Analysis of Sula by Toni Morrison Essay -- Nel Wright Sula Peace Morr

Analysis of Sula by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison wrote a touching story of two childhood friends who test the bonds of friendship and love. Throughout the story there are many themes that implore the reader to look more in depth at their meanings and consequences. The main theme throughout the book is that of friendship. In the novel we are introduced to two young girls from very different backgrounds, Sula and Nel. These two girls are like two sides of one person; they know each other's thoughts, "a compliment to one was a compliment to the other." Although they appear to be best friends through much of the novel, they betray one another in the end. As the reader follows along with the story it becomes quite obvious that Sula and Nel are polar opposites in their actions and their lifestyles. Sula depended upon Nel for sturdiness and comfort, while Nel preferred the unpredictable nature of her counterpart. They used the other's lifestyle to compensate for their shortcomings by placing themselves in the other's surroundings. When Sula visited Nel's home, she was comfortable in it, while Nel regarded the oppressive neatness with dread, but felt comfortable in it, with Sula. In the same way, Sula found comfort within the walls of the Wright home. They took solace in each other's presence. Each one finds comfort in what the other finds bothersome. Sula dislikes her disheveled house, and wishes that she could live in the clean house of Nel's. Nel likes the homeliness of Sula's house. Abandonment plays a major role in the novel as well. This theme is evident in many different points in the story. Boy-Boy, Sula's grandfather, leaves Eva, Sula's grandmother, after a long unhealthy marriage. He left her w... ...ple's fears of death and make them realize that it is unpredictable, many people of the Bottom die in a presentation following the annual parade. Sula and Nel are two halves of a whole. The conforming Nel searches for a sense of order in her life when she marries Jude at a young age, which in the end seems to fail in giving her a happy life. Sula, on the other hand, opposes the conventions of society and ends her life rather satisfied. Throughout the novel there were many themes present. Ms. Morrison did a wonderful job of writing an entertaining story while providing the reader with many opportunities to look for deeper meanings and analyze the story. In looking for a deeper meaning the reader is presented with an unforgettable portrait of the effects friendship and love on a relationship. Works Cited: Morrison, Toni. Sula. Plume. New York: 1973.

Debate Paper on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

Malcolm X vs. Martin Luther King Jr. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men. These words spoken by Christ can be found in Romans 12:8 that refer to living in peace with everyone. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are both men that fought and petitioned for equality for black people. Did they both have different approaches and views on how to obtain said peace and equality? Absolutely. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in the pacifist way for reaching the level of peace that was desired by the general black community and himself.Malcolm X, on the other hand, was not as passive and didn’t believe in the nonviolent method that Dr. King did. Malcolm X believed that getting peace by any means necessary and fighting back both verbally and physically against all of those that stood in the way of the main goal. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in the philosophy that racial equality would only be embraced and reached through peaceful acts such as marches and sit-ins. He got his inspiration for these peaceful from Gandhi along with his religious background.Throughout all of his speeches I have read including the â€Å"Where Do We Go from Here† and â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, Dr. King always speaks in with a call to peaceful action by utilizing the pathos appeal by using the future of his children as a prime example in each speech. Malcolm X didn’t quite agree with the nonviolent approach during the civil rights era. He believed that the best way to get the results that both he and Dr. King wanted was by fighting white aggressors and whoever else stood in the way of the getting it. Some people believed that Malcolm X’s approach was better and more effective that Dr.King’s method because it produced more tangible differences that Dr. King’s. In Malcolm X’s speech entitled â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet†, he fights the fire of aggression from the oppressors of the black community by defending it with fire. For example, on line in the speech states that â€Å"I believe in action on all fronts by whatever means necessary. † In my personal opinion, I agree with the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am a wholehearted believer of nonviolence. Whenever there is a problem, there will always be a proper nonviolent solution. Works Cited

