A Gold Market Bubble Myth Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Gold Market Bubble Myth - Research Paper Example On the other hand, Marc Feber debunks that idea by explaining that gold’s appreciation to $1,900 an ounce reveals that there is no bubble. It is because the central bank continues to increase money supply which has assisted spur the precious metal to this level. Furthermore, he argues that the gold is not in a bubble as when one buys gold, it is more of insurance in the face of financial market problems and systematic failure (Qt. in Chanjaroen). The prices of precious metals, such as gold, platinum, and silver are driven by a wide range of factors. These factors may include, debt levels, currencies, money supply, inflation, CDS spread, interest rates, and fabrication demands from other sectors, such a electronics, solar appliances, and jewelry. Recently, investment demand proved to be the primary driver as investors used precious metals in comparison to the dollar as a ‘store of value considering inflation, general hedge, and currency depreciation. Signification demand arises from buyers in Asia, pension funds, diversification and investment demands from hedge funds, and central banks monetary demands(Durden). Debt Level Increase vs. precious metal (Bloomberg Industries) (Source: Durden) The major factors contributing to such demand are concerns about an economy on a global scale, inflation risks, and risk of currency debasement. Moreover, gold has always been the preserve of the smart money. Risk aversion and wealth preservation concerns considering currency depreciation are the primary reasons that drive precious metal demand. However, there is no â€Å"greed trade† or public buying of gold in an expectation of guaranteed profits or return. This was the case with the Nasdaq bubble or the recent real estate bubble that had a huge impact on western countries. Retail demand as a result of hype is negligible; however, it is increasing. Moreover, increasing demand on the global level is dealt with by very small supplies as supply is slightly l ower than in 2001 (Durden). Furthermore, historical context provides ample evidence that gold’ resurgence has a long way to go.     

Gross Domestic Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gross Domestic Product - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that a comparison of $40,000 earned in 1980 and 2010 can be made by first finding the number of times the consumer price index has decreased or increased from 1980 to 2010. In 1980 and 2010 the consumer price indexes were 82.4 and 236.74 respectively. The percent increase in the inflation rate from 1980 to 2010 was 187%. The average consumer price index went up 1.87 times between 1980 and 2010. The increases in CPIs show that the available products in 2010 were more expensive that they were in 1980. Concerning quality, some of the products have increased quality from 1980 to 2010 because of technological advancement. Good examples are electronics and cars that were more energy efficient in 2010 than they were in 1980.  As the study highlights  a person would be wealthier if he/she earned $ 40,000 in 1980 than making the same amount in 2010. The purchasing power in 1980 was greater than purchasing power in 2010. So, the person would buy more products or assets in 1980 than in 2010. One would choose to live 1980 because prices of products were less expensive than in 2010. If an individual were to determine which year he would have liked to live, the most appropriate and practical answer would be 1980. A person earning $40,000 in 1980 would live more comfortably that another individual who is receiving the same amount in 2010 because products were cheaper in 1980 than in 2010.

