Oedipus Rex Essay Example Essay Example

Oedipus Rex Essay Example Paper Oedipus Rex Essay Introduction Oedipus Rex is one of the group of three plays by Sophocles known as Theban plays, since they all relate to the destinies of the Theban family of Oedipus and his children but Oedipus Rex is not only the greatest play of Sophocles but also the greatest Greek play. It presents the story of Oedipus the king and Jocasta the unfortunate Queen and mother and wife of Oedipus. Teiresias, the blind seer, is another important character who prophesize about Oedipus and his tragic future. Then there is Creon who is a cousin of Oedipus. Despite the presence of all these characters, Oedipus seems distinct and all-pervasive in the play. He is regarded as an exalted tragic figure. Oedipus is a complex character with paradoxical characteristics. An insight into his character demonstrates that he possesses god as well as certain bad qualities but these good qualities also contribute to bring his tragic downfall. He is an intelligent man who is extremely obsessed with his intelligence. He has unsurpass able self-confidence and arrogance yet he possesses an unmatchable quest for truth. So his character is a strange mix different contradictory characteristic. The first quality that we observe in Oedipus is a good quality i.e. his obsession with his own intelligence and this leads him to very unfortunate and uncomfortable situations. This tragic flaw of Oedipus laps over with his pride as he is extremely proud of the fact that he was able to solve the riddle of the Sphinx which had proved too much for any other person. He thinks that Gods has capacitated him with intelligence and wisdom to solve riddle that the Thebes is afflicted with. Oedipus even taunts Tireseas on his inability in solving the Sphinx’s riddle. He says; Oedipus Rex Essay Body Paragraphs And where were you, when the Dog-faced Witch was here?/Have you any word of deliverance then for our people?/There was a riddle too deep for common wits;/A seer should have answered it, but answer there came none/From you.. (12-16) After calling the soothsayer false prophet, Oedipus boasts of his own skill in having solved the puzzled which proved too much for the blind seer; Until I came—I, ignorant Oedipus, came—/ And stopped the riddler’s mouth, guessing he truth/By mother-wit, not bird-lore. (17-19) So he describes Tiresaeas predictive cautions as the whims of a fanatic and opposes his prophecy with arguments of his own. Confidence and pride in his own wisdom is an outstanding feature of his character that also brings his tragedy. Here Oedipus fulfills the traits of Aristotelian tragic hero as he possesses a noble tragic flaw. The man who sets out on his new task by sending first for the venerable seer is not lacking in pious reverence; but we also observe th at Oedipus manifests unrestrained arrogance in his own intellectual achievement. No seer found the solution, this is Oedipus boast; no bird, no god revealed it to him, he â€Å"the utterly ignorant† had to come on his own and hit the mark by his own wit. This is a justified pride but it amounts too much. This pride and self-confidence induce Oedipus to despise prophecy and feel almost superior to the gods. He tell the people who pray for deliverance from pathos and miseries they are afflicted with if they listen to and follow his advice in order to get a remedy. The second characteristics of his personality is also a positive one i.e. his unrelenting pursuit of the truth. This is demonstrated when he believes he is the murderer and that Polybus was not his father, yet he continues with his search with the statement, â€Å"I must pursue this trail to the end,† (p.55).These characteristics are only fuel to the fire and add to the pride created a blaze that consumed him. Bernard Knox eulogizes Oedipus’ â€Å"dedication to truth, whatever the cost† (p.117) Another characteristics of his character that contributes toward his tragedy is Oedipus’ longing for thoroughness. His inquisitive nature is not content with anything which is either half-hearted or incomplete. Nor can he brook any delay. He damns that the direction of the oracle should be given effect at once. As before, Oedipus speaks on the basis of the workings of his own mental faculties that has been tested time and again and have proved their intelligence. It can be said that the tragedy of Oedipus is the result more of his good qualities than his bad ones. It is his love for Thebes which makes him send Creon to Delphi to consult the Oracles. It is the same care for his subjects which makes him proclaim a ban and a curse on the murderer of Laius. It is his absolute honesty which makes him include even himself within the curse and the punishment. He is angry with Tiresaea s because he is unable to tolerate the fact that although the prophet says that he know who the murderer of Laius is , he refuses top give the information to the king. His rage and rashness is due to the fact that the masses are suffering and Tiresaeas does not provide the murderer’s name. Oedipus cannot but regard this as a clear manifestation of the seer’s disloyalty to his city. To Oedipus the discovery of truth is more important than his own good and safety. Even when it seems that the investigation that he is carrying on will not produce any result which will be him, he decides to carry on with it. He is so honest with himself that he inflicts the punishment of self-blinding and banishment from the city of Thebes. So his moral goodness also seems as a tragic flaw that brings his ruin. He replies by saying â€Å"Sick as you are, not one is sick as I, each of you suffers in himself.but my spirit Groans for the city, for myself, for you†.(62-62) Another strang e mix of qualities is related to his vision and insight. Some critics are of the view that major tragic flaw of Oedipus is his intellectual myopia. He has a limited vision and is unable to assess the situations in a right perspective. Robert L. Kane (1975) puts this preposition in this way; â€Å"He [Oedipus] was the victim of an optical illusion†. (p. 196) He suffers from two types of blindness i.e. physical and intellectual. One is related to physical sight whereas the other, the most pernicious type of blindness, pertains to insight. Teiresias is physically blind but whereas Oedipus is blind intellectually. This intellectual blindness of Oedipus also contributes greatly to lead him to his tragic destination. Oedipus possesses faultless physical vision throughout play except in the end but he remains blind to the reality regarding himself. At one point in the play, he has the ability to see but he is not willing to do so. He intellectual vision comes with his physical loss of sight but he is unable to cast away the psychological â€Å"slings and arrows† and mental sufferings that intellectual blindness has afflicted on him. So his blindness, both intellectual at the start of the play and physical at the end of the day, is the worst. Oedipus can be held guilty due to another tragic flaw—his inability to take appropriate preventive measures. It is said that he fails to take logical steps and precautions which would have saved him from committing the crimes. Oedipus has necessary human failings. One of them is that he rashly jumps into conclusions. Choragos points this out in scene II after a speech by Creon who tries o remove the ill-fed and hastily formed suspicions of Oedipus about Creon. They say, â€Å"Judgments too quickly formed are dangerous† (II, 101) But Oedipus justifies this, arguing that ruler have to take quick decision. He says later on, â€Å"But is he not quick in his duplicity? / And shall I not be quick to parry h im?† (II, 102-103) Later at the conclusion of scene II, Creon indicates the same tragic flaw in his character by saying, â€Å"Ugly in yielding, as you were ugly in rage! / Nature like yours chiefly torments themselves.† (II, 151-152) It is this rashness that makes to not merely suspect Creon but accuse him and even declares that he deserves the sentence of death. The rashness can be observed in his treatment of Tireseas. Oedipus does not lack analytical thinking but his rashness does permit him to weigh up the situation rightly and he makes hasty decision. In retrospect we see that rashness of Oedipus has something to do with the murder Laius at the hands of Oedipus. The self-blinding also is an act of rashness although Oedipus tries t give several arguments in favor of it. Some critics regard this rashness of Oedipus to be his tragic flaw. So another bad quality i.e. his bad temperament is demonstrated in the squabble between Teiresias and himself, where Teiresias utt er the prophetic truth and Oedipus retorts, â€Å"Do you think you can say such things with impunity?† and afterward attributes him as a , â€Å"Shameless and brainless, sightless, senseless sot!†(p.36). His character is further marked with suspicion about Creon to whom he considers as a conspirator. He says with reference his tà ªte-à  -tà ªte with Tiresaeas, â€Å"Creon! Was this trick his, then, if not yours?† So his imagination works together with anger and rashness. All the above-mentioned manifestations of character, their supported arguments and views of the critics clearly proves the thesis that Oedipus’ unavoidable ignorance was the major factor of his tragedy because he was unable to locate that the man whom he assaulted on the crossroads to Thebes was his father. Secondly, if he would not have been occupied by his aspirations, he would have possibly explored the horror of his deed and could have avoided the additional tricky situations by no t marrying his mother. Thirdly, his â€Å"conscious and intentional† act includes his decision to â€Å"bring what is dark to light† (133). Furthermore, as result to revelation of Tiresaeas, he charges Creon with conspiracy and murder and denounces Tiresaeas as an accessory. Although these actions were intentional and bring Oedipus to tragic end but have a clear background that illustrate that these actions were not â€Å"deliberate†. Fourthly, all these errors originate from a hasty and obstinate temperament, unjustified anger and excessive pride that compel him to an energized inquisitiveness. With the development of the plot, all these ascriptions of his character jumps back with amplified force on his head that finally culminates at his tragedy. Knox (1957) sums up in this way; â€Å"the actions of Oedipus that produce the catastrophe stem from all sides of his character; no one particular action is more essential than any other; they are all essential and they involve not any one trait of character which might be designated a hamartia but the character of Oedipus as a whole† (31). Above-mentioned arguments and supporting evidence clearly manifest that Oedipus had paradoxical qualities and possessed good as well bad characteristics. Sophocles has masterfully juxtaposed his constant obsession with intelligence and his pursuit of truth with his vain pride and excessive anger. But it is also obvious that his good qualities contribute more toward his tragedy than his bad qualities. nbsp; We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus Rex Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus Rex Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus Rex Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

China in the 21st Century

China in the 21st Century Introduction In the book, China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, Wasserstrom evaluates the developments in China starting from the Confucius period to the US-China relations in the recent past. The author focuses on the philosophies, political perspectives, and socioeconomic policies that have contributed to the growth of the country.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on China in the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the author does not address the influx of Chinese investors in Africa. Although China has contributed to Africa’s economic growth, its noninterference policy affects governance and political maturity. Additionally, the country is using the poverty levels, unstable government policies, and corruption levels to enhance its neocolonialism agenda. Wasserstrom should address three additional questions on whether China is contributing to Africa’s economic develop ment, how its noninterference policy affects governance, and whether the country is pursuing neocolonialism agenda in Africa. These questions are essential in exposing China’s repressive investments in the twenty-first century. They would demonstrate its selfish agenda and its attempt to revive neocolonialism in the underdeveloped regions by undermining the local laws, engaging in corruption, and sponsoring political conflicts. China’s Agenda in Africa China has emerged as one of the biggest investor in Africa with major energy and infrastructure projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2007, the country launched the China-Africa development fund (CAD-Fund). According to Alessi and Xu, the country has been pursuing energy trade deals with Gabon and Sudan (par. 3). Some of the largest Chinese firms have started constructing roads, mines, and oil exploration plants in the region. In fact, the trade between China and Africa is characterized by low-interest rates on development loans, low costs of production, and job creation. In Gabon, for example, China has taken over some of the countrys energy generating projects including oil exploration. Additionally, it has contributed immensely to the expansion and improvement of infrastructure in the East African region. The other significant development initiatives in Africa include agricultural entrepreneurship and engagement with West Africa and large-scale agricultural investments in Mozambique and other South African regions.Advertising Looking for report on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Chinese developments have increased the continent’s economic growth and food sustainability (Wasserstrom 141). Despite China’s contribution to Africa’s growth, the non-interference policy has affected the governance of most African states.  China has been exercising its noninterference policy to appeal to numerous African le aders since 1996 (Alessi and Xu par. 8). In fact, the country has emerged as a friendly, lenient, and non-authoritative partner among African leaders. Most of the African leaders have hailed China’s approach because, unlike the US and most European countries, it does not set funding or trade preconditions. The policy has led to China’s engagement with controversial regimes, for example, Sudan and Zimbabwe. In Sudan’s case, China has been supplying Khartoum troops with arms to undermine the conflicts along Sudan’s oil belt. Additionally, it has failed to stabilize failed regimes through its noninterference policy. Whereas most of the western countries engage in diplomatic and politically preconditioned agreements before working with failed African states, China has been overlooking the social and political environments. The policy framework has led to the deterioration of some African regimes. In fact, the non-interference policy has increased cases of cor ruption, poaching, illegal arms trade, immigration, and abuse of human rights. The implications of the policy are setting the foundation for neocolonialism. China’s interests in the developing nations and its increasing demand for sustainable energy, economic stability, and influence in the United Nations shapes its foreign policy agenda. In fact, the country’s reducing per capita income is leading to the implementation of controversial foreign policies that exploit the resources of the developing countries without contributing to their positive governance. The country is using the unstable African governments to undermine human rights and trade. For example, most of the Chinese companies underbid African companies from projects to control development. Additionally, they bring Chinese workers in Africa instead of adhering to the foreign investment policies that require the use of local workers. Over one million Chinese workers have already moved to Africa as one of the country’s employment plan (Alessi and Xu par 3). Additionally, the Chinese companies use corruption to undermine the local labor laws and employment policies.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on China in the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, some Chinese mining companies in Zambia have banned union activities while others have engaged in oppressive and abusive activities with local workers. In other instances, the firms have also engaged in environmental degradations by dumping wastes contrary to local laws. China is exploiting the poverty in Africa to control the economy and politics of some developing countries. Conclusion China has contributed significantly to the infrastructure and economy of numerous African nations. However, the noninterference policy is encouraging trade with controversial regimes while undermining the UN policies and principles. Additionally, its involvement in illegal arms sales and the presence of Chinese combat troops in unstable countries shows that the country is preparing to gain control and dominance in the region. China will soon be controlling policymaking and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. The country is trying to eliminate the western influence in most of the developing countries by presenting low-interest rate loans and cheap development alternatives. However, these activities are increasing Africa’s dependence levels while undermining its social, political, and cultural frameworks. Alessi, Christopher, and Beina Xu. China in Africa. 2015. Web. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-africa Wasserstrom, Jeffrey. China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.

Molodova I - Paleolithic Mammoth Bone Hut in Ukraine

Molodova I - Paleolithic Mammoth Bone Hut in Ukraine The Middle and Upper Paleolithic site of Molodova (sometimes spelled Molodovo) is located on the Dniester River in the Chernovtsy (or Chernivtsi) province of Ukraine, between the Dniester river and the Carpathian mountains. Molodova I has five Middle Paleolithic Mousterian occupations (called Molodova 1-5), three Upper Paleolithic occupations and one Mesolithic occupation. The Mousterian components are dated to 44,000 RCYBP, based on charcoal radiocarbon from a hearth. Microfauna and palynological data connect the layer 4 occupations with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (ca 60,000-24,000 years ago). Archaeologists believe that the stone tool strategies appear to be either Levallois or transitional to Levallois, including points, simple side scrapers and retouched blades, all of which argues that Molodova I was occupied by Neanderthals using a Mousterian tradition tool kit. Artifacts and Features at Molodova I Artifacts from the Mousterian levels at Molodova include 40,000 flint artifacts, including over 7,000 stone tools. The tools are characteristic of typical Mousterian, but lack bifacial forms. They are blades with marginal retouch, retouched side-scrapers and retouched Levallois flakes. Most of the flint is local, from the Dniester river terrace. Twenty-six hearths were identified at Molodova I, varying in diameter from 40x30 centimeters (16x12 inches) to 100x40 cm (40x16 in), with ashy lenses varying from 1-2 cm thick. Stone tools and burned bone fragments were recovered from these hearths. Approximately 2,500 mammoth bones and bone fragments have been recovered from Molodova I layer 4 alone. Living at Molodova The Middle Paleolithic level 4 covers 1,200 square meters (about 13,000 square feet) and includes five areas, including a pit filled with bones, an area with engraved bones, two concentrations of bones and tools, and a circular accumulation of bones with tools in its center. Recent studies (Demay in press) have focused on this last feature which was originally characterized as a mammoth bone hut. However, recent re-investigations of mammoth bone settlements in central Europe have confined the use dates to between 14,000-15,000 years ago: if this was a mammoth bone settlement (MBS), it is older by some 30,000 years than the majority of the others: Molodova currently represents the only Middle Paleolithic MBS discovered to date. Because of the discrepancy in dates, scholars have interpreted the ring of bones as either a hunting blind, a natural accumulation, a circular symbolic ring bound to Neanderthal beliefs, a wind break for a long term occupation, or the result of humans returning to the area and pushing away the bones from the living surface. Demay and colleagues argue that the structure was purposefully built as protection from cold climate in an open environment and, along with the pit features, that makes Molodova an MBS. The ring of bones measured 5x8 meters (16x26 feet) inside and 7x10 m (23x33 ft) externally. The structure included 116 complete mammoth bones, including 12 skulls, five mandibles, 14 tusks, 34 pelves and 51 long bones. The bones represent at least 15 individual mammoths, and included both male and female, both adults and juveniles. Most of the bones appear to have been intentionally selected and assembled by Neanderthals to build a circular structure. A large pit located 9 m (30 ft) from the circular structure contained the majority of non-mammoth bones from the site. But, most importantly, mammoth bones from the pit and dwelling structure have been linked as coming from the same individuals. The bones in the pit show cut marks from butchering activities. Molodova and Archaeology Molodova I was discovered in 1928, and first excavated by I.G. Botez and N. N. Morosan between 1931 and 1932. A.P. Chernysch continued excavations between 1950 and 1961, and again in the 1980s. Detailed site information in English has only recently become available. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Middle Paleolithic, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Demay L, PÃ ©an S, and Patou-Mathis M. in press. Mammoths used as food and building resources by Neanderthals: Zooarchaeological study applied to layer 4, Molodova I (Ukraine). Quaternary International(0). Meignen, L., J.-M. Genest, L. Koulakovsaia, and A. Sytnik. 2004. Koulichivka and its place in the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in eastern Europe. Chapter 4 in The Early Upper Paleolithic Beyond Western Europe, P.J. Brantingham, S.L. Kuhn, and K. W. Kerry, eds. University of California Press, Berkeley. Vishnyatsky, L.B. and P.E. Nehoroshev. 2004. The beginning of the Upper Paleolithic on the Russian Plain. Chapter 6 in The Early Upper Paleolithic Beyond Western Europe, P.J. Brantingham, S.L. Kuhn, and K. W. Kerry, eds. University of California Press, Berkeley.

The lessons for auditors and regulators from Enron fraud Essay

The lessons for auditors and regulators from Enron fraud - Essay Example This paper concerns the auditing as an investigative process performed to verify the reliability and accuracy of a company’s state of affairs for the last fiscal period. A comprehensive and authentic audit report adds to shareholder values and assists the company’s stakeholders to analyse how the management has responded to their financial interests. In addition, business decisions of third party stakeholders such as banks, other lending institutions, and investors are centred on the company’s annual audit report. It seems that even a well structured audit programme may fail to provide desired outcomes unless the whole audit team pays special attention to each and every phase of the audit process. The past decade witnessed a series of corporate scandals including Lernout & Hauspie, Arthur Anderson, Enron, WorldCom, Parmalat, Peregrine Systems, Rite Aid, and Homestore.com. Subsequent investigations have proven that majority of those failures were attributable to a ccounting fraud. However, these incidents greatly increased the significance of audit work and firms nowadays allot more money for developing internal control systems. Many of the economists argue that weaker corporate governance structure also greatly contributed to those corporate failures. As a result, organisations are vehemently trying to improve their corporate governance framework. Evidently, audit firms have made strategic amendments to their processes and procedures to detect frauds and errors in the account books of the client on time. This paper will analyse the lessons that auditors and regulators must learn from Enron Fraud. Enron Scandal: Overview In 1985, The Huston Natural Gas integrated its natural gas pipeline companies with those of InterNorth under the supervision of Kenneth Lay to form Enron. The Enron became the North America’s largest natural gas dealer by 1992 and the company’s gas contracts trading operations significantly contributed to its ma rket dominance. The firm’s stock rose by 311% during the period 1990-1998 and its market capitalisation went over $60 billion by the end of the year 2000. This unimaginable growth assisted the company to be rated as the most innovative huge company in Fortune’s Most Admired Companies survey. Unlike other corporate giants, the Enron had not published its balance sheet along with statement of earnings and this practice persuaded financial analysts to explore the company’s sources of income. Despite the explanations given by the company officials, Enron’ stocks started to fall in 2001 mainly due to its indecipherable nature of business and vague accounting practices. Following the stock level declines, the company faced a series of challenges including restructuring losses, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation, liquidity issues, and credit rating downgrade. The Enron scandal was revealed in October 2001 and it gradually led to bankru ptcy. Reports indicated that Enron scandal was the biggest audit failure at that time. Jeffrey Skilling, the former President, CEO, and COO of the Enron Corporation, misled the company’s stakeholders through special purpose entities, accounting loopholes, and unsupported financial reporting practices and therefore they (stakeholders) were unable to identify debts resulted from failed deals and projects. These deceitful practices assisted the company to exaggerate its profit figures and thereby unfairly retain the trust of its shareholders. Andrew Fastow, the Chief Financial Officer, and other executives misled the Enron’s board of directors and also forced Andersen to neglect the issues. As per reports, the Enron shareholders lost nearly $11 billion when the company’s stock price fell from US$90 per share in mid-2000 to less than $1 in late-2001 (World News Inc, 2012). Following this issue, the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission commenced an investigation to bring out the actual reasons behind this

U.S. Government Bailouts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

U.S. Government Bailouts - Essay Example The transport industry, for example, is the American economic backbone. The industry sustains trade and the travel of people throughout the fifty-two states. The country therefore requires an efficient and elaborate transport industry that does not face any serious financial challenges, which may weaken its operations (Muolo 41). To ensure this, the government provides tax reliefs and financial incentives to bigger corporations in the transport industry, which include oil companies, airlines among other stakeholders in the industry. The bailout is a maritime term inferring to the process of removing water from a sinking ship using smaller buckets. The term is used in the financial sectors therefor to refer to the nature in which the government gives financial aid to its major corporations during difficult financial times. Bailouts are often formulated and implemented through acts of parliament; the lawmakers discuss the economic situation and therefore determines the appropriate amount of money capable of ensuring that a corporation stays operational despite the financial challenges at the time. The government gives out the money in a form of a loan, which the company pays later after it stabilizes its operations. Additionally, the government gives out the bailouts in the form of grants or through the purchase of shares of a poorly performing corporation. The different methods of providing the bailout depends on the nature of the financial crisis and the size and importance of the corporation among others. Bailouts have consequences; the government draws its funding from the taxpayers. This implies that the government uses the taxpayers’ money in salvaging poorly managed corporations since every organization should have an effective emergency management strategy, which ensures it never becomes bankrupt. Bankruptcy is often a result of poor management of the public corporation, ineffective market surveys and projections. The use of the government money in bailing out such companies have serious economic consequences since he government operates on a tight budget annually. It therefore compels the government to replace certain economic activities to save the money for bailing out such failing companies. The redirection of the government money therefore results in inadequate management of certain government ministries, which had to reduce their spending (Shaanan 31). Additionally, the government may try to raise the money within a short period by increasing the rate of taxation. This results in the increase of price of some of the most essential commodities such as fuel at the expense of the citizens . The United States of America has often used bailouts as an effective method of revamping the economy thereby maintaining its position as the strongest economy in the world. In the last century alone, the country has faced five major financial crises, which prompted the initiation of expansive bailout plans to some of the leading corporations in the country. The five financial crises include the Great Depression, which affected the entire world following the end of the First World War. During this period, countries shied away from one another thereby paralyzing international trade. Additionally, the intense conflict that lasted years prevented any major economic activity such as agriculture and countries that had relied on agriculture but served as battlegrounds such as the Japan, Italy and Germany faced the worst. The slow economic activiti

An Introduction to Reading and Writing Essay Example for Free

An Introduction to Reading and Writing Essay Rounded = lifelike, full, dynamic, reader can predict future behavior because of an understanding of the personality – Protagonist = the hero or heroine, main person in the story, person on the quest, etc. – Antagonist = the person causing the conflict, in opposition to the protagonist, the obstacle, etc. – Flat = no growth, static – Stock = representative of a group or class (stereotypical) – Characters disclosed through †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Actions Descriptions, both personal and environmental Dramatic statements and thoughts Statements by other characters Statements by the author speaking as storyteller, or observer – Characters need to have verisimilitude, be probable or plausible Point of View †¢ Refers to speaker, narrator, persona or voice created by the author to tell the story †¢ Point of view depends on two factors: – Physical situation of the narrator as an observer – Speaker’s intellectual and emotional position †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ First person = I, we Second person = You (uncommon) Third person = He, she, they (most common) Point of view may be: – Dramatic/objective = strictly reporting – Omniscient = all-knowing – Limited omniscient = some insight Setting †¢ Setting = a work’s natural, manufactured, political, cultural and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own (place, time, objects) †¢ Major purpose = to establish realism or verisimilitude, and to organize a story †¢ Setting helps create atmosphere or mood †¢ Setting may reinforce characters and theme, in order to establish expectations that are the opposite of what occurs = irony Tone and Style †¢ Tone = methods by which writers and speakers reveal attitudes or feelings †¢ Style = ways in which writers assemble words to tell the story, to develop an argument, dramatize the play, compose the poem – Choice of words in the service of content †¢ Essential aspect of style is diction – Formal = standard or elegant words – Neutral = everyday standard vocabulary – Informal = colloquial, substandard language, slang Tone and Style (cont’d) †¢ Language may be: – – – – Specific = images General = broad classes Concrete = qualities of immediate perception Abstract = broader, less palpable qualities †¢ Denotation = word meanings †¢ Connotation = word suggestions †¢ Verbal irony = contradictory statements – One thing said, opposite is meant – Irony = satire, parody, sarcasm, double entendre †¢ Understatement = does not fully describe the importance of a situation – deliberately †¢ Hyperbole (overstatement) = words far in excess of the situation Symbolism and Allegory †¢ Symbolism and allegory are modes that expand meaning †¢ Symbol creates a direct, meaningful equation between: – A specific object, scene, character, or action – Ideas, values, persons or ways of life †¢ Symbols may be: – Cultural (universal) = known by most literate people (e. g. , white dove, color black) – Contextual (authorial) = private, created by the author Symbolism and Allegory (cont’d) †¢ Allegory is a symbol = complete and self-sufficient narrative (e. g. , â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†) †¢ Fable = stories about animals that possess human traits (e. g. , Aesop’s Fables) †¢ Parable = allegory with moral or religious bent (e. g. , Biblical stories) †¢ Myth = story that embodies and codifies religious, philosophical and cultural values of the civilization in which it is composed (e. g. , George Washington chopping down the cherry tree) †¢ Allusion = the use of other culturally well=known works from the Bible, Greek and Roman mythology, famous art, etc. Idea or Theme †¢ Idea = results of general and abstract thinking †¢ Literature embodies values along with ideas – In literature, ideas relate to meaning, interpretation, explanation and significance – Ideas are vital to an understanding and appreciation of literature †¢ Ideas are not as obvious as character or setting. It is important to consider the meaning of what you’ve read and then develop an explanatory and comprehensive assertion. †¢ Theme can be found in any of these: – – – – – Direct statements by the authorial voice Direct statements by a first-person speaker Dramatic statements by characters Figurative language, characters who stand for ideas The work itself.

Radcliffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness Essay -- Radcliffe Hall’s The

Radcliffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness - A Classic of Lesbian Literature? Radcliffe Hall’s novel, The Well of Loneliness, depicts the girlhood and womanhood of a non-conventional woman, Stephen Gordon, who after assuming her natural inversion during her adolescence, fights to find a place in the world. After fulfilling partially her aspirations by serving in I World War as an ambulance driver, she falls in love with Mary, another ambulance driver, and for a short while they defy the world with their happiness. This feeling, however would not last. The invert’s doom forces Stephen to the last exertion of self-denial and martyrdom when she renounces to her love for Mary and surrenders her to their common friend Martin to take care of her because she, not being a man, would never be able to give her an authentic life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays, the novel is considered and sold as a lesbian literature classic throughout the world but for certain public it is not clear whether the characteristics and themes included qualify it as such or it is just a matter of popularity. In its favour it is necessary to consider it as an early precursor of any kind of declared lesbian literature (it was published in 1928). It was one of the first times that lesbian love was depicted extensively by means of a novel and it was an incredibly brave and honest attempt to bring daylight into the darkness of so many people’s life. One of the individual but essential steps lesbians were giving towards social...

Feedback in Communications Essay

When you make a conscious choice to give and receive feedback on a regular basis you demonstrate that feedback is a powerful means of personal development. Done properly, feedback need not be agonizing, demoralizing, or daunting and the more practice you get the better you will become at it. It may never be your favorite means of communicating with employees, co-workers, or bosses but it does have the potential to make your workplace a much more productive and harmonious place to be. No doubt the process of giving feedback is seen as unnerving and fear provoking. And the workplace can sometimes be the wrong emotional environment in which to discuss performance, introduce suggestions for improvement, and talk about goals for the future. This is a shame, because giving and receiving feedback is some of the most important communication you can engage in with members of your organization. When done in the right way and with the right intentions, feedback communication is the avenue to achieve good performance. Employees have to know what they are doing well and not so well. For them to really hear your thoughts and suggestions on ways to improve, though, that feedback has to be delivered carefully and frequently. Giving feedback effectively is a skill. And like all skills, it takes practice to build your confidence and improve. The following is a collection of â€Å"feedback giving† tips that organizations can try and use. Try to make is positive. Before giving feedback managers or employees should remind themselves why they are doing it. The purpose for giving feedback is to improve the situation. Being confrontational will not accomplish anything.. That’s not to say you must always be positive. There is a role for negativity and even anger if someone isn’t paying attention to what you’re saying. However, this should be used only if necessary. You’ll most often get much more from people when your approach is positive and focused on improvement. Be Timely The closer to the event you address the issue, the better. Feedback isn’t about surprising someone so the sooner you do it, the more the person will be expecting it. IT is much easier to give feedback about an issue that was just completed/not completed than is it to give feedback about a whole years performance. The exception to this is if the situation involved is highly emotional. Waiting until everyone has calmed down before you engage in feedback may help you avoid further confrontation on both sides. You can’t risk letting yourself get worked up and risk saying something you will regret later. Make it Regular When something needs to be said, say it. People then know where they stand all the time and there are few surprises. Also, problems don’t get out of hand. This is not a once-a-year or a once-every-three-months. While this may be the timing of formal feedback, informal, simple feedback should be given much more often depending on the situation. Be Specific Tell the person exactly what they need to improve on. This ensures that you stick to facts and there is less room for vagueness. Remember to stick to what you know first hand: You’ll quickly find yourself on shaky ground if you start giving feedback based on other people’s views. Criticize in Private and Use â€Å"I† Statements While public recognition is appreciated, public scrutiny is not. Establish a safe place to talk where you won’t be interrupted or overheard.. Give the feedback from your perspective. This way you avoid labeling the person. Say, â€Å"I was angry and hurt when you criticized my report in front of my boss† rather than â€Å"You were insensitive yesterday.† Limit Your Focus and Talk Positive A feedback session should discuss no more than two issues. Any more than that and you risk the person feeling attacked and demoralized. You should also stick to behaviors the person can actually change or influence. A good rule is start off with something positive. This helps put the person at ease. It also lets them â€Å"see† what success looks like and this helps them to take the right steps next time. As long as it’s not forced, it can also help to give positive feedback at the end of a feedback session too. Otherwise, people can finish feeling despondent and worthless. Provide Specific Suggestions and Follow Up Make sure you both know what needs to be done to improve the situation. The main message should be that you care and want to help the person grow and develop. Set goals and make plans to monitor and evaluate progress. The whole purpose of feedback is to improve performance. You need to measure whether or not that is happening and then make adjustments as you go. Be sure to document your conversations and discuss what is working and what needs to be modified. The Benefits of Receiving Constructive Feedback Constructive Feedback is important to the achievement of any professional business connection. Providing feedback is something individuals do to offer suggestions or assessments of someone else’s job performance. As stated in the article, â€Å"Giving Constructive Feedback,† giving constructive feedback is an essential and effective tool in boosting much-needed morale, supporting career progression and encouraging good teamwork. Constructive Feedback should not make people feel discouraged, but make them feel like their work and contributions are appreciated. Constructive Feedback can also better a person by the improvement of work performance. Here are some benefits of receiving constructive feedback listed on helium.com: 1. â€Å"It gives individuals the ability to correct any mistakes you make before you either make the same mistake again, or make your current error worse†. 2. â€Å"It Help individuals learn a new skill as quickly as possible.† An examp le of this is learning a skill such as self defense. If the teacher does not give constructive feedback on how the student is shaping their method, progress will come much slower. 3. â€Å"It helps individuals improve on their current skill set.† For example, many professions benefit from others giving them feedback on their current projects. Feedback is like guidance that will allow employees to learn as well improve their quality of work. 4. â€Å"Trust is established between management and staff when constructive feedback is rendered.† When the staff sees that management care, they will begin to care as well. There will be a change in how feedback improves the interpersonal relationships with higher authority and employees. 5. â€Å"Managers providing constructive feedback practice a process of mentoring and developing their staff to stardom within the organization.† 6. â€Å"Providing feedback can improve employee morale and reduce confusion regarding expectations and current performance†. Some individuals do not have the ability to give others constructive feedback. Feedback should be significant and beneficial. If an individual is put in a position to give another person feedback, that individual must make sure the criticism is helpful, not cruel. â€Å"Constructive feedback presents you with the perfect opportunity to grow and learn from your mistakes. But, one of the biggest things that can harm your chances of getting constructive feedback is to become defensive or not listen to the person when they are giving you the feedback† (helium.com). As stated in the article, â€Å"The Importance, Benefits and Fundamentals of Providing Feedback in Sales,† it is suggested that an individual giving constructive feedback should identify the problem, explain how the behavior is wrong or detrimental, help the individual acknowledge the problem, develop goals with the individual, and then monitor the individual’s performance.The main benefit of constructive feedback is to help individual’s advance, acquire information faster, or to better themselves. Examples of effective and ineffective feedback Throughout this paper, giving and receiving feedback has been defined. Also, the different ways to give and receive feedback has been established. This section will elaborate on examples of giving and receiving feedback. Many people experience ineffective feedback on a daily basis. Most often the cause is a supervisor or manager who does not want to release control, however, ineffective feedback is not limited to this particular situation. In the book, Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore, he states there are â€Å"five levels of feedback that are in common use† (Whitmore, 2010, p. 123). Below is a scenario that will be used to show the different types of criticism most commonly experienced by most people. Scenario A project has been assigned to Jane who is a new member of the Cost-Cutters Team. The goal of the team is to brainstorm, propose, and implement a new way of cutting the company’s cost in the most effective manner. Jane is to write the proposal which will be submitted to board for approval. Once the brainstorming has been completed, the team leaves everything in Jane’s hand with a warning. They tell her, â€Å"Do not mess this up.† Jane feels confident she can write the proposal and does not take the warning personal. Once the proposal is finished, Jane comes back to the team to receive feedback from them. The proposal is handed around to each member of the team with many comments being made on everything from the design of the proposal to the steps of implementation. Ineffective feedback Team member #1 stated, â€Å"You really missed the mark with this assignment.† Making this type of statement does not help anyone. The feedback is extremely critical and offers no direction or opportunities for the receiver to learn or make improvements. Personal criticism is a very ineffective way to critique (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). Team member #2 told Jane, â€Å"This will not do. We will have to scrap this and begin again.† According to Whitmore, the feedback displayed by this statement is judgmental and by directing the comments at the proposal instead of the person, â€Å"damages self-esteem† (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). Team member #3 made this statement to Jane. â€Å"You have a clear plan; however, the design and packaging of the proposal will not be well received by the board.† Team member #3’s statement is mildly better than the two before. The beginning of the statement gives some direction for Jane. The plan outlined in the proposal is a good one. When it comes to a design for the proposal, however, Team member #3 did not give any clear instruction or insight to assist Jane, leaving her on the outside (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). Team member #4 asked Jane this question, â€Å"Do you like your proposal?† Although the statement allows Jane the opportunity to actually acknowledge she is the â€Å"owner† of the proposal, without more in-depth questions, Jane is still left without clear direction. Effective feedback Team member #5 took a different approach to the situation by asking a series of question to get Jane to thinking about the proposal and how it could be improved (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). Team member #5 also thanked Jane for taking on the assignment in the first place because it freed the other members to focus on other issues assigned to the team. According to Don and Sheryl Grimme, authors of The New Manager’s Tool Kit, use of this type of positive feedback increases the chances that Jane will â€Å"repeat the desired behavior† in the future and not shrink away from an assignment (Grimme & Grimme, 2009, p. 82). The questions not only got Jane to thinking about what she was trying to express with the proposal, the questions reminded Jane that she wrote this proposal. It was â€Å"her† proposal and she regained her confidence in her ability to produce an acceptable proposal for the board. Whitmore says that by asking a series of questions void of criticisms and judgmental comments leaves room for â€Å"accelerated learning and improved performance (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). How Feedback Can Effect Development Feedback plays a critical part on a person’s cognitive development because it is a method to how individuals associate with others and the world around them. It is how people learn to make decisions. However, there is more to giving or receiving feedback when it is a matter of cognitive development concerns. Instead it becomes a question of how much feedback is necessary and what other functions can help to receive beneficial results. Therefore other functions are introduced such as physical activity, practice or repetition. The idea is to combine both feedback and practice, where as the two components become interdependent. The research of Motor Learning in Children: Feedback Effects on Skill Acquisition may help to understand why considering how much feedback for an individual is really necessary. There are various methods of feedback and examples that will further exemplify how cognitive development and feedback play a major role in today’s experiences. According to recent case studies by Katherine J Sullivan, Shailesh S Kantak, and Patricia A Burtner, cognitive theory is one of the factors among effective feedback-processing capability from the receiver. In their study, processing capability determines the affect of feedback among motor skills training. Half of the participants, both children and young adults receive either %100 feedback with motor skill practice or reduced feedback with motor skill practice. The result of the study is all participants who receive %100 feedback show more signs of accuracy and consistency. On the other hand young adults with reduced feedback still show signs of accuracy and consistency with additional practice; which means equal results can come from reduced feedback. Another interesting fact in the research is how children processed information differently than that of adults. It’s obvious that children would need more practice in order to process the information, but does that mean adults do not need as much feedback as children? Although the example above surrounds skill development among children and young adults, it is still informative for all professionals in various settings to determine the frequency of effective feedback along with helpful components. This may be relevant in situations where professionals such as managers, teachers, or doctors- who preside over various groups or individuals have to determine the level of feedback that is necessary to gain the intended result. Furthermore, there are similar ways of feedback that are used for adults as it is for children, such as corrective feedback, by immediately responding to an error. However, adults do not require continuous or %100 feedback to gain a skill, or retain new information as children do. For example: a manager is presenting a new system for meeting daily quotas. This new system requires employees to rearrange his/her method for recording data. After training, employees are judged by production and/or quality for the next three weeks to determine whether employees are using the system correctly. If not, the employees are given feedback, either by verbal correction or additional training. Then, after that period, employees are not as often monitored or corrected by superior staff. This is because adults do not require %100, feedback. Reduced feedback along with practice or other active components can produce the same results. For children, the frequency of feedback is much more intense due to children’s cognitive processing capabilities. The children involved in the research previously mentioned are between the ages of 8 to 14. According to Piaget’s Stages of Development, a child within these ages is within the concrete operational stage, which explains why feedback is important for children this age. It’s because children are at a stage where they are capable of thinking logically- associating action with a reaction. Hence, feedback is frequently used in many ways for their benefit. For example, children receive report cards and progressive reports from school; rewards for good behavior and grades. Children also receive feedback from their peers and adults (good or bad). For instance, if a child is a disruptive student in class and other students laugh or encourage the behavior, then the behavior will more likely continue. However, if the teacher provides corrective feedback to redirect the behavior and maintain appropriate behavior in the classroom, then the child can associate the teacher’s feedback with his/her actions. Feedback also may spark motivation for academic achievement, which teachers or parents may use to encourage children with rewards, such as money or privileges. Summary Feedback is a very important factor in any situation. The way feedback is given will directly impact the outcome of the situation. Ineffective feedback can leave the receiver feeling inadequate and diminish the receiver’s self-esteem. Surprisingly, the least effective methods are the ones most commonly used (Whitmore, 2010, p. 125). On the contrary, effective feedback will empower the receiver and allow learning and critical thinking to take place (Whitmore, 2010, p. 124). Not only will the receiver benefit; the person giving the feedback will benefit also. When someone learns to give effective feedback, that person becomes an effective leader and is able to guide others into their full potential. Giving and receiving feedback is a very strong; necessary tool in any situation. Reference Grimme, D., & Grimme, S. (2009). The New Manager’s Tool Kit. New York:American Management Association. Huether, Katherine. â€Å"The Benefits of Constructive Feedback.† Helium. Helium, 02 Sept. 2007. Web. 01 Feb. 2013 Moore, Krista. The Importance, Benefits and Fundamentals of Providing Feedback in Sales.† The Importance, Benefits and Fundamentals of Providing Feedback in Sales. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2013. Sullivan, K., Kantak, S., & Burtner, P. (2008). Motor learning in children: feedback effects on skill acquisition. Physical Therapy, 88(6), 720-732. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20070196 Wardy, Joseph. â€Å"The Benefits of Constructive Feedback.† Helium. Helium, 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 01 Feb. 2013 Whitmore, J. (2010). Coaching for Performance 4th Edition. Boston: Nicholas Brealey.

Aeneas and Dido Essay

In this essay I will be examining the characteristics of the characters Aeneas and Dido as they appear in the first book of the Aeneid. In the first book of the Aeneid, Virgil introduces Aeneas. Aeneas is shown to be a Trojan hero and prince who survived the siege and sacking of Troy and managed to lead a band of survivors to safety. Aeneas is the son of Anchises and the goddess of love, Venus. After fighting in the Trojan War, Aeneas escaped after the Greeks sacked the city, leading a small band of survivors on a quest to find Latium, where, it had been revealed, the descendants of Aeneas would found the beginnings of the Roman Empire. After leaving Sicily, on what the Trojans believe to be the final stage of their journey, Juno sends a storm, which wrecks some of the ships and scatters the rest. She does this because she believes a race descended from the Trojans will destroy her beloved city of Carthage. After the storm, Aeneas makes his way to the shores of Libya, where he is met by is mother, Venus, disguised as a huntress. She tells him to make for the city of Carthage. There he is welcomed by Queen Dido, and reunited with the rest of his followers who have survived the storm. Dido invites the Trojans to a great banquet where Venus arranges that Dido will fall in love with Aeneas. Aeneas displays many qualities that make him stand out. These include qualities associated with leadership and also others. These qualities are:   Responsible Leader – Aeneas is the leader of the group of survivors and he takes on those responsibilities. For example, upon landing on the shores of Libya, it is Aeneas who climbs to a vantage point to try and learn of the location of the rest of the fleet, â€Å"Aeneas climbed up a rock, looking for a good view out over the sea, in hope of seeing Trojan ships. † He is also the one who goes out to explore the surrounding land, â€Å"As soon as the kind light of day allowed, he determined to set out and explore this strange country, to find out where the wind had brought them. †   Provision for his men – Tying in with the responsible leader point, Aeneas is always the one to provide for his men. One of the first things he does after setting up camp on the shores of Libya is to find food for his men, â€Å"He kept on shooting until he’d triumphantly stretched on the ground seven great (deer) carcasses – one for each of the ships† * Encouraging – Aeneas gives speeches to inspire and encourage his men. One of the first examples of this is when Aeneas gives a speech to encourage and cheer up his men after they have been ravaged in a storm and cast upon an unknown shore. â€Å"My friends, we’ve known troubles enough in the past, and we’ve suffered still worse: god will bring an end to these too. You sailed right past that mad Scylla and her deeply resounding cavern: you survived the Cyclops’ rocks. Cheer up! Enough of sorrow and fear! One day, perhaps, even this will be something good to remember. Whatever the disasters we meet, whatever the crises we go through, our goal is Latium! The Fates point to a home for us there, and peace. There a kingdom of Troy can rise once again. Don’t give up now! Save yourselves for the good things to come! † Aeneas uses trying events that the survivors have already experienced to encourage them to go on. Emotional – Aeneas is emotional but he tries to hide his feelings if they would damage the morale of his group. For example Aeneas is grieving over the loss of his friends and followers in the storm sent by Juno, but he â€Å"buried the grief deep in his heart† and gave a speech to inspire and encourage his men.   Commands respect – King Aeneas is respected by his followers. Ilioneus praises him to Queen Dido â€Å"No man has been more just or dutiful, no one greater in war and fighting. † Self-Pitying – This ties in directly with the emotional point. Aeneas, despite being a courageous and good leader, occasionally enters into bouts of self-pity. One of these is when he is caught in the storm sent by Juno. He cries out, wishing that he had died a â€Å"hero’s death† on the fields of battle at Troy, rather than suffer in the storm. â€Å"You were the lucky ones,† he cries, â€Å"three times lucky and more, who had the good fortune to die under the walls of Troy, before the eyes of your fathers! Why couldn’t I have died and yielded my soul to Diomede, bravest of the Greeks, on the Trojan Plains? †   Warmth – When Aeneas meets Dido he shows warmth towards her. He compliments her and thanks her for her offer to allow the Trojans to live in Carthage. â€Å"What golden age were you born in? What great parents produced such a daughter? As long as rivers flow down to the seas, as long as the shadows sweep over the mountains, and the sky keeps the stars alight, your name shall live for ever in honour and praise†.   Flattering – Aeneas is charming. Aeneas, unlike Odysseus of Homer’s Odyssey, does not use flattery to achieve gains, but merely to charm the person he is talking to. When he meets his mother, Venus, disguised as a huntress he compliments and flatters her, â€Å"Your face is no mortals, no more your voice; you must be a goddess – Apollo’s sister, or one of the nymphs? †   Capable of admiration – Aeneas recognises the good things about the city of Carthage and he admires the way the city is built. â€Å"Aeneas was standing in awe, gazing spellbound and lost in these marvellous pictures†. This shows us that Aeneas is not arrogant and is capable of recognising beauty and greatness. In the first book, Virgil also introduces Dido. Dido is the Queen and founder of Carthage, the city where Aeneas finds himself after the storm. Dido originates from Tyre, where she was married to the richest of all men in the land, Sychaeus. Dido loved Sychaeus and was devoted to him. Dido’s brother was the King of Tyre and he was a man of unparalleled evil. His name was Pygmalion. One day, blinded by greed, Pygmalion cut down Sychaeus while he was off guard, praying at the altar. Pygmalion then tried to hide his crime, fobbing Dido off with lie after lie. However, the ghost of the dead man appeared to Dido in a dream, he told her of all that happened, showing the sword wound in his chest. The ghost urged Dido to escape the country in haste, revealing to her the location of an unknown hoard of buried treasure. Dido gathered her friends and haters of the king and stole a fleet of ships, sailing overseas with Pygmalion’s treasure safely stored on board. They came to a place in the north of Africa where they bought land â€Å"as much as a bull’s hide would surround† and there they founded a city, the city of Carthage. Dido also displays many favourable qualities. Some of these are:   Beauty – Queen Dido is beautiful. She is compared to the goddess Diana, â€Å"Just like (Diana), Queen Dido was happily moving through her courtiers to urge on the work, to hasten her future realm. † Concerned for the defence of her city – Queen Dido places guards around her city to protect it. She explains why to Ilioneus, â€Å"My city is young: that’s why I have to do such things, and guard every inch of my frontiers†.   Knowledgeable – Queen Dido has knowledge of affairs outside her kingdom, even as far away as Troy. She knows of the Trojan War and of Aeneas, â€Å"who has not heard of Aeneas’ men, of the city of Troy, the courage of its heroes, and the fires of its awful wars? Our Carthaginian wits are not as dull as that, nor is our city so cut off from the rest of the world! †   Hospitable – When the Trojan survivors arrive, Queen Dido offers them food and wine. The Queen also sends food down to the survivors camped on the shore, â€Å"She sent twenty bulls to his companions down on the shore, a hundred huge, bristly-backed swine, the same number of ewes and fat lambs, and gifts of wine to delight them. † Queen Dido even offers the Trojans a permanent home in Carthage, where they are to be treated as equals, â€Å"This city I’m building, it’s yours. Haul up your ships. Trojan or Tyrian I’ll treat you the same. † * Warmth – Queen Dido shows warmth and affection to Aeneas and his son. She hugs them and is touched by their gifts to her. â€Å"Fondly she hugs him (Aeneas’ son), again and again to her breast†. * Fair and Just – Queen Dido is fair to all her subjects. She allocates responsibility and labour equally and she makes fair and just laws. The way Virgil introduces Aeneas and Dido in the first book of the Aeneid makes the similarities between them easy to identify: They have both suffered hardships and have subsequently been forced to leave their native lands; they both are on quests to found new cities for their people; they both display distinctive leadership qualities; they are both capable of affection and warmth. It is these similarities between the two that makes it easier to identify them as both being the heroes in the book.

Racial and Ethnic Inequality Essay Example

Racial and Ethnic Inequality Essay Example Racial and Ethnic Inequality Paper Racial and Ethnic Inequality Paper Inequality cannot be separated from the concept of poverty, and with other societal issues. There are different kinds of inequality but one of the most prevalent, besides the ones previously mentioned economic disparity, is that of racial and ethnic origin. Racial and ethnic inequalities result from the recognition of physical or cultural differences between groups and attaching social definitions to them. For instance, black and Hispanic students are usually stigmatized as poor in class relative to their Asian and White counterparts. Richard Anderson (2000) from the University of Colorado at Denver confirmed that African American Air Force trainees fare not quite as good with the other students because of the (white) instructors’ alleged lack of faith in their capacities. They are not given as much opportunity to take risk, which is an integral part in their course. Another form of inequality is one inflicted among women. Although prevalent in the Third Worlds of Africa and Asia, gender inequality is definitely a worldwide phenomenon. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen (2001) presented the â€Å"many faces of gender inequality† in his works. The seven types are mortality inequality, natality inequality, basic facility inequality, special opportunity inequality, professional inequality, ownership inequality and household inequality. For modern societies, women’s oppressions typically include the burden of maintaining career and home at the same, as well as roadblocks to occupational or educational success. However, in traditional cultures where women are viewed as mere second-class citizens, domestic abuse, abortion of female babies and foetal-sex change becomes the problem. Just like women, non-heterosexual persons like gays, lesbians, transsexuals and transgender individuals are common victims of inequalities. Often referred to as societal problems due to a person’s sexual orientations, Lucianne Englert (2005) of Indiana University wrote that injustices faced by these people are present everywhere, from work and housing discrimination to lack of tax benefits akin to state-recognized marriages. Gay bashings, legal separation from their children and revoked rights to HIV status privacy also occurs. Beloved and Sethe are two characters whose lives are actually greatly influenced, if not altogether determined by circumstances that are established, ironically borne out of another concept of morality. Some people at the time probably have actually believed it right to discriminate, as slavery is borne out of racism which is borne out of ethnocentric perspectives of what is good and evil, such as the association of white to good and of black to evil. The problem starts when only one perspective is forced unto all. What happens to the other side of the story, which is that of the blacks? Poverty and inequality are two of the greatest problems afflicting the world today. They bore the greatest effect on human lives and cannot be separated from other ails afflicting society. Once the public collectively attach labels to the traits distinctive of a particular group or gender, behaviour towards this group is altered. This will eventually shape their roles in the community. The adverse affect of this may range from overt, like a denied admission to a good university, or subtle, like slower customer services. Generally, their parity right to resources and opportunities is breached and due to the differential treatment, they are involuntarily segregated as unwanted members of the population. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anderson, R. H. (2000). Racial and Ethnic Inequality. Retrieved May 24, 2007 at: http://carbon. cudenver. edu/public/sociology/introsoc/topics/ UnitNotes/week07. html Asquith, Stewart. The Role of the Social Worker in the 21st Century. Retrieved May 24, 2007 at: indiana.edu/~rcapub/v18n2/p23.html

Brigadoon Essay Research Paper I recently attended

Brigadoon Essay, Research Paper I late attended the drama, Brigadoon by Loewe and Lerner, at my local college theatre. Through all of the dramas mystical events and vocals, I noticed some really of import inside informations. I chose to compare the thoughts in the drama to some specific thoughts held by a group of people in Italy. The mounted their thoughts together to organize a period in our history called the Renaissance. This was the first thing that came to my head when I was believing about my comparing. A drama acts as its ain clip period as it resembles a mere image of existent life. A drama could associate to about any individual, topographic point, or thing. The first comparing I would wish to speak about trades with subjects. The Renaissance period is frequently referred to as the, # 8220 ; metempsychosis # 8221 ; , period. Peoples in Italy changed the manner of life by making an organized and free manner of life. I believe that Brigadoons chief subject trades with the metempsychosis of Tommy Albright # 8217 ; s life. Tommy Albright is one of the chief stars in the drama Brigadoon. He is from New York and is on a trip with one of his best friends. He is besides engaged at the really beginning of the drama but he is in no haste to settle down. Tommy and his friend run into this concealed town called Brigadoon in the center of Scotland. It is here were Tommy falls in love with a miss named Fiona. However, the Torahs of Brigadoon forbid Fiona to go forth with Tommy and travel back to New York. Tension arises and Tommy leaves his loved one in Brigadoon. Once Tommy is back in New York he realizes his error and finds his metempsychosis. He realizes what he wants and who he wants to go. Tommy goes back to Brigadoon and corsets with Fiona, go forthing everything else behind. The comparing seems so close yet far off. In clip everything goes through a small alteration or metempsychosis. But the Renaissance and Tommy # 8217 ; s metempsychosis was different. These alterations delt with destiny, fate, and prosperity. The Renaissance period has shaped our civilization today. I might non even be composing this paper if it was non for that period were they encourage free authorship and thought. The period was portion of the universe # 8217 ; s destiny to go a better topographic point to populate. Peoples from Italy influenced each other to promote plants of art and free thought. And in clip they prospered to assist determine our civilization. However, the influences that help do a metempsychosis can merely help so much. During the Renaissance cipher expected what the hereafter would convey. Brigadoon isolated Tommy to assist him understand his love for Fiona. However, his metempsychosis is non guaranteed to last. Many obstructions stand in his way to hold the perfect relationship with Fiona. When comparing the domestic life of Brigadoon people and Renaissance people, confusion hindered my ideas. I picture the Renaissance domestic life much like that of Brigadoons. Lots of people dancing, happy, old manner, and near to one another. Brigadoon was an stray town in which traditions would last everlastingly. During the Renaissance Italian people fought to convey order and alteration society. I realize their society was non similar Brigadoons. The people in Italy were u nhappy contending to hold rationalism. However, as clip went on the Renaissance could compare to the happy town of Brigadoon. Italy shortly began to boom as people looked up to their manner of life. They had caused a metempsychosis in the manner of life and were now being rewarded. Festivals occurred all the clip and I picture the people being happy, merely like the people of Brigadoon. The manner differences between Brigadoon and the Renaissance period are illustrated. The people of Brigadoon seem to free twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours, non truly caring how they appear. A simple frock or shirt would make merely ticket on an mean twenty-four hours. During the Renaissance the people of Italy were more perfect and beautiful than any other state in Europe. The fabrics and homes were designed in one of the greatest art periods of all clip. Great creative persons influenced the people during the Renaissance. Paintings, edifices, sculptures, and plants of art were everyplace. In Venice there were regulations which prohibited certain types of frock. Brigadoon was a more set back manner of dressing. When comparing the two types of manner our civilization today comes to my head. When you walk down the street you see both types of manners. Other people influence you on what to have on and what is cool. That is why I understand Brigadoons old manner manner. They are st ray people who seldom get visitants in their town. They have nil to compare or portion with. The people in Italy influenced each other to look every bit best as they could and endeavor for flawlessness. In bend they helped give our civilization a new manner to look at manner. During the early old ages of the Renaissance the bubonic pestilence hit Europe. The pestilence was frequently called # 8220 ; black decease # 8221 ; and devastated metropolis life. I saw one adult male during the drama who was haunted by a pestilence besides. Archie Beaton # 8217 ; s boy, Harry, who is love with Jean Maclaren, was haunted by the pestilence called Charlie Dalrymple. Harry is profoundly in love but Jean is about to get married Charlie. Harry is invariably bothered and upset because of Charlie. Charlie acts as a painful pestilence that does non look to travel off. When the bubonic pestilence hit Europe many people tried to fly the metropoliss into the countryside. However, merely the rich people could afford to travel. Many people died because they did non hold the money to fly. Harry tried to run from his pestilence besides. The Torahs of Brigadoon forbid Harry to go forth the town but he does non care about them any more. When seeking to go forth Harry is killed an d his pestilence ends. The town suffers from his loss merely as the Renaissance period was hurt. The Renaissance may hold been a clip period, nevertheless, it still can associate to the drama Brigadoon. Any drama can act upon people and has to hold influences, merely like certain periods of our yesteryear. One of the chief grounds I chose the Renaissance it because it reminded of Europe, as did the drama. Whenever I think of Europe I think of pureness, humanistic disciplines, and beautiful landscapes. When I foremost seen the drama I knew it was supposed to take topographic point in Europe. So I merely compared it to the one thing in Europe that is a great historical period, the Renaissance.

Software Usability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Software Usability - Essay Example Usability focuses entirely on providing information on how to design effective websites that offer better usability and accessibility to its users. Usability offers plentiful information on factors that enhance a user’s quality of experience of a site. The structure of the site offers easy accessibility to major information resources relevant to the site’s mandate. The pages have a consistent design format, which ease the process of finding information. The purpose of Usability is to help government web designers create sites that have more usability and accessibility of the sites (Usability, 2011). Usability tries to address web design issues that touch on a site’s usability and offers help on how to design, plan, and evaluate the usability of a site. The overall look of Usability is that of a well-organized online information resource. The site is true to its purpose of enhancing usability of sites through user-centered web design. Usability has no adverts on its pages, only links to content related to designing more usable web sites. The right column, which is usually full of adverts in many sites, has links to the site’s content and readers’ comments on the topic under discussion on the particular page. The feel of Usability is that of highly credible, informative, and user-oriented web site with great information architecture. The content on every page is purposely for the advancement of better web design that is adaptive to user preferences and requirements. The information feels very high ranking in credibility, judging by the user comments, reviews, quality, and the elaborate referencing of the content provided. The apparent target audience for Usability is government web designers (Usability, 2011). However, as you delve deeper into the content of the site, you begin to lose the feeling that the content’s orientation is towards government web designers. The content is useful to all web designers in general, and could be