Mrs. Dalloway Study Questions

Discussion questions: 1. In the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† both Clarissa and Septimus repeat a line from Shakespeare, what is the line and what is its importance to the characters? 2. In â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† Septimus is created as Clarissa’s double, why do you think Woolf did this? 3. How are Clarissa and Septimus alike and how are they different? 4. Woolf uses Clarissa to convey her idea of social class and women’s wole within it; how does she achieve this? 5. WWI is a major part throughout the story. What ways did Woolf show this? . At the end of the novel Clarissa is informed of Septimus’ death. How does she feel about this and why is it important? 7. Who are Sally Seton and Peter Walsh and how does their appearance in the novel help with the plot? 8. Woolf uses a lot of flash backs to move the plot along. Do these flash backs help or hurt the novel? 9. From Woolf’s use of flash backs can you infer what the characters were like before? 10. What was the point of view in the novel? Why do you think Woolf chose this? Excerpt: (pg. 11-14)She would not say of any one in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything; at the same time was outside, looking on. She had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day. Not that she thought herself clever, or much out of the ordinary. How she had got through life on the few twigs of knowledge Fraulein Daniels gave them she could not think.She knew nothing; no language, no history; she scarcely read a book now, except memoirs in bed; and yet to her it was absolutely absorbing; all this; the cabs passing; and she would not say of Peter, she would not say of herself, I am this, I am that. Her only gift was knowing people almost by instinct, she thought, walk ing on. If you put her in a room with someone, up went her back like a cat's; or she purred. Devonshire House, Bath House, the house with the china cockatoo, she had seen them all lit up once; and remembered Sylvia, Fred, Sally Seton — such hosts of people; and dancing all night; and the waggons plodding past o market; and driving home across the Park. She remembered once throwing a shilling into the Serpentine. But every one remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then, she asked herself, walking towards Bond Street, did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely? ut that somehow in the streets of London, on the ebb and flow of things, here, there, she survived, Peter survived, lived in each other, she being part, she was positive, of the trees at home; of the house there, ugly, ram bling all to bits and pieces as it was; part of people she had never met; being laid out like a mist between the people she knew best, who lifted her on their branches as she had seen the trees lift the mist, but it spread ever so far, her life, herself. But what was she dreaming as she looked into Hatchards' shop window? What was she trying to recover?What image of white dawn in the country, as she read in the book spread open: Fear no more the heat o' the sun Nor the furious winter's rages. This late age of the world's experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears. Tears and sorrows; courage and endurance; a perfectly upright and stoical bearing. Think, for example, of the woman she admired most, Lady Bexborough, opening the bazaar. There were Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities; there were Soapy Sponge and Mrs. Asquith's Memoirs and Big Game Shooting in Nigeria, all spread open.Ever so many books there were; but none that seemed exactly right to take to Evelyn Wh itbread in her nursing home. Nothing that would serve to amuse her and make that indescribably dried-up little woman look, as Clarissa came in, just for a moment cordial; before they settled down for the usual interminable talk of women's ailments. How much she wanted it — that people should look pleased as she came in, Clarissa thought and turned and walked back towards Bond Street, annoyed, because it was silly to have other reasons for doing things. Much rather would she have been one of those eople like Richard who did things for themselves, whereas, she thought, waiting to cross, half the time she did things not simply, not for themselves; but to make people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew (and now the policeman held up his hand) for no one was ever for a second taken in. Oh if she could have had her life over again! She thought, stepping on to the pavement, could have looked even differently! She would have been, in the first place, dark like Lady Bexborough , with a skin of crumpled leather and beautiful eyes.She would have been, like Lady Bexborough, slow and stately; rather large; interested in politics like a man; with a country house; very dignified, very sincere. Instead of which she had a narrow pea-stick figure; a ridiculous little face, beaked like a bird's. That she held herself well was true; and had nice hands and feet; and dressed well, considering that she spent little. But often now this body she wore (she stopped to look at a Dutch picture), this body, with all its capacities, seemed nothing — nothing at all.She had the oddest sense of being herself invisible, unseen; unknown; there being no more marrying, no more having of children now, but only this astonishing and rather solemn progress with the rest of them, up Bond Street, this being Mrs. Dalloway; not even Clarissa anymore; this being Mrs. Richard Dalloway. Multiple choice questions for excerpt: 1. What is the attitude throughout the passage? a. Negative tow ard her future. b. Hopeful for her future. c. Positive toward her past. d. Resentful of the choices of her past. 2. Which of the following best describes the purpose of the passage? . To show Clarissa’s hopefulness for the future. b. To show Clarissa’s longing for acceptance and importance in high class society. c. To show how Clarissa wants to help the elderly. d. To show Clarissa’s admiration for Mrs. Bexborough. 3. Clarissa talks about Mrs. Bexborough to show: a. How she wants to be portrayed in society. b. How much she dislikes her. c. How they are alike. d. How they are different. 4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following qualities is most important to the speaker: a. Independence. b. Being man- like. . Dressing well. d. Respect. 5. In the passage what does Woolf mean by â€Å"did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that d eath ended absolutely? † a. That life goes on after death. b. That she finds comfort in the fact that death stops all human problems, but resents the fact use lose the pleasures also. c. That she is scared of death. d. That none of the things she has done matter after death. Essay prompt for novel: Woolf’s writing style in Mrs.Dalloway is described as â€Å"stream of consciousness,† why do you think Woolf chose this writing style for the novel and would it be less effective if it were written in a different style? The Yellow Wallpaper by: Charlotte Perkins Gilman It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer. A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity–but that would be asking too much of fate! Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it.Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenan ted? John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage. John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures. John is a physician, and perhaps–(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)–perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do?If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression–a slight hysterical tendency– what is one to do? My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. So I take phosphates or phosphites–whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to â€Å"work† until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.But what is one to do? I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal–having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus–but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house. The most beautiful place! It is quite alone standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village.It makes me think of English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people. There is a delicious garden! I never saw such a garden–large and shady, full of box-bordered paths, and lin ed with long grape-covered arbors with seats under them. There were greenhouses, too, but they are all broken now. There was some legal trouble, I believe, something about the heirs and coheirs; anyhow, the place has been empty for years. That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don't care–there is something strange about the house–I can feel it.I even said so to John one moonlight evening but he said what I felt was a draught, and shut the window. I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes I'm sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself– before him, at least, and that makes me very tired. I don't like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old-fashioned chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it.He said there was only one window and not room for two beds, and no near room for him if he took another. He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction. I have a schedule prescription for each hour in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more. He said we came here solely on my account, that I was to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. â€Å"Your exercise depends on your strength, my dear,† said he, â€Å"and your food somewhat on your appetite; but air you can absorb all the time. So we took the nursery at the top of the house. It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine galore. It was nursery first and then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls. The paint and paper look as if a boys' school had used it. It is stripped off–the paper in great patches all around the head of my bed, about as far as I can reach, and in a great place on the other side of the room low down. I never saw a worse paper in my life.One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide–plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight. It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others.No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long. There comes John, and I must put this away,–he hates to have me write a word. ———- We have been here two weeks, and I haven't felt like writing before, since that first d ay. I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, and there is nothing to hinder my writing as much as I please, save lack of strength. John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious. I am glad my case is not serious! But these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing.John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him. Of course it is only nervousness. It does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way! I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already! Nobody would believe what an effort it is to do what little I am able,–to dress and entertain, and order things. It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby. Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous.I suppose John never was nervous in his life. He laughs at me so about this wall-paper! At first he meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that I was letting it get the better of me, and that nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies. He said that after the wall-paper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on. â€Å"You know the place is doing you good,† he said, â€Å"and really, dear, I don't care to renovate the house just for a three months' rental. â€Å"Then do let us go downstairs,† I said, â€Å"there are such pretty rooms there. † Then he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he would go down to the cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain. But he is right enough about the beds and windows and things. It is an airy and comfortable room as any one need wish, and, of course, I would not be so silly as to make him uncomfortable just for a whim. I'm really getting quite fond of the big room, all but that horrid paper.Out o f one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deepshaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, nd that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try. I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and rest me. But I find I get pretty tired when I try. It is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work. When I get really well, John says we will ask Cousin Henry and Julia down for a long visit; but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now. I wish I could get well faster. But I must not think about that.This paper looks to me as if it knew what a vicious influence it had! There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down. I get positively angry with the impertinence of it and the everlastingness. Up and down and sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking eyes are everywhere There is one place where two breaths didn't match, and the eyes go all up and down the line, one a little higher than the other. I never saw so much expression in an inanimate thing before, and we all know how much expression they have!I used to lie awake as a child and get more entertainment and terror out of blank walls and plain furniture than most children could find in a toy-store. I remember what a kindly wink the knobs of our big, old bureau used to have, and the re was one chair that always seemed like a strong friend. I used to feel that if any of the other things looked too fierce I could always hop into that chair and be safe. The furniture in this room is no worse than inharmonious, however, for we had to bring it all from downstairs. I suppose when this was used as a playroom they had to take the nursery things out, and no wonder!I never saw such ravages as the children have made here. The wall-paper, as I said before, is torn off in spots, and it sticketh closer than a brother–they must have had perseverance as well as hatred. Then the floor is scratched and gouged and splintered, the plaster itself is dug out here and there, and this great heavy bed which is all we found in the room, looks as if it had been through the wars. But I don't mind it a bit–only the paper. There comes John's sister. Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful of me! I must not let her find me writing.She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeepe r, and hopes for no better profession. I verily believe she thinks it is the writing which made me sick! But I can write when she is out, and see her a long way off from these windows. There is one that commands the road, a lovely shaded winding road, and one that just looks off over the country. A lovely country, too, full of great elms and velvet meadows. This wall-paper has a kind of sub-pattern in a, different shade, a particularly irritating one, for you can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then.But in the places where it isn't faded and where the sun is just so–I can see a strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to skulk about behind that silly and conspicuous front design. There's sister on the stairs! ———- Well, the Fourth of July is over! The people are all gone and I am tired out. John thought it might do me good to see a little company, so we just had mother and Nellie and the children down for a week. Of course I didn't do a thing. Jennie sees to everything now. But it tired me all the same. John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall.But I don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he is just like John and my brother, only more so! Besides, it is such an undertaking to go so far. I don't feel as if it was worth while to turn my hand over for anything, and I'm getting dreadfully fretful and querulous. I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time. Of course I don't when John is here, or anybody else, but when I am alone. And I am alone a good deal just now. John is kept in town very often by serious cases, and Jennie is good and lets me alone when I want her to.So I walk a little in the garden or down that lovely lane, sit on the porch under the roses, and lie down up here a good deal. I'm getting really fond of the room in spite of the wall-paper. Perhaps because of the wall-paper. It dwells in my mind so! I lie h ere on this great immovable bed–it is nailed down, I believe–and follow that pattern about by the hour. It is as good as gymnastics, I assure you. I start, we'll say, at the bottom, down in the corner over there where it has not been touched, and I determine for the thousandth time that I will follow that pointless pattern to some sort of a conclusion.I know a little of the principle of design, and I know this thing was not arranged on any laws of radiation, or alternation, or repetition, or symmetry, or anything else that I ever heard of. It is repeated, of course, by the breadths, but not otherwise. Looked at in one way each breadth stands alone, the bloated curves and flourishes–a kind of â€Å"debased Romanesque† with delirium tremens–go waddling up and down in isolated columns of fatuity. But, on the other hand, they connect diagonally, and the sprawling outlines run off in great slanting waves of optic horror, like a lot of wallowing seaweeds in full chase.The whole thing goes horizontally, too, at least it seems so, and I exhaust myself in trying to distinguish the order of its going in that direction. They have used a horizontal breadth for a frieze, and that adds wonderfully to the confusion. There is one end of the room where it is almost intact, and there, when the crosslights fade and the low sun shines directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation after all,–the interminable grotesques seem to form around a common centre and rush off in headlong plunges of equal distraction. It makes me tired to follow it.I will take a nap I guess. ———- I don't know why I should write this. I don't want to. I don't feel able. And I know John would think it absurd. But I must say what I feel and think in some way–it is such a relief! But the effort is getting to be greater than the relief. Half the time now I am awfully lazy, and lie down ever so much. John says I mustn't lose my strength, and h as me take cod liver oil and lots of tonics and things, to say nothing of ale and wine and rare meat. Dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick.I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn't able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there; and I did not make out a very good case for myself, for I was crying before I had finished . It is getting to be a great effort for me to think straight. Just this nervous weakness I suppose. And dear John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till it tired my head.He said I was his darling and his comfort and all he had, and that I must take care of myself for his sake, and keep well. He says no one but myself can help me out of it, that I must use my will and self-control and not let any silly fancies run away with me. The re's one comfort, the baby is well and happy, and does not have to occupy this nursery with the horrid wall-paper. If we had not used it, that blessed child would have! What a fortunate escape! Why, I wouldn't have a child of mine, an impressionable little thing, live in such a room for worlds.I never thought of it before, but it is lucky that John kept me here after all, I can stand it so much easier than a baby, you see. Of course I never mention it to them any more–I am too wise,–but I keep watch of it all the same. There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will. Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day. It is always the same shape, only very numerous. And it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don't like it a bit. I wonder–I begin to think–I wish John would take me away from here! ———-It is so hard to talk with John about my case, because he is so w ise, and because he loves me so. But I tried it last night. It was moonlight. The moon shines in all around just as the sun does. I hate to see it sometimes, it creeps so slowly, and always comes in by one window or another. John was asleep and I hated to waken him, so I kept still and watched the moonlight on that undulating wall-paper till I felt creepy. The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out. I got up softly and went to feel and see if the paper did move, and when I came back John was awake. â€Å"What is it, little girl? he said. â€Å"Don't go walking about like that–you'll get cold. † I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away. â€Å"Why darling! † said he, â€Å"our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can't see how to leave before. â€Å"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. Of cou rse if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know. You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better, I feel really much easier about you. â€Å"I don't weigh a bit more,† said 1, â€Å"nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away! † â€Å"Bless her little heart! † said he with a big hug, â€Å"she shall be as sick as she pleases! But now let's improve the shining hours by going to sleep, and talk about it in the morning! † â€Å"And you won't go away? † I asked gloomily. â€Å"Why, how can 1, dear? It is only three weeks more and then we will take a nice little trip of a few days while Jennie is getting the house ready. Really dear you are better! â€Å"Better in body perhaps–† I began, and stopped short, for he sat up straight and looked at me with su ch a stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word. â€Å"My darling,† said he, â€Å"I beg of you, for my sake and for our child's sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so? † So of course I said no more on that score, and we went to sleep before long.He thought I was asleep first, but I wasn't, and lay there for hours trying to decide whether that front pattern and the back pattern really did move together or separately. ———- On a pattern like