How Is Gasoline Made What Are Octane Ratings

Gasoline consists of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons. Most of these are alkanes with 4-10 carbon atoms per molecule. Smaller amounts of aromatic compounds are present. Alkenes and alkynes may also be present in gasoline. Gasoline is most often produced by the fractional distillation of petroleum, also known as crude oil (it is also produced from coal and oil shale). The crude oil is separated according to different boiling points into fractions. This fractional distillation process yields approximately 250 mL of straight-run gasoline for each liter of crude oil. The yield of gasoline may be doubled by converting higher or lower boiling point fractions into hydrocarbons in the gasoline range. Two of the main processes used to perform this conversion is cracking and isomerization. How Cracking Works In cracking, high molecular weight fractions and catalysts are heated to the point where the carbon-carbon bonds break. Products of the reaction include alkenes and alkanes of lower molecular weight than were present in the original fraction. The alkanes from the cracking reaction are added to the straight-run gasoline to increase the gasoline yield from the crude oil. An example of a cracking reaction is: alkane C13H28 (l) → alkane C8H18 (l) alkene C2H4 (g) alkene C3H6 (g) How Isomerization Works In the isomerization process, straight-chain alkanes are converted into branched-chain isomers, which burn more efficiently. For example, pentane and a catalyst may react to yield 2-methylbutane and 2,2-dimethylpropane. Also, some isomerization occurs during the cracking process, which increases the gasoline quality. Octane Ratings and Engine Knock In internal combustion engines, the compressed gasoline-air mixtures have a tendency to ignite prematurely rather than burning smoothly. This creates engine knock, a characteristic rattling or pinging sound in one or more cylinders. The octane number of gasoline is a measure of its resistance to knock. The octane number is determined by comparing the characteristics of a gasoline to isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) and heptane. Isooctane is assigned an octane number of 100. It is a highly branched compound that burns smoothly, with a little knock. On the other hand, heptane is given an octane rating of zero. It is an unbranched compound and knocks badly. Straight-run gasoline has an octane number of about 70. In other words, straight-run gasoline has the same knocking properties as a mixture of 70% isooctane and 30% heptane. Cracking, isomerization and other processes can be used to increase the octane  rating of gasoline  to about 90. Anti-knock agents may be added to further increase the octane rating. Tetraethyl lead, Pb(C2H5)4, was one such agent, which was added to gas at the rate of up to 2.4 grams per gallon of gasoline. The switch to unleaded gasoline has required the addition of more expensive compounds, such as aromatics and highly branched alkanes, to maintain high octane numbers. Gasoline pumps typically post octane numbers as an average of two different values. Often you may see the octane rating quoted as (RM)/2. One value is the  research octane number  (RON), which is determined with a test engine running at a low speed of 600 rpm. The other value is the  motor octane number  (MON), which is determined with a test engine running at a higher speed of 900 rpm. If, for example, a gasoline has a RON of 98 and a MON of 90, then the posted octane number would be the average of the two values or 94. High octane gasoline does not outperform regular octane gasoline in preventing engine deposits from forming, in removing them, or in cleaning the engine. However modern high octane fuels may contain additional detergents to help protect high compression engines. Consumers should select the lowest octane grade at which the cars engine runs without knocking. Occasional light knocking or pinging wont harm the engine and doesnt indicate a need for higher octane. On the other hand, a heavy or persistent knock may result in engine damage. Additional Gasoline and Octane Ratings Reading American Petroleum Institute  - The API represents the US oil and natural gas industry.Automotive Gasoline FAQ  - This is Bruce Hamiltons very well-referenced article, converted into HTML by Kyle Hamar.Gasoline FAQs Part 1  - Starting point for Bruce Hamiltons (Industrial Research Limited) comprehensive gasoline FAQs.Gasoline FAQs  - Detailed information about octane ratings is provided.HowStuffWorks: How Car Engines Work  - If you dont know how it works, then this is the article for you! The graphics are cool, but a printable version of the article is also available.HowStuffWorks: What Does Octane Mean?  - This is Marshall Brains answer to the question.