Nationalism and American Literature essays

Nationalism and American Literature essays The most impressive by-product of the War of 1812 was a heightened nationalism the spirit of nation-consciousness or national oneness (Bailey partly from several victories, from the lessening of economical and political dependence on Europe, and from a strong confidence in the future of the American nation. This intense birth of nationalism manifested itself distinctively among national arts, illustrated through poetry, novels, and paintings during the early nineteenth century. These artistic achievements, personifying and supporting Unionist feelings, were produced by the educational institution known as The Hudson River school, the writers association called The Knickerbocker Group, and the transcendentalist movement of the 1830s. The art of painting continued to be regarded as a waste of time by many prejudist Puritans during the late eighteenth century. Puritans felt that painting was a sinful waste of time, and instead, they tried focusing on praying and attending church. However, opposing artists did emerge, with a strong feeling of union in support to glorify the nations natural beauty and independence. For this same reason, artists like Gilbert Stuart and Charles Willson, began to paint portraits of famous leaders such as George Washington. If the people saw through these canvases national leaders in bold postures and striking scenes of events like the Revolutionary War, the spirit of keeping this self-image and further improving it would be spread throughout peoples minds. Moreover, not only did American painters spread nationalism through presidents portraits, but also through Americas landscapes. The Hudson school held most of the credit for this type of art, creating galleries of paintings based on local sceneries, like the Hudson River. ...

Diffusion Confusion

Diffusion Confusion Diffusion Confusion Diffusion Confusion By Maeve Maddox The Latin verb diffundere, â€Å"to pour in different directions,† gives us the noun diffusion, the verb diffuse, and the adjective diffuse. The noun and the adjective present few difficulties, but the verb is often used ambiguously or incorrectly. Note: The si in diffusion represents the zh sound. The adjective is pronounced with a soft s sound; the verb is pronounced with a hard s sound: diffusion noun /di-FJU-zhn/ diffuse adjective /di-FJUS/ diffuse verb /di-FJUZ/ The noun diffusion refers to the action of spreading or dispersing something. In the context of physics, diffusion is â€Å"the permeation of a gas or liquid between the molecules of another fluid placed in contact with it.† Photographers and painters use the word diffusion to refer to â€Å"the process of slightly scattering a portion of the image-forming light to give a pleasing artistic softness to a photograph [or painting].† Figuratively, diffusion refers to the spreading or scattering of people, customs, or knowledge: In his Researches into the Early History he  ascribes the  curious custom of couvade  to diffusion, an interpretation that few modern ethnologists would countenance. Carnegie donated $300,000 to build Washington, D.C.s oldest library. The building was dedicated to the diffusion of knowledge. The adjective diffuse means â€Å"spreading out.† A tree, for example, might have â€Å"diffuse branches.† A â€Å"diffuse writing style† is wordy. An artist paints a picture in which the light is â€Å"diffuse and ethereal.† A population that is not concentrated in one area, but scattered over a region, is diffuse: Variation in state laws is related to whether the gay and lesbian population is concentrated (where laws permit inequality) or  diffuse  (where laws promote equality).- The Washington Post. Like the other words derived from diffundere, the verb diffuse conveys the sense of â€Å"scattering or spreading abroad†: The Japanese  intended to diffuse  Japanese language and culture throughout the archipelago. Efforts have been made  to diffuse Christianity  throughout the world.   When an artist diffuses the light in a painting, the particles of paint that represent light are spread out, producing a softened effect. Perhaps it is this use of diffuse that causes some speakers to use diffuse as if it means â€Å"to soften† or â€Å"to make less tense.† For example: While there have been signs that China’s leadership is taking some initiatives intended to diffuse the situation, there are no indications whatsoever that the present tough policy on Tibet will mellow.- Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Or, the writer of the above example may have confused the words diffuse and defuse. Literally, the verb defuse means â€Å"to remove the fuse from an explosive device.† Taking the fuse out of a bomb makes it totally ineffective. Figuratively, defuse means â€Å"to make a situation less tense† or â€Å"to make something ineffective.† If the intended meaning is â€Å"make less tense† or â€Å"forestall,† ambiguity may be avoided by choosing defuse or some word other than diffuse to express it. Here are some options: ease calm soothe mitigate palliate moderate reduce lighten Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Capitalize Animal and Plant NamesHow Long Should a Paragraph Be?6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know