Post Colonial Theory Free Essays

Post Colonialism Theory To understand the post colonialism theory, I believe that we must first take a brief look at how we got here. In order to reach the post era, we first must walk through the challenges and lessons of those before us. How else would the history that we have to teach us today be there, how else would we have the literature to educate us? Colonialism was all about the newer, bigger, better lands and though these lands had natives already, they were Just another obstacle. We will write a custom essay sample on Post Colonial Theory or any similar topic only for you Order Now They would befriend the natives and get them to teach them the ways of the land in order to live and survive off the land. Once they were self-sufficient, they would begin to try to conform the natives to their way of life as the proper way of life. They would teach them that they were living wrong and evil lives and would eventually turn against the natives when they did not conform to their way of life. Therefore switching roles from the colonized to the colonizers. In switching the roles of power and showing their true colors and purpose for being there, they showed their true nature for possession and power, for fear and hate. Throughout the texts that we have been studying, we see this over ND over again in the way that these characters move in and take over. As we look at the way Galoshes was possessive of his people and his land, we see the way he did as he pleased. He was known to be two thirds god and â€Å"a tyrant. † (Manson 15) As in those who are the colonizers, he was feared and not necessarily respected. He imposed his wishes and commands on his people and rather than living for them he forced them into submission, such as claiming his birthright, â€Å"the privilege of sleeping with their brides before the husbands were permitted. (Manson 15) as you see even now throughout the history books. It is a constant hunger for the power and desire of what is not ours that drives some. He lived this way for some time thinking that he is content until the farmer’s son brings him news of Unkind who is living in the forest with the animals as one. This is something new and undiscovered to hi m, but still not enough to get him totally worked up. Something untouched, something that he does not control or possess, so he sends the prostitute to see if he can disrupt it. It is in the continued thirst for power and possession that drives him to colonize in a way even Enkindles life in the ores. Galoshes is so bored, cold or immune to what he is doing that he forgot (Mason 17) that he has even done this and continues on with his life as he has done every day before that with no regard as to what impact he may have had on this man’s life or history. The Tempest we see Prospers exiled on an island and living as the kingpin so to speak, but as we read on, it was not always that way. He was yet another example of the colonized becoming the colonizer. He came to the island as a humble exile, fleeing with his daughter Miranda after his brother Antonio had beaten him and moved his titles, lands and wealth to teach him a lesson. He befriended an island imp named Clinical who teaches them how to live on the island and in turn Miranda teaches him to speak. Prospers magically binds Clinical as a slave after he turns on him and holds his release over his head as a continual show of power. Where once he was liked well enough, he is now referred to as â€Å"a villain† by Miranda (Shakespeare act 1, scene 2), it is funny how the role are reversed when your usefulness has worn off and you no long hold the upper hand. The same ways Prospers holds Ariel, but he does not mind since he freed him from a much more evil master. Colonized and colonizers are switching roles and taking on roles of the others in this story. Everyone wants the power, yet no one knows how to share it because each feels that the other is less superior. As we look at the idea that both of these men Just wanted the possession of what they were after in the story, was that truly what they were after? Are we sure they were not after something else? An author by the name of Edward Said argued that â€Å"a literary text seldom conveys only one message† (Baldwin/Quinn 10). Could it be that they were after friendship, after love, after revenge, after hatred, after immortality (whether it was to be remembered in name or to live on as a god), or was it Just to die where they came from? So let’s explore these options a little bit more. If we look to Galoshes, in changing the steps of Enkindles life with the prostitute, Unkind comes into his own and discovers who he is as a man and not Just animal by opening his eyes to his sexual nature and not Just his annalistic primal nature. Unkind comes to the city and challenges Galoshes to a man to man battle, which shows the release of anger and hate within them. The anger and hate was battled out for so long that upon the end of the battle it says they were exhausted. It states that when they stood, â€Å"He turned to Unkind who leaned against his shoulder and looked into his eyes and saw himself in the other, Just as Unkind saw himself in Galoshes† (Manson 24). If we look deeper into this quote from the book we see several things, we see love, we see friendship, and we could even see immortality of an everlasting soul mate. We see this love and friendship grow throughout the remainder of the story and most would say this is the main theme. They learn together, fight together, they even defy the gods together and therefore Galoshes is forced to pay the ultimate price for his part in that with the life of his friend and soul mate. Galoshes refuses to let go of his friend and the love the shared by bringing him back and puts himself through untold pain and toil to try to find a way to do so. He says, â€Å"l have been through grief! â€Å", â€Å"Even if there will be more of pain, and heat and cold, I will go on! † (Mason 57, 58). It is only when the serpent steals the plant and slithers away that he realizes he too must go back to whence he came. His search for immortality is lost. But is it? Is immortality everlasting life? Is it being known by name and story and being told over and over? Was his immortality the city that he had built and left behind as a legacy as we see him looking over in the beginning and the ending of his tale? I think that is up to our interpretation. If we take the same look at the Tempest as we did with the story of Galoshes, what would we see? We would see the love that Prospers had for his daughter Miranda and his desire to protect her from harm as he did on the island every day in is teaching and daily lessons. We see the love that he shows to Ariel although he is under his power he is gentle toward him, where with Clinical, he is rough and hateful. Prospers is very smart and calculated about how he gets his revenge. He does well not to kill or harm anyone to achieve it and wants to have those who have wronged him apologize. He even ensures the plan by involving his naive daughter and the love that she bears or will bear for Prince Ferdinand by having them married by the sacred beings. Once Prospers proved the treachery of Alonso, Antonio and Sebastian that had been done to him those 12 years ago and the revenge had been played out, love won over. All he wanted was to have them to hear them apologize and to be restored. This was not a tale of immortality, but again, not of one singular theme either. I suppose the argument that I could make here is that no matter how you look at these two amazing pieces of literature, there are so many different stories all wrapped up into one. It is much like our history, not matter what angle you are looking at it from, there is always someone that has another view on it or how it really appended, or something missed. I think, like postcolonial literature, there is much to be left to the imagination in how we interpret it. I believe that what the authors had in mind when they wrote these stories was to let the stories wander and to evolve to fit what would speak to the reader and not to be one track minded. The point of having an imagination is to use it and set it free, to be able to read these stories and to re-read them and find a different angle every time is the best part about it. I don’t believe that we were meant to stick to one specific theme, but to explore them all. Maybe you are not the type to explore them all at once, but next time you are thumbing through the pages, try looking at these stories from the prospective of more than one. It broadens the story and opens the plot to even more beauty and wonder of possibilities. How to cite Post Colonial Theory, Papers