this, by daylight, there is a lack of sequence, a defiance of law, that is a constant irritant to a normal mind. The color is hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing. You think you have mastered it, but just as you get well unde rway in following, it turns a back somersault and there you are. It slaps you in the face, knocks you down, and tramples upon you.It is like a bad dream. The outside pattern is a florid arabesque, reminding one of a fungus. If you can imagine a toadstool in joints, an interminable string of toadstools, budding and sprouting in endless convolutions–why, that is something like it. That is, sometimes! There is one marked peculiarity about this paper, a thing nobody seems to notice but myself, and that is that it changes as the light changes. When the sun shoots in through the east window–I always watch for that first long, straight ray–it changes so quickly that I never can quite believe it. That is why I watch it always.By moonlight–the moon shines in all night when there is a moon–I wouldn't know it was the same paper. At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside patt ern I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be. I didn't realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman. By daylight she is subdued, quiet. I fancy it is the pattern that keeps her so still. It is so puzzling. It keeps me quiet by the hour. I lie down ever so much now. John says it is good for me, and to sleep all I can.Indeed he started the habit by making me lie down for an hour after each meal. It is a very bad habit I am convinced, for you see I don't sleep. And that cultivates deceit, for I don't tell them I'm awake–O no! The fact is I am getting a little afraid of John. He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look. It strikes me occasionally, just as a scientific hypothesis,–that perhaps it is the paper! I have watched John when he did not know I was looking, and come into the room suddenly on the most innocent excuses, and I've caught him several tim es looking at the paper! And Jennie too.I caught Jennie with her hand on it once. She didn't know I was in the room, and when I asked her in a quiet, a very quiet voice, with the most restrained manner possible, what she was doing with the paper–she turned around as if she had been caught stealing, and looked quite angry– asked me why I should frighten her so! Then she said that the paper stained everything it touched, that she had found yellow smooches on all my clothes and John's, and she wished we would be more careful! Did not that sound innocent? But I know she was studying that pattern, and I am determined that nobody shall find it out but myself! ———-Life is very much more exciting now than it used to be. You see I have something more to expect, to look forward to, to watch. I really do eat better, and am more quiet than I was. John is so pleased to see me improve ! He laughed a little the other day, and said I seemed to be flourishing in sp ite of my wall-paper. I turned it off with a laugh. I had no intention of telling him it was because of the wall-paper–he would make fun of me. He might even want to take me away. I don't want to leave now until I have found it out. There is a week more, and I think that will be enough. ———- I'm feeling ever so much better!I don't sleep much at night, for it is so interesting to watch developments; but I sleep a good deal in the daytime. In the daytime it is tiresome and perplexing. There are always new shoots on the fungus, and new shades of yellow all over it. I cannot keep count of them, though I have tried conscientiously. It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw–not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things. But there is something else about that paper– the smell! I noticed it the moment we came into the room, but with so much air and sun it was not bad.Now we have had a week of fog and rain, and whether the windows are open or not, the smell is here. It creeps all over the house. I find it hovering in the dining-room, skulking in the parlor, hiding in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs. It gets into my hair. Even when I go to ride, if I turn my head suddenly and surprise it–there is that smell! Such a peculiar odor, too! I have spent hours in trying to analyze it, to find what it smelled like. It is not bad–at first, and very gentle, but quite the subtlest, most enduring odor I ever met. In this damp weather it is awful, I wake up in the night and find it hanging over me.It used to disturb me at first. I thought seriously of burning the house–to reach the smell. But now I am used to it. The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper! A yellow smell. There is a very funny mark on this wall, low down, near the mopboard. A streak that runs round the room. It goes behind every piece of furniture, except the bed, a long, straight, even smooch, as if it had been rubbed over and over. I wonder how it was done and who did it, and what they did it for. Round and round and round–round and round and round–it makes me dizzy! ———-I really have discovered something at last. Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out. The front pattern does move–and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind, and sometimes only one, and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over. Then in the very bright spots she keeps still, and in the very shady spots she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard. And she is all the time trying to climb through. But nobody could climb through that pattern–it strangles so; I think that is why it has so many heads.They get through, and then the pattern strangles them off and turns them upside down, and makes their eyes white! If those heads were covered or taken off it would not be half so bad. ———- I think that woman gets out in the daytime! And I'll tell you why–privately–I've seen her! I can see her out of every one of my windows! It is the same woman, I know, for she is always creeping, and most women do not creep by daylight. I see her on that long road under the trees, creeping along, and when a carriage comes she hides under the blackberry vines. I don't blame her a bit.It must be very humiliating to be caught creeping by daylight! I always lock the door when I creep by daylight. I can't do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once. And John is so queer now, that I don't want to irritate him. I wish he would take another room! Besides, I don't want anybody to get that woman out at night but myself. I often wonder if I could see her out of all the windows at once. But, turn as fast as I can, I can only see out of one at one time. And though I always see her, she may be able to creep faster than I can turn!I have watched her sometimes away off in the open country, creeping as fast as a cloud shadow in a high wind. ———- If only that top pattern could be gotten off from the under one! I mean to try it, little by little. I have found out another funny thing, but I shan't tell it this time! It does not do to trust people too much. There are only two more days to get this paper off, and I believe John is beginning to notice. I don't like the look in his eyes. And I heard him ask Jennie a lot of professional questions about me. She had a very good report to give. She said I slept a good deal in the daytime.John knows I don't sleep very well at night, for all I'm so quiet! He asked me all sorts of questions, too, and pretended to be very loving and kind. As if I couldn't see through him! Still, I don't wonder he acts so, sleeping under this paper for three months. It only interests me, but I feel sure John and Jennie are secretly affected by it. ———- Hurrah! This is the last day, but it is enough. John to stay in town over night, and won't be out until this evening. Jennie wanted to sleep with me–the sly thing! but I told her I should undoubtedly rest better for a night all alone. That was clever, for really I wasn't alone a bit!As soon as it was moonlight and that poor thing began to crawl and shake the pattern, I got up and ran to help her. I pulled and she shook, I shook and she pulled, and before morning we had peeled off yards of that paper. A strip about as high as my head and half around the room. And then when the sun came and that awful pattern began to laugh at me, I declared I would finish it to-day! We go away to-morrow, and they are moving all my furniture down again to leave things as they were before. Jennie looked at the wall in amazement, but I told her merrily that I did it out of pure spite at the vicious thing.S he laughed and said she wouldn't mind doing it herself, but I must not get tired. How she betrayed herself that time! But I am here, and no person touches this paper but me,–not alive ! She tried to get me out of the room–it was too patent! But I said it was so quiet and empty and clean now that I believed I would lie down again and sleep all I could; and not to wake me even for dinner–I would call when I woke. So now she is gone, and the servants are gone, and the things are gone, and there is nothing left but that great bedstead nailed down, with the canvas mattress we found on it.We shall sleep downstairs to-night, and take the boat home to-morrow. I quite enjoy the room, now it is bare again. How those children did tear about here! This bedstead is fairly gnawed! But I must get to work. I have locked the door and thrown the key down into the front path. I don't want to go out, and I don't want to have anybody come in, till John comes. I want to astonish him. I've got a rope up here that even Jennie did not find. If that woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her! But I forgot I could not reach far without anything to stand on!This bed will not move! I tried to lift and push it until I was lame, and then I got so angry I bit off a little piece at one corner–but it hurt my teeth. Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it! All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision! I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise, but the bars are too strong even to try. Besides I wouldn't do it. Of course not.I know well enough that a step like that is improper and might be misconstrued. I don't like to look out of the windows even– there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall -paper as I did? But I am securely fastened now by my well-hidden rope–you don't get me out in the road there ! I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard! It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep around as I please! I don't want to go outside. I won't, even if Jennie asks me to.For outside you have to creep on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow. But here I can creep smoothly on the floor, and my shoulder just fits in that long smooch around the wall, so I cannot lose my way. Why there's John at the door! It is no use, young man, you can't open it! How he does call and pound! Now he's crying for an axe. It would be a shame to break down that beautiful door! â€Å"John dear! † said I in the gentlest voice, â€Å"the key is down by the front steps, under a plantain leaf! † That silenced him for a few moments. Then he said–very quietly indeed, â€Å"Open the door, my darling ! â€Å"I can't,† said I. â€Å"The key is down by the front door under a plantain leaf! † And then I said it again, several times, very gently and slowly, and said it so often that he had to go and see, and he got it of course, and came in. He stopped short by the door. â€Å"What is the matter? † he cried. â€Å"For God's sake, what are you doing! † I kept on creeping just the same, but I looked at him over my shoulder. â€Å"I've got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back! † Now why should that man have fainted?But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time! The story of an hour by: Kate Chopin Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death. It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled h ints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of â€Å"killed. He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair.Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams. She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought. There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfu lly. What was it?She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air. Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will–as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under hte breath: â€Å"free, free, free! † The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes.They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! Free! Body and soul free! † she kept whispering. Jos ephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhold, imploring for admission. â€Å"Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door–you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven's sake open the door. † â€Å"Go away. I am not making myself ill. † No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister's waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom. Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Br ently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one.He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of the joy that kills. Essay prompt for short story: In the short story â€Å"the story of an hour† Chopin uses the word ‘open’ repeatedly, why do you think this and what is the significance of it? Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it– A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen. Peel off the napkin O my enemy.Do I terrify? — The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day. Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will b e At home on me And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die. This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade. What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see Them unwrap me hand and foot– The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident.The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call. It's easy enough to do it in a cell. It's easy enough to do it and stay put. It's the theatrical Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout: ‘A miracle! ‘ That knocks me out. There is a charge For the eyeing of my scars, there is a chargeFor the hearing of my heart– It really goes. And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy. I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern. Ash, ash– You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there– A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling. Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware. Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air. Daddy by: Sylvia Plath You do not do, you do not doAny more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time– Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blue In the waters off beautiful Nauset. I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du. In the German tongue, in the Polish town Scraped flat by the roller Of wars, wars, wars. But the name of the town is common. My Polack friend Says there are a dozen or two. So I never could tell where youPut your foot, your root, I never could talk to you. The tongue stuck in my jaw. It stuck in a barb wire snare. Ich, ich, ich, ich, I could hardly speak. I thought every German was you. And the language obscene An engine, an engine Chuffing me off like a Jew. A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen. I began to talk like a Jew. I think I may well be a Jew. The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna Are not very pure or true. With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack I may be a bit of a Jew. I have always been scared of you, With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo. And your neat mustacheAnd your Aryan eye, bright blue. Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You– Not God but a swastika So black no sky could squeak through. Every woman adores a Fascist, The boot in the face, the brute Brute heart of a brute like you. You stand at the blackboard, daddy, In the picture I have of you, A cleft in your chin instead of your foot But no less a devil for that, no not Any less the black man who Bit my pretty red heart in two. I was ten when they buried you. At twenty I tried to die And get back, back, back to you. I thought even the bones would do. But they pulled me out of the sack, And they stuck me together with glue.And then I knew what to do. I made a model of you, A man in black with a Meinkampf look And a love of the rack and the screw. And I said I do, I do. So daddy, I'm finally through. The black telephone's off at the root, The voices just can't worm through. If I've killed one man, I've killed two– The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, Seven years, if you wa nt to know. Daddy, you can lie back now. There's a stake in your fat black heart And the villagers never liked you. They are dancing and stamping on you. They always knew it was you. Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through.Lets hear it for the women The women oppressed by: Francis Duggan Lets hear it for women the women oppressed In patriarchal societies their human rights are transgressed By male religious zealots who hate woman kind For to trample on women's rights any excuse they will find. Lets hear it for the women who never receive a fair go Of equality in their lives they never may know They are seen as inferior where males reign supreme And this can do little for their self esteem. Lets hear it for the women who must play second fiddle to men Where to be born a female means one cannot win Promotion in work or promotion in lifeTo an arrogant and an unfaithful man expected to be a good wife. Lets hear it for women the women men do rule And many males in positions of power can b e cruel The mothers of the children in life the hardest role Equality they need and not male control. P. O. W (Poor Oprressed Women) by: Sama Wareh Hello oppressed, With that scarf around your head, That you surely must dread, Aren't you hot? Can't you see it's sunny, Aren't your ears cold, They try to be funny, But some seriously suggest, That I am oppressed, Because I can't flaunt what I got, And they look at the way that I'm dressed, All covered up, From head to toe,How am I to attract the men, Without a little show? So I tell them, I'm oppressed, Because men can't see past the fabric? They are stuck with a conversation And a brain to pick, I flaunt, Yes I do, My personality is what I flaunt, I swear, it's true, I aint no object In men's desire, Nor am I a curve size, Because I have attire, And they tell me, Well, you were forced, Obviously, Your dad had a belt, And so you agreed, No, it was my choice, I did agree, In fact, After I did cover up, Men stopped checking out my behind , And started looking at who I am on the inside, And after I did, Respect came my way,Heads didn't turn lolling as I passed men's way, But I guess some like that attention, And women, This isn't a stab at you, I'm just expressing my point of view, After dealing with stereotypes of what people tell me I am, I can even see it in their eyes, Like my attire should be banned, And especially older women, Look at me with pity, Poor child, I wish I could help her and show her the way, Cause according to Fox tv, they've gone astray, Poor abused women, dressed in black, Can't those mean men cut them a little slack? But to their surprise, I choose to wear it, To me its freedom, Freedom from fashion implications,Telling you how to talk, dress and look, Advertising the new trend, To get you on the hook, Of being what the fashion industry can make money off of, I wear what I want and dress to impress, Myself and God, And nobody else, I wear pants and I wear skirts, I wear socks and long shirts, A nd if my name callers aren't happen with that, Then come and liberate me, Which in now a day's terms, Means kill me. Discussion questions for the poems: 1. In the poems â€Å"Lets Hear It For Women The Women Oppressed† and â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Woman),† there are two different views on women’s oppression. What are these views? 2. In the poem â€Å"P. O.W (Poor Oppressed Women)†, what image does Wareh portray throughout? What words make you think this? 3. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath refers to herself as a cat with nine times to die, why do you think she chose these words and what is the importance of them? 4. After reading â€Å"lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† what do you think Duggan’s view on women’s oppression is and how does she convey this in her poem? 5. After reading â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Women),† how do you think Wareh views oppression and how does she show this in her p oem? 6. In â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† what images does Plath use and how are they effective? . In the poem â€Å"Daddy† by Sylvia Plath, Plath uses the word ‘daddy’ instead of ‘father’, do you think this changes the way the reader views the poem? How? 8. In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† could ‘daddy’ be something besides her father? How? 9. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath chooses the word ‘Miracle’, in what tone do you think she used this? 10. In â€Å"Lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† how do you think Duggan’s word chose sets the mood for the poem? Thomas 1 Kelley Thomas Ms. Flara AP English IV October 22, 2012 The theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by Clarissa I read the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† by: Virginia Woolf.There are many themes throughout this novel but while reading it one was most apparent and that is the theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by the Clarissa. Woolf uses the novel to show how she feels about society and oppression, especially toward women. The social setting and time period set the mood for this theme. London is returning to its social normalcies and women are moving back toward being housewives instead of working in munitions factories. She often shows her dislike of this through Clarissa. It has become a sort of way of life for her and she doesn’t truly notice she is even a part of it.

