Tuesday, August 11, 2020

How to Come Up With Hundreds of Business Ideas

How to Come Up With Hundreds of Business Ideas Given the chance, many people would start their own businesses. The numbers are overwhelming. According to a research by the University Of Phoenix Business School, 39% of employees hope to become business owners one day.The younger they are, the greater the desire to own a business, with more than 50% of employees in their 20s hoping to become business owners one day.So, what’s stopping them? While there are several reasons that keep people from starting a business, one of the major reasons is that most people don’t have a good business idea. They just don’t know where to start.For some people, generating great business ideas just comes naturally to them. Think of serial entrepreneur Elon Musk. After dropping from college, he started Zip2, which gave businesses an online presence. He sold it to Compaq and became a millionaire. He then co-founded PayPal, an online payments and money transfer service.After PayPal was sold to eBay, Elon went on to found several other companies, in cluding SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and the Boring Company. Clearly, coming up with business ideas is no biggie for someone like him.While we might not all be like Elon Musk, the truth is that coming up with a business idea does not need to be so difficult. There are numerous opportunities to identify great business ideas, if only you know where and how to look.Below are some ideas on how to come up with great business ideas. FIND A SOLUTION FOR SOMETHING THAT BUGS YOU OR OTHERSYou might have heard that every successful business solves a certain problem. So, what better way to come up with a business idea than to find a problem to solve? Think about how Virgin Atlantic was started.Virgin founder Richard Branson was trying to get to the British Virgin Islands to meet his girlfriend, but unfortunately, the airline could not fill enough seats to warrant a flight, so their flight was cancelled, leaving Richard and his fellow passengers stranded in Puerto Rico.Not one to let such a problem stop him from seeing his then girlfriend and now wife, Richard chartered a plane, charged the stranded passengers $39 each for a ticket on his chartered plane and helped them get to the British Virgin Islands.From there, he bought a second hand plane from Boeing and Virgin Atlantic was in business. Richard simply noticed that there was a problem in how airlines treated their passengers (they didn’t care much about passengers) and started a business to provide a solution for that.You might not be ready to charter a plane or buy a second hand 747 from Boeing, but your greatest bet for coming up with a business idea is to come up with a solution for something that bugs you or other people near you.Think about your day to day life.What things do you find yourself complaining about? What do your friends, family, or colleagues regularly complain about?If you can provide a solution for these frustrations, you have a business idea on your hands.SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT MAY EXIST IN FUTUREAfte r becoming the richest person in the world, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos plans to invest a huge chunk of his fortune on his space exploration company, Blue Origin. Why invest in a space exploration company?Bezos believes that due to problems such as climate change, it might one day become necessary for humans to take industrial activities to space, where manufacturing can be done without a risk to planet earth and the survival of the human race.If this happens, there will be a need for logistics companies to ferry finished products to earth. With Blue Origin, Bezos is positioning himself to become a logistics provider for space transportation, long before humans think of setting up the first industry on the moon or in Mars. He is working on solving problems that will emerge in the future.Just like Bezos, you can come up with a business idea by thinking about problems that might need to be solved in future. Think about the future, brainstorm about problems and challenges that might emer ge in that future and start thinking of solutions to these problems.FULFILL A NEEDApart from solving problems, another major reason why people pay from products and services is to fulfill a need. Do people around you have a need that is not being met? Is there a way you can help them meet this need?There are a lot of businesses that are built to satisfy human needs. Consider products like green tea and other health and fitness products, beauty products, clothing, and so on.These products try to fulfill the human need for esteem. When people look good, their confidence and their esteem gets a boost. Think of products like Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels.These products help people fulfill the need for love and belonging.Think of a way in which you can help people fulfill their human needs and see how you can turn it into a profitable business.ASK YOURSELF “WHAT’S NEXT?”Another great way to come up with a great business idea is to think ahead of the curve. Take a look at trends and technologies that are being developed today. What opportunities will these technologies create once they become ubiquitous? How can you take advantage of these opportunities? For instance, many tech and automobile companies today are working on developing autonomous cars.While the technology is not completely ready, there is a high chance that all vehicles will become autonomous within the next one or two decades. What opportunities will self-driving cars create? For one, cars might become more of a service than a product.In this case, there is an opportunity to start a mobility as a service business.Alternatively, there might be a need to create software to manage fleets of autonomous cars.All these are opportunities presented by technologies that are yet to take root. By starting on them today, you can be way ahead of the competition when the time comes.So, try to think of current trends and figure out what opportunities will follow the trends and you will ha ve a great business idea.DEVELOP A CHEAPER VERSION OF AN EXISTING PRODUCTHow many times have you wanted to buy a certain product but could not afford it? How many other people do you think face the same challenge? If you could develop a cheaper version of the product, how many people do you think would be willing to pay for it? That right there could be a business idea.Think of Chinese smartphone companies like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo. With major smartphone brands like Apple and Samsung offering their flagship phones at ridiculously high prices, these Chinese brands saw it as an opportunity to offer much cheaper smartphones with an almost similar set of features. This definitely paid off, with Chinese Brand Huawei surpassing Apple to become the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world.Just like the Chinese smartphone brands, you can come up with a business ideas by looking for products that are in high demand and have prices that keep a large chunk of consumers out.If you can come up with a way of developing cheaper versions of these products, that right there is a great business idea.MAKE PEOPLE’S LIVES EASIER OR MORE CONVENIENTPeople will almost always choose the path of least resistance. If you have a product or service that makes life easier or more convenient, most people will have no problem paying for it. There are a lot of products and services whose main aim is to make our lives easier or more convenient.Instant noodles. Microwaves. Dishwashers. Vacuum cleaners. Ride hailing services. Meal subscriptions. Clothing subscriptions. All these products and services were developed to make life easier and more convenient.Instead of struggling to come up with a completely new idea, just think of existing products and services and think of how you can make them more convenient or easier to use.For instance, many people don’t like the trips to the local grocery store.What if you came up with a subscription service where people pay a monthly fee to have a selection of vegetables and products delivered to their homes every Saturday evening?Instead of simply offering your freelance writing services, why not offer a package where clients get a hands-free blog management where you come up with content ideas, write them, post to their blogs and promote them?Simply find a way to make an existing product or service easier to use, less stressful, more convenient, or more user-friendly and you have a business idea.HELP PEOPLE SAVE MONEYMaking money is not so easy, and at the same time, there are so many needs. Because of this, people will always appreciate any opportunity to save money. If you come up with a way to help people save a few bucks here and there, you have a winning business idea on your hands.Think of products like energy saving bulbs and power strips, budgeting apps, coupons apps, water efficient shower heads, solar panels, and such other products.Most times, they are more expensive than their alternatives, yet people st ill buy these products because they help them save money in the long run. Try thinking of things that cost you money in your day to day life and think of solutions that can help you save some of that money. If you can do that, you will have identified a