History of Europe in the 20th century. Were conservatives responsible Research Paper

History of Europe in the 20th century. Were conservatives responsible for the rise of Hitler - Research Paper Example There is no denying the fact that the life for the ordinary Germans got quite difficult and worrisome after the culmination of this treaty. Germany was pushed to borrow considerably from the United States of America, to compensate the UK and France (Gibbons, 1982, p. 72). The Great Depression in the late 20s made it almost utterly difficult for the Americans to lend more money to Germany. The fall of the imperial Germany gave way to the rise of parliamentary parties interested in running the political affairs in the defeated nation. It goes without saying that a fair number of political parties and mainstream leaders in the war ravaged Germany were affiliated to a conservative frame of mind and political thought. The nation was already suffering from the guilt of defeat and national humiliation. Above it, it was required to pay heavily in terms of compensation. The political parties and groups supporting the infant Weimar Republic were they Democrats, Socialists or Catholics, were st rongly denounced by the Conservative Nationalists. Hence, it was in the background of a nationwide social and political crisis, that the German Conservatives resorted to political machinations, which led to the rise of Hitler. Economic Situation in the Post War Germany In the period 1924-1928, the economic situation in Germany was somewhat stable. However, this stability was deceptive and stood on hollow economic foundations. The German investments and economic recovery in a post war scenario relied heavily on the loans extended by the US. With the crash of the Wall Street in 1929, the Americans were simply left unable to support the German recovery and economic growth. As the impact of the US economic depression was felt universally, so Germans were utterly not in a position to check its fallout on the German society and economy. The industrial production in Germany plummeted threateningly, the wages crashed and the workers were left jobless (Goemans, 2000, p. 173). Such circumstances left the German masses weary, anxious and scared. The Germans resorted to the crisis by opting for a reckless printing of currency, resulting in a devaluation of currency and rampant and unchecked inflation (Braun, 1990, p. 39; Eubank, 2004, p. 9)). Political Situat ion in the Post War Germany Just when the Weimar Republic was in its nascent stages, Germany witnessed the rise of radical political thoughts in the form of communists, throughout the length and breadth of the Republic (Bessel, 1993, p. 57). The communists gained hold in many German towns and villages. The political atmosphere in Berlin was strongly in favor of a USSR style of governance. Still the Weimar Republic accrued immense support in the form of democrats, Catholics and socialists (Mueller, 2000, p. 46). The Weimer Republic managed to restrain the communists with a strong hand. The post war Germany faced a twin pronged problem. Both the communists and hardcore nationalists were in the favor of a radical solution to the German problems and issues (Kolb, 2005, p. 39). It was such a political environment marred by economic

Similarities And Differences Between Islam And Christianity Religion Essay

Similarities And Differences Between Islam And Christianity Religion Essay In this paper we will examine some relevant similarities and differences between two widely known and practiced religions: Islam and Christianity. Although, these two religions have easily identifiable similarities and differences, they are both large players in the religious world today with an impressive number of followers. Also, each of these religions had been delivered with basic rules of guidance, although the rules in themselves were different. Islam had, from Mohammad, the Five Pillars, while Christians had been given the Ten Commandments, delivered by Moses. Another aspect of each of these religions that is very similar is that each is a Book religion. They each have their own book written down by disciples of their respective religion. The Islamic religion has the Koran, and the Christian religion has the Bible. Because Islam diverged from Christianitys beliefs, there are also some notable differences between the two. For example, the way in which each religion is expected to pray. Muslims pray alone and in congregation. When congregational prayer is executed, there are many rules and strict adherences to which they abide. They must pray this way a certain number of times each day and faces in a certain cardinal direction. For Christians, the prayer which is done alone is informal and at ones own discretion, as it is for the Islamic religion. However, congregational prayer for Christians is much less rigorous and strict, and can be done in a number of acceptable ways. Muslims are also expected to take a journey, called a pilgrimage, to their Holy Land whereas, this is not expected of Christians. Another notable difference is the way in which money is given to the church. In earlier days, and in some cases modern days, Muslims giving was in the form of a tax which was mandated. Christians giv e in the form of a tithe and are asked to give ten percent of their income. A very large and widely disputed part of these religions is the interpretation of the Bible. Some events that are disputed include which son Abraham sacrificed, the Virgin Birth and nature of Jesus, and the interpretation of monotheism and the Trinity. Islam and Christianity are religions based on many similar and different beliefs based on the fact that one was borne of the other. For this reason, we can pick up on a number of things that ring true in each religion and a number of things that are completely different between the two of them. Aside from the similarities and differences, each of these religions is still recognized in todays society despite the fact that they are both centuries old. Islam vs. Christianity Despite the fact that there are many similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity, both religions are significant in todays society, which is apparent in the grand number of followers each has amassed. Islam and Christianity are in themselves, complete religions with many followers. Islam was born of Christianity in that a large part of Islams basic belief structure is based on that of Christianity and some portions of the Bible. Because of this fact, there are a number of similarities and a comparative number of differences between the two religions. The beginnings of Islam are actually deeply rooted in Christianity, based on the conviction by the prophet of Islam, Mohammed that Christians had departed from belief in Gods message as revealed in their scriptures (Pike, 67). Approximately 610, the first of many revelations came to him and these visions were believed to have been delivered from God by the angel Gabriel (Pike, 17). Here we begin to see the similarities between the two religions as Gabriel is also the angel that brings news of Jesus birth (Jesus being the founder of Christianity) in Luke 1:26-32, of the Bible. The message that Mohammed received was that there was only one God, not many Gods as the then present day Arabs believed. This God was the creator of the world (Lewis, 8). For Christians the message of a single God was given during the inception of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3 of the Bible, You shall have no other God before me. The creation of the world by this singular God is documented in Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the Islamic faith it is believed that this God would judge mankind, which also rings true in Christianity in Hebrews 10:30, The Lord will judge his people. For Muslims, followers of the Islamic faith, their single God (known as Allah) was considered just because he would judge every person according to his deeds (Catherwood, 99). In both religions, the result of this judgment day was either heaven or hell. Another similarity between both Islam and Christianity was the idea of forgiveness. Islam teaches that God is always ready to pardon the individual and restore him to the sinless state in which he started life. In Christianity, this same basic concept of forgiveness is accepted (Wiles, 561). After the death of Mohammed, certain essential principles were singled out from his teachings to serve as anchoring points for the Islamic community. These have come to be called the five pillars of Islam (Pike, 99-100). Comparably for Christians, the Ten Commandments are considered daily, divine laws. Also, each of these religions is one that has a book by which believers follow. For Christians this is the Bible, which was recorded by prophets and disciples to Jesus including Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and many others. The Bible is for the most part, ordered chronologically and Jesus teaches in parables (Bowie, 66). Likewise for Muslims their book is the Koran, which was a collection of the sayings and deeds of Mohammad, who was believed to be inspired to teach these things by Allah (Lewis, 44-45). However, because the Koran was assembled from remembrances of those who had learned it by heart, the chronological order is not used. The passages or suras were arranged from longest to shor test. In the beginning, for both religions, these teachings were passed along orally, but were later captured via the written word. These books serve as an additional guide for believers and stress the one idea of one God (Pike, 62). Despite these many similarities between Islam and Christianity many differences exist as well. One of these differences is prayer. Islam recognizes two forms of prayer, one being the personal and more informal form of prayer. The other is a ritual prayer which is often congregational with specific words and postures, to be offered five times a day: sunrise, midday, midafternoon, sunset, and before bed. Before Muslims pray ablutions are performed by washing the hands, feet, and face. A person called the muezzin calls for prayer and chants from a raised platform or minaret tower at the mosque. This prayer is started with the imam, the prayer leader, standing at the front of the mosque facing Mecca, the holy city of Islam. (This is the holy city because it was the death place of Mohammad). Each prayer consists of several units, during which the individual is standing, kneeling, or prostrate. At every change in posture, God is great is recited. The chief day of communal worship is Friday and believers gather at the mosque to pray, listen to portions of the Koran, and hear a sermon based on the text. The sermon may have moral, social, or political content. Islam has no ordained clergy, but there are men trained specifically in religion, tradition, and law (Peters, 126-129). For Christians prayer is done alone as well as in a congregation like Islam, but the rigors are far less painstaking. Prayer alone is done at ones own discretion, but traditionally is done at night or in the morning. Congregational prayer is usually headed by the preacher, priest, or another prominent member of the church. The congregation is usually seated in pews, but this can be done standing as well. Christians have a clergy that have been trained in theology and matters of religion and posses a degree from a seminary. The chief days of gathering is on Sundays, and believers pray, sing, listen to sermons, and read from the Bible during their communal gathering (Morris, 218). As you can see, t his is quite different from the Islamic religion. Another large difference in the two religions is the pilgrimage. For Muslims, the pilgrimage, or hajj, is an annual Muslim rite that every believer is expected to take part in at least once in his lifetime. From the seventh to the tenth day in Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, thousands of Muslims converge on the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to visit the holy shrine of the Kaaba in the Great Mosque, which tradition says was built by Abraham. The pilgrimage was intended to reenact the hegira, the flight of Mohammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 (Catherwood, 100). Christians do not have such a pilgrimage but many do visit the birth place of Jesus, the city of Jerusalem, and consider it an honor to do so. Fasting and the giving of money are two more distinct differences between the two religions. Because the Koran was first revealed to Mohammad in the month of Ramadan, the whole month was set aside as a period of fasting. During each day, from first light to darkness , all eating, drinking, and smoking are forbidden. Upon the end of the fasting period, the second major festival of the Islamic year ensues and lasts several days. In contrast, Christians have the Lenten period, where Jesus was sent to the desert for forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by the devil. During this time, Christians usually give up something of importance, and although some fasting does happen, it is generally not as long as in the Islamic religion. The end of this forty day period is known as Ash Wednesday, which begins the holiest point on the Christian calendar (Good Friday and Easter) (Ware, 146-147). Also, the giving of money is somewhat different. For Muslims, the zakat is an obligatory tax, which is contributed to the state or community. In the modern period, the zakat has become a voluntary charitable contribution (Pike, 100). For Christians, this is known as tithe. Believers are expected to contribute ten percent of there salary to the church for Gods p urposes (Morris, 197). Also, some of the differences between Islam and Christianity are clearly discerned in the holy books of the Bible and the Koran. One such example is the sacrifice of Abraham. This event is interpreted very differently in both religions. Both books make the acknowledgement that Abraham was willing to make a tremendous sacrifice (Shamoun, 57). However, the difference between the interpretations lies in the name of Abrahams son. For example the bible says, By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son (Hebrews, 11:17). With this the Bible affirms that it was indeed Isaac who was offered up as the sacrifice. In Koran, however, Ishmael is the one who is purportedly offered up for sacrifice as Abrahams only son (Sura 11: 69-73). Another incident that is disputed between the two religions is the Virgin Birth and the Nature of Jesus. The Koran does support the virgin birth of Christ, but does not support the notion that Christ was resurrected. The Koran suggests instead that the Virgin Mary gave birth to a prophet, who was free from innate sin because he was virgin born (Dew, 1). The Bible then, supports the notion that the virgin birth existed, and the Virgin Mary gave birth to the son of God, In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (Dew, 1 John 4:9, 1). Islam states that Christ is not divine, it rejects this ideal and is seen in the Koran, The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was no more than Allahs apostle and His Word which he cast to Mary; a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His apostles and do not say: Three. Allah is but one God (Dew, Koran 4: 171, 1). Jesus in the Bible, however, is believed to be God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). This leads into the Trinity of the Christian faith. Islam is monotheistic in nature, stating, For God hath said, Take not to yourselves two Gods, for He is one God. (Dew, Sura 16:53,1). Christianity is also monotheistic, but that God is made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; otherwise known as the Trinity. Christianity says, The Spirit the Lord Him (Dew, Isaiah 11:2, 1), which refers to the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God. Islam does not support this idea and the Koran argues that Christianity supports the notion of polytheism by stating that the Godhead represents three different Gods, not one (Dew, 1). In conclusion, Islam and Christianity are two intricately woven religions that have some basic framework in common, but their beliefs diverge as well. For example, some of the similarities shared in the two are the angel Gabriel as a deliverer of important news, monotheism, God as the creator of the world, and judgment by God after death. Most of the differences seem to stem from Jesus role as a savior. For example, Muslims do not believe that Jesus was anything more than a prophet and therefore, the Trinity can not exist. Also, there are some deviations in similar stories that are related by each religion, like that of Abraham and his sacrificial son. Despite these difference and similarities, we can agree that Christianity and Islam are both significant players in the world of religion and todays society.

