Thursday, October 31, 2019

CRIMINOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CRIMINOLOGY - Essay Example It will be argued that both theories lack a basic explanation of psychology or the human agents involved in criminal behaviour. Thus, while both theories explain crime and deviance on a 'macro-level', they present problems on the micro level by not providing sufficient explanation for individual deviance. It will be argued that functionalism was a useful model in an era where society was less fragmented, while 'social conflict' continues to be a useful model because the material conditions underlying crime have persisted. CONFLICT THEORY The notion of conflict theory, is one which is grounded or established in the basic Marxist principle of the class struggle, p. â€Å"crime as a legal definition of human conduct is created by agents of the dominant class in a politically organized society† [Adler & Adler, Ed., 2000, p. 65]. In Marxist terms, what Quinney argues is that the law essentially exists to serve the interests of the ruling class. Conversely, deviance and the social c onstruction along with the legal constructions of definitions of deviance, has the further agenda of protecting the interests of a particular group of people in society. That is, the interests of those who construct and often enforce the law. ... 65] constructions of any given society. In these terms, it can be maintained that this approach through ‘material’ measures, is also empirical, and as such, this paper is arguing that it provides the most adequate theory in terms of an assimilation of conflict theory, differential association and labeling theory . In this sense, some more comments on the empirical details of conflict theory ought to be raised and examined. A good example of the ‘empirical’ nature of ‘conflict theory’, and by ‘empirical’, it is implied in terms of employing a pronounced consideration of material conditions, is the notion of property. As the author in question argues, the structure of power is also established through wealth, and this represents property. In these terms, property is regarded as one of the most core or central rights within Western industrialized democracies. That is, if it is ‘capital’ and ‘property’ which ar e that which determine wealth and power, and in turn, there is a basic desire to maintain this, it follows that by strictly protecting property class interests or class conflict is perpetuated. Another important component of the theory in question, anticipates how ‘differential theory’ can improve upon this foundation. In conflict theory, one of the cornerstones for explaining law in terms of class structure, and power relations, is the notion of ‘socialization’. To maintain that there is in a sense, a coercive nature to law in the sense that there is a bonding of the educated and class elite along with, on the other hand, an association which occurs similarly among the more impoverished classes. For instance, it is a statistic of the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Hamlet - Essay Example Hamlet dresses badly and Queen Gertrude is displeased by his behaviour and more so because of the demise of his dad and her remarrying. Claudius orders Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to investigate the reasons for his son in law’s unusual behaviour (Shakespeare 41). Hamlet organizes a play The Murder of Gonzalo in which he reveals the ghost’s words to King Claudius of killing his father. The king behaves in a manner to suggest the words are true. Gertrude tries to stop Hamlet, but he reprimands her for remarrying. Hamlet bashes Polonius while listening to the scolding in arrears of the curtains (Shakespeare 86). The flicker resurfaces to Hamlet and instructs him to be gentle to Gertrude. Eventually, the queen ditches King Claudius. Later King Claudius is stunned by the news of Polonius’ demise (Shakespeare 92). The queen, however, defends Hamlet insinuating he is mad. Now scared, the king sends him to England and reveals his plans to kill him while in England (Shakespeare 95). Ophelia goes angry and later on pass away. The King informs Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for the death of his father, and they plan to kill him at a fencing match. During Ophelia’s funeral, Hamlet communicates to Horatio on how he escaped his planned death in England and in its place Rosencrantz as well as Guildenstern died (Shakespeare). Hamlet also says that he wanted to devour King Claudius Killed. The Queen perishes from drinking festering cup predestined for Hamlet (Shakespeare 140). Laertes poisoned sword cuts Hamlet hurdles against Laertes but, while about to die, Hamlet stabs Claudius with Laertes’ sword; instructs Horatio to reveal the story, and recommends Young Fortinbras as Denmark’s next King (Shakespeare line 142). This scene is vital in the play as helps in the establishment of not only the tone of the play but also the background situation of the play setting. This is essential as normally the there

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Wireshark IP Routing

Wireshark IP Routing Introduction To complete this study, I have had three Virtual machines running at once. Two of these Virtual Machines were running Ubuntu and one was running FREEBSD acting like a router between the two Ubuntu machines. Configured Each machine to the specified IP addresses beforehand and set two NAT Networks up as required in the study. Once all was set up I double checked IP addresses of both Ubuntu machines by opening terminal and typing in ifconfig which then confirmed that both machines networks were working correctly. Furthermore, I have used the ping command to send an ICMP packet to NAT Networks to confirm both Ubuntu machines are connected to the right network. (See below) Â   Fig.1 ifconfig Fig.2 ping NAT Network Fig.3 ICMP Echo Request message IP information Select the first ICMP Echo Request message sent by your computer, and expand the Internet Protocol part of the packet in the packet details window. What is the IP address of your computer? The IP Address of my computer is 10.0.3.4 . I found this out by looking at the Source and thats where packets were sent from so I know that will be my IP address also in the Internet Protocol version 4 it says Src: 10.0.3.4. Within the IP packet header, what is the value in the upper layer protocol field? Within the header, the value in the upper layer protocol field is ICMP(1). How many bytes are in the IP header? How many bytes are in the payload of the IP datagram? Explain how you determined the number of payload bytes. There are 20 bytes in the IP header and 60 bytes total length this gives 40 bytes in the payload of the IP datagram. To determine the number of payload bytes all you need to do is take away the IP header size which in this case is 20bytes from the total length which in this case is 60 bytes and the remainder is the number of payload bytes. Has this IP datagram been fragmented? Explain how you determined whether or not the datagram has been fragmented. The more fragments is= 0 so the data is not fragmented. I looked at the Flags drop down and there it determines if a packet is fragmented or not and in this case more fragments was 0 also Fragment offset is also =0. Which fields in the IP datagram always change from one datagram to the next within this series of ICMP messages sent by your computer? Time to live, Identification and Header checksum always change. The identification is a unique number assigned to each packet so it always has to change as a result of this the Header checksum will change and the Time to live will change with it too. Which fields stay constant? Which of the fields must stay constant? Which fields must change? Why? The fields that stay constant across the IP datagrams are: Version (since we are using IPv4 for all packets) Header length (since these are ICMP packets) Source IP (since we are sending from the same source) Destination IP (since we are sending to the same destination) Differentiated Services (since all packets are ICMP they use the same Type of Service class) Upper Layer Protocol (since these are ICMP packets) The fields that must stay constant are: Version (since we are using IPv4 for all packets) Header length (since these are ICMP packets) Source IP (since we are sending from the same source) Destination IP (since we are sending to the same dest) Differentiated Services (since all packets are ICMP they use the same Type of Service class) Upper Layer Protocol (since these are ICMP packets) The fields that must change are: Identification(IP packets must have different ids) Time to live (traceroute increments each subsequent packet) Header checksum (since header changes, so must checksum) Describe the pattern you see in the values in the Identification field of the IP datagram IP header Identification fields increment with each ICMP Echo (ping) request. I found this out by scrolling through each ICMP Echo request (ping) and looking at how Identification field values change. Fig.4 ICMP TTL exceeded reply, IP Info What is the value in the Identification field and the TTL field? Identification: 0x01a9(425) TTL:64 Do these values remain unchanged for all of the ICMP TTL-exceeded replies sent to your computer by the nearest (first hop) router? Why? The TTL will remain unchanged because the first hop router is always the same. Identification field for all ICMP TTL-exceeded replies will change because it is assigned a unique value. When two or more IP datagrams have the same identification value that means that these IP datagrams are fragments of a single large IP datagram. Fig.5 ICMP Echo Request packet size = 2000, First segment 10. Find the first ICMP Echo Request message that was sent by your computer after you changed the Packet Size in pingplotter to be 2000. Has that message been fragmented across more than one IP datagram? Yes, this packet has been fragmented across more than one IP datagram. I found this out by looking at the info tab on my Wireshark as it clearly states Fragmented IP also, I checked each one to see under Flags if the More segments is set to a value or not. 11. Print out the first fragment of the fragmented IP datagram. What information in the IP header indicates that the datagram been fragmented? What information in the IP header indicates whether this is the first fragment versus a latter fragment? How long is this IP datagram? Under the Flags bit for More Fragments it is showing that the datagram has been fragmented. Since the fragment offset is 0, we know that this is the first fragment. This first datagram has a total length of 1500 including the header. Fig.6 ICMP Echo Request packet size= 2000, second fragment Print out the second fragment of the fragmented IP datagram. What information in the IP header indicates that this is not the first datagram fragment? Are the more fragments? How can you tell? I can tell that this is not the first fragment since the fragment offset is 1480. It is the last fragment since the more fragments flag is not set. What fields change in the IP header between the first and second fragment? The IP header fields that changed between the fragments are: total length, flags, fragment offset and checksum. Fig.7 ICMP Echo Request packet size=3500, first fragment How many fragments were created from the original datagram? After switching to 3500, there are 3 packets created from original datagram. What fields change in the IP header among the fragments? The IP header fields that changed between all of the packets are: fragment offset and checksum. Between the first two packets and the last packet, we see a change in total length also in the flags. The first two packets have the total length of 1500 with more fragments bit set to 1 and the last packet has a total length of 540 with more fragments bit set to 0.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Making Headlines :: Articles New York Papers

