Comparison Paper between Don Quixote from Cervantes and Bouvard and Essay

Comparison Paper between Don Quixote from Cervantes and Bouvard and Pecucher by Flaubert - Essay Example The importance of failure in both books is used to show this human attribute and the beliefs which many have surrounding their own lives and with the failure that is achieved. With this approach by both authors, one is able to create a different understanding of what it means to succeed or fail at different tasks. Structure of the Book The first technique which is used in Don Quixote and Bouvard and Pecucher is the use of failure that is acquired through the structure of the book. Both of the books have a main focus of providing comedy in the book while creating a specific relationship to the book through the continuous quest in which the characters are on. In Don Quixote, the individual quests never amount to anything. Either the character leaves the area, loses the battle or decides not to complete the mission. This is combined with the structure leading to the understanding that the plot line does not exist. These different components show the idea of failure specifically from the viewpoint of the character and with the structure of the book, which continuously diverts from any type of success on the journey. A similar path is taken with Bouvard and Pecucher. The structure focuses on both of the characters not being able to achieve anything throughout the book. ... This creates the understanding of failure based on the actions which they take as well as the perceptions which they hold. The character of Don Quixote shows this with the viewpoints that he holds and the intellectual relationship which he holds to the adventures which he goes on. The failure of the character occurs first through the difficulties with the quests that are never achieved and which don’t reach the end goal. For instance, the knight’s ailments and mishaps continue to remain a theme after dealing with others, such as youth and peasants, during his travels. â€Å"Nor was Don Quixote less so, for what with blows and bruises he could not sit upright on the ass, and from time to time he sent up sighs to heaven, so that once more he drove the peasant to ask what ailed him. And it could have been only the devil himself that put his head tales to match his own adventures† (Cervantes, 53). This passage shows the reality of Don Quixote, specifically which shou ld have the character of a knight who is able to overcome the difficulties and problems with the missions which he has been given. However, he is instead approached with ailments and the inability to win different battles while recognizing that the adventures which he has taken are not realistic to what he has heard. The continuation of failure is one that is also noted in the characters of Bouvard and Pecucher, specifically through their decision to take an intellectual quest to determine their righteousness in different situations. The different situations which they become a part of do not lead to any answers. More important, they always fail at winning the arguments or conversations that are a part of the

Preventing accidents to children Essay Example for Free

Preventing accidents to children Essay One of the hazards in the nursery is wires. To minimize the risk of children tripping over wires, wires should be tidied away out of the areas where the children are to prevent them from tripping up over them. Also, cable management systems such as cord covers could be used to cover the wires which make it less likely that the children could trip over them. The Healthy Working Lives website advises to ‘try to place equipment to avoid cables crossing pedestrian routes and use cable guards to cover cables where required’ (Healthy Working Lives, 2013). Slips/ Trips and fall is another hazard in a nursery and to minimise it so that service users are not at risk you can make sure that such hazards are put onto a side where it is not in the way of children. For e.g. if toys are in the walkway then tidy them away to a side. The Safety and Health website says that to prevent slips trips and falls you should ‘clean up spills immediately. If a spill can’t be cleaned up right away, place â€Å"wet floor† warning signs for workers. Keeps walkways and hallways free of debris, clutter and obstacles. Keep filing cabinets and desk drawers shut when not in use. Cover cables or cords in walkways. Replace burnt-out light bulbs promptly. Consider installing abrasive floor mats or replacing worn flooring. Encourage workers to wear comfortable, properly fitted shoes’. (Safety and Health, 2016) Another hazard in a nursery Weather/ Room temperature. To minimise the risk of children professionals and other in the setting suffering from hyper/hypothermia the nursery should ensure that the setting is suitable for service users to be in. This can be done by nursery staff making sure that the setting has an appropriate temperature for e.g. if its cold outside then they should ensure that the nursery is nice and warm for the service users’ and others who work or maybe visiting the nursery. If the temperature outside is too hot then The Nursery World advises to ‘avoid physical activities on very hot days to minimise the risks of heat stress, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.’ (Nursery World, 2015) Hazardous substances – cleaning products, beach etc. is one of the major hazards in a nursery as the harms and severity are very critical. In order to minimise the risk of this hazard substances and cleaning products should be placed out of children’s reach or placed in a locked cleaning cupboard. The Health and Safety Executive website advises to ‘Use good work techniques that avoid or minimise contact with harmful substances and minimise leaks and spills. Store cleaning products safely.’ (The Health and Safety Executive, No Date) In a nursery Doors/ stairs is also another hazard. In order to ensure that no service users are harmed by this hazard and the risk of potentially being harmed to be reduced the nursery should place some control measure to prevent them and they could be things such as door-slam stoppers or jammer. The Safe Kid website advises to fit hinges with protection strips ‘these devices cover the hinge where the door is joined to the wall. They are a long strip of plastic, easily fitted, that bend with the door when it opens, preventing children from slotting their fingers in.’ (Safe Kids, 2015) Open windows can be hazardous for service users as well as other people in the setting. The risk can also be very severe for this the nursery should try to minimise the risk of children being harmed. This can be done by placing some barriers such as gates around the window so children can jump out, this can also help safeguarding as no intruders will be able to enter. The Baby Centre website advises to ‘fit locks to prevent your child from opening them from the bottom. Fix low windows so that they don\t open more than 12.5cm.’ (Baby Centre, 2017) Faulty electrical equipment’s are another hazard in a nursery. This hazards has an overall rating of 12 but it can severely affect service users, professionals and others in the setting. In order to minimise this risk all electrical equipment’s should be regularly tested, any electric’s that are broken or can be hazardous to people should be disposed of or put out of use. This is supported by The Nursery World website that says ‘All electrical and gas equipment to be maintained and subject to annual inspections. The service histories of appliances should be recorded in a log book.’ (Nursery World, 2017) Medication or drugs lying around in the nursery is another hazard. To minimise professionals should keep an eye on service users to ensure that they don’t do anything that could place them in harm. This can be done by professionals making sure that the setting is safe for the children. Any medication that are in the premises should be authorised by the nursery nurse or it should be a prescribed by doctors. These medication should be kept by professionals and given to service users as prescribed. The Kids Health website advises to ‘Store all medicines, prescription and non-prescription, out of sight and out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. Even items that seem harmless, such as mouthwash, can be extremely dangerous if ingested in large quantities by children. Just because cabinets are up high doesn\t mean kids can\t get their hands on what\s in them, they\ll climb up (using the toilet and countertops) to get to items in the medicine cabinet.’ ( The kids Health, 2017) Climbing frames/ broken toys can also be hazard in a nursery as service users can be harmed during playtime or when doing activities. To minimise this risk the nursery should make sure that all their equipment’s have a risk assessment done, make sure that the toys in the nursery aren’t harmful to the children, broken toys can be a hazard as service users may fall of them and gets hurt or it may drop on them depending on what toy it is. When children are playing on the climbing frames a professional should keep an eye on them or help them on this activity as they may fall from it and get injured. Toys with sharp edges should be avoided and the nursery should have age-appropriate toys. The safe Kids website says that ‘Useful points to consider include what to look for when buying toys, understanding safety marks and labelling, ensure that the right safety checks have been carried out, and considerations when giving and receiving used toys.’ (Safe Kids, 2011) Another potential hazard in a nursery is the event of a fire. If the nursery have control measures in place then the likelihood of a fire can be reduced. Control measure could be equipment’s that may cause a fire being checked and tested regularly, cookers and gas check should also be up to date and recorded on a logbook. The Kids Health website supports this by saying that making sure all electrical appliances are tested, making sure that wires are in good condition and sockets are safe to use. Fire alarms, fire doors etc. should be installed in the case of a fire and the Safety website says that the three P’s are recommended, they are: †¢ ‘PREPARE – Reduce the risk of fires by eliminating hazards. †¢ PRACTICE – Practice a fire evacuation plan and general fire safety practices. †¢ PREVENT – The Unthinkable’

