Essay A Research on Spoken Word Poetry - 2126 Words

Spoken Word Poetry This research paper will be about the Spoken Word Poetry culture which has been around for many years. Ancient Greeks are said to have recited epic poems aloud just as actors from the days of Shakespeare recited Shakespeares soliloquies aloud in front of an audience. As a preteen I became a part of the spoken word community because it was a way for me to express myself through words. However it wasnt until I was fifteen or sixteen that I truly traveled over to the Spoken Word Culture. I learned about other Spoken word poets like Sarah Kay who is the creator of Project Voice. I became interested in Spoken-Word Poetry though YouTube videos and the influence of my older sister who is also a spoken-word poet. Even though†¦show more content†¦Spoken word poetry can be stand up comedy, a short story, a difficult message like a break up speech or even a speech about anything. All that matters is the way its performed and thats what makes it Spoken word poetry. Th eres an art in performing the way a Spoken Word Poet does. The authors Marc Kelly Smith and Joe Kraynak wrote the book titled Take the Mic: The Art of Performance Poetry, Slam, and the Spoken Word. In the first chapter of this book, the authors explain what poetry slams are, they also go in depth as to point out the common belief most people have of what they think poetry slams are. From reading the first chapter of this book a reader can learn about the competitive aspects of poetry slams, the definition of poetry slams and exactly what poetry slam isn’t. In their book Kelly and Kraynak explain to their readers the importance of having life when preforming a Spoken Word. It takes gut intuition, confidence, empathy and the ability to manipulate words and their meaning. Kelly and Kraynak’s book on the art of performing poetry goes further in depth on what it takes in order to perform any piece to its best potential. Most poets utilize poetry as an instrument and outlet to reach people on political topics such as world peace. Spoken Word Poets are somewhat the heroes of public speaking. Some examples of people that were involved in the earlier stage of the Spoken Word poetry culture would be none other than the memorableShow MoreRelatedanalysis of poem1342 Words   |  6 Pageswhich individual words and idioms tend to pattern in different linguistic context and the meaning of the poem. (Aslam, Mukhtar Sarfaraz, 2014) All of these perspectives are important in poem stylistic analysis. But here, in this essay, it would focus on discussing how the use of sound and rhythm (phonological deviation) covey the complement meaning by using the poem â₠¬ËœLate For School’ by Jenny Myers. Sound dimension of language belongs to speech. (Jeffries Mcintyre, 2004) Poetry is written literatureRead MoreEffects Of Language Impairments On Children1542 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom aphasia, and three million suffer from stuttering. Through various research, many analysts have discovered an alternative way for these patients to effectively communicate with their peers. There has been several cases where literature has become a great influence in assisting those in need of speech therapy. Patients have found an operative way to interact with their friends and family through poetry. Even though, the poetry method has been shown to be effective, it does not necessarily work forRead MoreWe Real Cool1017 Words   |  5 PagesForm, in poetry, can be understood as the physical structure of the poem: the length of the lines, their rhythms, their system of rhymes and repetition (The Poetry Archive, 2005-2010). Form is the technical word for the look and sound of language (Kwikguide, 20 09). In a poem, form is largely what separates itself from other types of literary works. Poetry is easily distinguishable from a short story or a play by the arrangement the author chooses to organize his or her thoughts. Words contain meaningRead MoreEssay on Compare and Contrast Literary Text and Non-Literary Text1569 Words   |  7 Pagesthe artist’s will and imaginations and are therefore subjective. Poetry, novels, short stories and dramas are written in a particular way, and this is referred to as literary text. In literary texts, authors creatively create feelings and ideas to entertain their audiences. Examples of literary texts are poems, short stories and dramas. They have been described as â€Å"the best words in the best order†. The use of sound of words make poems sound like songs when read aloud. Poems have a particularRead MoreTMA01 Plan MattBrayshaw1530 Words   |  7 Pageshelps you understand how to identify creativity in everyday language. Introduction Often poetic creativity (playing with the sounds and structures of a language) are associated with literary language – that found in poetry and other forms of literature (Swann, 2006). By contrast spoken language mundane ordinary. This idea has been challenged