Making Headlines At Dawn, the Bird (All NY Times headlines taken from the week of the shuttle crash--the first week of February) I. Possible Damage to the Wing We were watching TV when the bird hit the window and fell to the patio with its wing arched unnaturally beneath it. "Is it possible that it's still alive?" I ask. My father shakes his head. "Well..." he sighs. His face looks pained in the moment that the bird's body thumps against the window and drops to the ground--then it softens to grief. A small pool of blood emerges from beneath its body. I cock my head at the mystery of this bird that mistook our window for air. Your body grows cold already, Texas patio dove. Penguins spend up to seventy-five percent of their lives underwater--even those on display at the aquarium. We watch them dive headfirst into the water like fat arrows, their arms sleek and thick at their sides. Fish, freshly killed and slick like steel, slip down their throats without a word. In Chilean folklore, the penguin is not the only bird unable to fly. The Alicanto is a nocturnal sparrow that feeds on the veins of gold and silver. The weight of the metal is what keeps it from flying. II. Tracking Shuttle, Many Saw Long Trail of Flames Instead The Egyptians' bird of eternal life was what the Greeks would call Phoenix. Did it roost in treetops and cactus arms? Or did it fly, leaving trails of flames across the horizon? Did it scatter its ashes over the earth like the strewn answers to immortality; the clues to rebirth irreparably dispersed like the infinite pieces of a puzzle? I used to fall asleep to locusts. Their plump insect bodies sang a long and unanswered serenade. They lived on the trees outside my window. They left crisp skeleton skins behind them, whose leggings still clung to the bark. I have never seen them land, though I wonder if they do it all at once, or in pieces. If they gather to one tree over time, or if they descend in swarms, settling over the branches like a shroud--a skin of screaming scales. In Carlsbad Caverns, stalactites plunge earthward, stalagmites stretch heavenward. Like tapered tree trunks. Like lava. My voice trickles over the cool of the walls. Here and there, ends meet--a stalactite thinks it has reached the earth, and a stalagmite believes it's in heaven.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

English as a Foreign Language Essay

The resources chosen for this exercise are a song and a series of related pictures. The pictures are images that contain science fiction-like elements which would be of interest to this elementary group within the demographic of 20 to 45 years. The lesson created for the students using these materials appeals to the development of their aural receptive skill, as the song lyrics contain many shorter phrases and sentences and phrases that students of that level are likely to be able to understand. It therefore combines audio with visual stimulation in order to create a greater impact of the students’ learning capacity. Objective: The students will function in an English-speaking role by become a member of the audience for an authentic aural experience. This reflects an attempt to move away from the Grammar Translation Method (Brown, 2000, p. 16). The students are expected to be able to understand the lyrics contained in the song with the help of several scaffolding exercises. Students will experience the reinforcement of words, phrases and grammatical constructions that have previously been taught. They will also learn new words and phrases, as well as observe authentic ways in which native English speakers sometimes bend the rules of Standard English. The reinforcement activities used in the lesson (repetition, scrambling, etc. ) will aid the production skill of speaking as it allows the hearer the opportunity to try to say the word or phrase and the repetitions done within the song (chorus/refrain). They will give the student opportunities to try and retry pronunciation until perfection is achieved. Rationale: 1. The interest of the students in music is expected be piqued by the lead-in exercise. It aids them by capturing and keeping their attention fixed on the task. Because â€Å"a complex task such as language learning involves [all methods] of learning, from signal learning to problem solving,† this task seeks to stimulate the students’ faculties so they are prompted to use all their resources (visual, aural and reasoning skills) to figure out what happens in the song (Brown, 2005, p. 91-92). 2. Students are asked to look at the pictures being generated and create an order for the story in order to keep their minds on the task and engaging their interest in it. It also gets them thinking about the possible vocabulary related to the topic. The students are given the chance to make predictions about the story in an effort to encourage their speech in English the translation of ideas into a language other than their native one. When they have practice translating their own thoughts into English, it makes each successive attempt to do so easier. This task also focuses on visual reception. 3. This task focuses on aural and visual reception, as the teacher says the name of the objects as he/she shows its picture. However, the task also aids oral production in that it identifies and unites the visual representation of the word in print with the sound it has when a native speaker uses it. This is as opposed to learning vocabulary in isolation, as according to Ausubel, â€Å"people of all ages have little need for rote, mechanistic learning† (qtd. in Brown, 2000, p. 63). The pictures act as a method of scaffolding via which the students are able to better understand (or learn) the words being spoken. 4. The pre-teaching exercises have laid the foundation and now facilitate the gathering of the gist of the song in its first playing. The scrambling of the lyrics acts as a means of scaffolding these elementary learners and helps them to know what they are to listen for. This is done so that students are able to get the broad understanding during the first viewing, and this frees them to listen for details in the second listening. It also gives them a chance to use new words and phrases they may have picked up during the exercise and aids in the clarification of details that students might have misunderstood. 5. Students are required to read various sentences and phrases of the song in order to reinforce their ability to speak the language and to make predictions about grammar and diction. It also gives them a chance to say the word in the way a native would pronounce them rather than adhering too closely to a phonetic representation of the words/phrases. It also gives them the opportunity to query new words or phrases they heard in the film. Repetition of the song also reinforces listening comprehension, especially as it regards hearing the details. Later, the collaborative listening and speaking (in pairs) allows the students to pool their resources in constructing a coherent English reconstruction of the lyrics. This gives students a chance to learn from each other. It puts the language even more into the context of social interaction—building on the idea that â€Å"language is behaviour, that is, a phase of human activity that must not be treated in essence as structurally divorced from the structure of non-verbal human activity† (Pike, 1967, p. 26). The activity also gives them practice speaking the language to each other and prepares them informally for their oral presentation assignment. 6. The oral presentation is focused specifically on the oral aspect of using the English language. The students are expected to put their own thoughts together in the form of a story and translate their ideas into an English medium. In this way, they are encouraged to speak the language so that native and non-native speakers will be able to understand. Because this part of the lesson is an extension, it allows them to use some of the words and phrases they have learned in the lesson. 7. The flexi stage of the lesson also provides the students with the collaborative help that will enhance their ability to express themselves. Because they have a choice in what they present, their interest is likely to be sustained (Brown, 2000; Scrivener, 2005). The assignment also allows them the time and freedom to locate new words and phrases that will aid their articulation of their ideas. This also encourages learning of new English words, phrases and grammatical constructions. The task also provides a means of productive discussion and extension without overwhelming the students. References Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. White Plains: Pearson Education. Pike, K. (1967). Language in relation to a unified theory of the structure of human behavior. The Hague: Mouton Publishers. Scrivener, J. (2005). Learning Teaching. New York: MacMillan.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Write About a Member of Your Family That You Feel

I have one member in my family that truly consider â€Å"special†. This person is my youngest son, Adrian. Let me tell you a few things why I think that he is a special person. Adrian was diagnosed with Autism when he was about 2 1/2 years old. He is anti-social and non-verbal. Anti-social means that he doesn't interact with others that are around him. For example, Adrian likes to play by himself. The non-verbal means that he has no ommunication through speech. Even though h is lacking speech, he can communicate his needs in his very own way. For instance, when Adrian wants something to eat, he would come to me, grab my hand and pulls me to the refrigerator. On the other hand, it can get frustrating for him because I am the only person that can understand his body language cues. In addition to his anti-social and non- verbal communication, I have to mention that Adrian s the most loving child I have seen. The reason being is usually children with Autism do not like to be hugge d or cuddled. Adrian loves to give hug and cuddle with me as well as he does with others. Finally, I understand that my son is anti-social and non-verbal. At the same time, he has the ability to be social and communicate with me. He does it in a way no other person would it. As a result of this, I feel that this makes my son a â€Å"special† person.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Extraorinary Conflicts essays

Extraorinary Conflicts essays Ordinary People by Judith Guest is a very emotional book that deals with many thoughts and actions about life and suicide. A lot of people would have different opinions or perspectives about this story. My thesis question for this book is: Does the author Judith Guest try to prove that even the perfect family can fall apart? In this novel, regular or ordinary people have to learn to cope with many extraordinary crises. In Ordinary People, Conrad Jarrett is a seventeen year old boy attending a public high school in the suburbs of Illinois. He and his family go through many stressful struggles after Conrads brother Jordan dies in a boating accident. Jordans death influences Conrad so much that he even cuts up his wrists and tries to commit suicide but he does not die. Conrad struggles with a lot of things including school, quitting the swimming team, and his friends. Conrads mother Beth, is a perfectionist and is always concerned about the way people view her and her family. She wishes for everyone to see them as normal. Conrads Dad Cal feels he is somewhat responsible for Conrads suicide attempt. He also believes that Conrad and Beth are drifting away from each other and he doesnt know who to follow. The story ends when Beth leaves home to go away for a while because she cant get along with her family. In this book, the title does give a clue about a possible theme. The term ordinary people is mentioned several times in this book. There can be many different themes for this book although my theme did not come from the title. My theme is: even a perfect family can fall apart and sometimes fall into a mental stress, due to a life changing event. I think this because everything is perfect before Jordan dies. Everything and everyone seems to fall apart after his accident. For example, Conrad attempts to ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Critically compare Socrates and Descartess Essays

Critically compare Socrates and Descartess Essays Critically compare Socrates and Descartess Paper Critically compare Socrates and Descartess Paper Descanters essence is the inherent substance to which physical properties are built upon. Socrates forms are also cannot be destroyed, and as his notion Of a soul is akin to the forms, the soul also cannot be destroyed. Comparatively, Descanters essence has no defined lifespan, but is rather simply better known than the body. Both Socrates and Descartes, in accordance to their Substance Dualism, believe that their respective form or essence has causal control over the body as part of either the mind or the soul. Socrates notion of Forms is fundamentally flawed, as it raises many objections which lead to absurdity. Primarily, if there is to be a true form for everything in the physical world, would that mean that the forms in themselves are imperfect? For example, there may be a perfect form of banana for all bananas, but yet the perfect form of fruit is that of an apple. Is that to say that the perfect form of banana is somehow less perfect than the form of an apple because it is only the form of a banana and not that of a fruit? Or does it somehow bear thinking that a banana is therefore not a fruit, r that simply, the notion of perfect forms which correspond to the material we encounter every day is inapplicable. In the context of the soul being akin to the forms, would the problem of perfection with Socrates Realm of Forms then lead us to believe that there is a perfect form for each person, and that some people s souls or forms, are more perfect than anothers soul? Therefore, Socrates conception of forms leads to making itself invalid, for as there is a perfect-ere form of all perfect things, there could equally mean that al materials things are therefore perfect manifestations of the form of rotten yellow Cavendish Banana with five spots near the stem. When these self-contradictions are considered, the Realm of Forms seems improbable, if not impossible. Considering now Descanters notion of the essence, which is perceived through his intellect and has no discernible sensory qualities, it can be found that, apart from being vague, the notion of the essence is flawed. Descartes has extricated the secondary properties from primary properties Of an Object, tit the secondary properties being the sensory manifestations, and the primary properties being the time and space the object occupies. In saying that there is an essence to all things that is there even when what is normally considered the properties of the object is, goes against Bundle Theory. Bundle Theory operates on the idea that humans are a collection of sensory input, but nothing exists behind this. Descartes attempts to rationalist that the essence is also the spirit of all things, and within the human it is the soul or mind.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Captain Corellis Mandolin Essay Example for Free