great business idea.FUSE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIESWhat skills do you have? Would they be useful in a different, unconventional field? How about fusing two ideas from two entirely different industries? Fusing ideas and skills that are completely unrelated is a great way of coming up with unique business ideas.A product like Google Glass, as well as other wearable technology is a result of fusion between the fashion and technology industries.GE Healthcare came up with the GE Adventure Series of children-friendly MRIs by fusing MRI technology and entertainment. The Nike Shox shoes were adapted from Formula One racing shock absorbers. All these are examples of ideas resulting from combining totally unrelated ideas.Try to think of two unrelate d concepts that would go together and you might stumble on a great business idea. Can you apply the Uber or Netflix concept to different industry? Bingo! You have a business idea right there. Do you think something being done outside your industry can be successfully applied in your industry, even if the two are unrelated? That’s an opportunity right there.Do you have skills in two or more fields? Is there a way to intersect these different fields in a unique way? If there is, you can turn it into a business with complete confidence that you will be the best at that unique intersection.INVESTIGATE OTHER MARKETSSometimes, we cannot see ideas because they are not suited to our local markets. These same ideas would appeal greatly to foreign markets. I will use a very simple example to illustrate this. If you were born and live in an English speaking country, being an English tutor is not a very viable business idea.However, if you came up with a way to package and sell your English c lasses to people in non-English speaking countries, for instance those who want to learn the language because they want to study in an English speaking country, there would be high demand for your services.By investigating the market opportunities in other regions and cultures, you can find a business idea that might not be so obvious in your local setting.Alternatively, you could also look at ideas that are working in other locations and see how they can be applied in your local setting. For instance, let’s assume that during a trip to a foreign country, you came across an on-demand vehicle repair service, which has not made it to your home country. You can copy the idea and apply it in your country or city.TURN YOUR HOBBY OR PASSION INTO A BUSINESSDo you have something you enjoy doing or something that you are good at? Is there something your friends constantly say you are good at, or ask for your help with? Is there something you always find yourself doing during your free time ? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to start thinking of how you can turn whatever you enjoy doing or are good at into a business.It doesn’t have to be a skill you learned in school. It could be anything â€" organizing parties, painting, writing, graphic design, social media marketing, drawing, you name it. If you are good at it, you can turn it into a business.I have a friend who loves drawing. Most of his weekends are spent working on one drawing or another. For him, it was just something he did for fun. Sometime last year, he decided to draw a portrait of a girl he was dating as a birthday present. After presenting the drawing to the girl, her friends were impressed. A number of them asked him to draw portraits of them and offered to pay for the service.That’s when it hit him that he had been sleeping on a business idea. From then, he has turned his passion for drawing into a little business that earns him a nice income on the side. Just like my friend, if you have something you are good at, there will be people willing to pay for it, so you should think of turning it into a business.Apart from doing whatever you are good at in exchange for money, you can also turn it into a business by offering to teach others how to do it. If you are good at playing the piano or guitar, you can package your knowledge into an online video course and start a business teaching people how to play the guitar. The good thing with a coaching business is that any kind of skill can be turned into a business.Even something as simple as asking girls out. Know how to talk to girls better than your friends? You can turn it into a business. There are lots of guys who want to learn how to as girls out and are willing to pay for the knowledge.The point here is that if you have something you are good at and passionate about, you can turn it into a profitable business idea.TURN YOUR DAY JOB INTO A BUSINESSAnother common way of identifying a great business idea is to look at what you get paid to do at your day job. Whatever you do at your current job â€" whether you are a web designer, a content writer, an accountant, a logistics manager, or any other job â€" you can step out on your own and build a business out of it. There are different ways to do this. The first one is the coaching approach, which I discussed above. Simply start teaching others what you are good at.The second is to start your own company instead of working for someone else. For instance, if you are a web designer, instead of working for a web design agency, why not start your own web design agency? You can start as a one man business and then expand as business grows.Of course, finding clients when you are starting will be challenging, but your own business allows you to charge your own rates and gives you the option of scalability, which you don’t have when working for someone else. To avoid starving as you hustle for your first clients, you should start it as a side bu siness and then focus fully on it once you are confident that it can provide you with a sufficient income.Alternatively, you can start offering consultation services within your field. Another option is find a way to automate your work process and then offer it as an app or software.Think of businesses like Buffer, Hootsuite, Asana, Basecamp, MailChimp, Hubspot, Shopify, Zendesk, and other business automation tools. The founders of these services came up with a way to automate their work processes and created businesses out of these process. If you can find a way to automate your day job, you have a winning business idea.TALK TO CONSUMERSAnother way to come up with a winning business idea is to actually talk to consumers and find out their needs and requirements. Let’s assume you are interested in the fashion industry, but you don’t have an idea on what kind of fashion related business you should start. Go out and talk to shoppers and find out what they need. Go to fashion store s and talk to the customers.Run online surveys and ask customers what they wish they could find when shopping for clothes and fashion industries. By talking to the actual consumers, you might uncover something that has been ignored by existing businesses and use it to come up with a unique business.The best part about talking to consumers is that you will be confident that there is a demand for your idea.ADD VALUE TO OR IMPROVE EXISTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICESYou can also come up with great business ideas by finding ways to add value to existing products. Think about products that you and your family, friends, and colleagues use on a day to day basis. Is there a way to add value to these products? Is there a service you can combine with the product to make it even more valuable? Is there anything else you can do to improve an already existing product or service? Think of the KFC franchise.Before Colonel Sanders came up with his unique fried chicken recipe, there were other restaurants selling friend chicken. However, he found a way to make his fried chicken way tastier than what competitors were offering, thereby creating a business that is currently worth over $7 billion.COPY AND MODIFY OTHERS’ IDEASThere is hardly a completely unique idea in this world. Think of how some of the most successful businesses in the world today were started. To create Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg copied and modified the initial idea from the Winklevoss twins.To invent the light bulb, Thomas Edison built on the work and research of several other inventors around the world.The truth is that most other seemingly innovative ideas simply find a way to build on already existing ideas, so why not do the same? I’m not saying that you should directly copy another person’s business idea like for like.There is a high chance you will fail if you do this. Instead, take an existing idea you like, find ways to make it better than it currently is, and turn it into a winning business idea.WRAPPI NG UPI hope that by now, you are convinced that coming up with a business idea does not have to be a challenging task. The methods listed in this article are just a few of the different ways you can use to come up with a business idea.There are many more ways.What I will emphasize here is that you should not sit back and wait for a business idea to strike you in a light bulb moment.Instead, you should be proactive in trying to identify business ideas. If you keep that in mind and apply the methods discussed in this article, you won’t have a shortage of business ideas.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Connection between the Monotheistic Traditions of...