Online Shopping Software Systems Information Technology Essay

Online Shopping Software Systems Information Technology Essay Nowadays everyone is busy with their works; they dont have much time to do shopping in the (busy) big super markets. In the stores we have to search in the each shelf to find our product so it takes more time and no guarantee of every product available in every store. Moreover, weather conditions are too bad so we cannot get our required products. Payment is also a big problem because we should stand in the queue for payment. Stores are not always opened (24/7). Why It Has Come: To solve above mentioned problems, we can use Online Shopping method.   For customers it is not only because of the high level of convenience, but also because of the broader selection; competitive pricing and greater access to information.  For organizations it increases their customer value and the building of sustainable capabilities, next to the increased profits. One advantage of shopping online is being able to quickly seek out deals for items or services with many different vendors (though some  local search engines do exist to help consumers locate products for sale in nearby stores). Search engines, online  price comparison services  and  discovery shopping  engines can be used to look up sellers of a particular product or service. A majority of consumers choose online shopping for a faster and more efficient shopping experience. Many researchers notify that the uniqueness of the web has dissolved and the need for the design, which will be user centered, is very important.  Companies should always remember that there are certain things, such as understanding the customers wants and needs, living up to promises, never go out of style, because they give reason to come back. Online stores must describe products for sale with text, photos, and multimedia files, whereas in a physical retail store, the actual product and the manufacturers packaging will be available for direct inspection (which might involve a test drive, fitting, or other experimentation). Some online stores provide or link to supplemental product information, such as instructions, safety procedures, demonstrations, or manufacturer specifications. Some provide background information, advice, or how-to guides designed to help consumers decide which product to buy. Some stores even allow customers to comment or rate their items Current Project Requirement: Responsibilities/ Current Position: We are responsible to create an Online Shopping Software System for our client Metro Super Stores. The main idea of online  shopping  is not just in having a good looking  website  that could be listed in a lot of search engines or the art behind the site.  Its not only just about disseminating information, because it is also about building relationships and making money.   Organizations that want to keep their customers or gain new ones should try to get rid of all mistakes and be more appealing to be more desirable for online shoppers. 2. Project Objectives The main objective behind the project is to enable Metro superstore to expand their business by enabling customers to buy their products online via a safe and secured online payment method. This will help Metro superstore to attract more customers and increase their market. Also, Metro superstore will be able to make it efficient and convenient for its customers to purchase products and review them. Customers can avail numerous offers on products online and make their payment with the click of a button. Times are changing and it is becoming increasingly difficult for customers to find time to visit a shopping mall and go through a wide range of products. The online shopping cart system will make it easier for the customer to browse through this wide range of products and also compare them with similar products in the market. The project will also aim at receiving and then analyzing the feedback obtained from the customers to help maintain or uplift the quality of products and to buil d a better service for the customers. Metro superstore will aim to thus gain market monopoly and attract a wider range of customers. It will also enable Metro superstore to build a relationship with international customers from around the world. The project aims at bridging the gap between Metro superstore and its customers. Customers will be able to purchase their desired products online from the comfort of their homes without having to go through the trouble of visiting the store physically. The customers will be able to create their account, browse through the products and add them to their virtual shopping cart. They can then check out having the options to pay online via safe and secured online transaction or pay as cash on delivery of the products. An additional objective of this project is to make Metro super-stores products available to customers 247 online. The online website will also contain all the products instructions, safety procedures, demonstrations, or manufacturer specifications and how-to guides. Customers will be able to post reviews after they have used the product which will enable other potential buyers to make decisions. Thus, the most crucial objective of this project is users convenience. 3. Project Scope 3.1 Project Brief The project involves eight technical people working together, including a project manager. This Project has been handled by eight members and it is a big project, which is modularized into small parts and assigned to each member of the project. Moreover because of this, the project has been managed very well by the project manager. We are going to work for four months to develop an online-shopping for existing super stores called METRO. The main aim of the project is to deliver the software for online shopping with in the elapsed time. Metro initially contacted our software solutions with their requirements and their need in having a website for their superstore. The website should give the information about the products and can facilitate the online shopping. The basic requirements of the website has been clearly mentioned by them so, that no future faults or misunderstandings. They also showed us the survey they conducted in the store from their customers. This survey proves that superstore needs an online shopping facility to their customers. It also states online shopping is the only alternative method to help customers in busy queues, parking area, shopping time and extra range of products available only in online. Based on the above things we agreed to make a website for the metro super stores. 3.2 Project Approach Deliverables: This project delivers a user-friendly software (or) flat form for online shopping to the METRO superstore. The software provides a website having all the facilities for the customers starting from price enquiries, offers, availability of stock, quality, store details, contacts and ordering the goods. 3.3 Exclusions. Every project has its boundaries and it can only delivers outcomes and specifications within that boundary. The exclusions in our project are delivery department, managing the software after term time (6 months) and further upgrading (or) developing new products. Delivery department: Delivering the goods in time and enquiries about the delivery will not be supported by the project team. All the shipping and delivery process is being deal by the super store. Managing the software after term time: The project team will not be dealing with the software term time. Though it gives an assurance of guarantee for lifelong but managing the website is wholly controlled by the superstore management. We will be taking care of the site for the term time which is 6 months duration. In this period we will be teaching and sorting out any minor problems for the super store staff. Upgrading the software: Upgrading the software and developing the new products is personally responsible by the superstore. The lightening software solutions will not be supporting any further upgrades for the website as a commitment of this project. The above products have been clearly mentioned that they will not include as a part in the project and which is solely agreed by the management of the super store. 4. Project Deliverables The products of the project will be: Management Quality: M1 Project Brief M2 Project Initiation Document M3 Highlight Reports M4 End of Project Report Business: B1 Communications plan B2 Questionnaire (to support information gathering ensure consistency) B3 Report for Project Board on current requirements/arrangements, and areas identified for further investigation/potential change B4 Report for Executive Board with recommendations for change B5 Implementation proposals Actual Product of the project: An user-friendly Online Shopping Software System The major deliverables are broken down in the project plan into smaller deliverables and activities.   User documentation User training 5. Project Organization 5.1 Project Board Project Sponsor: Metro Super stores Senior Responsible Owner: Vishal Sharma Project Management Board: Johnson- Executive Srikanth Nair Rohit Singh Suresh Peter Sundar Raghavan 5.2 Project Team Project Manager: Prasnnaa Nachimuthu Project Team Members: Abid Ali Baig Hari Vommi Kalyan Kondapally Mahitha Kolli Rakesh Thatiparthy Ronak Muchhala Vijay Chekuri 5.3 The Project Organization Structure Communication and Engagement team Policy Team Technical and procurement team Legal Team Project Board Project Manager Prasnnaa Nachimuthu Project SRO Vishal Sharma 5.4 Roles and Responsibilities Project Board: Approve Project Initiation Document, component plans and any subsequent changes Ensure the business case remains sound throughout the project Provide direction and determine priorities Commit resources and resolve conflicts Approve initiation and completion of stages Responsibility for quality of deliverables/end-products Senior Responsible Officer: Responsible for ensuring that the project meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits Owner of the business changes, which will flow from the projects recommendations. Project Manager: Responsible for providing support to Project Board and Team, monitoring progress and resource usage, maintaining project plan, establishing and operating arrangements for document version control, establishing and operating arrangements for handling project issues, and maintaining the Quality Log. Project Team Members: The Project Team, together with the Project Manager, will be responsible for researching and developing the business products of the project To provide skills across work packages as required 6. Communication Plan Communication Purpose Audience Author Mode Of Communication Frequency Monthly status report to project sponsor To keep project sponsor informed of the projects progress and key upcoming activities Project sponsor Executive Committee Project Manager Email Posting on project website Video conference Monthly Weekly schedule metrics Monitor and report progress on scheduled tasks. Troubleshoot problem areas and solve issues as appropriate. Project management Others, as appropriate Project Manager Email Posting on website Group meetings Weekly Project team calendar Keep project participants aware of key project dates and to help them manage their schedules. Maintain training calendars. Project management team Project Coordinator Post in project folders in Intranet Daily 7. Quality Plan The Software Product must includes the following qualities Good enough product: The product is good enough which enables the Metro Super store to solve all critical problems which they encountered. The product should able to solve 70 to 80 % of the most common customer needs. Cost: The cost of the software product is reasonable that comes under the budget of the client and meets the quality and standards which the client expects. Easy to implement: The product is simple enough which makes Metro Super store to implement it easily without facing any problem. The product can be installed in several minutes instead of taking hours for installation. Association of steady users: Staff of Metro Super store contributes their time to test our product, report about the error if they find any, request us for new features and develop new product functionality. Standard Technology: The product should utilize the technologies which are widely in use such as Java, AJAX. Upgrades: The product will be updated time to time which encourage the clients ton use our product more often and in an interactive manner. Scalability: The product has the ability to handle the large amount of work. It can help to increase the work. Correctness: It indicates the correctness of algorithm which the product includes. Deficiency of bugs: The product does not include any bug and produce the accurate result or output to the client. Fault Tolerance: Continue to operate properly even if some of its component does not work. Extensibility: Ability to extend the work. Extension can be done in 2 ways Modifying the existing functionality. Adding new functionality to the existing functionality. Maintainability: It refers to the maintenance of the product in order to Correct the defects. Meeting the new requirements. Endure related to the change in Environment Responsible for the Quality of the product: Project Manager is responsible for the quality of the product. He must make sure that the product meets all requirements which are specified by the client and the standards are met. Acceptance Criteria: Project Manager is responsible in identifying the acceptance criteria. Acceptance is defined as acquiring the acknowledgement from the client that the product which is delivered to them meets all the requirements according to their specification. Milestones List the project milestones and deliverables for which customer acceptance will be sought: Milestone Deliverable Name Description Name Description Online Shopping Software System Implementing the project management software package on new hardware .Providing access to the internet Software Package installed Implementation of General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) software Acceptance Milestones Table: Criteria Identify the criteria and standards to be met to achieve final customer acceptance for each deliverable. Deliverable Criteria Standards Software Package installed System functionality: · GL tested installed · AP tested installed · AR tested installed System Performance : System up-time · System response-time · Data transferred System functionality: · GL operational with no errors · AP operational with no errors · AR operational with no errors System Performance : 99.9% system uptime · Acceptance Criteria Table 8. Project Plan Number Tasks Resource Start Date End Date Duration Milestone 1 Initiation Everyone 06/09/2010 25/09/2010 20 days 1.1 Collect project ideas Prasnnaa 06/09/2010 07/09/2010 2 days 1.2 Prioritize project ideas Prasnnaa 08/09/2010 09/09/2010 2 days 1.3 Gather customer requirements Prasnnaa 10/09/2010 10/09/2010 1 day 1.4 Submit the request and get approval for the proposal Prasnnaa 11/09/2010 13/09/2010 3 days Yes 1.5 Prepare the requirement document Rakesh 13/09/2010 18/09/2010 6 days 1.6 Meeting for project kickoff Everyone 19/09/2010 21/09/2010 2 days 1.7 Outline project plan Rakesh 22/09/2010 23/09/2010 2 days 1.8 Assign resources to project plan tasks Prasnnaa 24/09/2010 25/09/2010 2 days 2 Analysis Kalyan, Mahitha 26/09/2010 05/10/2010 10 days 2.1 Create entity relationship diagram Kalyan 26/09/2010 28/09/2010 3 days 2.2 Create Data Flow Diagram Mahitha 29/09/2010 30/09/2010 2 days 2.3 Define data dictionary Kalyan 01/10/2010 02/10/2010 2 days 2.4 Perform object-oriented analysis Mahitha 03/10/2010 05/10/2010 3 days 3 Design Rakesh, Vijay, Hari 06/10/2010 27/10/2010 22 days 3.1 Design data model Rakesh 06/10/2010 09/10/2010 4 days 3.2 Write functional specifications Vijay 10/10/2010 11/10/2010 2 days 3.3 Design storyboards and/or prototypes Rakesh, Vijay 12/10/2010 12/10/2010 1 day 3.4 Write detailed design specifications Rakesh, Vijay 13/10/2010 15/10/2010 3 days 3.5 Write documentation plan Vijay 16/10/2010 17/10/2010 2 days 3.6 Write beta test plan Hari 18/10/2010 19/10/2010 2 days 3.7 Write SQA test plan Hari 20/10/2010 20/10/2010 1 day 3.8 Write SQA test cases Hari 21/10/2010 21/10/2010 1 day 3.9 Write customer support plan Rakesh 22/10/2010 23/10/2010 2 days 3.10 Write training plan Hari 24/10/2010 25/10/2010 2 days 3.11 Write risk management plan Vijay 26/10/2010 27/10/2010 2 days 4 Development Ronak, Ali 28/10/2010 26/11/2010 30 days 4.1 Code application components Ronak 28/10/2010 06/11/2010 10 days 4.2 Unit test Ali 07/11/2010 10/11/2010 4 days 4.3 Integration test Ali 11/11/2010 14/11/2010 4 days 4.4 Write documentation Ronak, Ali 15/11/2010 21/11/2010 7 days 4.5 Write training courseware Ronak 22/11/2010 26/11/2010 5 days 5 Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Hari, Ali 27/11/2010 11/12/2010 15 days 5.1 System test Hari 27/11/2010 01/12/2010 5 days 5.2 Track defects Ali 02/12/2010 05/12/2010 4 days 5.3 Regression test Hari, Ali 06/12/2010 11/12/2010 6 days 6 Manage Release and Change Prasnnaa, Ronak 12/12/2010 16/12/2010 5 days 6.1 Configuration management Prasnnaa 12/12/2010 13/12/2010 2 days 6.2 New full releases Ronak 14/12/2010 14/12/2010 1 day 6.3 Maintenance releases Ronak 15/12/2010 15/12/2010 1 day 6.4 Defect and enhancement tracking Prasnnaa 16/12/2010 16/12/2010 1 day 7 Implementation Everyone 17/12/2010 05/01/2011 20 days 7.1 Implement the website in beta test system Ali, Rakesh 17/12/2010 18/12/2010 2 days 7.2 Conduct beta tests Hari 19/12/2010 20/12/2010 2 days 7.3 Track defects and report to customer support Ronak, Vijay 21/12/2010 21/12/2010 1 day 7.4 Gather requirements for customizations Prasnnaa 22/12/2010 23/12/2010 2 days 7.5 Analysis (gap between customizations) Mahitha 24/12/2010 25/12/2010 2 days 7.6 Design Kalyan 26/12/2010 27/12/2010 2 days 7.7 Implement the customized website Ali 28/12/2010 28/12/2010 1 day 7.8 Unit test adaptations Rakesh 29/12/2010 30/12/2010 2 days 7.9 Integration test (Implementation) Hari 31/12/2010 01/01/2011 2 days 7.10 Execute customer acceptance test procedure Kalyan 02/01/2011 03/01/2011 2 days 7.11 Cutover testing to production Everyone 04/01/2011 05/01/2011 2 days Yes