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Essay Carlo asserts â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books.† By close reference to the novel, explore how war shows people at their worst and their best. The novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, written by Louis De Bernieres in 1994, explores â€Å"humanity; we sigh at their suffering as they are ripped apart and forever changed by war.†1 The quotation in the title is spoken by Carlo quite early on in the novel, at the end of chapter 15, titled ‘L’Omosessuale (4)’. He is referring to the idea that war is repeatedly shown to be patriotic, heroic, and indeed wonderful especially in film and literature. However, from Carlos’ experiences in Albania, he knows the true reality of war, as he has seen and experienced the suffering. We can trace Carlos’ progression of thought through his personal chapters; all entitled ‘L’Omosessuale’. He begins saying, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at this war†(p.119) We hear him describe crossing the foreign border as â€Å"exhilarating†, and he and his comrades view themselves as â€Å"the new legionaries of the new empire that would last ten thousand years.†(p.119) This was his view at the very beginning of war, before he had really experienced any suffering. As he is yet to encounter any conflict, it is likely he has been influenced by the propaganda at the time, organised by the Italian leader, Mussolini. The next quotation is said slightly further on during Carlos’ experience, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at war, until the weather turned against us.†(p.120) It is here that we begin to hear of some of the suffering that Carlo and his comrades had to endure, such as â€Å"we were ten thousand men soaked to the bone†(p.120). The real tragedy of war is death, and Carlo has had direct experience of this. He says, â€Å"War is wonderful until someone is killed†(p.122). This is when De Bernieres chooses to use graphic images to show the suffering that Carlo and his comrades endure. â€Å"I realised that I was covered with gory scraps of human flesh that were freezing fast to my uniform†(p.122). Finally, Carlo says the quotation in the title, â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books† on page 124. It is here that Carlo has realised the actuality of war, and can see that this idealised version is fictitious and can only be seen in movie and in books. â€Å"War scorches a trail through all of their lives. What seems, at the beginning of the novel, like a game, a challenge to manhood, a matter of honour, an occasion for political satire, becomes an appalling reality.2 Carlo asserts that war is shown to be wonderful in movies and in books. However, De Bernieres does not follow this trend, and shows the war for what it is. De Bernieres’ characters starve and die slowly with their entrails hanging out; he depicts the horror that they have to endure to fight for their country, and the suffering that they are put through. â€Å"It was as though a portion of my mind has disappeared, or as though my soul had diminished to a tiny point of grey light†(p.138). De Bernieres also shows the gore and bloodshed caused by the war, when he describes the death of Francesco. In chapter 19, L’Omosessuale (6), De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative to tell the reader the true details of Francesco’s death, and then the sanitised version for his mother. As well as this showing Carlos’ considerate nature, it also confirms that many people did view the war in a very different light from its reality, including Francesco’s mother. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.† â€Å"(He died on a day when the snow was melting and when, beneath that carapace, there were emerging a thousand corpses, knapsacks, rusted riffles, water bottles, illegible unfinished letters drenched in blood)† (p.148). Corelli wrote the novel, after falling in love with the Island of Cephallonia, and wanting to inform readers about what happened to this Island during World War II. For this reason, he has depicted a very real and veritable account of atrocities that occurred during the Second World War. â€Å"Everyone is shot, without regard for rank or role, even the medics and the chaplains.†3 However, in the film adaptation of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, directed by John Madden, war is viewed in a very different light. De Bernieres has said of the film â€Å"The problem is that film-makers take out all your good ideas and replace them with a load of stupid ones.†4 The depiction of war in the film is very different and many scenes seem to have been â€Å"watered down†5, in order to appeal to far wider audience. The movie has been widely criticised, after changing the story line drastically from a tragic story of the destruction and consequences of war, to a love story between Corelli and Pelagia. â€Å"Where de Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res’ book makes it clear from the start that war is unforgivingly ugly, for a long time the film’s only hint of this is a glimpse of Mandras’s battle-scarred feet.†6 Although much of De Bernieres novel depicts the horror of war, some of the consequences of war are indeed wonderful. Corelli and Pelagia would have never found love without the intervention of war in their lives, and although ultimately war destroys their love, the moments spent together made the war endurable. The prefatory poem at the beginning on the novel shows Louis De Bernieres hinting, even before the novel has begun, that war will be an important theme throughout. ‘The Soldier’ by Humbert Wolfe describes the waste of war, and the loss of lives and of youth. Links are evident between this poem and Captain Corelli’s mandolin as they both explore the way in which war has an effect on different people. The presence of war on the Island of Cephallonia has various effects on different characters and can expose people’s flaws and merits. An excellent example of this is the contrast shown between Mandras and Antonio Corelli. Corelli has been drawn into a war that he really has no heart for. â€Å"You mean you’re a soldier by mistake?† (p. 206, Pelagia). He has no desires to be a soldier and his character is often seen as anti-military. When giving punishments he does not follow the rules that are expected of him, â€Å"To everyone’s surprise the captain pointed his pistol straight into the face of one of the culprits†(p.324). However, although he had no intention of doing so, Corelli proves to be an excellent comrade and shows morality throughout the war. â€Å"This is my morality, I make myself imagine that it is personal†(p.351). This is greatly contrasted with the character of Mandras. He has very high expectations about the life of a soldier and feels he has to prove himself to Pelagia and the rest of the Island. He resents those who know more than him, yet does not want to prove himself intellectually, as he believes â€Å"no man is a man until he has been a soldier†(p.80) Carlos’ assertion that war is wonderful in movies and in books reflects a idealised view of the war. However, Mandras believes that this view was the reality of war and he felt that becoming a soldier would make him more worthy as a man. â€Å"I’ll come back and everyone will say, That’s Mandras, who fought in the war. We owe everything to people like him.† He is indoctrinated by what is expected of him, and is predicted to conform. However high Mandras’ expectations were, the war does not elevate him, it brings him down. During his experiences in war he saw others abuse their power, and now feels he has a right to do the same, The war de-humanises him, and instead of changing him for the better it changes him for the worse. The war in Cephallonia showed the best and the worst in people. In Antonio Corelli’s case it displays his merits as he has the opportunity to exercise his humanity in the treatment of others. From the beginning of the novel, Corelli is represented as a laid-back, light-hearted leader. Although he has a great talent as a leader, he is very modest and introduces Carlo as â€Å"one of our heroes, He has a hundred medals for saving life and none for taking it†(p.202). He proves himself as an excellent comrade and Captain by being faithful to his men until the very end. â€Å"There is no honour in this war, but I have to be with my boys†(p.392). His introduction of La Scala also shows good comradeship, as it is a humorous and practical solution to having to use communal toilets. This is also a crucial element of the novel, as before they go to join the shooting line up, they sing to maintain their composure. He also shows his forgiving nature when he chooses to forgive Gunter for what he has done. â€Å"I forgive you. If I do not, who will?†(p.397). He says of himself â€Å"I am not a natural parasite†(p.305) and this is seen clearly when he avoids any confrontation with Pelagia. He is uncomfortable about living with Pelagia and her father â€Å"Tonight I shall sleep in the yard and tomorrow I shall request alternative accommodation†(p.204). Corelli’s fondness for animals is De Bernieres way of showing positive traits in a character. The fact that Corelli is so attached to Psipsina shows that he is an admirable man and the reader feel connected to him. â€Å"The captain had some engaging traits. He tied a cork to a piece of string, and sprinted about the house with Psipsina in hot pursuit†¦and if the animal happened to be sitting on a piece of music, he would go away and fetch another sheet rather than disturb her†(p.250) Corelli also shows fondness for children in his relationship with Lemoni. Although there is a language barrier, the two are able to communicate on a different level, and are able to enjoy each other’s company. â€Å"The child was whooping and laughing, and it appeared that what was transpiring was a lesson in Italian. ‘Bella fanciulla,’ the captain was saying. He was waiting for Lemoni to repeat it. ‘Bla fanshla,’ she giggled.† (p. 211) He also appears to have a very different attitude than other soldiers, when he arrives in Cephallonia with his mandolin strapped to his back, and not a gun, as you would expect from a soldier. The mandolin â€Å"that was called Antonia because it was the other half of himself.† This love for music is another engaging trait that the captain has, and is one of the reasons Pelagia falls in love with him. We also see this originality to his character when Gunter Weber, a german soldier, introduces himself. Weber says â€Å"Heil Hitler†, yet Corelli says â€Å"Heil Puccini†, showing he has a very different attitude to the war, and will not be led by anyone. This again shows his love for classical music, as Puccini was a great composer, whom Corelli was an admirer of. His relationship with Pelagia is clearly one of great love and admiration, however it also contains sexual desires, which are never consummated. â€Å"Such slender fingers, such pink nails. He imagined them engaged upon amorous and nocturnal things, and realised that he was disturbing Psipsina.†(p.259, Corelli) This shows ongoing respect for Pelagia and her father, and also shows Corelli’s caring and considerate temperament. In contrast to Corelli, the character Mandras is brutalised by war. He believes that war will change him for the better, yet it changes him for the worse. He becomes a victim of propaganda and a victim of his insecurities. Before he leaves for war he tells Pelagia â€Å"I’m a Greek†¦not a Fascist†(p.214) War changes him for the worse as he is very easily led and allows others to influence him. This may have had a positive effect on Mandras if he had chosen Iannis to guide him, yet he chooses Hector, the leader of a branch of the ELAS. Joining this group causes him to abandon his personal values, and this is seen when he whips the old man. â€Å"Mandras did not even notice that the man had stopped moving, had stopped screaming and whining†(p.233). He manages to blank out the emotions that he should be feeling, and begins to enjoy the power he holds over this old man. â€Å"If you didn’t think about what it was, it sounded weirdly beautiful†(p.234) After returning from the war, he becomes much more manipulative, especially towards Pelagia and Drosoula. â€Å"Mandras had begun his exile into inaccessibility by dramatising the idea of death†(p.180). Pelagia was â€Å"convinced that he was doing it on purpose as an act of vengeance or punishment.†(p.180). This shows a very cruel side to Mandras that we have never seen before, and it clearly takes the war to bring out this negative side of his character. He has clearly been indoctrinated by the propaganda of the war, and this is seen in chapter 63, when he recites communist slogans. â€Å"The party is never wrong. Whoever is not with us is against us†(p.447) He does not seem to be questioning what he has been told, he just repeats it. He has experienced others abusing their power during his time with the ELAS and now sees this as an approved way of behaving. â€Å"De Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res explores power and its abuse†7 He insults and belittles Pelagia after he returns from fighting and tortures her further, even though he should see that she has suffered enough during the war. De Bernieres shows a side to Mandras that readers have never seen before. He represents him as evil and sadistic, and we see Mandras refer to Pelagia as a â€Å"slut†. His morals have disintegrated following his fighting with the ELAS, and feels that he can do whatever he wants. This is due to the fact that the ELAS would make up their own rules for their comrades to follow. The war de-humanises Mandras and he represents the damage that can be inflicted by extreme politics. In Mandras’ death, De Bernieres wants readers to feel pity for him, as it is clear the communist party has seriously indoctrinated him. He dies as a victim of the war, and a desire to prove himself worthy, and this also evokes compassion in the reader Carlo is a character in the novel who shows how war can bring out the best in people. He is a very honourable character, and has to live with the secret that he is homosexual. He puts aside his desire for Corelli in order to help the romance between Pelagia and Corelli develop. â€Å"I have loved you with the same surprise and gratitude that I see in your own eyes when you are with Pelagia†(p.384). He shows true bravery in front of the firing squad when stepping in front of Corelli to save his life. â€Å"Antonio Corelli†¦had found in front of him the titanic bulk of Carlo Guercio†(p.399). De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative in the chapters entitled L’Omosessuale, and this allows the readers to sympathise further with the silent suffering that Carlo has to endure during the war. His writings are eloquently written and his language is poetic and beautiful, showing the gentle side to his character. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.†(P.148, Carlo) â€Å"Father Arsenios was saved by the war†(p.292). De Bernieres absolves Arsenios after the war and liberates him from his former self. However, the characters perceive him as a mad man and cannot see that war has brought about his finest hour. He is referred to as the â€Å"crazy priest† yet he feels he is a saviour and â€Å"it is probable that, had he lived, Arsenios might have become a saint†(p.295). De Bernieres chooses to depict war in a graphic and realistic light in his novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Although in many films or books war is shown to be wonderful, this idealised version is proved wrong in De Bernieres novel, as he shows the suffering that the soldiers were forced to endure. He shows that the war has different effects on different people, and it can expose their faults or their merits. Mandras is forever changed by the war, as he returns indoctrinated by the communist party. His death proves that his natural environment is the sea, where he can be accepted and does not have to prove himself. In contrast Corelli’s merits are shown to be more prominent as the war develops, and also as his love for Pelagia develops. The reader is drawn to the character of Corelli, even though he is an occupying soldier, as he shows compassion, kindness and respect during his time in Cephallonia. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. (2017, Aug 23). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Friday, October 18, 2019