In looking at the world, one would not be surprised to find a great variety of people with varying beliefs and cultural traditions according to the culture’s history and geographic location. But what might strike one as odd is a great similarity across most of those people as well: a belief in God. And not just any God, but a single God who has divine knowledge and power over humanity. Yet with these commonalities, the three traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam each have a unique take on what they feel is the correct belief about God. But with so many commonalities, one might think the three traditions would be closer linked than they appear. Could these three faiths all have a common source beyond simply monotheistic beliefs,†¦show more content†¦Does God have one cohesive identity seen in each tradition, or does God have a multiple-personality complex that switches between people? In looking at what identity means, one voice offers help to determine a clea rer understanding. In his essay Introduction to Neo-classical Theism, Kevin Timpe tells us that we have to distinguish identity between a proper name and a definite description. If we are to ascribe God as a definite description, than it would stand that the idea of God would be more along the lines of a title or position rather than an innate characteristic or nature. For if God held the title of God but was at some point not able to meet up to the standards of that, then God would no longer hold that title. (199). If, however, we are to ascribe God as a proper name in that God means the actual being or nature of that deity, than God would absolutely encompass what it means to be the supreme deity of creation. Yet does God being a proper name still mean that God is only known as God and not Allah or YHWH? These may be cultural titles given to the deity God that help to better understand the revelation of God in a tradition’s context. And with understanding God through name a nd titles comes the act of revealing that understanding to other people. One of the most powerful and well-known forms of divine revelation comes from a significant figure among the people ofShow MoreRelatedThe Basic Teachings of Islam3603 Words   |  15 PagesTopic: the basic teachings of Islam Introduction Religion is one way of helping people establish a meaningful way of life, ground on promoting humanity’s personal growth and the concerns of others. Religion is not a simple term to define because different people from different societies, cultures and contexts may give different meanings and interpretations of religion. Roger Schmidt in his book, Exploring Religion, comments that, â€Å"religion is a set of beliefs, practices, and social structures, groundedRead MoreWorld Religions Midterm 14746 Words   |  19 Pagesexistence of God.   Explain each argument and show why it is potentially helpful or dangerous for the theist.   Then, explain which of these arguments you find more convincing, and why. 2.Comparing Religions: Compare the worldview of one of the monotheistic religions we have discussed with one other religion we have studied, mono or polytheistic.   Explain three specific points of similarity and three clear differences in each world view.   Given these similarities and differences, would you say theRead MoreSources of Ethics20199 Words   |  81 PagesSystems: 8 4- Cultural Experience: 8 5- The Legal System: 9 6- Codes of Conduct: 9 2.0- EXPLANATION OF THE SOURCES OF ETHICS: 10 2.1- RELIGION: 10 Teaching business ethics 12 2.11- Impact Of Religiosity: 13 2.12- Ethics Of Islam: 14 Nature of Islamic Ethics 17 The Human-Environment Relationship: 20 The Sustainable Care of Nature: 22 The Practice of Islamic Environmental Ethics: 22 2.14- Ethics And Other Religion: 25 2.2- GENETIC INHERITANCE: 31 2.21- LINKAGERead MoreIslamic Way of warfare23558 Words   |  95 Pagesimportant to understand that anything, to be qualified as Islamic, has to have a reference from the core sources of Islam, i.e. the Quran, and the practices and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This research is focused to define an Islamic way of warfare based on these fundamental sources, with a view to identifying whether Al Qaeda is truly Islamic or not. This thesis identifies that Islam does not dictate minor tactical matters of warfare, rather focuses its guidance on warfare in two broad categories:

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

4th Grade Writing Prompts

Students in fourth grade need a variety of practice developing their writing skills. According to Common Core State Standards Initiative, fourth-grade writing should include opinion pieces, informative texts, and narratives about real or imagined experiences. Additionally, a fourth-grade  writing curriculum should include short research projects.   These writing prompts offer diverse forms of inspiration for every student. Opinion Essay Writing Prompts In an opinion essay, students must  state their opinion, then back it up with facts and reasons. Ideas should be organized logically and supported by details. Best Friends Forever. Write an essay explaining what makes your best friend the best best friend.  Awesomeness.  Describe the most awesome  thing about being in fourth grade.New Worlds. Would you rather help start a colony on a new planet or a city under the ocean? Why?School Food. Name one thing you would like to change about your school’s menu and explain why.Someday. If you could be a race car driver, an astronaut, or president of a country, which would you choose and why?Cityscapes. If you had a friend visit from another state, what is the one place in your city you would insist he or she had to see? What makes this place so special?Shipwrecked. You find yourself stranded on a deserted island with only 3 items in your backpack. What would you want those items to be and why?Flat Earth. Some people still believe that the Earth is flat. Do you agree or disagree? Include supporting  facts.Extra! Extra! Name one class, sport, or club you wish your school offered and exp lain why it should be available.Seasons. Which season is your favorite and why?One-star. What is the worst book you ever read and what made it so terrible?Fandom. Who is your favorite TV, movie, or music star? What makes him or her the best.Progress.  