John Brown: Violent Abolitionist :: essays research papers fc

John Brown was born on May 9, 1800 in Torrington, Connecticut. When he was about five years old, his father moved the family to Hudson, Ohio. There, John was filled with the heavy anti-slavery sentiment that was present in that area. This, combined with personal observations of the maltreatment of blacks and the influence of Calvinism, started John Brown on his crusade to abolish slavery. In 1855, Brown and several of his sons moved to Kansas, a territory deeply divided over the slavery issue. Brown was captured after the raid, sentenced to death, and was hung on December 2, 1859 in a field near town. On October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown and several followers seized the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. The actions of Brown's men brought national attention to the emotional divisions relating to slavery On Pottawotamie Creek, on the night of May 24, 1856, Brown and his sons murdered three men who supported slavery, although none actually owned slaves. Brown and his sons escaped. Brown spent the next three years collecting money from wealthy abolitionists in order to establish a colony for runaway slaves. To accomplish this, Brown needed weapons and so decided to capture the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. In 1794, President George Washington had selected Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and Springfield, Massachusetts, as the sites of the new national armories. In choosing Harpers Ferry, he noted the benefit of great waterpower provided by both the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Producing of weapons began in 1796. In 1817, the federal government contracted with John H. Hall to manufacture his patented rifles at Harpers Ferry. The armory and arsenal continued producing weapons until its destruction at the outbreak of the Civil War. In the summer of 1859, John Brown, using the alias Isaac Smith, too k up residence near Harpers Ferry on a farm in Maryland. He trained a group of twenty-two men, including his sons Oliver, Owen, and Watson, in military training. On the night of Sunday, October 16, Brown and all but three of the men marched into Harpers Ferry, capturing several watchmen. The first victim of the raid was an African-American railroad baggage handler named Hayward Shepherd, who was shot and killed after confronting the raiders. During the night, Brown captured several other prisoners, including Lewis Washington, the great-grand-nephew of George Washington. There were two keys to the success of the raid. John Brown: Violent Abolitionist :: essays research papers fc John Brown was born on May 9, 1800 in Torrington, Connecticut. When he was about five years old, his father moved the family to Hudson, Ohio. There, John was filled with the heavy anti-slavery sentiment that was present in that area. This, combined with personal observations of the maltreatment of blacks and the influence of Calvinism, started John Brown on his crusade to abolish slavery. In 1855, Brown and several of his sons moved to Kansas, a territory deeply divided over the slavery issue. Brown was captured after the raid, sentenced to death, and was hung on December 2, 1859 in a field near town. On October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown and several followers seized the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. The actions of Brown's men brought national attention to the emotional divisions relating to slavery On Pottawotamie Creek, on the night of May 24, 1856, Brown and his sons murdered three men who supported slavery, although none actually owned slaves. Brown and his sons escaped. Brown spent the next three years collecting money from wealthy abolitionists in order to establish a colony for runaway slaves. To accomplish this, Brown needed weapons and so decided to capture the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. In 1794, President George Washington had selected Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and Springfield, Massachusetts, as the sites of the new national armories. In choosing Harpers Ferry, he noted the benefit of great waterpower provided by both the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Producing of weapons began in 1796. In 1817, the federal government contracted with John H. Hall to manufacture his patented rifles at Harpers Ferry. The armory and arsenal continued producing weapons until its destruction at the outbreak of the Civil War. In the summer of 1859, John Brown, using the alias Isaac Smith, too k up residence near Harpers Ferry on a farm in Maryland. He trained a group of twenty-two men, including his sons Oliver, Owen, and Watson, in military training. On the night of Sunday, October 16, Brown and all but three of the men marched into Harpers Ferry, capturing several watchmen. The first victim of the raid was an African-American railroad baggage handler named Hayward Shepherd, who was shot and killed after confronting the raiders. During the night, Brown captured several other prisoners, including Lewis Washington, the great-grand-nephew of George Washington. There were two keys to the success of the raid.

