The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien - 1351 Words

In â€Å"The Things They Carried† by Tim O’Brien one is subjected to the in workings of a soldiers mind during the Vietnam War. Although on the surface it may seem just a story of what soldiers carried with them throughout the war, tangible or not, a deeper understanding of what these men faced shines through. As a veteran of the Vietnam war O’Brien has insight that many will never know except through his many writings. His experience throughout the war was seen to shape his stories and â€Å"The Things They Carried† is no different. In this story one finds a comparison between the material and immaterial baggage accompanying the soldiers, the soldiers motivation due to their fellow soldier, the uncaring attitude that the war has imparted on the†¦show more content†¦It begs the question of whether Cross is truly living in Vietnam or in his own mind to escape the horrors of war and return to his years as a young boy falling in love back home. The r emembrance of times less filled with the worry of death around every corner and instead filled with the pleasures of every day life so often looked over by those in a position less terrible than his own. Although this is without a doubt the easiest and most prevalent theme hinted at throughout the story it is also one of the most important. â€Å"Several of O Brien s novels deal much less directly with Vietnam, yet the war experience continues to arise in various ways, and with one persistent theme: how the human imagination, capable of manifold transformations, deals with it, spins it, or provides emotional release from it. (Jack Smith)† This quote describes how this immaterial baggage provides the â€Å"release† from the dark captivity the mind is kept in during war to a simpler and more enjoyable time in ones life. For every ounce each man carried they carried that same weight in their minds. In war teamwork is paramount, and without it one may not find the motivati on to carry on. â€Å"They were afraid of dying but they were even more afraid to show it. (O’Brien 109† Each man carried the weight of the man next to him. NeverShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources exemplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1377 Words   |  6 Pageslove to have it as good as we do. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried discusses many veterans who experience the burden of shame and guilt daily due to their heroic actions taken during the Vietnam War. The book shows you how such a war can change a man before, during, and after it’s over.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I reflect on the many conflicts America has been a part of, none can compare to the tragedies that occurred in The Vietnam war. As told in The Things They Carried (O’Brien), characters such as NormanRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1457 Words   |  6 Pagesthe theme pertains to everyone regardless of their background. It conveys the same ideas to people from all across our society. Lastly, a classic is timeless, which means it has transcended the time in which it was written. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he offers a new, intriguing way to view war or just life in general and also meets all of the crucial requirements mentioned above to qualify it as a book of literary canon. Though this book is technically a war novel, many peopleRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1242 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Tim O’Brien is obsessed with telling a true war story. O Brien s fiction about the Vietnam experience suggest, lies not in realistic depictions or definitive accounts. As O’Brien argues, absolute occurrence is irrelevant because a true war story does not depend upon that kind of truth. Mary Ann’s induction into genuine experience is clearly destructive as well as empowering† (p.12) Tim O’s text, The Things they Carried, details his uses of word choice to portray his tone and bias. Tim O’BrienRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbut are set in the past and borrows things from that time period. A story that fits this genre of literature is The Things They Carried. The story is about Tim O Brien, a Vietnam veteran from the Unite States, who tells stories about what had happ ened when he and his team were stationed in Vietnam. He also talks about what he felt about the war when he was drafted and what he tried to do to avoid going to fight in Vietnam. The Things They Carried by Tim O Brien was precise with its portrayal of settingRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1004 Words   |  5 Pages Tim O’Brien is a veteran from of the Vietnam War, and after coming home from his duty he decided to be a writer. His work â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers that are fighting in the Vietnam War. The first part of the story talks mostly about physical items that each soldier carries, and also mentions the weight of the items as well. Though, there is one exception to the list of physical things. Lieutenant Cross is a character of the story, and Tim O’ Brien quickly states theRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien896 Words   |  4 PagesTrouble without a doubt is what First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross c arried around his shoulders because he was out in war, where mistakes happen. Lost and unknown of his surroundings he had to lead his men into safety, while destroying anything they found. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross only holds onto one thing for hope and that is Martha, the woman who he hopes is a virgin to come back to. Tim O’ Brien introduces symbolism by adding a character that has a meaning of purity and a pebble, which symbolizesRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure† (21). In Tim O’brien’s The Things They Carried, the American soldiers of the Vietnam War carry much more than the weight of their equipment, much more than souvenirs or good-luck charms or letters from home. They carried within themselves the intransitive burdens—of fear, of cowardice, of love, of loneliness, of anger, of confusion. Most of all, they carry the truth of what happened to them in the war—aRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1369 Words   |  6 PagesMany authors use storytelling as a vehicle to convey the immortality of past selves and those who have passed to not only in their piece of literature but in their life as an author. In Tim O’Brien’s work of fiction The Things They Carried, through his final chapter â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† O Brien conveys that writing is a matter of survival since, the powers of s torytelling can ensure the immortality of all those who were significant in his life. Through their immortality, O’Brien has the abilityRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1407 Words   |  6 Pages       Our introduction stated that in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† author Tim O’Brien tells us not directly of the soldiers of Vietnam, or the situations they find themselves in, but about the things they carry on their shoulders and in their pockets. These â€Å"things† identify the characters and bring them to life.   I find that to be true as the author unfolds the stories about war and the uncommon things one carries in to war both inadvertently and on purpose.  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was noted: Stories about war –

Awhile versus A While - Commonly Confused Words

Its easy to confuse the adverb awhile with the two-word noun phrase a while: the main difference between them is grammatical.The adverb awhile (one word) means for a short time: Stay awhile. The noun phrase a while (two words) refers to a period of time: I sat for a while and waited. Also, see the usage notes below. Examples Before removing the radiator cap, wait awhile for the engine to cool.I havent been to a football game in a long while. Usage Notes Awhile is an adverb, with the same meaning as the adverbial prepositional phrase for a while: Lets rest awhile; Lets rest for a while. When for a while cannot be substituted for awhile, awhile should be a while: spend a while with me. When for occurs, awhile should not follow; Stay for awhile should be Stay for a while or Stay awhile.(Edward Johnson, The Handbook of Good English. Washington Square Press, 1991)As a noun, spell it as two words:  a while. As an adverb, spell it as one:  awhile.(Bryan Garner, Garners Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2009) Practice (a) Lifes short. If you dont look around once in _____ you might miss it.(Ferris Bueller in the movie  Ferris Buellers Day Off, 1986)(b) Merdine invited me to stay ____ longer, but it was getting late. Answers to Practice Exercises: Awhile and A While a) Lifes short. If you dont look around once in a while you might miss it. (Ferris Bueller)(b) Merdine invited me to stay awhile longer, but it was getting late.   Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words

Psychological Disorders And Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Psychological disorder or mental disorder is a mind imbalance involving behaviors, thoughts and emotions that cause significant distress to self or other. Great distress means that the person is unable to meet their needs, is a danger to himself and others, or the person is unable to function properly. There are various categories of psychological disorders including, anxiety disorder, somatoform disorder, dissociative disorder, mood disorder, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, personality disorders, cognitive disorders, eating disorders (Cave, 2002). These disorders are discussed below. Anxiety disorders. Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling of vulnerability, fear, and apprehension. Its symptoms include trembling, inability to†¦show more content†¦Post-traumatic stress disorder manifests itself through the experience of traumatic experiences, increased arousal, diminished interests in daily activities and avoiding reminders of the causes of the trauma. While an obsessive-compulsive disorder is a state of being preoccupied with a certain compulsive performance of given behaviors and individual thoughts. Somatoform disorder presents itself through the physical dysfunction symptoms with no identifiable organic cause. It comprises conversion disorder and hypochondriasis. Conversion disorder or hysteria manifests itself through physical dysfunctions such as deafness, blindness, paralysis, numbness among others. It allows escape from anxiety activities that are provoking(Cave, 2002. On the other hand, hypochondriasis symptoms include a person having a belief that he/she has a severe illness that is not proven medically. It involves interpreting a small sickness such as a headache to be a significant illness such as a brain tumor though no medical tests supports this interpretation. Dissociative disorders occur when a part of an individual s personality separates from his/her other parts. These leads to lack of consciousness, memory loss and lack of integration of identity. It comprises of dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, and dissociative identity disorder. Dissociative amnesia occurs