The decisive moment

The decisive moment Page | 1 This essay will look at the foundation, importance, and relevance of the decisive moment. It will evaluate how this notion is perceived in today’s society and evaluate how technology has affected it throughout the years and if it became less recognisable and less consciously considered. The idea of the decisive moment was established by Henri Cartier-Bresson (August 22, 1908– August 3, 2004) and quickly became the leading theory; soon basis of photography for centuries. In order to fully understand the decisive moment, it is highly important to recognise its origin and certain ideologies behind it. The idea was officially introduced and named by Cartier-Bresson in his book under the same title in 1952; the decisive moment was and still is considered to appear when both artistic and the meaningful aspects of life come together for a split second and can be then captured and documented through in this case the lens of the camera. The decisive moment photograph never exists as a singular image. Such image can only emerge as a part of an entire photo shoot. Not even the greatest photographers are capable of capturing a remarkable image with just a single frame. Cartier-Bresson’s theory, the decisive moment soon became known, much respected and used by all professional photographers; not much later being considered as a beginning of street and photojournalism style of photography. In his book Cartier-Bresson talks about his idea of the decisive moment- what later became known as photojournalism; he states ‘I wanted to capture the quintessence of the phenomenon in a single image†¦ in order to give meaning to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what one frames in the viewfinder†¦ its putting one’s head, one’s eye, one’s heart on the same axis†¦ it is a way of life’. The above quote proves that the decisive moment itself was more than just an idea. It was a way of thinking, living and a style of work, obeyed not just by lifelong commitment of Henri Cartier-Bresson himself but many if not all professional photographers to follow. He believed in the unique purpose of photography in comparison to other visual arts such as painting. This therefore that photography has a unique capability to capture momentary and constant flow of life e.g. vide diversions within different cultures (he created series of photog raphs in countries such as India, France and Russia), political and economic changes. For example he was drawn to India by the significant political events – which then lead to major economic and cultural changes such as the Partition and assassination of Ghandi. Both of these events had a vast impact on the culture of India, the Partition for example lead to high independence of culture within the countries created. It also however raised the amount of violence which resulted in high expanse in deaths within the civilians and war between the countries. Cartier-Bresson believed that his photographs were a method of assessing the present against the past, that they allowed him to compare the country with what it once was, helped him and the viewer to realise and appreciate all of the things that remained the same and continued throughout the years as much as convey all that has changed through time. It is important to note that Cartier-Bresson’s ideologies therefore his art work, have a clear link to his education and reveal a strong philosophical knowledge. This is visibly observable when being aware of his early life and edification through school. As a young artist he attended the Lhote Academy in Paris in which painter and sculptor Andre Lhote, took on the method to teach his students to integrate the cubist’s approach to reality (depiction of space, mass, time and volume as well as the use of multiple perspective) with classical artistic forms such as beautiful, almost perfect sceneries and people, along with the most truthful representation of reality, scale and perspective. Cubism was a first abstract art movement, which abandoned the tradition of perspective, displaying many views at the same time while preserving the expressiveness of subjects granted with philosophical connotations. The art work of this movement displayed a very geometrical presence and s ubjects of the painting were often tough to spot with just a brief first glance. The paintings were often chaotic in a sense of composition yet were exceptionally intriguing and very easy to look at for a substantial period of time. They required the viewer to see it with an open mind, ready to interpret and thoughtfully consider the subject while classical art only just offered something pretty to look at. While at the Lhote Academy, Cartier-Bresson developed an interest into human psychology and studied all leading philosophers such as Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schopenhauer and Karl Heinrich Marx. The theory of the decisive moment itself reveals a very high understanding and influence of such philosophical knowledge, and it is enough to look at the very basic yet complex principles of an effective the decisive moment to see a clear link. Further studies of Cartier-Bresson’s theory reveal that a successful the decisive moment in photography is not by any means accidental but it is a careful combination ‘of a unique set of technical, cognitive, and emotional skills’. All of these can only be achieved by far reaching training therefore a vast amount of experience, and psychological knowledge of people. Both the emotional and the so clear psychological significance of this theory are based on the ‘dynamic interaction of the experiences of subject and