Technology Changes Role Of Database Administrator :: essays research papers fc

Technology Changes Role of Database Administrator The database administrator (DBA) is responsible for managing and coordinating all database activities. The DBA's job description includes database design, user coordination, backup, recovery, overall performance, and database security. The database administrator plays a crucial role in managing data for the employer. In the past the DBA job has required sharp technical skills along with management ability. (Shelly, Cashman, Waggoner 1992). However, the arrival on the scene of the relational database along with the rapidly changing technology has modified the database administrator's role. This has required organizations to vary the way of handling database management. (Mullins 1995) Traditional database design and data access were complicated. The database administrator's job was to oversee any and all database-oriented tasks. This included database design and implementation, installation, upgrade, SQL analysis and advice for application developers.. The DBA was also responsible for back-up and recovery, which required many complex utility programs that run in a specified order. This was a time-consuming energy draining task. (Fosdick 1995) Databases are currently in the process of integration. Standardizing data, once done predominately by large corporations, is now filtering down to medium- size and small companies. The meshing of the old and new database causes administrators to maintain two or three database products on a single network. (Wong 1995) Relational database management systems incorporate complex features and components to help with logic procedures. This requires organizations to expand the traditional approach to database management and administration. The modern database management systems not only share data, they implement the sharing of common data elements and code elements. (Mullins 1995) Currently, the more sought after relational database products are incorporating more and more complex features and components to simplify procedural logic. Due to the complexity of todays relational database, corporations are changing the established way of dealing with database management personnel. Traditionally, as new features were added to the database, more and more responsibility fell on the DBA. With the emergence of the relational database management system (RDBMS), we are now beginning to see a change in the database administrator's role.(Mullins 1995) The design of data access routines in relational database demands extra participation from programmers. The database administrator simply checks the system's optimization choice, because technology is responsible for building access paths to the data. Program design and standard query language (SQL) tools have become essential requirements for the database administrator to do this job. However, this technology requires additional supervision and many DBAs are not competent in SQL analysis and performance monitoring. The database administrator had to learn to master the skills of application logic and programming techniques. (Mullins 1995) The database administrator's job description and responsibilities have changed

Justice Process

During the past 30 years the prison population has changed. 1. There has been a major Increase in the number of African American and Hispanic American Inmates. 2. More Inmates come from urban areas. 3. More inmates have been convicted of drug-related and violent offenses. 4. Former street gangs regroup inside prisons and have raised levels of violence in many institutions. 5. The rise of public employee unions have improved working conditions, safety procedures, and training. E. Current focus of corrections has shifted to crime control, which emphasizes the Importance of Incarceration.II. The Goals of Incarceration A. Three models of incarceration have been prominent since the early 1 sass: 1. The custodial model – based on the assumption that prisoners have been incarcerated for the protection of society and emphasizes security, discipline, and order subordinating the prisoner to the authority of the warden.. This model was prevalent in corrections before World War II and dom inates most maximum-security Institutions today. 2. The rehabilitation model – developed In the asses, It emphasizes treatment programs to reform the offender. 3.The reintegration model – inked to the structures and goals of community corrections, it emphasizes maintaining offender ties to family and community. B. Correctional institutions that conform to each of these models can be found, but most prisons are mainly custodial. Ill. Organization for Incarceration A. Statistics 1. Prisons are operated by all 50 states and the federal government. 2. There are 1,208 confinement facilities; 85 % are run by the states. 3. 84 % of the facilities are for men only. 4. 8% are for women only. B. Federal Bureau of Prisons 1.Jurisdiction of federal criminal law is restricted to crimes involving interstate amerce, certain serious felonies such as bank robbery, violation of other federal laws and crimes committed on federal property. 2. Since the â€Å"war on drugs† in the as ses, drug offenders in federal prisons make up about 56% of the inmate population. 3. Federal prisoners are often a more sophisticated breed of criminal, from a higher socioeconomic class, than the typical state prisoner. 4. Federal sentencing guidelines have increased the probability of imprisonment substantially. 5.The bureau of prison is highly centralized with a staff of over 33,000 who supervise more than 150,000 prisoners. . The bureau operates 104 confinement facilities (see figure 10. 1). C. State Prison Systems -94% of offenders are held in confinement facilities operated by the state; administration of prisons is a function of the executive branch. 1 . The total capacity of a state's prisons reflects the size of the state's population. 2. States vary considerably in the number, size, type, and location of correctional facilities. 3. Over 435,000 people work in state institutions. V. The Design and Classification of Prisons A. Form follows function: the design of a structur e should serve its purpose. 1. During the penitentiary era, institutions were to promote penance. 2. When prison industry became the focus, a different design enhanced the efficiency of workshops. 3. When punishment held sway, emphasis was on the fortress-like edifice that ensures security. 4. During the rehabilitation era, new prisons were built in styles thought to promote treatment goals. B. Today's design – There are four basic models found in America's prisons. 1.Radial Design: Eastern, Auburn, Leavenworth, Roadway, and Trenton. 2. Telephone-pole Design: most commonly used for maximum security prisons: Exaggerator, Marion, Somers, Jackson. 3. Courtyard Style: mom of the newer facilities are the courtyard style. 4. Campus Style: long used for juvenile or women's facilities 5. Today prison construction is greatly influenced by cost. C. Location of Prisons: As in the past, most are located in rural areas. 1. Even though most prison inmates come from cities and reintegration has been the prime correctional goal, new institutions are still being built in the countryside. . Rural whites are hired to guard urban blacks. 3. Many citizens believe that serious offenders should be incarceration, but not in their community (NIMBI syndrome). 4. Some economically depressed areas have elected prisons to bring in Jobs and revivalist the local economy D. Classification of Prisons: 1. Maximum Security Prison – closed custody prisons hold 35% of inmates); usually an awesome edifice with high stone walls studded with guard towers; designed to prevent escapes and to deter prisoners from harming each other. 2.Medium Security Prison: hold 47% of inmates; externally they resemble the maximum security prison, but organized on a different basis and atmosphere is less rigid and tense. 3. Minimum Security Prison: holds 18% of prisoners, the least violent offenders; lacks tower guards and walls. E. Private prisons entrant with private companies to furnish food and medic al services, educational and vocational training and other services. 3. Now, governments hire corporations to house prisoner in privately owned facilities. 4. By midyear 2003, a total of 94,361 inmates were being held in private facilities. . The private prison business is dominated by the Corrections Corporation of America and Hackett Corrections Corporation. 6. Problems with private facilities a. Differences in programming b. Costs c. Accountability d. Legal issues 7. Corrections is a multimillion dollar government-funded enterprise that purchases applies, materials, and services from the private sector. 8. Private entrepreneurs argue that they can build and run prisons at least as effectively, safely, and humanely as any level of government can, at a profit and a lower cost to taxpayers. 9.Private prison corporations need to fill their cells in order to be profitable. 10. Liability of Guards?the U. S. Supreme Court said that private prison guards did not have legal protection und er Section 1983 and are fully liable for their actions when they violate a protected right. 1 1 . There are fears that the private corporations will press to maintain high occupancy and will be interested in skimming off the best inmates, leaving the troublesome ones to the public correctional system. V. Who is in Prison A. Data on the characteristics of prisoners is limited (figure 10. ). 1. A majority of prisoners are men aged of 25-44 2. Members of minority groups 3. Approximately 40 percent have not completed high school. 4. 44 percent of prisoners are rearrested with the first year of release. 5. Within 3 years, approximately 25 percent of all released inmates will return to prison. B. Elderly prisoners – An increasing number of prison inmates are older than 55 and eve housing, medical, program, and release service needs that differ from the In the general population, special housing accommodations average inmate. 1. Should be made. 2.The elderly are more likely to devel op chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. 3. Prison work assignments must be tailored to fit their physical and mental abilities. 4. Preparation for release to community supervision or to hospice services require time and special efforts. 5. As people get older they become less dangerous. C. Prisoners with HIVE/AIDS: In the coming years, AIDS in expected to be the leading cause of death among males aged 35 and younger; with 57% of the inmates population under 35, correctional officials must cope with the problem of HIVE. . In 2001, there were more than 24,000 HIVE-positive inmates (3. 2 percent of the prison population). 2. The high rate of infection among inmates can be explained by the prisoners' â€Å"high risk† behaviors. 3. Only 18 states test all new inmates for HIVE. D. Mentally Ill Prisoners: Mass closings of public hospitals for the mentally ill began in the asses; new antispasmodic drugs made treating patients in the community seem retirement o nly works if the drugs are taken and clinics and halfway houses exist to assist the mentally ill. . Homelessness is the most public sign of the lack of programs for the mentally ill. 3. With the expansion of prisons and greater emphasis on public order offenses, arrest and incarceration have become the price many pay for their illness. E. Long Term Inmates – more prisoners serve long sentences in the US than in any other Western nation. 1. Harsh sentencing policies of the last 30 years?three-strikes, mandatory minimums, truth-in-sentencing?the amount of time revered is increasing. 2.An estimated 11-15% of all prisoners (well over 100,000) will serve more than 7 years in prison. 3. Long-term prisoners generally are not seen as control problems. 4. Administrators must find ways of making long-term prison life livable. 5. 310,000 prisoners are currently serving at least 20 year sentences. 6. Each life sentence costs taxpayers an estimated $1 million. 7. Severe depression, feelin gs of hopelessness, and other health problems are common among long teeters. 8. Long term inmates are charged with less disciplinary infractions that short term inmates.