Draft2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Draft2 - Essay Example The concentration camps in Germany (United States, n.d.) and the status of African Americans in the U.S. from the 17th century up until the American Civil War (History.com, 2009) are two of the most prominent examples of racism. Even if the unfair treatment of African Americans was not as tragic as the injustice afflicted on the Jews, the preference shown over the colored citizens of America was, and curiously still is, a big social issue. Disappointingly, the development of society into a more advanced group of people in terms of thought process and behavior did very little in stopping how some individuals continue to think they are more superior than everyone else. In other words, despite the introduction of technology into society – another feather in the cap for rational man – some form of racism is still observed today, albeit not as destructive or demeaning as in the time of Hitler (United States, n.d.) or the period of slavery in North America (History.com, 2009) . Racism starts when one unit of man sees itself as above the other groups of men. In the beginning, all men can belong to a big organized group. For instance, in the USA there are Asians, Mexicans, African Americans, Americans, etc. living together. As the relevant forms of communication and understanding are observed, the culture specific to this area of the world is continually nurtured. As a result, the whole group is stable, its behaviors and practices organized and firmly established. Therefore, to suppress this culture would be difficult. Independent and strong-willed, Americans have already proven to the world that no other group can dominate or rule over them. (White, D., 2002-11) Within America, however, it is a different story. The history of the United States is proof that suppression of a group can be achieved. When a particular group steps forward and tries to be the dominant unit in a society, it consequently represses another

Islam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islam - Assignment Example As it is implied by both God and Holy Prophet (PBUH) that only righteous deeds can elevate one person over the rest, all Muslims immensely respect those who strive to do good and achieve noble objectives. Islam assigns different kinds of roles to men and women not on grounds of superiority or inferiority but because they have slightly different physical and emotional traits. Men mostly are physically and emotionally stronger than women so they are encouraged to work harder and support their whole family. The burden of work can be hugely stressful so it is reserved for the emotionally and physically stronger group. But that does not mean that Islam strictly prohibits women from becoming educationally accomplished or going out of their homes to earn money. Islam does not see any harm in women striving to make sure both ends are met when situation gets rough. Quran implies that gender equality should be put into practice (Muslim Women’s League, 2012). Life in Arabian Island befor e Islam reached it: Life in Arabian Island before Islam dawned on it is characterized by scholars as wild, wayward, lawless, undirected, restless, ominous, and demonic. Islam brought with itself the phenomenally relieving messages of peace, discipline, respect, lawfulness, ethics, humanity, and obedience. By emphasizing the presence of a higher being who should be respected and worshipped, Islam erased any possibility of jealousy or discrimination among Muslims. If Quran and Sunnah had implied that anyone among the followers who is virtuous and noble could be worshipped, conflict and discrimination would have resulted and there would have been multiple gods. But Islam put an end to such misery and asked all to observe one being and none else. Life in Arabian Island before Islam reached it was so exceedingly wayward that men and women were made to dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka’bah as part of the rituals and men used to bury their daughters alive out of gross hatred and gender discrimination (Subhani, n.d.). Before the advent of Islam, the Arab people used to treat women as mere sex objects who could be used for pleasure only and were granted no rights or protection. In stark contrast to the ancient teachings of other religions which stress that women are inherently sinful and wicked beings with no sense whatsoever and men are born virtuous and noble, Islam implies in accordance with the revolutionary teachings of Quran and Sunnah that men and women should be considered equal everywhere as they are created from the same soul and both are born innocent (Doi, n.d.). Changes brought by Islam in the Muslim culture: Islam brought multiple revolutionary and commendable changes in the Muslim culture. In fact Islam created the Muslim culture as before this religion dawned, there was no Muslim culture but a disgustful wilderness. General morals and manners of the Arabs before the advent of Islam were very low and fraught with weaknesses so Islam strived to elevate them up to a higher level so that Muslims could be distinguished on grounds of high morals and not on grounds of ignorance and waywardness. Due to lack of proper guidance and prevalence of immorality and ignorance, Arabs before the advent of Islam led a life similar to that of uncontrollable beasts and often breached law. Islam brought the change by creating a strong justice system one

Homework assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Homework - Assignment Example This kind of reaction causes a friction that helps in the transformation of the existing rocks to form the amorphous rock (Press, F., R. Siever, J. Grotzinger & T. H. Jordan, 2003). However, a series of researches have also reported that the amorphous rocks can result from other processes like magma, very hot sediment that may come as a result of earth movements like volcanic eruptions. After their sedimentation and subsequent cooling, the amorphous rock is formed. Actually, for this rock to be used in construction process, it must be specially prepared through a series of processes. First, an appropriate mining method is used before it is taken to the industry to be given a series of chemical treatment where it will be given color, shape, texture and be put in the right shape to be used in construction. For instance, being that it can be used in making the bathroom tiles means that it should be accorded a kind of finishinthat will make it be so smooth and shiny. The type of igneous rock used in the construction of houses is the granite. It is just because it posses the right qualities necessary for the building and construction of various parts of a building structure (Press, F., R. Siever, J. Grotzinger & T. H. Jordan, 2003). According to the geological researches, the igneous rock is formed through a process of cooling and solidification of lava or magma. The magma undergoes a crystallization process either intrusively or extrinsively. In this case, the intrinsic crystallization occurs when the process occurs underneath the surface of the earth. On the other hand, extrinsic crystallization occurs on the surface of the earth mainly from volcanic eruptions. In order to process the materials from this rock, an appropriate mining method is used before it is taken to the industry to be given a series of chemical treatment where it will be given color, shape, texture and be put in the right shape to be used in

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Tesco Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Tesco Company - Essay Example The company faces financial risk factors as follows: the interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, foreign exchange risk, capital risk and insurance risk. Current ratio – this ratio measures the ability of a business to meet its current obligations using the current assets. Generally, it is advisable for the ratio of current assets to current liability to be 2: 1. Concerning Tesco PLC, the company’s current ratio for 2012 and 2013 were 0.67 and 0.69 respectively. The ratios clearly show that the company is not liquid enough to sufficiently settle its short-term obligations using the current assets. Debt ratio – this ratio indicates the proportion of a company's total assets that have been financed by the total liabilities. It also shows the value of assets that creditors would claim in case of liquidation. Concerning Tesco Company, the ratios for 2012 and 2013 are 64.9 % and 66.76 % respectively. Both ratios show a high dependency on debt to finance the co mpany's assets with 2013 having the biggest percentage. The interpretation shows that only 3.4% of Tesco's revenue was net profit before tax, whereas, the remaining 96.6% were consumed by operating expenses. Based on the current ratio and the net profit margin before tax, Tesco company exhibits poor liquidity and thus cannot meet its current obligation using the current assets. The profitability analysis shows a high level of the company’s operating expenses thus a lower level of profits expressed as a percentage of the total revenue.