Political philosophy Essay

Among the many substantial contributions to the field of modern philosophy made by John Rawls, there is one particular aspect of his most memorable work that has been a subject of notable controversy among feminists and other critics of gender-based injustices. Rawls is widely regarded as having revolutionized the modern field of political philosophy by â€Å"breaking the intuitionism-utilitarianism deadlock† (Kymlicka, 2002, p. 55). However, according to critics like Susan Moller Okin, while Rawls has accounted for most institutions of society when elaborating his theory of justice, his categorization of family as a basic institution has led to an exclusion of those not qualifying as a â€Å"head of household† from the original position, creating the potential for significant gender-based injustices within his theory. This discrepancy has been extended by other critics including Eva Kittay, who demonstrates Rawls’ lack of attention to the issue of dependency. Throughout the course of this essay, we will examine these criticisms and others in determining the susceptibility to gender-based injustices present in John Rawls’ theory and principles of justice. An outstanding explanation and brief overview of certain key aspects of a philosophical perspective advocated by Rawls comes from Samuel Sheffler (2001, p. 20), stating: In summary, then, Rawls agrees with utilitarianism about the desirability of providing a systematic account of justice that reduces the scope for intuitionistic balancing and offers a clear and constructive solution to the priority problem; about the need to subordinate common? sense precepts of justice to a higher criterion; and about the holistic character of distributive justice. Rawls’ views may be regarded as revolutionary in that he was among the first to present a systematic alternative to utilitarianism that would account for intuitions that might be held as a necessity, and one of the first to attempt developing a systematic political theory to structure our different intuitions. Because of this, Rawls’ work has become a philosophical standard that has served as a basis for comparison of justice theory throughout recent generations (Kymlicka, 2002, p.54). It is for this reason that the theory of justice presented by Rawls has apparently drawn so much criticism. While containing a number of uncertainties, particularly pertaining to gender-based injustices and dependency, the intellectual contributions of Rawls have been invaluable to the development of the field of political philosophy, in general. Issues of justice pertaining to gender in Rawls’ theory would, upon reading most of his work, appear to be favorable toward equality for all classes of citizens. For example (Rawls, 1971, p.11): My aim is to present a conception of justice which generalizes and carries to a higher level of abstraction the familiar theory of the social contract as found, say, in Locke, Rousseau, and Kant. The issue to be examined is whether or not Rawls’ social contract theory applies a superior standard of justice to all members and classes within a given society. In A Theory of Justice, Rawls explains that â€Å"laws and institutions no matter how efficient and well-arranged must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust† (1971, p. 3). He devises a method, a thought experiment, to evaluate the conditions that might exist under a â€Å"veil of ignorance† where â€Å"parties do not know their conceptions of the good or their special psychological propensities† (p. 11). These circumstances are what define the original position, as defined by Rawls, who then develops his theory on two principles that he believes would be agreed upon by those parties in the original position. The first principle suggests that â€Å"each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others†. The second principle states: â€Å"social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone’s advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all† (p. 53). It is the ambiguity of the phrases â€Å"to everyone’s advantage† and â€Å"open to all† that has received the most scrutiny from feminists and other critics of gender based inadequacies in Rawls’ theory of justice. A feminism advocate and noteworthy critic of Rawls has been Susan Moller Okin, who has said, â€Å"[a]n ambiguity runs throughout John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice, continually noticeable to anyone reading it from a feminist perspective† (Okin, 1987, p. 44). While Okin concedes that Rawls’ â€Å"liberal principles can lead us to challenge fundamentally the gender system of our society†, she goes on to say that â€Å"this challenge is barely hinted at, much less developed†, referring to the evident lack of material presented by Rawls that might clarify, among other things, the outcome of wives and other women who are regarded as subordinates in the social institution of family. Okin criticises the predominantly-masculine terms of references used by Rawls to describe any individuals or persons mentioned in his theory, suggesting that the equal inclusion of women may not have been a foremost concern when Rawls developed the foundations for these principles of justice (p. 45). While it remains true, in A Theory of Justice, that Rawls uses masculine terms most frequently, it is unclear whether or not he does so in order to more effectively communicate his ideas to a contemporary philosophical audience, in which these predominantly masculine terms of references had been applied, almost exclusively, for generations. Okin’s next concern is with regard to Rawls’ assumption that family is a just institution. Based on the most relevant context in A Theory of Justice, pertaining to family as the first school of moral development, Rawls inadequately asserts that â€Å"family institutions are just† (Rawls cited by Okin, 1987, p. 48). Since it is Rawls’ intent and burden to demonstrate that both principles of justice as fairness are hypothetically agreeable between individuals in the original position, Okin makes a valid point with the following statement (p.49): †¦ [S]ince those in the original position are the heads or representatives of families, they are not in a position to determine questions of justice within families. This argument is sustained and further clarified by Kittay (1997, p. 229): If parties to the OP already have a determined social position relative to the family, they will not choose the principles of justice in ignorance of their social position. And in the framework of Rawlsian constructivism, only principles that we choose in ignorance of our social position will issue in fair principles with respect to the basic institutions. Since Rawls does want to say that the family is a basic institution, and since justice should then pertain to the family, the parties cannot be heads of households. With this in mind, it would appear Okin is correct when outlining this apparent flaw in the â€Å"veil of ignorance† envisioned by Rawls. Despite noting that Rawls does, on at least two occasions, seem to acknowledge that women may be equally likely to be regarded as a â€Å"head of family† or to be included in the original position, Okin challenges the ongoing assumptions present throughout Part II of A Theory of Justice and contends again that Rawls’ consistent employment of supposedly male terms of reference â€Å"has the effect of banishing a large sphere of human life — and a particularly large sphere of most women’s lives — from the scope of the theory† (Okin, 1987, p.50). Rawls discusses the issue of wealth distribution in A Theory of Justice and, in accordance with his frequent omission of wives and many other women from the original position, does not account for certain factors that may influence a woman’s success in the paid labor force. Okin states that, in all contemporary societies, â€Å"a much larger proportion of women’s than men’s labor is unpaid, and is often not acknowledged to be labor† (1987, p. 50). While this condition may not necessarily prevail under Rawls’ theory of justice, at least not when women are represented as a â€Å"head of household†, for any discussion of justice within the family, these issues would have to be carefully considered. An interesting example of a woman’s role in the public sphere, or lack thereof, in Rawls’ arguments aimed to support his theory of justice is that of a military draft. Despite his statement that there should be â€Å"no avoidable class bias in selecting those who are called for duty† (Rawls cited by Okin, 1987, p.50), Rawls had failed to include any mention of the exemption of women from this aspect of equal citizenship and civil duty (Okin, 1987, p. 50). Such exclusions are in stark contrast to the notion of â€Å"equality of opportunity† in a Rawlsian society as depicted by Kymlicka (p. 58): Why does the ideology of equal opportunity seem fair to many people in our society? Because it ensures that people’s fate is determined by their choices, rather than their circumstances. If I am pursuing some personal ambition in a society that has equality of opportunity, then my success or failure will be determined by my performance, not by my race or class or sex. Equality of opportunity is one of the challenges faced by Rawls when developing his theory of justice. As part of an adequate conception of social cooperation, political justice must account for dependency concerns. Rawls admits to the mostly unsupported assumption â€Å"that everyone has physical needs and psychological capacities within some normal range† (Rawls cited by Kittay, 1997, p.225). This is, of course, mostly untrue as a large percentage of the population will consist of people who are seriously ill, children, and elderly. Not only is dependency a factor for these individuals; it also applies to the caretakers whose overall functioning capacity in society would be reduced by their obligation to care for those who are in need of constant attention. Kittay outlines some of the reasons dependency concerns are relevant to social cooperation and political justice (1997, p.232): [F]irst, because they are rational and reasonable considerations in choosing a conception of justice; second, because a society that does not care for its dependents or that cares for them only by unfairly exploiting the labor of those who do the caring cannot be said to be well-ordered [†¦ ]; and, third, because when we reorient our political insights to see the centrality of human relationships to our happiness and well-being, we recognize dependency needs as basic motivations for creating a social order. The argument that issues related to dependency should be an important foundation for any theory of justice has been well-supported by Kittay and other critics. According to Kittay (p. 239), if we all â€Å"took turns being dependent and dependency workers, we would repay the debt, incurred during periods of dependency, of benefits-received-without-burdens-assumed†. Of course, such a circumstance does not reasonably exist and, therefore, the burdens and responsibilities of the dependency worker are drastically different than those of a fully-functioning citizen. The worker will simply not have the resources to maintain â€Å"an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties† as allocated by Rawls’ first principle of justice (Rawls, 1971, p. 53). In conclusion, Okin’s claim that Rawls’ theory of justice fails to address gender-based injustice both within the family and the public sphere is sustained with legitimate arguments and reasonable inquiry. Rawls’ theory of justice, at its current stage, does not appear to apply equally to all classes of citizens, namely women. The parties in the original position would have an inadequate â€Å"veil of ignorance† if their association to family was known, preventing an impartial assignment of ‘principles’. Kittay’s extension of the argument pertaining to gender-based injustices to dependency relations carries the significance of Rawls’ discrepancies even further when demonstrating the full extent by which dependency workers, which are predominantly female, are further constricted by Rawls’ failure to account for existing inequalities pertaining to dependency and dependency work. In essence, the lack of sufficient acknowledgement of gender-based injustice on behalf of Rawls may very well be the greatest weakness of his theory. With the passage of time, however, new developments in the field of political philosophy may give rise to a system that will account for these important variables. REFERENCES Kymlicka, Will. (2002), Contemporary Political Philosophy. Oxford University Press, New York. Okin, Susan Moller. (1987), â€Å"Justice and gender†. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 16: Kittay, Eva Feder. (1997), â€Å"Human dependency and Rawlsian Equality† in Feminists Rethink the Self, Meyers, Diana Tietjens Rawls, John. (1971), A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press. Sheffler, Samuel. (2001), ‘Rawls and Utilitarianism’, Boundaries and Allegiances: Problems of Justice and Responsibility in Liberal Thought. Oxford University Press, New York.

Based On vs. Based Around

Based On vs. Based Around Based On vs. Based Around Based On vs. Based Around By Maeve Maddox In a previous post, I wrote about the strange but trendy expression â€Å"to be based out of,† a phrase inexplicably used to mean â€Å"based in,† or â€Å"lives in.† Now I’ve noticed another expression that uses base in a nonstandard way: â€Å"to be based around.† The first time I noticed this odd usage was in a caption under a photo taken at a school event: the event was based around The Sisters Grimm [a play]. I couldn’t understand why it didn’t say, â€Å"based on.† A Google search indicates that the expression â€Å"to base something around something† is widespread. Here are a few examples in which the intended meanings seem to vary among derived from, modeled on, set in, having to do with, and plain old based on. Some are headlines. Writing fanfiction based around a story you hate How to make a story based around a character The story is based around Maine. Classic comedy based around shop in Doncaster Worksheets and tasks based around the Shakespeare play. This is a common problem with lesson plans based around websites I want to write a book based around Monopoly What are some books about based around being alone? Dutch Artist Starting Religion Based Around Facebook Likes Kids cartoon book based around a vegetable garden. Used as a noun, â€Å"a base† is a foundation. Building on this meaning, the verb â€Å"to base† can have the following meanings: to make or form a foundation for something to serve as a base for something to establish or maintain a base for something to use as a base or basis for something Something can be based on something, but to say that something is based around something makes no sense. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?50 Idioms About Roads and PathsMood vs. Tense

Converting Text to Numbers Using VBA in Excel

Converting Text to Numbers Using VBA in Excel Question: How do I convert cells filled with character numbers to numeric values so I can use the values in Excel math formulas. I recently had to add a column of numbers in Excel that were copied and pasted from a table in a web page. Because the numbers are represented by text in the web page (that is, the number 10 is actually Hex 3130), a Sum function for the column simply results in a zero value. You can find a lot of web pages (including Microsoft pages) that simply give you advice that doesnt work. For example, this page ... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291047 ... gives you seven methods. The only one that actually works is to retype the value manually. (Gee, thanks, Microsoft. I never would have thought of that.) The most common solution I found on other pages is to Copy the cells and then use Paste Special to paste the Value. That doesnt work either. (Tested on Excel 2003 and Excel 2007.) The Microsoft page provides a VBA Macro to do the job (Method 6): Sub Enter_Values()   Ã‚  Ã‚  For Each xCell In Selection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  xCell.Value xCell.Value   Ã‚  Ã‚  Next xCell End Sub It doesnt work either, but all you have to do is make one change and it does work: For Each xCell In Selection   Ã‚  Ã‚  xCell.Value CDec(xCell.Value) Next xCell Its not rocket science. I cant understand why so many pages have it wrong.

