Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken - The Significance of The Road Not Ta

The Significance of The Road Not Taken  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      My father introduced me to "The Road Not Taken" when I was a young teenager because he figured that I was beginning a period of my life where I would be forced to make many important decisions, and he saw this poem as a source of guidance through those decisions. This poem carries truth and edification in its words. It forms a beautiful analogy of life and all its complications. After my father finished reciting the poem, I never gave a second thought that day to Robert Frost or his poetry. It was weeks, possibly months, before I resumed thought on "The Road Not Taken." It was not until one year ago that I actually read it. Nevertheless, I did remember that poem, and no matter how many times I put it aside to contemplate other things, it was always waiting for my return. Through all of my high school years, it tagged along beside me, reminding me that change is good, reminding me that risk is what life is all about. The first stanza of this poem introduces the concept of change and maturing. In the first line, the narrator is walking through a "yellow wood," indicating that it is most likely autumn. A nice descriptive detail, but is that all it is? Autumn is the season of change between summer and winter. That is the common definition, yet it can also mean a time of maturity or decline, and standing at a fork in the road of life, the author was prone to either of these. The process of maturing, however, is what is going to be enveloped in this poem. He is being forced to examine each road and make a mature decision about which one to take. He starts his decision-making process by looking down one road as far as he could. However, he could only see as far ... ...hat is what makes the difference. That is why this poem makes such a difference. It sends a powerful message of self-respect. It holds the power to influence a person not to be influenced. Is this a contradiction? Perhaps, but it is the truth. When I came to a fork in my road, I was influenced by this poem to believe in myself and take the road "less traveled by" (19). The analogy is that no life is a straight shot. Everyone faces a fork in the road and must make a decision, possibly an irreversible decision, and the only way to look back on a decision like that with a sigh of relief is to make the decision based on what you believe to be right. That may not be what society thinks is right, what your friends think is right, or even what your family thinks is right, but taking the path based on independent will is what makes "all the difference" (20).      

Philosophy and Its Branches Essay

The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. It is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational argument. Origin: Middle English: from Old French philosophie, via Latin from Greek philosophia ‘love of wisdom’. Philosophy comes from the Greek for â€Å"love of wisdom,† giving us two important starting points: love (or passion) and wisdom (knowledge, understanding). Philosophy sometimes seems to be pursued without passion as if it were a technical subject. Although there is a role for dispassionate research, philosophy must derive from some passion for the ultimate goal: a reliable, accurate understanding ourselves and our world. Branches of philosophy: The following branches are the main areas of study: †¢Metaphysics is the study of the nature of being and the world. Traditional branches are cosmology and ontology. †¢Epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, and whether knowledge is possible. Among its central concerns has been the challenge posed by skepticism and the relationships between truth, belief, and justification. †¢Ethics, or â€Å"moral philosophy†, is concerned with questions of how persons ought to act or if such questions are answerable. The main branches of ethics are meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. †¢Political philosophy is the study of government and the relationship of individuals and communities to the state.