Truth and Lies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Truth and Lies - Essay Example It is essential to have the common awareness that men and women lie due to various situations in their lives, and only such an understanding can help one deal with the issue. If I find a client lying in a session, my first response will be one of accepting the reality of truth/lies. Then, I will ensure that I make attempts in which the client himself/herself realizes the fact about the lie and about me understanding it. Once the client is sure about the lie he/she has told, I will ask about the situations for him/her to lie so. I will make him/her be convinced of the fact that everyone lies at some moment of life. My attempts will also help him/her understand the need for humans to be truthful in life. I will also clarify the different views about truth and lies by which the client is able to make his/her choice. At the end of all these, the client will become aware of the problem of lying and the beauty of being truthful in life. I will make use of this situation to amplify the clie nt's awareness with general facts regarding the nature of lies. Coping is one of the most significant factors affecting the results of the activities undertaken in order to reduce the impact of an issue. "Coping consists of efforts, both action oriented and intra psychic, to manage (i.e. master, tolerate, reduce, minimize) environmental and internal demands and conflicts.' (Lazarus & Launier, 1978, p. 311). As Steven Gullo has pointed out, there are various styles of coping with a situation and people's selection of a particular Coping Style depends on several factors. It is important to realize that not any particular style of the six basic coping styles identified by Steven Gullo gives the complete picture of a best style. One style may seem good for a particular individual or situation while the same may be completely useless for another. An individual may make use of more than one style depending on the demands of the situation and the problem. However, one particular style may become predominant in every person along with other alternative styles. Therefore, I strongly feel that among the six basic coping styles in young people, i.e. accepting, defying, facilitating, submitting, altruistic, and optimistic, the coping style I possess is that of accepting. That is to say, I always feel there is a strong need in everyone to be heard and listened to. The energy in every person is limited and these energies need to be utilized in the right direction in order to cope with a difficult situation. It is also essential to get the maximum amount of specifications from the clients and draw the right conclusions. If one fails in obtaining the exact information regarding the issue, one can never achieve a solution to the problem and, therefore, I always make it a point that the maximum amount of the factual information is obtained from the clients. To supplement to this style, I always feel that there is a solution to every difficult situation and I am very much confident about finding these solutions, provided I approach the situa tion realistically and objectively. Therefore, the coping style I prefer is one of accepting and many often this style is assisted by my optimistic views regarding the issues. 10 RULES FOR DADS The article "10 Rules for Dads to Give Children" by Dr. Walter C. Farrell can be best comprehended as one which points out the essential guidelines that a father in the modern world

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Homework assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Homework - Assignment Example This kind of reaction causes a friction that helps in the transformation of the existing rocks to form the amorphous rock (Press, F., R. Siever, J. Grotzinger & T. H. Jordan, 2003). However, a series of researches have also reported that the amorphous rocks can result from other processes like magma, very hot sediment that may come as a result of earth movements like volcanic eruptions. After their sedimentation and subsequent cooling, the amorphous rock is formed. Actually, for this rock to be used in construction process, it must be specially prepared through a series of processes. First, an appropriate mining method is used before it is taken to the industry to be given a series of chemical treatment where it will be given color, shape, texture and be put in the right shape to be used in construction. For instance, being that it can be used in making the bathroom tiles means that it should be accorded a kind of finishinthat will make it be so smooth and shiny. The type of igneous rock used in the construction of houses is the granite. It is just because it posses the right qualities necessary for the building and construction of various parts of a building structure (Press, F., R. Siever, J. Grotzinger & T. H. Jordan, 2003). According to the geological researches, the igneous rock is formed through a process of cooling and solidification of lava or magma. The magma undergoes a crystallization process either intrusively or extrinsively. In this case, the intrinsic crystallization occurs when the process occurs underneath the surface of the earth. On the other hand, extrinsic crystallization occurs on the surface of the earth mainly from volcanic eruptions. In order to process the materials from this rock, an appropriate mining method is used before it is taken to the industry to be given a series of chemical treatment where it will be given color, shape, texture and be put in the right shape to be used in

Truth and Lies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Truth and Lies - Essay Example It is essential to have the common awareness that men and women lie due to various situations in their lives, and only such an understanding can help one deal with the issue. If I find a client lying in a session, my first response will be one of accepting the reality of truth/lies. Then, I will ensure that I make attempts in which the client himself/herself realizes the fact about the lie and about me understanding it. Once the client is sure about the lie he/she has told, I will ask about the situations for him/her to lie so. I will make him/her be convinced of the fact that everyone lies at some moment of life. My attempts will also help him/her understand the need for humans to be truthful in life. I will also clarify the different views about truth and lies by which the client is able to make his/her choice. At the end of all these, the client will become aware of the problem of lying and the beauty of being truthful in life. I will make use of this situation to amplify the clie nt's awareness with general facts regarding the nature of lies. Coping is one of the most significant factors affecting the results of the activities undertaken in order to reduce the impact of an issue. "Coping consists of efforts, both action oriented and intra psychic, to manage (i.e. master, tolerate, reduce, minimize) environmental and internal demands and conflicts.' (Lazarus & Launier, 1978, p. 311). As Steven Gullo has pointed out, there are various styles of coping with a situation and people's selection of a particular Coping Style depends on several factors. It is important to realize that not any particular style of the six basic coping styles identified by Steven Gullo gives the complete picture of a best style. One style may seem good for a particular individual or situation while the same may be completely useless for another. An individual may make use of more than one style depending on the demands of the situation and the problem. However, one particular style may become predominant in every person along with other alternative styles. Therefore, I strongly feel that among the six basic coping styles in young people, i.e. accepting, defying, facilitating, submitting, altruistic, and optimistic, the coping style I possess is that of accepting. That is to say, I always feel there is a strong need in everyone to be heard and listened to. The energy in every person is limited and these energies need to be utilized in the right direction in order to cope with a difficult situation. It is also essential to get the maximum amount of specifications from the clients and draw the right conclusions. If one fails in obtaining the exact information regarding the issue, one can never achieve a solution to the problem and, therefore, I always make it a point that the maximum amount of the factual information is obtained from the clients. To supplement to this style, I always feel that there is a solution to every difficult situation and I am very much confident about finding these solutions, provided I approach the situa tion realistically and objectively. Therefore, the coping style I prefer is one of accepting and many often this style is assisted by my optimistic views regarding the issues. 10 RULES FOR DADS The article "10 Rules for Dads to Give Children" by Dr. Walter C. Farrell can be best comprehended as one which points out the essential guidelines that a father in the modern world

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Role of Tragedy in Early Greek Legacy Essay Example for Free