Rammed Earth

RAMMED EARTH Fionnadh McGonigle 0818555 Contents †¢ History (page 2) †¢ The Use of Rammed Earth within the UK (pages 3 & 4) †¢ Rammed Earth as a Sustainable material, Thermal and Insulation properties (pages 5 & 6 ) †¢ Weather Protection (page 7) †¢ Construction week o Aims (page 8) o Risk Assessment (page 9,10 &11) o Prototype I (pages 12,13 & 14) o Prototype II (page 15) o Earth preparation (pages 15 &16) o Prototype III (pages 17, & 18) o Final Wall (pages 19, 20 & 21) o Revised Risk assessment (page 22) Conclusion (pages 23, 24 & 25) †¢ Bibliography (page 26) Rammed Earth Historical Use The use of earth itself in construction dates back thousands of years, the first recorded city – Jericho was built of earth. The first recorded use of rammed earth was by the Babylonians in 5000BC. Parts of the western portion of the Great Wall of China 300BC are built of rammed earth. Almost every European country has a history of rammed earth construction but is usually a material associated with arid areas. 780-1850 Rammed earth experienced popularity in the USA until mass production of fire bricks and sawed lumber became readily available. These materials were now favoured for being more elegant and modern than using rammed earth – or â€Å"dirt†. However during World War I and the Great depression, supply shortages prompted a return to Rammed Earth. Rammed Earth remained fairly unpopular then until the 1970’s when it began to be rejuvenated by the environmentally conscious.Despite Rammed Earths extensive use throughout history, its use is still not so popular within the UK. Reason for this is largely due to architects/ Builders not knowing enough about the material and sticking to the familiar concrete, timber and brick ways that they know, rammed earth can often also be perceived as having cruder finishing and not in keeping with the clean-sharp lined finished which are so often preferred in today’s archi tecture- Though with the appropriate shuttering clean finishes can be achieved.Building with rammed earth is considered to carry greater risk and uncertainty, the material is yes, more suited to arid climates, but even in arid climates modern method of construction using rammed earth are being continually tried and tested e. g. in Australia. Rammed earth is a perfectly viable and good material to be used within the UK – there is a need to get past the reluctance to use and experiment with it more here – the climate presents a challenge which can be won in innovative ways. [pic] The Use of Rammed Earth within the UKThings which prohibit the wider use of Rammed earth within the UK †¢ The longer than average period needed for construction. †¢ The formwork and Labour costs. †¢ The climates high humidity climate – Moderate external temperatures. †¢ Concerns which are had about the careful detailing which can be required. †¢ Poor thermal resis tance – The need for external walls to require additional insulation. †¢ Not all soil types are appropriate importation of soil for a rammed earth construction will significantly detract from its environmental credentials. The Quality control required for rammed earth constructions is quite high. †¢ Moisture movement can be caused by high clay content. †¢ The UK has few modern examples of rammed earth buildings – relatively untested in this climate – comparative to other countries. †¢ There are currently no UK codes of practice on rammed earth construction. †¢ Adding cement stabilisation can compromise its attributes as a sustainable material. †¢ It can be difficult to find insurance for rammed earth construction. It needs to be kept dry during construction which can result in the need for temporary roof structures. After construction this presents the needs for overhangs or on exposed sights structures to protect from prevailing el ements- can compromise aesthetics. †¢ People hungry construction. †¢ Some more high profile examples of rammed earth building in the UK have experienced problems e. g. the Eden project- over hangs were not big enough and the splash back of rainwater has eroded some of the facade. Reasons why rammed earth would be chosen over other materials It distinct appearance. †¢ Natural and readily available. †¢ It has a low embodied energy. †¢ Rammed earth is hygroscopic – due to high moisture mass – it will regulate humidity. †¢ Post demolition – unstabilised earth is reusable. †¢ Supports sustainable practices by using local soils. †¢ High Thermal mass – though the extent of which has yet to be quantified. †¢ Airtight construction is achievable. †¢ It can be considered a traditional form of construction. †¢ Modern methods have and continue to be widely tried and tested overseas. An integrity of building is exp ressed which is often lacking nowadays. †¢ Expression of cultural conditions. †¢ Acoustic properties- its dry density (pd) is typically 2,100 kg/m3 therefore the weighted sound reduction index (Rw) would be 58. 3dB [1] and thus more than satisfies Building regulations (2000), Doc E Resistance to the Passage of Sound. Other considerations when Using rammed earth Rammed earth is hygroscopic, therefore external cladding systems must be vapour permeable to allow for evaporation.Important for unstabilised walls and less so for stabilised walls where stabilising agents will impair breathing, still it is better to consider vapour permeable solutions for both instances to reduce chances of condensation build up on the inside face of insulation. Water resistance the need to keep the structure dry post construction is done in various ways, large overhangs, plinths upon which the wall is constructed, rendering or cladding to the facade- these options will affect the structures sustai nability, look and thermal mass.A comparison between the calculated U-values for both ‘conventional' masonry and Stabilised rammed Earth wall designs [pic][2] Rammed earth as a sustainable material CO2 Emissions are greatly reduced with the use of rammed earth, as opposed to cement which due to the need for burning limestone produces CO2 contributing about 10% of the global CO2 emissions. Rammed earth taking soil from the site not using a stabiliser is the most sustainable method; however the addition of a cement stabiliser is common practice and considered to reduce considerably the risk and uncertainty, cement is used making up 6-7% of the mix.The embodied energy is low- its inherent recyclability and reduction of CO2 during the structures lifetime, high thermal mass and low operating costs. If the clay can be sourced from site, and is suitable then it eliminates all transportations cost. If the clay is not so suitable, then a stabiliser of cement can be added. If the soil o n site is not at all suited for a rammed earth construction then clay can be transported to site- however both of these options will compromise the environmental integrity of the building, the latter of which doing so quite considerably.Also due to the need for rammed earth to be kept dry at all times during construction there can be a need for temporary roof structures to keep the rain away, this will therefore impact its sustainability. Depending also on what type of shuttering is used can lead to waste, for e. g. timber shutter although can be reused, its reuse is limited as it will become saturated from the moisture in the clay. Thermal Performances, Rammed earth has a high thermal mass – walls will naturally regulate both the internal temperature spaces, and can also regulate the temperatures of external spaces such as courtyards.Energy required to heat and cool a building can be greatly reduced if rammed earth is designed into the heating system, however the UK requires the addition of either internal or external insulation, this aside from affecting the aesthetic of either facade it is fixed to, will compromise the thermal mass of the adjacent space. Structural Performance, whilst the structural strength and stiffness is compromised with increased waster content, if designed correctly and waterproofing measure taken then rammed earth is perfectly capable of acting as a load bearing structure.Rammed earth which is imported in not only contribute to the cost and environmental issue of transportation, it also leaves a scar on the landscape as it is being taken from elsewhere, e. g. a quarry, even if this is later turned into some sort of nature reserve it is still leaving a permanent change to this landscape. Insulation – in the UK there are few examples of rammed earth combining insulation, most contemporary walls are unclad, but there is an increased need for insulation to be used in conjunction with the thermal mass of the walls. |Advanta ges |disadvantages | |External Insulation |Walls protected from weathering |Loss of characteristic appearance | | |Exposed thermal mass internally |Loss of thermal mass externally- which is | | | |sometimes used to regulate temperatures of | | | |spaces such as courtyards | | | | | |Internal Insulation |External appearance is maintained |Loss of available thermal mass. | | | |Internal appearance compromised | [pic][3][pic][4] Weather protection †¢ Weather needs to be drained away from walls †¢ Construction upon raised footings †¢ Avoidance of sites vulnerable to flooding †¢ Protecting wall from rain using adjoining elements e. g. roof overhangs †¢ Allow evaporation of moisture from walls †¢ Onsite