Computer Organization and Architecture Embedded Systems †Sample

Questions: 1. Explain embedded systems 2. Show the fetch-execute cycles for the following segment of instructions assuming that the following values are present just prior to execution:Program Counter: 65Value in memory location 65: 590Value in memory location 66: 192Value in memory location 67: 390Value in memory location 90: 111Value in memory location 92: 222a. Show clearly the beginning and end of fetch cycleb. The contents of every register at the end of each instruction cyclec. List all the registers you have used and explain their purpose 3. Explain the concept behind pipelining 4. Explain three technical issues why superscalar processing complicates the design of a CPU? Answer: 1. Embedded System An embedded system is a either a programmable or a fixed in capability combination of computer software and hardware. An embedded system is built to perform some specific tasks. These types of systems are found in automobiles, industrial machines, household appliances, digital camera, medical equipment, airlines, toys, vending machines, elevators and mobile phones etc. There are huge number of applications of embedded systems in different industries. There may be some kind of programming interface on the programmable embedded systems (Marwedel, 2010). There is a groups of programmers specialized for programming embedded systems. They are called as embedded system programmer. Some types of operating systems are specially tailored for embedded system programming. For example, Windows XP Embedded, Embedded Java etc. are such types of programming languages. With the advancement in digital circuit technologies and ICs, there are lots of options for inexpensive yet robust microprocessors. But the storage capacity of these microprocessors are limited. For consumer targeted embedded systems, these microprocessors are used. On embedded systems operating system and applications are integrated due to limited computing resources. The applications are programmed into the system memory permanently. This is not similar to personal computers. (Lee Seshia, 2011) There may be two types of microprocessors used in an embedded system. Those types are either ordinary microprocessors where the ICs for memory and peripherals are separated or the microcontrollers where all peripherals are on the chips. Microcontrollers have reduced size, power consumption and costs lesser. There are various types of software architectures available for embedded systems. Those software architecture are simple control loop, interrupt based control systems, co-operative multi-tasking, multi- threading or pre-emptive multi-tasking. There are other types like micro kernel, exokernel, monolithic kernel etc. (White, 2011) Sometimes, security becomes primary focus of some embedded system, then those are developed based on some customized operating system. There may be no user interface to limited user interface on embedded systems. (Ganssle Ball, 2008) 2. Prior to the execution the values in program counter and other memory locations are, (Mano Ciletti, 2008) Program counter 65 Value in memory location 65 590 (Load 90) Value in memory location 66 192 (Add 92) Value in memory location 67 390 (Store 90) Value in memory location 90 111 Value in memory location 92 222 In the fetch cycle, the value from memory location 65 will be fetched and the program counter value will be increased by 1. Now the values in PC and other memory locations are, Program counter 66 Value in memory location 65 590 (Load 90) Value in memory location 66 192 (Add 92) Value in memory location 67 390 (Store 90) Value in memory location 90 111 Value in memory location 92 222 Then the fetched instruction from 65 will be decoded and, it is load 90. Thus the value from 90 will be loaded to the system. The value fetched from 90 is 111. In the next cycle, content from 66 will be fetched. The program counter value will be increased by 1. Thus it will be 67. The content fetched from 66 is 192. It will add 92 with 111. The result will be 203. In the next cycle, value from 67 will be fetched. It is 390 or store at 90. So the program counter will become 91 and the memory location 91 will have 203 as its value. The final arrangements will be, Program counter 91 Value in memory location 65 590 (Load 90) Value in memory location 66 192 (Add 92) Value in memory location 67 390 (Store 90) Value in memory location 90 203 Value in memory location 92 222 3. Pipelining In computer terminologies, pipeline