photographer†¦ which provides the springboard for effective insight’. All of these factors play an essential role in the composition of the decisive moment. A well composed photograph within this theory creates a feeling of understanding, balance, harmony, interest, unity and closure. Although, however considerate and successful the decisive moment theory is, it only applies to street and photojournalism photography. So as important and influential as it is, it did not help to form or develop other styles of photography. The geometrical and beautiful aspects of art, combined with psychological knowledge are represented in almost all of Cartier-Bresson’s photographs; such as the photograph of two women taken in 1953 (figure 1) and the image of a mother holding her baby taken in 1950 in India (figure 2). The first image uses repeated vertical lines to emphasise the subjects within the frame which s this case are the two women. In the second image there is a clockwise design of thin lines which immediately move the viewer’s eye around the frame. Both of these images show a clear and careful consideration of geometry and designed viewer’s response by the photographer. In an article on photographic psychology; John Suler PhD professor of Rider University described the decisive moment as a ‘highly debated concept’. Throughout the years, Cartier-Bresson’s theory has been discussed from various angles and perspectives. Many of the arguments are objectively recent and mainly refer to the growing technological advance. Now that the decisive moment is fully understood in all its aspects, both the supportive arguments as well as those against the theory will be considered and analysed. Some could argue that although Cartier-Bresson was the first one to name the decisive moment, he has basically described a way photographers worked from a very beginning. The term photography is derived from the Greek phos graphe which means drawing with light. Photography was and still is considered to be both the art and science. It is a way of creating resilient images, which has been present for almost two centuries. Recently however the scientific aspect of it seems to have disappeared giving way to more of an artistic approach. Todays ‘photographers have all become artists’and have disregarded the theoretical approach to photography. However in the early 1900’s, while photography was still developing, photographers remained scientists capturing and observing various aspects of life. The first camera was more about capability to capture anything permanently form a different angle (through the lens for example), and the general achievement of a photograph itse lf. Looking at some of the early photographs now, it is clear that somewhat unconsciously the photographer picked the moment or the final chosen frame for a reason. Like the train track photograph, the photographer picked a certain weather and time of the day because it meant something to him. Find the image The opposite side of this argument could be the early equipment. Images created back in the 1800’s or even during the 1900’s required extremely long exposures. What could now be classed as the decisive moment in these images could have happened by pure chance and luck; for example in the first ever photograph taken of a person (figure 4). The only reason for why this was able to happen is that the person so far away on the street, remained motionless enough for the camera to record it. This was not the moment consciously considered and chosen by the photographer, it was just a frame chosen out the whole photo shoot. Now this is when this side of the argument becomes inconsistent, as the image was still chosen due to its certain properties and content. The same properties later listed and described by Cartier-Bresson as the decisive moment. In his article John Suler, mentions the fact that some modern photographers rejecting the decisive moment as an ‘outdated idea’. This conveys the most discussed contemporary aspect of Cartier-Bresson’s idea the technology. Photographers in today’s society do not think about the decisive moment anymore, they simply do not have to. New equipment such as cameras are easily capable of capturing enormous amounts of images in incredibly short periods of time. Without the concern, neither the cost nor the necessity to change, acquire new film roll or even then the requirement to develop the shots. Photographers either professional or amateur are able to pick the decisive moment afterwards rather then consider it just before the shot or while taking the photo. In the book on Conceptual Limitations of Our Reflection on Photography, Jan Baetens argues that there is a fundamental disjunction between the practical knowledge of the non-academics and contemporary (artis tic) photographic theory. Photography in today’s society became greatly more accessible on considerably bigger scale and now it’s not just professional photographers capturing the flow of life but everyone is capable of doing so. In another article on the decisive moment, John Roberts vey accordingly states that ‘there has been an intellectual regression within photography†¦ the social implications and possibilities of new imaging techniques in various sciences rarely move from the realm of specialist technical discourse into the broader field of critical theories of photography’. In today’s society photography is easier to use, mainly due to the technology and requires much less training and general knowledge of the equipment, techniques and composition therefore smaller amount of people taking photos are truly aware of the decisive moment and theoretical approach to photography. Although the technology now rejects the idea and recognition of the decisive moment, mainly due to high growing technological improvement, some could argue that it was Bresson’s idea which pushed the development of photographical technology so fast forward. His idea of perfection within the frame and the â€Å"perfect† image actually has in some respect motored the society and technology to advance. (One more sentence needed but don’t know what!!) Many contemporary arguments disprove and dismiss the theory of the decisive moment. There is however a clear link between the theory and human psychology, which highly supports Cartier-Bresson’s idea and vice versa. Suler’s article speaks very little on the actual theory itself, as its main focus remains on the use of photography in psychoanalytic therapy. The concept of Cartier-Bresson’s theory plotted into authentic psychiatry is very intriguing as it now links back with its original establishment. An idea based on basic human psychology is now being used to analyse one’s mind. Although psychoanalysis in this case is not much of an arguable point, it does shine a new light on the original idea and displays it in a slightly different perspective. In 1956 E. Kris introduced the idea of the â€Å"Good Hour. To understand the relation this has towards Cartier-Bresson’s idea it is important to understand the term and its importance towards creative arts. Kris describes the Good Hour as a process an individual goes through while undertaking one’s goal. The good hour begins with a negative implication; a feeling of frustration and disappointment. Next step within this process is that all the negative feelings are then neutralised and converted into dynamic energy which impulses the individual’s mind towards personally meaningful perceptions. The Good Hour, in which the individual is powerful and independent in the pursuit for meaning, varies from the â€Å"Pseudo Good Hour† during which an individual is driven by an aim to please someone or gain approval. This idea of the Good Hour resonates the one of Cartier-Bresson’s decisive moment and both photographic and psychological elements emerging as one. He moreover compared photography to the psychoanalytic basis; while Kris trusted the psychological progression throughout the Good Hour bring to mind those during artistic accomplishments. Both the factual events being photographed and the personal interpretation of ‘the decisive moment shot are the therapeutic â€Å"Aha!† moment’, a moment of recognising oneself within the human existence. Both the Good Hour and the decisive moment are not about achieving the goal (the decisive moment shot) to please someone but about oneself in the world of human experiences and subconsciously designed awareness lying in awaiting the opportunity to express oneself through in this case photography. As much as the idea worked in practise with Cartier-Bresson, which in a lot of respect is due to his extraordinary and exceptional knowledge and understanding of human psychology, it doesn’t necessary mean it has to work for someone who’s knowledge only consist of basic photographic skills, someone who was never absorbed by anything else but photography itself. How would one know what is the right decisive moment? All of our interpretations of imagery and stories are strongly based on our cultural capital. Cartier-Bresson’s theory comes into doubt when tested by the mass and today’s fast spread of media such as photography. The decisive moment (as mentioned before) consists of a collapse of both what is beautiful and what is significant to the individual capturing the image. However, human understanding and interpretation of both them factors, commences and cultivates based on one’s personal experiences, culture and society one was raised within and various values one was taught throughout life. In the theoretical approach toward the cultural capital, Pierre Bourdieu states that ‘individualscan be restricted by their habitus’. This statement is highly relevant within this argument as it supports the idea of that what is considered as the decisive moment by the photographer may be perceived as the most far away point from it by the viewer. It is evident that Cartier-Bresson was fully aware of the effects his work had on people, he says ‘It is by means of form, by careful plastic organization, that our thoughts and emotion become communicable’ His photographs are so well composed they instantly become highly artistic, yet at the same time, they are such strong journalistic medium with even more powerful message behind it. Cartier-Bresson’s work created art which became an expression of common humanity, it became an expression of ordinary, day to day people; revealing their tragic stories. All of this became possible due to careful consideration of both beauty and meaning thereof the decisive moment. Although such complex idea may be challenging to understand in today’s society, inflexible and overwhelmed by the technology, it has undoubtedly marked its importance in history of photography. As much as it may not be consciously considered when taking the photograph, our â€Å"perfect† ima ge is still chosen according to the same principles. Consciously or not, the theory of the decisive moment is still used in practice by both the professionals and the general public. If it was not for this theory the field of photography and its equipment would not be as far developed as it currently is. Jan Baetens argues (‘Conceptual Limitations of Our Reflection on Photography: The Question of Interdisciplinarity’, pp. 53–73.), there is a fundamental disjunction between the ‘practical knowledge of theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °nonacademics’ (p. 61) and contemporary (artistic) photographic theory. Appendix Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 CLM 2045M, Sara Zimna, 12299092

Snowdrops - Exploring Snowdrops :: English Literature

Snowdrops - Exploring Snowdrops - Consider the structure and language - What does the writer want to achieve - Your personal views are essential. "Snowdrops" ----------- Task: - Explore "Snowdrops". Targets: - 1) Consider the structure and language. 2) What does the writer want to achieve. 3) Your personal views are essential. "Snowdrops" is a story based on child like wonder, emotion and discovery. After reading the story many times in depth I have discovered that there is a lot more to the story than there aperies for example contrasts and comparison in the short story that liven it up quite significantly, like use of colours, temperature, descriptions, textures and creative writing are all used to create a certain atmosphere. What is the story about? If you were to read the story once you would probably say it was about a schoolteacher that all the children like and she was seeing a man who died. But if you look closely at the structure of the story then you will see there is more than that, it is about a child who cant wait to see the snowdrops in the school garden and when he finally see's then he sees they are not all that amazing, which is true to life in many respects because nothing appears to be a good as it is made out to be. Descriptive writing is one of the strongest things in this piece; it is used to draw the reader into the same state of mind of the writer. 'Today Miss Webster is going to show them the snowdrops growing in the little three cornered garden outside the school-keeper's house', this is a great sentence because the writer could have just said 'little garden' but to add affect she said three cornered, this creates a magical place in out heads and helps us to imagine the garden. ' Gerard was eating a bowl of porridge, and what he did was this. He would make a crater in the porridge with his spoon, and then he would watch the milk run in and fill the hole up. Then he would dip his spoon in it and drink it.' Does this create a marvellous picture in your head? Because it does in mine as I have done this myself when I have been eating my breakfast. This is a prime example of child like wonder as he is so amused and excited with his new discovery, when you are younger you are fascinated with the smallest things like the porridge and the "snowdrops". Contrasts are occurring all the time in "Snowdrops" for example reds and oranges are used to create that affect of heat and well being and

Men’s Pride Essay

In a story or a work of fiction, the characters are remembered by beliefs and personalities only they possess. These personality and belief make them stand out from all the other characters in the story. They do not have to be the lead protagonist or the main antagonist; rather, their belief or trait makes them the best in the eyes of some readers. In the case of two greatest works of fiction, â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh† and â€Å"Othello†, it is the pride of the character and their belief in themselves that makes them stand out from the others. It is the pride and later the ability to set it aside and apologize for their deed. In the â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh†, Gilgamesh, the great king stood out because he was the proudest of the proud. His belief in himself caused most of the misfortune that took place in the story. Only in the end did he realize his mistakes. The same may be said on Othello in the play that Shakespeare wrote. He was also proud, and this pride has caused as much misfortune in the story as did the trait of Gilgamesh. This also made him stand out from among the other characters. The Mighty Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic that originated in Iraq. It is a Sumerian legend about a great King, who is like a God. He has a strength that cannot be equaled. He is also as powerful as their gods wherein neither man nor animal can defeat him. As such, the gods decided to create another being that can equal him. When Gilgamesh met this being, whom the gods named, Enkidu, Gilgamesh immediately liked him. They easily became friends despite the initial plan of the gods to have Enkidu kill Gilgamesh. Their bond was instantaneous. They started doing a lot of adventures together, even those that are forbidden and may offend gods (Hooker). Unfortunately, in one of their adventures a god was offended and as punishment for this, Enkidu died. After Enkidu’s death Gilgamesh was almost out of his mind and did more dim-witted decisions that caused misfortunes. However, despite what he saw, he did not apologize but rather remained proud. Only after all his adventures did he come to his knees and realized his mistakes (Hooker). From this short synopsis of the epic, it may be seen that at the very beginning, Gilgamesh already showed his pride and belief in his self. He was aware of his great power and the gift of strength that destiny has gifted upon him. The king of Uruk knew that none of his subjects can defeat him or defy him. As such, he lived by this knowledge and used it to his advantage (â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh†). He was a proud and tyrannical king and he stood out because of this. Even though his arrogant actions caused the death of his best friend Enkidu, this did not erase the fact that he was a memorable character because of it. He was much known than Enkidu not only because he carried the namesake of the epic’s