which are considerably exposed there is a need to consider rain screen cladding or render. Construction Week AimsThe aim of the work we did within the workshop was to question the building processes as a whole, by means of both small and large scale prototypes , to push the presumed limitations of a material and its formwork, to not just accept, that rules have been predetermined, but to push for innovation. As we studied, the idea of the â€Å"builders yard† allows for just this, meaning a material can be taken and experimented with, in a specific location which possesses the same limiting factors as the actual site e. g. Climate and resources, and test particular means of creating the desired construction before doing so, it is a hub for construction in the area- encouraging risk by means of experimentation rather than out casting it.The advantages of such an idea are that when a material can be experimented with it allows for greater understanding and judgment of its limitation- rather than acceptance of existing limitations, and therefore systems of constructing and spatial relationships can be explored. The community have a personal knowledge of the neighbourhood its character and needs, they are given the power to modify and contribute to it, their personal attachment means, as workmen they have a continued responsibility to the changes which occur with building in the area as well as maintenance of them. The people who work together within the builder’s yard understand and achieve better quality meaningful results; the workmen are uniquely and specifically educated, and the buildings produced are, unlike much of the current construction possess a humane quality, a warm character.The focus on the act of making allows for and evolution and a subsequent greater understanding of everything involved in the construction and about the materials. By making the rammed earth wall within the studio we were pushing the boundaries of predetermined limitations, re-examine the architectural production of rammed earth, and coming up with our own unique response. We explored the possible use of fabric formwork by means of making and testing prototypes on a small scale and then on progressively larger scales we s ee how it uniquely responds to specific methods thus learning learn how the material and structure can better work together, creating a successful wall with fluid innovative shapes, with lower embodied energy.Whilst making our wall every element was specifically made and tested and altered, until the best result were achieved, for example we experimented a lot with the sizes of our buttons, trying to get them to sufficiently restrain the wall –without damaging it when removing them, we were fortunate to stumble upon a size which not only did the job we required but more. This scenario is similar to what happens in the builder’s yard; it is this experimentation –and risk taking which leads to the discovery and sometimes unexpected discovery of innovative solution and inventions. There can be other factors, such as keeping cost down driving the invention of new materials and components. [pic] [pic] [pic] Prototype IAs a group did we met with Roland for a quick bri efing on what direction we should take for our rammed earth wall, he suggested that we should first sit down together and come up with some ideas and sketches to make some prototypes, and that we should also sort out the earth so that it would be ready for when we begin construction. We discussed some ideas about what sort of shaped wall we would like to achieve, including some over ambitious ideas of constructing the walls then flipping it! We agreed we wanted to design a wall to incorporate a curve, a variation in thickness of the wall from bottom to top. We divided into three groups and set about coming up with a design each and building a prototype to text these ideas. Once the earth and fabric had been sorted we each returned to our prototypes, and began to each work out and start making our frame work. Our group decided to make a framework by cutting a .Semi Lunar shape to incorporate some variation in thickness throughout the wall the . Assembling a frame to which we could pi n the fabric to at intervals after each period of . Ramming. The Idea was that one side of the wall would be taut and quite flat and the . other we would periodically place round ties to restrain the wall and create an undulating shape to it. [pic][pic][pic] Basic framework Difficulties with attaching fabric and supporting threads Excessive budging over buttons. Issues highlighted by Prototype 1: †¢ First of all we needed to add further supports as the structure was not as stable as hoped. Tight spaces need to re-think to consider a pneumatic rammer fitting inside the formwork/ framework. †¢ The way the formwork was constructed some of the supports hindered the pinning of the fabric to wood. †¢ The button and tie system we used was not as successful as we hoped- we believed this to be down to the size of the wooden buttons being too small in diameter , which resulted in them become stuck under the overhanging rammed earth and were difficult to remove without causing d amage to the wall. They did not restrain the width of the wall much either, this was also partly due to us leaving the thread too long. Also initially we put on the ties without the wooden disc which resulted in a serious overhang. When we were ramming the earth we did so by hand, using some pieces of wood with flat ends, the highlighted another problem-as due to the way the framework was constructed we had a piece of wood running across the top we made manoeuvring a piece of wood let alone a pneumatic rammer difficult. †¢ Despite having made a definite shape in the base board, to influence the shape of the wall- it in reality had no effect as the fabric took its own shape. †¢ The need to be taught correctly how to mix the earth and test it. †¢ The need to not put too much earth in at each layer as the lower down parts were not getting properly compressed [pic] [pic] Prototype IIThis prototype consisted of 3 wooden sides and a wooden base cut with a curve the fabric w as then pinned to the front and around the curve – the idea being that pinning the fabric to the curved base would create a curved facade. However this prototype was pretty unsuccessful – it suffered structural issues and was not strong enough to withstand the pressure of the rammed earth inside, as it was simply nailed together. The fabric also failed to restrain the form of the wall and budged with little shape. Another issue was that as this prototype required a wooden base beneath it, -not so practical! – In reality this would be likely to make the wall less structurally sound- and would be pretty impossible to remove as a rammed earth wall is extremely heavy. In conclusion this wall was a failure. [pic] SOIL TESTING [pic]Compressing the soil then dropping from arms length away. EARTH PREPARATION Whilst making the first prototype our earth was not of the correct consistency – which resulted in our wall crumbling a bit. We had used the earth which we h ad moved indoor on day one – we added some water to the clay- thinking this would help the earth-stick and compact better. It wasn’t until Rowland came on the 3rd day and was able to tell us immediately, the mistakes we had made, and then showed us the correct for mixing, preparing and testing the earth. We broke down our prototypes returning the earth to the pile and also broke down the previous year’s pillars so the soil could be recycled. [pic] [pic]At first we used the pneumatic rammer to break down these pillars- this was also our first encounter with using the pneumatic rammer, so we learned some general things about using it – safety precautions with turning it on and off, how it must be held, and despite having identified issues of safety in our risk assessment – not many precautions were taken – wearing of safety clothing/boots/goggles. We then began to break it up further using shovels and spades- a lot of dust had been created by this process so we got buckets of water and using bottles threw water over the earth and clay. Once it had all been broken down we began to mix it altogether whilst adding water at the same time. The earth needed to be constantly moved and shovelled – thoroughly so that it’s would be of the same consistency throughout. When the appearance of the mix changed and seemed to be getting close to what we wanted – it looked darker and less dry and dusty, we began to testing it.To test the soil we picked up a handful – squeezed it tightly between both hands, then holding it at arm’s length away from the body- arm held straight – dropped the earth from this height and if it broke into 3 main pieces then we would know that it was ready to ram. It took several testing remixing / adding extra moisture attempts before we did get the earth just right. We also needed to continue testing the earth as over the days it could dry out – so we regularly m ixed the soil and tested it adding water when necessary. PROTOYPE III On the third day, when Rowland came and saw each of our sub groups prototypes. He was able to give us feedback, and give us some explanation to why some things had occurred which we hadn’t expect. In our prototype the spacing of the buttons presenting some issues, as did the several elements of the framework.As a group with the help of Rowland we began work on another prototype, again involving a curve, this time a more defined one with the hope it would have an impact on the shape of the wall. This time however we were to make are formwork as minimal as possible. At first we used just two pieces of wood placed either side of the fabric, and at the other end we used thread to sew it up. Sewing a few inches at a time, to make manoeuvring the pneumatic rammer easier. It was then decided we would place a piece of timber at one end-to achieve a flat surface. We spaced the buttons further apart from each other a nd more evenly spaced. We made planned the wall so it would be 1. 