Reality Shows: Their Effect on American Teens

Their Effect on American Teens Martha Wallace ENG 122: English Composition II Professor Kathy Conner August 8, 2011 The values of our forefathers for America have disappeared. Each year more and more of American children are Judging themselves based upon the lives portrayed in popular media. Certain media in the music industry portrays the life of getting rich fast and having a lot of girls. Movies depict a life of fast cars, many sexual partners, and dishonesty. The latest media that has become very popular in portraying negative values Is reality shows.Reality shows have replaced traditional family values wows such as: Happy Days, Seventh Heaven, The Cowboys Show, Family Matters, and Growing Pains. Today's family values are now being portrayed through shows like: Keeping up with the Sardinian, Teen Moms, The Real World, Jersey Shore, and all of the Real Housewives shows. Reality shows have changed the way American teens view family and the values of marriage, honesty, and respect. Today's teenagers view marriage as a commitment between two people who are in love. Once the love is gone, the marriage is over. On the other hand, some adults may think differently.Marriage is not Just the result from love between two people. There is much more to it. A successful marriage is like a good recipe whose main ingredients, besides love, are commitment, understanding, concern and loyalty. If you can include these qualities In your married life you can find happiness In your marriage. Yet, the future of the stability In American marriage Is slowly decaying. Adults and teens alike are viewing marriage In a different way. This view Is being persuaded by new television shows called Reality television. It Is a known fact the media plays an important part In how teens view themselves and others.Almost every person in the united States has excess to television and the younger generation is the ones who watch it the most (Cheeseboard, 2003, Para 4). Considering the average teen spends more time watching television than with their parents. The majority of them are also learning about the basic values of life, also from television. This bring about a serious concern of reality shows' effects on teens attitude, values, and behavior. The traditional family value of marriage is portrayed on reality shows as an option for couples who are living together.The reality show Keeping up with the Sardinian is a perfect example of his type of arrangement. One of the older sisters, Courtney, currently lives with her boyfriend and when approached by another slang asking her why she refuses to get married. Courtney replies, â€Å"I'm not sure If he Is really the one† (Bravo, 2011, Para 2). When her mother approaches her about the same thing, Courtney replies, â€Å"Mom, I'm lust not Into ten traditional things† (Bravo, 2011, Para According to David Opened, a Rutgers sociology professor and report co-author, â€Å"Cohabitation is here to stay.I don't think it is good news, especially for children†, he says, â€Å"As society shifts from arraign to co-habitation, which is what's happening, you have an increase in family instability' Canyons, 2005, Para 8). The reality shows that have married couples on it either end up in divorce, the wife shows no respect for her husband, or one spouse cheats on the other. These are the lessons reality shows are teaching American teens today. The broadcasting station, Bravo, has a series of shows titled, The Real Housewives of some very popular cities in America. One of those cities is Atlanta.This reality show is about six women who are married or were once married. The show aired for three years detailing the lives of women who were to represent the real lives of American married women living in Atlanta. Only one of the six was actually married and before the end of the three year series, she was filing for a divorce. Americans by the million were tuning in each week to watch the drama unfold. A ccording to Nelson Media Research, 4. 4 million viewers watched the shows season finale January 30, 2011 and 1. 3 million of those viewers were under the age of 18 (2011).What does this mean for the future of marriage? Many teenagers no longer look forward to their wedding day. In fact in a conversation with teenagers through a youth organization, Youth for Prevention, Action, and Change Through Thought (HAPPY), which aims to develop community leaders by teaching teens about social, racial, and health disparities in their neighborhoods, many of them do not see the need for marriage. One participant stated, â€Å"I'm not looking forward to marriage and I don't think we [people in general] should be married, because I see how other marriages ended up in my family and on television.It's always a disaster. When asked which television shows she mainly watches, she replied, â€Å"Reality shows, they ell you how life really is†, Cones, 2006, Para 2). As this ten's comments indicate , views about marriage are formed by what they see in their lives and in popular media. Shows such as â€Å"The Real World† and the media's focus on the latest celebrity break-up do not paint a perfect picture of marriage. It is a sign of the growing decline in the value of one of the greatest institutions developed in America. It is these factors that may explain why the U.S. Divorce rate approaches 40 percent. Marriage is not the only American value which seems to be affected by reality shows, honesty s another value among teenagers that is almost invisible and reality shows does not appear to make the view any clearer. There was a time when a man was held to his word and a handshake was the only deed required. Those days are long gone. No one can trust the other. Prenuptial are written before marriages, contracts are required between businesses, and even teenagers are signing contracts with parents.One reality show, Teen Moms, broadcasted a show which detailed a written co ntract between one teen and her parents. The purpose of the contract was to validate the parents' words to help their daughter financially after she gives birth to he child. Reality television shows and their effects on teenagers can depend on the desires and motives they see themselves in these stars and somehow these stars are living their lives through the show. Each reality show portrays and fulfills certain desires like powerful high class living, survival and outwitting others, beauty, revenge Ana amnesty.Many teenagers enjoy a certain sense AT pleasure Ana satisfaction when they watch these reality television shows and their effects are continuously mirrored in the way they interact with others, deal with various situations, and face certain challenges. According to the teens in HAPPY, the reality shows are entertaining Cones, 2006, Para 5). Yet, most of these shows are built upon other people's failures, sadness, frustrations, depressions, and other mental and physical handi caps. There are some reality shows that have a positive effect on ten's lives.Broadcasting station, FOX, had a show, Trading Spouses, where two families, usually of different social classes, swap wives or husbands for a week. Each family is awarded $50,000, with the stipulation that the guest mother decides how her host family must spend the money (Schneider ; Italian, 2004). The adults show how families can come together and grow. It gives hope to the value of family and honesty. Each participant is required to react normally and to come to an understanding on how to handle differences.The children are given an opportunity to express themselves and this usually results in their parents making some changes to include the opinions of their children. The parents come face to face with the honesty of some mishaps in their family and agree to make an honest effort to correcting them. These types of reality show effect teens in a positive way. For those men's that may not have been able to express their thoughts or opinions to their parents, the show gives them suggestions and allow them to see an honest possibility of the outcome.Most teenagers see their parents as difficult people to compromise with. This type of reality television shows the vulnerable side of parents and how they can make mistake too. Teens begin to see their parents as human and someone they can talk to. Honesty is rarely played out in reality shows, therefore our teens have a front row view of how to become a liar and deceive people. Some of these wows are so deceitful; it is hard to imagine someone would have agreed to be a participant.For example, â€Å"Joe Millionaire†, is a reality show where women compete to win the heart of a supposed millionaire. At the end, the women find out the â€Å"Joe Millionaire† is actually an â€Å"Average Joe† and have to decide if they want to stay with him. This show is probably one of the most dishonest reality shows and unethical of th em all. Teens and adults alike are shown ways to be dishonest and degrade the true meaning of finding love and honesty in an individual. Respect has great importance in everyday life.As children we are taught ,one hopes, to respect our parents, teachers, and elders, school rules and traffic laws, family and cultural traditions, other people's feelings and rights, our country's flag and leaders, the truth and people's differing opinions (Dillon, 2010, Para 1). If we are to live by this description of respect, then reality shows has gotten it wrong. A study called, â€Å"Kids These Days: What Americans Really Think About the Next Generation†, surveyed 2,000 adults who characterized teenagers and young children as â€Å"irresponsible†, â€Å"rude†, and â€Å"lazy' (Kids these days, 1997).Those words are scarcely new attitudes towards American's youth. The reality show, Keeping up with the Sardinian, portrays a family with two teenage daughters who are often rude t o their parents, constantly shows disrespect towards each other, and uses profanity towards their parents. This reality show is rated number one among teenagers in America. Yet this show, â€Å"Keeping up with the Sardinian†, shows very little respect towards the parents Trot any AT ten SIX centre Foul language Is town across ten room Trot ten teen daughters, young adult children, their boyfriends, and the parents.There is no respect for other people's feeling, rights or differing opinions. One particular episode, the teen daughters swore at her mother and told her dad she will make her own decision and didn't need his help. After consulting with his wife, they agreed to allow their 13 year old daughter to make her decision on a career move that would affect her for the rest of her life. This is not a good message to send to teenagers today. Raising one's voice and slamming doors is not the way to gain respect.Yet, reality shows often show teenagers acting this way and the re sults are often the arenas bending the rules to allow the teens to make their own decisions. Showing respect is the best way for anyone to receive respect. Everyone should have an opinion, be able to express them and feel good about that relationship. No one should feel pressured to do something Just because it seems like everyone else is doing it, or because someone else is trying to get you to do it. Yet that is precisely what most reality shows are doing. Teens are being pursued to make decisions and react to certain things according to celebrities on reality television.The reality show reduced by MAT, The Real World, gave American Teens a real look at honor and respect in it episode featuring Pedro Somoza. Pedro Somoza was a young man chosen to be one of the six young adults sharing a house in New York City, who Just happened to have AIDS. Pedro died of the disease and America tuned in the watch every episode as it unfolded on television. This series of The Real World, New York taught many people the truth about AIDS. The effect this show had on American teens open their eyes to respect other people, taught valuable lessons on safe sex, and gave AIDS a new found respect.Since the rising of these popular reality elevation shows, American teens have changed the way they view â€Å"entertainment†. This genre has influenced the way teenagers express themselves. Considering many of these shows are geared towards teens, they are the ones who are more susceptible to its various influences. With each passing year more and more of American children are Judging themselves based upon the lives portrayed in popular media. Certain media portrays the life of getting rich fast, having a lot of girls, a life of fast cars, many sexual partners, and dishonesty. There are not many good values portrayed in these reality shows.Yet, reality shows can give insight to teens about many different types of people and cultures. They can also prepare teenagers for the outcome o f bad choices people make about the values of marriage, honesty, and respect. The core role is to see what people reactions in certain scenarios are, and how they face these given situations. American teens can learn and apply these outcomes to their lives. They can learn about teamwork. They can become motivated in life to achieve their goals and can even chase a dream. References Dillon, S. (2010). Respect, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 Edition).