refers to a set of elements that supports a series of data processing tasks where input to a task is output from the previous task. These elements of a pipeline may be organized in parallel or in series using some time sliced mechanism. There may be some use of buffers to hold intermediary data between two tasks. In general, the concept of pipelining has come from the concept of industrial pipelines. (Patterson Hennessy, 2013) In computing, there are various applications of pipelining. Some of those applications are, Software pipeline, in this case, commands are written in such a way that output from a command will be used as input to another. The concept of pipe in UNIX operating systems is an example of software pipelining. There are other operating systems that supports the concept of pipes as well. Graphics pipeline used in graphical processing units or GPUs. A graphical processing unit will consist of number of CPUs or arithmetic units. These units work on different stages of different rendering operations like window clipping, perspective projection, light and color calculation etc. Instruction pipelining is probably the most common and widely used pipelining concept in computing. The RISC pipelining is the more common pipelining used in CPUs. It supports in execution of instructions in an overlapping fashion using the same hardware circuitry. The available circuitry is divided into multiple stages, like instruction fetch, decode, register fetch, execution, write back etc. Each stage executes one instruction at a time. (Hwang, 2011) Instruction pipelining technique is used to increase the throughput of the execution of instructions. That is the number of instructions executed in a unit of time will be more. The instruction cycle of a system will be broken into multiple stages in pipelining. As multiple operations are performed in different stages at the same time, thus the throughput will be increased. There may be more latency as there will be some operational overhead, like flushing the buffer registers etc. So, there is a tradeoff. In terms of latency, throughput will be increased. In real time systems, latency is not tolerable, thus pipelining cannot be used there. Usually, in an instruction pipeline, the stages are inter-dependent. The first stage is about fetching an instruction from the memory of the system, then it decodes the instruction, fetches operands from memory, executes the instruction and writes back the results into memory. In pipelining, processors are kept busy all time as much as possible. Thus the system is productive most of the time. But there may be stalling when it is not possible to execute the instructions in parallel. Based on the behavior of pipelines, there may be two types of pipelining, linear and non-linear pipelining. In linear pipelining, a series or processing steps are arranged in a linear fashion. It helps in performing some function on some data stream. In execution of instructions, computation of arithmetic instructions and access to memory can be accomplished by this type of pipelining. On the other hand, there is non-linear type of pipelining or dynamic pipelining. This type of pipelining is used for performing different functions at different times. There may be feedback connection or feed forward connection in a dynamic pipelining. Dynamic pipelining supports execution of longer instructions. (Godse Godse, 2010) 4. In superscalar architecture, several instructions can be executed simultaneously on the same stages during execution. There are more than one execution units in the superscalar processors to supports the simultaneous processing. More than one instructions can be executed in parallel during the execution and it improves throughput. However, there are several issues with designing superscalar architecture and these issues makes the CPU design process complicated. Three issues are, Out of order processing, when the execution of instructions are completed in wrong order. Branch processing, where the flow of the program changes according to the branching decision. Conflicts on consuming CPU resources like registers. In out of order processing a later instruction that is dependent on some earlier instruction, is executed in out of order. These issues are known as dependency hazards, data dependency etc. There are various techniques to solve these problems. There are some CPUs that suspends the later instruction until the previous one is completed and some CPU supports looking ahead. (Shen Lipasti, 2013) In branch processing, there may be two scenarios. Either there will be an unconditional branching that will start executing just after the fetch. Or a conditional branching. In conditional branching, the branching decision is pending till execution of it. This issue is known as branch dependency. To deal with this dependency, a method called speculative execution is used. It helps in preventing errors causing from branch dependencies. Some solutions include, introduction of more registers, delaying the execution of instruction till all dependency issues are resolved, transferring content of registers to memory locations if there is no dependency or starting all over if there is dependency. Sometimes programmers are needed to ensure that there will be no