Free Essays on Willis Reed

â€Å"Willis Reed† As a Hall of Famer, Willis Reed was born on June 25, 1942 in Bernice Louisiana. As a youngster, Willis Reed began to play basketball and that’s when he began to make a name for himself. By the time, Willis got into high school in Lillie Louisiana from 1956-1960. While playing basketball at West Side High, Willis Reed had achieved many accomplished and honors. He was named All-State in 1956-1960, and All Conference. After his many accomplishments in High School, Reed went to Grambling State University, in Grambling Louisiana from 1960-1964. With his many skills in basketball, Reed moved up to receiving much college highlights much like his highschool accomplishments. To name only a few, Willis Reed led Grambling to the NAIA national championship as a freshman in 1961, led Grambling to the 1963 and 1964 NAIA Final Four, led Grambling to three Southwest Conference titles. While receiving all his nominations, he also received the All-NAIA Tournament Team in 1963-1964, All-America in 1963-1964. In addition, while casting his many skills on the Basketball Court, Reed scored 2,280 pts. (18.7) in 122 games, including 26.6 ppg. as a senior. Reed was later enshrined in NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970. Willis Reeds journey did not stop in college, he was later entered into the pros in 1964-1974 years, playing with the New York Knicks. As a professional player, Reed’s outstanding performance advanced while in the National Basketball Association Family. In 1965, Willis Reed was named Rookie of the Year. As a rookie into the professions, Reed averaged 14.7 rpg. Willis Reed continued to receive honors for his outstanding skills on the basketball court. With all his many talents as a player, upon retirement in 1974, Willis Reed furthered his career as a college and professional coach from 1977-1989. While being a pro-coach, Reed was nominated with hi ghlights for having a 82-124 record as a NBA head coach and in his... Free Essays on Willis Reed Free Essays on Willis Reed â€Å"Willis Reed† As a Hall of Famer, Willis Reed was born on June 25, 1942 in Bernice Louisiana. As a youngster, Willis Reed began to play basketball and that’s when he began to make a name for himself. By the time, Willis got into high school in Lillie Louisiana from 1956-1960. While playing basketball at West Side High, Willis Reed had achieved many accomplished and honors. He was named All-State in 1956-1960, and All Conference. After his many accomplishments in High School, Reed went to Grambling State University, in Grambling Louisiana from 1960-1964. With his many skills in basketball, Reed moved up to receiving much college highlights much like his highschool accomplishments. To name only a few, Willis Reed led Grambling to the NAIA national championship as a freshman in 1961, led Grambling to the 1963 and 1964 NAIA Final Four, led Grambling to three Southwest Conference titles. While receiving all his nominations, he also received the All-NAIA Tournament Team in 1963-1964, All-America in 1963-1964. In addition, while casting his many skills on the Basketball Court, Reed scored 2,280 pts. (18.7) in 122 games, including 26.6 ppg. as a senior. Reed was later enshrined in NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970. Willis Reeds journey did not stop in college, he was later entered into the pros in 1964-1974 years, playing with the New York Knicks. As a professional player, Reed’s outstanding performance advanced while in the National Basketball Association Family. In 1965, Willis Reed was named Rookie of the Year. As a rookie into the professions, Reed averaged 14.7 rpg. Willis Reed continued to receive honors for his outstanding skills on the basketball court. With all his many talents as a player, upon retirement in 1974, Willis Reed furthered his career as a college and professional coach from 1977-1989. While being a pro-coach, Reed was nominated with hi ghlights for having a 82-124 record as a NBA head coach and in his...

Promotion of Health within Adult Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Promotion of Health within Adult Nursing - Essay Example The last part was the questionnaire that questioned about the individual daily limit, knowledge about three adverse physical effects of binge dinking, and assessment of level of information after visit to our booth. Eighty-one questionnaires were filled out with 100% response rate in question 1, question 2 demonstrated a failure arte of 1.23%, and on question 2, 1 out of 81 knew already about binge drinking, he did not know from the stand. There was very strong impact on the public, specially the university students with this group’s promotional effort on binge drinking. The slogan poster, â€Å"How Much is Too Much†, the snacks and the food, and the experiment and information all should have impact on the emotions of the students, embarrassment, insecurity, new knowledge, and enriched awareness about binge drinking. This project highlighted the fact that this kind of drinking is addiction, even if this is social outing to them as of now, in no time, this would transform into addiction, and they were aware of this possibility after coming into our booth. Our objectives were to let the visitors be aware about pros and cons of binge drinking, and since every one knew what his unit amount was, how many units make one a binge drinker and how that can affect the body in the long run, it can be considered that the objective of this promotional activity were met, although this is a trial setting and learning ex ercise, and predictive accuracy depends on the evaluation of the outcome after followup at 6-month or 1-year interval in the actual practice setting, and that is not possible in this setting because this is population in transition, many will be leaving the university in a short while, short enough to baffle any long-term promotional plans in the near future. Our experiment with the glass of wine measured the university students’ daily alcohol intake. We applied the group’s research data of daily over the limit allowance, and the group was well prepared to

Selection Decision Making Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Selection Decision Making - Case Study Example A selection plan gives an overview of how the job looks like thus making it easy for the recruitment panel to pick the most desirable applicant. It contains key job responsibilities, makes it clear of what must be performed and acts as a guide in selection procedures. The format is as given below. The table above illustrates scores of all the ten applicants. The analysis was based on multiple predictor methods; clinical prediction and rational weighing. However, since clinical prediction and unit weighing produce similar results, it was considered wise to include the unit weighing column. The unit weighing figures were derived from averaging each applicant’s scores in individual assessment methods. Basing on the unit weighing results, tangle wood will consider the highest scores. Therefore, Heckman; 76, Reznor; 73 and Scores; 70 will be the most preferred applicants. The rational weighing results were obtained by assigning a weight to every assessment method and summing up the scores. The assigned weights were biodata; 30%, Applicant exam; 10%, Retail knowledge; 30%, Conscientiousness; 15%, Extraversion; 15%. Biodata and retail knowledge were allocated the largest weights because the job position demands experience from applicants. Applicant exam was assigned the lowest weight mainly because it measures the least important KSAOs required in the managerial position. From the data, Tangle wood will consider Heckman; 76, Reznor; 69, Renoir; 67.5. If tangle wood decides to use multiple hurdle selection as its first stage in identifying the best five applicants, and further apply interviews and resumes to get the top three finalists, the five suitable candidates would be Reznor, Yorn, Greer, Renior and Durvall. This is quite interesting since Heckman who tops in both rational and unit weighing does not appear in the top five when using test scores. Since conscientiousness and extraversion prove the ability and suitability of an applicant to perform and

Early Modernism and Art Nouveau - A Comparison Essay

Early Modernism and Art Nouveau - A Comparison - Essay Example The essay "Early Modernism and Art Nouveau - A Comparison" compares two movements of art and architect. Architecture is on such sphere of human activity that though discernibly has utilitarian objectives, also tends to be a pivotal medium of human expression. Architecture is also an art form whose scope and nature is directly susceptible to the times in which it is placed, responding pragmatically and aesthetically to the raw materials in vogue and the primary social and artistic concerns of the generation of which it tends to be a product of. Taking architecture in the context of time, early Modernism and Art Nouveau happen to be two important movements in the sphere of art and architecture. In an academic perspective, it will be immensely enlightening to dissect the essentials of these two art movements in a comparative context. Within the realm of architecture, early Modernism was primarily associated with the simplification of form. It primarily relied for the accrual of ornament al appeal, on the theme and structure of the intended structure. Early Modernism initiated its nascent reverberations during the start of the twentieth century. It was directly influenced by the times of its genesis in the sense that it attempted to respond to the ensuing modernization of society and the accompanying technological developments. It would not be wrong to say that early Modernism tried to reconcile the principles of architecture to the two aforementioned trends. Early modernism borrowed themes from varied architectural styles.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Analysis Term Paper

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Analysis - Term Paper Example This explains her divided personality (Spark 6). Miss Brodie had a group of 10 year old girls who she considered her group. They would learn things that were not necessarily in the curriculum but were worthy knowing. She chose her group members on the ground that she could put her trust in them, those whose parents could not raise complaints on what their daughters were being taught which was more irrelevant or those whose parents constituted the elite group who had too much knowledge and exposure to complain about Miss Brodie’s teaching methods and policies (Alberto and Ann 6).she also chose girls whose parents were unenlightened to be able to question her teaching policies and who believed in the high rated reputation of this school. Miss Brodie’s untrustworthiness comes out here when she gains trust from the parents and the students and later exposes them to her a lot of details of her intimate life. Miss Brodie is also negligent in that she goes out of her way to teach something like the interior decoration of the author of Winnie The Pooh, skin cleansing substances or about the love life of Charlotte Bronte which is out of the out of the curriculum she was entrusted with. Miss Brodie in one of her grammar lesson decides to tell her students about the accident of her lover. She narrates the story critically and the emotional ten year olds break into tears. When the headmistress Miss Mackay, pays the class n impromptu visit Miss Brodie manages to selfishly lure the students to say that they are crying about a moving history story from the WW1.This was a selfish lie (Spark 8). Miss Jean Brodie was narcissistic and that barred her form genuinely caring about her students and that explains her behavioral contradictory. She burns with a desire to be admired and adored by everyone; more so by the Brodie set (Spark 11) she fails in caring about her students in a healthy way but instead

Letter to Viktor Frankl Based On Novel A Man's Search for Meaning Essay

Letter to Viktor Frankl Based On Novel A Man's Search for Meaning - Essay Example I feel moved to write you because of the revelations you have given regarding the Jewish suffering in Vienna among other parts of the globe. You have also used the book to help your readers adopt new perspectives and techniques for finding new meaning in life more so if they relate to your predicaments. One of the occurrences that catch my attention is the decision to remain in Austria rather than leave for America in 1941. I agree with your decision to stay despite the imminent sabotages from the Nazis. The movement was apparent danger to your life and the mentally ill patients whom you saved by opposing euthanasia and giving false diagnoses. However, what impressed me most is the unconditional love for your old parents. I suppose you were the only source of security and deserting them could have led to their deaths (Frankl, 2006). Heavens returned the favor, and you got married to Tilly Grosser in the same year. In addition, allow me to address three principal aspects that surprised and impressed me in equal measure as I read your life changing accounts. Three Major Aspects from Your Book Your determination to survive during the Nazi reign was impressive. Who would have resolved to remain in Austria after their private practice had been terminated? Having a Jewish designation and the consistent extermination of your patients might have cause you unimaginable suffering.