Identify  something at which you would like to improve about yourself as a student this school year. Explain why you would like to get better and list some steps you can take to make it happen. Informative  Essay Writing Prompts When writing an informative or explanatory essay, students should introduce the topic clearly, then develop the topic with facts and details. When explaining a process, students should outline the steps in a logical order. Bullied. Explain how you would handle  being bullied and the steps you would take to stop a bully.Mad Skills. Describe an unusual talent, hobby, or skill that you possess.Cuisine. Describe a food that is unique to your family or area of the world to someone who has never tasted it.Role Model. Think of a person who has made an impact on your life and describe the role they’ve played.Pay It Forward. What is one thing you would like to do — either now or in the future —  to make the world a better place?Packing. Explain the most effective way to pack for a trip to ensure that you have everything you need.Wild Kingdom. Of all animals, wild or domesticated, which is your favorite? Include interesting  facts about this animal in your essay.Gaming. Explain how to play your favorite video or board game to someone who has never played it before.Problematic. Describe a problem  you’re facing and three ways you could possibly solve it.Extreme Weather. Choose an extreme weather condition or natural disaster, such as a tornado or a volcanic eruption. Explain  its causes and effects.Sweet Treats. Explain the process of making your favorite dessert.Learning Styles. Think of the way you prefer to learn, such as by reading, listening, or doing. Explain why you think you learn best that way.Edison. Thomas Edison said that he didn’t make mistakes; he just learned 10,000 ways not to make a light bulb. Describe a mistake you made and the lesson you learned from it. Narrative  Essay Writing Prompts When writing narrative essays about real or imagined experiences, students should use descriptive details and logical sequence. They can use dialogue and sensory details to develop their essay. Microscopic Details. Imagine being microscopic. Describe an adventurous  trip through your body.Alone. You find yourself locked in your favorite store alone overnight. Where are you and what do you do?Homeless. A friendly stray dog follows you home from school. What happens next?Time Travel. Imagine you could travel back in time to when your mom or dad was your age. Write an essay about your relationship with your fourth-grade parent.Mismatched. Write a story about someone your age. The story must include a giraffe, a mouse, a flying carpet, and a large birdcage.Pet Peeve.  Recount a moment when  something really got on your nerves. Describe the experience and why it irritated you so much.Surprise! Think of a time your teacher surprised your class. Describe what happened and how the class reacted.Special Moments. Think of a specific day or event that you will always remember. What made it so special?Travel Through History. Imagine you could travel back in time to live through o ne event from history. Describe the event and write about your experience.The Most Terrible Day. Write an essay about a day when everything went wrong. How did the day start and end, describe the experience.Road Trip. Write about a favorite family vacation or road trip. Where did you go? What made it special?Funny Pet Tricks.  Can  your pet do a funny or unusual trick? Describe it.President. If you could be president for a day (or the principal of your school), what would you do? Research Project  Essay Writing Prompts Fourth-grade students should also complete short research projects using books, magazines, and online sources. Students should take notes and provide a list of the sources they used in their research. New Puppy. You want a new puppy. Do some research to determine the best breed for your family and write about it.Battles.  Research and write about what you  consider the most significant or famous battle in history.Famous People. Choose a famous person from history or science and write about their lives and contributions.Animal Kingdom. Select an animal to research. Include facts about its behavior, habitat, and diet.Countries. Choose a country. Investigate its culture and holidays, and find out what life there  is like for kids your age.States. Pick a state you’ve never visited. Learn three to  five unique facts about the state to include in your essay.Inventions. What do you think is the greatest or most useful invention of all time? Find out who invented it and how and why it was invented.Native Americans. Choose a Native American tribe. Learn about where they lived, their culture, and their use of natural resources in their area.Endangered Species. Research and wr ite about an animal that is endangered. Include facts about why it is endangered and any changes that people can make to help increase its population.Fine Arts. Learn more about an artist or composer. Include facts about their life and death and most well-known works.Authors. Research  an author whose books you enjoy. Include facts about what inspired him or her to start writing.Dig Deeper.  Research something you’ve studied in  history, science, or  literature  but would like to know more about.State Standouts. Choose a famous person from your state. Learn about his or her life and contributions.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Over 50% of the world lives in poverty, isn’t this devastating Free Essays

There are many meanings to the word â€Å"poverty.† Many of us relate it to the thought of homeless people living on streets or to people living in harsh conditions without money of food. We all have our own opinions, but what really is poverty? Is it what the majority of us think of? Or is it just simply the state of being poor? The word â€Å"poverty† has many meanings and definitions. We will write a custom essay sample on Over 50% of the world lives in poverty, isn’t this devastating? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many believe that this word can mean â€Å"not having an education† or â€Å"living in the state of hunger† or â€Å"abuse† or living without shelter, or even just being â€Å"lonely.† Some of the reasons for someone to be living in the state of poverty could link to â€Å"war† â€Å"famine† or even because â€Å"parents or members of family have passed away.† Statistics clearly prove that â€Å"one out of 120 people have had to leave their homes due to war† Isn’t this appalling? Poverty can be seen, and also not seen. For example, in some parts of the world you can clearly see people suffering in poverty, some people may be homeless; some might even be suffering from illness that can not be cured due to lack of money. However, some types of poverty can not be seen. For example, pensioners like Mrs Pankania have to make a decisions between buying enough to eat to being warm in the winter. This is because some pensioners have a low pension and can’t enjoy luxuries like us. How would you feel if you had to make a decision between warmth and food? What can you do to Help? As you are probably aware, living in the state of poverty would probably be very harsh. Here are some tips for you to try and help these unfortunate people and make their lives a better place. Uzairs Top Tips 1.) If you are walking down the street, with a handful of unwanted change, and you know the your not really going to take care of it keep it until you come across a charity box. 2.) Make your own charity box. Find an old jar that’s NOT being used and write in bold words- CHARITY! Tell your friends and family to put old change into to it and you shall slowly notice that the amount in the jar show slowly increase. 3.) As said in tip 2, make a charity box, but this time give one to a brother or sister and have a race to see who can fill their charity box the quickest. â€Å"Hopefully these tips will help those in poverty- and make their lives a better place† How to cite Over 50% of the world lives in poverty, isn’t this devastating?, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Ramses II Essay Example For Students