such dependency. Conflicting accesses to resources happen when there is simultaneous access request to registers etc. some common solutions to this problem are renaming the registers logically and copying the content to the actual physical register after completion of the instruction. (Godse Godse, 2010) References Chu, Y. (2014). High-Level Language Computer Architecture. Academic Press. Ganssle, J. G., Ball, S. R. (2008). Embedded Systems. Newnes. Godse, A. P., Godse, D. A. (2010). Computer Organization And Architecture. Technical Publications. Hwang, K. (2011). Advanced Computer Architecture. McGraw-Hill. Lee, E. A., Seshia, S. A. (2011). Introduction to Embedded Systems. Lee Seshia. Mano, Ciletti. (2008). Digital Design. Pearson . Marwedel, P. (2010). Embedded System Design. Springer . Patterson, D. A., Hennessy, J. L. (2013). Computer Organization and Design. Newnes. Shen, J. P., Lipasti, M. H. (2013). Modern Processor Design. Waveland Press. White, E. (2011). Making Embedded Systems. O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Zavier Bacote Essays - Sports, Medicine, Neurotrauma,

Zavier Bacote ENG 111 Sarah Bruton 16 January 2018 Rhetorical Analysis Draft : Beware the Classroom Costs of Sports Head Injuries In the article Beware the Classroom Costs of Sports Head Injuries by Hallie Zwibel and Heron-Burke they talk about concussion and the impact it can have on a young athlete, and the types of cognitive disabilities they could be affected by from head injuries. As a former athlete, this article I can really relate to because of the many amounts of concussions I have endured and the impact it can have when I'm trying to remember something or try to learn something. For about 4 years I have played high school football and though the four years I have always had trouble when it came to studying because I could never remember anything, and test taking because I couldn't remembered what I studied. For many years I have ignored my concussion just like Molly Poletto, and in doing that it hasn't been good to me when it came to learning and remembering. High School football and high school sport s in general have found new ways for student athletes to prevent concussions and for them to find out if they have one. Concussions can cause many mood swings that can really affect the way you do things academically . In the article they show survey results revealing school that try to help with diagnosing concussions a try to prevent them and the results show seven in ten schools had annual process for educating and providing student athletes about concussions. The NCAA is really cracking down on ways programs treat their athletes after and before having a concussion. NCAA pr ograms follow the standard concussion protocol program called return-to-learn, which provides neurologic exams and tests for vision and memory, it was made to determine if students can return after a concussion (ZWIBEL 2). College involves lots of time, studying , and learning and for student athletes it is a lot more harder , because they have to balance their sports and school work, and that can be very stressful and a lot of times tiring. That's why being a student athlete is the most time consuming and tiring thing to do being a student in college, that's why it is very important to monitor concussions that happen to student athletes because of the symptoms like anxiety and depression that can affect a whole students college mindset and the way they learn. The story of Molly Poletto to me has changed the way the NCAA treats students suffering from concussion while in school. And more and more collegiate programs are involved in trying to help student athletes concussion issues that involve them academically struggling. Over the years , many professional athletes had to retire early because of concussion systems they are experiencing since they were collegiate athletes, and if really not treated right early the concussions symptoms that was discussed can turn into something far worst that can affect your whole livelihood , called CTE which is a disease that kills many athletes because of the concussions they have had wasn't treated right. So many collegiate programs should really help there student athletes out and treat concussions before they affect athletes lives. WORK CITED By Hallie Zwibel and Alice Heron-Burke On 1/6/16 at 5:20 PM Hallie Zwibel is director of New York Institute of Technology Center for Sports Medicine, where Alice Heron-Burke is senior director of counseling and wellness https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1u-8Phjm-uN73zwhCnM0s-_n6M5AMmXDT

Free Essays on Populist Party