Love is a Bitch in Amores Perros Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Love is a Bitch in Amores Perros - Term Paper Example The film is not a simplistic critique of the Mexican society. Rather it is a revelation of the human nature with all its frailties, speedily accentuated by the rapid social changes and a continual dilution of social values. Amores Perros depicts the darker side of the contemporary Mexican society and nudges the viewers to reflect on its disturbing and unjust dynamics. The film is set in the modern day Mexico City. The universal appeal of the film could be attributed to its illustrative depiction of the concepts of broken families and betrayal, the themes which tend to be common to most of the modern day cultures, societies and civilizations (Flynn 35). The selfish and callous tendencies of the characters in the movie give something to relate to almost all its contemporary viewers, irrespective of the place or country which they live in. The pain of Mexico City as shown in the film is the inevitable plight of modern societies. Story Amores Perros is a film woven around the stories of three characters that are Octavio, Daniel and El Chivo, which in a way represent a microcosm of the contemporary, middle class, Mexican domestic scene. The family life of all the three characters is shown to have a common thread of deception running through them. Octavio loves his sister-in-law Susana. He earns money by dabbling in illegal dog fighting. Daniel jilts his wife and daughter, to get into a relationship with a famous model Valeria. El Chivo fails to share a normal family life with his daughter Maru because of being behind bars. In the entire three stories one comes across disruption of family relationships, betrayal of intimacy and trust and flaunting of long cherished social and domestic values. The central characters in the story are depicted as trying to eke out a better life for themselves, but albeit through questionable and unconventional means. The story raises many questions as to whether the unscrupulousness of the three central characters is the strictly person al marrow of their bones or are their lives helplessly simmering in the larger boiling pot of an age and times where achievement is about money only, beauty is simply about looks and family life is about convenience, opportunism and shallowness? The characters in the movie discernibly evince a stark disassociation and variance between feeling and thought, success and honesty, intimacy and fidelity and end and means, which strikingly seem alright and normal in the surrounding social landscape (Podalsky, 148). This seeming normalcy of the things is what is abnormal and pervert. Class Depictions and Related Social Themes In the film, the lower middle class is depicted as being limited and constrained by self adopted and socially reinforced stereotypes, which glorify acquisition, street smartness and unscrupulousness. In such a socio-economic scenario, all the roads seem to lead to an idea of success that is also a dead end in itself. It endows its adherents with all the promised goodie s, yet mercilessly snatches much that is simple, accessible and harmless. The ghetto life in the contemporary Mexico is shown as being marred by preexisting perceptions, where the individuals brazenly feel justified and alright to act out the roles that are valued and encouraged by their social ambience. It is a male dominated society where the young women are both the subject and object of raw lust, deserving a high monetary,

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Analysis Term Paper

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Analysis - Term Paper Example This explains her divided personality (Spark 6). Miss Brodie had a group of 10 year old girls who she considered her group. They would learn things that were not necessarily in the curriculum but were worthy knowing. She chose her group members on the ground that she could put her trust in them, those whose parents could not raise complaints on what their daughters were being taught which was more irrelevant or those whose parents constituted the elite group who had too much knowledge and exposure to complain about Miss Brodie’s teaching methods and policies (Alberto and Ann 6).she also chose girls whose parents were unenlightened to be able to question her teaching policies and who believed in the high rated reputation of this school. Miss Brodie’s untrustworthiness comes out here when she gains trust from the parents and the students and later exposes them to her a lot of details of her intimate life. Miss Brodie is also negligent in that she goes out of her way to teach something like the interior decoration of the author of Winnie The Pooh, skin cleansing substances or about the love life of Charlotte Bronte which is out of the out of the curriculum she was entrusted with. Miss Brodie in one of her grammar lesson decides to tell her students about the accident of her lover. She narrates the story critically and the emotional ten year olds break into tears. When the headmistress Miss Mackay, pays the class n impromptu visit Miss Brodie manages to selfishly lure the students to say that they are crying about a moving history story from the WW1.This was a selfish lie (Spark 8). Miss Jean Brodie was narcissistic and that barred her form genuinely caring about her students and that explains her behavioral contradictory. She burns with a desire to be admired and adored by everyone; more so by the Brodie set (Spark 11) she fails in caring about her students in a healthy way but instead

Love is a Bitch in Amores Perros Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Love is a Bitch in Amores Perros - Term Paper Example The film is not a simplistic critique of the Mexican society. Rather it is a revelation of the human nature with all its frailties, speedily accentuated by the rapid social changes and a continual dilution of social values. Amores Perros depicts the darker side of the contemporary Mexican society and nudges the viewers to reflect on its disturbing and unjust dynamics. The film is set in the modern day Mexico City. The universal appeal of the film could be attributed to its illustrative depiction of the concepts of broken families and betrayal, the themes which tend to be common to most of the modern day cultures, societies and civilizations (Flynn 35). The selfish and callous tendencies of the characters in the movie give something to relate to almost all its contemporary viewers, irrespective of the place or country which they live in. The pain of Mexico City as shown in the film is the inevitable plight of modern societies. Story Amores Perros is a film woven around the stories of three characters that are Octavio, Daniel and El Chivo, which in a way represent a microcosm of the contemporary, middle class, Mexican domestic scene. The family life of all the three characters is shown to have a common thread of deception running through them. Octavio loves his sister-in-law Susana. He earns money by dabbling in illegal dog fighting. Daniel jilts his wife and daughter, to get into a relationship with a famous model Valeria. El Chivo fails to share a normal family life with his daughter Maru because of being behind bars. In the entire three stories one comes across disruption of family relationships, betrayal of intimacy and trust and flaunting of long cherished social and domestic values. The central characters in the story are depicted as trying to eke out a better life for themselves, but albeit through questionable and unconventional means. The story raises many questions as to whether the unscrupulousness of the three central characters is the strictly person al marrow of their bones or are their lives helplessly simmering in the larger boiling pot of an age and times where achievement is about money only, beauty is simply about looks and family life is about convenience, opportunism and shallowness? The characters in the movie discernibly evince a stark disassociation and variance between feeling and thought, success and honesty, intimacy and fidelity and end and means, which strikingly seem alright and normal in the surrounding social landscape (Podalsky, 148). This seeming normalcy of the things is what is abnormal and pervert. Class Depictions and Related Social Themes In the film, the lower middle class is depicted as being limited and constrained by self adopted and socially reinforced stereotypes, which glorify acquisition, street smartness and unscrupulousness. In such a socio-economic scenario, all the roads seem to lead to an idea of success that is also a dead end in itself. It endows its adherents with all the promised goodie s, yet mercilessly snatches much that is simple, accessible and harmless. The ghetto life in the contemporary Mexico is shown as being marred by preexisting perceptions, where the individuals brazenly feel justified and alright to act out the roles that are valued and encouraged by their social ambience. It is a male dominated society where the young women are both the subject and object of raw lust, deserving a high monetary,

Integrate a quote with a signal phrase that precedes the quote. Essay Example for Free

Integrate a quote with a signal phrase that precedes the quote. Essay In his article â€Å"A Matter of Degrees,† Clive Crook illustrates the importance of literacy today: â€Å"Illiteracy has always cut people off from the possibility of a prosperous life, and from full civil engagement†¦ Three out of ten seniors in public high school still fail to reach the basic-literacy standard† (30). 2. Integrate a quote with a signal phrase that interrupts the quote. â€Å"So much about today’s adult industry seems like an undeft parody of Hollywood and the nation writ large,† says David Foster Wallace in the essay â€Å"Big Red Son,† describing the evolution of adult film stars. â€Å"†¦The gynecologically explicit sexuality of Jenna [Jameson], Jasmin [St. Claire], et al. seems more than anything like a Mad magazine spoof of the â€Å"smoldering† sexuality of Sharon Stone and Madonna and so many other mainstream iconettes† (29-30). 3. Integrate a quote with a signal phrase that follows the quote. â€Å"I love the Cup because it stripped away all the things about professional sports that Ive come to despise†¦ The World Cup just bangs it out: Two cool national anthems, two 45-minute halves, a few minutes of extra time and usually were done. Everything flies by. Everything means something. Its the single best sporting event we have by these four measures: efficiency, significance, historical context and truly meaningful/memorable/exciting moments,† says Bill Simmons of ESPN. com in â€Å"Bill Simmons: World Cup 20 Questions,† explaining some of the virtues of the international soccer tournament. Works Cited Crook, Clive. A Matter of Degrees. The Atlantic Monthly Nov. 2006: 28-30. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 July 2010. Simmons, Bill. Bill Simmons: World Cups 20 Questions ESPN. ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures, 1 July 2010. Web. 05 July 2010. Wallace, David Foster. Big Red Son. Consider the Lobster and Other Essays. New York: Little, Brown, 2006. 3-50. Print.