The Emulation of Art ; Life

In all walks of everyday life, lessons and experiences are collected in hopes to use them in future scenarios. Many writers throughout history have said they have used these occurrences in their work. At various point in life situations arise in which decisions must be made and once the choice is being carried out, there comes a point when one cannot go back and change course. This inability to revert one’s path is called the â€Å"Point of No Return. † In other instances the use of geography may not only be viewed literally but also serve as a metaphor.There are also periods when isolation has an effect on the behavior of an individual. Point of no return, use of geographic surroundings and isolation are concepts used in all of the following works: Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (Now), William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† (A Rose), and Tim O’Brien’s â€Å"The Things They Carried† (Things). In these three pieces one shall see not only the ideas of â€Å"Point of No Return† (PNR), geographic surroundings, and isolation, but the notion of art imitating life. Foremost, PNR comes in a variety of ways for each of the many characters we encounter in these adventures.In Now, we see Willard’s PNR towards the end of the film after he has arrived at Kurtz’s compound. As he sits in the darkness, Chef’s decapitated head is thrust into his lap. Without Chef to aid him, Willard realizes he is truly on his own. In order to escape Kurtz’s world intact, he must complete his mission alone. In the case of Emily’s manservant in â€Å"A Rose,† the PNR is depicted after the death of Emily. â€Å"The negro met the first of the ladies at the front door and let them in, with their hushed, sibilant voices and their quick, curious glances, and then he disappeared.He walked right through the house and out the back and was not seen again. † (Faulkner, pg. 7) The mans ervant is aware of the truth of Emily’s dark life which shall soon be exposed to all and does not want to be in the vicinity when it happens. For Lt. Cross in â€Å"Things†, the PNR occurs following Ted Lavender being shot and killed. â€Å"It wouldn’t help Lavender, he knew that, but from this point on he would comport himself as a soldier. † (O’Brien, 13) After this tragic event, a transformation in the Lt. ’s attitude towards the remaining men occurs. On the morning after Ted Lavender died, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha’s letters. † (O’Brien, 12) His feelings of love for Martha have also been replaced by an emotion resembling anger. Given these examples, PNR is present in each one of these accounts. The use of geography can be interpreted in numerous ways. As the men in Now make their way into the depths of the jungle, the Nyung River gradually becomes narrow. Slow ly the soldiers are picked off one by one. The group begins to diminish, as does the width of the waterway.Another use of geographic surroundings is found in Faulkner’s work. His description of Emily’s home and its location demonstrate the similarity in her temperament. â€Å"But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood; only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps- -an eyesore among eyesores. † (Faulkner, pg. 1) Although modern technology is progressing all around her traditional neighborhood, and the South for that matter, she stubbornly refuses to adapt.The geography is split into both literal and metaphoric ways in â€Å"Things. † â€Å"They carried the land itself. Vietnam, the place, the sod- a powdery orange-red dust that covered their boots and fatigues and faces. They carried the sky. The whole atmosphere, they carried it, the humidity, the monsoons, the stink of fungus and decay, all of it, they carried gravity. † (O’Brien, pg. 7) Not only did the soldiers carry the soil of Vietnam on their boots but they carried the experiences of Vietnam in their minds. All of the tangible and idealistic aspects of being in a war-torn country are what these souls carried.Geography used by these storytellers create a world which not only can be seen but be felt deep within. Lastly, the third concept found in each of these works is isolation. A wise man once said, â€Å"The true character of a person is revealed once they think no one is watching. † (A. Mancha) This becomes evident in NOW when the three remaining men have reached Kurtz’s dwelling. In front of the natives, Kurtz is God-like in his demeanor. However, inside the temple and away from his worshipers, Willard sees what lies beneath Kurtz, a man. A man who poetically writes the horrors of what he has seen, done a nd become.Willard becomes conscious of Kurtz’s desire and anticipation of his own death. â€Å"Everybody wanted me to do it, him most of all. I felt like he was up there, waiting for me to take the pain away. He just wanted to go out like a soldier, standing up, not like some poor, wasted, rag-assed renegade. Even the jungle wanted him dead, and that's who he really took his orders from anyway. † Kurtz is aware of Willard’s mission and welcomes it. In â€Å"A Rose,† the segregation of Emily from society, enforced by her father â€Å"clutching a horsewhip† (Faulkner, pg3), played a major role in Emily’s lack of emotional and mental development. On a tarnished gilt easel before the fireplace stood a crayon portrait of Miss Emily’s father. †(Faulkner, pg. 2) Although Emily is of adult age she still remains much like a child as she uses crayons to create her father’s portrait. The isolation seen in â€Å"Things† comes in form of the deployment of the soldiers.These men are stripped from everything they know, from the families they love to the climates they are familiar with. â€Å"The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. † (O’Brien, pg. ) The men have replaced these elements with items each soldier deems essential for survival. This is not limited to weapons and food but also pictures, books and other mementos from home. As one can see, Coppola, Faulkner, and O’Brien’s works reflect abstract and concrete notions of art imitating life. By using PNR, geography and isolation, these men were able to illustrate their points on a deep and abysmal level. The impact these works have had on society are invaluable and because of their timeless nature will continue to influence artists throughout the years.

Honeywell Case Summary Essays

Honeywell Case Summary Essays Honeywell Case Summary Essay Honeywell Case Summary Essay Honeywell, Inc. and Integrated Risk ManagementThe finance committe of Honeywell, Inc. must decide whether to approve a new type of risk management contract or not. This new risk management program is to provide combined protection against Honeywell’s currency translation risk along with all traditionally-insured global risks, in a multiyear, insurance-based, integrated risk management program. The committees vote would depend upon whether the anticipated cost savings of the program could be realized, and whether the coverage it offered was adequate. According to the Exhibits, Honeywell had suffered some risks and volatility. New risk management seemed to be on demand for stabilization. The case study suggests the comparison of the traditional and newly suggested risk management method and the changing points. Also it explains how those things may be valuable.Honeywell’s new risk management basically suggested ‘integration’. Specifically, new risk management suggested 2.5-year insurance-based contract that covered all traditionally insured global risks and currency translation risk (in other words, treasury-based integrated program with trigger option). While traditional risk management tools are a mixture of separate insurances and options, the proposed contract is an insurance with an annual aggregate retention of $30 million with the option. The old policy is repeated annually while the proposed contract is in a 2.5-year period. Additionally, the premium is cheaper than the traditional risk management as through ‘portfolio effect’.According to the simulating results exhibit 9, we can find that the standard deviation of total cost of risk for the proposed program is $3,819,568 while the one for the existing program is 15,793,879. The proposed program can reduce the total risk of the firm if the simulating results are real. To add, the simulated results also show that the estimates annual premium savings is about 20%.Thus , it is real challenge

Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about

Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about Introduction Reputable journalists around the world desire to disseminate news in an unprejudiced manner. They focus on furnishing the public with information about local or international occurrences through minimal personal interference.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While the virtue, of reaching this goal is reasonable, the feasibility of attaining it is another matter altogether. Challenges of striving for objectivity It is possible for people to experience the same reality, but their understanding of the same depends on their perception (Brooks 2006). A microwave may seem like an indispensable device to a restaurant owner, but the same item may be perceived as a box or an awkward piece of furniture by a bushman in the Kalahari Desert. Alternatively, a personâ€⠄¢s definition of intelligence may depend on that person’s cultural inclinations. Education, norms, and biases filter what people perceive in their worlds. It is these filters that cause people to have different religious standpoints, gender identities, personalities or economic opinions. For instance, a group of people may witness a mob lynching in a part of town. A lawyer may talk about the possibility of a lawsuit by the concerned assailant; a politician may consider strengthening the city’s security laws; a clergyman may talk about God’s role in sparing the victim from death. All these perceptions stem from old information that the viewers used to understand the new information. Since people subjectively construct the world, then even journalists perceive events against this backdrop. Methods or platforms used to convey information are quite unsteady in the field. Journalists need to use words in order to convey information, yet words can mean different thin gs to different people.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the statement â€Å"Mergina is an exotic location bursting with native energy† could mean different things to different people. Does the word exotic refer to something bizarre or is or just another way of demonstrating that the location is exciting and different? If it is different, then the author should specify his reference point. Native energy may be translated negatively by the people of Mergina who may assume that the term connotes primitivism. Therefore, journalists may intend on conveying factual information, but their choice of words and interpretations could betray them. Even the sheer notion of doing conflict war zone reporting brings the matter of objectivity into question. An employer cannot force a journalist to enter a war zone unless the correspondent consciously chooses to do so. This means that he or she must feel strongly enough about a certain story to put himself or herself in danger. At that point, the journalist will compromise on objectivity because he or she is passionate about the matter. Reportage requires detachment, but this is close to impossible to achieve when journalists already feel so strongly about something. When engaging in journalistic work, stakeholders must make numerous decisions on news reporting. They must decide on occurrences that qualify as news. Not every event (religious meeting, violent interaction, political episode, and economic matter) that happens will make the news because editors often determine which ones journalists will report.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Objectivity is impossible in journalism, especially in the face of atrocity and on a subject one is passionate about specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although most editors have a lot o f experience in the industry, this only proves that journalism pegs on experience as a filter of the newsmaker’s world. Reporters and journalists may dedicate a lot of time and effort towards to the collection of valuable information on conflict. However, their efforts may be thwarted by media houses if they are not politically correct. For instance in the UK, some natives attacked and beat up Iranian girls for wearing Hijabs. No local media outlets reported the incident, yet the matter received extensive coverage in Iranian media houses. It was the decisions of higher powers in those stations that determined what they transmitted. Numerous media houses tend to reflect the ideological preferences of their editors. Although many of them try to show the other side of the story, the vast majority will endorse their superior’s ideologies. Journalists do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of their society and will often implement the perspectives embraced by established p owers, political or government leaders (Jones 2009). Aside from the decision process, even the process of reporting the news is quite difficult to perform for those individuals who have the responsibility to do so. Besides the choice of words that journalists select, the images they convey can also alter perceptions. On television, cameras may zoom in on ten demonstrators and make them look like a large crowd. Alternatively, cameras may take aerial shots of a large crowd and make it appear as though it was a minor dispute. Even the order in which news reports occur can determine viewers’ or readers’ interpretations. The amount of time dedicated to a story will determine how people will think of it. The reader’s tone of voice or facial expression may also change the way the public perceives the matter.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Journalists are quite human; they can get fully engaged in the conflicts or issues that they are covering if the issues affect them. When a reporter visits a missionary – operated orphanage, where children can only get food when they become Christians, then the journalist will most likely deplore that behaviour. Alternatively, if terrorists kidnap a correspondent in a conflict zone, then this can dramatically alter the individual’s opinion of the terrorists. Even the general experience of war causes many reporters to become empathetic about torture victims. They may be prompted to condemn the atrocities that they witness, and this may undermine their ability to objective. A correspondent who faithfully records violent behaviour without criticizing it will be an upstanding journalist but not a decent person. Dispassionate reports often yield dispassionate reactions from the public. Readers, listeners and viewers often respond to passionate and genuine stories. If journa lists stick to news items, without showing their human side, then they may elicit negative responses from the public. Emotions are what make people human, so audiences do not expect journalists to eliminate this aspect from their work. Furthermore, sometimes certain atrocities are so blatant that it comes naturally to take a stance against them. If a journalist tries to use words such as alleged when the violent acts are so obvious, then the individual may fall into the trap of false objectivity. Sometimes a middle-ground approach may not be tenable. Virtues of objectivity Numerous external parties may interfere in journalistic activities. Perhaps the most notorious ones are politicians. If journalists did not care about objectivity, then they would be reduced to political puppets. In the government, loyalty to one’s group is more valuable than allegiance to the truth. A member of parliament would need to consult and support members of his party in order to get any piece of l egislation passed. However, undesirable results would occur if journalists did the same thing. Some governments have reduced media houses into propaganda platforms. If journalists in those countries committed to objectivity, then they would perpetuate the truth, even when this meant betraying their governments. A case in point was the Nanking Massacre of China. This was an atrocity that occurred at the city of Nanking in 1938. The conflict involved the killing, rape, arson and torture of Chinese people by Japanese soldiers. About 300,000 casualties arose from the war with most of the victims being civilians or unarmed Chinese soldiers. The Japanese combatants raped women and forced them to commit acts of incest. They looted their property and left them with nothing. When stakeholders revisited the matter in the 2000s, some Japanese politicians, such as Mayor Kawamura of Nagoya, Governor Ishihara of Tokyo and Japanese LDP party members, claimed that the Massacre never occurred. Other s who acknowledge its existence have tried to play down the magnitude of the atrocities. Journalists who report these events have also fallen victim to the above sentiments owing to the need to obey authority. If they stayed committed to objectivity, then they would have focused on both sides of the conflict. They would have discussed the varied interpretations of the matter and the need for apology from the Japanese government. As such, their biased journalists have fanned Chinese-Japan mistrust and general relations (Gallichio 2007). Members of the media industry also have the unique challenge of handling stereotypes. Human beings tend to focus on facts that confirm stereotypes and ignore the ones that contradict them. Objectivity in journalism is essential in order to reduce this preference for stereotypes. Therefore, the possibility of staying objective can be considered in this industry. Journalists reporting about violence, conflict, or atrocities have several reasons to striv e for objectivity; therefore, this illustrates that there is a possibility for existence of objectivity. First, atrocities rarely occur in isolation; this means that every conflict has a context that led to the culmination of violent behaviour. A warring society may have undergone decades of polarisation and unresolved issues; it may possess structural issues that perpetuated the violence. Issues such as government neglect, military oppression, and poverty should receive just as much attention as the personal atrocities committed by individuals. Journalists who strive for objectivity would not just focus on irrational aspects of atrocities; they would also explain the factors behind the violent behaviour. It is necessary to suspend judgements when making these calls, no matter how divergent the issue is from one’s worldview. A journalist who endeavours to become objective will not just concern himself with issues that support his perspective; he will try as much as possible t o look at all the facts. De-contextualisation of violence necessitates working towards objectivity. Conflicts or wars are usually quite complex. It is easy for journalists to fall into the trap of dualism. Here, they may reduce the stakeholders in the conflict to just two individuals, yet other external parties such as multinationals may also play a role. For instance, international journalists reported the 1994 Rwandan atrocities as a conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis. While the latter groups were the majority stakeholders, the UN, US, Belgian and French forces also contributed to the conflict. Furthermore, journalists downplayed their role in ending the conflict. If reporters at the time strove for objectivity, then they would not have ignored the role of these external players in the genocide. Alternatively, when reporting about conflicts it is easy to present the most outstanding or dramatic aspects. Reporters may make violence seem like the only option, yet this is not alwa ys true. Journalists ought to strive for objectivity by refraining for Manichaeism; a term that refers to the process of demonising one group and regarding the other one as chaste. No conflict is ever black and white; that is why journalists need to note all the negotiations that may occur in a conflict. Furthermore, ceasefires may not always signify peace. If escalation occurs in a war, then journalists must explain the causes of the occurrence. Alternatively, if journalists ignore the views of the bereaved in news reports, then the public may not understand why an escalation or act of revenge occurred. When reconciliation takes place, journalists have the power to perpetuate healing by showing images of resolution. In order for all these positive outcomes to occur, then journalists working in such environments need to strive for objectivity. Reporters who strive for this objective should exercise self control. They need to suppress their own emotions in order to get to the truth. This means that they ought to embrace the possibility of being a little dull. Outright attacks against certain prominent figures may attract readers’ attention, but they do not necessarily indicate that the matter is true. Most attacks tend to exaggerate the vices of an individual while ignoring the person’s strengths. Journalists should process all the information they have collected and put it in one coherent pattern (Holber Zubric 2000). The act of connecting all the parts takes strong judgment, which may not always be prevalent amongst all reporters. They need to report issues as they are without demonising one group or ignoring certain aspects of the conflict. Such issues provide proof for the possibility of objectivity in journalism. Sometimes attachment in journalism can lead to severe consequences, which points to the possibility and usefulness of objectivity. This is especially so when the concerned reporter is passionate about a certain topic. British corres pondent Marie Colvin died in Syria when one of the warring parties fired a missile at her and her group. Colvin belonged to a group of journalists who ascribed to a school of thought known as journalism of attachment. In this group, members believe that correspondents have a moral duty to the public by taking sides (O’Neill 2012). They affirm that one must identify the evil and pure sides in a conflict and then show a preference for the positive side. Here, journalists cease being reporters only; they transform themselves into moral crusaders. Many newspapers have praised the courage of these individuals; however, they do not realise the danger of such an approach to those crusaders. When journalists abandon objectivity, as Colvin did, then they become players in the war. In one instance, Colvin rescued 1500 people in East Timor when Indonesian forces arrested the victims. The latter event occurred in 1999, and peers commended Colvin for her heroic efforts. The individual als o urged western governments to intervene in the Kosovo conflict during the 1990s because she identified the Serbs as evil and the area’s Liberation army as virtuous, yet these factors changed dramatically. In other similar scenarios, journalists have used their positions as activists to force western governments to intervene in foreign conflicts through military action. A case in point was the intervention of the UK, US and the French in the Libyan conflict of 2011 through bombing campaigns. Activist journalists have the ability to change the direction of a war by garnering support from their governments against sides they perceive as evil. One can thus deduce that such journalists are no longer neutral and objective. They choose to replace their quest for the truth with their moral objectives. Many of them even criticise unbiased journalists as bystanders who have no place in modern journalism. The challenge with taking such a stance is that it causes reporters to become too engrossed with emotion. A large number of these activists will reduce news findings to morality tales and disregard the complexities involved in the conflict. In other words, they will perceive things as black and white. Therefore, one can see the importance of objectivity in such circumstances. Objectivity, or at least its quest, is possible in the face of atrocities in order to present the true picture of a conflict. When journalists get carried away by their emotions, they will detach themselves from reality and loose balance in their work. A case in point was the issue of global warming. Initially, most reporters focused on the impending danger that the world would be subjected to if it did not change its consumption patterns. However, with time, the media realised that there was another side to the issue and started to report it too. Objectivity is desirable and possible especially when covering controversial topics. Journalists who abandon objectivity may also fall into the t rap of becoming targets in the conflict. When reporters take sides, usually against the local regimes in which they are reporting, they often cause those local leaders to turn against them too. Some of them may bomb their media houses or target them for military purposes. Correspondents who urge western governments to participate in a war may ignite anti-western sentiments in conflicts. Therefore, everything that represents western influence, including western reporters will become enemies of the local regime. Not only is the quest for objectivity the best way to ensure that the public gets to see a conflict’s real picture, but it also protects journalists from fatal consequences of emotionalism. Conclusion Objectivity is dependent on human interaction, which renders journalistic work subjective. It is, therefore, true that objectivity in journalism is impossible. Reporters cannot leave their moral inclinations behind and then dwell on their jobs dispassionately; this is simp ly contrary to human nature. Nonetheless, the virtues of objectivity cannot be ignored. Journalists who comprehend the influence of subjective views would double check their work for glaring biases and prejudices. Such enlightened individuals would also be aware of other people’s worldviews and will encompass them in their reports. Objectivity should be a goal to be sought even though journalists can never attain it fully. Focus ought to be on the process and not the journalist. Journalists have their own opinions, but the process that they use to present information should encapsulate notions of objectivity. Journalists should also refrain from excesses of emotion; otherwise they may lose sight of reality or may also become targets in conflict zones. References Brooks, D 2006, Objectivity in journalism, Imprimis, Michigan. Holber, L Zubric, S 2000, ‘A comparative analysis: objective and public journalism techniques’, Newspaper Research Journal, vol. 21 no. 4, p p 50-67. Gallichio, M 2007, The unpredictability of the past, Preiger Publishers, London. Jones, A 2009, Losing the News: The future of the news that feeds democracy, Oxford University Press, Oxford. O’Neill, B 2012, ‘Dangers of the journalism of attachment’, Spiked, 4 February, p. 14.