Symbolism In Secret Lion Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Symbolism In Secret Lion Essay, Research Paper Symbolism in # 8220 ; The Secret Lion # 8221 ; # 8220 ; The Secret Lion # 8221 ; written by Alberto Rios is a really unusual short narrative that has a batch of different symbols. Every symbol emphasizes the alteration of the lives of the twelve-year-old individual who tells the narrative and his friend Sergio. As the narrative goes along, the male childs are going grownups. This narrative is associated with turning up. The chief symbol of the narrative is river, an arroyo. It illustrates their childhood, the topographic point that neer changes. It is the topographic point where they can make whatever they want to make. It is a topographic point to hang around. # 8220 ; It was our river, though, our personal Mississippi, our friend from long back, and it was full of narratives # 8221 ; ( 43 ) . But as they become more adult up they realize that their ideas of the river alteration. As clip goes by, the arroyo dissatisfies the male childs, and they decide to halt traveling at that place. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism In Secret Lion Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page # 8220 ; Nature seemed to maintain forcing us around one manner or another, learning us the same thing every topographic point we ended up # 8221 ; ( 45 ) . At the beginning of the narrative, another symbol, the crunching ball, represents balance. But after the male childs found it, they understand that they can non hold the ball everlastingly, at the same clip as they realize that they can non be kids everlastingly. But they want the ball to remain the manner it was. That # 8217 ; s why, they decide to bury the grinning ball. It appears they wanted to halt clip, to maintain the ball and to be kids everlastingly. It was so perfect so they did non desire to lose it. # 8220 ; We went back to the arroyo for the remainder of that summer, and tried to hold fun the best we could. We learned to be ready for happening the crunching ball. We loved it, and when we buried it we knew what would go on. We were two male childs and twelve summers th nut, and non stupid. Thingss get taken away† ( 47 ) . They knew they were non traveling stay kids everlastingly. Boys knew that thing like childhood goes off ; they are turning up. The secret king of beasts is a really enigmatic and complicated symbol. It is a good illustration for the pureness of bosom. This king of beasts symbolizes a concealed topographic point inside us that holds our artlessness, our virtuousness. It symbolizes traveling from childhood to maturity. It symbolizes turning up. This secret king of beasts is associated with a alteration. And secret king of beasts is the thing that changes the male childs. Another symbol is golf class. It is like # 8220 ; heaven # 8221 ; ( 46 ) for the male childs when they foremost notice it. This is how narrator describes it: # 8221 ; Perfect. Heaven was green, like nil else in Arizona This was perfect, had trees, tonss of trees, had birds, like we had neer seen earlier. It was like the Wizard of Oz # 8221 ; ( 46 ) . And shortly they see those two work forces with bags, they realize that there is no such thing as a # 8220 ; Coke-holder, # 8221 ; they stop moving # 8220 ; make # 8221 ; ( 46 ) . They learn that their Eden is a merely a usual golf class. # 8220 ; Something got taken off from us that minute. Heaven. We grew up a small spot, and couldn # 8217 ; t travel rearward. We learned. No 1 had of all time told us about golf. They had told us about Eden. And it went off. We got golf in exchange. Thingss get taken away # 8221 ; ( 47 ) . By the clip boys wanted to happen the ball they realized that it # 8217 ; s non possible as it # 8217 ; s non possible to happen a manner into childhood once more. But candidly we can see that they are non truly seeking to happen it because they understand that they are on their manner to maturity. They realize that their Eden was merely a golf class ; the river, arroyo is non a Mississippi and they can non remain kids everlastingly, and the cognition of that states that you are turning up.