Reflective Essay of the Family

Reflective Essay of the Family Write a short autobiographical piece relating to the theories and concepts discussed in the first half of the course. How might parts of your own or your familys life observe, illuminate or be illuminated by the theories and concepts discussed in weeks 1-5 of the course? I was born in Italy and resided there till the age of twenty-eight. I lived in a regional town of around forty-thousand inhabitants with limited cultural opportunities. I studied for a baccalaureate in business and entered the working environment as a news cameraman. In Italy, this would be the equivalent of a blue-collar worker. After having been working for ten years I moved to London and commenced employment as a sales and account manager in I.T. This job required intellectual application to office administration and high degrees of interpersonal relations, combined with knowledge of the product and its application within the marketplace. My increased earnings allowed me to purchase a home for the first time. Access to cultural opportunities in London has broadened my knowledge and understanding of the arts. London has allowed me to realise my potential to become a professional and commence this process by undertaking a history degree. My experience of London has been one of inqui ry and integration within a tolerant and multicultural environment. I will now seek to observe and to illuminate by application to my life some of the concepts and theories discussed in the first half of the course. Conventional wisdom has redefined the social structure of society by cataloguing the population into three classes: the rich, the middle class and the poor. This is very likely to represent the current classification in Italy. Therefore, the distribution of income is the main factor why classes still exist through the buying and selling of labour.[1] In Italy, I would have been classified as being a member of the poor class. Italy is characterised by a stark division between highly industrialised districts and underdeveloped areas of peasant farming. However, it is not always the case that farmers are positioned in a lower economic class than those of white-collar workers. For instance, and from my own experience, Italian farmers may be economically better-off than public servants because of the potential to sell their produce in their ow n shops and to secure a higher income. Accordingly, their economic capital is directly converted in the form of property rights and tangible assets such as houses and cars. [2] By relocating to London my observable classification within a conventional understanding of class remained unchanged because I could only sell my skills and labour. Now applying Bourdieus frameworks for class in Italy, I would have been considered as having a low economic capital. However, Bourdieus concept of cultural and social capitals applied to my employment as a news cameraman demonstrates an enrichment of both those capitals due to the enlargement of my social contacts. It could be claimed that I had found the perfect fit and I was floating like a fish in water: my habitus, made up of layering built up by experiences grounded in my body and mind, had met a social world of which it is the product,[3] therefore, I was experiencing the world pleasantly and I was in my comfort zone. Being a newcomer in London brought about the experience of a downward shift on all my capitals. Work, education and social networks had to be rebuilt. When someone steps out of the comfort zone it is likely to resemble a fish out of water, a suffused sense of inadequacy.[4] The new environment has offered me opportunities to improve my education and expand my social contacts. Bourdieu suggests that it is under conditions of hysteresis[5] when you are a fish out of water that great changes can occur. The hysteresis effect might provide an explanation of how I can make sense of my new environment based on my habitus, and on my capacity to decode parallels between the previous context and the new one. The seven classes of the Great British Class Survey of 2013 are built upon the development of certain sectors of economic activity, such as the technical middle class and the new affluent workers.[6] In Italy I would have been included in the traditional working class. Using the Survey Calculator twice and ending up in two different classes, it was evident that I provided the same social and cultural capitals and only modified my income. Firstly, when I used to work as an account manager, I was assigned to the group of Established middle class, secondly, now that I am a student, I fall within the Traditional working class. Mike Savage, one of the promoters and researchers of the survey, in his BBC Radio 4 interview, has stated that the study has moved away from the occupational classes.[7] This would not be the case, in fact as the results of my two surveys demonstrate, it does not take into consideration cultural and social capitals. I also agree with Colin Mills, lecturer in sociol ogy at Nuffield College Oxford, that the nature of the BBC sample is somewhat flawed: the 160.000 respondents of the online survey are most likely to be more educated and in highly paid jobs, whereas the respondents of the face-to-face research of 1000 people are more varied and allowed to build more classes[8]. It can be claimed that the findings of the BBC survey come from the information provided by the smaller research, hence the internet survey plays almost no role in defining these categories and the class I fall in. It can be clearly observed that, by applying class theories to my own life, only one class theory demonstrates any depth of analysis with regards to social and cultural aspects, namely the one developed by Bourdieu. By moving from Italy to London, my class has shifted upwards in all my three capitals. References [1] https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm#007 [accessed on 20th January 2017] [2] Pierre, Bourdieu, The Forms of Capital, in John Richardson (ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education, (New York, 1986),p.243 [3] Pierre, Bourdieu and LoiÃÅ'ˆc J. D., Wacquant, An invitation to reflexive sociology, (Cambridge, 1992),p.127 [4] Diane, Reay, Gill, Crozier and John, Clayton, (2010) Fitting in or standing out: working-class students in UK higher education, British Educational Research Journal 32(1),p.11 [5] Pierre, Bourdieu, Outline of a theory of practice, trans. Richard Nice, (Cambridge, 1977),p.78 [6] Mike, Savage et al., A new model of social class? Findings from the BBCs Great British Class Survey experiment, Sociology 47(2), p. 230 [7] http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07gg1kb [8] Ibid.

LeBlanc’s Analysis of Sexuality in Chopin’s The Awakening Essay

LeBlanc’s Analysis of Sexuality in Chopin’s The Awakening Definitions are tricky things. Such is the conclusion of Ross C. Murfin in his attempts to spell out the major literary theories discussed in our text: "attempts to highlight the difference between feminist and gender criticism are inevitably prone to reductive overgeneralization and occasional distortion"(footnote p.226). Such is the conclusion of gender theorists in general in their pursuit of critiquing the traditional definitions of male/ female, masculine/ feminine, and heterosexual/ homosexual. Such is my conclusion in reading Elizabeth LeBlanc's attempts at defining and utilizing the notion of the "metaphorical lesbian" in her analysis of Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Tricky as they may be, however, definitions, at least in our efforts to formulate them, constitute our lives, our thought processes, and our discourse: Who are we? What is our purpose? What does it all mean? With this in mind, what are we to make of the "metaphorical lesbian" or of the "real" lesbian? Although I f ound LeBlanc's essay to be exceptionally interesting in its formulations and insights, after reading it I am, nonetheless, left with the feeling that her definitions have become so broad as to seemingly negate any tangible, differentiated meaning. Within the essay, LeBlanc uses Bonnie Zimmerman's concept of the "metaphorical lesbian," Adrienne Rich's concept of "compulsory heterosexuality," and de Lauretis' rejection of a biological definition of feminine gender in reevaluating The Awakening as a lesbian text. In doing so, she defines Edna Pontellier as this "metaphorical lesbian" in that the character repudiates the societal "myth of woman," fosters "women-identified" experience, crea... ...nature. As the novel progresses, Edna seems to pull away from her female relationships in that she stops receiving her women callers and even visits with Adele less frequently. Edna seems concerned with her sole self and its enrichment more than with forming and/or maintaining bonds with anyone else, except for maybe the male Robert. Even in regards to her sexuality, she appears to be more interested in the sexual feelings themselves than in who is creating them for her, such as with her indifference towards Arobin after their sexual interaction. In this light, perhaps Edna is more of a "metaphorical masturbator" than a "metaphorical lesbian." Regardless of Edna's metaphors, however, LeBlanc's metaphors in describing her are extremely inclusive in a way that leaves telling gaps. LeBlanc's "metaphorical lesbian" can thus be seen in actuality as a metaphorical nebula.

Ernest Hemingways Big Two-Hearted River Essay -- Big Two Hearted Rive

The world of Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Big Two-Hearted River† exists through the mostly unemotional eyes of the character Nick. Stemming from his reactions and the suppression of some of his feelings, the reader gets a sense of how Nick is living in a temporary escape from society and his troubles in life. Despite the disaster that befell the town of Seney, this tale remains one of an optimistic ideal because of the various themes of survival and the continuation of life. Although Seney itself is a wasteland, the pine plain and the campsite could easily be seen as an Eden, lush with life and ripe with the survival of nature. The world in the story exists as two separate but connected places. The first that Nick encounters is the charred remains of the town of Seney, where there is â€Å"nothing but the rails and the burned-over country.† The second place is the â€Å"alive† pine plain. The river, interestingly, runs through both parts, showing how they are interconnected. The river is a means of natural connection, while the man-made railroad is another form of connecting one town to the next. By combining these two forms of connection, it could be said that every place is interconnected. Using only the river as the natural form, it connects all forms of life within the world to one another. Seney exists as the wasteland, having been ravaged and destroyed by fire to the point of complete desolation. The town is described by what it is lacking as a contrast to what Nick had remembered to have been there, yet Nick does not display any sensation of loss. He had merely â€Å"expected to find† the town as it was before the fire, but when he does not, he simply goes to the river to watch the trout. It the trout that s... ...Nick is not yet ready for. In this way it could represent his return to civilization, which he is not yet ready for, and he therefore will continue his Edenic hiatus. While Nick himself does not react to his world as either specifically wasteland or Eden, the reader must realize that the story is a commentary on survival. Survival is a quality of an anti-wasteland, and although the town of Seney has been destroyed it will someday re-emerge. Even if it does not happen immediately, survival will go on in other places, and this is certainly an optimistic view of life. Whether it is Nick and the black grasshoppers’ temporary means, or the eternal survival of all of nature, the entire world cannot ever become an all enveloping wasteland. Work Cited Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Big Two Hearted River.† In Our Time. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1970.

