Texting while driving should be illegal

Introduction Texting while one is driving can be defined as that act whereby one sends, reads, emails or composes text messages through the mobile phone while at the same time operating a motor vehicle (Ishigami Klein 157).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Texting while driving should be illegal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the onset of modern day technology, individuals are now in a better position to communicate easily with others despite their busy schedules, regardless of where they are or what they may be doing at that particular time. This habit of texting while driving has been perceived by majority of individuals and authorities as being dangerous (McCartt 1). From recent studies that have been conducted, it has been revealed that approximately 9 out of 10 American citizens aged between 18 years and 36 years hold the same belief that texting while driving is distracting as well as risky (Beede K ass 415). In addition, approximately 66% of American adults have been observed to email or read text messages from their mobile phones while driving to their various destinations. Essay As much as majority of American individuals and the rest of the world may agree that texting while driving is not only distracting but also dangerous, there are a few individuals who may argue that texting while driving should be made legal. When SMS, also known as Short Message Service was introduced in the cellular phone industry, it immediately became evident that it should be considered as a danger as far as road safety is concerned (McCartt 3). To consider both sides of the coin, it is wise to state a few advantages and disadvantages of texting while driving. As aforementioned, the cellular phone, better known as the mobile phone has brought about numerous luxuries and conveniences that make it sufficient for everyday individual activities (Ishigami Klein 158). Those arguing that texting while driving should be made legal suggest that the younger generation, that is, those between the ages of 18 years to 36 years are better able to use a mobile phone and thus are considered better texters as compared to the older generation, those aged between 40 years and above (Beede Kass 416). This is because those of the older generation did not grow up using such technology unlike the younger ones who have been brought up having learned to use the cellular phones at an early age. On the other hand, one of the disadvantages of texting while driving is because of its sole reason of creating a distraction for that particular individual thus making them not to pay full attention to the road ahead or the various road signs along the way (Beede Kass 417).Advertising Looking for essay on law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Texting while driving should be made illegal. To begin with, it has been observed from recent studies that hav e been conducted that majority of American citizens are in complete agreement that texting while one is driving should be banned as it is the leading cause of numerous road accidents that could have been avoided (Ishigami Klein 159). An example is given of an individual who was on his way to Seattle and happened to take his eyes off the road in order to scan an email on his mobile phone (McCartt 5). In that very second, he hit a Mazda that was in front of him, which in turn clipped a green Honda that rammed into a Toyota, before spinning into the opposite lane (Ishigami Klein 159). It then plowed into a city bus that was moving in the opposite direction. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt from the incident. However, this is just one of the many accidents that have been caused due to texting while driving, some of which have led to either serious injuries to the parties involved or even death (Beede Kass 418). A few states in American are now proposing bills that would ensure f ining of drivers if caught texting while driving (McCartt 11). Current laws as concerns road safety only allow law enforcement officers to pull over drivers who have been caught texting while driving if they have committed another law as well as far as road safety is concerned. If these bills are accepted, approved and passed, law enforcers will pull over drivers caught texting while driving even if no other law has been committed (Beede Kass 420). In the states of New Jersey, Washington, Virgin Islands and California, laws banning the use of cellular phones while driving are already being implemented. Those found violating this law are fined up to $100. Conclusion In order for texting while driving to become illegal, governments as well as societies in general need to contribute to the implementation of policies and laws set forth for this reason. For instance, parents should clearly state the consequences involved as concerns breaking the law while driving as this has been observ ed to be a major contributor in the prevention of unnecessary road accidents. The older generation or adults should be a good example for the younger ones through reinforcement of good driving habits as well as praising their efforts in doing what is right under the road safety laws and regulations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Texting while driving should be illegal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Beede, Kristen E. and Kass, Steven J. â€Å"Engrossed in Conversation: The Impact of Cell Phones on Simulated Driving Performance.† Accident Analysis Prevention. 2006. Pp. 415 – 421. Ishigami, Yoko and Klein, Raymond M. â€Å"Is a Hands-free Phone Safer than a Handheld Phone?† Journal of Safety Research, 40. 2009. Pp. 157 – 164. McCartt, Anne T. Driven to Distraction: Technological Devices and Vehicle Safety. Arlington, Va: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 2009. Pp. 1 – 15. This essay on Texting while driving should be illegal was written and submitted by user Angelica J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay

An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay During student years, we have to face multiple tasks, which differ in complexity, style and guidelines. However, a 500-word essay is probably one of the most common tasks you will ever face, so you need to be ready to complete it not depending on the subject. Some students call it the simplest assignment, while others consider a punishment. However, we are ready to calm everyone: following a few simple rules, you will easily master this task and will be able to complete such an essay without any problems. The only secret is that you need to write on a topic you understand and provide your personal opinion on the subject. However, even if you know the topic, you might have no time or lack inspiration. You may also miss a few classes and find it difficult to keep up with all the tasks. In such a case, you can turn to a professional writing service or try to complete a 500-word essay on your own, following our guidelines. Mastering all the tips and having a few examples will definitely save lots of your time and will guarantee high grades. Everything you need to know to complete a 500-word essay Here are the main tips and advice, which you need to consider to complete the assignment in the best possible way: Write an outline. It will be much easier to complete an essay if you have an overall idea of what to write about. Add various points or hints to remember what you were going to discuss. It doesn’t mean that you need to stick to your outline without making any changes along the way; Start with telling the reader about the main idea of your essay, its background, discussed questions and possible results. Make this section as interesting as possible to encourage the audience to go on reading. Remember that using complicated sentences and boring language may make the reader want to put aside your essay; Body paragraphs. This section will require your maximum attention, as you need to provide all the information on the topic. Don’t forget to provide reliable information, backed with facts, data and various visual elements to make the whole essay interesting and easy to read; Closing thoughts always have a great value, as they are a combination of all of your thoughts and ideas. Here you need to summarize everything you have concluded and provide your predictions for the future. In addition, you can always write down something challenging to make the reader want to think on the topic; Personal style. The best part of any essay is that we all have our unique writing style and the way we master words reflects our personality and outlook on life. That is why the best advice will be to adjust your style to the topic. If it is a descriptive essay, be brief and straight to the point. If you need to be creative, spice up your paper with humor and colors! Check the paper. After completing the essay, put it aside and take some time to rest. Later you can go through it again, fixing all the mistakes. Another useful advice is to look at the paper as if you are a reader. Make sure your essay is easy to read and interesting, not complicated with heavy sentences and structures; Avoid plagiarism. Your professor will easily find out that you have used side sources to complete an essay. It doesn’t mean that you need to have fresh ideas for everything. However, you can use quotes and mentioning without pretending you have written everything on your own. All these tips are universal and you can apply them not depending on the task: a 500-word essay, a research paper or any other assignment. Moreover, you can use your writing skills to make additional money during student years and complete academic assignments for others! What can be easier to change lives of other students, using our simple and effective tips?

Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized - Essay Example The essay "Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized" discusses the legalization of marijuana. Marijuana is a type of medicine which is used in several nations from ancient periods. From the viewpoint of prescription, marijuana is illegal in the USA because it is used as a drug, and has been traditionally associated with harmful narcotics. Presently, marijuana is considered as an unlawful element at the national level and is registered in the U.S. â€Å"Controlled Substances Act†, but marijuana can be effectively used for health benefits. Several surgeons and medical investigation specialists conveyed that marijuana can be used as remedies for certain health related problems. Marijuana can rouse hunger and is useful for biliousness. Besides, marijuana is also useful for cure of glaucoma. By any extent of the rational investigation, marijuana can carefully be used under an administered routine of medical care. Legalizing marijuana can also decrease the offense linked with the drug busi ness. The main reason is that unlike other drug markets, the market for marijuana produces a comparatively lesser number of criminal offenses. In comparison with other drug affected criminals, the marijuana affected criminals represent offensive activities below 10% for infringement of drug law. If marijuana is utilized as a drug, then legalization of it might decrease the crime related to alcohol. Besides, through marijuana legalization, there is a possibility that police officers will be able to focus more on the other crimes.