Ada Lovelace Essay

Ada Lovelace was born in 1815, and died in 1852 from cancer. Ada Lovelace was the daughter of a famous poet Lord Byron and Anabella Millbank, who also enjoyed math. Ada’s parents were divorced right after she was born and was never able to meet her estrange father. However, her father corresponded with her mother on her upbringing. Anabella Millbank, Ada’s mother, did not want her daughter to be a poet like her father and did everything possible, pushed Ada night and day, to learn mathematics. Even though Ada’s fond interests were elsewhere, her mother diminished those interests until Ada grew a fondness of math, by no choice of her own. At an early age Ada met with Charles Babbage in London, and with that Ada first learned of the Difference Engine. This is when Ada Lovelace’s eyes grew with enormous content, interest, and enthusiasm of the invention, which was later known as the Analytical Engine. In her twenties, Ada married her husband (several years her age) Earl William King and soon after, she bore three children. After having her children she became engrossed and focused on the formulation of the Analytical Engine, which took several years of extensive work, which she loved. Ada composed a â€Å"plan for how the engine might calculate Bernoulli numbers. This plan is now regarded as the first â€Å"computer program† (Larry Riddle, p. 1). Ada became ill and was diagnosed with cancer of the uterus and died at an early age, like her father, right after her accomplishments. Ada’s achievement was shown in her â€Å"notes† on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which was finally acknowledged and â€Å"became reality in the 20th century computers which earned her a place in the history of mathematics and computer science† (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, p. 6).

Costing and Economics of Textile Production Essay

Costing and Economics of Textile Production - Essay Example A company will invest in country in which support infrastructure is available; a company will invest in a country with good transport network, good energy and electricity services and good communication network, a country with poor infrastructure will not be appropriate to invest in as it will not enable smooth running of the company. Poor infrastructure will not enable the company to transport its goods on time and this may also cause an increase in the cost of production of its goods and therefore it will be less likely for the multinational company to invest. Some countries have abundant resources and factors of production, example raw materials used for production or even abundant skilled and cheap labour, when such advantages exist then there is a high likelihood for a multinational company to invest, a good example of this is why many multinational companies invest in third world countries, because there is abundant and cheap factors of production. However multinational companies will be less likely to invest in countries where such advantages do not exist.

Social Dimensions of the Economic Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social Dimensions of the Economic Growth - Essay Example This paper is an attempt to look on economic development not just as a measure of a country’s or the world’s economic progress, as a whole, but as a human development issue, incorporating the social dimension in the context of the economic development. Economic development is understood as the analysis of economic progress of nations. However, looking at the core of it, it becomes more than just the monetary computation of the economic value of the country, rather it is an amalgam of sociology, anthropology, history, politics and, all-too- often, ideology. Development is a social phenomenon that involved more than increasing per capita output, but necessitates eliminating poverty, unemployment and inequality as well A country’s economy is measured in terms of Gross Domestic Product. GDP is the total money value of goods and services produced in a country in one year, while GDP per capita is a measure of the value of products made and services provided by each person, a measure of the average productive capacity of people. Despite economic developments rates of some countries, the world still watches its people go hungry. The world through the different agencies like the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund have been vigilant about this global issue. Economic growth is more than the numbers. If the supposed economic development does not trickle down to feed the hungry mouths at the grassroots level, the numbers are insignificant. What will matter in the end are its people and their development as humans.

Any citizen who does not have a criminal record should be permitted to Essay - 1

Any citizen who does not have a criminal record should be permitted to carry a concealed weapon - Essay Example This can occur in the case an official is committing a crime against a citizen. Additionally, there are activists who strongly oppose the whole idea of citizens possessing weapons. The concern however is, should the citizen helplessly watch the officials use their power to mistreat citizens instead of working for them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While the restrictions against ownership of weapons are still strict, the level of crime is still high. Most of the violent attacks are executed using weapons meaning that the criminals, who are still citizens, possess the weapons though illegally (Cothran 40). The government has not been in a position to completely provide security to the citizen; this is because of the long distance between the security quarter and the scene of the attacks. The security officials find it difficult to respond to a citizen’s security concern in time. As long as the security official takes much time, the criminals tend to have enough time to hurt the victim. The dilemma remains, should the government formulate and enforce more restrictions or should the restrictions be relaxed. The activists against the possession of weapons by citizens still hold strong to their belief (Lovelace 56). They argue that if a person is legalized to shoot in the event of an attack, this reduces the power of the law. The State government is left with no law to enforce. However, in this proposal, a clear explanation is given as to why a person should be allowed to own a weapon so long as he meets the qualifications given. While there is a need to legalize the ownership of the weapon by the citizens, some of the cases presented in court in past, have proved some of the people in possession of weapons use them in committing criminal offences. For instance, a citizen may use the weapon to revenge (Lovelace 39). A law to legalize carrying of weapons by citizens is a

Security of an Organisation and Civil and Criminal Law Essay

Security of an Organisation and Civil and Criminal Law - Essay Example The likelihood of occurrence of the threat posing the risk will determine the need for intervention in the activities within a facility. In other words, Security may be considered assured freedom from poverty or want, precautions taken to ensure against theft, espionage, or a person or thing that secures or guarantees. According to Fischer and Green, (2004, p. 21) "security implies a stable, relatively predictable environment in which an individual or group may pursue its ends without disruption or harm and without fear of such disturbance or injury." These are the primary reasons underlying the widening horizons and increasing scope of the security industry. The security requires manifold diversification of deployment of manpower. Thus, the security industry is a diverse and a specialty industry that has a requirement for both generic and domain-specific skills (Hesse & Smith, 2001; Manunta, 1996) and is a relatively young and emerging discipline, continues to expand (Fischer & Green, 2004). However, this expansion has resulted in limited tertiary education programs and research to determine the knowledge structure of security. Security in a wider sense applied to a polity may be expanded to consider national security and the defense of a nation which is managed and secured through the use of force and control by armed forces. The power to control is exercised through laws to control a state's citizens and aliens. Security necessarily implies policing of a public which includes citizens and aliens with the aid of the armed forces, state police armed with various civil and criminal laws. It is also considered useful in the prevention of crime, risk management or loss prevention. This diversity results in a society that has no clear understanding of what security is, but has the divergence of interests from many stakeholders. A traditional definition of security is the provision of private services in the protection of people, information and assets for individual safety or community wellness (Craighead, 2003). Thus more and more business and commercial establishments are bending towards increased security services in preventing undesirable, unauthorized or detrimental loss of an organizations assets. But security may present very different meaning to different people given time, place and context. It has been suggested that security has to have a shared definition among many disciplines, that this is essential and urgent (Manunta, 1996) This is more so in view of the fact that current international fight against terrorism and related threats has given the security a new meaning and dimension encouraging the scholars to study the subject with diverse perspectives, in national, domestic and international fields. The security to the organization can be studied from two perspectives. Traditionally, the security threat perception of a business organization has been different from the security threat perception of a country.

Competitive Advantage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competitive Advantage - Research Paper Example While there exists competitors that constitute operational threats for Tim’s Coffee Shoppe, the coffee shop has managed to outperform its competitors in various aspects. In its line of operation, Tim’s Coffee Shoppe remains committed to the goal of satisfying its customers. This is in line with the primary objective of capturing a substantial market share in the industry within which the company operates. By comparing Tim’s Coffee Shoppe with the two identified competitors in the matrix above, the strengths and weaknesses that characterize the company’s operations are highlighted. Tim’s Coffee Shoppe’s operational quality is not the best in town. However, this matches Queequeg’s Coffee quality level, but it is outperformed by Tim Hortons. In general, the quality associated with Tim’s Coffee Shoppe is desirable. It accounts for a given level of the coffee shop’s strengths. Although the strength therein is relatively limited, there is room for improvement. By evaluating the outperformer’s operations and quality management practices, Tim’s Coffee Shoppe can enhance its quality strength. The outlets owned and managed by Tim’s Coffee Shoppe constitute a substantial strength for this coffee operator. In fact, this strength outperforms that of its competitors. Tim’s Coffee Shoppe is located in close proximity with busy and high demand areas like railways and universities. While both competitors have more locations than Tim’s Coffee Shoppe, their locations are not as strategically placed as those of Tim’s Coffee Shoppe. In this respect, Tim’s Coffee Shoppe enjoys an operational advantage over its competitors. Employees are essential drivers of the operations undertaken by any given company. Even with the need for Tim’s Coffee Shoppe to outperform its competitors, the company has not adequately addressed employee issues. Employee reorganization and the observance of management dynamics are vital from time to time, as an

Independent research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Independent research - Essay Example The credit cards involve much risk such as theft, fraud, misuse of personal information, etc. however these risks can be managed by paying just a little attention to once financial position and the purchasing power. The card holder must communicate his rights and obligations to the issuing authority which strengthens their relationship and reduces risks (Anderson & Schroder, 2010). Credit cards offered by the Banks Credit cards are offered by the Banks to their customers, through whom they can make payments for online products, in shops, products available with the telemarketers, for paying bills of hotels and resorts, for paying fare, etc. As indicated by name they are based upon the credit system, the user of the card would have to pay interest to the bank whenever he makes payments through the credit card. The issuer of the card is the Bank itself which allows the consumers a continuous balance of debt with the interest payments. The idea of a credit card was emerged somewhere in 1887. The concept of the modern credit card was based on the idea of merchant credit schemes which were used among the companies to make payments. Later the horizon of the card become wide and it became available to the local public. Initially these cards were made of celluloid plastic but these days mostly polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used. The credit card holder does not require having an account in the bank. Since the whole process revolves around the concept of credit therefore it is better to say that the card owner borrows some amount from the bank to make purchases which are later paid with an additional amount of interest. People often make purchases without considering their payback power that either they would be able to pay the credited amount to bank or not. Just in case if they are unable to pay their credits then they face the consequences of credit card debt. Whenever a purchase is made the card holder enters the personal identification number (PIN) on the basis of whi ch he will pay the Bank in future (Crouhy, Galai & Mark, 2010). Credit cards are often attached with lots of free goods and services that the consumers enjoy on their side whenever they make payments. These services are provided by the banks and different companies. For instance, if you use a credit card of the certain bank, then it will give you several transactional benefits and also easy payment methods. While on the other hand the companies give discounts or additional services to purchase their product. But to enjoy the extra services customers need to make purchases up to the required limit (Carrol, 2010). Now there are electronic devices available to check the balance and the purchasing power of the card holder instantly. The purchasing power of the card holder can also be analyzed by the security code printed on the card. This is usually done in online purchases or the one that are made over the telephone where the sales person verifies that either the customer is able to ma ke the payment or not. Every month the card holder receives a bill indicating all of his purchases and the final amount that he has to pay to the Bank. If the card holder is also having an account in the same bank then the unpaid balance is deducted from their otherwise he can choose to make the payment later with a late fee or additional interest amounts. Regulatory aspect of credit cards: In 2009, President Barrack Obama signed the credit card