Mineral Pictures Index

If youre interested in rock collecting, you know that rocks you find in the real world rarely look like the polished specimens you see you rock shops or museums. In this index, youll find pictures of minerals like those youll most likely encounter in your expeditions. This list starts with the handful of common minerals called the rock-forming minerals, followed by the most common accessory minerals—youll find them scattered in many different rocks but seldom in large amounts. Next, youll see a set of rare or notable minerals, some of which are common in commercial rock shops. Finally, you can check out some special galleries designed to help you to identify your specimens. Rock-Forming Minerals Rock-forming minerals are among the most common (and least valuable) minerals in the world. They form the basis of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, and are used to classify and name rocks. Some examples include: Biotite—Black mica, common in igneous rocks. Calcite—The most common carbonate mineral, making up limestone. Dolomite—Magnesium-rich cousin to calcite. Feldspar—A group making up the most common mineral in the crust. (Feldspar Gallery) Hornblende—The most common mineral of the amphibole group. Muscovite—White mica, found in all kinds of rocks. Olivine—A green mineral found strictly in igneous rocks. Pyroxene—A group of dark minerals of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Quartz—Familiar as crystals and as noncrystalline chalcedony. (Quartz/Silica Gallery) Accessory Minerals   Accessory minerals may be included in any rock you pick up, but unlike rock-forming minerals, they are not a basic part of the rock. In other words, a rock must contain quartz, feldspar, and mica  in order to be classified as granite. If the rock also happens to contain the mineral titanite, the rock is still granite -- and the titanite is classified as an accessory mineral.  Accessory minerals are also not  particularly abundant, and so they may be more valuable than rock-forming minerals. Some examples include: Andalusite—Makes collectible crossed crystals. Anhydrite—What gypsum becomes deep underground. Apatite—The phosphate mineral making up teeth and bones. Aragonite—Calcites close carbonate cousin. Barite—A heavy sulfate sometimes found in roses. Bornite—Peacock ore copper mineral tarnishes a crazy blue-green. Cassiterite—Ancient and principal ore of tin. Chalcopyrite—Foremost ore of copper. Chlorite—The green mineral of many metamorphic rocks. Corundum—Natural alumina, sometimes known as sapphire and ruby. Epidote—Metamorphic mineral of a pistachio/avocado green color. Fluorite—Every rockhound has a piece of this soft, colorful mineral. Galena—A heavy, glittering mineral, principal ore of lead metal. Garnet Almandine—The true garnet-red garnet mineral. Andradite—Green crystals from central California. Grossular—A greenish garnet illustrated by a well-formed crystal. Pyrope—Wine-colored grains in a California eclogite. Spessartine—A honey-colored set of crystals from China. Uvarovite—Emerald-green crystals from Russia. Goethite—The brown oxide mineral of soils and iron ore. Graphite—The stuff of pencils has more rugged uses too. Gypsum—Shown in its prettiest form, desert roses. Halite—Also known as rock salt, this evaporite mineral sits at your table. Hematite—Iron oxide mineral of many forms including this kidney ore. Ilmenite—Black titanium ore lurks in heavy sands. Kyanite—A sky-blue mineral formed by high-pressure metamorphism. Lepidolite—Lithium mica mineral with a fine lilac color. Leucite—Feldspathoid mineral also called white garnet. Magnetite—Magnetic iron oxide also known as lodestone. Marcasite—Close crystal cousin of pyrite. Nepheline—Feldspathoid mineral well known to potters. Phlogopite—Brown mica mineral closely related to biotite. Prehnite—Bottle-green mineral of low-grade metamorphic rocks. Psilomelane—Manganese oxides make up this black crusty mineral. Pyrite—Fools gold and the most important sulfide mineral. Pyrolusite—The black manganese mineral of dendrites. Rutile—Needles of this oxide mineral occur in many rocks. Serpentine—The group of green minerals that yields asbestos. Sillimanite—Indicator mineral for high grades of metamorphism. Sphalerite—The major zinc ore and an interesting mineral. Spinel—Rugged oxide mineral of metamorphosed limestones. Staurolite—A typical crossed pair of crystals in a mica schist matrix. Talc—The softest mineral of them all. Tourmaline—The common black variety called schorl. Zeolites—Group of low-temperature minerals with many industrial uses. Zircon—Both a gemstone and a precious source of geologic information. Uncommon Minerals and Varieties This collection of minerals includes metals, ores, and gems. Some of these -- gold, diamond, and beryl for example -- are among the most valuable and coveted minerals in the world. If you find these in your rock hunting excursions, be sure to keep them safe. Some examples include: Amethyst—The purple form of crystalline quartz. Axinite—Minor silicate of striking crystal form and color. Benitoite—Very blue, very rare and weird ring silicate mineral. Beryl—Gemstone of many names, including emerald. Borax—This household commonplace is mined in desert lakebeds. Celestine—Pale, sky-blue strontium carbonate. Cerussite—Spiky gray lead carbonate. Chrysocolla—Bright green-blue mineral found near copper ore. Cinnabar—Lipstick-red mineral and major ore of mercury. Copper—Native metal shown in its natural wiry form. Cuprite—Red copper ore and sometimes spectacular specimen stone. Diamond—Natural diamond crystal from the Congo. Dioptase—Bright-green crystalline sign of copper deposits. Dumortierite—Blue boron mineral of gneisses and schists. Eudialyte—Striking red vein-maker in nepheline syenites. Fuchsite—Chromium colors this mica mineral a flashy green. Gold—The native metal shown in an Alaskan nugget. Hemimorphite—Handsome pale crusts of hydrous zinc silicate. Herkimer Diamond Quartz—Doubly terminated crystals from New York. Labradorite—The butterfly of the feldspars has dazzling blue schiller. Lazurite—Ancient mineral source of ultramarine pigment. Magnesite—Magnesium carbonate ore mineral. Malachite—Ultra-green copper carbonate, a favorite mineral of carvers. Molybdenite—Soft metallic mineral and ore of molybdenum. Opal—Precious silica mineraloid may display a rainbow of colors. Platinum—Rare crystalline nuggets of the native metal. Pyromorphite—Flashy green lead phosphate mineral. Pyrophyllite—Soft mineral closely resembling talc. Rhodochrosite—Calcites manganese cousin with distinctive rosy color. Ruby—Deep-red gemmy variety of corundum. Scapolite—Streaked clear crystals of metamorphosed limestones. Siderite—Brown iron carbonate mineral. Silver—Wiry specimen of the rare native metal. Smithsonite—Carbonate of zinc appears in many forms. Sodalite—Deep blue feldspathoid and a rock carvers staple. Sulfur—Delicate crystals accumulate around a volcanic vent. Sylvite—Red potassium mineral distinguished by its bitter taste. Titanite—Collectible brown crystalline mineral once known as sphene. Topaz—Hardness and good crystals make it a popular mineral. Turquoise—The most precious phosphate mineral. Ulexite—One of many borate minerals, ulexite forms the unique TV rock. Variscite—This phosphate comes in veins like slabs of green candy. Willemite—Prized by collectors for its bright fluorescence. Witherite—Scarce barium carbonate mineral. Tools for Identifying Minerals It isnt always easy to identify minerals, even if theyre fairly common. Fortunately, there are tools used by geologists to aid in identification. Special tests for luster and streak can help; so too can these galleries of relatively common minerals of different colors. Black Minerals Blue and Purple Minerals Brown Minerals Green Minerals Red and Pink Minerals Yellow Minerals Mineral Habits Mineral Lusters Mineral Streak Mineraloids