Parents Response Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parents Response Reflection - Essay Example In answering the questions of the parents, I believe that I should be armed with the thorough knowledge and understanding of these preset standards in order to provide them with an adequate and accurate comprehension of their children's development. I choose to base this reflection in the national standard in science from grades K to four which can be downloaded at EducationWorld.com and is attached as an appendix. According to this standard, these grade levels should be able to grasp seven concepts of understanding: science as inquiry; physical science; life science; earth and space science; science and technology; personal and social perspectives; and history of nature and science. It should be noted that these concepts should be thoroughly taught by the teacher through the use of different activities, techniques, and communication style which are suitable to the age and level of understanding of students. Teaching science is one of the most interesting and equally challenging tasks of a teacher who is handling children at very young ages. In answer to the parent's question of how his child is performing inside the classroom, it is very much important to consider the preset standards against the perceived understanding, reception, participation, and output of the student. The child's performance should of course be in consideration with his age and the performance of his peers. It should be noted that a six year old child cannot be expected to memorize the entire periodic table or name all the bones in the body. Thus, the performance should be based on his ability and knowledge acquired from attending the classes. A good measure of a student's performance will be his grades in activities like recitations, quizzes, examinations, and home works. All of these should be mentioned to the parents in order to them to generate an adequate level of understanding on their children's performance . Another measure will be to compare the performance of the child to his classmates. This will give an idea the development of the child with his age group. The question of how I am helping the child to meet the national standards should reflect my recognition of the differing needs of each student and how I specifically tailor my teaching style in order to accommodate these differences. It will also be very important to highlight the various activities which are provided to the class in order for them to readily grasp an understanding of the concepts which are taught. For example, lectures are important but this will rather be boring for small children. Thus, they should be complemented with simple experiments, exercises, field trips, among others. Experiments will allow students to unlock the scientific concepts through firsthand experience while making them familiar with the process that scientists need to conduct first in order to validate their claims. In addition to these explanations, it will also be important to stress the difference of each child and how their specific needs are being met. In my experience, students learn at their own pace which is usually different from their peers. Also, some students learn through different techniques and circumstances. Thus, there is a need to have various activities and teaching techniques which will benefit everyone. In

The Influence of the Age of Enlightenment Essay Example for Free

The Influence of the Age of Enlightenment Essay The Age of Enlightenment is characterised by the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and America. During this time, developments in philosophy, science, art, religion, and politics occurred along with the growing doubt in the teachings of the Church and even the existence of God. Philosophers such as Descartes, Bacon, and Luther promoted the search for truth based on the application of human reason. In addition, correct method of reasoning was mostly applied in the sciences and mathematics to understand the world, and explain phenomena. Such reasoning may have led Darwin and his followers to the development of scientific world theories such as the evolution later on. Among the forerunners of the period, Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) characterised mans motives as reflections of his own pleasure and pain. He is most famous for his concept of the social contract which suggests that a society be run by a single ruler who controls everything and has power over every man, including their motives and impulses. In addition, John Locke (1632-1704) became very famous with his belief that the human mind is a tabula rasa or a black slate, which is opposed to the Puritan belief that each individual is born with original sin and is responsible for social injustice. Voltaire (1694-1778), a prominent French social critic, essayist, poet, playwright and philosopher during his time offered the society his views which later served as inspiration to the French revolutionists. In particular, his views on religion challenged the Catholic Church in claiming that the churchs dogmas are incorrect and misleading. He further believed that religion alone cannot save a man. His criticism of the French government in favor of its English counterpart led to his exile in 1734. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was also one prominent philosopher during the Age of Enlightenment. He attracted public attention with his rejection of conformity to the contemporary society. In doing so, he clearly pronounced his call for reformation in general. In particular, he upheld the moral and legal equality of man, the sovereignty of the people, and the authority of the general will'[1]. Further to the application of human reason, the period saw the rise of sceptics, encyclopedists, and deists who shaped the mindset of the people, and affected much their way of life, including the arts produced during the time. Visual artists of the 1700s were either preoccupied or limited to Rococo especially women who struggled much to establish their niche. Rococo paintings produced during this time often dealt with human and still life subjects, and emphasised airy grace and refined pleasure'[2] found in portrayal of beauty in delicate fabrics, jewelry, porcelains, etc. Also, wooded scenes, artful dances, women, and portraiture specially nude ones were very common. Among the renowned visual artists during this time was Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). In his works, we can note that the search of man for reason during this time was so intense. Specifically in Pierrot, we see the subject flanked by four other figures—the Doctor on his donkey, Là ©andre, Isabelle and the Capitaine'[3]which signify the relation of man with other individuals thus complementing his existence. Likewise, in his other paintings, we see the portrayal of the compete beauty and drama of life. Francis Boucher (1703-1770) dealt on pastoral subjects, and women including the Virgin and the goddess Venus. Although his works still mirror Italian influence, we can see the development of a reformation from the background of the subjects in his works. Jean Fragonard (1732-1806), another Rococo painter expressed vividly his times yearning for reason in that his subjects were seen to be either reading or writing. Also, his work, A Young Girl Reading is representative of the Baroque style that flourished after Rococo. The artists during the early 17th century mostly exhibited Italian influence and a lot of them dealt on   Greek mythology. However, from the backdrop of the paintings we studied, a foreshadowing of the neoclassical art could be established. Sculptors during the enlightenment include Jean Antoine Houdon (1741-1828) who was the best portrait sculptor of his time and perhaps of all time'[4]. His legacies include portraits of the most important figures in his time including Voltaire, George Washington, Diderot, Franklin, etc. Ideally representing his period were Houdons woks which reveal the very essential quality of man—his reason which we can note in   expression of his subjects—from the pupils of their eyes, the robustness of their chest, and the lines on their flesh. Overall, he focused on people as his subjects, and revealed eloquence and greatness expressed in brows, hair, and facial lines. In Flayed Man (1767), Houdon clearly shows us how the science of anatomy can be combined with arts. Neoclassicism gave way to the expression of reason, thus artists found more themes to express their views and style. Literary writings which emanated during this time include different genres such as prose, poetry, drama, novel, and exposition.   Among the said genres, the novel became the major literary vehicle for writers specially for women authors, first in France, then in England. In addition, Neoclassicism voiced the writers disdain for irrational customs and outworn institutions as evident in the satirical masterpieces of Candide (1759) and Voltaire. Among the essays produced during this time, satyrs were the most common, as writers constantly searched for ways to mirror the government and society. Philosophes flourished specially in France, with Charles de Montesquieu as one of the earliest representations of the movement. Also, a well known author was Alexander Pope who wrote   The Essay on Criticism (1711) in which he argued that a work must be evaluated according to the purpose it serves and the