Tirer - to Pull - French Verb Conjugations

Tirer - to Pull - French Verb Conjugations The  French verb  tirer means to pull.  It is also sometimes used to mean  to take. The tables below contain the various conjugations of this regular -er verb.   Conjugations of Tirer Present Future Imperfect Present participle je tire tirerai tirais tirant tu tires tireras tirais il tire tirera tirait nous tirons tirerons tirions vous tirez tirerez tiriez ils tirent tireront tiraient Pass compos Auxiliary verb avoir Past participle tir Subjunctive Conditional Pass simple Imperfect subjunctive je tire tirerais tirai tirasse tu tires tirerais tiras tirasses il tire tirerait tira tirt nous tirions tirerions tirmes tirassions vous tiriez tireriez tirtes tirassiez ils tirent tireraient tirrent tirassent Imperative tu tire nous tirons vous tirez Verb conjugation patternTirer  is a  regular -ER verb

Speech, Language and Communication are different aspects of the same Essay - 3

Speech, Language and Communication are different aspects of the same process. Compare and contrast these aspects - Essay Example Therefore, language and speech are both different aspects of a communication process. It is regarded as a process with various characteristics including its continuous, dynamic and has elements that occur simultaneously (Miller, 2011). It is also regarded as a process because of its symbolic nature, that is, it relies heavily on symbols with arbitrary meanings. Communication as a process also occurs in a contextual manner. That being another feature of communication, the context includes language, cultures, social structure and the individual relation between the receiver and the source (Miller, 2011). A speech is also regarded as what one gives in front of a group of either people, which can be interpersonal or public speaking, which, in turn, means language is what we use to deliver the speech (Miller, 2011). Communication, therefore, is the way the speech is delivered. Language is different from speech because it consists of socially shared rules, which include how to put words together to make a meaning, what or the exact meaning of each of the words used, how to make or constitute new words from those existing, and what best word combinations are thoroughly placed, in a situation, to give meaning (Kuhl, 2010). On the other hand, speech is a verbal means of communication, which constitutes articulation that exactly ease how the speech sounds are constituted. It also consists of voice whereby vocal folds and breathing are initiated to produce sound. Fluency is another vital constituent of speech, which is described as the rhythm of speech (Kuhl, 2010). Therefore, language can be grouped, in terms of problems, whereby, receptive language is when a person has trouble with understanding others. Sharing thoughts, ideas and feelings perfectly with others with poor conveyance is categorized under expressive language disorders (Crosbie et al. 2005). Lang uage

Benefits Package at the Apple Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Benefits Package at the Apple Inc - Essay Example Apple is known as one of the best companies to work for because of its great employee benefits packages. I think that the website could have shown a little more about it. The Apple website lists many policies and work/life programs, such as health and life insurance, employee stock purchase plan, tuition assistance, paid vacations and holidays, and product discounts. I think having this wide range of employee benefits is good because there is a diverse workforce and so there is something appealing for everyone. Just the other day the company announced that its corporate matching program will be implemented in every country. Some of this program includes match employees for the time they spend on philanthropic endeavors and full stock benefits if an employee dies so that the family members can be supported. This shows that Apple does care about its employees and will do anything to make working for the company very attractive. This is a company that I would want to work for because it would help me with career advancement also. The experience that I could gain from working in such an environment will help me to grow both personally and professionally. I like that there are many employee benefits packages and so I can choose the one that suits my life best at that moment. If I stayed with the company for a few years, then I might want to change my employee benefits package to reflect the stage of life that I am in. I also like the parental leave policy, which is offered for both men and women. It is great to see that if I had a newborn child I would be able to take some time off work to spend with my young family. It is reassuring to know that I could go back to work a few weeks later and my job would not be in jeopardy at all.  

Collective Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Collective Security - Essay Example To preserve peace after World War I the League of Nations was created in 1920 and the principle of collective security was adopted. . It entails that all members have to accept and obey the rules of international law which forbid any process of employing violent behavior within the group (Stromberg, 2008, p. 1). Three important agreements have been made in this context, those are, The RIO in 1947, NATO in 1949 and WARSAW in 1955, pledging each member to avoid belligerence against each other. (Ishay, 2004, p. 225) The concept of collective security seems to be of major importance in the study of international relations and worldwide politics but the application of the concept in practice has achieved little success. It now suffers a mottled status in the context of international relations. Its significant collapse as exposed by the League of Nations is the focal representation left to the world since 1930. The eternal squabbling and ineffective pretentiousness of the United Nations throughout the Cold War period additionally disgraced the idea of collective security. (Kaloudis, 1998, P.1) As stated by James E. Goodby, in terms of international relations and politics, what seem to work in the past were collective defense alliances like NATO assurance to protect each associate state from exterior hostility.

Research Methods in Business Studies Assignment - 1

Research Methods in Business Studies - Assignment Example This means that all themes that come with the results of the study are outlined and discussed in this chapter. Some of the themes that the chapter will look includes data collection, which explains how the research design was operationalized, data gathering, which explains the actual process of collecting data, data analysis, which presents and analyses data, sampling selection, which throws light on how the sample used in the study was constructed, and survey participants demographic classification, which gives the unique demographic characteristics of the participants used in the study. The results chapter of the study is expected to give an overall view of what the real situation on the ground is, as far as the issue of EMR adoption in China is concerned. This is because it is through the results chapter that what participants who are directly affected or part of the situation give out information on what they perceive about the research problem (Ghauri and Gronhaung, 2002). Gill and Johnson (2007) noted that the data collection process defines the overall plan used in for the collection of data (Hussey and Hussey, 2007). By implication, the data collection component of this chapter helps to understand how the researcher put the research design into action. As part of the plan to collect data, the researcher had to select a research approach, which would help to identify the best way to approach the whole task of collecting data. Meanwhile, Remenyi, Williams, Money, and Swartz (2008) and Hakim (2010) presented two major types of research approaches which are the deductive and inductive research approach. In the deductive research approach, the researcher sets a hypothesis, based on which data is collected to either justify or disprove the hypothesis (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003).  