Ramses II Essay While visiting the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, I found numerous works of art that interested me. I was able to appreciate these works more than before because of the knowledge I now possess after having taken this class thus far. Understanding the background, time periods, and history of the works that I was practically analyzing at the museum, made the pieces even more interesting and valuable to behold. The piece of work that captured my eyes the most was the statue of Ramesses II ?. This statue was found at the Heracleopolis, Temple of Harsaphes, in Egypt. This sculpture was made somewhere between 1897 and 1834, during Egypts Middle Kingdom. The artist was probably an ancient Egyptian who was patroned by the Pharaoh Ramesses II himself. According to the museums description of the work, Ramesses II seized this sculpture from a former ruler and the head was replaced to fit Ramesses satisfaction. This is a historical piece to preserve his power and immortality. This statue is an example of freestanding sculpture or sculpture in the round. It has been carved and chiseled out of Quartzite stone. This particular stone is composed mainly or entirely of quartz. The stone is compact and is a form of metamorphosed sandstone in which silica, or quartz, has been deposited between the grains of quartz of which the sandstone is essentially composed. ? Quartzite has a smooth fracture and is found primarily among ancient rocks. ? The subject and iconography of the work is to emphasize the success, reign and power of Ramesses II. According to the museums description, the sculpture also functioned as a place for the non-priests of the community to place votive offerings for the gods of the temple. The non-priests were not allowed in the temples hence the sculpture must have been near the entrance of the temple. There is a slab in front of the pharaohs feet where offerings would have been placed. The statue is rather large and stands approximately 10 feet high and 5 feet wide. The mass of the sculpture is almost overpowering to the observer. Egyptian art is known to be very compact, and this characteristic is evident in the statue of Ramesses II. The sculpture stays within the frame of the stone, nothing in this piece protrudes outside of its frame. The pose of the Pharaoh is consistent with Ancient Egyptian art as well. The Pharaoh is seated with his hands placed on his upper legs. His arms are close to his body at both sides, and his legs are close together and connected to the throne he sits upon. He sits upright in a tranquil manner reflecting power and kingship as well. ? His body is bilaterally symmetrical while his pose is frontal and his movement is suppressed. ? Ramesses II wears a headdress and a fake detachable beard which is missing to denote his rank. This visual evidence, hairstyles, clothes, objects, is common in Ancient Egyptian art to symbolize the status of the figure. When the pharaoh is portrayed, he usually has an elaborate headdress, is larger in scale than other figures around him, wears an elaborate patterned kilt, and is in perfectly fit form. The Ancient Egyptians idealized the body of the pharaoh and were not realistic when it came to portraying the actual facial characteristics of the pharaoh. Although the statue is not being compared to other figures in the work, one can tell by its stance, dress, and mass that the figure is important. Another characteristic of this sculpture is the bulls tail on the back of his kilt, which is visible hanging between his legs. The bull, in Ancient Egypt, was accepted as a sign of power and was associated with the status of the pharaoh. The bull can be seen in many other Ancient Egyptian works of art involving the pharaoh. The sculptures space and form takes up a three dimensional quality and is meant to be viewed from all sides. It is composed into a block of stone. This three-dimensional sculpture occupies both mass and volume. .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .postImageUrl , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:hover , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:visited , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:active { border:0!important; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:active , .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4bfa8e03fcf614431ec7ecfe3106b79a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Mastaba - archaelogy EssayThe carving technique used in the sculpture is known as subtractive, taking away from the original form of the stone. The slab of stone the Pharaoh sits upon is utilized as a throne. The back is flat although it ends at the lower back. The works composition is not realistic. The space and atmospheric perspective that the statue encompasses is again compact. Almost all Ancient Egyptian pharaohs are portrayed in this form. The lines and linear perspective of this sculpture follow a simple geometric shape. They are merely to define the simple shape of the body. The lines are somewhat more defining for the headdress but not to the extreme. The body is not as realistic as modern day works but is most similar to the kouros of Ancient Greece. The body is idealized as youthful and physically fit as this was common in Ancient Egyptian art. All royalty and pharaohs were shown in this idealistic state to symbolize their power, reign, and godliness. There is no color visible except for the hue of the stone but it was most likely painted at one point in history. This is because the Ancient Egyptians were known for decorating their sculptures with pigment of some sort. The sculpture being three-dimensional somewhat provides its own light. The grooves of the muscles and face cast some shadow and leave room for depth. The statue of Ramesses II is not proportional. The head, since it was replaced, is small for the works massive body. The feet are awkwardly long for his body along with the hands. This statue represents the historical period of the time. Ramesses II name appears in deeply cut inscription in hieroglyphics on the throne and bases of the statue. According to the museum, there is an inscription on the left side of the throne where an error was made by the sculptor. The duck and sun disc in the title Son of the Sun were reversed and as a result needed to be recarved. The lines involved in the Hieroglyphics are deeply imbedded in the base and all around the sculpture. The hieroglyphics give insight to the historical occurrences of the time. I find that all of the art from Ancient Egypt is very important in providing historical accounts of the time. The Egyptians were a very advanced culture for their time period. This sculpture of Ramesses II is just one example of the numerous artifacts found from the time period. The Egyptians knew what materials to use to preserve their works of art. Their technology and tactics amaze me given their prehistoric classification. Ramesses II is a clear and definite example of the characteristic one would find in many other works of Ancient Egypt. The sculpture of Ramesses II provides us with the knowledge of his status as a pharaoh and the power he held. This was the function that it was intended to give and this is understood by the observer. This is all clear by his composition, size and visual evidence. Ramesses II youth, power and immortality lives on in our knowledge.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Sound Versus Space Essays - Acoustics, Sound, Hearing, Qualia, Waves