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Assignment Example Community health care can be defined as the overall healthcare provision service that is formulated to deliver health care services to the homesteads. It is a decentralized avenue of taking the services to the lowest level of households. It ensures healthcare services accessibility to the marginalized, coronary illness victims and generally reaches to the disadvantaged at the ground level. It is designed to help people live as independent as possible within the confines of their homes and communities. The trends of interconnectedness in global practices have led to sharing of positive effects as well as negative effects as regards to the various health care systems. On the positives, globalization has led to the easy spread of favorable healthcare practices at all the care systems from one country to another. However, infectious diseases are easily spread within the era of globalization through easy travelling from one place to another. In my own opinion, improvements in the health c are systems notable within the US can be attributed highly to globalization. This is because there is easy movement in technology and improvements. However, globalization has also adversely affected the health sector in that there is a high rate of new infections due to easy movement. Health care teams have noted effects on the ever increasing numbers of immigrant nurses. Despite the great need for nursing services within many countries, the mass movement of nurses towards the other countries especially the developed countries has been disturbing. Much of the concern is due to the increased competition which in turn leads to strain in resources within the management teams in catering to the rising costs to maintain these immigrants. Moreover, the management teams may find it hard to effectively handling the ever-growing number of these immigrants. Though cultural diversity may be interpreted in different perspective, the challenges that accompany it are widely spoken of. Majorly, ma nagement practices vary due to the reasons of the varying cultural practices as well as believe. Moreover, interpersonal relations may be affected by the cultural lineages. Organizational management as well as better communication strategies is among other effective strategies that the nurse leaders within culturally diverse working group may use to ascertain effectiveness in their roles (Contino, 2004, 1-2 of 11). Through proper organization, the diversity in cultural orientation would be positively interpreted for the sake of productivity. Moreover, efficiency in communication would bring cohesion within the nursing fraternity and hence success in management. As a nurse, the future success in the profession requires certain professional as well as personal attributes through which the effectiveness of a nurse is analyzed. Nursing is a profession and as many other professional careers are, they are guided by set values, ethics and regulations for work. Moreover, personal attributes are very basic for the personal effectiveness as a nurse. Among the strengths that would drive me towards realizing competency in the field of nursing are the basic professional values which are globally biding. Nevertheless, some of these values and traits are human developed and as such requires personal efforts to cultivate. The self attributes of compassion, empathy, self awareness, selflessness as well as knowledge-ability equally befits me for a successful nursing career in the future. Image

Causes of the English Civil War Essay Example for Free

Causes of the English Civil War Essay Charles I came to the throne in 1625 after the death of his father, James I. His reign maintained some similarities with his father’s reign. For instance, both Charles and James had very little money and both of them believed firmly in the Divine Origin of Kingship1. During his reign, many events took place which led to the English Civil War in 1642 and which ended up with the public execution of Charles I. This essay will discuss and deal with the different factors that gave rise to the English Civil War. As was said above, one of the main problems of Charles’ reign was the lack of money and, undoubtedly, this was a good reason for a civil war. Everything started when the Parliament asked Charles to go to war with the Catholics in Spain. Charles did not have the needed money to face this war and so he asked for taxes, the taxes were not enough and the war was impossible. This outraged the MPs but they knew that Charles would then call them back for help. Parliament did not like Charles because they thought he spent money only on his favourites so the King himself would have to find a way to make money. Charles tried several things such as enforcing taxes known as â€Å"ship money†2, selling monopolies and titles; he also created a â€Å"Court of Star Chamber† which was composed by 1 The divine origin of kingship: According to this doctrine, since only God can judge an unjust king, the king can do no wrong. (Definition provided by http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Divine_Right_of_Kings.html) 2 Nonparliamentary tax first levied in medieval times by the English crown on coastal cities and counties for naval defense in time of war. (Definition provided by http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/540944/ship-money) officials of the crown and which main purpose was to fine people heavily so as to raise money. As there was not a jury, this â€Å"court† would obviously fulfill his expectations. Parliament was really angry for the illegal situation, so Charles decided to dissolve it. The reign continued for eleven years without a Parliament. He called a Parliament again just because he needed money. The Covenanters expressed their desire to invade England and Charles did not have the sufficient money to fight them. The Parliament refused to give him money from the taxes and Charles dissolved it again. Eventually, as he was forced to pay a determined sum of money to the Scots, he called a Parliament again. He was destroyed economically. Undoubtedly, Charles’ poor economic manage and his bad decisions were closely related to the outbreak of the civil war. Another crucial cause was religion. These quarrels began when Charles married to Henrietta Maria who was a French Catholic. Having a Catholic as a Queen was not accepted at all by English people, especially by the Puritans. Things went worse when the King made William Laud the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633. The Archbishop modified many things in the Church. For instance, beatifying the Church and bringing back robes for priests, statues and stained-glass windows. Laud also attempted to impose the English Prayer Book3 in Scotland. As Scotland was a Puritan (Presbytarian) country, they rioted against this â€Å"Too Catholic† Prayer Book and a group of Scots, the Covenanter’s, decided to invade England as it was mentioned in the previous paragraph. After putting Laud on trial, the Parliament found him guilty. 3 A book which stated how services should be run (Definition provided by http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-london/A622937) Another major cause which led to the civil war was Charles’ personality. It may seem not a fundamental cause comparing it with the above mentioned ones. Nonetheless, his way of thinking, his bad decisions, his conflicts with the MPs, his wife’s influence and his contradictory and inconsistent reign also contributed to the outbreak of the civil war. During Charles’ reign, a distinction between a Short Parliament and a Long Parliament can be made. The Short Parliament was called in 1640 by the King because the Scots rebelled and due to his bad financial situation, he needed to levy a tax to deal with them (only with the Parliament’s consent could he do it). This parliament was summoned after eleven years of dissolution. Even though such dissolution was not constitutional, it was one of the King’s prerogatives. The MPs met the gentry and expressed their feeling of indignation to them. Harbottle Grimston and John Pym led a catalogue of complaints. On May 5th in the same year, Charles dissolved the Parliament again blaming â€Å"the malicious cunning of some few seditious affected men†. Finally, Charles came to an agreement with the Scots of paying them  £850 a day. On the other hand, the Long Parliament was summoned from November 3rd 1640 for thirteen years. Charles needed funds for the daily payment and for a final settlement with the Scots. In this Parliament, 493MPs were elected; most of them were from the County Faction4. Parliament sent both Strafford and Laud to the Tower accusing them of bad influence on the King. Charles tried to calm things down signing Strafford’s death warrant, passing a bill that allowed for Parliament not to be dissolved without its own consent, a bill making ship money illegal and other bills that taken together demolished the framework of prerogative government. 4 MPs who tried to represent the views of the landowners. (Definition provided by http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-london/A622937) The Irish rebelled in 1641 because of their King’s death. Definitely, the execution of Strafford had not been a good choice. John Pym issued the Militia Bill and the Grand Remonstrance5 . Subsequently, Charles decided to arrest him and his ringleaders, he tried to arrest five MPs but as they had been previously warned, Charles could not find them. As this was considered a breach of Parliamentary privileges by MPs, it just made things worse between them. And it was on 22nd August when the civil war started. To conclude, it cannot be stated that the most important cause of the English Civil War was unfair taxation because, as was described, there were many factors which created a tense relationship between Parliament and the King. Unfair taxation was a really important cause. However, it was not the only possible factor. Religious, financial and management issues played an important role as well. People who surrounded the King also took an essential part in this big conflict. It also has to be recognized that when Charles came to the throne, things were not in good conditions. Neither his father nor Charles could manage their reigns properly. A civil war could not have been avoided unless Charles would have changed his mind and way of thinking but as he was born with a belief in the Divine Origin of Kingship and did not have much knowledge about kingships, it would have been very difficult to achieve. 5 It listed all the things Charles had done wrong in his reign, suggested less power for bishops, and said that Parliament should have power over the Church and the appointment of Royal ministers. (Definition provided by http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-london/A622937)