writers intention in it. Among the famous novels produced, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1659-1731) chiefly represents the ideals made popular by the philosophes during this period. Primarily, the idea of Hobbes of going back to the primitive life is shown, which is victoriously survived by the protagonist, the protest of Voltaire and other deists against religion, and the constant search for meaning as evident in Crusoes journey to the Indies. Other novels written include Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels, and Samuel Richardsons Clarissa. The famous names of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), and Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) occupy the music arena during this period. From the works of Bach to those of Beethoven, we can sense a transformation in style and form. The early classical works specifically those of Handel were mostly grand operas and cantatas, while those of his successors were mostly symphonies and piano concertos. Although a lot of famous artists were considerably men, the arts produced during the Age of Enlightenment also recognised the image of the women in the society. Along with this, the philosophers, writers, and critics of this time considered the situation of the middle class in their writings, and criticised slavery and oppression. The period saw the rise of reform in the attitude of the people, and gave birth to French revolution and other revolutionary theories. Bibliography Hackett, Lewis, The European Dream of Progress and Enlightenment, World History Centre, 1992, retrieved 6 December 2007,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://history-world.org/age_of_enlightenment.htm. Phelan, Joseph, Jean-Antoine Houdon: Sculptor of the Enlightenment, Artcyclopedia, 2003, retrieved 7 December 2007, http://www.artcyclopedia.com/feature-2003-06.html. Stein, Perrin, Franà §ois Boucher (1703–1770), Timeline of Art History, 2003, retrieved 7 December 2007, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bouc/hd_bouc.htm. Pioch, Nicolas, Watteau, Jean-Antoine, Webmuseum, 2002, retrieved 7 December 2007, http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/watteau/. Rempel, Gerhard, Age of Enlightenment,   Western New English College, 2000, retrieved 7 December 2007, http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc2/lectures/enlightenment.html. [1] L Hackett, The European dream of progress and enlightenment, World History Centre, 1992, retrieved 6 December 2007, http://history-world.org/age_of_enlightenment.htm. [2]  Ã‚  Ã‚   ibid. [3] N Pioch, Watteau, Jean-Antoine, Webmuseum, 2002, retrieved 7 December 2007, http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/watteau/. [4]   J Phelan, Jean-Antoine Houdon: sculptor of the enlightenment, Artcyclopedia, 2003 retrieved 7 December 2007, http://www.artcyclopedia.com/feature-2003-06.html.

Coleridge :: essays research papers

The Qualities of Writing I have come to notice through my coursework that writing well is a tool that everyone can benefit from. Good writers will tell of many occasions where their talent has earned them advancement; an advancement that comes not only in the job market but also for personal gratification. Fortunately, writing is a skill that can be both taught and practiced to where virtual perfection is reached. The many facets of writing can seem quite overwhelming to the novice. The two basic principles that stem good writing together are proper voice and thesis development. Nevertheless, Coleridge states, â€Å"If men would only say what they have to say in plain terms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Coleridge that people should not write beyond their limits because just being themselves can produce the best source of good writing Voice in a piece of writing can bring rewards like nothing else can. Voice can be termed as the key to getting the reader involved in an essay. Without it, the reader becomes passive and the essay cannot be comprehended. Most essays have the essential material, so the manner in which the material is presented can make a difference. When voice is properly executed, the reader can interact with the writing and make the necessary connections. When properly executed, voice is a logical facet of writing and leads to effective writing. The actual development of the thesis is yet another key to effective writing. The writing must adhere to what must be said. The thesis statement provides a basis for the essay; a basis for the reader. Once this is established, it must be developed throughout the paper. Coleridge is so often described as "explosive," and by all accounts he was at times an unusually dynamic, charismatic and unpredictable person.

Explore the significance of the past in the play “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” by Eugene O’Neill Essay

At the very start of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, O’Neill sets the scene for the theme of the past being integral to the play directly with the dedication to the love and tenderness of his wife – â€Å"†¦ which gave me the faith in love that enabled me to face my dead at last and write this play – write it with deep pity and understanding and forgiveness for all of the four haunted Tyrones.† This admittance that the play was written as a sort of autobiography, a partial re- telling of O’Neill’s personal history, means that it seems almost intrinsically connected to the past right from the beginning, the intimation from the author being that he wrote it as a form of catharsis in order to deal with the real events from his own life. Consequently the theme of the past is introduced before even the first Act has begun. The idea that he is ‘facing his dead’ is a particularly apt one as at the time of writing the play, the people upon whom its characters are based – O’Neill’s family – had all passed away some years before. His father, mother and elder brother Jamie are all portrayed in the same roles in the play as they had in real life, and with similar histories. The only alteration is that instead of the middle son being named Edmund, O’Neill changes the baby’s name to his own, and calls it Eugene, having the fictional Edmund take the place of himself within the family. The main way in which the characters seem constantly to trap themselves in the past is through their constant blaming of the present upon past events. There is nothing in the present to which they do not attribute any blame, and none of them in any way seem to blame themselves for what has happened to them, preferring instead to blame each other. Consequently none of their conversations can be held without somehow referring to the past, as it is the past upon which they have built their relationships with each other. The relationship between Tyrone and Jamie for example is one in which Jamie blames Tyrone for his miserliness with his money, which he believes is what led to his mother’s addiction to morphine, and her recent unhappiness which caused her to return to the drug. Tyrone blames his son for being an â€Å"evil-minded loafer†, and says thats’notes he is responsible both for making nothing of his own life, and also for leading Edmund astray. In fact, the blame for these character defects does not lie within Tyrone or Jamie as personalities, but rather with the circumstances which caused these traits. For Jamie, his alcoholism and cynicism are largely to do with his discovery of his mother’s drug addiction when he was younger – it is made clear that prior to this discovery, Jamie was talented and enthusiastic, excelling at school and clearly liked by many people. He himself admits that the event had a large bearing on his life in just the same way that he has resorted to alcohol in order to purge himself of the same sort of knowledge about Edmund – â€Å"Christ, I’d never dreamed before that any women but whores took dope! And then this stuff of you getting consumption. It’s got me licked†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Jamie’s cynicism clearly did not exist before he discovered that his mother used morphine, or at least not to the same degree, the fact that he’d ‘never dreamed’ of the idea effective in suggesting how completely distant it was from his mind – and therefore how different his mind must have been from its present s tate of suspicion. The circumstance precipitating Tyrone’s miserliness were similarly ones which he himself did not contrive – when he was only ten years old, his father abandoned the family and Tyrone was forced to go and find work, living a large part of his life in poverty. It is this which has made him so conservative with his money, and reluctant to expend more than is absolutely necessary, preferring to invest it in property, which he believes is the best way to keep it safe. The power of money over him is made particularly clear when the audience are told that, despite his obvious love of acting, he chose financial success over furthering his career, thereby ruining his chances of achieving his ultimate goals. This culture of blame without moving on from it, or attempting to understand the source of it is one of the key factors in preventing the family from escaping from their past – rather every event in the present is related back to some previous action or accusation, without any hope of ever resolving it. This is encapsulated in Mary’s comment â€Å"It’s wrong to blame your brother. He can’t help being what the past has made him. Any more than your father can. Or you. Or I.† – the idea that the whole family has been moulded by past events and cannots’notes move on from them permeates every conversation, as they each hold the other somehow responsible for what has occurred – and because they believe that they themselves should not be blamed for what they did, none of them will accept their portion of the responsibility, nor learn from what has happened. Throughout the play we see the same basic errors happening time and time again – the nature of the tendency of each character to continually place blame for the present on something which another did in the past means that the occurrences of the past are constantly being bought forward into the present, and because no character will accept their blame, there seems to be no way to move forward into a future which is not largely concerned with what has happened before. What this ultimately leads to is a past which is largely cyclical. As no character will relinquish their grip on the past and what has happened before, by accepting blame from it, or learning from it, the same problems and occurrences repeat themselves. For example, Mary resumes taking her morphine, just as she had done before, and despite seeing the same signs leading up to it as before, the family, with the exception of Jamie, remain blind to it for some time. Tyrone is continually cheated out of money by McGuire, whose questionable skills as a property realtor hardly ever yield any profit to Tyrone himself – and yet he does not learn from his past either, and continues to do the same thing at no gain to himself. Their sheer inability to take anything from the past, or to leave it alone, means that nothing in the play is occurring for the first time – in a way, everything about the present in which the Tyrones are living is also the past. A quote from Mary – â€Å"The past is the present, isn’t it? It’s the future, too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – is particularly fitting to explain the way in which they are living. The structure of the novel echoes this confusion of times – the play occurs all in the space of one day, and yet it deals with the problems both of the future and of the forty or so years previous. This idea that everything is simply a recurrence of something which has happened before -and what will continue to happen for the rest of time- is analogous to the title, in that everything could simply have happened in one â€Å"Long Day†, with the past, present and future simply merging into one twenty-four hour time periods’notes Living one’s life trapped in a repeating cycle of the past is not particularly conducive to being happy, as there is no real hope to look forward to when you are simply repeating the same things over and over again- as Jamie says, â€Å"†¦ weary roads is right. Get you nowhere fast. That’s where I’ve got-nowhere. Where everyone lands in the end, even if most of the suckers won’t admit it†, and so all of the characters have devised their own way of ‘escaping’, which controls the way in which they act throughout the play. For Jamie, the feeling that he hasn’t actually achieved anything because he has never been able to move on is something that he only finally admits to when drunk, but which reveals the sense of hopelessness he feels from being stuck in a loop. Slightly later in the play he confides to Edmund â€Å"I’d begun to hope, if she’d beaten the game, I could, too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – his hope that his mother had shrugged off her addiction, and that the future would no longer be a repetition of the past had been very important to him, as it offered a way out. However, that hope disappeared, and he resorted back to his usual escape of drinking alcohol, which is what he does for most of the duration of the play. Tyrone also drinks in order to escape the past, although unlike Jamie he also attempts to escape the repetition of the past by denying the fact that it is being repeated – he refuses to recognise Mary’s symptoms until they are undeniably obvious, preferring to believe her lies rather than admit to what is going on. In that respect, he is unlike Jamie, whose cynicism prevents him from being able to overlook things as he chooses. Mary, however, does not attempt to escape the past in the same way that Jamie and Tyrone do, but prefers, though the use of morphine, to escape the present and return to the happiest phase of her life, during the early years of her marriage to Tyrone and her time at the convent, playing the piano. Reminders of the present, such as her hands, which have become unsightly due to rheumatoid arthritis, appal her, and as the play progresses and the morphine takes her over more and more, she regresses further and further back into the past. Her reaction to this re-living of the past is to attempt to return to her favoured part of it. Edmund’s attempt to escape the past is most notable in that at one point, he actually did succeed – during his time sailing, he says that he â€Å"became drunk withs’notes the beauty and the singing rhythm of it, and for a moment I lost myself – actually lost my life. I was set free!†. The idea that he became ‘drunk’ with it alludes to Tyrone and Jamie’s drunken attempts to escape the past, although where they used alcohol, it seems that he used nature – he continues to refer to other occasions when he has felt free in a similar way, and all of them took place in a natural setting. For an audience, this liberation and sense of the natural world starkly contrasts with the three rooms and claustrophobic conversation in which the play is set, and so it is an excellent way to illustrate the total freedom which Edmund has attained. Edmund attempts to recreate this sensation by trying to express it through the use of poetry – however, he says that he will never truly be able to express it how he would like to, saying that even what he just said was just ‘stammering’. â€Å"Stammering is the native eloquence of us fog people†, is the way in which Edmund describes his inability to describe the feeling – this reference to fog people is particularly interesting as throughout the play, the fog is almost a symbol of the past. As the day wears on, the fog returns to cloud over the landscape around them, and so Mary’s illness returns to cloud over the present and send her further back into the past. This pathetic fallacy of the weather responding to Mary’s haziness in her own mind is also effective in creating the sense of claustrophobia which comes from being trapped in the same circumstances over and over again – just as the fog can be very claustrophobic and hide everything else from view, so the past traps the family in and prevents them from seeing the present clearly. Edmund also suggests in that quote that the whole family are ‘native’ fog people – almost that there is something about the way in which they live which they cannot help, but which they are genetically programmed to do. This is curious because it is perhaps the most impartial opinion expressed by one of the characters, and entirely without blame on any one of them. This perceptiveness of Edmund and the ability to reflect ‘from a distance’ on what is going on is perhaps due to the fact that he is acting as the author’s representation of himself. Another role of the past in the play is that it motivates the creation of an atmosphere of censorship and non-admittance. The audience is slow to find out s’notes about the exact nature of Mary’s illness, for example, because the characters do not want to talk about the worse aspects of what happened before, and so as a topic of conversation it is forbidden by unvoiced consent until eventually Jamie faces up to the fact that she seems to be returning to her old condition. This state of affairs seems to have come about as a form of resistance – as if by not speaking about something, they will somehow avoid it happening again and be able to continue as normal. Similarly Mary and Edmund attempt to pretend, to varying degrees, that his illness is other than it is – Mary by calling it a cold and dismissing it, and Edmund to a lesser extent by calling it Malaria, which is more easily cursed, and continuing to drink as if he were not at risk of damaging his healt h. It is clear that the family refuse to talk about quite a number of incidents and feelings – things which only really come out when they are under the effect of either alcohol or morphine – such as the death of Eugene and Mary’s incident on the dock in her nightgown, because such events unlock emotions and feelings which they have hidden in order to protect each other. Mary doesn’t talk about how she blames Jamie for giving Eugene the measles, or how she blames Edmund for her drug addiction when she is in her right state of mind, because she realises that those aspects of the past are too hurtful. Tyrone attempts to prevent her from continuing to speak of them when she does begin, in case one of the boys should hear. Although the past is virtually all that is discussed, there are certain sections of it which the family attempt to bury behind them. The main occurrence of the play is the return of Mary’s ‘illness’ – her return to taking morphine, and other than this very little else actually physically happens to any of the characters during the play. That her illness is actually characterised by a return to the past is particularly important as regards the past as a theme behind the play. It is quite clear to the audience that what Mary is experiencing – this return to her past – is an actual physical illness, and that something is definitely wrong with her mind. This leads to the consideration that the whole family’s return to the past could also be deemed an ‘illness’, and without the presence of Mary’s actual illness it would not be as easy to see that the frame of mind in which the Tyrones live is somehow unhealthy. Mary’s s’notes regression into her past also serves to reveal a great deal of truths about the other characters in the play and what had happened to them before, as well as a number of the deeper-held secrets which the family usually did not discuss, such as Eugene’s death and where the blame for it lies. That the rest of the family seem ashamed that Mary would make such an accusation and blame it on her mental instability, when they are perfectly happy to blame and accuse each other all the time is rather ironic, and so Mary’s illness serves to highlight the problems with the rest of the family and the way in which they function. In terms of the message of the play, and what the audience take away with them, it seems that the past is also of significance, in that the play is something of a warning as to what the consequences might be if people never moved on. Of course, it is therefore quite appropriate that O’Neill wrote it as a part of his own moving on, and his own way of putting the past behind him. The ending of the play is almost anticlimactic in that it just finishes, with no conclusion or rounding-off of the story – simply that the end of the day has been reached, and this too mirrors the idea that there is no end and therefore no past when the past is relived as if it is the present and the future, too. Of all the themes in the play, the past is by far the most significant of them all, not least because the author wrote it as a semi-autobiographical work. It is the driving force behind the way the characters act, the way they interact and the way in which the atmosphere deteriorates from a rather hopeful one at the beginning of the play into one rather devoid of hope at the end, as the ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ is completed, with Mary fully under the influence of the morphine and the other characters having apparently given up on her salvation and also their own conversation. The feeling of being trapped in the past – what O’Neill was attempting to get rid of by ‘facing his dead’ and writing it all down as a work of fiction – dominates the atmosphere of the play, without which the power of the piece would be lost.