an occasional exception from the rules (Marzollo, 1990). This extremely positive upbringing helps to contribute to the youngest childs fun-loving, affectionate, and persuasive behavior (Marzollo, 1990). The youngest child can grow up to feel the most tre asured, and the ost nurtured of all (Brazelton, 1994). Also, without the pressure of a younger sibling gaining from behind, the youngest may grow up easy going and carefree (Jabs, 1987). However, life isnt all fun and games for the family baby. The endless praise of last born children may leave them feeling that their families do not take them seriously (Marzollo, 1990). For instance, a common youngest child remark would be, If I get upset or try to state my opinion, nobody takes me seriously. To them, Im the baby. They think I dont know a whole lot, (Lanning, 1991). Youngest children often have feelings of insecurity r long periods of self-doubt (Lanning, 1991). For example, a youngest child grows up being coddled one minute as a darling little baby, but the next minute shes compared unfavorably with an older sibling. He or she is often unfairly compared with older and stronger siblings. According to Beverly Hills-based psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, M. D. , the self-image of the youngest child may become confused (Lanning, 1991). As a result of conflicting experiences, youngest children can be extremely self-confident in someways and insecure in others (Leman, 1985). For the most part, youngest children learn to cope with the problems of self-doubt. In fact, youngest children often go on to become quite successful, thanks in part to their originality and determination to prove themselves to the world (Lanning, 1991). Often, they express their unique view of the world through the visual or literary arts. People-pleasing fields, such as art, comedy, entertainment and sales are full of youngest children (Lanning, 1991). Some examples of famous youngest children include Ronald Reagan (president, actor), Eddie Murphy (comedian), Paul Newman (actor), Mary Lou Retton (gymnast), Billy Crystal (comedian), Yogi Bera (baseball player), Ted Kennedy (politician), and Kevin Leman (psychologist)