Cloudstreet Oriel and Dolly similar free essay sample

Tim Winton’s novel Cloudstreet presents two seemingly dissimilar families that are forced to live together in the same house. This piece of fiction contrasts many characters with diverse morals and behaviours, in particular the two mothers of the families, Dolly Pickles and Oriel Lamb. Beneath the surface, these women have more in common than they realise, especially when it concerns gaining power, suffering trauma, their partners, experiencing loss and their home. The characters Dolly and Oriel both display the need for power in their separate lives. Dolly and Oriel are alike in that they both crave power over people. Oriel is in charge of her entire family and controls them with discipline, while Dolly uses her body to gain power over men in her life. â€Å"Oriel Lamb mouthed off a lot about work and stickability until you felt like sticking a bloody bility right up her drawers. † Oriel has an excessive work ethic and pushes herself and her family to work for everything, so much so that Dolly complains about her constant display of ‘stickability’. Oriel’s controlling manner over her family and that she enforces labour upon them exhibits her need for dominance. Dolly shares this hunger for power and this is evident when her husband is in need of money due to a gambling issue and Lester offers to pay the debt. To guarantee the money and flaunt the control she has over people, she seduces Lester, who ordinarily would not have been unfaithful to his wife, â€Å"Dolly pulled her legs down off his shoulders with a wince. I spose not. More a deposit on a hundred quid. † This similarity of these characters may be due to the fact they have each experienced pain in their lives. Dolly and Oriel have each faced trauma in their pasts. These two mothers have very strong personalities in the novel and this may be due to the fact they both experienced suffering in their childhood. Oriel endures the pain of losing her family to a bushfire when she is six years old, this ordeal shapes her character and shows that she is someone that copes by staying resilient and moving forward, â€Å"Hell is when you’re dragged out past the black bones and belt buckles that are the others who never came down. † Dolly is also dealt hardship when she is young as she is treated horribly by her older sister, who ends up being her biological mother. She was lied to by her whole family and this affects Dolly’s character in that it leads to trust issues and a negative coping mechanism of alcoholism and promiscuity, â€Å"The second oldest sister, the one who made me feel like rubbish all my life, that one was my mother. † The way both of these women have been shaped by the trauma they each underwent influences how they perceive people. Each of these characters struggle with the personalities and habits of their partners. Oriel’s husband, Lester, has an inability to strive for anything, he procrastinates and would not do anything if it was not for Oriel, â€Å"she loved Lester, but a lot of loving him was making up for him, compensating. He was never quite up to anything. † Oriel grapples with Lester’s personality because he is so unalike her. Dolly shares the predicament of not harmonising with her husband, Sam. Dolly sees Sam as weak because of his lost hand and addiction to gambling, they also have different views about their children, â€Å"don’t you touch her, Dolly. Don’t you put a finger on her, or – or what, you weak mongrel? † Dolly refers to Sam as a weak mongrel, which is indication of the indifference she has to him. Through the course of the narrative, Dolly and Oriel share the loss of a son. Oriel’s son Fish nearly drowns in the beginning of the text, and because of this he suffers damage to his brain and from then on does not recognise his mother, â€Å"Mrs Lamb crying. Rose saw her fall against the gate, grabbing at Fish who didn’t move, who just looked across the road where no one was, straight as a board with his mother’s arms around him. † Oriel struggles with this as if it is a loss of her son, and in the conclusion of the novel Fish actually dies by drowning. Dolly shares this loss of a son with Oriel as she loses the child she loved most, Ted, after he dies from weight problems leading to a heart attack, â€Å"they killed my baby! Him, he was the one I loved †¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is impossible to say that these two characters have nothing in common when they have both lost a son that they love. In the end of the novel, the house on Cloudstreet is what brings these two supposedly opposite women together and shows the reader their connection. Oriel confronts Sam about the idea of selling the house on Cloudstreet and expresses her fondness for the property, to which Dolly says, â€Å"She’s right. Yer right. She muttered, unable to look Oriel in the eye. The bloody place has got to us. † Dolly and Oriel have an aversion to each other throughout the novel because they seem so opposed, but in the conclusion of the novel they surrender to their differences, which in actuality are their resemblances, â€Å"The little boxy woman and the big blowsy woman folded end to end till the tent was a parcel that they hefted to their shoulders across the greensmelling grass, and then they went inside the big old house †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dolly and Oriel come together and them packing up Oriel’s tent for her to move back in symbolises that they finally belong together in the house. In conclusion, it is distinct that Dolly Pickles and Oriel Lamb share a lot of similarities and it would be hopeless to argue otherwise. Throughout this novel these two characters experience twenty years of their lives in the same house and the reader learns their idiosyncrasies and personalities thoroughly, and with that the reader discovers that even though they are contrasting characters in many ways, they are more connected than they are aware of.