Sound Versus Space Very simply, sound is the vibration of any substance. The substance can be air, water, wood, or any other material, and in fact the only place in which sound cannot travel is a vacuum. When these substances vibrate, or rapidly move back and forth, they produce sound. As described in the How We Perceive Sound: The Ear section, our ears gather these vibrations and allow us to interpret them. To be a little more accurate in our definition of sound, however, we must realize that the vibrations that produce sound are not the result of an entire volume moving back and forth at once. If that were the case, the entire atmosphere would need to shift for any sound to be made at all! Instead, the vibrations occur among the individual molecules of the substance, and the vibrations move through the substance in sound waves. As sound waves travel through the material, each molecule hits another and returns to its original position. The result is that regions of the medium become alternately more dense, when they are called condensations, and less dense, when they are called rarefactions. Bibliography Very simply, sound is the vibration of any substance. The substance can be air, water, wood, or any other material, and in fact the only place in which sound cannot travel is a vacuum. When these substances vibrate, or rapidly move back and forth, they produce sound. As described in the How We Perceive Sound: The Ear section, our ears gather these vibrations and allow us to interpret them. To be a little more accurate in our definition of sound, however, we must realize that the vibrations that produce sound are not the result of an entire volume moving back and forth at once. If that were the case, the entire atmosphere would need to shift for any sound to be made at all! Instead, the vibrations occur among the individual molecules of the substance, and the vibrations move through the substance in sound waves. As sound waves travel through the material, each molecule hits another and returns to its original position. The result is that regions of the medium become alternately more dense, when they are called condensations, and less dense, when they are called rarefactions. Very simply, sound is the vibration of any substance. The substance can be air, water, wood, or any other material, and in fact the only place in which sound cannot travel is a vacuum. When these substances vibrate, or rapidly move back and forth, they produce sound. As described in the How We Perceive Sound: The Ear section, our ears gather these vibrations and allow us to interpret them. To be a little more accurate in our definition of sound, however, we must realize that the vibrations that produce sound are not the result of an entire volume moving back and forth at once. If that were the case, the entire atmosphere would need to shift for any sound to be made at all! Instead, the vibrations occur among the individual molecules of the substance, and the vibrations move through the substance in sound waves. As sound waves travel through the material, each molecule hits another and returns to its original position. The result is that regions of the medium become alternately more dense, when they are called condensations, and less dense, when they are called rarefactions. hhhhhhhhi iedidi di diid diiid34 Physics

Friday, March 6, 2020

Best Summary and Analysis The Great Gatsby, Chapter 9

Best Summary and Analysis The Great Gatsby, Chapter 9 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Just as The Great Gatsbybegan with Nick’s father reminding him about his upbringing, so it ends with Gatsby’s father reminding us about the childhood of James Gatz (Gatsby's real birth name). As one of the few mourners at Gatsby’s very sparsely attended funeral, Mr. Gatz worships his son’s achievements in the way that no one whom Gatsby wanted to impress ever did. The Great GatsbyChapter 9ends with one of the most famous last lines in all Western literature. Read on to see how Fitzgerald connects Gatsby’s story with theuniversal human hope for a better future. Quick Note on Our Citations Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your book, you can either eyeball it (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; 50-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search function if you're using an online or eReader version of the text. The Great Gatsby: Chapter 9 Summary The police investigation reduces what happened to the simplest possible terms: that Wilson was deranged by grief and killed Gatsby at random. Myrtle’s sister doesn’t tell the police about Myrtle having an affair. Rumors again swirl around Gatsby, and uninvited people again come to his mansion to gawk at where the murder-suicide happened (just like when they came to gawk at his parties).Nick is the only person who is still interested in Gatsby as a human being, and becomes a kind of representative for him - both about the rumors, and also about the logistics of dealing with his body and effects. Daisy and Tom have already left with no forwarding address by the time Nick tries to call them about Gatsby’s death. Nick tries to find Wolfshiem, but can’t get in touch with him. Wolfshiem sends a perfunctory-sounding letter, but at least agrees to come to Gatsby’s funeral. Nick answers the phone at Gatsby’s house, expecting it to be Daisy, but instead it is someone associated with Gatsby’s criminal enterprise. We get a quick idea that Gatsby was indeed doing something bigger than bootlegging - something to do with stolen or counterfeit bonds. The man hangs up without another word when Nick tells him that Gatsby is dead. Three days later, Nick gets a telegram from Henry C. Gatz - Gatsby’s father. He read about Gatsby’s death in a Chicago newspaper and is coming to the funeral from Minnesota. When Mr. Gatz shows up, it’s clear that he is still pretty poor. He is in awe of what his son has been able to accomplish, and clearly loves him very much. Gatz is clearly all in on the idea of the American Dream, comparing Gatsby to a famous rags-to-riches railroad magnate. When Gatz asks Nick to identify himself, Nick calls himself Gatsby’s close friend. That night, Ewing Klipspringer, the guy who crashed at Gatsby’s for most of the summer, calls. Nick assumes that he’ll be coming to the funeral, but Klipspringer is only calling to get back a pair of shoes he left behind. The day of the funeral, Nick goes to see Meyer Wolfshiem in person. Wolfshiem’s secretary lies and says that Wolfshiem is Chicago, but when Nick mentions Gatsby’s name, he’s shown into Wolfshiem’s office. Wolfshiem fills in some more details about Gatsby’s past. After Gatsby got out of the army, he met Wolfshiem at a pool hall and asked for a job. Wolfshiem saw the potential in Gatsby’s good looks and his â€Å"Oxford man† aspirations. Gatsby used these qualities to make connections in places where Wolfshiem himself couldn’t get in. Wolfshiem explains that he can’t come to Gatsby’s funeral - he doesn’t want to be anywhere near a crime scene. Back at the mansion, Mr. Gatz shows Nick a picture of the Gatsby’s mansion that Gatsby