The Role of Tragedy in Early Greek Legacy Essay Tragedies have been a big and important part of Greek culture and history. Greek tragedies are dramas performed before a large audience, usually during festivities of gods, that narrate the story of a hero and all the unusual challenges and sufferings that he has to go through in order to achieve something or learn an important lesson. Tragedies usually have complex plots wherein disasters happen one after the other and their resolutions reveal important lessons or realizations. These dramas have apparently started around the 5th century BCE, a pivotal time in Greek history that also marked a lot of their other contributions like democracy. Thespis, known as the father of drama, introduced the idea of one actor acting on stage that started the flourishing of tragic dramas (â€Å"Greek Tragic Drama†). Later on, three masters of tragedy emerged namely Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Many of the tragedies that have survived from their time were written by these men who made Greek tragedies a real part of literature. But tragedies are not merely stories popularized just to be performed before an audience. Tragedies serve as an important expression of culture and creativity of Greek society. They are well supported by the Greek society because tragedies serve as means of reminding the Greeks of the moral lessons values that their culture upholds and believes in. The arrival of tragedies was in Greece was a very significant timing in history because it was around the time when Greek culture gaining momentum and flourishing. The â€Å"great surge in creativity catalyzed the concept of the Greek tragedy† (Reed 1). It encouraged the creation of dramas with crucial themes by presenting them as one of the highlights of festivities. A tragedy usually â€Å"depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods† (â€Å"Tragedy: the Basics†). Heroes are great men and women but remains imperfect humans capable of doing good and committing mistakes. They are not totally good nor totally bad, but they are usually prominent or greater than other people around them. They are also packaged as people destined to experience big transformations in their lives. Tragedies became avenues for the creative minds of playwrights to let their imagination and talent out. In the Greek society, tragedies also function as â€Å"lessons in behavior† because of the way they incorporate moral teachings into the changes of the lives of the heroes (Reed 1). The trials, successes, failures, and losses that the heroes experience serve as effective teaching tools for the Greeks. Tragedies convey different realities and some of the most common themes they present are that â€Å"actions do not go unpunished, and the gods work in mysterious – an often ironic – ways† (Reed 2). Since the characters of tragedies are not always perfectly virtuous, they are given certain tasks that challenge and influence the actions they take in their lives. The twists in the plots also give constant reminder of the intertwined quality of human life and the power of the wills of the gods. Tragedies function as manifestations of the reality that life is never perfect for men. They also serve as reminders for Greeks of the different experiences that could possibly happen to a human person, giving them idea what path should one take and what should be avoided. Tragedies are very easy to appreciate despite having heavy themes because they deal with specific instances of life. They revolve around adventures in families, in battles, and in religion. Tragedies usually follow relationships of people with others and with their gods as guides for their plots. Divine presence in everything in this world is a very significant character of Greek culture and many tragedies highlight the importance of faith in ones daily life. Tragedies are very important to the Greek society because they give lessons about virtue and warnings how people should live their life morally by using immense disasters that complicate a heros life. It is not easy being a hero in a Greek tragedy although â€Å"the hero need not die at the end, but he or she must undergo a change in fortune† in order to understand and live out the the different virtues of the Greek society (â€Å"Tragedy: the Basics†). The goal of every tragedy is to make the audience see what may come out with good values and what are the probable tragic events for every mistake or wrong action. These are specific warnings or reminders about life, about the use of power, and about morality as a part of everyday life. â€Å"Greek tragedies speak volumes about the lives of those dwelling in this ancient society† (Reed 3). They are representations of what was the culture of Greece in its early years. Through their plots, their characters, and the ideals incorporated in their stories, tragedies are able to preserve the culture and beliefs that the Greeks have. Tragedies have a unique way of teaching and passing on knowledge to people through the presentations on the stage. The Greeks â€Å"responded so well to this approach because their core values are being addressed in a way that enables everyone to participate† (Reed 3). Performed art was very close to the hearts of this creative and rich nation. â€Å"Classic Greek drama was a community art, not a business venture† and the dramatists are regarded with high importance in their society (â€Å"Greek Tragic Drama†). Tragedies serve the effective purpose of educating people about examples of moral actions, cleansing of souls, and other related religious and virtuous beliefs. Another significance of these tragedies is that they bind the Greeks together as one society. Tragedies are affairs that serve as a â€Å"community gathering largely sponsored by the government†(Reed 1). Presentations usually take a form of contests and have emerged to become annual events in Ancient Greece. Large venues are allotted for them because â€Å"performance of tragedies fostered a sense of community amongst the Greek people†and every citizen in the society are expected to witness them. Therefore, performances of tragedies gather thousands of people together to performances that entertain and educate, effectively passing on of political and religious messages promoted in Greek culture. Although very entertaining and usually presented in festivals, tragedies were not intended only for entertainment purposes only for they also unit the Greeks as one community. â€Å"With so many individuals, ranging from prominent politicians to peasants, a tragedy was something all people could share† (Reed 3). In a theater where tragedies are performed, people from different classes, educated or not educated, men and women, are all given the chance to appreciate and witness the tragic dramas. And through these events, people learn more about the roles of their government, their communities, and their religion in their lives. Tragedies are considered very important and significant in Greek society. Indeed, they are capable of making people more responsible in their roles in their communities and more respectful of their gods. Greek tragedies are also expressions of devotion to their gods because they describe the important role that gods play in the lives of humans. Today, a lot of tragedies still prevails and recognized as some of the most important contributions of the Greek civilization to people. They were elaborately supported by the Greek society because of the benefits they were able to share in making their community educated, prosperous, and peaceful. Tragedies usually challenge ideas of too much pride, injustice, foolishness, and other human flaws. They encourage knowledge and moral living. Tragedies present frank and definite examples of what happen to people who question the powers of gods or the intentions of the government. Because of this, they are able to nurture a citizenship well aware of the purpose and significance of their culture. Works Cited â€Å"Greek Tragic Drama. † Memphis University School. n. d. Web. 20 July, 2010. Retrieved from http://faculty. musowls. org/Sheltont/Literature/HO(gtd). htm. Reed, Sloane. â€Å"The Critical Role Greek Tragedies Played in Greek Society. † Associated Content. com 13 Nov. 2008. Web. 20 July 2010. Retrieved from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/1180307/the_critical_role_greek_tragedies_played_pg3. html? cat=37. â€Å"Tragedy: the Basics. † Grand Valley State University. 2008. Web. 20 July 2010. Retrieved

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Findings Of Our Group Presentation Social Work Essay

The Findings Of Our Group Presentation Social Work Essay From the findings of our group presentation, it can be said that quality means doing things right, but the things which the operation needs to do right will vary according to the kind of operation. For example, in the hospital, quality could mean making sure that patents get the most appropriate treatment, that the treatment is carried out in a medically correct manner, it would also include such things as ensuring that the hospital is clean, and that the staff are well informed and friendly towards patients. Its not surprising that all operations regard quality as a particularly important object. In some ways quality is the most visible part of what an operation does. Furthermore, its some thing that a customer finds relatively easy to judge about the operation. By asking is it right or wrong? Is it the way its supposed to be? There is some thing fundamental about quality. Because of this, its clearly a major influence on customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Quality then is simple meeting the customer requirements, and this has been expressed in many ways:‘Fitness for purpose or use, ‘Conformance to requirements, and in many other ways. Clearly, part of the acceptability of a service will depend on its ability to function satisfactorily over a period of time, and it is this aspect of performance that is given the name reliability. It is the ability of the service to continue to meet the customer requirements. It is important to realize that the meeting the customer requirements definition of quality is not restrictive to the functional characteristics of services. A report on your contribution to the group and to the work that was presented I contributed a great deal in the planning and writing up of the presentation. Our group communicated amongst itself both efficiently and effectively. Although we gathered on only one occasion outside academic hours as a whole group, the meeting was extremely constructive as we were able to discuss and arrange the main sections of the presentation. My role within the group was to design the slides and research on the topic I was allocated as a member of the group. Firstly, I decided to research on the theory of variation and the Deming cycle, and attempted to link these theories to the results of the care quality commission report on the two care homes of our choice. The other role in the work of the group involved introducing the main points of the presentation and writing up on one of the key points in the conclusion. A report on how the group worked together Group work has been defined by various authors, however Kurland and Salmon (2003) states that for some group work is just another way of talking about teamwork, however, working in groups is often presented as a good way of dividing work and increasing productivity. It can also be argued that it allows for the utilization of the different skills, knowledge and experiences that people have, (Cory and Cory, 2002). Kurland and Salmon (2002) describes team work as partnership, therefore he goes to describe partnership working as a variety of arrangements with different purposes, time scales, structures, operating procedures and members between groups and the community as a whole. Lowndes (2002) adding that partnership/group working achieves what would be difficult or impossible for a single person to do on their own therefore collaborative working is also known as partnership working. However, (Wildridge et al, 2004) argues that partnership working is not in and of itself a good thing. Y alom (2005) claims that for a group work to be effective 10 characteristic should be present: Develop goals and plans, Enhance communication among members, Develop and maintain positive relationships among members, Solve problems and make decisions on a timely basis, Successfully manage conflict, Facilitate productive meetings, Clarify roles for team members, Operate in a productive manner, Exhibit effective team leadershipand Provide development opportunities for team members. Our group work lacked the communication skills, hence working in a group proved difficult. Donovan (2005) states that good communication is critical to effective teamwork; it is far more than talking and listening. It is sometimes a complex and puzzling process. However, effective communication is possible with the right approach, techniques and some practice. Our group could have worked better as a team. The main flaw was our inability to meet up, discuss ideas and become all aware as to which stage of drafting we are. We at times thought different things were occurring and we didnt all pull in the same direction until towards the end when editing the slides.[1] These are the sessions where we worked well as a group. When editing, we looked at the slides and any idea brought up by one of our group members were considered. This process happened several times and this ensured us that we were all happy with the final copy of our presentation. Another disappointing thing about our group was the lack of met deadlines. However, this directly came as a consequence as a lack of deadlines set. Although the work was shared between the group, it was much disorganised as to when it should be done. It was very difficult for this reason to know whether we were ahead or behind schedule with the only dates determined was the final deadline for all work (15/04/2010). My experience in group work has showed that there are many problems that accompany group work that is people dont pull their weight and one person who dont turn up leaving other person to complete the task. There are problems with time management as some people might not attend time set because of other commitment and lack of commitment towards the task resulting in people not doing what was given to them, this is a big de-motivation factor in group as it pulls the whole group down and effects work. The day we met for the first time to prepare our presentation, our strategy involved first gathering all information on Deming using research skills like using reputable sources from the Internet, newspaper and articles for the next meeting. On the first of three meeting we covered what points were relevant and how would we structure the presentation and had an agreement on the type of care home we will use for our presentation. The following week we gathered our research together and highlighted the important and relevant information and set our specific points for each person to cover and what to research, we also began our PowerPoint presentation. My point was to design the slides and prepare a clear explanation of the theory of variation and the Deming cycle. On the final week we brought in our final version on what each of us would cover and finalised the presentation and practice our presentation and corrected each other if there were any faults and gave inputs to each other on how they improve it even further. What I learnt in group work with my colleagues while preparing for presentation that people who have good decision making skills will set a vision of what need to be accomplished and setting a structure of how should we aim to achieve it. This part involves being good at making decisions, as it is very crucial part in-group work and a good academic skill to have. This motivates other to decisions rather then leaving it to the end, as it helpss set a goal to aim for. There are also couple of skills that are crucial they include setting prioritise, communicating between colleague and inter personal skills. For example giving constructive criticism like our group did when we were carrying out presentation to each other.[2] (Rose et al,1989) It could have been wise to adopt Tuckmans literature on group development, based on a meta-analysis of the complex models which had previously been developed. It has the virtue of being memorable, but the limitation of being rather rigid.[3](Tuckman, 1965) [1] Davis,B.G.(2009)(2nd ed.) Tools for teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [2] Brower,A.M.,Rose,S.D.(1989) Advances in Group work research. London: Eurospan/Haworth. [3] Tuckman,B. (1965) Developmental Sequence in Small Groups Psychological Bulletin 63 pp. 384-399