Imperfection free essay sample

When I was little, I played with Barbie dolls like a lot of other girls my age. I wondered why she was so popular, though, why every little girl wanted one so badly. Now at seventeen, I have come to the realization that people compare perfection to those dolls. Barbie is blonde, skinny, pretty and plastic. She has no feelings or emotions. She can be anything you want her to be. You can play, pose, and dress her up. So is Barbie perfect? What really is perfect? Who sets the standards on what is perfect and what isnt? Should we let go of ourselves and let society decide on how we act and look? We try so hard to be something that is unrealistic. Instead, what we need to understand is that we are all perfect with our imperfections, and that flaws make everybody unique. The media and society are responsible for the obsession over perfection. We will write a custom essay sample on Imperfection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People want to be accepted; They want things to be perfect in every aspect of their lives. People who are unhappy aspire to be perfect because they dont want their lives to lack any essential elements. For example, we associate happiness with material things when we really should be focused on ourselves and doing what we can to better our relationships with ourselves and others. The only way we can be happy in a life obsessed with control and superiority is to understand that perfection is not achievable, it is only something that we should use as a guideline and to strive for our best. The standards that I set for myself will never be reached. I dont think Im being negative, just realistic. Therefore, my idea of perfection is having flaws. I enjoy being imperfect; Im stubborn, moody at times, and overly self conscious. I get nervous easily and Im sarcastic; I cannot dance or play sports; my waist is not a size zero, and my skin is as white as snow. But these flaws are the little things about me that make me stand out from everyone else. And even though I have flaws there are things that I genuinely like about myself. I enjoy laughing and smiling a lot, I try to give advice when needed, and I am a good listener. Even though I am not athletic, I excel in music. I can identify the good qualities in myself to stay positive. I have accomplished self love and self acceptance and have realized that perfection is only a goal to be worked toward and not to be succeeded. I can accept that nobody else is perfect, not even Barbie. I can overcome the fact that I am not perfect, and do not ever want to be. I can stand out from the crowd and be different.