had sent back home. He also shows him a western that Gatsby had loved to read. The back page has a schedule Gatsby had written for himself to follow, and a list of self-improvement initiatives he had undertaken. No one seems to be coming to the funeral, and it starts to rain, so Nick, Mr. Gatz, and the minister drive to the cemetery.The man with the owl-eyed glasses (the one who had been marveling at Gatsby’s library of unread books in Chapter 3) suddenly shows up to mourn with them. Nick doesn’t know either his name or how he knew to be there. Nick flashes back to a childhood memory of coming home from boarding school. He compares the Midwest that he (and Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy) come from to the East coast where they each made so many mistakes. Nick decides that he is fundamentally a Midwesterner and needs to go back. Nick goes to hash things out with Jordan. When she tells him that she’s engaged (which seems unlikely, since it’s only been one week since they broke up), he suddenly wants to get back together, but thinks better of it. She does tell Nick that she felt very hurt when he broke up with her, but she seems completely over it. Jordan calls Nick out on his self-satisfaction with being scrupulously honest - was he dishonest with her about his feelings? Several months later, Nick sees Tom in Manhattan and refuses to shake hands with him. Nick asks Tom what Tom told Wilson in the garage the night Myrtle was killed. Tom fesses up that he told Wilson whose car ran over Myrtle (which answers the mystery of how Wilson was able to find Gatsby). Tom argues that telling Wilson the truth would have put Tom in danger, since Wilson had a gun. Nick is horrified - after all, it wasn’t Gatsby who ran over Myrtle. It was Daisy. But he realizes that Tom is a spoiled child and tries to let his anger go. Gatsby’s mansion goes to seed. Before he leaves New York for good, Nick scrapes an obscene word off itsstairs, and then goes to the dock to think about the green light on Daisy’s dock and Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. Nick thinks about what this island looked like to Dutch sailors who crossed the Atlantic, and thinks about how we live in the perpetual hope of a better future with a total disregard for the past. Despite his lavish parties, despite all the outlandish rumors about him, Gatsby never really earned the respect of anyone except Nick. Key Chapter 9 Quotes I found myself on Gatsby's side, and alone. From the moment I telephoned news of the catastrophe to West Egg village, every surmise about him, and every practical question, was referred to me. At first I was surprised and confused; then, as he lay in his house and didn't move or breathe or speak hour upon hour it grew upon me that I was responsible, because no one else was interestedinterested, I mean, with that intense personal interest to which every one has some vague right at the end. (9.3) Just like during his life, after his death, rumors swirl around Gatsby. Usually, death makes people treat even the most ambiguous figures with therespect that’s supposedly owed to the dead. But Gatsby’sdeathonly invites more speculation, gawking, and a circus-like atmosphere. Note that even here, Nick still does not acknowledge his feelings of friendship and admiration for Gatsby. Instead, he claims to be the point person for Gatsby is funeral because of a general sense that â€Å"everyone† deserves someone to take a personal interest. But of course, there is no such right, as evidenced by the fact that Nick is the only person who cares about Gatsby as a human being rather than a sideshow. After a little while Mr. Gatz opened the door and came out, his mouth ajar, his face flushed slightly, his eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears. He had reached an age where death no longer has the quality of ghastly surprise, and when he looked around him now for the first time and saw the height and splendor of the hall and the great rooms opening out from it into other rooms his grief began to be mixed with an awed pride. (9.43) Gatsby’s father is the only person who has the kind of response to this mansion that Gatsby could have hoped for. Everyone else has found it either gaudy, vulgar, or fake. Perhaps this shows that for all his attempts to cultivate himself, Gatsby could never escape the tastes and ambitions of a Midwestern farm boy. After that I felt a certain shame for Gatsbyone gentleman to whom I telephoned implied that he had got what he deserved. However, that was my fault, for he was one of those who used to sneer most bitterly at Gatsby on the courage of Gatsby's liquor and I should have known better than to call him. (9.69) Gatsby was unable to parlay his hospitality into any genuine connection with anyone besides Nick, who seems to have liked him despite the parties rather than because of them. This highlights a clash of values between the new, anything-goes East and the older, more traditionally correct West. The East is a place where someone could come to a party and then insult the host - and then imply that a murdered man had it coming! Compare this to the moment when Gatsby feels uneasy making a scene when having lunch with Tom and Daisy because "I can't say anything in his house, old sport." (7.102). "When a man gets killed I never like to get mixed up in it in any way. I keep out. When I was a young man it was differentif a friend of mine died, no matter how, I stuck with them to the end. You may think that's sentimental but I mean itto the bitter end†¦.Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead," he suggested. "After that my own rule is to let everything alone." (9.95-99) Wolfshiem’s refusal to come to Gatsby’s funeral is extremely self-serving. He is using this quasi-philosophical excuse in order to protect himself from being anywhere near a crime scene. However, in a novel which is at least partly concerned with how morality can be generated in a place devoid of religion, Wolfshiem’s explanation of his behavior confirms that the culmination of this kind of thinking is treating people as disposable. It also plays into the novel’s overriding idea that the American Dream is based on a willful desire to forget and ignore the past, instead straining for a potentially more exciting or more lucrative future. Part of forgetting the past is forgetting the people that are no longer here, so for Wolfshiem, even a close relationship like the one he had with Gatsby has to immediately be pushed to the side once Gatsby is no longer alive. I tried to think about Gatsby then for a moment but he was already too far away and I could only remember, without resentment, that Daisy hadn't sent a message or a flower. Dimly I heard someone murmur "Blessed are the dead that the rain falls on," and then the owl-eyed man said "Amen to that," in a brave voice. (9.6) The theme of forgetting continues here. For Nick, Gatsby the man is already â€Å"too far away† to remember distinctly. Perhaps it is this kind of forgetting that allows Nick to think about Daisy without anger. On the one hand, in order to continue through life, you need to be able to separate yourself from the tragedies that have befallen. But on the other hand, this easy letting go of painful memories in the past leads