title, but also because he went against the society. He did not become what other kinds are. He was cruel to his subjects. He was almost an antagonist rather than the lead protagonist due to his pride. He made the story move by not conforming to the people’s expectations (â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh†). However, despite the seemingly terrible character of Gilgamesh he should also be commended for being proud of himself. It should be noted that to stand up and remain proud despite other people’s constant prodding to become nicer is a hard task especially for a king. Even the gods were urging him to become kinder to his subjects but he never gave in. Also, it should be noted that his pride is his strength. Because of it, he was able to overcome other difficult tasks that saved his kingdom. Had he not been that arrogant, he would not have risked his life for the tasks that he was assigned to and he would not have been able to save his people. Furthermore, he would have committed suicide as a sign of apology for his actions. Thus, with this, the non-conformity and the trait of Gilgamesh made him a character that is very memorable. The Proud Othello Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† is about the moor Othello, whose life suddenly made a turn because of the envy of one of the other characters. The great Othello was promoted in his job and his first action was to appoint an assistant. Iago, who was expecting to get the job, was not chosen. Instead Cassio became Othello’s lieutenant. In his fury, Iago sought revenge against Othello and Cassio (Shakespeare). In order to have his revenge realized, Iago weaved lies in the lives of both Cassio and Othello, and even in the lives of other characters involved with the two. This twisted the story to the point that this not only caused Othello and Cassio’s death, but as well as other people whose lives were connected to them. Most of the people, including Othello, believed the lies that Iago told them. By the end of the story, Othello could no longer contain his guilt and killed himself and claimed responsibility (Shakespeare). From this short synopsis it may be derived that Othello’s life had been simple in the beginning. It was only made complex by the lies that Iago weaved in order to realize his revenge. Despite the fact that Iago’s characteristics may actually make him stand out, Othello still is the most memorable character. As in the case of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Othello stood out because of his pride and belief in himself. Being a moor, many would have contradicted his promotion. The society may dislike the fact that a man foreign of nature should not lead the army of Italy. However, because of Othello’s pride and confiedence, he proved himself worthy of the title (Black). To further prove that he was not like anyone else, an instance in the story told that most men try to use potions in order to attract the beautiful Desdemona. Desdemona’s father even believed that Othello did the same when he learned that Othello was sleeping with his daughter. But then, because of Othello’s pride and self-belief, he went against the society’s expectations. He was able to lure Desdemona without potions or magic (Shakespeare). Despite the seeming good results of Othello’s arrogance though, it should not be neglected that the same arrogance killed Desdemona at the end of the story. The inability to accept the truth caused him to kill her. This may be considered saddening as it was not entirely his fault. However, he was still the one who smothered her with the pillow (Shakespeare). Othello’s pride and belief in himself made him stand out from the crowd. He did not conform to the expectations that as a foreigner he cannot be a good soldier to their country. He also proved that he can get the woman he admires with sheer manliness and not through potions or magic. Even the fact that he got himself into trouble because of his pride made his character that is not like any other. He defied society’s expectations especially when he took his life at the end of the play. This was an act of remorse for rebelling against the expectations that he did not want to apologize for. He did not conform because it would have meant hurting his enormous ego. Conclusion From the given information, it may be concluded that the two characters in the two given pieces of literature, â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh† and â€Å"Othello†, are characters that stood out from the crowd because of their pride and self-belief. Because of being proud, they could not afford to follow what other believed them to follow. They had to show their ability to decide for their own even though it may mean misfortune. They stood out because they went past the people’s expectations and proved themselves better than any other man. They had to act according to their will because of their pride which took great strength. More importantly, in the end of their tales, they showed remorse by killing themselves rather than apologizing which the society expects from them. Works Cited Black, Edward. 2009. â€Å"Oedipus and Othello: Pride and the Tragic Hero†. Lone Star College. 30 April 2009 < http://northharris. lonestar. edu/30938/ >. â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh. † 2009. Mythmanhelp. 30 April 2009 < http://mythmanhelp. tripod. com/id9. html >. Hooker, Richard. 1999. â€Å"Gilgamesh†. World Civilizations. 30 April 2009 < http://www. wsu. edu/~dee/MESO/GILG. HTM >. Shakespeare, William. 2003. â€Å"Othello†. shakespeare-literature. com. 30 April 2009 < http://www. shakespeare-literature. com/Othello/0. html >.