Leaders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leaders - Essay Example His step towards achieving this was to make learning to be student-oriented to the best extend possible. After briefing the students on the various topics, he consulted them when and on how best they wanted to learn about a certain topic within the course. His major focus was the less motivated students who were generally performing low. Most of them suggested that for every difficult topic, they wanted the professor to take them through it on a lecture, followed by other experimental and participatory activities like practical exercises, watching of video clips or visit to places. This would be followed by individual and group discussion questions to test their understanding on the topic. The lecture lessons were also moved to morning when most of the students had more capacity to take in lecture information. The results were splendid! Initially, he would yell at the students to achieve great compliance but now, he does not even point a finger. All the students long for his lessons and there is great improvement in the performance of many students as indicated by the regular individual and group work assignments and tests he offers them. Basing on the explanation of Montana and Bruce (2008) the leadership style employed by the professor in this case was democratic type of

Assessment and Practice of Mental Health care needs Essay

Assessment and Practice of Mental Health care needs - Essay Example OBJECTIVES: To explore the associative structure between a screening test for dementia, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and a neuropsychological battery for the detection of dementia, the Mental Deterioration Battery (MDB). DESIGN: A retrospective analysis. SETTING: Psychology unit of a general hospital in Rome, Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred consecutive outpatients and inpatients referred to our hospital on the basis of suspected cognitive impairment and evaluated between January 1999 and March 2000. MEASUREMENTS: MMSE and MDB. RESULTS: Of the 300 subjects evaluated by the MMSE score, 142 (47.3%) were considered to be cognitively healthy, and 116 (38.7%) were mildly and 42 (14.0%) moderately impaired. Factor analysis of MDB extracted three factors able to account for 75% of the total variance: a visuospatial factor, verbal memory ability, and a language skill. Using MMSE as an independent variable, a linear regression model could account for the visuospatial and langua ge factors and a cubic regression model for the verbal memory factor. Within the normal MMSE boundaries (24-30), a dramatic decrease of verbal memory could be documented, whereas the slope is less steep in the mild impairment group (16-23). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the presence of a warning range within the normal MMSE interval. Thus, the traditional MMSE cutoff values may not be appropriate in detecting early phases of dementia. When patients score about 27 on MMSE, it should be of interest to check whether they fail only on long-term memory tests, because this could be a first signal of a preclinical condition heralding clear dementia (e.g., mild cognitive impairment).Mini-Mental State Examination and Mental Deterioration Battery: analysis of the relationship and clinical

Leaders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leaders - Essay Example His step towards achieving this was to make learning to be student-oriented to the best extend possible. After briefing the students on the various topics, he consulted them when and on how best they wanted to learn about a certain topic within the course. His major focus was the less motivated students who were generally performing low. Most of them suggested that for every difficult topic, they wanted the professor to take them through it on a lecture, followed by other experimental and participatory activities like practical exercises, watching of video clips or visit to places. This would be followed by individual and group discussion questions to test their understanding on the topic. The lecture lessons were also moved to morning when most of the students had more capacity to take in lecture information. The results were splendid! Initially, he would yell at the students to achieve great compliance but now, he does not even point a finger. All the students long for his lessons and there is great improvement in the performance of many students as indicated by the regular individual and group work assignments and tests he offers them. Basing on the explanation of Montana and Bruce (2008) the leadership style employed by the professor in this case was democratic type of

SELF-DEFINED PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SELF-DEFINED PROJECT - Essay Example hat’s left from Experiencing the Divine†¦an expression of the artist’s spiritual nature in the material world†¦[it] is the portal to the soul† (Darlene). According to Andrej Tisma art allowed man to discover â€Å"deep secrets penetrating the source of things†. In primitive society, when religion was held central to the community, the priest was the same as the artist. He created prayers and hymns that allowed man to connect wit the divine. As society modernizes and beliefs become secular, the artist has finally risen up to assert his individuality and his interpretation of what the world is. This new form is called mental art. Unlike the earlier forms of art which tried to depict reality, or make a statement about the imagined reality, mental art allows the artist to communicate using his own concepts. In Rudolf Steiner’s words, â€Å"The basis of artistic creation is not what is, but what might be; not the real, but the possible†. This new form allows the artist to bring forth the â€Å"knowledge† that is burning alive inside him. For some people this â€Å"burning† is the seed of the divine, man’s ultimate connection to the being called God, the Source, the Creator. Because creativity is of divine nature, often the artist cannot recognize an artwork when he/she is done with it. Some would say â€Å"I can’t believe I did this† - an indication of the â€Å"other† which lives inside a person. The nature of this other is no longer within the bounds of this paper, what is sure, however, is that art is the medium of co mmunication between the â€Å"other† and the physical man. Creativity is its highest manifestation – man may deny revealing it, but such denial cannot last forever. When it reaches its peak, it will strive to break all barriers in the same way that mental art is now breaking social norms. This idea is supported by this quote from the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, â€Å"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you

Are Same Sex Sexual Relationships Morally Permissible?