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Graduation Speech: Make Your Own Rules :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Good evening my name is Ben Rood I would like to share with you something that Michael Konda once said: "The fastest way to succeed is to look as if you're playing by somebody else's rules, while quietly playing by your own." I couldn't agree more. I am standing here today because for the last four years I have unknowingly followed this advice. It started my freshman year when I was in the right place at the right time. Due to the overcrowding here at AHS the Microsoft Windows NT class was changed to an after-school class. This normally full class now had empty seats. As a freshman I did not meet the prerequisites for the NT class so I quietly slipped into one of the empty seats as a pass/fail student. As the year progressed I slowly moved away from the rules and took the class for a grade and as you can see it paid off with "A's". By the end of the year I was able to pass the Microsoft Certified Professional exam at age 14 and land a job at Microsoft. I would not have been able to do all of this and more during my freshman year had I "played by somebody else's rules." I continued to bend and break the rules both silently and blatantly. Through Microsoft I was able to participate in and manage conferences for any where from a hundred and fifty to 10,000 attendees. Interns are not generally invited to help with conferences, but I was fortunate enough to start with a manager who "(looked) as if (he were) playing by somebody else's rules, while quietly playing by (his) own." In school I broke away from the crowd a little more obviously. After individual debates in English class our teacher invited us to debate the different topics as a class. One of these topics was where our "new" school should be located. I was the only one in my class who didn't agree with the bond being presented to the public. While I listened to the points made by my peers and the teacher I still maintained my points and did not jump on the bandwagon. As many of you know I spend much of my time at a computer. Some would say that's because I'm a computer geek. Well I may be a computer geek because I spend lots of time at the computer, but I spend it there because it is much easier to bend the rules of the computer than it is to bend the laws of physics.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Growth of Mormon Church Essay -- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

On, April 6, 1830, a then 24-year-old young man named Joseph Smith Jr. gathered in a small room along with six other people to organize a Church that would change American history. Since the age of 14, Joseph Smith had always been a source of contentment and ridicule by people of all social classes and religions. Ten years earlier, in the spring of 1820, this young boy declared that he had seen a vision, that he had been visited by both God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. This vision is a cornerstone of the Church that is known today as, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nicknamed the â€Å"Mormons†, a religion that was built on the ideals of communal living and strict obedience to religious guidelines, a people that would be hunted by mobs, and that would eventually erect a â€Å"sanctuary† of 15,000 â€Å"saints† only 13 years after its foundation, a religion that Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum would be murdered for at the age of 38, a Church that would grow from 7 members in 1830, to a congregation of over 11 million in the year 2000.# Why did many early American settlers, both rich and poor, believe in the Mormon doctrines and, by contrast, why did so many early settlers despise these people for their beliefs? In order for us to understand how the early Mormon Church grew at such a rapid pace, and why this particular new religion survived when many others started with the same fervor, but did not have the staying power of Mormonism, we have to first look at the time and region in which this new faith began. I don’t know if there could have been a time and place any where in the world that was more prepared for Joseph Smith Jr., and the Mormon religion, than western New York in the early 1830’s. At this time in U.S. history, what was called the â€Å"Second Great Awakening† was taking place throughout the country,# and western New York had been labeled the â€Å"Burned-over District† by a lawyer from New York, named Charles Finney, because it â€Å"had been scorched by the flames of religious enthusiasm.†# Revivals and religious fervor were taking hold, and many new denominations were being formed, this area of the country became famous â€Å"for its hist ory of revivalism, radicalism, utopian experiments. It was fertile ground for new ideas to take root and spread to other parts of the country.†# Joseph Smith was able to capitalize on this when he founded the LDS Church ... ...wakening and Rise of Evangelicalism, 15 February 2005, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA95/finseth/evangel.html Brodie, Fawn McKay. No Man Knows My History, The Life of Joseph Smith, The Mormon Prophet. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1945. Joseph Smith-History: Extracts From the History of Joseph Smith, The Prophet. Utah: Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979. Mississippi River Home Page, Mormons in the Midwest, 1830-1846, 15 February 2005, http://www.greatriver.com/mormons.htm National Humanities Center, Evangelicalism, Revivalism, and the Second Great Awakening, 15 February 2005, http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nevanrev.htm Public Broadcast Service. American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith. 15 February 2005, http://www.pgs.org/americanprophet/index.html. San Diego University History Department, The Burned-Over District, 15 February 2005, http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/civilwar/01/burned.html The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 15 February 2005, http://www.lds.org/ The National Parks Service, Mormon Pioneer, 15 February 2005, http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/mopi/hrs1.htm

Friday, October 11, 2019

Oriental Food as the Cultural Other Essay

In Coco Fusco’s â€Å"The Other History of Intercultural Performance†, he promotes the idea that â€Å"racial difference is absolutely fundamental to aesthetic interpretation† while giving an explanation of how Western civilization has viewed the cultural Other—meaning, the so-called primitive people often stereotyped as savage and lacking in â€Å"discipline, civilization and industry† (Fusco). From the Western perspective, Oriental food is considered as the Other. The American staple typically consists of processed foods that are readily available such as pizza and burgers. These Western dishes can be found in almost all major cities and towns of the United States which have created a cultural appetite for anything that is ready for consumption. Oriental food, on the other hand, is viewed mostly as an alternative, albeit oftentimes costly, for the average Westerner (Counihan, p. 58). As with most Asian meals, the principle is to cook food from the freshest ingredients available. Typical vegetable dishes are prepared using vegetables that are picked fresh whereas seafood meals are cooked using the freshest fish and seashells for instance. Every food is prepared carefully regardless of the duration of the process, thereby creating the impression that each serving of Oriental food is a handiwork, so to speak, that can hardly be rivalled by fast food chains. Although there is hardly any single ingredient that unifies all the rest of the Oriental cuisines, there are similarities that can be pointed out. For instance, the â€Å"Tom Yum† soup of Thailand, a taste of hot and sour flavours using aromatic herbs, is a mix of spices and leaves of plants that are abundant in the country. As for the more general Thai cuisine, dishes are basically hot and spicy and are prepared using a balance of its five key flavours: salty, sweet, sour, spicy and the optional bitter flavour. Fresh herbs and spices are preferred over dried ones which is perhaps one reason why Thai dishes have that distinct taste. In addition to these single whole dishes, rice is also served as part of each meal with the inclusion of fish sauce such as â€Å"nam pla† and other complementary dishes. Japanese meals are another example of Oriental cuisine. Perhaps the most fundamental and unique characteristic of most Japanese meals is that each dish is served using raw ingredients. For instance, the popular Japanese food â€Å"sashimi† is raw seafood coupled with a dipping sauce. Aside from seafood, meat can also be prepared raw in Japanese meals such as Basashi, a raw horse meat delicacy. â€Å"Sushi† is also one of the more popular dishes in Japanese cuisine. It basically includes vegetable, meat and fish which can be rolled inside dried sheets of seaweed or placed over a bowl of rice. Philippine cuisine as an example of Oriental dishes also includes rice as part of the whole course of every meal. However, most Filipino dishes are prepared using the milk from coconuts and the sauce from tomatoes. Examples of these dishes are â€Å"kaldereta† (goat in tomato stew), â€Å"afritada† (beef or pork simmered in thick tomato sauce) and â€Å"ginataang manok† (chicken in coconut milk). In a way, Philippine and Thai cuisines are similar in the sense that they make use of the ingredients that are naturally found in the surroundings and that these ingredients are harvested and cooked almost the same day. There is the preference for everything fresh instead of dried spices, herbs and main ingredients. Fresh fish and meat is also preferred over frozen ones although the option to make use of the latter is available. More importantly, the techniques involved in preparing these Oriental dishes are unique in their own ways. The way Japanese sushi or sashimi is prepared is different from the way Thai tom yum is prepared. And yet while there are differences, there are also semblances which seem to connect all these Oriental food. Apart from the fact that most Oriental meals include rice as part of the course, these dishes also include spices and herbs which strengthen their flavours. Westerners who have travelled all the way to the Eastern parts of Asia often encounter the strong aroma from Oriental dishes that are distinct from those of Western dishes. It is not surprising that most Americans, for instance, would rather depend on fast food restaurants for their meals. For people living busy lives in the dense urban areas of the United States, time is a precious commodity that should not be wasted in exchange for sumptuous meals in cosy Oriental restaurants. Moreover, Westerners barely have a full idea of how to prepare Oriental meals for themselves without learned skills or the help from other skilled individuals. The knowledge of preparing Oriental food is simply beyond the inherent or immediate environment of Westerners. The fact that not all ingredients for Oriental cuisines are readily available in Western societies adds to the seemingly inaccessible or at least hardly accessible nature of Oriental dishes for Westerners. In general, there are more reasons to believe that Westerners are more inclined to settle for what they have in their immediate surroundings than to learn things outside of their reach as far as cuisines are concerned. What does Oriental food mean? For the most part, Oriental food reflects the culture of Oriental people in many ways. The ingredients used in these dishes reflect the kind of environment that the people have in which they have no other choice but to survive. Every piece of vegetable or leaf of plants in each delicacy indicates the available and usually abundant resources in the people’s native land. In effect, the unique ingredients in Oriental dishes create the identity of these dishes that are distinct and entirely different from Western dishes. Moreover, the very presence of these ingredients easily helps in identifying what is Oriental from what is Western. From a Western perspective, these Oriental dishes appear to be entirely different from the food delicacies which they are accustomed to, creating the impression that what is â€Å"alien† to their taste buds, so to speak, are either exotic or rare. By attributing these qualities of exoticness and rareness to Oriental dishes in a general manner, Westerners have showed the tendency to suffuse some of the ingredients founds in these dishes into their own meals. Moreover, Western societies have found ways to establish food chains that provide supposedly genuine Oriental dishes in their menus. In the United States, for instance, numerous restaurants serving Oriental meals have been put-up primarily for profit. Through the profit-seeking motives of business-minded individuals, Oriental dishes in Western markets have been characterized oftentimes as luxury delicacies or â€Å"alternative† dishes to the more predominant pizza, burgers and other Western meals. In contemporary times, the effect is that Oriental dishes are stereotyped as the cultural â€Å"Other† when in terms of food. The ways in preparing Oriental dishes also reflect the behaviours of individuals and groups in these Oriental regions of Asia. They indicate a â€Å"performance† done in order to create the distinct flavours and tastes of these dishes, the knowledge of which has been passed-on from one generation to another. The skills involved in preparing these dishes have been practiced and perfected through the generations of families that have continued the legacy of preparing Oriental food. For them, preparing these meals is nothing but an ordinary routine that has become a part of their daily survival. From the viewpoint of Westerners, Oriental dishes are rarely part of their daily survival or not at all. That is, they can continue with their lives even if they are not able to relish the taste of Oriental food. These meals that are foreign to Western societies are, in effect, taken for granted or are simply considered as alternative viands to their regular course of Western meals. That attitude reinforces the notion that any plate of Oriental dish is just another â€Å"Other†. It can be said that Western societies can only get as close to so-called authentic Oriental dishes by replicating them through food establishments. Whether consciously aware or not, Western societies are public outlets for contributing to the notion espoused by Fusco; they reinforce the stereotype of â€Å"the primitive† and the Western â€Å"ability to exert control over and extract knowledge from the ‘primitive’ world† (Fusco). Restaurants in Western societies that feature Oriental dishes are not simply established from almost everywhere in these societies without first studying these culinary delicacies. On the contrary, Westerners tend to â€Å"extract knowledge† from such â€Å"primitive† dishes as if Western meals are the bases for identifying a dish as whether a part of civilized world or otherwise. Like Fusco’s public experiment—one that sought to bring into realization the often disregarded observation that â€Å"a substantial portion of the public believed that our fictional identities were real ones† as though these beliefs have never been challenged and has sit firmly well in the collective consciousness of the people—so-called Oriental restaurants in Western societies reinforce the many illusions about Oriental dishes and, more generally, Oriental culture. One of these illusions is the belief that there are Oriental dishes that do not fit well with the palate of Westerners. For instance, there are Oriental delicacies which make use of several animal organs which are rarely used for preparing Western meals. There are even insects that are part of the ordinary Oriental dishes. Westerners tend to develop an aversion towards Oriental dishes with these animal organs and become branded as either exotic or primitive. The larger consequence of such an aversion, apparently, is an aversion towards the people who take pride in preparing and eating such dishes (Smith, p. 486). Nevertheless, the fact that there are restaurants in Western societies that serve Oriental dishes signify that there are attempts to bring these dishes closer to Western societies even if such attempts are only secondary to the intent to profit. Moreover, a notable characteristic of Oriental restaurants situated in Western societies is that they slightly redefine the Oriental dishes that they serve in order to attract potential customers and maintain the patronage of the buying public. They add a Western â€Å"touch†, in a manner of speaking, to these foreign dishes. In consequence, Oriental dishes are given the impression that they are merely subjects of Western consumption and can be subject to change depending on the needs of the Western clients. To a certain degree, it goes to show a form of cultural subjugation or assimilation that distorts the original nature not only of the dishes but also of the Oriental culture from a Western perspective. The dishes that are presented to the Western public are no longer faithful to the original dishes as they were in Oriental countries. Western societies become unknowingly unaware of the original nature of such dishes, thereby treating their false impressions of these Oriental dishes as the so-called â€Å"Other†. On a personal note, I can say that there is a great deal of knowledge that can be derived from studying Oriental dishes as they serve as windows into the cultural aspects of several Asian countries. An awareness of Oriental dishes in terms of their distinct ingredients and unique methods of preparation can help the Western perspective look beyond that false impression that veils the genuine. If we are able to comprehend a significant portion of the stories behind each of these Oriental dishes and the whole array of Oriental food in general, there is a chance that we can gain substantial cultural knowledge of what has been called as the â€Å"Other† (Mintz, p. 104). As the saying goes, you are what you eat—if you know what the â€Å"Other† eats, it is likely that you get to know the â€Å"Other†. Works Cited Counihan, Carole M. â€Å"Food Rules in the United States: Individualism, Control, and Hierarchy.† Anthropological Quarterly 65. 2 (1992): 55-66. Fusco, Coco. â€Å"The Other History of Intercultural Performance†. 1994. November 21 2008. . Mintz, Sidney W. , and Christine M. Du Bois. â€Å"The Anthropology of Food and Eating. † Annual Review of Anthropology 31 (2002): 99-119. Smith, Monica L. â€Å"The Archaeology of Food Preference. † American Anthropologist 108. 3 (2006): 480-93.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Role Adversity Plays in Shaping Identity

