Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest and Heart of Darkness

Oscar Wilde’s comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, is a satire of everything stuffy and constrictive in the 19th and early 20th century. It shows the modern reader how different life was back then, and also how much remains the same. The play explores the theme of the relations between the sexes. It also highlights the way that all of us cherish illusions about ourselves and others.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Heart of Darkness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wilde spares no one. Everyone is ridiculous. John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, for example, are self-centered and, of course, almost entirely idle. The fashionable, urban, Gwendolen Fairfax is a schemer, but her supposedly unsophisticated rural counterpart, Cecily Cardew, is equally calculating. The dowager Lady Bracknell plays the game of marriage politics, is un-motherly, and a sn ob. Even Miss Prism, the governess, is a foolish and fallible creature. Canon Chasuble seems totally unconnected with spirituality. They are all skewered with equal ferocity. Only the butlers seem relatively free of idiocies. The social constraints on women and men in expressing their feelings for one another are also parodied. A modern couple would not have to answer to Lady Bracknell to obtain permission to marry. On the other hand, girls still fantasize about boys they like. Today, however, they might post blog posts of fan fiction instead of writing an imaginary diary, as Cecily did. Wilde also satirizes the class distinctions that obsessed so many people. For example, Algernon deplores the lax morals of the servant class. However, he himself lives by fibs and outright lies. This play holds up a mirror to all of us, even after a century. People are foolish and they don’t always see themselves or others honestly and fully. Wilde shows us this with immense humor. The Heart of Darkness, exploring the impact of interior Africa on European colonials, seems at first glance to be filled with racist references. However, this impression dissipates when the story is more closely examined. Conrad actually seems deeply sympathetic with the indigenous people, and their oppression and near-enslavement by the colonial personnel.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The descriptions of the landscape provide a vivid sense of the way that Europeans felt when confronted with an utterly alien landscape, flora, fauna, and people. Conrad, for example, repeatedly notes the darkness and the thickness of the forest, even a short distance from the shore, and speaks of the darkness at its center. He is talking here as much about the unknown rather than an absence of light, although rain forests can be dark. The skillful speech of Mr. Kurtz is even described as being light c oming out of the deep darkness of the continent. The author is trying to convey the complete lack of fit between most of the expectations, behaviors, planning and responses of the colonials, on the one hand, and the realities of the continent itself, on the other. In spite of the greater firepower that the colonials possess, Conrad shows the reader, disease and madness claim many casualties. This reminds the modern reader of the way that high tech armies throw themselves at trouble spots around the world, and end up baffled and ineffective. The land, the climate, the terrain, and the people, just make overcoming the local situation nearly impossible. This novel makes the extraction of ivory and other resources seem all the more ludicrous, and wasteful of lives. Conrad makes a powerful and moving argument against the whole colonial enterprise, in spite of using the racist locutions that were common in his era. This book should perhaps always be read in concert with some literature by Africans themselves, just to give a different perspective on the region and its issues. This essay on Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Heart of Darkness was written and submitted by user Harlow Hebert to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Political Momentum

Political Momentum "Only YOU can prevent forest fires". This famous quote, by Smokey the Bear, is a statement that essentially defines momentum. Momentum, in the case of forest fires, is detrimental momentum. We've all seen the commercial, the bright red Ferrari driving down the road, flicking a cigarette out the window. It rolls onto a pile of dry leaves, and suddenly, the leaf is smoking! Oh no! The leaves have caught fire and it is spreading to a nearby tree! Soon, nearby trees have caught fire, and thus the momentum that results in a forest fire of gigantic proportions begins from a single spark. Such is the case with recent interest in campaign finance reform. Only the momentum it has gained in recent months is anything but detrimental! So, to answer the question, "WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF MEANINGFUL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM IN THIS SESSION OF CONGRESS?" My answer is that the chances of this are slim to none, however, this answer is somewhat incomplete. Allow me to expand upon this by first, citing past evidence of questionable campaign fund raisers. Second, I will use the examples to explain WHY we need a reform. And finally, I will describe how the recent take off on this large issue has ensured its eventual resolution. First, allow me to cite examples of corrupt campaign financing. The campaiging 'business' is not a cheap enterprise. The money that is required to publish and distribute phamplets, hire campaign workers, and buy airtime from the media is enourmous! It has always been a concern of candidates of major elections. More recently however has such a controversy surfaces. Allow me to use this as an example: According to the Sep. 29th 1997 issure of Time, in 1995 and 1996, videotapes were made of presedential coffees with Asian executives, personal donors, and business owners. A total of 103 coffees for the Democrats equals 27 million dollars for their fund raisers. There are more recent events. Accroding to the Oct. ... Free Essays on Political Momentum Free Essays on Political Momentum Political Momentum "Only YOU can prevent forest fires". This famous quote, by Smokey the Bear, is a statement that essentially defines momentum. Momentum, in the case of forest fires, is detrimental momentum. We've all seen the commercial, the bright red Ferrari driving down the road, flicking a cigarette out the window. It rolls onto a pile of dry leaves, and suddenly, the leaf is smoking! Oh no! The leaves have caught fire and it is spreading to a nearby tree! Soon, nearby trees have caught fire, and thus the momentum that results in a forest fire of gigantic proportions begins from a single spark. Such is the case with recent interest in campaign finance reform. Only the momentum it has gained in recent months is anything but detrimental! So, to answer the question, "WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF MEANINGFUL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM IN THIS SESSION OF CONGRESS?" My answer is that the chances of this are slim to none, however, this answer is somewhat incomplete. Allow me to expand upon this by first, citing past evidence of questionable campaign fund raisers. Second, I will use the examples to explain WHY we need a reform. And finally, I will describe how the recent take off on this large issue has ensured its eventual resolution. First, allow me to cite examples of corrupt campaign financing. The campaiging 'business' is not a cheap enterprise. The money that is required to publish and distribute phamplets, hire campaign workers, and buy airtime from the media is enourmous! It has always been a concern of candidates of major elections. More recently however has such a controversy surfaces. Allow me to use this as an example: According to the Sep. 29th 1997 issure of Time, in 1995 and 1996, videotapes were made of presedential coffees with Asian executives, personal donors, and business owners. A total of 103 coffees for the Democrats equals 27 million dollars for their fund raisers. There are more recent events. Accroding to the Oct. ...

American workforce

The behavioral component means the tendency to take negative actions against a particular group. The behavior stems form attitudes and feelings which constitute prejudice. Although prejudice is generally negative it is not as damaging as discrimination. The behavior component makes it possible to make the thoughts become real. Research has found that discrimination in any form is detrimental to the well being of the discriminated individual (Mathis Jackson, 2004). The workplace is the place in which the employee comes to work on his tasks and to carry out his profession. If the workplace is non-discriminatory, the employee is more likely to work effectively and efficiently and to increase productivity and performance as well. The most common methods employed by organizations to ensure that their work environment is non-discriminatory are to conduct sensitivity trainings, to provide provisions for grievances and complaints of discriminatory behavior and to follow non-discriminatory guidelines in terms of hiring, selection and promotions. Sensitivity trainings are common in most organizations especially if the company is culturally diverse as well as sexual orientation, disability and religion. The advantages of using sensitivity trainings to make employees become aware of the prejudices and discrimination they may have for other people and teaches the employees how to change their thoughts about minority groups in an experiential manner. It also communicates to each employee that an individual is a person in his/her own right and should be respected as such, and not be accorded respect based on one’s race, religion or sex. The disadvantage in using this method is that if  employees do not have a positive attitude towards the training then this would surely limit their capacity to learn from the sessions. Moreover, sensitivity trainings are periodically given and is not reinforced thus limiting its effectiveness. The provisions for grievances and complaints communicate to the employees that discrimination will not be tolerated by the management. It is effective as a control mechanism to lessen discrimination in the workplace and make the employees become cautious of their behavior. This method does not really ensure that the workplace would be discrimination free since it does not teach the employees why discrimination is wrong. It only holds people accountable for their actions, although it gives the employees who belong to the minority group comfort. Besides, discrimination may come in subtle forms and not even many employees who are victims of discrimination will file a complaint for fear of repercussions in terms of inter-office politics. Hiring, selection and promotion of employees based on merit and performance is a non-discriminatory principle to ensure that people become part of the organization based on criteria that can be achieved by most people. The difficulty with this measure is that although it is an objective measure, subjectivity is still present. It is common knowledge that when it comes to promotions and even selecting candidates for the job a certain amount of subjectivity that cannot be monitored by a guideline. It also does not consider that mangers may have their own prejudices which may dictate their decisions on hiring and promotion. References Bohlander, G. Snell, S. (2003). Managing Human Resources 13th ed., South-Western College Publication Fitzenz, J. (2001). How to Measure Human Resource Management 3rd. ed , New York; McGraw-Hill Mathis, R. Jackson, J. (2004). Human Resource Management 11th ed., South-Western College Publication American Workforce

Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal - Essay Example The essay "Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal" analyzes artworks of abstract expressionism. Surrealism in art derives its meaning as a manifestation of â€Å"a style of art and literature developed principally in the 20th century, stressing the subconscious or non-rational significance of imagery arrived at by automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected juxtapositions, etc". The works of Hans Hoffman and Jackson Pollack are examples of works exemplifying abstract expressionism and the application of surrealist ideas in terms of the free flow of improvised expressions of designs, colors and style depicted in their art works. Both artists employed the technique of action painting, defined as â€Å"a highly-charged, impulsive abstract painting technique during which paint is energetically splashed, spilt or dribbled onto a canvas, usually placed face-up on the floor†. Pollack’s One: Number 31 created in 1950 is basically shown in colors black, white and grey on a brown backdrop with obvious but artistic rendition of the drip technique. Hoffman’s Spring is more colorful with more lively hues of red, yellow, green and intermittent blue in conjunction with the white, black and gray drips and splashes. A connection between the two art works could be deduced from the similarities in style and drips forming long elongated lines that curve into an intricate web of patterns interwoven with other colors. Pollack created more splashes as evidenced by tiny blots of black paint just by the edge of the frame.

UK Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

UK Taxation - Essay Example (Macleary, 1991:17). The UK Tax system is based upon a combination of both these forms of taxation and a compromise between them, with individuals being taxed progressively higher, in accordance with their income level. Tax incentives are provided to encourage savings by providing relief from taxation for such amounts. Earnings arising from gifts or winnings from gambling may be exempt from tax, capital gains are taxable, although it may not fall specifically under the category of income tax. (Macleary, 1991 :22). Tax exemption is provided on a personal allowance, usually about 5000 pounds a year. The application of progressive tax rates indicates that different tax rates apply for different income bands, with higher tax percentages being applied to higher income bands. Such a tax system is justified on the basis of fairness, and because it provides a buffer for the poor to be protected from indirect taxation, promoting social cohesion by using taxes collected from the rich for health, educational and other programs to benefit of the poor.(Ruane, 1999). However, it is also argued that progressive tax is unfair because it is akin to a form of double taxation, because those who earn more income already pay a greater share of tax even on a standard rate (Ruane, 1999). This method of taxation results in maximum revenues coming from a small segment of the executive population, hence in a recession, there is a real danger of a sudden drop in taxes collected. The higher income bracket of talented individuals may also be tempted to migrate to other countries where tax rates are more conducive, thus creating a brain drain. There is also a greater tendency to evade the payment of taxes when the rates are too high and the Government in the long run, ends up with a reduced amount collected from taxes because the tendency to double taxation is resented by individuals, who try to escape it through various means. This is the

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Organisational Behaviour Essay Organizational Behaviour is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. In OB people-organization relationships are interpreted and from studying the different topics of OB, better relationships can be built by achieving human objectives, organisational objectives and social objectives. (http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadob.html) Three of the many topics that fall under Organisational Behaviour are Motivation, Communication and Leadership which in this essay will be explained and analysed individually as well as in specific organisational examples to form a better understanding of their importance in organisations and the role they play in organisational behaviour. Motivation involves the forces within a person that effect his or her direction, intensity and persistence of voluntary behaviour (Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010). Motivation plays an incredibly important role in the workplace as organisations are constantly trying to increase the efficiency of the way in which they are run whether their aims are to increase profits or employee satisfaction. Through their employees and what motivates them organisations can do this by using different motivation theories developed by different motivational theorists. Two types of motivation that theorists have identified are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivators being factors that internally motivate individuals to perform tasks out of personal desire and Extrinsic motivators that involve motivating a person by something they have no control over such as increasing their pay or giving them a promotion. This ties in to Content theories of motivation that all state individuals in an organization all have a set of basic needs and so need these fulfilled to be motivated. A very well known content theory being Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states that as humans we all have five levels of needs and as we satisfy these needs we are motivated and so continue to satisfy needs on higher levels. However to be able to apply such a theory in the workplace workers location on the hierarchy of needs would have to be indentified by their managers. Challenges in implementing a motivation theory such as Maslow’s include people responding to attempts to motivate them differently and trying to figure out what motivates each employee. In order to properly motivate employees, managers must know them and this is rarely the case due to organisations sizes especially with Trans National Corporations (TNCs). Read more:Â  Essay About Organisations and Behaviour This would also cost the organisation time and money and so depending on their financial position, trying to better get to know the employees of the organisation may be quite the challenge. In the current financial situation, this may be a time where this is a challenge for many organisations. Theory X and Y is another content theory of motivation. Deveolped by Douglas McGregor, Theory X and Y are both attitudes managers in organisations have in regards to employees of that organisation and their motivation towards work in the workplace. Theory X managers believe employees are unmotivated to work, lack the drive to do and don’t take any enjoyment out of work. Google is a company where managers have the opposite belief. The belief that employees are motivated to work and take as much enjoyment out of work as they do their social life. For this reason Theory Y managers at Google allow the employees to have very easy and relaxed rules in regards to working time and projects to work on and 20% of work time can be devoted to their own projects which motivates them to work hard. Allowing their employees to do things they enjoy and take so much satisfaction out of their job causes motivation levels to be very and high and so efficiency to be at a high level also. Individuals in the workplace aren’t all motivated by satisfying their needs. Some theories direct their attention to employees and how they make conscious choices that lead to a specific work behaviour. These theories are Process theories of motivation and help to gain knowledge on how behaviour is initiated, directed and sustained. Such theories are made to understand the process of implementing motivators into their behaviour in order to reach the level of rewards the employee desires. One of these theories is the Goal-setting theory, which is the process of motivating employees and clarifying their role perceptions by establishing performance objectives. (Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010) Goal-setting works best with employees who have a high need for achievement, low need for affiliation and high need for autonomy and is most successful in interdependent situations and supportive climates as employees feel they play an important rule in the organization and its success. Research conducted consistently showed that goal-setting techniques have had a positive effect on motivation in the workplace with one of the best goal-setting theories applied being ‘management by objectives’. Management by objectives works by managers setting specific and challenging goals over a specified period in time for each employee that best suit their role. A benefit of management by objectives is it more easily allows appraisal of employee performance pay awards to take place. A massive fault with the management by objective and performance pay awards however is not all people are motivated by money and pay rewards. Different people at different points in their lives and in different scenarios are motivated by different factors. For instance, a young individual straight out of school who has just joined a specific organisation is motivated by trying to impress and is possibly looking to get a promotion as soon as possible while a single mother working two jobs could be motivated by the money as she needs to support her children on her own. What it comes down to is employees all have their own individual needs and the ways companies can best get the most out of their employees is by catering to their needs in return so that motivation in the workplace can be achieved to keep the organization running as smoothly as possible. Communication Communication can be defined as a process in which information is transmitted and understood between two or more people. In the modern world it plays a massively important role, as the effectiveness with which a person will be able to perform in almost any organization will depend massively upon their ability to communicate effectively. (Organisational Communication, The Keystone to managerial effectiveness) Communication in business is everywhere, be it between employees of an organization during group work, management delegating work to subordinates or just an employee of an organization making an order for stock. Before communication can take place a communication channel must be chosen as choosing the correct communication channel for each specific situation is important if the quality of the message being sent is to be maintained through the whole process so that it is the of the same quality when it is received as it was when it was sent. There are three main types of communication channels in a work organization, a formal communication channel, an informal communication channel and an unofficial communication channel. Formal communication is communication in an organization that flows down the hierarchy structures of the organization and involves the transmittal of goals. On the other hand Informal communication doesn’t go down a hierarchal structure and involves communication links developed outside of the hierarchal structure. Similarly, unofficial communication is communication that doesn’t involve the actual organization but is interpersonal and occurs between employees in an organization. A well-known example of unofficial communication is the grapevine and involves such talk between employees as complaints they have with the company and rumours going around concerning the organization. For this reason, unofficial communication can be an advantage for organisations as managers can pick up on false rumours and also better the organisation by fixing the problems talked about by employees. In the long run this has a positive effect on the company by as employees become more effective in their work as they see their thoughts matter. Failures in Communication are more frequent than the successes in the lives of us all and in an organization such failures could be extremely costly and have detrimental effects. To minimise these failures, processes have been designed. (Organisational Communication, The Keystone to managerial effectiveness) The nature of the communication process established in the organisation reflects the management style, degree of employee participation, culture and efficiency of the workplace. (Organizational Behaviour in a Global Context By Albert J. Mills, Jean C. Helms Mills, John Bratton, Carolyn Forshaw) One example of a process model of communication is by Berlo (1960) where he blended his own extensive experiences with the Shannon-Weaver mathematical model. It is depicted in a flow diagram in which there is six parts. The six parts of Berlos communication flow diagram are Communication source-Encoder-Message-Channel-Decoder-Communication receiver. In order for the communication process to run smoothly all six parts of the flow diagram have to be working as each stage of the diagram operates on the basis that the one before it worked first. Unfortunately, all six parts of the flow diagram don’t always work and there can be disruptions in the communication process. These disruptions are barriers to effective communication and are examples of the challenges to applying communication theory to organization. There are many kinds of barriers to effective communication such as Physical barriers, Emotional barriers and Perceptual barriers. Physical barriers to effective communication include distance from the person trying to be communicated with and technology failing. This is why even with a designated communication network flow such as the one coined up by Berlo, communication in an organization isn’t guaranteed to run smoothly. Other challenges become present when applying certain communication processes. Weaver (Shannon and Weaver, 1949) came up with the idea that regardless of the type of communication situation an organization is in, there are always the same problems involved and they can be split into three levels- level A, level B, level C. Level A is the technical problem of achieving accuracy in the transmission of signals, level B is the semantic problem of assuring that the transmitted signals convey the desired meaning and level c is the effectiveness problem of assuring that the received meaning affects behavior in the desired way. Weaver suggests that for communication to be successful in any form each level of the problem must be solved or its effects minimized. Leadership (and Management) Leadership is a very important aspect in organisations of all kinds regardless of their aims, size and the markets they are in. This is because leadership is the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how it can be done effectively, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish the shared objectives. (Yukl ,2002). Obviously leadership in one organisation may be different from the next as the managers decide on how to best run the organisation based on factors specific to their own organisation. Such factors can include the organisations structure, the organisations aims and also the organisations corporate culture. This is where leadership theories come into play as they suggest the different ways leaders can carry out their roles and the best way to lead a business from the top. Leadership theories have come up with not only what leaders should do i.e. theories for leaders but also what leaders actually do. i.e. theories of leadership. Theories for leaders main purpose is finding out ways in which to improve leadership effectiveness while Theories of Leadership are directed at a better understanding of leadership processes. (Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010) These theories can be based on a variety of philosophies and can have leadership models based on them. Derived from Leadership theories and models are Leadership styles, which are perceptions of the theories and models acted out in actual organisations. Such Leadership styles include autocratic, participative and laissez-fair. (http://managementhelp.org/ldrship/ldrship.htm) One well-known leadership theory involves what is thought to be the make up of a good leader. This theory is the Traits theory and suggests that people are born with inherited traits, with some traits being particularly suited to leadership and people who make good leaders have the right combination of traits. (http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theories/trait_theory.htm) Such traits include drive, leadership motivation, honesty, self-confidence and knowledge of the business. A big example of a leader who fits the Trait Theory is Sir Richard Branson the chair of Virgin Group since 1973. (Page 364, Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010) Sir Richard Branson’s Leadership built Virgin Group to more than 200 privately held companies such as Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Holidays and Virgin Rail and has annual sales of over US $5 billion. This shows that with certain characteristics the right leader can have a very positive impact on an organization. However, while there are examples of when the Trait theory has been correct and certain leaders with certain characteristics have successfully led companies, the trait theory has also been criticized. One major criticism of the Trait theory is the failure to recognize the importance of followership in the leadership process. As well as this, not all leaders are going to fit the Trait theory criteria and so because of this the Trait Theory doesn’t apply in all cases. Another Leadership Theory is the Path-goal Theory developed by Robert House. Specifically the theory is a contingency theory (a theory based on the idea that the most effective leadership style depends upon the leader, the followers and the situation) that suggests that leaders can affect motivation, job satisfaction and the performance of work group members by their actions. (Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010) The Leadership behavioural styles such as Directive, Supportive, Participative and Achievement orientated are adopted by the leader in the situations they would best allow the ‘followers’ or subordinates to achieve their specific goal at that point in time. For example a leader in an organization may choose to pick up a supportive style when dealing with a follower who is in need of a more supportive environment. This is how motivation, job satisfaction and work group members performances can be affected. The path-goal theory’s approach to leadership can be seen as better than the roles managers play as they aren’t set roles but are more flexible and orientated towards the subordinates of the leader. An important point to note is that management and leadership are not the same. For example, while a manager would look to exhibit supervisory behaviour, a leader would instead look to exhibit leading behaviour which would involve the leader helping a follower reach their goal instead of just supervising them and watching from the sidelines. (Page 363, Work and Organizational Behaviour, John Bratton, 2010) In conclusion to this essay we can see the importance each Organisational Beahviour topic plays in an organizational structure especially in this day and age. Not only this, but we can see the challenges in applying organizational theories to organizational examples. For example, in implementing such a leadership theory as the traits theory, it can be seen that this can’t be applied to every type of leader there can be because not all leaders are born with these traits, others gain them. Leadership and management in an organization involves both motivation and communication as they are both vital parts of being a leader. Being able to properly apply motivation theories and types in an organization comes down to the person in charge and the approach of motivation will depend on the approach taken with Leadership. For instance, different leaders have different methods of motivating followers and people in their organization. One leader or manager might have a theory y attitude and so will feel not a lot has to be done about motivation while on the other hand a manager with a theory x attitude will believe the opposite. Communication choices in an organization can also be heavily dependant on the leadership and management, as depending on the organizational structure of the organization decided by management communication may flow down the structue in a certain way. Different types of communication may also be determined. One leadership style which prefers more formal commnication, which ties to the idea of commnication following strict organizational structure or another that prefers the more informal approach of commnication. In this essay not only were challenges of implementing organizational theories brought to light, but also the connections that can be drawn involving all three of the organizational topics were made evident.

The Bipolar Brain and the Creative Mind Essay example -- Biology Essay

The Bipolar Brain and the Creative Mind "Our hospital was famous and had housed many great poets and singers. Did the hospital specialize in poets and singers, or was it that poets and singers specialized in madness? ... What is it about meter and cadence and rhythm that makes their makers mad?" (1) The link between madness and creativity is one that has been hotly debated in both medical and literary circles for a long time. The two most common types of mental illness theorized to be an influence on creative people such as writers, artists, and poets were schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (2). However, various studies comparing the characteristics of schizophrenics, bipolars, and writers have concluded that schizophrenics do not share a common thought process with writers (2). In comparison, a study conducted at the University of Iowa declared that while both bipolar patients and writers tended to "sort in large groups... arbitrarily change starting points, or use vague distantly related concepts as categorizing principles" (p 107), the two differed in their abilities to control their thoughts (2). Where the exactly this line of control is located – or indeed if there is a line at all – is the debate in question. Bipolar disorder, also called manic depression, is a complex and often cruel illness that takes sufferers on a rollercoaster ride of emotional highs and deep depressions. During the mania period, either euphoria or irritability manifest themselves, and sometimes a combination of the two, called "mixed mania"(3). A person in a manic phase can also exhibit symptoms known to physicians as the DIGFAST symptoms: distractibility is heightened; insomnia is present due to increased energy; grandiosity occurs in delus... ..., 1993. 3)Medscape article, facts on bipolar disorder http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/151096 4)An article on the Pendulum website, about the possible links between bipolar disorder and creative personalities http://www.pendulum.org/articles/creativity_troubled.htm 5)A website to support those with bipolar illness, with a list of famous manic-depressives http://users.frii.com/parrot/dead.html 6)The Serendip webpage, an article entitled "Creativity and Psychopathology" http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/serendipia/Serendipia-Preti.html 7)A website to support those with bipolar disorder, with an essay by a teenage girl about her bipolar illness http://www.pendulum.org/writings/label_maker.htm 8)An article posted from the Science News, about the relationship between creativity and bipolar illness http://users.lycaeum.org/~martins/M2/creativ2.html