Discussing The American Ideals In The Post War Period English Literature Essay

Discussing The American Ideals In The Post War Period English Literature Essay Throughout this essay I shall be discussing the American ideals in the post-war period. I will question whether American Culture is all about conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal. Therefore, I will be concentrating on Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman (1949) and David Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross (1982). These texts are of particular interest from a theoretical point of view because the time of their writing spans a period from the end of modernism through to post-modernism. As such they offer a valuable opportunity to examine the American dream. All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (Jefferson, 2004, p48) This pursuit of happiness is now what is seen as the American dream. A result within the evolution of economical trade, the uppermost definition of Americas pursuit of happiness is success, often rejecting the original values within the declaration, all men maybe created equal but the pursuit of happiness soon denies equality. Miller and Mamet, present plays where equality has been denied making way for the competitive world that is conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal(Clark). It was Calvin Coolidge  who said, The Business of America is Business(Coolidge, 1968, p3) highlighting America not as a land of opportunity but a land of capitalism. Coolidge goes on Of course the accumulation of wealth cannot be justified as the chief end of existence (Coolidge, 2007, p358). When looking at the two plays, it is easy to see how Coolidge came to this decision. An immediate evolution can be seen even within the titles. Millers play Death of a Salesman (1940s) shows that the play is clearly about the death of a man who was a salesman. Whereas, Mamets play Glengarry Glen Ross (1980s) is named after a plot of land, a product that is being sold. The man no longer exists but has been consumed by a world where selling is life. By using this as a starting point, it is easy to see how both Miller and Mamet create worlds were men are struggling to keep an existence as a result of the American culture. As a Master craftsman (Richards, 1976, p4) Miller uses incredible detail in his stage directions, by using an exploded set Miller was able to create dramatic effect. This setting can be seen as the destruction taken place in Willys mind. This set could also be used as a theatrical tool to represent the destruction of any male mind, forced upon by the world in which it is set. Furthermore, this setting also manages to retain the Aristotelian unity of time and place throughout the play, showing Loman not only as the typical 1940s family man, but also as a typical product of American culture. The majority of the action takes in Willys family home. The Brooklyn neighbourhood, a fashionable place to be well liked(Miller, 1949, p2329). The first of the set of stage directions say the house is in fact a dream rising out of reality(p2327) reflecting the need to accomplish ones self in a world where money is the only acceptable goal, all of Willys achievements can be see within the house. Wha t is more, this unity of time and place is also a tool that can be carried along the years to Glengarry with one difference, the family home has disappeared, the need to accomplish success is no longer to be well liked(2329), money is no longer an acceptable goal, but the only goal, this is the point where America is business. Benedict Nightingale described the Mamets characters within Glengarry as Willy Loman at work in the 1980s just as vulnerable but even more driven, even more compromised and distorted by the pressures of commerce and the harshness of society (Nightingale, p89) The willy loman at work in the 80s could also represent the exploded mind of Willy existence; an un-natural existence where everything Willy once knew has now changed, the world that was changing is now reality in Glengarry Glen Ross. Mamet disregards everything that was once natural the garden, the family, the neighbours. Instead the new nature is that of human nature that has been developed to close and always be closing(Mamet, 1982). The men are only in two places, either the office or the restaurant by taking away the family scenes. Mamet has created a play beyond Loman, an existence where there isnt a real life or a proper existence, but an exploded mind, a mind full of expletives words, empty words that dont quite connect. This disintegration of language from the 1940s Death of a Salesman to the 1980s Glengarry Glen Ross is so well presented that it was referred to by the actors of the 1992 film adaptation as Death of a Fuckin Salesman(Harris, 2008), not even the language has been completed, it has only deteriorated to the point that the Salesman has to highlight his power by being that Fuckin Salesman. The characters themselves rarely complete a sentence, never mind completing it without profanity. They never complete a deal and the play does not complete itself. Figure one (to the left), shows a poster for a Death of Salesman; it can be assumed that the image is Willy. The image could connote the idea that Willy is no longer in the spot light; he is not the successful salesman. The character has his back turned, and is a shadow of a man. Willy is a man standing still in the shadows of a world constantly moving and so he continues using his own method, powers of persuasion, talk. Willys personal representations of the American Dream are his brother Ben and the salesman Dave Singleman, and he views the success of these two men as something to aim for, he does not accept that these symbols of success are also past. As Willy looks to Dave Singleman for success, what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four . . . and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?(Miller, 1949, p2361) His admiration of Singlemans prolonged success illustrates his obsession with being well liked. He fathoms having people remember and love him as the ultimate satisfaction, because such warmth from business contacts would validate him in a way that his familys love does not. However, Willy Ignores, the fact that he was a single man still working at age eighty-four. Levene looks to Willy Loman as a Single-man figure, using similar tactics. Levene uses invention and improvise, he is the performative salesman, and like Willy he believes he can be successful in the future because he was successful in the past. When he performs the story of his successful sale with the Nyborgs, we actually hear Levine being referred to, as the Machine (Mamet, 1982) up to now he has been a failure; Levine believes he can sell like he could when he was still hot.(Mamet,1982) This is Levene fatal flaw, just like Willy, he has a tendency to believe what he wants to believe. There is no growth or resolution by any of the characters. Its contacts Charley, I got important contacts!(Miller, 1949, p2344) says Willy. Give me the leads!(Mamet, 1982) Says Levene. Willy dies the death of a salesman; Shelly says, I was born for a salesman Mamet, 1982, yet suffers the same fate as Willy. Levene is no longer conforming to the incontrovertible ideal but being murdered by it, the symbolic death of Levine the machine forces him to look back into the past like Loman, he depends of the glory of the past, but in this fast moving world the past doesnt exist. Levine has to try to cling on to identity talks to the end like Loman I I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Mamet, 1982). The only resolution that appears is death, in Death of a Salesman it is the physical death of Willy, and in Glengarry, it is the ending of words, the ending of selling. Due to constant striving towards the American dream everyone seems unhappy in someway, they have not reached the incontrovertible ideal that acts a s some sort of substantial completion. As well as the American Dream, both the plays show the characters performing to another incontrovertible ideal, and that is masculinity. A man  IS  his job  and you are  fucked at yours (Mamet, 1982) Willy was his job, when his job was taken away from him, he ceased to exist. In Millers essay Tragedy of the Common Man, Miller identifies the tragic flaw of all common men as inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity, his image of his rightful status.(Miller, 1949, p1) Willy defines himself as a salesman, and feels that he must succeed in the business world to define himself as an accomplished man. Mamet believes that the idea that Willy perceives as being successful is the ideal that makes up the masculine identity. Mamet describes Glengarry as a gang comedy about men, work, and unbridled competition (Kane, 1992, p. 256) merging the idea that masculinity is capitalism, work is money, money is success, success is m asculine. Mamets view shows a primitive connection to masculinity, it is a gang of unbridled competition a pack like resemblance and Willys inherent unwillingness to remain passive(Miller) means he steps out of place within the gang and therefore cast aside, the same can be said for Levene. Both plays represent the idea that all men are cogs in a working machine controlled by a higher power suggesting there are not only a gang at work but also a whole pack of wolves. As Shakespeare once claimed All the worlds a stage, and all the  men and women merely players (Shakespeare, 2001,p417). In Glengarry the players are the salesmen playing in the world of Mitch Murray, the world of capitalism has become so powerful that there is no access or communication with the boss. This is where we can see the main difference between the two plays. In Death of a Salesman Willy is still able to communicate with his boss, Howard, not only communicate but also converse with. A raisonneur character is one that appears to express the authors opinions towards the subject matter. In the Death of a Salesman and Glengarry, the raisonneur puts forward an argument against the idea that American culture is all about conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal and in someway bring some morals to the narratives. I looked at the pen and I thought, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I dont want to be . . . when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am. (Miller, 1949) For the first time in this capitalistic culture we see a character fighting out against the American Dream. Biff claims he is, who he is and conforming to an incontrovertible ideal would only change him. Biff is confident explaining this to his father and goes on to explain that he comfortable with the fact that he is a dime a dozen,(Miller, 1949) accepting this allows Biff to escape the conformist culture, and escape from his fathers delusional lifestyle. Biff is now able to break away from the conventional. Biff goes on to tell his father You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them!(Miller, 1949) Biff wants his father to know that he was successful; he was a hard working man but a victim of the American Culture. Willy cannot understand any identity that goes beyond material success and a well liked status, all promised by the American Dream. By taking control of his own life with his own dreams, Biff is the real success. It is hard to find a raisonneur character in Glengarry however; it can be argued that the act of stealing the leads is a revulsion against the capitalist hierarchy. Originally the reader is lead to believe that the thief is Aaronow, one of the quieter characters. In conversation, faster talkers like Moss and Roma easily overpower Aaronow. His dependence on the others is apparent as he tends repeat what other people are saying to him. Like Levene, Aaronow is not on the board and is in danger of getting fired. When the reader finds out Aaronow has not stolen the leads, he is then represented as a raisonneur rejecting the act, and therefore the dream. On the hand, Moss, who set up the robbery, fights against Levene, the true thief Fuck the machine (Mamet, 1982) this outburst acts as a fight against the traditional salesman. When looking at these two plays one can see how the American culture adapts to performing to the single ideal through modernism aspect of Death of a Salesman though to the condition of postmodernism in Glengarry, the disappearance of history, the death of the human and possibly humanity, a circumstance of Capitalism. As the motion moves the eternal present only exists by the next sale, there is no time to stop. Theodor W. Adorno says, In America there is no difference between a man and his economic fate. A man is made by his assets, income, position and prospects. The economic mask coincides completely with a mans inner character (Adorno, 1999, p195) the Marx critic then goes on to explain, Everyone is worth what he earns and earns what he is worth(p195) product has become everything to prove yourself, produce and materials good have become an extension of ones self. The sales office in Glengarry represents a pure capitalist culture. Separating men by success, literally by a board, the top selling gets a Cadillac and to the other extreme the bottom man gets fired. In some way this environment is backward, cutting all relationships, every character must work for his own success as well as hope for or purposely intervene, into his co-workers failure; the system is brutal and compassionless. At the plays climax, Levene questions Williamson about his motives to report him to the police, Williamson response, Because I dont like you.(Mamet,1982) Williamson, a businessman himself, has been trained to fear and hate failure. Similarly, J. Ronald Oakley claims that American are consumed by desires for status, material goods, and acceptance, Americans apparently had lost the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, and craftsmanship that had characterized the nation (Oakley, 1960) Oakley goes on to express that this materialistic America is due to the aftermath of World War II and that it exacerbated the ethical shift as a consumer culture blossomed and Americans became preoccupied with material goods (Oakley). This has been Willys fate; his failure was already set as a man at that bottom of the capitalistic hierarchy. Willys whose world is represented in his house; it is an extension of him. Props in the play such as the refrigerator, trophy and table with three chairs(Miller, 1949), have intended to show the different modern lifestyles that Willy, as a salesman has been able to keep to. The trophy represents success and how it was in reach for the Lomans and how they were close to getting the American Dream that has resulted in Willys down fall, the main object to his fatal flaw. Miller goes as far to represent the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, (Oakley) which Oakley speaks of. The author describes his setting as a Solid vault of an apartment houses around the small. Fragile-seeming home(Miller, 1949), a dramatic devise used by Miller to show Willys failure to be a success and also creates a very enclosed feeling, the pressure Willy is experiencing, in trying to meet the demands of work, his family and in trying to achieve ultimate success. Moreover, this failure and belief is what has carried on through to the nineteen-eighties, merging both plays together into one circular narrative, as long as Americans keep conforming to one single incontrovertible ideal the American dream will stay alive, and the stories of the salesmans death will be continued. Bibliography Adorno in Kane David Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross: text and performance. (Vol 8) Routledge, 1999 Coolidge in Fuess Calvin Coolidge The Man from Vermont,. Read Boook, 2007 Coolidge in Berg The Business of America, Harcourt, Brace World, 1968 Harris, Pacino Worldwide Movie Gallery 2008 http://www.pacinoworldwide.com/pacinoworldwidemoviegallery/id37.html Visited: 7/03/2010 Jefferson, in Bernstien Thomas Jefferson: The Revolution of Ideas. Oxford University Press US, 2004 Kane, Brass Balls: Masculine Communication and the Discourse of Capitalism in David Mamets  Glengarry Glen Ross in The Journal of Mens Studies(Vol 8) http://mensstudies.metapress.com/content/n72577l755jk307j/ Viewed 07/03/2009 Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross (1982) in The Norton Anthology: American Literature (vol E 7th ed) Baym W.W Norton company, 2007 (3042-3074) Miller, Tragedy and the common man. Department of English, [University of California at Berkeley], 1949 Miller, Death of a Salesman (1949) in The Norton Anthology: American Literature (vol E 7th ed) Baym W.W Norton company, 2007 (2327-2389) Nightingale in Christopher Bigsby (ed) Cambridge Companion to David Mamet P89 Oakley,  Gods Country: America in the Fifties, Yale University Press, 1960 Richards, America on stage: ten great plays of American history. University of Michigan, 1976 Shakespeare, As you like it in A New Varioum Edition of Shakespeare Series Works,  Classic Books Company, 2001