Ralph Jack in the Lord of the Flies and Jekyll and Hyde in the novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay

‘Lord of the flies’ and ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ both deal with the good and evil sides of man, even though Golding and Stevenson wrote their books in different historical periods. The novels are both dealing in the same theme. The authors use their characters to represent the struggle between good and evil. Golding uses a group of boys to show the divide of good and evil, while Stevenson used the good and evil within one person. As these authors use their characters to represent this struggle. It is important to see how they develop through the novel. Ralph in ‘Lord of the Flies’ is presented as a middle class boy at the beginning of the novel. Golding describes him as ‘the boy with the fair hair’, which is a symbol of a good person. The author describes how Ralph climbs easily through the undergrowth, which is contrasted with the way in which Piggy ‘clambers’ through it. The author has put Ralph and Piggy together because they are different in both mind and body. Together they will both make a whole good person. Ralph is tall, fit, good-looking and fair-haired. Ralph has a good background with his father being in the navy. This suggests that Ralph was brought up in a good way, so he should know the difference between right and wrong. This is a stereotypical good person, but Ralph is not a thinker. Ralph does do some bad things. He betrays Piggys name by telling all the other children what Piggys name was, when Piggy told him not to. Piggy is a short, plump; he wears glasses and is an orphan. Jack Merridew from ‘Lord of the Flies’ is first seen marching with his choir. The choir is described as a dark primitive being. Jack has a red hair, which suggests that he has an uncontrollable anger. He speaks to the choir in a military way. He talks down to them and ignores Simon when he faints. This shows that he has authority over the choir and he is insensitive towards other people’s weaknesses. Altogether I can see that he is hard, unsympathetic, cruel and possible a bully. The first time we see Dr Jekyll in ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ is at a dinner party. He is seen as a cheerful and confident man. He is wealthy and respected chemist. Stevenson describes him as ‘a large, well made, smooth faced man’. When Utterson mentions Mr Hyde he wants it to be a secret between himself an Utterson. He also does not want to talk about it. Stevenson gives Mr Utterson the role of narrator. This is because he wants part of the story to be missing (to allow the audience to be left guessing). Dr Jekyll is described through the eyes of Utterson and this could be bias because Utterson is a friend of Dr Jekyll. Mr Hyde is described for the first time in a story. In this story he collides with, knocks down and tramples a little girl. Hyde’s reaction is described as ‘hellish’. When other people arrive he brings out the worst in them. Even the doctor wants to kill him. When Hyde id threatened by scandal he aggress to pay compensation. He writes a check out at Dr Jekylls house with Jekylls signature. Utterson thinks he his blackmailing Jekyll. In both novels the evil gets and takes the chance to dominate. Jack and Mr Hyde both show their more primitive side. An example of Jacks primitive side is when he hunts for pigs. He is described as ‘dog-like on all fours’ and sniffing the humid earth. This suggests that he is more like a cave man, than a civilised human being. Mr Hyde on the other hand murders Carew. In the chapter ‘search for Mr Hyde’, Utterson describes Mr Hyde as ‘trodlodytic’, ‘Dwarfish’ and ‘hardly human’. This also suggests that Mr Hyde is more like primitive man. Further backing this up, he takes a ‘hissing intake of breath’, which is what a frightened animal would do. Both authors are saying that the primitive side of man will dominate if it has the chance. Darkness, which represents evil, and people are scared at night. Darkness is a big theme in both of the novels. Jack does his hunting in the forest, which is described from the beginning of the novel as a dark place by Golding. When Jack steels Piggys glasses he uses darkness as his cover. Simon gets killed in a frenzied attack, which happens at night. Mr Hyde is mostly seen at night. His home in So-ho is seen through a curtain of ‘swirling fog’. All of this information leads you to think that these people should be associated with darkness and evil. The novels are reflecting events in the authors’ lives. In Golding’s time an example of how evil can flourish without people doing anything is the concentration camps of WWII. Stevenson is writing about the hypocrisy in Victorian England. Many men went to prostitutes and then they promoted family values. Ralph and Dr Jekyll are the respected ‘civilised’ people in the two novels. Ralph is middle classed; you can see this when he talks about his father as ‘daddy’. Ralph is sensible and wants to rule democratically by using the conch and lets everyone have a vote. He has sensible ideas, to stay alive and get rescued, like the fire and shelters. Dr Jekyll is also middle class. He is a respected chemist. The painting, which he gave Mr Hyde, shows that Dr Jekyll is cultured. The ‘pleasurable dinner parties’ he gave showed he was a confident and cheerful. Both of these characters try to take control early in both novels yet they are not successful. Even though both of these characters are ‘civilised’ they are not perfect. Ralph was rude to Piggy and disrespected his wishes. Ralph also took part in the killing of Simon, which shows that even he can be evil. Dr Jekyll also not perfect. He already leads a double life. Hyde grew from Dr Jekyll. Dr Jekyll did things he was ashamed of. He ‘already committed to a profound duplicity of life’. At the end of the novels order if restored and the civilised side of man takes over again. In ‘Lord of the Flies’ order is restored by the arrival of the navy officer. When the navy officer arrives so do rules and order. This is what the navy and more importantly adults’ represent. At the end of the ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ Dr Jekyll has to die for the evil of Mr Hyde to die. Mr Hyde kills himself. I think this was because he gains the knowledge of what he has done. He gains a conscience, which drives him to kill himself. I feel that ‘Lord of the Flies’ is more depressing view of human nature because it deals with children which are meant to be innocent and not capable of killing. It also deals with more than one person, which shows that it could happen to everyone.

Literacy in America Essay

America, the most technologically advanced and affluent of all nations on the earth, seems to have an increasingly larger illiteracy rate every year. This has become and continues to be a critical problem throughout our society as we know it. According to the National Adult Literacy survey, 42 million adult Americans can’t read; 50 million are limited to a 4th or 5th grade reading level; one in every four teenagers drops out of high school, and of the students who graduate, one in every four has around an 8th grade education. Why? You ask. This problem will never fix itself and will take quite a bit of time to overcome. We need to make sure that everyone is aware of the social problems, poverty and lack of family interaction that occurs everyday in many, if not all, communities throughout America. â€Å"Nearly a billion people, two-thirds of them women, will enter this world unable to read a book or write their names,† warns UNICEF in a new report, â€Å"The State of the World’s Children 1999. † UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, points out that the illiterate â€Å"live in more desperate poverty and poorer health† than those who can read and write. (Boaz). The most important factor that contributes to the outrageous statistics of illiteracy is that of poverty. Poverty is an issue that more and more of our nation’s children are coming face to face with and the price they must pay is unbelievably high. Poverty is considered a major at-risk factor (Leroy 2001). The term at-risk refers to children who are likely to fail whether it 2 be at school or life in general because of their life’s social circumstances. Some of the factors that may place these children at-risk are: dangerous neighborhoods; young, uneducated parents; unemployment; and inadequate educational experiences. Teachers need to be aware of the circumstances that their students face and be able and ready to help these children find a balance between the cultural values that they may have and values emphasized in school. By providing emotional support, modeling, and other forms of scaffolding, teachers can help students use their strengths, skills, and knowledge to develop and learn ( Marlowe and Page,9). The United States prides itself on being a free, democratic state. Jonathan Kozol’s essay â€Å"The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society† states that the United States is not the democracy it claims to be. For democracy to work at its best, a true representation of the common interests and how the majority feels about those interests must be in place. According to Kozol, about â€Å"60 million people in the United States are illiterate. † For the United States to be the self-functioning democratic state it proclaims to be, it has to be a literate society. The people of the United States are not part of a democracy without the full capacity to make informed choices, and furthermore cannot reap the benefits that a democratic society has to offer if the best interests of the majority are not represented. Direct quote #2 (Madison)with signal phrase. Hypo-thetical example James Madison wrote that a â€Å"people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both† (Surowiecki, page 4). Voting is by far the most important aspect of a democratic society, and the percentage of people who do vote is a topic of much discussion here in the United States. If the number of people not voting is such a significant concern then the reasons they are not voting is 3 as well. An uneducated vote is not any better than a vote not cast at all. Imagine going to a voting booth and voting for a person or a ballot measure based on the ads you see on the TV only. In this circumstance, decisions are often made based on the negative ideas offered by both major political parties. If 60 million people in the United States cannot read, then they cannot cast a vote truly representative of their opinions. As Kozol claims, the United States has in fact become a government â€Å"of those two thirds whose wealth, skin color, or parental privilege allows them opportunity to profit from the provocation and instruction of the written word† (Kozol). The percentage of the population that is illiterate cannot choose which candidates make it onto the ballots, they cannot sign petitions, and they cannot choose which measures will pass or those that will fail. Direct quote #3 (Kozal), with signal phrase e. Of equal importance to a democratic society are the benefits that literacy provides to the public. When one is illiterate they are not able to reap the benefits of a free society. The freedom to choose enhances one’s chances of experiencing the best of anything. Illiteracy makes for a life of settling. An illiterate person has to settle for another’s interpretations of the world. According to the article ‘Democracy 101,† the ability to read opens a world that many people do not consider. The choice of where to live, what to eat, and where to work may all seem commonplace to the average literate person. Kozol uses the warning on a can of Drano in the opening of this essay to educate. It may take a moment for it to sink in but the reader will soon realize how much power reading and writing holds. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are supposed to be guaranteed to all citizens of this country. Those that cannot read or write do not have the capability to choose who are the best people suited for ensuring those rights. Perhaps more importantly the 60 million illiterate people in this country cannot make the choices necessary to make use of those rights (Kozol). References Boaz, David. â€Å"Illiteracy — The Bad News and the Good. † Cato Institute. 20 Jan. 1999. Kim, J. K. â€Å"NRRF – Illiteracy: An Incurable Disease or Education Malpractice? † Kozol, Jonathan, Illiteracy: The Enduring Problem. â€Å". Leroy. â€Å"The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning. † 2001 Surowiecki, James. â€Å"The Dangers of Financial Illiteracy in America. † The New Yorker.