Puzzle of King Tuts Inner-Coffin as Recreational Activity :: King Tutankhamun History Essays

Puzzle of King Tut's Inner-Coffin as Recreational Activity The King Tutankhamun jigsaw puzzle consists of 1000 individual, cardboard pieces which fit perfectly together to form a 13.75 X 38.5 inch portrait of his inner-coffin. It serves a dual purpose, not only as a two-dimensional replica of King Tut's coffin, but also as a form of recreational activity. The fun lies in methodically assembling the pieces together to create a desired image. Its intended consumer ranges from kids to adults. The puzzle can be found in the gift section at the UCSD bookstore. The bookstore is located in the middle of a college campus, primarily dependent on the patronage of college students. As its name suggests, it mainly sells textbooks for college courses, as well as clothing, school supplies, and assorted gifts. While the puzzle functions as an entertaining diversion, the actual inner-coffin of King Tutankhamun served a much more significant role. The discovery of this historical artifact offers a glimpse into the lifestyle and beliefs of the Egyptians. The Egyptians were deeply religious people, incorporating religious ideology into their everyday life. They believed in an inner-spirit, called the ka, which persists long after a person's death. With this in mind, they went to great lengths to ensure that the ka of a departed king enjoyed a comfortable, luxurious after-life existence, as it was crucial to the well-being of the Egyptian state. So, when King Tutankhamun died in 1327 BC., they lavished his tomb with funerary decorations and expensive furnishings. They paid particular attention to the quality and extravagance of his inner-coffin, where his remains reposed. The marked difference in the function and significance of the jigsaw puzzle and King Tut's actual coffin is reflected in the monetary value placed on each item. The inner-coffin is made of several hundred pounds of solid gold which theoretically reproduced the bodily and facial features of King Tutankhamun. However, the level of accuracy to which it was done is not known. Colored enamel and semi-precious gemstones decorate its surface, as well as very finely incised linear designs and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The king is depicted as holding a crook and a flail, both symbols closely associated with Osiris, the god of the dead. Taken together with the coffin's historical significance, it is worth several million dollars. While the average consumer may not have the purchasing power to afford such a luxury, he or she can trot over to the UCSD bookstore and buy a jigsaw puzzle depicting its likeness for a scant $11.

Walking Alone – Original Writing

Dew clings to the harsh pale grass. The cool droplets of water stick to my bare legs as I brush past, silently, stealthily. Where am I going? It'll come back to me in a moment. I'll just follow my instinct. Right, if I'm automatically taking this direction to Wherever, then this is the right way. Wearing my jacket was a good idea. I had to rummage to find it. I can't remember the last time I wore it. I can't even remember when I was last out of town for a weekend. That would be nice; a weekend out with a few friends- not that I'd ask. They'd probably be busy anyway. Ok, I cannot get distracted. I shall walk on. Left, right, left, right. I'm starting to enjoy this monotony. Yes, this is rather pleasant, rather agreeable. I look around for some sort of landmark, or something to help me recognise where I am. I won't admit to being lost because that would call into the question of my destination, which, to be honest, is still unbeknownst to me. I'll just meander along this way. God, I'm knackered, I could use a chocolate bar. Yes, a chocolate bar is what I need, along with a nice drink. But not until I get there, I must keep on going. Oh, a house. It's a tall looming house, with ivy crawling over it, its brambles resembling long green tendrils, or fingers, curling crispy and brown at the tips. What's that scuttling across the front porch? A grubby, greasy blur darts past. I lean forward as if to grab it, but it's gone before I'm even close. I force myself upwards, and see a door in front of me. The faded red paint is flaking. I reach my hand towards it and absentmindedly begin to peel it back. I wonder why I've never seen this house before. I wonder why I haven't seen any of this area before whatsoever. A chill overcomes me, engulfing me in a stuttering shudder. It's cold, and late. It must be gone five in the morning by now. Oh well. A bleak throng of clouds tumble over the night's sky, devouring any lingering traces of warmth. I pull my jacket tighter around me and shiver again, glancing around, praying, pleading, for some form of refuge. The house is not an option, it's someone's home. I can't break in. Not now, anyway. I trudge towards a large wooden gate. I thwack it open, shocking myself as I do so. An ear-piercing screech of pain comes from the gate, like a toddler protesting against eating the remnants of her cereal. I guess my thwacking skills aren't quite up to par, the gate's stuck. What now? Onwards again? Alright, I'll stomp my feel around a bit to restore some warmth to my pathetic shell of a body. That's better, slightly. Argh, my eyes! Some plonker has his headlights on full and he's facing me head-on. Perhaps I should step out the way. Oh, he's slowing down. My rescuer, maybe? That would be nice†¦ What the hell do you think you were doing, standing in the middle of the road at this ungodly hour? † â€Å"I see spots†¦. † I whimper. The man's face is weathered and tired. It reminds me of Father Christmas, now he's a lovely bloke. A dreamy smile is wafting onto my face. The man looks at me as if I'm deranged and creepy, and then accelerates off into the night. I'm shivering. I am literally shivering. I desperately need shelter before I get pneumonia. That house. That old, ruinous house. I turn around, stumbling over a rock. There it is, standing tall and imposing, yet strangely familiar. Whoever owns it has made a hapless attempt at remodelling it, adding a modern extension and painting the wall. Well, some of it at least. The path has deep, cavernous cracks and so I have to be careful not to cut my bare feet on the fragments. A desolate flowerbox hangs by a window, the flowers long dead. I examine it closer, noting the what-used-to-be-dark-green-but-is-now-discoloured-pale-turquoise crusty paint on the criss-crossed wood. Again, I feel a faint wave of familiarity- like an echo from the past. With a shudder I glance around fleetingly for a side entrance. A swing. An old, plastic-y swing, with faded yellow rope, neglected and left to rot in the grass for the next millennia. A child's laughter, my laughter. A hot summer morning: we were having a barbeque. I swung on this swing. I lived in this house. The memories come flooding, hitting me with a wave of nausea. I look up at the house, my house, my poor, poor house. Mutilated, derelict, left piteously to ruin. It's ugly, horrific. My once beautiful house is looking like a dump. This grass was once green, and this porch was once magnificently up kept. Memories. I now know why I didn't recognise it at first. All those memories, those awful memories, blocked out for all these years. I clutch my head and keel over, onto the callous ground. There is an immense pressure on my head. Bottled up for all these years, it's finally unleashed on me again. I convulse and vomit, thus further disfiguring the house. Another sharp burst of pain in my side. I'm in agony, reliving the past. I'm dying. I'm dying at the place of my birth; whoever came up with the Circle of Life must be smug. I convulse one more time and pass out, my head in a fug of trapped memories, waiting to be recollected.