There were a few reasons why the Populists emerged in the late 19th century. This third political party originated in America in the later part of the 19th century. This party was derived from farmer’s discontent and also an economic distress. The discontent was caused by the country’s shift from an agricultural and agrarian America to an America in which industrialists dominated the nation’s development. The public felt as if they had been cheated by the robber barons. These robber barons, a term given to those who took advantage of the middle and lower classes, legally took advantage of classes inferior to them. Vanderbilt, a well-known railroad baron once said, â€Å"Law! What do I care about the law? Hain’t I got the power?† The change from agrarian to industrial had a profound effect on everyone’s life. Ignatius Donnelly, a leader in the Populist Party wrote, â€Å"We meet in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. Corruption dominates the ballot-box, the Legislatures, the Congress, and touches even the ermine of the bench . . . A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organized â€Å" As a result of this significant change, several reform movements were commenced. Prohibition began along with socialism and the Greenback Labor Party. Each of these was created in hope of making a difference for themselves or for the country. The farmers in particular were distraught for four reasons: physical problems, social and intellectual concerns, economic difficulties, and political frustrations. The physical problems was the climate. Following 1885 there was an immense drought on the merican prarie making the land less farmable, and causing the land to earn the epithet the Dust Bowl. Furthermore, there were extreme blizzards resulting in innumerable deaths of cattle and livestock. Also, farms were very isolated causing the women and children to lead a life of solitude and boredom. The far... Free Essays on Populist Party Free Essays on Populist Party The ride of the Populist Party attained its greatest strength during the 1800’s resulting from the support of the farmers and delegates from labor and reform groups. They tended to support an increase in money supply, by printing more paper or by coining silver, better government regulation of business, and other alterations they hoped would help farmers and laborer. In 1891, farmers and delegates from labor and reform groups met to discuss these issues. Here they formed the People’s Party, most famously known as the Populist Party. The Populist Party was known for its high-spirited leaders, who stimulated the public with inspiring speeches. The Populist movement also made a remarkable attempt to create new and independent culture for the countries farmers (Blum 286). The party soon began to take off, gaining recognition throughout the states by the 1890’s. In the 1892 election, the party nominated James B. Weaver of Iowa who stood on the platform of free silver. With silver restored to its significant status, Populists argues, that the nation would have more money for circulation. This steady rise in the value of the dollar would end, and farmers would finally receive the high prices they needed. Weaver was also an advocate of government ownership of railroads, and telegraphs and telephone lines, along with other political reforms. Even though they fought hard, they did not win the election. However, their lose if the election did not diminish the party’s hopes. By the next election year in 1896, the populists were faced with a real problem when the Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska to run. Bryan was a democrat, however was very supported by the Populist Party. The Populists knew, that they could not run against Bryan, and thus would have to support Bryan. Even so, the Southern wing of the Party was extremely opposed to Bryan and his ideals. At a final attempt for unison though, the Southern wing folded... Free Essays on Populist Party There were a few reasons why the Populists emerged in the late 19th century. This third political party originated in America in the later part of the 19th century. This party was derived from farmer’s discontent and also an economic distress. The discontent was caused by the country’s shift from an agricultural and agrarian America to an America in which industrialists dominated the nation’s development. The public felt as if they had been cheated by the robber barons. These robber barons, a term given to those who took advantage of the middle and lower classes, legally took advantage of classes inferior to them. Vanderbilt, a well-known railroad baron once said, â€Å"Law! What do I care about the law? Hain’t I got the power?† The change from agrarian to industrial had a profound effect on everyone’s life. Ignatius Donnelly, a leader in the Populist Party wrote, â€Å"We meet in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, political, and material ruin. Corruption dominates the ballot-box, the Legislatures, the Congress, and touches even the ermine of the bench . . . A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organized â€Å" As a result of this significant change, several reform movements were commenced. Prohibition began along with socialism and the Greenback Labor Party. Each of these was created in hope of making a difference for themselves or for the country. The farmers in particular were distraught for four reasons: physical problems, social and intellectual concerns, economic difficulties, and political frustrations. The physical problems was the climate. Following 1885 there was an immense drought on the merican prarie making the land less farmable, and causing the land to earn the epithet the Dust Bowl. Furthermore, there were extreme blizzards resulting in innumerable deaths of cattle and livestock. Also, farms were very isolated causing the women and children to lead a life of solitude and boredom. The far...