particularly within the discipline of English language studies – suggests they similar features can be found within everyday conversation. Led to a definitionRead MoreThe I Ever Received : 8 Mile By Eminem2534 Words   |  11 PagesThe power that a few words thrown together is amazing; the meanings we can conclude from them are so powerful. I remember the first rap music CD I ever received: 8 Mile by Eminem. The album was released in 2002. I was in 2nd grade but I would listen to it with my brother and his friends, who were a solid eight to ten years older than I was. That Christmas my brothers’ best friend gave me my very own copy of the album, but made me promise to not let mom and dad know where I got it from. I listenedRead MorePoetry, By Billy Collins, The Writer1277 Words   |  6 PagesPoetry comes in many forms, rhythms, tones, and meanings whether metaphoric or realistic. One thing, however, which is a common trait of poetry, is that they all carry a message to the reader. In some poems the message appears very clear and understandable, while in others, the author may hide the message within metaphors and imagery. In the poem â€Å"Introduction to Poetry† by Billy Collins, the writer â€Å"enlightens† his reader with an important message that poetry is something to experience. He usesRead MoreCommunication of The Hearing Impaired Essay examples1310 Words   |  6 Pageson the age of onset and the severity of the hearing loss, an individuals spoken language development may be radically affected†. Babies learn to speak by parroting the sounds around them; however, a deaf child does not hear these noises and, therefore, the child does not â€Å"deve lop their language† skills (Kalivoda). These children are known as having â€Å"prelingual hearing loss† (Kalivoda) and cannot learn â€Å"English as a spoken language† (Kalivoda). For this group of children, the primary source forRead MoreSkins : Contemporary Indigenous Writing836 Words   |  4 PagesKegedonce Press Anthology, 2006 The Stone Collection, 2015 Poetry My Heart is a Stray Bullet, 1993, 2002 bloodriver woman, 1998 Spoken Work standing ground, poetry CD, 2004 Plays A Constellation of Bones, 2007 Documentary Feature Featured in the documentary, Words From the Edge, 2007 Awards Recipient, Literary Arts Development Writers Grant from the Canada Council, 1996 Recipient, Ontario Arts Council, Writers Reserve Grant for a poetry manuscript, 1998 Publisher of the Year (outside US) KegedonceRead MoreExperiments with the Human Voice: Max Mathews Essay example1716 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluenced within countless vocal techniques and manipulations with properties of time and spatial aspects. How it effects the voice through these aspects can also give the reality or even illusion of times and space, and how it navigates through it. Spoken, screaming, growling, vocal tremolo, vocal trill, inhaling, ululation, overtones, undertones, multiphonics, glottal sounds, sprechgesang are just some of the most influential vocal techniques used within the history of the voice. But, to hear them

Why Antony Lost Against Octavian - 1096 Words

Why Antony Lost Against Octavian Your Name Here Roman History March 7, 2012 Why did Mark Antony lose to his rival, Octavian? Antony lost because of his failure to view Octavian’s political and military success as a serious threat, his lack of political favoritism and support with the Senate in Rome, and finally abandoning his loyal army at the battle of Actium. Antony was well known throughout the political world in Rome and among his military colleagues as a virtuous, trailblazing commander. After all, he was in fact the great Julius Caesar’s second in command. Through much of the internal conflict of his time, he did astoundingly maintain at least some support in Rome. However, his failing to acknowledge Octavian’s military†¦show more content†¦If only he would have remained in Rome, he could have at least had the opportunity to defend his position as Caesar’s second in command and repaired his reputation. However, in his absence, it was Octavian and Cicero who was there to slowly demolish his chances at political and military success. The alleged poor choice of habits that governed his personal affairs were generally recognized as a trigger for the increased factional schisms that eventually would prove injurious to his political career and ultimately an desertion from the Senate. Antony’s dealings with Cleopatra and Egypt proved to further soil his reputation among the Romans. His abandonment of the beloved Octavia, his legal Roman wife, in lieu of Cleopatra, a foreigner, didn’t sit well with the general public opinion in Rome. After having twins and yet another son with Cleopatra, he was deeply indebted to her, possibly both emotionally and politically. Onlookers must have imagined how such attachment must have been negatively viewed as deeds of a traitor in Rome. To top it all off, although by illegal means by Octavian