Role adversity plays in shaping an individual’s identity Discuss the idea(s) developed by the text creator in your chosen text about the role adversity plays in shaping an individual’s identity. A man is insensible to appreciate prosperity until he has tasted adversity. Adverse situations shape an individual’s identity and play a significant role in one’s life by shaping personal values, determining one’s own potential and self worth. Khaled Hosseini conveys how hardships shape individuals identities through the characters of Amir, Baba, Hassan and Ali in his novel The Kite Runner. Like every individual they go through a series of incidents and hardships that shape who they become and how well they deal with struggles in life. Life is not about finding one’s own self, but about creating and learning from experiences. As one goes from childhood to adulthood and deals with the hardships of life, they grow as a person and learn from their experiences. Amir’s journey of life displays how incidents and hardships shape ones identity. Amir as the kite fighter lets Hassan the kite runner get raped by Assef due to fear, jealousy and need for love. He sacrifices Hassan for his selfish desires and the need to prove himself worthy to Baba. â€Å"I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. † Hassan’s rape shaped Amir’s identity and his personal values. He valued Hassan but he valued Baba’s love even more. He valued his need for acceptance more than humanity and loyalty to his friend. Rape created guilt and regrets; it shaped Amir’s personal values. After betrayal the need to belong was a struggle for Amir. He looked for ways to make Baba proud of him and searched for acceptance. It’s only natural to want to be accepted and loved however one has to decide how far they are willing to go to achieve that. Amir’s actions and decisions resulted in his loss of innocence which shaped his identity and character. Adverse situations in Amir’s life made him realize his own potential and had an effect on self worth. When Amir is at last given a way to be good again he redeems himself by becoming the kite runner. Amir goes into Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, as an adult, to rescue Sohrab. By rescuing Amir relives himself of overwhelming guilt that compounded over years. Getting beaten up by the rapist and bringing Sohrab back home makes him feel worthy. He no longer feels useless however he achieves true redemption when he becomes the kite runner instead of the kite fighter for Sohrab. By saying â€Å"For you, a thousand times over,† he amends for Baba and his sins and forgives himself. Hardships made Amir who he was since the beginning and he grew as a person by the end. Amir learned from experience and determined how adversity played a role in shaping his values, determining his potential and providing him with a feeling of self worth. Every individual learns from experience and grows as a person all together. Baba as Amir’s father also faced adversity and it shaped his identity as a person. Incidents from his past created his future and played a significant role in creating his character. Baba slept with Ali’s wife behind his back and Hassan was the living proof of his betrayal and disloyalty towards his friend. Sanaubar carrying Baba’s son created an adverse situation which teaches everyone a lesson about honor and disloyalty. All his life he had to hide the truth from the world and by keeping Ali and Hassan safe in his house he was revising for his mistakes. â€Å"I don’t care about the money or the watch. † He forgives Hassan for stealing despite the fact that he considered theft as the only crime. He was always nice to Ali because he was guilty and wanted redemption. His past affected his decisions and shaped his identity. It strengthened his personal values and made him question his self worth. Baba’s experiences with women in his life made him stronger since he stood up for a strange women’s honor on their way to Pakistan. When the Russian soldier asked for half an hour with the lady in the back Baba stood up and spoke against it. Baba had the courage due to his past experiences and adverse situations he has already faced. I will take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place. † His personal values and beliefs went against Russian soldiers demands only because incidents before have had an impact on his character and they shaped his identity. Baba constantly tries to do good deeds to redeem and perhaps forgive himself. Another example of shaping identity is society pressure. Baba’s image mattered, how other people saw him and how they treated him was a part of his personal values and self worth. Wealth, status and honor were how he was portrayed in front of society. Society pressure and judgment shaped Baba’s identity and impacted his decisions. He was ashamed to tell everyone that he is Hassan’s father, a father to a Hazzara. He did not want to lose his identity of being a Pashtun or be disrespected due to his past. Just as Amir Baba was willing to deal with guilt and regret for personal desires and searched for true redemption the rest of his life. Different people have various beliefs and their own way of doing things. Hassan was one exceptional character whose loyalty overruled all betrayals in the novel. Just as any other individuals Hassan dealt with hardships in life however Hassan’s selflessness made him far different from Amir and Baba. Hassan was illiterate and wanted to learn how to read and write. He used Amir for his personal desires, the desire to read and learn. â€Å"we sat for hours under that tree, sat there until the sun faded in the west, and still Hassan insisted we had enough daylight for one more story, one more chapter. † At that time in Afghanistan written words were no use for servants especially if they were labeled a Hazzara. Hassan being Ali’s son, who was only true for the world, had to live with being illiterate and deprived from his rights to knowledge. Difficult events and hardships shaped Hassan’s identity and life. His illiteracy was a part of him and had an impact on the decisions Hassan made in life. Hassan was naive and his innocence poured out through his actions of friendship and true loyalty. The character of Ali also conveys how situations of life shape ones identity, how they create a person and determine ones potential. Ali was Baba’s servant and that was a reason for why he was never able to speak up for justice. When Hassan was framed for stealing from Amir, Ali had the choice to tell the truth, he restrained from giving up Amir only because he gave Hassan his word. Baba and Amir were always superior and Ali’s personal values told him that it was better to leave it as it was. Ali realized his self potential then and left home with his honor and dignity. Adversity was essential for developing his self worth and Ali’s role as the servant shaped his identity and plays a significant role in his values and beliefs. Similar to Ali Hassan strengthened his beliefs through hardships and truggles, Hassan was loyal at the beginning and despite of all the betrayal and deception from Amir he stood loyal and strong until the end when he sacrificed himself once again while guarding Baba’s house. When faced with adversity, there are a select few who can push it aside for the greater good. It takes a special kind of person to do what Hassan did. He followed through his principles which s haped his character and identity. People don’t appreciate happiness and everything they have until life takes a turn and teaches a valuable lesson. Amir, Hassan, Baba and Ali’s identities and characters were shaped around adverse situations and hardships of life. Difficult situations they faced created who they were; it strengthened their personal values, determined their potential and provided the feeling of self worth. Adversity teaches one’s self that a path with no obstacles, probably doesn’t lead anywhere. It is essential for growth of an individual throughout life because sometimes in tragedy one finds his life purpose- the eye sheds a tear to find its focus.