The Story Behind the Famous Christinas World

The Story Behind the Famous Christinas World Take a wrong turn by the prison in Thomaston, Maine, and youll bump down a pebble road and land smack inside a painting. Or so it seems. Hathorn Point in South Cushing, Maine In the remote town of South Cushing in Maine, a stark, weather-beaten farmhouse sits on the east side of Hathorn Point Road, on a grassy rise overlooking the St. George River and the distant sea. In summer the grass might be a close-cut emerald green and a row of pines fringes the horizon, but all the other details are shockingly familiar. This is the scene from Andrew Wyeths haunting 1948 painting Christinas World. Stepping from a car, or from one of several tour busses that lumbers down the narrow road, one might half expected to see the crippled young Christina Olson, in a pale pink dress, crawling through the grass. The landscape is so well-known. The Olson Home was built by  Captain Samuel Hathorn II in the 1700s, which makes it a genuine Colonial style - a home built during the colonial period in American history. The Hathorns, a seafaring family from Salem, Massachusetts, originally built a log cabin on the property before the Captain upscaled to a framed construction. In 1871, Captain Samuel Hathorn IV replaced the old hip roof with a pitched roof and added several bedrooms on the third floor. A half century later, his descendants, the Olsons, invited the young Andrew Wyeth to use one of the upstairs rooms as a part-time studio. I just couldnt stay away from there, the Pennsylvania-born Wyeth once remarked. It was Maine. When entering the house in late spring, a visitor may be followed by the sweet scent of lilac from the bushes planted outside. Inside the rooms seem bare - the beds and chairs have been removed and even the wood stoves that supplied the only source of heat are gone. Visiting hours are limited to roughly four months of Maines most temperate climate - similar to the last quarter of the 19th century when rooms were rented only in the summer months. Wyeth used his upstairs studio for 30 years and featured the house in many paintings and lithographs.The artist captured stark rooms, austere mantels, and somber rooftop views. Only an easel marks the spot where Wyeth worked at the Olson house. No Small Worlds In the 1890s, John Olson married Katie Hathorn and took over the farm and summer house. Two of their children, Christina and Alvaro, lived all their lives in what is now called the Olson House. A young Andrew Wyeth, who had summered in Maine as a boy, was introduced to the Olsons by Betsy, a local girl who would become Andrews wife. Wyeth sketched both Alvara and Christina   while in Maine, but its the 1948 painting that people remember. Some say that old houses take on the personalities of their owners, but Wyeth knew something more. In the portraits of that house, the windows are eyes or pieces of the soul, almost, he said years later. To me, each window is a different part of Christinas life. Neighbors claim that the crippled Christina had no idea that her small world had become so famous. No doubt, the appeal of Wyeths iconic painting is the visualization of a universal desire - to seek a place called home. The world of ones home is never small. For decades after Christinas death, the house changed hands several times. For awhile there was nervous speculation that it would become yet another New England bed and breakfast inn. One owner, movie mogul Joseph Levine, brought in Hollywood set builders to authenticate the place by spraying its rooms with fake cobwebs and weathering the faà §ade so it resembled the building Wyeth painted. Finally, the house sold to John Sculley, former CEO of Apple Computer Inc., and Lee Adams Sculley. In 1991 they gave it to the Farnsworth Art Museum in nearby Rockland. The house is now protected by being named a National Historic Landmark. During the spring, summer, and fall you can tour the humble farmhouse and grounds that haunted the famous American painter. Stop at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine for a map and you wont even have to get lost to discover Wyeths world. Key Points - Why the Olson House Is Preserved The Olson House has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995. The property is significant not for its architecture but for its association with the events and people who have contributed to our cultural history - American artist Andrew Wyeth  (1917-2009) and his paintings. The property has been a National Historic Landmark since 2011.From 1939 to 1968 Andrew Wyeth was inspired to draw and paint the house, objects related to its occupants, and the occupants themselves - the polio-crippled Christina Olson (1893-1968) and her brother, Alvaro Olson (1894-1967). The Olson were the children of John Olson and Kate Hathorn, whose great-grandfather built the house in Maine.Over 300 works by Wyeth are attributed to being associated with the Olson house, including Oil Lamp, 1945; Christina Olson, 1947; Seed Corn, 1948; Christinas World, 1948; Egg Scale, 1950; Hay Ledge, 1957; Geraniums, 1960; Wood Stove, 1962; Weather Side, 1965; and End of Olsons, 1969.The Farnsworth Mus eum continues to restore and preserve the Olson House with period appropriate architectural salvage and reclaimed lumber. Remilled old growth white pine beams and rafters from a 19th century Boston structure were used to restore the Olson homes exterior. Andrew Wyeth is buried in nearby Hawthorn Cemetery, along with Christina and Alvaro Olson and other Hawthorns and Olsons. Sources Olson House, Farnsworth Museum, https://www.farnsworthmuseum.org/visit/historic-sites/olsen-house/ [accessed February 18, 2018]National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, NPS Form 10-900 (Oct. 1990), prepared by Kirk F. Mohney, Architectural Historian, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, July 1993Christina’s World, Longleaf Lumber, https://www.longleaflumber.com/christinas-world/ [accessed February 18, 2018]Historic Restoration, The Penobscot Company, Inc., thepencogc.com/historic_restoration.html [accessed February 18, 2018]Additional photo of Olson House, btwashburn via flickr.com Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)