LSD and the Counterculture of the 1960s free essay sample

LSD and Counterculture of the 1960s LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide, is commonly regarded as one of the most powerful substances known to mankind. Its name is almost synonymous with the counterculture and the hippy movement of the 1960s. Though it is now listed as a Schedule I controlled substance, there was a time when LSD widely used and accepted without the harsh social stigma that it carries today Oenkins). LSD, which is known to the younger population as acid, Lucy, and various other colloquial terms, came into being by complete accident. Albert Hofmann, a chemist, irst created the drug in 1938, but it was not until 1943 that Hofmann unintentionally ingested a small dose of the drug leading to one of the greatest discoveries in the history of psychoactive chemicals (History of LSD). From there, LSD exploded with popularity, and by the 1950s psychiatrists were legally administering the drug to patients in order to explore LSDs potential to heal or treat psychological issues. We will write a custom essay sample on LSD and the Counterculture of the 1960s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During trials, doctors discovered that LSD did indeed have some potential benefits for mental health patients. Many individuals suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and alcoholism†among other illnesses†showed gradual improvements in their conditions when given LSD in a clinical setting (Frood). To satisfy the demand for clinical trials of LSD, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals began to manufacture the drug en masse. The ample supply of LSD led to widespread distribution by physicians to trial participants and, unintentionally, the general public (History of LSD). A black market developed, controlled by select groups of unofficial chemists who were able to synthesize the drug. Various musicians, artists, and igures of esteem took up LSD use, describing it to the population as a world- changing and mind-altering experience. Psychedelic drugs became a growing trend, even receiving the endorsement of Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary, who encouraged the youth to turn on, tune in, and drop out. The youth of the generation began to view LSD as nearly harmless, eventually causing the drug to run rampant in the streets, unregulated and, ultimately, legal (Lee, Shlain, et al). Such proliferation of the drug caught the attention of government officials who were interested in the drugs psychoactive effects. Government agencies launched a series of tests, having decorated individuals from both the military and academic worlds take LSD in a controlled setting. The governments motives, at the time, were questionable, with some critics suggesting that the government saw LSD as a means for mass mind control and various other nefarious ideas. Government funded tests continued for a long period of time (Lee, Shlain, et al. ). Their findings, however, did not shed a good light on LSD. Though there was a surplus of clinical information showing the potentially positive effects of LSD, some government studies stated that LSD could actually be a detriment to human mental health†causing depression, anxiety, fear as well as other undesirable side effects. Lawmakers began to think of LSD as an illicit and potentially dangerous substance. With its rampant use among the general population, lawmakers came to fear that the nation was dealing with somewhat of a drug epidemic. LSD was officially banned in the mid-1960s, along with backed by medical reasoning or if it was the result of political disapproval of the drug (History of LSD). The possibility of LSD-related possession charges loomed over the outh of the 1960s, but even still, the number of those using the drug began to grow exponentially. Disenchanted youth looked for a release from the pressures and troubles of society. The disputes over civil rights and the unpopular Vietnam War spearheaded the growing distrust for the American government (Vietnam War Protests). In protest, thousands of young people engaged in the hippie lifestyle, preaching a message of free love and happiness, often coupled with LSD use. Through the hippie counterculture sprang many radical groups that chose to issociate themselves from the modern political structure. Communes and sanctuaries, of sorts, became places where likeminded youth could escape the grips of the traditional social structure (Marks). The infamous Charles Manson, most notably, led a group of young outcasts to live on the fringes of society. LSD and other psychedelic drugs were an integral part of his groups operations. He and his followers turned out to be maniacal and murderous in later years. One of the most notable events in the hippie movement was the legendary Woodstock Festival of 969. Over one hundred thousand people Joined to engage in a three daylong event that promoted peace and happiness and protested the establishment. The psychedelic culture was prevalent at the event, featuring the Grateful Dead†known users of LSD†as well as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and others (Rosenburg). As the 1970s began and the turbulence of the 1960s began to dwindle so dwindled the use of LSD. Laws became stricter, hippies grew older, and the supply of LSD in the black market became scarce. New laws prohibiting the use of LSD in any medical xperiments stopped academic use of the drug altogether. Whatever potential benefits could have been gained from controlled use of the drug have now been placed on the backburner. Possibly, with newer and more progressive legislation, laws will be passed that will allow the untapped possibilities of psychedelic drugs to be explored. Whether one maintains a liberal or a conservative viewpoint towards experimental drug use, there is no denying that LSD played a major role in the legacy of the 1960s as one of the most turbulent and exciting decades in American history.