Are Same Sex Sexual Relationships Morally Permissible? Homosexuality has been for much of recorded human history a controversial topic, and has become even more so with the advent of religion. Most, if not all religious systems vehemently oppose homosexuality, so far as to condemn homosexuals to everlasting torture in the fires of hell. However, judging the immorality of a deed simply by referring to divine sources is fallacious; it runs contrary to established modern intellectual systems of determining what actions are right and what actions are wrong. In the twentieth century world, reason and well thought out and expressed arguments alone dictate the moral standing of deeds, and any other decision for that matter. The most appropriate method of arguing for or against an ethical issue in the context of its applicability to society is to test it against well-established moral/ethical theories and see how it stacks up. Thus, in this paper I shall argue that homosexuality doesnt contradict the major ethical theories, namely Utilitarianism , Kantian ethics (deontological perspective) followed by a rebuttal of some common arguments against homosexuality. Utilitarianism is a fundamentally consequentialist position, claiming that actions should be judged by their consequences, specifically the level of general happiness they bring about. Hence, in accordance with utilitarianism, one should evaluate the level of general happiness an action brings about versus the amount of pain/suffering it causes. All actions that increase the level of general happiness are morally permissible, and actions that bring about suffering are morally not permissible. To discuss homosexuality on utilitarian grounds, we must therefore first and foremost decide on its consequentialist standing i.e. where it stands on the utilitarian meter of increasing happiness and decreasing pain vs. increasing pain and decreasing pleasure. People who feel that that is what pleases them practice homosexuality. They do so out of personal choice and after much self-deliberation. In fact, since heterosexuality is the norm, converting to homosexuality would be akin to being a mas ochist, i.e. choosing to indulge in that which causes us displeasure in addition to having to face heavy opposition from relatives and society, and those types of homosexuals are beyond the scope of my paper. Hence, if you choose to accept that no individual who prefers a heterosexual lifestyle would adopt a homosexual one, then you agree that those who chose a homosexual lifestyle do so because it is what pleases them. Thus, homosexuality brings about pleasure to homosexuals, and so long as these homosexuals do not attempt to impose their homosexuality on heterosexuals (by harassing or raping them), then the heterosexual population has no right to claim that homosexuality causes them displeasure. For them to claim so, the only means by which homosexuality would have caused them displeasure is by disgusting them i.e. it is distasteful to their senses (since obviously it is not displeasuring them directly, it can only do so then indirectly by being distasteful). Such an argument woul d be fallacious and of the form: P1) All disgusting actions are immoral. P2) Homosexuality is disgusting. C) Homosexuality is immoral. While this argument is valid, it is unsound since the first premise is false. Not all disgusting actions are immoral. For example, collecting the trash is disgusting, does that make it immoral? Homosexuality does not cause any pain or displeasure. Stigmatizing homosexuality on the grounds that it is disgusting is faulty as we argued above. (Common arguments such as homosexual rapists harm children and other victims, homosexuality brings about STDs and so on are irrelevant since they apply to heterosexual acts in the same way they apply to homosexual actions.) Thus, homosexuality does not, and for that matter cannot, harm homosexuals. All it can do is bring pleasure to the people who willfully practice it (because it is what brings them pleasure). On utilitarian grounds, homosexuality increases pleasure (although for a specific part of the population) and does not cause any displeasure or pain. It satisfies the criteria for a moral act as outlined by the Utilitarian ethical system. Kantian ethics is a moral philosophy that is not a consequentialist one. It judges acts not by what their consequences are, but by how they hold under certain imperatives, and maintain the rational and free nature of humans. The principle of universizablity commits us to acting only on those maxims that do not lead to a self-contradictory maxim, and also, when universalized do not undermine the point of the action (class slides.) To test homosexuality against the categorical imperative we begin by formulating our maxim. Note that a common misconception is to formulate the maxim Practice homosexuality or some form of that. This is incorrect as this paper does not seek to argue that all people should be homosexuals, but rather that people that are homosexual are justified in acting homosexually. Let us suppose our maxim is Practice whichever sexual acts that bring you pleasure. Upon consideration, we see that this maxim brings about pleasure to whoever abides by it. Next we generalize this principle to a universal law and see its consequences. Assume a world where people practice whichever sexual acts please them, of course, without imposing their sexual desires on others. Such a world would be very similar to the world in which we live in, which is remarkably pleasant to live in as opposed to one that is a very morally tight society. Moreover, we note that such a maxim, when generalized does not lead to a contradictory world. Furthermore, as we shall see next, homosexuality holds under scrutiny by the principle of humanity. The principle of humanity defines a rightful or moral deed as one that does not use any other person as a mere means, but as an end in themselves. As discussed above, homosexual people choose homosexual acts because it brings them pleasure. Thus, when homosexual people indulge in homosexual activities as consenting adults, they both choose to do so. Since they both chose to indulge in this, and so long as theyre both content with this, then n either is using the other as a mere means, but as an end in themselves. To argue otherwise would be similar to arguing against other heterosexual acts. Other cases where the people do not consent to indulging in the sex are similar to cases of heterosexual people who do not consent to the sex they are having. Finally, we shall consider some common arguments against homosexuality and offer possible response to them in the context of the Utilitarian and Kantian moral theories. To begin with we shall consider the unnaturalness argument and its derivatives. A commonplace argument against homosexuality is that it is a misuse of the bodys organs. Such an argument violates the categorical imperative. To show this, let us attempt to generalize it into a universal law. We begin by formulating a maxim That action which violates the principal use of an organ is immoral. After generalizing this into a universal law, we run into a contradiction, as this yields a world we cannot live in. Consider for example applying this rule to any other body organ. The mouth is primarily for eating, and thus any other action apart from eating is immoral, and hence kissing, speaking, breathing from your mouth and so on would all become immoral. Thus the argument that homosexuality is immoral because it violates the p rincipal use of an organ is not applicable since it violates the categorical imperative. Furthermore, if the misuse of the reproductive organs is immoral because it doesnt lead to procreation, where does that place religious figures that take vows of celibacy? The nonuse of an organ is just as immoral as the misuse of one, since the immorality is based on its failure to result in reproduction. Moreover, another derivative of the unnaturalness of homosexuality argument is that homosexuality is unnatural in that it is not found in nature, i.e. animals do not practice homosexuality. First and foremost, the premise on which this argument rests is invalid, as studies have shown that there are certain animals that practice homosexuality. Moreover, basing our moral standards on the practices of animals is an incredibly fragile argument as one can easily observe that many of human practices are not practiced by animals, such as brushing our teeth, showering and so on. In addition, many prop onents of homosexuality argue that labeling homosexuality as not immoral would lead to the extinction of the human race. This argument is a gross exaggeration. An argument of the form P1) Homosexuals cannot reproduce. P2) If homosexuality were deemed not immoral then many people would become homosexual. C) The human race will eventually become extinct. Such an argument is invalid, and unsound as the second premise is faulty. If homosexuality were not to be frowned upon it does not follow that many people would become homosexuals. No heterosexual person would willfully choose to become a homosexual simply because it is not immoral to do so. This is because one chooses to indulge in homosexuality because it is a sexual preference. Moreover, while not a fundamental argument against the extinction of the human race argument, it would be thoughtful to consider whether a decrease in the rate of human reproduction would not actually be beneficial to the human society given the problems of overpopulation that we suffer from now. In conclusion, homosexuality cannot be deemed immoral as it holds under scrutiny by the major ethical systems: Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics. It increases the happiness of the homosexual community without causing any pain or displeasure to the heterosexual community. This of course is contingent upon the homosexual people not imposing their sexuality on others i.e. rape or harassment. It should be duly noted that even if some homosexuals raped or harassed other individuals, be him/her a homosexual or a heterosexual, this cannot be an argument against homosexuality per se as heterosexuals also rape and harass other heterosexuals. Moreover, it satisfies the categorical imperative in addition to the principle of humanity by not using anyone as a mere means. Homosexuals should not be discriminated against, as their sexual preference is their own personal choice, and solely their business. Given our rights to freedom of choice that we so proudly advocate and vehemently defend, we shou ld extend this right to include the freedom of sexual preference. Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio: Themes and Effects Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio: Themes and Effects Title: Discuss the implications of Sherwood Anderson’s introduction to Winesburg, Ohio: ‘The Book of the Grotesque’. Sherwood Anderson’s post-war ‘novel’ of America in microcosm, Winesburg, Ohio, was first published in 1919. Undoubtedly, the timing of the collection of linked stories all set in Anderson’s fictional ‘Winesburg’ (like Hardy’s Wessex) influenced the critical approbation it received. It represents a dislocated people torn and shattered by war: a ‘wasteland’ such as T.S. Eliot had created in his 1922 poem of that name. Like Joyce’s Dubliners (1914) the sequence of tales is connected by major themes which Anderson sees as either representative of, or a threat to, modern life. He creates a presence from an absence, a connected representative vision from a fragmented centre. Most of the themes, and their implications, on which Anderson focuses are revealed in the introductory story to the collection, ‘The Book of the Grotesque’ which was the original title of the collection. The fact that Anderson wanted to pla ce such emphasis on the ‘grotesque’ is of primary importance when attempting to locate the author’s themes and their implications. For Anderson, like the writer in the first story, ‘salvation’ from immersion into the grotesque comes not merely from the experience of moments of vision but also from the ability to incorporate them within life in order to re-vitalise it. Strikingly, theme and method interweave to create the consciousness of the visionary or surreal within the recognition of the espoused impossibility of completion. Anderson was determined that the real and the imagined should remain separate forces but also that both should maintain importance. Again, like the writer in his tale, he is constantly reminded of the intrusion upon each ‘world’ by the other and the implications of this: The distinction that he is making [†¦] is not between truth and lie, or between fiction and nonfiction, but between separate spheres of reality. Fancy for Anderson suggests imaginative and compassionate understanding of the beauty within the most grotesque of human actions.[1] The writer in the tale might survive becoming a ‘grotesque’ but he also fails to complete his writing and the immense implication of this is that even when the ‘grotesque’ is avoided, it appears inevitable that the intrusions of reality cause humanity’s plans to fail just as they are continuously altered by social, historical and political events. In a country so recently ravaged by war and about to undergo radical social upheaval, the implications of this are clear. Anderson chooses to make this implicit connection by citing the example of a man whose plans to have a carpenter alter his bed irrevocably change his life: The writer, an old man with a white mustache, had some difficulty in getting into bed. The windows of the house in which he lived were high and he wanted to look at the trees when he awoke in the morning. A carpenter came to fix the bed so that it would be on a level with the window. (p. 1). The full importance of this opening statement, with its beautifully simple syntax, does not strike the reader until much later in the story, perhaps not even until the completion of the reading of the stories as a whole. With the benefit of hindsight, the reader sees that Anderson’s theme is manifest from the first: the ‘old man’, physically impeded, desires to see further, to see ‘the trees when he awoke in the morning’, yet, what the subliminal reading invokes is that the desire to see beyond what we realise is not always present in our intentions; indeed, we may not even be aware of them. The ‘awakening’ comes not with the ‘morning’ but with the recognition of the interiorisation of longings influencing the human directive but being constantly obscured. Thus, though the ‘carpenter’ does indeed come to ‘fix the bed’ he does a lot more besides, in which the old man plays no directive part: ‘fo r a time the two men talked of the raising of the bed and then they talked of other things’ (p. 1). The ‘other things’, are what initiate the directive of the tale, as, Anderson seems to imply, they do with life, serendipity playing more of a role than we realize in our lives: Sherwood Anderson [†¦] was and still is a man of his times. His life and his career are a pictorial history of the unique mood of the modern America which produced them and made them possible.[2]. We are told that the carpenter ‘had been a soldier in the Civil War’ (p. 1) and this immediately gifts the narrative with a textual historicity which deepens its resonance (the Civil War is also referred to in another of the tales, ‘Godliness’: Part 1). Many of Anderson’s readers, after all, were within living memory of the war that split the American nation and again, its profound recognition of the nature of war, so fresh in the minds of those of the post World War era, to inflict pain beyond the immediate is recognized as significant: The carpenter had once been a prisoner in Andersonville prison and had lost a brother. The brother had died of starvation, and whenever the carpenter got upon that subject he cried. (p. 1) Again, the simplicity inestimably aids the poignancy of the telling; Anderson has no need to dwell upon the melancholy, it is self-evident. Moreover, the idea that the ‘ordinary man’, which the carpenter represents, has personal experience of the pain of loss in a past which continues to intrude upon the present; he cannot escape. Although Anderson states clearly that ‘the weeping old man with the cigar in his mouth was ludicrous’ (p. 2), avoiding the faux sentimentality of other contemporary writers, nevertheless, the writer’s plans are widely changed by him and the carpenter alters the bed ‘his own way’ (p. 2). The implication is not just that our plans are changed by present and future events but also that the past is never merely a memory but a constantly present inhabitant of life, a ‘reality’ beyond our reach to restrict or deny, and ‘stamped upon much of our contemporary fiction’[3]. Anderson has already l aid the foundation of the interchanging but ostensibly rigid boundaries of the actual and the imagined which are to cause perpetual interplay within the stories and in some sense all the characters and events are connected with himself: Sherwood Anderson is to be grouped among the most subjective of writers. He has created heroes with many different names; but each of them is the same man a projection in one direction or another of Anderson himself.[4]. Anderson begins now to build on these implications by obscuring life’s most basic and fearful boundary, death, by means of the old man’s imaginative sensibility. The carpenter has been instrumental in this, since he has brought into the narrative a death that is real, remembered and imagined; his memory is the conduit for this mutation of time and of feeling. The irony is that the author is haunted by death, yet: ‘ It did not alarm him’ (p.2 ). Death is inverted as a presence which revitalises the old man as ‘a special thing and not easily explained’ (p.2). Moreover, ‘something inside him was altogether young’ (p.2) and extraordinarily that ‘something’ is a ‘woman, young’. Anderson writes of this as like a pregnancy but what he gives birth to is an idea of the ‘grotesques’ of his previous life and relationships. Significantly, the writer switches subtly to address the reader more directly here, emphasising the idea that: It is absurd, you see, to try to tell what was inside the old writer as he lay on his high bed and listened to the fluttering of his heart. The thing to get at is what the writer, or the young thing within the writer, was thinking about. (p. 2) The ambivalent sexuality of the image is one of many which disturbed careful readers of the time, ‘back in 1919 the book was talked about only in whispers’[5].. Yet, its implications for authorship are important since an author is perpetually ‘giving birth’ and the idea of being both mother and father of his creations informs not just the sexual imagery of this story but also of others in the sequence, such as ‘Hands’ where the protagonist is accused of molestation: ‘Anderson sensed a mystery in human sexuality that defies an easy reduction’[6]. This represents a significant challenge to contemporary social attitudes towards sexuality, as women were accorded status principally allied to that of their male partners and sexual preferences were predisposed indisputably towards the heterosexual. As is typical of Anderson, he refuses to adopt or adhere to the rigidity of a society so recently war-torn and about to undergo a momentous per iod in its history from which it would not emerged unscathed or unchanged. By anticipating and pre-empting these changes, Anderson places his writing ahead of its time both in style and socio-political context. The old man in the tale now proceeds to invite into his consciousness the images of past passions, a theme he also alludes to in another of the stories, ‘Mother’. The reader is told that the old man has known people ‘in a peculiar intimate way [†¦] different from the way in which you and I know people’ (p. 3) and subsequently that ‘the writer had a dream that was not a dream’ (p. 3): this dream is the key to the subliminal implications of the tale as it is the precursor of the writing which does and does not take place: You see the interest in all this lies in the figures that went before the eyes of the writer. They were all grotesques. All of the men and women the writer had ever known had become grotesques. (p. 3). The introduction of the ‘grotesques’, not ‘all horrible’, is a pivotal moment in the tale, just as all the grotesques’ lives will be turned by such a moment in time, and the old man/writer’s perception of this is, like the reactions of the grotesques, crucial in their lives. In many ways, it is less significant that the book is not published than that it has been ‘seen’ by the author, who is gripped by ‘one central thought that is very strange and has always remained with [him]’, facilitating, we are encouraged to believe, the writing of his own book: The old man had listed hundreds of the truths in his book. I will not try to tell you of all of them. There was the truth of virginity and the truth of passion, the truth of wealth and of poverty, of thrift and of profligacy, of carelessness and abandon. Hundreds and hundreds were the truths and they were all beautiful. (p. 4) Hence, the imagined and the real feed one another but remain separate, for ‘truths’ are not the same as facts and ‘it was the truths that made the people grotesques’ (p. 5). Moreover, Anderson lays bare, here, the principal informatives of his sequence: The old man had quite an elaborate theory concerning the matter. It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood. (p. 5) Anderson concludes his tale by making brief reference to the carpenter, one of ‘what are called the very common people’ (p. 5) yet contradicting this description by making him extraordinary as ‘the nearest thing to what is understandable and lovable of all the grotesques in the writers book’. (p. 5) Certainly, Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio set in ‘the critical decade which followed the world war’[7] can be seen as a groundbreaking novel, both in structure and content and ‘the failure of [Anderson’s] heterosexual relationships has often been cited as the reason for the â€Å"grotesque† nature of several of Winesburgs inhabitants’[8]. The stories confront issues that were to inform American writing and the socio-political post-war infrastructure as well as the realization of Modernist and post-Modernist fiction. A writer ahead of his time, Anderson is clearly shaped by the era in which he lived and was thus representative of the past, present and future as is the sequence of stories in his seminal ‘novel’ of ‘the troubled lives of the small-town individuals’[9]. Sources [1]  Adams, Timothy Dow, Telling Lies in Modern American Autobiography, (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1990), p. 44. [2]  Hatcher, Harlan, Creating the Modern American Novel, (New York: Hatcher, Farrar Rinehart, 1935), P. 155. [3] Hatcher, Harlan, Creating the Modern American Novel, (New York: Hatcher, Farrar Rinehart, 1935), P. 157. [4]  Loggins, Vernon, I Hear America : Literature in the United States since 1900, (New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1967), p. 151. [5]  Loggins, Vernon, I Hear America : Literature in the United States since 1900, (New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1967), p. 157. [6] Ellis, James, ‘Sherwood Andersons Fear of Sexuality: Horses, Men, and Homosexuality’, Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 30, 1993 (Michigan: Gale Group). [7] Van Doren, Carl, The American Novel, 1789-1939, (New York: Macmillan, 1940), p. 334. [8] Whalan, Mark, ‘Dreams of Manhood: Narrative, Gender, and History in Winesburg, Ohio’, Studies in American Fiction, Vol 30, 2002 (Boston: Northeastern University). [9] Thomas, F. Richard, Literary Admirers of Alfred Stieglitz, (Carbondale, IL.: Southern Illinois University Press, 1983), p. 65. Bibliography: Adams, Timothy Dow, Telling Lies in Modern American Autobiography, (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1990). Anderson, Sherwood, Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life, (New York: Modern Library, 1919). Angoff, Allan, American Writing Today: Its Independence and Vigor, (New York: New York University Press, 1957). Bryer, Jackson R., Sixteen Modern American Authors: A Survey of Research and Criticism, (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1974). Elliott, Emery, ed., The Columbia History of the American Novel, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1991). Ellis, James, ‘Sherwood Andersons Fear of Sexuality: Horses, Men, and Homosexuality’, Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 30, 1993 (Michigan: Gale Group). Fiedler, Leslie A., Love and Death in the American Novel, (Stein and Day, 1966). Fisher, Philip, Hard Facts: Setting and Form in the American Novel, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1987). Hatcher, Harlan, Creating the Modern American Novel, (New York: Hatcher, Farrar Rinehart, 1935). Loggins, Vernon, I Hear America : Literature in the United States since 1900, (New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1967). Noe, Marcia, ed., Exploring the Midwestern Literary Imagination: Essays in Honor of David D. Anderson, (Troy, N.Y.: Whitston Publishing Company, 1993). Thomas, F. Richard, Literary Admirers of Alfred Stieglitz, (Carbondale, IL.: Southern Illinois University Press, 1983). Wagenknecht, Edward, Cavalcade of the American Novel: From the Birth of the Nation to the Middle of the Twentieth Century, (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1952). Whalan, Mark, ‘Dreams of Manhood: Narrative, Gender, and History in Winesburg, Ohio, Studies in American Fiction, Vol 30, 2002 (Boston: Northeastern University). Van Doren, Carl, The American Novel, 1789-1939, (New York: Macmillan, 1940).