Corrupt society Essay

In chapter twenty-four we learn that Jaggers treats every human interaction as it was in a court of law. Jaggers made a strong impression on Pip when Pip asked for some money, â€Å"Mr Jaggers never laughed †¦ with his large head bent down and his eyebrows joined together, awaiting an answer, he sometimes caused his boots to creak, as if they laughed in a dry and suspicious way. † This shows that Jaggers is cold and that he hides his emotions. We also learn more information about the casts. Wemmick told Pip, â€Å"These are two celebrated ones. Famous clients of ours that got us a world of credit. † The man was a person that murdered his master and did not get executed. The man then died later in New Zealand. Also, we find out that Wemmick is fond of jewellery. Wemmick gets the jewellery from the executed. â€Å"I always take ’em,† he told Pip, â€Å"Get hold of portable property. † This shows the reader that Wemmick doesn’t mind taking a dead man’s possessions. At the start of chapter twenty-six we see Jaggers washing his hands, â€Å"My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap. † He did this as he entered the office as if he was washing himself clean of his clients. We also meet Molly (Jaggers’ housekeeper) as Pip is invited to Jaggers’ house for dinner. Molly was once in love with the convict (Magwitch) and turns out to be Estella’s mother. Pip also sees some carved garlands when he enters the house. He says, â€Å"I know what kind of loops they reminded me of. † These loops have many possible meanings. This could mean that Jaggers also takes jewellery from the dead as well as Wemmick. However, these loops could also be the loops of rope that were used to hang the people he worked for. Also, the loops could have been bought using the money from the dead. In chapter fifty-one we learn that Jaggers is not heartless. Pip tells Jaggers that he knows who Estella’s parents are. Jaggers knows that her mother is Molly but does not know who is the father, â€Å"So you know who the young lady’s father, Pip? † Jaggers asks Pip. Estella’s father is Magwitch. Pip then tells Wemmick, â€Å"I know you to be a man with a gentle heart. I have seen your pleasant home, and your old father, and all the innocent cheerful playful ways with which you refresh your business life. † After that Jaggers laugh which is very unlike him. Jaggers realises that Wemmick leads two lives just like himself. Jaggers then tells Pip his side of Estella’s story when he rescues Estella from her mean beginnings. This shows that Jaggers seems to have a conscience and a moral sense. However, this chat was very unprofessional so Jaggers and Wemmick were glad when a poor client walked in and they started to turn on him. Wemmick as Jaggers’ clerk shadows his master and is compared to a pillar box but is very different when he is at home with his old father. He never shows emotions when he is at work as he sees it as being unprofessional and Jaggers would not like it if he showed emotions at work. I think Wemmick is a very emotional man at home but tries to lock up his feelings at work and does a very good job of it. Dickens shows a disillusioned approach to society in which al of the great expectations become false. I think this is because Dickens thinks that society is disillusioned and that great expectations for him personally have never become true. Jaggers works in this society but he tries to keep himself clean from it. I think this is shown greatly in chapter twenty six, â€Å"My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap. † He is trying to keep himself clean in a dirty society. Charles Dickens wants to do the same and make himself have a better life. This makes Jaggers like Charles Dickens. They both wanted to try to change the world. They both use words and are both powerful. Dickens uses words to state how bad the world is and Jaggers is very blunt when he speaks and always gets to the point. I think Charles Dickens is very much like Jaggers. Charles Dickens is very low at this time. Jaggers’ character of involvement and disengagement with society reflects this. Jaggers is very lonely as he sees most other people to be too poor and lower class than him in a dirty and corrupt society where he feels he does not belong. Charles Dickens was also very lonely with his wife which made him have an affair with Ellen Ternan. The book is about how empty these great expectations turn out to be. Jaggers shows the central idea of what you can do with a corrupt society. Jaggers knows how bad the corrupt society is but he is always trying his best to improve it whatever way he can. Jaggers also becomes powerful as many people are scared of him as he is a very good and powerful lawyer.