5m long but due to the excess budging which occurred it was approx 1. 2m in length and 1. m high, we positioned 3 rows of 2 button / thread equally spaced. Also when with the previous prototype when we placed the threads simply did so and then proceeded to ram the earth, however this presented a problem when it came to trying to remove then- it was really not possible to remove then without serious damage to the wall occurring. So to avoid this problem, we used some plastic tubing, through which the threads would sit, this would allow use to remove the threads and re use them again within the same wall. When using these we had to be careful whilst ramming and not hit or cause excess pressure on the threads as they could break or bend. [pic][pic][pic][pic]Tubing covering Threads Button buckling under pressure sewing of one side wooden panel at other side When ramming the wall we added a few inches of earth at a time, m aking sure that it was even first then rammed it until it compressed down and then added the next layer- it is quite a long process. It was necessary to ram the edges first keeping the rammer moving at all times moving from the edges inwards, ramming around the thread/tubes until it was at a point where enough earth was above the thread it was safe to ram on top. This prototype was largely successful the few things were again highlighted which we would resolve within the final piece.Again something highlighted by the buttons; was that because of the way we made them- 75mm diameter, bigger than in the first prototype, but they were made using thinner wood than before and due to the pressure of the rammed earth above the buttons- they had actually buckled and bent. This however was a positive thing as they both allowed them to be removed easily-and without damaging the wall, and also created a nice effect on the wall aesthetically. [pic] [pic]Final Wall We had been quite successful in our final prototype so our intention was pretty much scale this up for our final wall. We began by cutting a piece of timber to create a hole sized 1. m by 300mm, to which the fabric which we had cut 4m x 2. 2m was then pinned to the underside of the piece of wood- to keep it in place and restrained during ramming. We used on piece timber 2m x 300mm on one end which we nailed to the fabric and base board at One end, to achieve our flatter surface, and on the other end, we used the method of sewing to create a more curvaceous crafted appearance. The fabric was sewn at intervals, approx 30mm at a time. The Earth which we had prepared as outlined- in Earth preparation, had 2-3 people constantly working to keep its consistency and moisture content even, and at interval shovel it into the structure.Earth was filled and evened out at approx 15mm at a time and then rammed and compressed down. Two people were needed to ram at all times, with 2-3 supporting people, holding material, and als o as we got higher and higher- needed to help hold and steel the pneumatic rammer as it became more and more difficult with height. The process of ramming would begin once the earth had been levelled, begging at edges and moving systematically towards the centre, taking care when approaching the plastic tubes containing the treads and attached to the buttons- directly ramming above them could cause them to bend and distort the shape and support they gave.At 350-400mm vertical spacing’s buttons and threads were attached, piercing the fabric with a knife to create a hole through which the threads within their plastic tubes were placed, to the end of these on the exteriors of the fabric were placed the buttons, which were had cut 75mm in diameter using a piece of thin piece of wood approx 7mm thick. These buttons, along with supporting washers and bolt could later be removed along with the actual thread, and reused. The buttons etc were placed at 300mm horizontal intervals. The Spacing was determined from out prototype as the best spacing to create enough support, least uncontrolled bulging, without over restraining the structure.This added the restraint of the wall, the crafting of curvaceous shapes and ease of removal of components. The making of the wall comprised of adding earth the earth then ramming and repeating this process until 350-400mm height was achieved, then addition of the threads and buttons and repeating again until we reached 2m height. All the while we also were constantly maintaining and controlling the earth consistency by turning, adding moisture and regularly testing as explained earlier. As we reached higher –more people were required to aid the steering and supporting of the pneumatic rammers, but as we had less soil we were able to sacrifice people from this.In reality on a larger scale project this may not be a solution that could work, however as our means of reaching higher and higher was a series of standing on chairs and then tables and even some risque chairs on table, this would definitely not happen on a real site as it would most certainly be violating all sorts of health and safety rules, adequate scaffolding would be used and people the people working on ramming and earth maintenance would remain constant. Once the wall had been rammed until the top and almost all of our soil supply had been used, we were able to take down the fabric formwork, which took comparatively little time to assembly and construction. We unscrewed the buttons removing them which care†¦ just in case†¦. hey had in the same way with the prototype buckled under the strain and had curved round so once removed left a beautiful perfectly ball like shape, and we quite easy to removing, causing no damage to the structure, after that we cut the fabric to remove it, it was very easy on the side with the wood, coming away leaving a very flat surface, on the other side, some more care was taken not to damage the impri nt of the sewing, though more care was taken than was probably needed- the deceptively soft look of the wall made one think it might just crumble away, which was of course not the case, it was more delicate at edges such at the ends that were sewn, but very durable. The only part of the wall which really presented any issues when removing the fabric was the bottom, of course the fabric pinned beneath could not be removed, but as the wall had bulged over the wooden base trapping fabric below, we had to cut around the bulges leaving fragments of the fabric stuck beneath- it was just impossible to remove, but they were not noticeable after edges were trimmed, and neither affected the strength or overall appearance of the wall.The only implication if would have in real building sites would the amount of fabric salvaged from each construction would be less , and whilst it could be reused, the size of fabric over time would shrink and shrink. [pic] The changes to the design we did make fr om our previous prototype were: †¢ We discarded the idea of incorporating the curve as in every attempt so far had been unsuccessful, having no affected on the shape of the wall. So we simply cut a straight rectangular shape into our baseboard. †¢ Rather than having two pieces of wood either side of the fabric then bolted together and the piece of timber then placed inside the piece, we used the one piece of wood at one end and attached the fabric to that. As the wall was going to be longer we would be using 3 button / threads per row and having 4 rows We stuck with the method of sewing up the other side as it had been quite successful in the last wall, however in the final wall throughout the process of ramming it became apparent that it was leaning quite a bit particularly at the top of the wall- as can be seen in the final photograph. [pic]FINAL WALL [pic] Conclusion During the course of construction we learned a lot about building with rammed earth. Before this week I believed that building the wall would be a lot more complicated than it actually is, and I found it fascinating at how much could be achieved with some Fabric, thread, very little wood, some buttons and some earth!It was interesting the affect that the stitching, buttons and wood had on the wall- a very unique finish could be achieved and the structure was so strong and solid despite of it looking much like a giant cushion. The first thing we did in preparation for construction week was our risk assessment- however despite highlighting various precautionary measures we should take – in reality we took almost none. However I think that the risk assessment was still quite accurate in assessing the risk it was wrong not to observe the suggested measures. We did at times wear goggles when the dust simply made it impossible to see what we were doing when ramming, and we did take great care when using the ramming equipment as its use carried the most danger. But in the end I think fashion won out over the use of goggles, masks, boots and gloves.The Buttons which we used were probably the most successful thing that came out of our construction week. Although by complete accident. Because we had used a thinner piece of wood for our buttons in the final prototype when we rammed the wall – the buttons buckled under the pressure and at first we thought that this was another failure, but in the end it turned out this worked in our favour- they were easy to remove without damaging the wall, but also gave a very clean nice rounded indentation- success! [pic][pic] [pic] The Rammed Earth wall and construction methods we used differs from the conventional way in which a rammed earth wall is made by using fabric as formwork as opposed to wood or metal as is the norm.Within UEL the students and staff are pioneering the use of fabric formwork with rammed earth – which has otherwise been left unexplored as a method. In previous year in UEL students and staff h ave also experimented with fabric to make rammed earth columns. The use of fabric in other construction methods such as concrete has been successful, well received and used more and more in various new and innovative ways. The wall which we built was largely a success in all aspects of shape, height, strength and texture. Making it very possible that this project, could lead the way for further use of fabric formwork within the field of rammed earth constructions.It has been proven successful and there is no reason that this method could not be adopted as a viable means of construction in mainstream rammed earth constructions. The Reasons why constructing a rammed earth wall using fabric is better than current method are numerous: ? Sustainability ? The use of low embodied energy rammed in conjunction with fabric resulted in an ultra ecological combo. ? The fabric can be used and reused, as can the buttons and threads ? Beauty ? Sculpted texture created when using fabric can be quit e desirable, and will be depending upon specific fabric choice ? The Positioning of the buttons will also impact upon the finished appearance. The effect achieved with our wall was that of a large cushion As there are fewer limitations on the size of fabric which can be used as there are when using wood – where marks from joints are unavoidable. ? Rapid construction and deconstruction of formwork. ? Fewer things are needed to construct a wall when using fabric, so in principle this method could be used in obscure locations where communications are poor, as transpiration would not pose as much of a problem as it would if using heavy –bulky formwork, provided of course the earth could be found on site. ? Expense –Fabric is less expensive than conventional formwork, fabric formwork is approx 1/25th [5] the cost of dimensional lumber ? Less Weight- weighting approx 1/300th[6] of rigid formwork. There are too, reasons why using fabric formworks may not be favoured. ? Manpower The way in which we constructed our wall required people to do various different things simultaneously, ramming, holding the fabric to keep it tense, shovelling the earth into the wall, turning the soil to maintain moisture consistency. In general at any one time we required 7-8 people so building on a larger scale could present issues of number of people required. Although alternative method of turning the soil or holding the fabric could be adapted. ? Appearance ? The fabric restrained appearance may not be appropriate to the design and desired look. ? Height restrictions ? Whilst there are no specific height restrictions associated with fabric form work- it is an aspect of this construction method- yet to be explored fully- our wall was just less than 2m, what would happen when the height would be increased?Would there be significant implication affecting thickness of the wall? Budging is not as controlled with fabric as with wooden formwork. One of the great things I s aw from our construction week was working together with a set of people for one week for a common goal- we achieved so much, learning from each other sharing ideas and testing them, One can really see how this is in some small way how the builders yard idea must function, and therefore I would believe it to be a really successful idea. If a small group of people in one week can create this unique rammed earth wall- then communities of people working together on projects of greater long-term significance to them i. e. heir homes their neighbourhood the places they will spend their lives, with such vested interested interests, and working on larger scales over longer periods should be creating all sorts of innovative building techniques, materials and components. Bibliography Buildings of Earth and Straw: structural design for Rammed Earth and Straw; Bruce King Introduction to health and safety in Construction; P. Hughes Martin Rauch: Rammed Earth; Kapfinger, Otto Rammed Earth: Design and Construction guidelines; Peter Walker, Rowland Keable Rammed Earth Structures: a code of justice; Julian Keatle The Architect – Builder The rammed earth house / Photographs by Cynthia Wright; David EastonTS Intuition & Process; Peter Salter Essay: Re-viewing the builder’s yard as a place for design and Visualization; Charlie Hailey, Ph. D. www. eartharchitecture. org/ www. earthstructures. co. uk www. greenspec. co. uk www. historicrammedearth. co. uk www. historicrammedearth. wordpress. com www. listserv. repp. org/pipermail/greenbuilding www. rammed-earth. info www. rammedearth. davis. net. au www. terrafirmabuilders. ca ———————– [1] http://www. earthstructures. co. uk/feature_sra_amended. pdf [2] http://www. earthstructures. co. uk/feature_sra_amended. pdf [3] www. greenspec. co. uk [4] www. greenspec. co. uk [5] www. fab-form. com [6] www. fab-form. com

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Exploring an Object - Essay Example Description: My grandfather’s weapon is a doubled barreled, semi-automatic CZ-USA Sporting Shotgun, which uses â€Å"ammunition of 12 or 20 gauges† and best suited for hunting, which is one of his most favorite hobbies (CZ-USA Shotguns 17). It is capable of firing both lead as well as steel pellets. With walnut wood gunstock and fore end, and â€Å"checkering† on its â€Å"gripping surfaces, it acquires a sleek outlook. The components of the â€Å"barreled action† are prepared in â€Å"construction steel† with the protection of â€Å"alkaline oxidation† on the surface (17). Its comfortable grip enables it to be balanced in both hands and it is easy to aim and shoot. Besides, the weapon facilitates best results even on the occasions of instinctive firing. Similarly, its trigger pull weight is low, and it possesses a high accuracy of fire, apart from having a â€Å"long service life and â€Å"high reliability† (17). The brown wood with a silver patch and the metallic steel barrels offer it an elegant look and render it a remarkable grace. (Image Source: CZ USA Shotguns 17) Formal Analysis: While normally people perceive a gun as merely a weapon, the fact remains that it connotes to concepts far beyond notions of an object of destruction. It represents class and power as well as emulates the emotion of pride in the person who possesses the equipment. Therefore, makers of gun pay meticulous attention in its design and visual appeal. The design of my grandfather’s shotgun illustrates these concepts and much beyond. Its whole structure and design inspires awe in the beholders’ eyes and the elongated barrel offers an impression of its muzzle power. The firearm’s heel is broader, which tapers down to its toe to a slightly pointed shape. Similarly, the stock is designed with a sharp slant upwards to the grip, while the grip is shaped to offer maximum comfort to the shooter when firing from the weapo n. In addition, the checkered design on the grip offers it great charm in close up besides providing extra firmness to the hold while gripping the weapon. The fore-end is also made in brown walnut wood, with the same checkered texture as in the case of the grip, to offer better hold on the weapon while firing from it. The magazine loading port is rendered in silver color, thus providing a contrast with the brown stock and base of the magazine tube. Similarly, the barrel done in metallic steel also compliments the color and appearance in full alignment with the stock and fore-end. The upper barrel is lined with steel grids, which give its design a three dimensional effect apart from providing it more sleekness. Further the elongated and rather narrow barrel best fits the athletic appeal of a sporting gun as well as renders it uniqueness from similar weapons. This object falls in the category of functional art, which envisages the concept that a piece of functional art is beautiful be cause of its â€Å"exquisite functionality† (Cairo xx). Thus, it can be construed that since the weapon serves a purpose and has functionality as a firearm, it needs to be categorized as functional art. Similarly, Cairo (2013) further clarifies that the ability to visualize is a tool and, therefore, functional art is a device, the aim of which is to â€Å"help an audience complete certain tasks† (23). Thus, it transpires that an object that serves a purpose falls in the cate