it was later realized that Antony had secretly recorded in his will that the kingdoms conquered by Egyptian warfare be divvied up to the Egyptians, not Rome. ThisShow MoreRelatedOctavian, Anthony and Cleopatra: Propaganda and the ‘Myth of Actium1095 Words   |  5 PagesWorkshop 1 Octavian, Anthony and Cleopatra: Propaganda and the ‘Myth of Actium The creation and subsequent sustaining of the ‘Myth of Actium is one of the greatest examples of the use of mass propaganda in the ancient world. While scholars such as Murray question the impact that the re-instigation of games at Nikopolis and the extension of the temple of Apollo at Actium would have on the political situation in Rome, its emergence, however, seems to have occurred around 20 BC, a time at whichRead MoreMidterm 3 History Essay8024 Words   |  33 Pagesduring consulship.  ·   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Describe Caesar’s treatment of the Gauls during his campaigns? How does this contrast with his treatment of Italian cities and citizens in 49 BC?   Significance of Caesar crossing the Rubicon? o   Ã‚  Caesar committed genocide against millions of Gauls during his campaign and enslaved another million. He also looted spoils of war during his campaign. o   Ã‚  In contrast with his treatment of the Italian cities and citizens in 49 BC, he does not execute anyone, he releases captivesRead MoreThe Collapse Of A Society1484 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the decline in moral behavior brings about other problems that also contribute to the societal decline such as distrust in government and loss of civic virtue. Understanding the internal problems allows people to better understand why civilizations thrive and why they fail and apply that knowledge elsewhere. Between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in what is now modern day Iraq was once a region known as Mesopotamia. Between 1800 and 1750 B.C.E Mesopotamia was ruled by Hammurabi. Hammurabi isRead MoreEssay on The Reign of Cleopatra1843 Words   |  8 Pagesto 30 BC. Cleopatra was Macedonian, but even though her ancestry was Macedonian, she was still an Egyptian queen and worshipped as a god. She was remembered for in history as the last Queen of Egypt and her relationships to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Cleopatra’s reign over Egypt started from the deaths of her two elder sisters and the death of her father. Her father was much hated by the Egyptians and had left Egypt several years before his death to Rome. Cleopatra aimed to rule on her ownRead MoreA Historical Overview Of Julius Caesar Essay1452 Words   |  6 Pagesas one of the greatest betrayals in human history. The fate of Rome was heading toward a dictatorship. Only the Roman Republic could stop Julius Caesar from ruling Rome. Little did the Roman Republic know that this assassination would later cause Octavian Caesar to become the first Emperor of the Roman Empire in 27 B.C.E. There is much to know about Julius Caesar. He was raised as a military man at a young age from his father who would eventually pass away on Caesar’s sixteenth birthday. He also createdRead MoreWhat Role Did Civil Wars Play On The Deterioration And Eventual Death Of The Roman Republic?1777 Words   |  8 Pagesof the Roman Republic? It is relevant because it shows the transition of government. The issues that are going to be addressed highlight the political unrest in the Roman Republic and the corruption of different leaders that were one in many reasons why the Republic became an Empire. This research will focus on the time period of 100 to 25 BC and the places investigated will include Rome and the areas they conquered. This will be studied and accomplished through an examination of Julius Cesar’s reignRead MoreRoman Republic6375 Words   |  26 PagesRome. In turn, these clans were able to take possession of much of the newly conquered territories. Further, as military campaigns began to extend into years, some middle-class soldiers found themselves landless as their fallow (unplanted) lands were lost to debt creditors. In many cases wealthy landholders consolidated these lands into their growing estates. Even as the situation worsened, the chance for land reform became less likely as wealthy patricia n senators, who were benefiting from these conditionsRead MoreRoman Republic6360 Words   |  26 PagesRome. In turn, these clans were able to take possession of much of the newly conquered territories. Further, as military campaigns began to extend into years, some middle-class soldiers found themselves landless as their fallow (unplanted) lands were lost to debt creditors. In many cases wealthy landholders consolidated these lands into their growing estates. Even as the situation worsened, the chance for land reform became less likely as wealthy patrician senators, who were benefiting from these conditionsRead MoreMarcus Brutus : A Tragic Hero2084 Words   |  9 Pagesexample is when Cassius compared Brutus’s and Caesar’s names. Cassius tries to flatter Brutus by saying, â€Å"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings. ‘Brutus,’ and ‘Caesar.’ What should be in that ‘Caesar?’ Why sho uld that name be sounded more than yours?† (1.2.149-53) Cassius explains to Brutus that they are the ones to control their own fate and not the stars. Basically, he is attempting to tell Brutus they are inferiors at their own will. This gives theRead More Rome and the Roman Empire Essay2616 Words   |  11 Pagesrallied the legions into an extremely formidable force and took back Tome from the Gaulish barbarians. After he had accomplished this, he returned to his farm to live a simple life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first major battle the empire would ever face was that against the Carthaginians led by Hannibal who came over the Alps and invaded Italy. At this time, the legions were led by a general by the name of Skippio. The majority of the army was made up of citizens who could be called together when needed. Otherwise

Hamlet Comparison Essay Movie vs. Play free essay sample

And the Academy Award for Being Over Dramatic Goes To†¦ Tony Robbins said, â€Å"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others†. Shakespeare’s writing has had many different ways of being presented because people perceive it in different ways. Whether it is a literal representation or a spin, directors like to show viewers the way they perceive the text. In the movie version of Hamlet the director, Kenneth Branagh, wanted the viewers to find Shakespeare interesting and full of action and drama. Kenneth chose the right direction to go in to keep the audience’s attention but it did not show the true tragedy of Hamlet. The story of Hamlet is very depressing because many people are betrayed and die. Hamlet’s own uncle killed his father and married his mother. It is easy to feel sympathy for the characters that had lost people they loved; such as Hamlet and Ophelia but the movie did not show that emotion. The movie was too over the top to really show true emotion. All of the scenes were very dramatic and Hamlet’s character was one that was too overdone. Branagh chose to have Hamlet act extremely crazy but Shakespeare wrote Hamlet’s character as possibly being crazy but the reader does not know for certain. Although Kenneth did make the movie dramatic he did make right choices when showing certain themes such as hatred. He highlighted the hatred that Claudius had toward both Hamlets and he also made it known that Hamlet hated Claudius even though in the play it was not that apparent. Who is the man that lost his father? Is he a lost little puppy or is he a violent lion? In the play, Hamlet was a young man who was weak because he had been betrayed but the movie did not show that he was hurting and weak. The movie depicted his character as being arrogant. In the play Hamlet was depressed and hurting and he could not really function. In Act l Scene II Hamlet was degraded by Claudius. Claudius was telling Hamlet to stop grieving over his father and consider him as his new father. Claudius called Hamlet a girl by saying, â€Å"tis unmanly grief†. (pg. 18). Shakespeare made the women in Hamlet, Ophelia and Gertrude, seem very frail  and powerless and by having Claudius tell Hamlet that he was unmanly shows that Hamlet was acting like the women in the play. Hamlet was so weak that he would even let his mother who betrayed him keep him from continuing his studies in England. He told her, â€Å"I shall in all my best obey you, madam†. (pg. 18). Hamlet should not have listened to the woman who had hurt him even though she was his mother. Hamlet’s family had put him through so much pain. He was the first â€Å"emo† kid. He was very suicidal crying out,† Or that his Everlasting had not fix’d his canon â€Å"gainst self-slaughter†. (pg.  19) He was saying that if God did not see suicide as a sin he would kill himself. This proves that he was very depressed and nothing helped him ease the pain. It was very apparent in the play that Hamlet was unhappy but the movie did not depict him that way. In the film, he was very aggressive and outspoken. In the breakup scene Hamlet was very abusive towards Ophelia. He grabbed her and dragged her around. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet as being more hurt than angry during this scene but clearly the movie showed him as being angrier. A scene where he was being very outspoken was the scene where he put on the play. Shakespeare wrote the play scene as being very personal with only a few viewers but in the movie it was a full auditorium. This was perfect for how Hamlet acted during this scene because he made a big scene by running to the stage and pointing and shouting at Claudius. Hamlet wanted people to make the connection between the plot of the play with reality but in the play he was too scared to actually tell anyone about how his father really died. This is one scene that was actually better shown in the movie than in the play. Hamlet’s father wanted Hamlet to expose Claudius and get revenge. Kenneth Branagh made it seem like Hamlet was following his father’s orders even though in the play he wasn’t. This made the audience feel better about Hamlet because he was actually taking action. Although Kenneth’s version of Hamlet’s character took action it is not as tragic as Hamlet’s character in the play because by Hamlet not taking action it shows how sensitive and hurt he was. Hamlet’s father died a tragic death. Shakespeare never clearly states the atmosphere and setting of where Claudius poisoned his brother but Branagh chose a clever way to show it. The scene started off outside of the castle on a snowy day. King Hamlet was taking a nap in a chair when Claudius snuck up behind him. Claudius poured poison in the ear of the king and that is when Hamlet awoke from his sleep and started choking. He looked his brother in the eye and died. Kenneth really made it apparent how evil Claudius is. He watched his own brother die and he felt nothing. He made Claudius act the same way as Shakespeare wrote his character to be. Shakespeare had chosen to have Claudius tell the people of Denmark that Hamlet had been killed by a snake. The snake is a perfect symbol of Claudius. Ever since the beginning of time snakes have been viewed as evil because of the story of Adam and Eve. G-d told Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge. While Adam was elsewhere a snake, the devil, came to Eve. He used his sly ways to convince Eve to eat the fruit and that is the reason she was banished from the Garden of Eden. Kenneth took the symbol of a snake one step further by making the scene take place on a snowy day. The snow was a symbol of Hamlet’s pure soul and the snake came up and took his soul. Claudius was truly evil and the act of being evil was what drove Hamlet. If Claudius was not an evil man Hamlet would have still been alive and the story of Hamlet would have never been written. The play of Hamlet depicted King Hamlet as being a soft, kind king but he was not shown that way in the movie when he came back as a ghost. It was a dark night when the ghost of Hamlet first interacted with his son. The ghost led Hamlet into a forest where he began to be very forceful with him. He was so scary that he even frightened his own son. The earth started shaking and the ghost started yelling. Kenneth chose a very stereotypical way to depict a ghost but in the play Shakespeare did not. Shakespeare wrote the king as only trying to tell Hamlet what happened and try to get his son to act on it. The play shows tragedy because it makes the ghost seem like he is the victim but in the movie all that is shown is hatred. The ghost does not seem to care about how his son is feeling in the movie, he only wants revenge on his brother. Can love really make a person crazy? Based off of Ophelia the answer would be yes. Ophelia had been put through so much. Men tried to control her every move. Her father and her brother told her to stay away from Hamlet even though she loved him dearly. They even used her to try to find out information about why Hamlet was going mad. Ophelia was probably overwhelmed with everything especially when the man she loved killed her father. After Hamlet killed Polonius in the movie, Ophelia turned into a crazy lady. The director even chose to have her in a straight jacket which is the definition of crazy. Now on the other hand the play does not directly show that Ophelia has gone mad. Depressed, yes but not mad. She said, â€Å"We must be patient. But I cannot choose but weep†. (pg. 104). So when she dies there is a question of whether she killed herself or if she just fell into the brook on accident. The movie and the play help answer this question differently. Since she seems depressed in the play she probably killed herself because that is what extremely depressed people do. A crazy person would not really think to kill themselves it would be more of the person that hates their life. The crazy Ophelia is more interesting but for the bigger picture a depressed Ophelia is the way to go because it truly is tragic. To even think that someone would kill themself over the two men that they loved is heartbreaking and a person committing suicide is more tragic than falling into a stream and drowning. No matter which way Ophelia actually died she died a martyr for female oppression. She had never truly been able to stand up for herself and when she died she made a crown of flowers. This symbolizes the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified at the cross. Although Shakespeare had shown women as being weak in Hamlet, this symbol gives women hope because Jesus is a person who is remembered and worshiped. Hamlet is another character who seems more insane in the movie than in the play. In the play Shakespeare makes it known that Hamlet is going to act crazy. Right after Hamlet decided he was going to act crazy he went to Ophelia’s house. He grabbed her and touched her face and then he left. When he does this the reader knows that he is only pretending to be crazy. In the movie during the scene where Hamlet kills Polonius Hamlet is definitely being depicted as actually being insane. He stabs the curtain that Polonius was behind multiple times. Even when he finds out that it was Polonius and not Claudius he felt no sympathy. Kenneth made the theme of hatred very clear in this scene. Hamlet loved Ophelia but he was so angry that he did not let killing her father bother him. The question that comes up is whether or not Hamlet would have killed Polonius if he would have known the effect it would have on Ophelia. Both the play and the movie show that Hamlet probably would have not done this because he tries to prove his love for her. During act 5 scene 2 Hamlet discovers what had happened to Ophelia. He was at the grave that the gravedigger was digging up. Laertes revealed that it is Ophelia’s grave and Hamlet was in shock. Hamlet and Laertes started arguing over who loved her more. Hamlet says, â€Å"I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum†. (pg. 127). Shakespeare has a way with words especially when it comes to romance. The way that Hamlet spoke about his love for Ophelia is so heartbreaking. This is truly tragic because he had no control over Claudius killing his father but he was the one who was to blame for the woman he loved death. Fighting scenes in movies are expected to be packed with action and suspense. That is exactly what the director gave viewers of Hamlet. During the fencing scene Hamlet and Laertes were very dramatic. They made big movements and moved all about the castle. This scene in the play was written as if it was a small fencing match in a courtyard not in a huge castle with many spectators. Since this scene was very dramatic it made the viewer want to know what was going to happen next and there were many more exciting things to come. For one when Gertrude drank the poison it was a slow death but in the play all Gertrude said was, â€Å"No, no! The drink, the drink! -O my dear Hamlet! -The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. † and the she died. (pg. 140) Hamlet, Laertes, and Claudius died a slow death in the movie as well. Hamlet first kills Laertes by cutting him with the poisoned sword. It stops there in the play but in the movie Hamlet then pushes Laertes over the banister. This shows how much Hamlet hated Laertes for trying to kill him and siding with Claudius. The way that Laertes died in the play is more tragic though because Laertes died only because of the poison. This is tragic because Laertes basically killed himself. If he had not plotted against Hamlet he would have still been alive. In the movie and the play Claudius got what he deserved but the movie expanded on his death to show that Hamlet was no joke and that even though it took him ages to get revenge he finally did. Hamlet threw the sword straight through Claudius’ chest and pinned him to the throne. He then proceeds to push a chandelier on the Claudius. In the play that Hamlet made Claudius drink the poison after he stabbed him. The play made it seem as if he was simply going to hand it to him but in the movie he forces it down his throat. The director choosing to make the scene this way it kept the viewers’ attention but since all of the characters that died in the fencing scene died dramatically it takes the tragedy out of it. A more realistic death would be more tragic because the viewer could imagine that happening in real life. Mel Brooks said, â€Å"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die. † The play of Hamlet shows true tragedy because it has a depth of emotion. There is love, hate, sadness, etc. The events that happen are shown in a way that moves readers. Characters are shown as being affected in a negative way. This is true for the movie as well but the affect that the characters have in the play have a deeper meaning. The play shows how hurtful people can be and how that harms innocent people. The more depressed a character is the more tragic because depression is something that readers can relate to. Even if a person isn’t clinically depressed everybody has had that low in their life that brought them down. Whether it was when they were five and their pet fish died or when they were fifty and their mother died people have had tragedies happen to them. The movie took the issue of death and emphasized the hatred that went along with it. Kenneth chose to have the characters be over the top, aggressive, and crazy. This is something that probably never happens that much in real life. Going back to the quote, a small pain can cause a big tragedy but when that pain is over dramatized it just becomes ridiculous. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Print. Branagh, Kenneth, dir. Hamlet. Prod. William Shakespeare. Film. 15 Mar 2013.

Rasmussens Encephalitis Essays (1288 words) - Encephalitis

Rasmussens Encephalitis The human immune system is an amazing system that is constantly on the alert protecting us from sicknesses. Thousands of white blood cells travel in our circulatory system destroying all foreign substances that could cause harm to our body or to any of the millions of processes going on inside. Now imagine a condition where this awesome system turns against the most complex organ in the human body, the brain. Deadly as it is, this condition is known as Rasmussen's encephalitis. The meaningful research on Rasmussen's encephalitis was begun (unintentionally) by Scott Rogers and Lorise Gahring, two neurologists, who were at the time measuring the distribution of glutamate receptors in the brain. Later on when more provocative information was found they enlisted the help of James McNamara and Ian Andrews, epilepsy experts at Duke University Medical Center. The details on Rasmussen's encephalitis were very bleak at the time when the men began their research. All that was known is that Rasmussen's encephalitis was a degenerative disease of the brain that caused seizures, hemiparesis, and dementia normally in the first ten years of life. The seizures that were caused by Rasmussen's encephalitis were unstoppable by normal anti-seizure drugs used conventionally. What the worst part of the disease was that the pathogenesis for it were not known and even worse was how it developed. The first clue was delivered when Rogers and Gahring were trying to register the distribution of the glutamate receptors using antibodies, that tag on to the receptor itself. The proteins that make up the glutamate receptors(GluR) are only found inside the blood brain barrier(BBB). Glutamate and a few related amino acids are the dominant form of excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. If one of these GluRs happens to wander into the actual bloodstream, that is outside the BBB, it would be considered an outsider and destroyed immediately. So if these GluRs were put into the normal blood stream then the immune system would produce antibodies which could then be used in the searching for the glutamate receptors. In order to test this theory the researchers injected the GluRs into the blood stream of a normal healthy rabbit hoping to produce good results. At this point the experiment took a dramatic turn, after receiving a few doses of the protein two of the three rabbits began to twitch, as though they were suffering the pain of an epileptic seizure. Now the help of McNamara and Andrews was enlisted. When McNamara and Andrews examined the brain tissue of the rabbits, they saw what seemed to be a familiar inflammatory pattern, clumps of immune cells all around blood vessels. This description exactly matched the description of persons suffering from Rasmussen's encephalitis, moreover something as this would never be found in a healthy brain. A healthy brain has its blood capillaries enclosed in the BBB membrane, so such a case as the one mentioned above would not be possible. As protective as the BBB is, it can be breached by something like a head injury. What was happening was that the antibodies which were out to get the GluR proteins were somehow finding a way into the brain and directing an attack towards all GluR receptor proteins in the brain itself. After some more examinations Rogers and McNamara decided that these attacks were the cause of the seizures that are often experienced by sufferers of Ramussen's encephalitis. Then if the case is of antibodies in the bloodstream, than sufferers of Ramussen's encephalitis should have them in their bloodstream and healthy normal peoples shouldn't. When this was actually tested the results were positive that Rasmussen sufferers did have these antibodies in their bloodstreams and healthy people did not. These were not only the right kind of antibodies but, the very antibodies that caused the seizures in people and rabbits. Thus when these antibodies were removed by plasma exchange(PEX) it caused a temporary relief from the seizures but soon the body starts making more antibodies of the type and the seizures start once again. After all the examinations two questions remained, why does the body mount an immune response against one of its own brain proteins, and how do these