Aztecsinga Clendinnen Essay -- Essays Papers

Aztecsinga Clendinnen Inga Clendinnen has had a fascination for the MesoAmerican area and it's history for over 30 years. Having wrote many books on the peoples and history of the region, her knowledge makes her well qualified to write a book such as Aztecs. The book is not one based on historical facts and figures, but one which is founded on interpretations of what the author believes life was like in different spheres of Aztec life. Clendinnen refers to the Aztec peoples as Mexica(pronounced Meh-SHee-Kah)as that is what they called themselves and her interpretations of Mexican ceremony as a form of visual performance is breathtaking. We firstly delve into the city and what it means to the Mexica people. Then, we enter the minds of the people who enjoy their part of society in different ways. From the warriors and priests, to the mothers, wifes and children of Tenochtitlan. Next, Clendinnen enters the world of rituals, sacrifices and aesthetics before finishing off with the defeat of the Mexican city of Tenochtitlan by the forces of Cortes in 1521. Studys into the Aztec way of life have usually focused on the Spanish conquests, rise to power of Tenochtitlan and especially into the ritual performances conducted by the peoples of Mexica. Aztecs:An Interpretation focuses more on the authors interpretations of what the Mexica people may have thought, felt or understood about the world around them. Clendinnen attempts to understand Mexica belief `not in belief at this formal level,but in sensibility:the emotional,moral and aesthetic nexus through which thought comes to be expressed in action,and so made public,visible and accesible to our observation.'1. Clendinnen states that the `account will unhappily,but by necessity,lack historical depth,'2. The sources that she has access to are numerous but Clendinnen chooses to concentrate on General History of the Things of New Spain. A book written by Bernado de Sahagun, a Franciscan monk. This book is commonly called the Florentine Codex and deals with information gathered by Indian scribes. The codex is twelve volumes in length and was collected after the conquests of the Mexica by Spain. Clendinnen states that though the Codex has fallen out of favour with scholars,`they still use them extensivly' 3. The main writing format consists of `essays-tentative,discusive explorations'4. usi... ... A few photos of Tenochtitlan and warriors headdresses, clubs and obsidian blades would increase the pleasure 10 fold. Also in places the author tends to divert to other Ameriindian cultures and use their ritual practices as examples. These comparisons can bring the ritual practices of a 500 year extant culture into modern day belief. Inga Clendinnen's Aztecs:An Interpretation is an outstanding book dealing with investigations into how the Mexica peoples may have veiwed the world in which they lived. From the daily life of a commoner to the explosively, awe inspiring lives of the priests and warriors. Clendinnen has used thoughtful insights and a fresh perspective that will have general readers and specialist readers alike engaged in a powerful and elegantly written interpretation that is hard to put down without reflection upon this lost culture. Bibliography: 1: Clendinnen,Inga.Aztecs:An Interpretation.(New York:Cambridge University Press,1991),pg 5 2: ibid.,p.7 3: ibid.,p.9 4: ibid.,p.11 5: ibid.,p.11 6: ibid.,p.17 7: ibid.,p.112 8: ibid.,p.219 9: ibid.,p.269 10: ibid.,p.269 11: ibid.,p.269 12: ibid.,p.270