Free Essays on The Queen Of Scots

Mary was dubbed the ‘the daughter of debate’ by her cousin, Elizabeth I. Does this description accurately reflect the Queen of Scots? In order to establish whether or not Elizabeth’s description ‘the daughter of debate’ accurately reflects the Queen of Scots it is necessary to firstly examine who Mary was, considering early events in her life including her succession to the throne and her departure to France. Consideration must then be given to Elizabeth with a brief look at her succession to the throne and a more in depth look at what the early relationship between the two monarchs was like and considering the question was Mary obsessed with the throne of England? My focus, however are the events in her life up to and including what Wormald calls ‘the major scandals of 1566-7’ (2001:147). These events that have sparked debate include what were the reasons behind Mary’s marriage to Lord Darnley? Did she as accused commit adultery, and was she involved in the murder of her husband? Did she then marry Bothwell willingly or was she forced? What led Mary to resign her crown to he r infant son? Finally did Elizabeth call Mary ‘the daughter of debate’ and if so in what context? Wormald remarks that Mary Queen of Scots from the very start created uncertainty even before her distinctive character emerged (2001:12). Interestingly the first detail in Mary Stewart’s life under debate is the date of her birth. Mary’s birth date is recorded as the 8th of December 15421 however Fraser remarks that it has been suggested she was actually born on 7th December 1542 and the date was changed to occur with the feast of the virgin (1970:32/33). Mary herself saw her birthday to be the 8th2. Mary was the daughter of King James V and became Queen of Scotland when only six days old. Mary was not only a Stewart, but she was a Guise through her mother and a Tudor, through her grandmother. She therefore had claims to the thrones of Englan... Free Essays on The Queen Of Scots' Free Essays on The Queen Of Scots' Mary was dubbed the ‘the daughter of debate’ by her cousin, Elizabeth I. Does this description accurately reflect the Queen of Scots? In order to establish whether or not Elizabeth’s description ‘the daughter of debate’ accurately reflects the Queen of Scots it is necessary to firstly examine who Mary was, considering early events in her life including her succession to the throne and her departure to France. Consideration must then be given to Elizabeth with a brief look at her succession to the throne and a more in depth look at what the early relationship between the two monarchs was like and considering the question was Mary obsessed with the throne of England? My focus, however are the events in her life up to and including what Wormald calls ‘the major scandals of 1566-7’ (2001:147). These events that have sparked debate include what were the reasons behind Mary’s marriage to Lord Darnley? Did she as accused commit adultery, and was she involved in the murder of her husband? Did she then marry Bothwell willingly or was she forced? What led Mary to resign her crown to he r infant son? Finally did Elizabeth call Mary ‘the daughter of debate’ and if so in what context? Wormald remarks that Mary Queen of Scots from the very start created uncertainty even before her distinctive character emerged (2001:12). Interestingly the first detail in Mary Stewart’s life under debate is the date of her birth. Mary’s birth date is recorded as the 8th of December 15421 however Fraser remarks that it has been suggested she was actually born on 7th December 1542 and the date was changed to occur with the feast of the virgin (1970:32/33). Mary herself saw her birthday to be the 8th2. Mary was the daughter of King James V and became Queen of Scotland when only six days old. Mary was not only a Stewart, but she was a Guise through her mother and a Tudor, through her grandmother. She therefore had claims to the thrones of Englan...

Proofreading Marks 101 What Do These Squiggles Mean

Proofreading Marks 101 What Do These Squiggles Mean What Are the Meaning of Proofreading Marks? Having your work come back from an editor covered in red pen is daunting to begin with. Receiving a manuscript that's covered in proofreading marks that might as well be hieroglyphics can be even more intimidating.But before you reach for your cipher wheel, remember that the purpose of proofreading marks isn’t to confuse you. It’s to provide a detailed roadmap to a professional and polished final manuscript. While independent authors are not likely to spring for large print runs which would be ruined by more than a couple of typoe - proofreading still remains an essential step for most serious self-publishers. What are the meaning of proofreading marks? Find out here! #amediting These days, it’s unlikely for the proofreading process to take place via pen-and-paper, meaning that the use of proofreading marks is also becoming increasingly rare. Most proofreaders used tools such a â€Å"tracked changes† to flag issues - and many indie authors choose to forgo professional proofers for software such as Grammarly or the simple red, dotted line that signifies a typo in processors such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.That being said, screen fatigue is a real thing and there’s something about a hard-copy document that seems to draw the eye to errors more than a digital one. So if you’re working with a proofreader and want to ensure the collaboration fulfills its top potential, it’s worth getting to know the meaning of the more common proofreading marks.So, without further ado†¦ Once you’ve done all the proofreading work you can, we encourage you to consider working with a professional. Proofreading is the final stage of the editing process and will ensure your book fully meets its potential for success.The average costs of working with a professional proofreader on Reedsy are:$350 for a 40k-word book$520 for a 60k-word book$700 for an 80k-word bookHead to our marketplace to request quotes from a variety of professional proofreaders for free.Have you ever worked with a professional proofreader? Or do you prefer to go the DIY route? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!