History of the Traditional School Calendar Essay -- essays papers

History of the Traditional School Calendar The American educational system is based on the traditional, nine-month school calendar, which has been in place for over a century. Originally, the United States was an agrarian society. The majority of Americans lived on farms. People made most of the items that they needed, and with little trade necessary, there was no need for schooling (McLain, 1973). However, as people branched out into neighboring areas, they needed to learn new skills, such as basic arithmetic to price items, measure land, and more (McLain, 1973). As a result, it became the responsibility of those who were less needed on the farm or in the factory to acquire knowledge for the family (McLain, 1973). Accordingly, children went to school to learn the skills they needed for life. In rural areas, the school year lasted for five to six months, â€Å"from the last harvest to the first planting† (Shields, 2000, 24). However, in the urban environment, schools were open eleven or twelve months of the year (Shields, 2000). This is because urban schools provided a way to get children off the labor market, as well as enable them to learn the new technology of the time (McLain, 1973). Then, in 1847, in order to offer a standard curriculum, â€Å"urban schools reduced the length of their school year and rural areas increased the number of their school days (Shields, 2000, 25). The result was the traditional, agrarian school calendar of nine months in school, with a three month vacation. Year Round Education Introduced Today however, the role of the modern public school is beginning to change. The United States is no longer an agrarian society. As a result, people feel that the traditional school calendar is too old-fashioned a... ..., from Lexus Nexus. Saunders, M. (2004, September 7). Try year-round school: The lazy days of summer may hurt children who struggle in school the rest of the time. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pp. 14A, Retrieved November 6, 2004, from Lexus-Nexus. Wildavsky, B. (1999, August 20). Scholars of summer. U.S. News and World Report, 127(5), 52-54. Bussard, B. (2004, July). Summer matters. Retrieved November 2, 2004, from http://www.summermatters.com/ Texas Center for Educational Technology. (1994). Technology helping year-round to rebuild the education puzzle at Driscoll ISD. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from www.tcet.unt.edu/images/i0601.pdf Walker, W. (2003, December). Year round education. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from http://www.geocities.com/weswalker99/index.html YRE Statistics. (2003). Retrieved November 4, 2004, from http://nayre.org/statistics.

Stanley Kramer’s Inherit the Wind :: Stanley Kramer Inherit the Wind

Stanley Kramer’s Inherit the Wind    History is consistently used in films as a technique to teach the values and morals of events that occurred. But what’s the point in teaching history through films when they are terribly fictional? In films, the director finds the best scheme to intrigue their audience only by changing the actual event to satisfy their interest. This is true for Stanley Kramer when he made the history of John Scopes and his â€Å"monkey trial† into a film called Inherit the Wind. Kramer knew the exact stereotypical â€Å"Hollywood history† his audience enjoyed. The trial itself had a series of conflicts, the main one being evolution vs. religion. Yet there was also a series of tensions throughout the movie, including the argument between individual vs. society. The same themes from Inherit the Wind can also be seen from the actual â€Å"monkey trial† event in Dayton, Tennessee. It is sometimes said that truth is stranger than fiction and according to this film, truth is al so stronger than fiction. Inherit the Wind ignored the true dramatic moment, which is essential to the actual trial that happened in Dayton, Tennessee. Kramer even portrayed his own opinion of this trial in this film. The truth was so distorted in the film so now the argument is not individual vs. society or evolution vs. religion but history vs. fiction. Inherit the Wind is set in the little town of Hillsboro when Bertram Cates (played by), a biology teacher, was thrown into prison for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Two famous lawyers were behind this case, Henry Drummond (played by) as the defender and Mathew Harrison Brady (played by), as the prosecutor. Mathew Harrison Brady who was â€Å"voted 3 times for a presidential candidate† was sent to Hillsboro is carry out the job as a prosecutor for this trial. As for Cates, a journalist from Baltimore Herald by the name of E.K. Horrbeck willingly provided a lawyer named Henry Drummond for him. Horrbeck was inter ested in the Cates, expecting to make big bucks from this big â€Å"media† case. The two opposing lawyers, Drummond and Brady, were Kramer’s two main characters, both with different opinions on how humans arrived on earth. Drummond supported the evolution theory, while Brady, the creation theory. In this film, Kramer distorted the facts of the actual trial to make this film more of a drama than a history documentary.

To Kill A Mocking Bird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Twelve Angry men by Reginald Rose and The Scottsboro Trial are all about unfair trials containing discrimination towards different people and people being prejudice .The peoples action towards the defendants affected them for the rest of their life. Many of the people that came into the court brought in their own social problems and that influenced the verdict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To Kill The Mockingbird was about a black guy named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young women by the name of Mayella Ewell. In the court, significant evidence was presented to the juror's that would prove that Tom Robinson was innocent. The evidence showed that a left handed male must have beat Mayella because the bruises were on the right side of her and Tom Robinsons left arm was disabled. Robinson could not have beat Ms. Ewell. Tom Robinson was still convicted and later on was shot at a prison fence while he was trying to run away. The juror's discriminated Mr. Robinson and was prejudice towards him because all though evidence was presented to them that would prove Tom innocent they ignored it because the guy was black and in the 30's discriminating blacks were heavily favored. The Twelve Angry Men was about a boy who was accused of stabbing his father to death in a argument. In the beginning of the trial all twelve of the juror's voted guilty. Many of the juror's were mean and did not care about the boy's future they just wanted to get the trial over with so the juror's can do what they wanted to do. Later in the case one of the juror's realized they were messing with a boys life and his future was all up to them. So a juror realized that some of the information that a witness brought up had to be false. So they analyzed the information and came to the conclusion that the boy could not have stabbed his father the way he did because one of the juror's had seen many knife fight's in his backyard and you can not stab someone downward with a switchblade. Also another witness said that the knife that the kid had could be bought anywhere. The juror's discriminated the boy because he lived in the slums , he has a criminal record and he was always fighting with hi s dad so they just assumed he was the one that killed his dad.

Being a leader

Since my childhood I am self motivated and committed to my work, due to my family background. My grandfather taught me a lot about discipline. I learned work ethics from my father in the first place through his attitude with colleagues at work and at home with the members of the family. My education in engineering provided important technical knowledge, which ought to be entwined with the aforesaid principles. My software experience enhanced my skills in system analysis and bug fixing. I am a quick learner and a practical problem solver.I am good at leveraging my past experience into new technologies. I proved my commitment and project management skills by meeting the project deadlines at Countrywide Home loans. Management at Countrywide awarded me with Star Search Award, which portrays my adaptability and result oriented nature. Traditionally theorists stated that good leaders or not made but born (Lussier N. R. , 2006, p460). However, nowadays it is believed that leadership skills can be learned (Orlitzky M. et al 2003, p128-138). The following experiences also prove my leadership skills.After successful completion of my tertiary education in Computer Science and Engineering, I was offered a job in â€Å"FJ Benjamin & Holdings,† Singapore in December 1995 after rigorous initial screening. At that time I was a team member of a group that was involved in developing an application for in house use. During its development phase many people left the company seeking better opportunities elsewhere. This led the director in charge of the project to think that the wrong decision was taken since the upper management initially was inclined to purchase the project rather than developing it in house.It was on the insistence of this Director that the company agreed to develop the application in house. Thus it was up to the Director to complete the work on time. I then took the matter at hand and commenced contacting my friends and others to join our group, in order to attain the objectives set. I induced some of my friends to join in the organization and thus helped in the continuance of the project at hand. Ultimately, we were successful in developing and implementing the project.Even though the project took more time than expected due to the adversaries faced, management was content that the project was completed with in the budget set. I was recognized and rewarded for my initiative and coordination of the staff accordingly. References: Lussier N. R. (2006). Management Fundamentals. Third Edition. United States of America: Thomson South-Western. Orlitzky M. ; Benjamin J. (2003). The effects of sea composition on small-group performance in a business school case competition, Academy of Management Learning, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp 128-138.

Tools to measure the effectiveness of social media

What tools are there to measure the effectiveness of a social media campaign? Which, in your opinion, are the best and why? These are five tools to measure our social media marketing effectiveness: Page Rank Checker Using a quick online form, this site enables us to instantly check our websites current Google page rank from O to 10. Our site's page rank is determined by a Google algorithm analyzing various elements of our website, and then comparing them to competitor sites. Hoot Suite Hoot Suite is probably best known for its social media communications dashboard LOL, but it also offers a suite of analytical applications as well.With Hoot Suite, we can track brand mentions, analyze our social media traffic, and track the growth of our followers. Google Analytics and Backbone Insights can also be integrated into our Hoot Suite account, making the service even more valuable. Clout Another social media analytics tool, Clout provides a measurement of our influences across social network s. The guts of Clout is the Clout score which takes into account our network size, content, and how people interact with our online content. Clout cores range from O to 100, with 20 being the average.Google Analytics One of the most widely used web analytics application, Google Analytics is as robust as it is popular. Analytical tools include advertising ROI, e-commerce tracking, social network application tracking useful to analyze both website traffic, but also marketing effectiveness. A particularly useful feature is website referral traffic, which tells us where visitors came from before they visited our site. Backbone Insights Similar to Google Analytics, but for Backbone. Backbone Insights enables us to reawaken our â€Å"likes† by demographics and other attributes.It includes a plethora of handy statistics, like page views, performance of posts, inscribes information, and more. Backbone page administrators can access Backbone Insights on the left hand side bar. In my o pinion we need all tools to be able to have a clear picture of all our social media marketing success but we may chose page rank checker to see where we are comparing to our competitors.

Reconciliation †Polly Clark Essay

Separation is one of the main themes in the short story. Marriage is very valuable and precious, because it is a promise of an everlasting love between a man and woman. People getting married, but people are also getting divorced as well. A marriage does not always turn out the way people had hoped for, and sometimes they will have to separate. A separation is usually a very emotional phase, especially after a divorce. Separation is a contrast to the title of the short story – reconciliation. Moving on, is also one of the main themes in the text. The husband Vernon have moved on, beside that Laura haven’t. In the text, Vernon seems to be the one, who have the most control over himself and his life. Whereas Laura seems to have mental issues and she isen’t thinking clear. In the short story Reconciliation, written by Polly Clark in 2006, we meet Laura who is floating between marriage and divorce. She is first-person narrator, because we are able to know how she is thinking and feeling, even when she dosen’t know it. Laura had a relationship to Vernon for half of her life. It appears, when Laura knows how her husband used to walk â€Å"His walk, just as I remember, is heavier on the left than the right†. Laura and her husband’s relationship are falling apart. For months she and her husband haven’t spoke a word. There have been months of â€Å"†¦Frozen silence.† When Laura dosen’t knows how to resume their contact, she applies for a job at her husband’s office. Laura is very nervous, and she seems doubtful around her husband Vernon, or Mr. Pringle as he is called in the text, by his employer Janny. This is expressed in her following quotes in the start: â€Å"†¦I have forgotten my shoes†, â€Å"I don’t know if I reply, if I do it is in a whisper†, â€Å"I bite my lip as I reach the desk†. The fact that Laura has forgotten her shoes and wearing the clothes, the clothes she have been sleeping with, shows that she’s not able to think clearly and the fact that she can’t speak clearly, but only whisper when Vernon is around, shows that she’s nervous. It makes her look like she has some smaller mental issues, which is caused because she is losing her husband. Laura feels like she is nothing without her husband. It seems like Laura is more interested of getting her husband back, than he is. She still got feelings for him. â€Å"We began our relationship – half my life ago – in a bar, and those were our best times, telling each other the truths of our lives in the warm light.† And later Laura tells Vernon she have grown some onions and had an interview. â€Å"These are both, technically, lies, but could be true†. Laura misses the times, when she and Vernon told each other the truth. But now, when their relationship is falling apart, she starts to lie. Laura wants her husband back. She can’t recognize Vernon anymore, and it seems that her husband has moved on and dosen’t fell the same way as she does. This is expressed in the text: â€Å"How has he managed to remain himself, to become – dare I say it – even more himself, with not even a scar and even a brand new blue shirt†, â€Å"What do you think about this then? You and me, you and me in a place like this†, â€Å"I hope he realizes how much planning, thought, how much normality it took for me to be here today†. Blue is also a color for wisdom and confidence, in contrast to Laura, who dosen’t have confidence, and dosen’t seem wise. When the narrator, Laura, introduce us to her husband Vernon, she describe him as a turtle without its carapace, which is an example of imagery. The way Vernon looks around the room is described as the way a chameleon look around. â€Å"His eyes flick about the room, an alarmed chameleon.†Another example of imagery in the text is when Laura is going to find matching numbers on the sheet with Janny. There is two numbers or two times, called 22.48 and 22.49. Laura is wondering if they are matching together, because they are â€Å"nearly the same. But still they are so different, they present them self. This can be put into perspective to Laura and Vernon. Laura sees herself, as one individual, but still she is wondering if she matching to Vernon. Laura does still wonder why 22.48 are so narrowly missed being 22.49. Laura asks Janny what if she can’t find the reconciliation on the sheet. Janny tells that they remain unreconciled. Sometimes everything isn’t going to work out the way you wanted it to be. But we have to move on, so everything can be reconciled.

Practical Psychology for Everyday Life

Practical Psychology for Everyday Life Question 1 I think one of the most important concepts I learnt from the lecture is the effect and influence of the non-verbal behaviors and language, but the people mostly lack of awareness on them and create misunderstanding even discontent among all of us. These non-verbal behaviors seem to be non-significant in our everyday life, but they do play a key role in daily communication. Even though non-verbal communication could only express simple thoughts and feelings, it indicates the true ideas and emotions.As verbal language sometime different from what we really think, for example, lying and overstating are typical models, these behaviors build up more barriers and obstacles between peoples. Thus, understanding of these non-verbal behaviors helps us express us more clearly and beneficial for our relationships. Non-verbal behaviors appear everywhere, every moment; even though they are common, but we did not pay much attention. And it leads to mismatch of verbal and non-verbal behavior creating ambiguity, the original idea could not be sent.In the past, when I was talking to others, I used to look at anywhere but not the one I was chatting with, no matter teachers or classmates. Because of this strange behavior, I was viewed as an ill-mannered student. It took me years to realize and solve it. In this situation, even though I thought I was talking with my teachers with the most polite language I knew, but my non-verbal behavior crumbled it. It is also a typical problem nowadays youth might have, as electronic gadgets become part of our life, most of us may focus on the smartphone in hand but not the friends around.Thus, the non-verbal behaviors reflect our manner, but lack of attention of these behaviors would be a worrying trend. Moreover, the non-verbal behaviors are indicators of our true feelings. In the past I wondered that how my sister could catch me when I was lying all the time. But later on, I discover that when I tell lies, I often shake my head. If we take a closer look to these minor behaviors, it would be easier to find others’ true feelings and what they try to hide. It is also eneficial for our daily communication. All in all, the non-verbal behavior should match with the verbal language, if we want to express ourselves to other, so other would get our ideas clearly, it avoids the unnecessary arguing and guessing and helps us contact with others more efficiently. Thus, non-verbal behavior should be taken a higher level of consideration. (Words for Q1: 420) Question 2 Self-discrepancy could be varies as three major self- perceptions: actual self, ideal self and ought self.This divergence defines us and shapes our personality as we seek unity of these three perceptions. The actual self represents the true qualities we acquired and what we really are. Despite this, some of us may omit it and pursue the ideal self, the ultimate qualities we desire. Besides that, ought self indicat es the qualities that we should grab. Inspired by my mum, a lady who strongly influenced by the traditional ideas. Once suffered in the mismatch of ought self and actual self. She married a man who did not love her, leading to another unfortunate marriage.This man gambled and lost my mum’s hard-earned money, he get drunk every night and creating more domestic-violence. In this circumstance, it is definitely that she should seek help and leave him. But in the struggle between her actual self – the desire to leave and ought self – the responsibility of a wife, her wavering brings more pain and sadness. In this case, the actual self of my mum falls short of her ought self, mixing the influence of the tradition ideas, she feels guilty when she tried to leave him.Besides that, the guilty remains even she left him for years, it lowers her self-esteem and makes her more fragile. From my mum’s experience, it reflects that the diversity between ought self and actu al self can be deeply affect and change one’s life. Apart from the ought self, the ideal self seems to be the ultimate goal of one’s actual self, but everyone has their own limit. In the past, I was forced to learn how to play piano because of my mum’s will. It was a difficult time for me as I found that I had no interest on piano or other instruments.In fact, I did try my best at the very beginning, but my fingers refused to dance on the piano keys but stomped on it. Later on, my mum started pushing me to play piano day by day, but the result just disappointing as usual. After several months, the monthly-long unsatisfactory outcome depressed me, at the same time, my academic results was declining as well. It illustrated the consequence caused by actual self fails to catch up with ideal self. Thankfully, my class teacher discovered it and discussed it with my mum, the piano measure was lifted and everything was back to normal.Thus, the objective we establish sho uld be achievable and relevant with our own abilities and our actual self. The draw-backs of forcing yourself to do impossible tasks could be unrecoverable. In conclude, understanding of self is the prerequisite for success, even though the desires and obligations may affect us. With the acknowledgement of ourselves, we erase our anxiety and take the duty. We find what our limits are and accept it and it pave the way to success. (Words for Q2: 488)

Victimology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Victimology - Research Paper Example Under this crime, there is murder, rape, robbery and assault. Suicide or murder in general terms, is every human act which results in the immediate death of another man. He is also using the term homicide, which comes from the Latin word homo (man) and cedere (cut). In the strict sense of the murder is considered only the seizure of someones life that is contrary to law, and is often cited as the definition of unlawful taking or unlawful deprivation of life. In almost all countries and in their legal systems and criminal law murder is considered for one of the most serious crimes, and it accordingly regulate. Rape in the broadest sense is the act by which a person is forced to participate in sexual activity against their will or by using violence, threats or use of the fact that this person due to the illness or intoxication that activity is unable or refuse to deal with it. In almost all human societies, and the laws of all states are considered the most serious of all sexual offens es. Theft is committed act of seizure movable property and immovable property with the intent to unlawfully appropriate.Property crime is crime done to someone property; when villain is violating in any way property of victim that is called property crime. Under this crime, there is burglary, larceny, vehicular theft and arson.Burglary is illegal entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offence.Larceny is a crime where someone involves the wrongful acquisition of the personal property of another person.Vehicular theft is a criminal act where someone steals, or tries to steal someone`s vehicle.In the end, arson is the crime where villain intentionally and maliciously set fire to buildings, cars or other property with the intent to cause damage. All of these crimes must have victims involved. Victim can be offended, damaged or physically threatened. Every community is affected by these crimes, and that is one of the plagues

Argument Analysis of a Modest Proposal Personal Statement

Argument Analysis of a Modest Proposal - Personal Statement Example First of all, one needs to emphasize the importance of satire as a major genre of the text.   It is not necessary to read other pamphlets of that period in order to understand that Jonathan Swift does nothing, but making fun of similar pamphlets and proposals. It is obvious that Swift does not really want people to sell children as food, but he dares to use such an outrageous concept in order to attract public’s attention and make himself heard. To my point of view, this approach works pretty well. There are grounds to assume that a seriously written pamphlet emphasizing the importance of funding solutions for economic and social crises would never become a subject of such heated discussions. Thus, at least one objective, which is to attract public's attention, was successfully achieved by the author. Second of all, Jonathan uses standard rhetoric approaches in order to be heard. He, thus, apply to ethos, logos, and pathos, in order to persuade people with different beliefs and convictions. As for his appealing to ethos, one can notice how many times Jonathan mentions ‘a very knowing American’ that can be considered an expert of a discussed issue. By doing this, the author makes an attempt to convince those who tend to rely on professional opinion instead of composing its own.   Of course, satiric nature of the pamphlet does not allow us to consider this reference seriously.  One must admit that Swift should be appraised for his mastership in this field.  

Paragraph Answer Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paragraph Answer - Coursework Example The latter was overthrown, but there emerged a need to develop new rules for living in the community. Moreover, these rules had to be followed by all the parties and suit everybody. After the patrimonial aristocracy was defeated, Cleisthenes became the head of Athens, 508 BC. He immediately embarked on reforms that were to consolidate the victory of the demos and put an end to the danger of the revival of the power of one person or aristocracy. In fact, there occurred the democratization of the political system of Athens. By the middle 5th century BC, Athens developed a complete and in own way perfect form of the ancient slave-owning democracy. Athenian version of democracy to a certain extent made possible the expression of every citizen of the state; while the main aim remained was the power and prosperity of the state. The elimination of the king’s regime in the Ancient Rome marked the end of the process of destruction of the patrimonial organization of the previous epoch, whose speakers were the aristocracy, and the establishment of the civil society and early state (civitas). Republican victory over the clan aristocracy showed the victory of slave ownership over the classical patriarchal ownership (family household). It also signed the radical change of the role of the Senate. In the royal era, the Senate was the council of elders of the kings. They determined the fate of the Senators and the Senate individually and spontaneously. Kings either increased the number of senators or eliminated them all. In the era of the republican Senate, it was the supreme governing body in the state, a stronghold of nobility. The resulting Roman Republic was not democratic state (slave-owning democracy). It became an aristocratic republic, in spite of the fact that all positions in the state were elected. All decisions were taken by Senate. In this respect, there ended an era of the kings and began the era of the domination of the nobility. Nobility was a new aristoc racy that formed as a result of the equalization in rights of plebeians and patricians and the merging of the patricians’ families with plebeians top. So, the prevention of the tyranny of the single rule of one person did not work accurately, because the newly formed nobility gradually seized the leadership of the Senate and the senior civil posts. After the elimination of the tyrannical regimes in the Ancient Greece and Rome, the societies were aiming to prevent the establishment of such regimes in the future. According to the Ancient conception of democracy, equally free people had to be equal in all respects; oligarchy arises from the fact that in some respect superior people claim too much. From the above, it is clear that both, in Athens and in Rome, they established a kind of democratic regimes that contained a number of the core features of the modern understanding of democracy. Among the latter was attracting people to the most important political decisions through th e citizens’ assembly. The access to the assembly had all the citizens of the certain age. All citizens were formally equal in their right of participating and managing public affairs. The ancient

Business communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business communication - Research Paper Example e advertisement under focus pictures a girl who has bandage on both sides of her lips giving the impression that she hurt herself while trying to open her mouth to its limit in order to eat the ‘real big burger’. It has become a trend in the marketing industry to allure the teenagers, especially men, through gender appeal. The same tactic has been applied in the discussed advertisement. The face of the girl is only half visible in the advertisement with her cherry colored lips. The target market of Burger King, as can be analyzed from their overall marketing campaign, consists of moms with young children, teenagers and also middle class income families who have enough income to eat out on occasions. On the other hand, them portraying women in such a way that they cannot handle ‘Burger King’s REAL Big Burgers’ can make a negative impact on their existing target market and exclude many women from it. Burger King’s point of differentiation from its competitors (McDonalds, KFC etc) is that it has ‘REAL Big Burgers’ at the same affordable price which makes it a unique and special place to dine out. In this print ad as well their point of differentiation is depicted through their message intended in this picture. What they intend to say through this message is that our burgers are so big that the mouth of an ordinary person (can also be women) will pierce\cut out if they put it all in their mouth in one go. In this age we are all surrounded by advertisement everywhere in our homes on tv, on billboards while driving, in the bus stations on the internet everywhere. Hence creativity has become one of the primary factors to be considered while making an advertisement to catch the eye of the audience and this ad is a perfect example of creativity. It definitely catches the eye of the audience and the exaggerated ironic appeal would surely amuse him. What attracted me, and perhaps many other viewers, is the challenge to eat big burgers of Burger King. An

Leadership Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership - Case Study Example The university in so doing will require the stakeholders to show acceptance and positive regard towards the expected change. They can attain this issue through being polite and considerate instead of being arrogant when criticizing the change efforts. All the stakeholders or interested individuals as well as the subordinates should be treated with respect as individual. When A.F will be required to provide his explanation for the new selection, he will need to be patient and helpful when giving instructions and explanations (Tsui, Zhang, Wang, Xin, & Wu, 2006). The university needs to express their confidence in A.F to be able to make a good selection that will be used to in the future to help in achieving the course objectives. For A.F to be able to make a good choice of book that everyone will support, he will need to involve all the staff and everyone important to his selection process. He will also need to delegate responsibilities to people, a committee like, to help in making section decision. He will also need to provide relevant information and materials needed by the team t make a good selection. A.F will also need, among other efforts, to let the team develop confidence in him, encourage and support group initiatives as well as recognizing important contribututions from the team members. When it is established that student evaluation of the course that was updated for the new textbook are revealing extremely poor student satisfaction, there are various steps that need to be taken in order to deal with the situation. The first step to deal with it will be to increase the textbook supplies in case the dissatisfaction is because of the shortage in supply of the books. At the same time, if the cause of dissatisfaction is that the textbook is user unfriendly, experienced personnel should be added to help the students with how to go about reading the book (Turnley & Bolino, 2001). Similarly, a

Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management Essay

Trends and Challenges in Human Resource Management - Essay Example Owing to rapid technological advancements, the demand for well trained employees is high. Organizations are now looking to impart necessary skills to their workers using all kinds of innovative strategies and training resources. With respect to this trend, Rothwell, Hohne, & King (2000), state HR practitioners, " must be ready to manage, design, develop or select, and use learning technologies that support learning and development for their organization" (p. 190). Focus has also shifted to employee development, leadership development and performance improvement. Here again the organization looks to HR practitioners to bring out positive results. Mathis & Jackson(2005) state, "Four major HR challenges faced by managers and organizations now and in the future are the globalization of business, economic and technological changes, workforce demographics and diversity, and organizational cost pressures and restructuring" (p. 28). Nowadays the world is a global - workplace and under these circumstances it is the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) to steer the organization across the choppy waters of international law, cultural issues and the threat of terrorism. Technological changes have made it imperative that HRM adapt itself to meet the needs of the organization. The workplace has become increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity, gender and age. Therefore HR practitioners must ensure there is no discrimination or harassment on the basis of ill-conceived stereotypes. They must also work to create an environment of security to enable optimal production while keeping at bay employees' insecurities about losing their jobs. A Complete Performance Management System as Opposed to Annual Performance Appraisals: Performance management seeks to enhance performance, introduce changes as per the need, keep up morale, and keep communication channels opens. According to Hendry et al., "Despite a revised perspective which treats performance management as a wide-ranging process many line managers still equate performance management with annual appraisals and their negative aspects" (as cited in Price, 2000, p. 193). Annual performance appraisals are dreaded by the employees. They are asked to fill out forms or are interviewed and then judgments are made as to their character by managers who are usually ill-suited for the purpose. This method of evaluation creates a hostile environment where negative attitudes prevail and no discernible improvement in performance is seen. In the words of Price (2000), "Modern performance management systems emphasize dialogue rather than assessment" (p. 194). Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) and behavioral observation scales (BOS) are popular techniques designed to overcome the shortcomings of performance appraisals. These techniques stay objective, while focusing on employees' performance and potential. Performance management is a key aspect of HRM. It helps bring out the potential of employees as individuals and as team members. Thus by focusing on performance management the HR department can deal effectively with the trends and challenges of Human resource management. References Fitz - enz, J. (2001). How to measure human resource mana

YOUR CHOICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

YOUR CHOICE - Essay Example The total amount of survey replies was used to minimize deviation. The methods of examination and analysis allow for an understanding of the averages and deviations associated with the deliverables, as will be further defined and shared within the research domain. In total, the survey and computer-assisted questionnaire objective is to define the statistics and deviations associated with the occupation and make recommendations for further investigation and possible solutions This analysis of overall job satisfaction rating will allow the research team to quantify the employees mental state and occupational desires by pointing to the positive and negative connotations. Understanding overall job satisfaction is important to gauge the satisfaction of an occupation as described: Job satisfaction is a combination of cognitive and affective contentment for an individual within a company. Affective satisfaction is that founded on an overall positive emotional assessment of the employee’s job. This satisfaction focuses on their mood when working; i.e., whether the job evokes a good mood and positive feelings while working. (Reudaver et al p 793. 2002) The benefit to AIU is to gain a quantitative analysis of employee satisfaction in general and attitudes toward their work environment, allowing AIU to provide a national consideration for employee mental welfare. The questionnaire for overall job satisfaction was based on a scoring system of 1-7, with 1 being the lowest satisfaction and 7 being the highest on 155 points of data collected with the results for each employee organized in Graph 1.0: The data analysis was performed using Excel with the results in Table 1.0. The mean is 4.39, significant of the average score of satisfaction. The median score was 4.6, which is the number in the middle of data organized from lowest score to highest score. The mode character 5.8 is the largest

The themes of Sickness Essay Example for Free

The themes of Sickness Essay Mary Shelleys infamous literary piece, Frankenstein, is a name that anyone who has ever read a book would be familiar with. Several themes appear throughout the novel, some obvious, some subtle. One of the overlooked but nevertheless significant themes is societys duty to help the poor, the sick, and the ostracized. Multiple imperative events which occurred throughout the piece emphasizes on this theme: Victor Frankensteins mother aiding the poor and sick; Henry Clervals intense care of Victor; and Captain Robert Walton taking Victor aboard and nursing him back to health. Firstly, Victor Frankensteins mother powerfully demonstrates this theme when she regularly visits the poor and performs good deeds on behalf of the impoverished and downtrodden. She further exemplifies her kindness when she and her husband adopt Elizabeth into their family, and take in Justine, the servant girl. Moreover, when Elizabeth catches scarlet fever, a deadly and contagious disease, Mrs. Frankenstein throws her safety away to focus on nursing Elizabeth back to health. Secondly, when Victor becomes ill from troubling events, Henry Clerval tends to him for over several months, helping Victor get through his difficult times. During all that time Henry was my only nurse. [ ] He knew that I could not have a more kind and attentive nurse than himself; and instead of doing harm, he performed the kindest action that he could towards [me] (Shelley ). When one compares Clerval with Victor, one can see that Clerval understands the importance of caring for his fellow human beings, while Victor selfishly ignores others to conduct his own experiment, which he in the end, abandons. There had been no events in which Victor was the one nursing somebody else, yet there were numerous cases of the reverse; where somebody was nursing him. Lastly, not only does Henry tend to Victor, but after Victor tracks the monster to the Arctic regions, he falls deathly ill. When Captain Robert Walton spots a sick, dying man, he takes him aboard and selflessly nurses him-just as Ms. Frankenstein nursed Elizabeth. To put it briefly, one of the most overlooked yet important themes that most characters are contributing in is the theme of societys duty to support and care for the poor, the neglected, and the unhealthy. This theme can be noted by various events which occurs throughout the novel, such as Ms. Frankensteins care for Elizabeth and both Henry and Waltons care for Victor. Each character in the novel can be indirectly-if not directly-connected to Frankensteins theme of tending to the sick. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus. Minneapolis: Stone Arch, 2008. Print.

Search for My Tongue and Presents form My Aunts in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Search for My Tongue and Presents form My Aunts in Pakistan Essay In this essay I shall compare the ways in which each poem describes being part of two different cultures. The word culture is a religion or a belief you belong to or something shared by people. A culture can be a Somalian culture in which we like to eat rice however I am also a part of British culture which I like to eat fish and chips. In my opinion I think it is important to belong to a culture because it represents you and what you do in your life. If you are part of more than one culture you will have a clash. The moral of a Muslim culture says dont steal furthermore the school culture, kids may tell you to steal. We have been looking at these two poems exploring these themes. The first poem is Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan. This tells the story of a teenage girl who does not feel comfortable in the Pakistani clothes sent to her by her relatives but prefers wearing denim and corduroy, which are her everyday clothes in England. The second poem we have been investigating is Search for My Tongue. It examines about a young adult that forgot about her two tongues which means her two languages. The poet testify that she forgot her native tongue which is Guajarati and knows her foreign tongue on the other hand she feels uncomfortable talking at the same time using both languages. Although the poem is using the same metaphor, one talks about a young teenager who is confused in her own thoughts. The young teenager cannot decide whether she is more British or Pakistani. The other poem called Search debates about mother tongue and foreign tongue. A mother tongue is the language that you were born with alternatively a foreign tongue is a language that you learn by yourself. Even though the poems have many differences, theyre also equivalent because they both use a metaphor, which means when something is represents things we cannot see, hear, touch, taste and smell because they are abstract. An example would be a fire which symbolizes anger or exasperation. However, the metaphors are conflicting in each poem. In Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan it is clothes that show her identity and her culture; whilst in Search for My Tongue it is tongue which represents her language. I will introduce the poem by demonstrating how Moniza Alvi develops that idea that the young teenager is torn apart being half British and half Pakistani through her feelings about clothes. At first, the clothes from her aunts are brilliant; she describes the salwar kameez an exotic peacock blue. An example would be they sent me a salwar kameez peacock blue. In this quotation she is suggesting the peacock an exotic bird that has beauty and confidence which contrasts with her feelings. Blue suggests peace, which contrasts her inner conflict and her low self esteem. An example would be a fractured land. In this extract she is feeling another side of her identity she tries to imagine how it might have been if shed lived in Lahore instead, and wonders would she have been more or less at home or still feeling torn apart from two cultures which are the Pakistani culture and the British culture. However, the clothes can also hurt her, for example, candy stripped bangles snapped drew blood. In this quotation she is sensitive and fragile because it indicates her. The word blood suggests her cultural identity which is Pakistani culture. The word snapped specifies that she has been torn apart from two different cultures. The clothes make her feel awkward for example satin silken top was alien. In this extract the girl in Present feels that she is alien and alien implies she does not belong in this world. The word alienated is a use of oxymoron because alien and sitting room does not go together. The poet us oxymoron because you should feel at home when you are sitting in the sitting room however the girl in Presents she feels uncomfortable sitting in her living room wearing her Pakistani clothes. The clothes remind her that she is half-English, which makes her feel uncomfortable and at the same time, she says the clothes are radiant in the wardrobe. Even though she isnt wearing them, they seem full of light and beauty compared with her other things. She is drawn to the flourishing colours. The girl in Presents form My Aunts in Pakistan feels that she would be more relaxed in her everyday English clothes. An example would be I longed for denim and corduroy. In this quotation she is showing that she really likes the British clothes. Denim and corduroy symbolizes British clothes. They are dull and normal unlike beautiful satin silken clothes. This tells us that her Pakistani clothes which are stunning contrast with her lifeless British clothes which were bought from MS. As her English friend dont like her Pakistani clothes, for example, did not impress her school friend. In this extract the English people are shown not value Indian culture. The girl internalises this idea. Her English friend does not like the bright colours of Indian clothes she likes the dull English clothes. However, the girl in Presents admires the delicate way the clothes have been made. An example would be I admire the mirror work. In this extract she tries to see her identity in the Asian clothes drown to her beauty. It also shows her mixed feelings about her heritage; she loves it and hates it at the same time. The opening part of Search for My Tongue is that the girl feels like she is making you imagine having a voice. An example of this would be I have lost my tongue. In this extract the tongue represents her language she has lost part of herself. Tongue sounds more physical and more painful. This is similar to Presents because it connects to the candy stripped bangles she is sensitive and fragile which connects to Searchso both of the poems we can see that they are in pain. In Search for My tongue a powerful image shows the awkwardness of having two languages. An example would be two tongues in your mouth. In this quotation she feels awkward in her mouth. As two tongues are in her mouth she feels muddle up and confused as she cant talk English and Guajarati at the same time. This is similar to Presents because the girl feels that her clothes have clung to her. It connects with Search as both show awkwardness. Also, they both suggest that the main characters have to make a choice between two cultures. You cant have both. As the poet feels it is impossible to combine both languages. For example, you could not use them both together. In this extract she suggests having two tongues puzzle you. This is similar to Presents for the reason that the girl does not feel right with Pakistani clothes she likes wearing her dull every day clothes which are denim and corduroy. The poet sometimes feels she is losing her native language. An example would be I thought I spit it out. In this quotation she feels that she is rejecting her native language and she is feeling that she is losing it. In contrasts with Presents she does not feel comfortable wearing her Pakistani clothes. Both of the poems have similarities which they are both lost and dont know what culture they are from. The two poems are also different in their use of structure which means when something is laid out or it makes something clear. Sometimes, structure is hidden. It is important to understand the structure because the poet lays out the poem so it emphasis the poem. An example would be when the poet uses rhythm and rhyme. We notice that then the other normal rules. In Presents Form My Aunts in Pakistan, she uses symmetrical structure she does not follow a path she follows her thoughts and memories as the girl is confused. The poet shows the flow of her thoughts as how one memory triggers another. First of all the poet starts of talking about her salwar kameez. Then she goes of and talks about her mothers jewellery then she goes back to her birth place which triggers her thoughts about her real culture which is Pakistani culture.