to the kind of abandonment that follows Gatsby’s death. When we pulled out into the winter night and the real snow, our snow, began to stretch out beside us and twinkle against the windows, and the dim lights of small Wisconsin stations moved by, a sharp wild brace came suddenly into the air. We drew in deep breaths of it as we walked back from dinner through the cold vestibules, unutterably aware of our identity with this country for one strange hour before we melted indistinguishably into it again. That's my middle westnot the wheat or the prairies or the lost Swede towns but the thrilling, returning trains of my youth and the street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark and the shadows of holly wreaths thrown by lighted windows on the snow. I am part of that, a little solemn with the feel of those long winters, a little complacent from growing up in the Carraway house in a city where dwellings are still called through decades by a family's name. I see now that this has been a story of the West, after allTom and Gatsby, Daisy and Jordan and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadaptable to Eastern life. (9.124-125) All along, the novel has juxtaposed the values and attitudes of the rich to those of the lower classes. However here, in this chapter, as Nick is starting to pull away from New York, the contrast shifts to comparing the values of the Midwest to those of the East. Here, the dim lights, the realness, and the snow are natural foils for the bright lights and extremely hot weather associated in the novel with Long Island and the party scene. They were careless people, Tom and Daisythey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . . . (9.146) Nick’s summary judgment of Tom and Daisy seems harsh but fair. They are people who do not have to answer for their actions and are free to ignore the consequences of what they do. This is one of the ways in which their marriage, dysfunctional as it is, works well. They both understand that they just don’t need to worry about anything that happens in the same way that everyone else does. It is interesting to consider how this cycle will perpetuate itself with Pammy, their daughter. On the last night, with my trunk packed and my car sold to the grocer, I went over and looked at that huge incoherent failure of a house once more. On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick, stood out clearly in the moonlight and I erased it, drawing my shoe raspingly along the stone. Then I wandered down to the beach and sprawled out on the sand. (9.150) It’s fitting that Nick feels responsible for erasing the bad word. His whole project in this book has been to protect Gatsby's reputation and to establish his legacy. Otherwise, without someone to notice and remark on Gatsby’s achievement, nothing would remain to indicate that this man had managed to elevate himself from a Midwesternfarm to glittering luxury. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no mattertomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. (9.153-154) Check out our very in-depth analysis of this extremely famous last sentence, last paragraphs, and last section of the book. Think about the amount of effort involved in this process of constantly sailing against the current. Maybe this is the fundamental mismatch between Gatsby and Daisy. She is a creature of passivity, and he is a swan - gliding gracefully above the water, while paddling furiously just below it to stay afloat. The Great Gatsby Chapter 9 Analysis Let's now consider how the novel's key themes are addressed in this chapter. Themes and Symbols The American Dream. Gatsby’s dreams might be over, and Nick might be so disillusioned that he goes back home, but the American Dream persists unabated. On the one hand, the boys who cluster around Gatsby’s mansion are a new generation who are starting to buy into the cult of celebrity and the greedy ambition that propels many of the novel’s characters. On the other hand, Jordan’s ability to wave off the past without a second thought seems to be spreading - Wolfshiem and even Nick himself talk about quickly forgetting Gatsby. Mutability of Identity. Conversely, the inability to escape the past also plays a part in this chapter, as we learn that for Nick, this has been a story of Midwesterners trying to go east and failing. Most importantly, the last line of the novelsays that despite the fact that we struggle to move upstream, the current of our past is always working against our forward progress. Plot-wise, too, the last chapter is full of callbacks to the past. We meet up with characters who we thought were gone for good (Tom and Jordan), we get yet one more digressive explanation of Gatsby’s youth from Wolfshiem, and of course Gatsby’s actual past shows up in the figure of his father, Henry Gatz. Mr. Gatz is floored by what his son has made of himself. Very importantly, he is the only person who has the reaction that Gatsby would have wanted to his mansion, and he is the one who comes with a relic of Gatsby’s youthful dreams (the schedule and list of self-improvement resolutions). Symbols: The Eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg. The return of the man with owl eye glasses links this chapter to the novel’s obsession with eyes and seeing. Like Tom, Owl-Eyes immediately saw through Gatsby at the party - but crucially, Owl-Eyes perceived Gatsby’s false front as an example of a genius bit of theater rather than a lie. Like the giant billboard of disembodied eyes that haunts the ashheaps, Owl-Eyes seems to be able to see more than the average - but, importantly, he is actually able to render a judgment since he is sentient. At Gatsby’s funeral, this clear vision is clouded, as Owl-Eyes is constantly wiping fog off his glasses. And the fact that the man comes to mourn Gatsby seems to indicate that his judgment is a merciful, excusing one. Do the glasses make him wise like an owl? Predatory? All-seeing? Or does the fact that they are glasses mean that he doesn’t actually have any wisdom or clear sight? Crucial Character Beats Nick tries to find anyone at all to come to Gatsby’s funeral, but fails. Not even Wolfshiem will come. Daisy and Tom have left town for good, with no forwarding address. Henry Gatz, Gatsby’s father, hears about Gatsby’s death and come to the funeral from Minnesota. He is in awe of his son’s accomplishments. No one except the owl-eyed glasses man that Nick had met at one of Gatsby’s parties comes to the funeral. Nick reconnects briefly with Jordan, who tell him that she is engaged. Nick runs into Tom, who admits telling Wilson that it was Gatsby’s car that hit Myrtle. Nick decides to go back to the Midwest. What’s Next? Solvethe final pieces of the puzzle of Gatsby’s pastwiththe novel’s timeline. Consider the way this last chapter discusses the existence of the American Dream. Is the kind of hope and optimism that this ideal promotes worthwhile, or does it result in self-delusions and disappointment? Imagine the rest of Nick’s life by analyzing his character, motivations, and attitudes. Has this whole novel in reality been a coming-of-age story about him? Revisit the summary of Chapter 8or wrap back around to see how the novel began. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: