Essay on Relationship between Art and Life in Death in Venice

Relationship between Art and Life Explored in Death in Venice      Ã‚   The novella Death in Venice by Thomas Mann examines the nature of the relationship between art and life. The progression of the main character, Gustave Von Aschenbach, illustrates the concept of an Apollinian/Dionysian continuum. Apollo is the Greek god of art, thus something Apollinian places an emphasis on form. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine and chaos, hence something Dionysian emphasizes energy and emotion. In The Birth of Tragedy Friedrich Nietzsche suggests that,"... the continuous development of art is bound up with the Apollinian and Dionysian duality--just as procreation depends on the duality of the sexes, involving perpetual strife with only periodically intervening reconciliations.. in the Greek world there existed a tremendous opposition, in origin and aims, between the Apollinian area of sculpture, and the nonimagistic, Dionysian art of music "(33). The Greeks embodied this concept in the "clear figures of their gods" just as Thomas Mann, a great reader of N ietzsche, embodied it in his characters (33).    At the beginning of the novel, Gustave is depicted as an extremely, if not overly, civilized man. He is an artist, but he approaches art coldly and rigidly. It is more a job than a joy for him, and it is actually his urge to seek "flight from his rigid, cold, and passionate service" that brings him to Venice (Mann 6). Although Gustave loves this service, he is currently in a state of frustration: "To him it seemed that his work had ceased to be marked by that fiery play of fancy that is the product of joy..." (7). His beliefs can be summarized in the words "mind and art," thus missing the crucial ingredients of life and sensuality. Gu... ... painting Figures on Rocks at the Edge of the Sea. Life is found to be problematic if lived at either extreme, a midpoint of some type must be established. A dynamic state of oscillation, the best environment for the cultivation of creativity, would have prevented Gustave's uncontrollable exhibition of previously inhibited Dionysian qualities. The ideal state for the production of art and living in general seems to be a mixture of art, mind, and life.       Works Cited Mann, Thomas. Death in Venice and Other Stories. New York: Random House, Inc., 1989. Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music. 1872. In The Birth of Tragedy and The Case   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Wagner. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Vintage Books, 1967. Vibert, Jean-Georges. Figures on Rocks at the Edge of the Sea. Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame, Indiana.   

Mass Revolt Essay -- Literary Analysis, Ortega y Gassett

Europe led the world in almost every aspect of culture leading up to the second decade of the nineteenth century. At that time, it entered into a barbaric war that swept away the illusion of progress and optimism. The majority of citizens living in Europe after the First World War possessed a dismal outlook for the future. The war broke the illusion of prosperity and growth that Europe was under. In reality, growth had died with the modernization of culture as Ortega y Gassett proposes in his novel Revolt of the Masses. The lack of order in the modern and industrial society is cause for limitations people encounter. Ortega’s definition of a â€Å"mass man† is the root of chaos modern culture is in. With no restrictions on privilege, the mass man asserts himself in the front of culture where he has no direction or pursuit of a superior future. Ortega’s novel then represents the bleak response to European civilization where no new tradition is being strived for. In contrast, Virginia Woolf addressed a more positive position for a specific group of citizens. She was claiming that women writers, given fair opportunity, can produce a new tradition of literature in the future. Her vision corresponded with other optimists at the time including artists from the Bauhaus School in Germany. She believed growth had not died, instead, was traditionally limited. There was still hope for creativity and progress in the future, but only shared by a minority of citizens living in Europe after the war. These two very different responses to European civilization encompass on one hand the halt of cultural growth due to the rise of the modern mass man who is content with the status quo yet still surpassed the more qualified â€Å"super minority†; and on the othe... ...ake advantage of the opportunity filled civilization of the post war era. The new tradition that would build from generation to generation could not only influence other women but human culture as a whole. Each of these cultural responses to civilization in the post war era has truth seeded within. It is easy to see common ideals such as equal opportunity, along with the struggle to preserve and recognize the importance of intellectual freedom. Both authors contribute different views to create a better understanding of European civilization after the First World War. Even in the aftermath of a barbaric war, literature inspired citizens to rebuild and create an enhanced future for Europe with superior traditions. Together, they prove that the fate of Europe lies with people who will seize opportunity and work towards creating a beautiful and harmonious society.

opium war Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Opium War was a war fought by two countries Great Britain and china in 1839. The war was fought over the drug opium which was used by the Chinese for hundreds of year to relieve pain. opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy plant. In the late 1700’s the British was smuggling the drug into China for non-medical use. The navies of the two countries mostly fought the battles of the opium war at sea. Within three years the Chinese’s old ships were simply no matches for the brand new British ships. In 1843 the Chinese and the British signed the treaty of Nanjing. This treaty gave the British the island of Hong Kong. In 1844 the United States of America and other countries gained extraterritorial rights. Which this allowed other countries to trade in china and not live b...

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology By: September 24th, 2012 Psy. 410 Times have changed from what our grandparents knew and evolution is part of it. However, when looking at all the changes that we have seen in this world, how many of them were normal and how many were abnormal? Were they abnormal to some and normal to others? Or is there a particular age group that its normal or abnormal to? We are going to take a look and see if we can dig deeper in understanding normalcy and abnormalities. Abnormal Psychology To understand the origins of abnormal psychology you must first understand what it is.There are six main core concepts to understanding abnormal psychology. Abnormal psychology is so complex in that we wonder what causes a mental illness or abnormal psychology while we wonder about feelings of being down and where they come from as well. Because there is so many questions in this particular field it is what makes it fascinating. With abnormal psychology there are six major concepts in classifying and defining it as abnormal. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) Concepts The first concept in defining abnormal psychology is to define and understand abnormality.You must first understand circumstances that cause or surround any behavior to allow you to understand whether the behavior is normal or abnormal. The next concept examines the continuum between normal and abnormal behavior. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) This means understanding the context that the actual abnormal behavior occurs to allow us to understand it as well as explain it. Cultural and historical relativism is the third concept in defining and classify abnormality. Demographic context influence abnormal behavior and include things such as class, age, culture and gender. Hansell & Demour, 2008) Advantages and limitations of diagnosis is the fourth concept is the limitations and advantage of diagnosis. The fifth examines the principle of multiple causality. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) and finally the connection between the body and the mind is the sixth concept of abnormal psychology. Lets take a step back now and examine some of these a little farther. Lets begin with examining the continuum between abnormal and normal psychology. Continuum Without looking at the continuum we can not define whether or not the behavior is known as normal or abnormal. Read also Memory – ForgettingThe continuum examines the highlights of attitude of empathy toward those struggling with abnormal behavior. The continuum shows humanity among people. It also shows that people show and display concern with unfairness against them. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) This makes it difficult for clinicians to find the fine line that exists between normal and abnormal behavior. The allows the scientific research to be more challenging as well as the treatment as well. Cultural and Relativism Things change through out time that can affect what is seen as abnormal.For example, seeing someone naked on public television 50 years ago was not normal but abnormal. Today, in 2012, seeing someone naked on public television is thought to be relatively normal. Along with social changes there is also cultural change. This is just one of the many changes that has happened even in the last 30 years. The changes are very apparent to older generations making this abnormal fo r them while the younger generation that is experiencing these changes but its all they know, this is considered normal to them. Yet its definition is all in interpretation.Biological Perspectives Toward abnormal psychology biological perspectives plays a huge role in mental disorders. Many illnesses, injuries, as well as defects may cause emotional symptoms. (Hansell & Demour, 2008) Physical structures and biochemical functions in the body are a huge contributor to abnormal psychology. Functions and structure of the brain is looked at by researchers in abnormal psychology. Some of the many things that have been shown to be a factor in mental disorders include the central nervous system, the endocrine system, the peripheral nervous system, as well as genetics. Hansell & Demour, 2008) Sociocultural Perspectives The Cultural and historical relativism is part of the sociocultural prespective. Because every society has different ideas of normalcy and abnormalities it is hard to define o r begin to define abnormality. Learning is what sociocultural theorists believed to be part of the contributor to mental disorders. ( Hansell & Demour, 2008) the stresses in social and cultural roles include things such as culture, gender, social class, and ethnicity.Socioeconomic status (SES), gender and ethnicity is what many theorists focus mainly on. Many times in life we evaluate what is normal and what is abnormal. Something in my life that may be normal to me might be completely abnormal to someone else. Interpretation plays a huge role and while definitions behind normal and abnormal are not clear or found interpretation is always part of understanding. References: Hansell, J. & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Lenin in accounting for Stalins defeat of his opponents in the years 1924-1929 Essay

How significant were the personalities of the contenders to succeed Lenin in accounting for Stalin’s defeat of his opponents in the years 1924-1929 Stalin, throughout the fierce fight for power exploited his attributes to the best of his ability, however his tactics were not the only factor in his eventual success. Perhaps what’s more interesting is the systematic fails, one by one of all of his contenders – which was due to their individual personalities. Many argue this is the more significant reason for Stalin’s rise to power, and that if this had have been changed Stalin’s success would have been entirely different. Stalin’s opponents, understandably had very different personalities. However looking in hindsight none of them seem to create a difficult situation for Stalin. This could be due to Stalin’s natural ability to change and use his opponents strengths and weaknesses, or perhaps the general naivety of many in the politburo. One main example of this is Trotsky, and his rather egotistic and arrogant personality. This intern made people weary of his power, and made him completely oversee Stalin as a contender for power. Lenin in his testament says himself he is â€Å"not sure whether he will always be capable of using that authority with sufficient caution† and the politburo completely over saw this cautious remark for their own reputation. The evidence seems to suggest members of the Bolshevik party didn’t use their personality’s to the best if their potential. Furthermore Trotsky seemed very trivial about the whole situation. In 1924 he didn’t make Lenin’s funeral, eventually blaming that on Stalin. In the successive years after he didn’t make important politburo meetings and refused to make alliances. In 1926 he did eventually see light forming the ‘united opposition’ however by then it was too late and Stalin’s fan base was too large in the central commission. Another example of this is how Bukharin in 1925 decided to stay strictly to the Bolshevik rules. This perhaps shows how good a man he is, but not how good a politician he is. In that situation he has seen his fellow socialist members being taken over by Stalin, but does very little to stop this. Furthermore he says himself Stalin is â€Å"an unprincipled intriguer who subordinates everything for his appetite for power† The evidence here suggests he saw the dilemma, but does very little about it. In hindsight we now know he allowed Stalin to use his powerbase for his own political marketing. This shows the true naivety of Bukharin and how Stalin’s personality completely overshadowed anybody else’s in the politburo. Moreover this shows how truly significant the personalities of every one of Stalin’s contenders were, in allowing and creating a path for Stalin to walk to power. Perhaps if other people in the politburo were willing to play underhand tactics like Stalin, the end would have been different. In retrospect we can see personalities might not be a main factor – perhaps the individual ideologies played a larger role, but it’s the way people acted towards Stalin, completely overshadowing him that makes personalities so significant. Other peoples personalities did play a vital role, but now in stark contrast we begin looking at Stalin’s personality strengths, and how he uses them to the best of his ability. He, from the very beginning was a ‘yes man’ following Lenin till the very end. However one major strength that Lenin foresaw was Stalin’s ability to challenge his thoughts and ideologies. Stalin from the very beginning has ‘a very strong personality’ (Lenin) and this was used this in the July days (a troubled time for the Bolshevik party) when Lenin needed this unique quality from him. Arguably this is Stalin’s biggest asset. Furthermore Stalin’s ability to change tactics and ideologies, particularly in the later stage of the power struggle was, down to an incredibly versatile personality. Moreover his ability to look into the future and plan his actions to aid his accent was stunning, as if he planned every move meticulously and almost in hindsight. Looki ng at the evidence, Stalin’s personality was vital in his accent, but perhaps if the others had been different the overall outcome would have drastically changed. Personalities were vital in the success and failures of the struggle, however Stalin’s under hand tactics played an equally important role. Before and during the 5 year struggle he implemented many tactics to undermine his opponents, and one by one remove them from the possibility of power. Lenin saw this in his final years, and discussed it in his testament, however Stalin persuaded Kamenev and Zinoviev to fight his side, and intern keep his job. Furthermore his ability to switch ideologies and allies is a testament to his versatile personality. An example of this is in the later stages of the struggle, when only him and Bukharin were left for the job. Stalin suddenly rejected NEP because it was failing and turned radically left. This sudden maneuver allowed left wing supporters and nationalist war communists to support him, as well as gaining the support of anti NEP politicians. In all this he managed to leave Bukharin to pick up the pieces of NEP. Furthermore Stalin re introduced grain requisitioning in early 1928 to make sure NEP was a complete fail. Its these quite brilliant tactics that formulate into a plan that make Stalin truly versatile and incredibly shrewd and devious. In everything Stalin did there always seemed to be a very formulated plan, and in this was surrounded by brilliant political tactics. However these tactics were merely ways of getting rid of political opponents, and due to personalities as whole, arguably tactics are not as important as other factors. Alternatively the power bases’ of other opponents could be as significant as personality in the war struggle for power, and the defeat of all his opponents. All Stalin’s opponents had important roles within the Bolshevik party, and in many ways – more significant roles than Stalin. One in particular is Trotsky. Head of the Red army, and an incredibly influential role within the Politburo. Lenin says himself â€Å"personally he is, to be sure, the most able man in the present Central Committee† His power base is remarkable, with huge amounts of Kudu’s within the Bolshevik party. However – arguably as well as him being too â€Å"self-confident† Stalin used this wealth of power base to his advantage by forming the Triumvirate with Zinoviev and Kamenev. When we turn to other members such as Bukharin, we see that generally their powerbases, although more significant for policy making were not as useful for gaining power as Stalin’s, and perhaps this was a significant reason for their in individual defeat. Stalin’s role within the party was General secretary and head of enrolment and promotions. This involved the inner workings of the Party. The evidence indicates that Stalin used his role, from 1922 to strengthen his fan base within the party and Central committee, which later in 1925/26 seemed to secure his position within the party, in 1923 it was up to 30%, and steadily rising. This seems to indicate his role and power base far out saw anyone else’s within the party, and that actually he was in the perfect position to take up power, even foreseeing this in 1924 – by controlling what Lenin saw from the politburo, and vice versa. Stalin took up a highly administrative role, and this worked in his advantage, however the evidence suggests that if other factors were stronger, such as opposition personalities that Stalin still wouldn’t have made it to power. Arguably in this light personalities seem more significant. Ideologies of the opposition and Stalin play of key significance in how arguments were won and lost. For example, Trotsky stayed far left with all his ideologies – perhaps in a more noble way than Stalin, and eventually he was engulfed by Stalin’s devious tactics. Another example would be Zinoviev and Kamenev, in the triumvirate staying right of the spectrum. However when they rejoin to form the left and united opposition – they lose huge respect for changing ideologies within the party. Interestingly this seems like an incredibly vital point – leading onto Stalin’s ideological viewpoints. Throughout the start of the political struggle, he sways right – but doesn’t involve himself in any main arguments about, for example rapid industrialisation. This tactic to stay the middle man has its disadvantages. For example he is described by members of the Bolshevik party as ‘a grey blur’. However it also has its advantages. Stalin was then able to sway from his very Right views within communism – to left views with not much notice – he was able to move ideologies to strengthen his fan base and his viewpoints. For example when the NEP failed – he removed himself from it, thus allowing Bukharin to take the blame – and him stay in the positive public spotlight. It’s this very middle ideological viewpoint that the evidence suggest allowed Stalin to change as he did, allowing him to use it to his great advantage. Despite this, other arguments perhaps suggest it is not the most significant factor in Stalin’s accent within the government, and that actually his deceitful, arrogant and shrewd personality was the true reason that allowed him to flourish the way he did. In conclusion, looking at all the evidence it is clear a combination of factors were involved in Stalin’s accent of power. On one hand it seems Stalin’s powerbase seems to be the primary factor, that despite anyone’s efforts his place within government allowed to build a vast fan base in such a short amount of time. Furthermore others power base didn’t seem to match the superiority of his, even though on the forefront they seem more important, Trotsky is a prime example of this. On the other hand his tactics seem the obvious significant factor – looking at how he manipulated allies and oppositions, such as Bukharin and Zinoviev. More over his ability to control the politburo with his allies over the testament suggests that this could have been a primary turning point for Stalin’s direction on how to achieve power. However diving into the muddle of linked causes, personalities seems to come out on top. The tactics and moral high ground was generally taken by his opposition, but it seems they didn’t play hard enough. They didn’t morally want to use underhand tactics and switch ideologies – because they believed in what they were fighting in. It’s this decorum that contributed more than anything else. Looking at the other side of the spectrum Stalin’s fierce personality, with no conscience seems to be the perfect mix to manipulate not only the communist party – but the general public as well. It is this sheer inhumane ability to be deceptive in this way that allows the evidence to suggest, on the top, personality is the most significant factor in accounting for Stalin’s defeat of his opponents in the years 1924-1929.

Demand Elasticity of Luxury Automobiles Essay

In the luxury automobile market, there are many vehicles that boast high quality workmanship, luxurious appointments and powerful drivetrains. For this research paper, the midsize luxury sedan segment was chosen because most of the vehicles from the brands in this segment have similar features, power, and most importantly, price tags. The flagship models of the brands were not chosen since the features and amenities are very different from car to car to such a degree that it would be almost impossible to compare the models. The retail prices of the flagship vehicles also vary by a few thousand dollars, making a fair comparison between the models even more difficult. The midsize luxury sedan segment offers consumers a good mix of quality components and craftsmanship, luxurious amenities, and ample power for daily commuting. These vehicles are designed for consumers who want luxurious, high quality vehicles at a fair price. The vehicle chosen for this study is the all-new Lexus GS430 sedan. The Lexus’ two closest competitors are the BMW 545i and the Cadillac STS V8. The vehicles chosen are with all standard equipment but the navigation system option was added to each since the Lexus comes with it already loaded. The engine and transmission options were also chosen to equally match the vehicles in power and price. Since there is no central retail location where one can purchase any brand of vehicle they want, three dealerships were surveyed for price information for each brand of vehicle included in this study. Surveying three dealerships for pricing for the same car allows us to not only see the price differences from one dealership to another but also allows us to compare the price of that vehicle with another from a totally different make. See Appendix I for the results of the survey. The vehicles chosen in this study all boasted high quality craftsmanship coupled with fine materials. The materials used in the interior of the were applied tastefully, and generously. The body panel fit and finish of all three vehicles was good, but the BMW had the tightest tolerances of the group. The paint finish however left much to be desired from all three models. There was a lot of orange peel in the finish of the paint. The interior design of the three models was tasteful, with the Cadillac being the most conservative and the BMW the most radically designed interior. The Cadillac had a good mix of both radical design and conservative styling. The BMW had the iDrive system which has a short learning curve to it, but it is supposed to simplify how you use the systems in the car. There wasn’t enough time to learn how to fully utilize the features of the iDrive system, but, in my opinion, turning on the air conditioner shouldn’t require reading a manual or much less, attending a training session for how to use the device. The training session is provided by BMW to new owners of vehicles equipped with the system. The iDrive system will have an effect on a consumer’s decision to purchase the vehicle since some consumers may find it cumbersome to use. Cadillac’s functions and controls were very simple and straight-forward. The navigation system and radio controls were touch screen and were displayed on a rather large monitor. The controls were easy to use and logically placed. The Lexus had a good mix of conservative and radical styling. The controls were laid out logically and the interior looked very clean. The Lexus had a hideaway drawer that had a lot of controls and buttons in it that was easily tucked away out of view. All three models come standard with passenger and side air bags. They all come with a CD player and heated seats. A navigation system is available with each vehicle, but is standard on the GS430. To even out the playing field, the navigation option was added to the Cadillac and BMW. This change in options actually brought the prices of the vehicles very close together. The Lexus had the most front leg room; however the Cadillac had the most interior volume. All three models have about the same power output with the BMW being the most powerful with a 325HP engine. The Cadillac was a close second with a 320HP engine and the GS430 came last with a 300HP engine. They all achieve approximately the same miles per gallon in the city, but highway mileage varies between the three models with the BMW being the most efficient out of the group. The BMW gets 18 miles to the gallon in the city and 26 on the highway, the Lexus 18/23, and the Cadillac 16/22 miles to the gallon, respectively. The Lexus felt the most nimble because as was suspected, it had a lower curb weight than the other models. The transmissions on all models were super smooth and power delivery was consistent with throttle input. The Lexus had the smoothest ride out of all three, however it achieved this because of how disconnected it felt from the road. The lack of communication from the suspension to the driver in the Lexus leaves the driver uncertain of road conditions and forces the driver to rely on vehicle safety systems to keep the car stable. The BMW had a sport suspension which made the ride a little rougher than the others, but was the most responsive to inputs from the driver and was the best at communicating road conditions to the driver, and because of this offered the most interactive driving experience. The suspension was tight and allowed the sedan to maneuver like a sports car. The Cadillac also had a smooth ride, but road feel was more prominent which made the ride feel a little less smooth than the Lexus. The Cadillac maneuvered well, but a stiffer suspension would make this vehicle a real performer. In conclusion, the quality levels of all three vehicles were near the same level. The BMW had the tightest tolerances in fit and finish with the most responsive ride, though the iDrive system is sure to turn off some prospective buyers. The Lexus had a smooth ride with luxurious appointments throughout, whereas the Cadillac had a good mix of both performance and luxury. The Lexus and Cadillac also had a keyless entry and ignition system which allowed you to get into your car and turn it on without ever taking the key fob out of your pocket. The consumers who purchase these vehicles are mid-upper class citizens. They are price-conscious and would like to get the best bang for their buck when purchasing a luxury car. The difference in the prices of alternate vehicles may be the deciding factor when purchasing a vehicle in this class. I would suggest a slight price decrease for the Lexus so it would be priced below the Cadillac, making it the best bang for the buck all the while providing the same comforts and amenities as the BMW and the Cadillac. My estimation of the demand elasticity of luxury automobiles is that the demand is rather elastic. A slight change in price will cause a significant change in demand for that particular product. If the price of the Lexus, or for any model in this class for that matter, was to suddenly increase a few thousand dollars, that price increase would make consumers consider the Cadillac or BMW instead since they both have the same level of quality and features. â€Å"Consumption of goods and services that are considered a luxury can be easily reduced if the price rises. Hence demand tends to be more elastic for fur coats, luxury cars, extensive vacations, etc. Goods considered a necessity are so important that buyers tend to respond little to a price change. They do respond however, although demand tends to be price inelastic for such goods† (Walbert). Lower priced practical vehicles can be considered necessities since a price increase will not cause consumers to not purchase these products. A price change will not trigger them to wait until later when the price drops to purchase the car. They will purchase the vehicle at the price given since it is absolutely necessary to have the car. However this does not hold true for the luxury automobile market. Luxury automobiles are a much larger purchase than a practical commuter vehicle purchase. A consumer in the market for a luxury automobile can wait until there is a price decrease before purchasing the vehicle, hence making the demand elastic.

Art of Losing Essay

In society, there is no way out of losing things; it is what’s supposed to happen and there will be no escaping it. Misplacing valuable things is a highly common activity we do presently. We lose everything! Whether it may be car keys, textbooks, your own cell phone, it is not rare to misplace any of your belongings. Time is also guilty of being a valuable product that is most often lost if not keeping a close eye on it. Elizabeth Bishop proves this point in her well-written poem, One Art, by saying â€Å"The art of losing isn’t hard to master. † Ms.  Bishop tries to inform the reader that life has treasured moments and if one is not careful they will find him or herself living in a lost state of mind. In Elizabeth Bishop’s poem, she speaks about â€Å"the art† of losing things. When the author of this poem calls the act of losing things an art, it has a greater meaning. â€Å"The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. † She speaks as though things are meant to be lost and should remain lost as if it were meant to happen. That is in fact the art in which she speaks of. She wants her readers to know that losing valuable things is somewhat beautiful in a sense that it’s meant to be and that it will find a way to become lost. Bishop even said â€Å"Lose something every day†¦. Then practice losing farther, losing faster; places, names, and where it was you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster. † Could Bishop have been speaking about memory loss or a different loss that is only one of life’s many outcomes? She says that none of these will bring disaster; if one forgets places, names, and where he or she wanted to travel, one shouldn’t feel any loss at all because there wouldn’t be any emotion there. Perhaps one of life’s losses that Bishop wants to get through to her readers is that growing older can cause memories to fade, become lost, and never to be found again. Bishop then spoke about how time could be badly spent and how it can be lost and never granted back. â€Å"†¦the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. † Any reader could definitely relate to this line. Today, people get so caught up in what they’re doing in the moment that they let time slip right out of their hands. They often will say â€Å"There is not enough time during the day! † Bishop tries to let readers know that time flies, and every minute of every hour of every day should be cherished. She then begins naming off specific items that have been lost like her mother’s watch, three houses she loved, and the cities in which she lived. Reading the line â€Å"The art of losing isn’t hard to master†, makes a reader wonder if she ever did master the art of losing, or does she still have deep feelings about these lost treasures? In the final stanza she reveals a major clue to the reader. â€Å"-Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident the art of losing’s not too hard to master though it may look like (Write it! ) like disaster. † As the reader, you begin to notice that there’s something that Bishop is still holding on to that she cannot seem to let go of. The reader discovers that she is obviously mourning the loss of a beloved person in her life. Even though she tries to play it off by claiming that even this particular loss is not a disaster, it appears to be one for her and she hasn’t gotten over it just yet. After finishing reading One Art, Bishop wants her readers to take from the poem that time is very precious and we should spend it wisely with either our loved ones or our most cherished heirlooms before life happens and it will be lost forever only leaving a mere memory. To focus on the things that make us happy in life before they are gone and will never return. She doesn’t want others to feel the way she did when she wrote this poem.