Biographical Approach to Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Essay

Literature is always said to be the echo of life. It reflects the time, the mind’s state, and author’s life. Whenever one looks into any literature piece, they do not only read what is on the text but also try to understand the context that matters. These contexts include the life of the author, the era it was written, the social condition during the time it was set, and others. There are many ways in which a literary piece can be read and interpreted. The act of interpreting a literary text is called literary criticism. As said by Lamb (2003), literary criticism is an attempt to assess and comprehend the creative writing, the literature of an author. In this paper, the researcher uses a type of literary criticism to institute the meaning of the text. The researcher uses biographical approach to literary criticism. Eagleton (1996) describes this approach as a strategy of relating the author’s life and thoughts to his/her works. This allows the reader to understand elements employed in the work, plus to relate works to authorial meaning and readers. MHS Composition Guide states that there are central biographical questions needed to reflect on in taking this approach. These questions are: †¢ What biographical facts has the author used in the text? †¢ What biographical facts has the author changed? †¢ What insights do we acquire about the author’s life by reading the text? †¢ How do these facts and insights increase (or diminish) our understanding of the text? These questions wil used in the development of the body of this paper. In this paper, the researcher also attempts to give assessment in life to her short story, and to the main character of the short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. Horward (2005) states that Katherine O’Flaherty, also known as Kate Chopin, was one of the most renowned female writers of her time. Her universal themes are what made her extraordinary. She wrote several short stories including â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, â€Å"Euphrase†, â€Å"Mrs. Mobry’s Reason†, â€Å"A Shameful Affair† and many others. Kate Chopin was raised into a home of women in St. Louis. This had been a very big influence to her writings, mainly on her views about feminism – views about women. Chopin was later widowed at 32, and there she started writing for herself and for her six children. Chopin was an extensive reader that is why she was able to write stories of herself into creative ones. In the early 1970’s, it was the resurrection of women’s rights movements, and Kate Chopin was one of those contributors to the occurrence. She contributed a lot with her writings about women, daytime dramas, the feminine mystique, women’s liberation, Mars vs. Venus, self-help and open marriages. Definitely, Kate Chopin’s early experiences had a great influence on her writings. One of her celebrated short stories is â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and it is entirely famous not only in American Literature – but also in the world. While reading the short story, the reader finds connection between the life of the author and the life of the main character of the short story. These connections are the similarities that the reader had taken into consideration: Chopin and Her Father’s Loss One of the main events in the story is a loss of someone very important, more particularly, Mrs. Mallard’s husband’s loss. Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, had brought the sad message that there was a railroad disaster and of those listed as ‘killed’ was Brently Mallard, who was Mrs. Mallard’s husband. In Kate’s life, she had lost someone too, in a railroad accident in 1855 to a train accident. A Widow Mrs. Mallard is sooner or later, assumed to be a widow, but readers will soon find out that Mr. Mallard is alive. In Kate’s life, his father had widowed her mother. Both experienced having lost someone very special and as well as being widowed but definitely, their responses to the loss may entirely be different. In the end, before she would have learned about Brently’s return from the accident, Louise died of heart disease – of joy that kills. This suggests that she had a monstrous joy, because it killed and consumed her to death. Perhaps, Chopin would just let Louise die instead of seeing Brently again, wherein she will be living like a prison again. Freedom for Women In â€Å"The Story of An Hour†, Chopin has made no suggestion to the readers that Mrs. Mallard was sorry for her husband’s loss. Instead, she has uttered ‘over under her breath’: â€Å"free, free, and free! †, which suggests how happy Mrs. Mallard is to have lost her husband, because she has now freedom of herself. The joy she senses in possessing her freedom is something which consumes her. In Kate’s life, she was used to write about resurgence of women’s rights. She experience a period when there was this declined and confinement of women’s public needs like education, the vote, rights to her own property and her own children. Those events drove her to write this kind of feminist text instead of choosing other universal themes. Briefly, the title of this novel, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is a image of the feelings provoked by the main character, Louise Mallard. In connection to this, it can be confirmed that this novel is a reference to Kate Chopin’s life since most of the events in Louise’s life are similar, or at least made a great influence to that of the story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. The biographical approach made by the researcher accomplishes its purpose because an understanding able of the issues behind the book went through by tracing the history and life of Kate Chopin. Literature can bring us to the world of the author. Therefore, this research established that literature reflects the time, state of mind, and the life of the author through understanding the connection between Kate Chopin and Mrs. Mallard in the short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † References: Original Text: References Chopin, K. (1976). The Awakening and Selected Stories of Kate Chopin. New York: Signet Classic. Eagleton, T. (1996). Biographical Approach. An introduction to Literary Theories (2 ed. ) University of Minnesota Press. Horward, A. ( 2005). A Woman Ahead of Her Time. Retrieved 28 April 2010 from: http://www. angelfire. com/nv/English243/Chopin. html Lamb, A. (2003). The topic: literary criticism. Retrieved 24 April 2010 from: