Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Proposal - Essay Example But, these people will be able to fulfil this role if they have the requisite knowledge about the diet principles and the requirements of nutrients. The healthy diet includes solid as well as liquid food items. In order to compete with European and American teams the Saudi footballers will have to make good use of healthy food items. While carrying out a study for Business Insights, Siddika Jaffer (2008), find that the overall market for sports and energy drinks has seen immense growth in the European and US markets and this growth is expected to continue at a rate of about 5 percent till 2011. The study points out that the during the period 2001-06, the Spanish market for sports and energy drinks has witnessed the highest percentage of growth pegged at more than 13 percent. Nutrients help in sustaining the long term needs of training and short-term needs of competition (Hassapidou et al, 2003). It is believed that formal training with proper dietary intervention leads to a number of advantages in enhancing the performance of an athlete in aspects like physical performance, better protection against injuries, maintaining a stable stamina, and proper muscular growth. Therefore having updated information regarding the dietary principles suitable for sportspersons provides an edge to the coach. This study is an effort to analyse the knowledge level amongst the football players and the coaches in Saudi Arabia in general. Literature review not only helps in going through the findings and conclusions of earlier researchers, it also helps in shaping a direction for the present research activity as well, because the researcher tends to get fair idea about the areas requiring particular focus. In this case also we are bound to come across a number of research papers about the necessity and usage of rich energy diets for sportspersons in general. It will our endeavour to go through some

Analysis of the Book After the Fact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of the Book After the Fact - Essay Example In most cases, interpretation of history depends on the expertise of the historian or the generation for which the history is interpreted. This essay focuses on the chapter on Virginia and it will try to figure out the flaws that the story brings to the surface. In addition, it will give an alternative that the historian could have used in finding the truth. The story tries to explain the historical moment of the Virginia colony in the seventeenth century. It uses the settlement in the area as evidence to support the truth about the state of affairs during that time. The story relies on the written records of Captain John Smith. He was present at the time as well as other written past records to reveal issues of the historical moment. However, this process of obtaining evidence looks over vital aspects of history that could have produced another interpretation of the historical moment. For instance, the historian did not depend on the hardworking nature of the Virginians in interpret ing Captain Smith’s account. Smith’s account focuses on firsthand information rather than a critical analysis of all systems in the society (Davidson, James and Mark 45). Therefore, this approach does not reveal critical details of Virginia but rather the ones that one can see clearly with the naked eyes. Other members of the society who had passed through various political and historical exposures were the best sources of evidence rather than using Captain Smith. These Virginians would have given the historian a wide source and range of information for making informed decisions about the historical moment. The diversity of the Virginians at the time questions the reliability of using firsthand information to make decisions about the history of Virginians. For instance, the Virginians established a new system of labor in the form of slavery, which is among the many aspects of history that are difficult to capture using the eyes (Davidson, James and Mark 75). The histor ian could have used research methods to dig out hidden information about the Virginians.     

Masculinity In Marlowes Edward The Second Play

Masculinity In Marlowes Edward The Second Play Renaissance plays often have the tension between order and disorder as its underlying central issue, which is frequently expressed through the conflicts presented in love, loyalty, family relations, gender issues, and politics and law; and these plays attempt to reinstate order in the end by trying to dispose of those elements that cause the disruption of society. One widely celebrated author from this period, famous for his works Hero and Leander and Doctor Faustus, is Christopher Marlowe. Marlowes plays are similar in respect that the tension of order and disorder lies at its core, and an in depth analysis can be done of his play Edward the Second on all the previously mentioned themes. Marlowes Edward the Second questions the gender boundaries as presented in the early-modern period, and the notions on masculinity are closely intertwined with politics in this play, which can be noticed when focussing on ideas of masculinity with regards authority, sexuality, and women as presented in Marlowes play. Women, thus, were axiomatically perceived as being subordinated to men, especially concerning the financial and legal organisation of society. As the normal manner in which the head controls its body, the subordination of women was considered to be absolutely natural (hobby, 32). Domestically, the power rested with the father who was considered to be in command. Women were considered to be less rational than men and prone to emotional outbursts, and, consequently, they required male protection. (Traub, 129-130) According to Curtis Perry in Eros and Power in English Renaissance Drama, masculinity was stereotypically associated with rational self-command and constancy (6), and to handle public orders as opposed to personal desires (Shephard, 75), while effeminateness was linked to uncontrollable passion, spending to much time at home, and being dedicated to women in a subordinate rather than mastery position (Sinfield, 88). When discovered in men, these effeminate qualities instigated the downfall of social structures and positions as recognized in early-modern England; so, men should attempt to repudiate this effeminate behaviour and assert manliness. Furthermore, according to Stephen Orgel, manhood was not a natural condition but a quality that had to be striven for and maintained through constant watchfulness (Orgel, 29), which was done through manuals -for example Castigliones The Book of the Courtier- that emphasized masculine behaviour without showing effeminate behaviour. Other significant features of masculinity included fighting and violence, rivalry, uniforms, being a father, and facial hair. This last trait separated men from the boys who appear often in conjunction with effeminacyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[and] from the viewpoint of the masterful male they are both inferior (Sinfield, 103). Also, men are physically stronger than women, and in an age where there is no technology as existing today muscles were required for accomplishing hard, physical labour, resu lting in men being more dominant compared to women. Additionally, manliness generally meant hanging out with other males (Sinfield, 88) and, in the early-modern period social stability and order were governed by these homo-social bonds between men, for everyone was defined in relation to these. The social structure was constructed round systems of patronage and clientele between men, and many institutions required men to share domestic space with one another, especially beds. The relations between master/servant, or tutor/pupil for example were often specified in terms of an idealized friendship and were essential to society. The emphasis upon the importance of manliness as a performed role and the centrality of the inter-male relations as the basis of social order places the men and the male body at the centre of society (Hattaway, 482). Nevertheless, there were exceptions regarding the general gender-roles as mentioned above. Widows, for example, had some power in the domestic sph ere and in financial businesses, because they had no man to arrange their businesses. Moreover, Queen Elizabeth was a woman with power and control, and was thus associated with masculine qualities. Although females with masculine traits were usually perceived as anomalies of society, this was not the case for Queen Elizabeth who is considered to be one of Englands most remarkable leaders. In this period, the role of a king or queen was primarily a public position, and their authority and ability to rule the country was inextricably intertwined with their ability to govern themselves, which is a central theme clearly illustrated in Christopher Marlowes play Edward the Second. Kings were regarded as possessing ideal personal virtues that made it able for them to govern a country, which was seen as an extension of him/herself. Accordingly, personal self-control was a quality that was emphasized, because without self-control a king/queen was unable to govern his/her country. Perry observes that a king [was] bestowed upon a people by God, and if God wishes to reward a virtuous people, their ruler will be given the personal moral excellence to control himself(10). This implicates that a ruler should always have the best interest of the realms people in mind, respecting traditions and regulations, for the decisions made by a particular ruler and the manner in which he perfor ms his office effects not only his immediate subjects, but people of all degrees of society (DiMatteo, 177). This is a notion stressed by King James VI/I in his book Basilikon Doron: As he cannot be thought worthy to rule and command others, that cannot ruleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦his own proper affections and unreasonable appetites, so can he not be thought wordy to govern a Christian people, knowing and fearing God, that in his own person and heart, feareth not and loveth not the Devine Majesty. (qtd. in Perry, 1) Also, there was no clear distinction between the kings personal life and private life, and, accordingly, the kings/queens personal identity and morality was a public matter. Rulers were considered to be the moral representatives of their people, and were required to set a good example: Kings, being public persons by reason of their office and authority, are, as it were setà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦upon a public stage, in the sight of all the people where all the beholders eyes are attentively bent to look and pry in the least circumstance of their secretest drifts. Which should make kings the more careful not to harbour the secretest thought in their mind, but such as in their own time they shall not be ashamed openly to avouch. (qtd. in Perry, 4) As a result, rulers had to control their feelings and personal desires for the sake of the countrys welfare and were not entitled to give up everything for, for instance, love or personal desires. This also meant that friendships should be chosen because of their counsel, nobility, and moral wisdom rather than for any more inward or subjective reason (Perry, 4), because rulers distributed wealth and power among these friends, meaning that is was imperative that these positions of power were granted to capable individuals for the benefit of the country and its citizens. Consequently, this had to be done according to reason and not according to subjective feelings. When decisions were made according to misguided reason and passion, political tyranny was the result, for the overthrow of reason by passion leads a ruler to violate the principles of moral rule.(4) Moreover, tyranny [was] often seen as effeminate and associated with moral weakness (8) because it results from the rulers inab ility to control his/her aspirations. In Marlowes play, king Edward II is incapable of regulating his own desires and thoughts, and the imbalance and the violence ensued by the kings affection for Gaveston reminded an audience just how important a rulers ability of self-control is. The problem issued by the nobility in the play of Edward having Gaveston as his favourite lies mainly in Edwards decision to bypass them and to bestow to much power on someone of low birth without their consultation, which is in lines with customary political regulations, that it is possible for that person to overawe them. Laws were considered to be issued by God, and if God had wanted Gaveston to be that powerful God would have bestowed him with more power, and by granting Gaveston with that much power Edward denigrates the rest of his peers as stated by Lancaster: In this play, Gaveston represents the unruly desires that threaten to overturn the rational social order of society. Gaveston believes that as the personal favourite of the king he will be empowered in such a way that [His] knee shall bow to none but the King. (1.19) However, Edwards peers insist that the king must behave according to his impersonal duty to the publics need by suppressing his own longing and desires and acting out of reason. Mortimer senior emphasizes this need to conform to public wishes in the play when stating: If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston. (1.79) Here, Mortimer senior asks the king to distinguish between two kinds of affection. On the one hand, there is his personal love and intimacy he feels for Gaveston, which is ascribed to passion and personal desire. Contrastively, there is an impersonal kind of love determined by the public status in moral reason: namely the affection a king is required to hold for his peers. So, Mortimer senior asks his king to d isregard his personal feelings for his duty and honour to the public. (Perry, 27) Nevertheless, Edward II is unable to accomplish this stating: I will have Gaveston (1.95) solely because he loves me more in all the world.(4.77). The result is disorder and chaos through which Mortimer Junior with the help of most of the other peers and Isabella obtain power. However, Mortimer Junior is revealed to be a figure of passionate political ambition chasing his own passions and desire; a tyrant who revels in his unrestrained power planning to advance his friends: Essentially, Mortimer Junior can be likened in the end to how Gaveston began in the play: as a figure representing passionate misrule, characterized by political ambition. Nevertheless, Valerie Traub suggests that the conclusions of these kind of early-modern plays tend to restore the social order. And because chaos is often expressed as an inversion of gender hierarchy, the reconstruction of order tends to reinstate masculine authority. (132). In Marlowes play Edward III represents this masculine authoritative figure, and he demonstrates his competence through his willingness to punish Mortimer Junior and -more importantly- his own mother, showing that he is able to subordinate personal affections to that of public duty in contrast to his father Edward II. Edwards political inabilities are inextricably connected with his sexuality, and his inability to handle it accordingly causes the civil rebellion in the play, and, ultimately, his death. Male affectivity and the perception on sexuality in the early-modern period is difficult to describe, because in a culture were intense male friendships and shared beds were the norm- it is almost impossible to distinguish between friends and lovers.(Hattaway, 482) Accusations of being a sodomite did occur; however, this generally did not refer to explicit sexual acts but was used to accuse somebody for immoral behaviour and acting out of unruly desires. Moreover, sexual orientation was not perceived as being a significant part of someones character, but according to Perry homoerotic desire was typically thought of as something that anybody could feel but that nobody should give expression to.(7) Nevertheless, buggery was considered to be a crime punishable by death in this period. Sex was created b y God for procreation and not for recreational purposes, making buggery a sin against God. In Edward the Second, the kings homoerotic relationship with his favourite Gaveston is made explicitly clear from the start where Gaveston compares their relationship to that of the classical story of Hero and Leander, for Leanders nightly meeting with Hero after his swim across the Hellespont was specifically a union of sexual love(Marlowe, xviii) which in return helps to assign Gavestons speech with an erotic undertone: Sweet prince, I come; these, these thy amorous lines Might have enforced me to have swum from France And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand, So thou wouldst smile and take me in thy arms. (1.6-9) Another occurrence in the play where classical figures are evoked to remark upon the relationship between the king, his favourite, and their erotic intimate behaviour is uttered by queen Isabella, who remarks that that their affection is even greater than Joves affection for the beautiful Ganymede: Like frantic Juno will I fill the earth With ghastly murmur of my sighs and cries For never doted Jove on Ganymede So much as he on cursed Gaveston. (4.178-81) Ganymede (a beautiful Trojan boy who was taken by Jove to serve as a cup-bearer on Mount Olympus because he fell in love with the boys appearance) came to act as an image for homoerotic desires and passions, and -in the early-modern period- he became to represent the foul sodomite (Orgel), epitomizing the essence of personal criminality and immorality. Surprisingly, in this play the problem does not lie in Edwards need to have a male minion for his sexual pleasures, as remarked by Mortimer senior when stating that The mightiest kings have had their minions: Great Alexander loved Hephaestion; The conquering Hercules for Hylas wept; And for Patroclus stern Achilles drooped. And not kings only, but the wisest men (4. 390-396) However, Edward II and Gavestons desires constitute a cultural threat because they insist that their homoeroticism not be divorced from their political and social identities (Stymeist, 237), making it possible for Gaveston to gain access to power that he should never be able to obtain, and resulting in a [h]omoerotic desireà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[that] enables a subversion of social hierarchy (Chedszoy, 256). Edward even places Gaveston next to him on the queens throne, underscoring the reversed, unnatural order present at court. Edwards fatal mistake, moreover, rests in his unnatural devotion to Gaveston while ignoring his peers and -more important- his homo-social obligation towards them. This becomes apparent when Edward II refuses to ransom Mortimer senior when he is captured in battle, which triggers the rebellion against Edward II by his former peers, because they fear that this failure of homosocial obligation could prefigure larger rebellion and disorder in the realm (Chedszoy, 257). Edward II neglects his peers, his queen, and his country by focussing solely on the wellbeing of, and his love for Gaveston, depicting him as effeminate and incapable to perform his duty. However, in the end Edward II reasserts some of his masculine qualities, showing the ambivalence of his sexuality as portrayed by Marlowe. Edward shows that he is able to withstand the sufferings and torture he goes through, revealing a masculine strength: He hath a body able to endure / More than we can inflict (24.10-11). Furthermore, the historical accounts on Edward II explain that he had won his wife in a game of jousting. This game was a premier way of proving ones masculinity, because it is a physical and dangerous sport that required toughness, fitness, and an ability to control your horse; which implicated that you were able to control yourself (Flood, Women, Men, and Sex). Last, queen Isabella -one of the few women present in Marlowes play- plays a significant role and goes through the most radical transformation during the play which questions gender ideologies that existed at the time, ultimately resulting in her demise. As stated previously, women were stereotypically portrayed as acting out of unruly passions and desires, and they needed to be subordinate and controlled by men (Ryan, 132). At first, queen Isabella attempts to make her marriage succeed for her, and she endeavours at being patient and obedient wishing that that her marriage to Edward will turn out for the better and hoping that her husband will no longer reject her emotionally and sexually. Edward, in turn, does nothing to try and make their marriage work, for his only concern is about Gaveston, and he openly scorns his wife by saying to Gaveston: Speak not unto her; let her droop and pine (4.63), while Isabella in vainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦look[s] for love at Edwards hand (9.62). Chedgzoy observes that Marlowe repeatedly indicates that for both Isabella and Edward, an orderly reconciliation of their competing desires might be possible, so long as it also reconciles the political and personal aspirations that shape Isabellas dissatisfaction. (252) When Isabella brings the news that Gavestonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦shall be repealed. (4.323), a loving reconciliation between the two occur. However, this reunion is only ephemeral because Edward is unable to maintain a suitable balance between his erotic desires, his love, and his obligations as a king. Isabella connects Edwards unnatural love for Gaveston directly with the countrys decline: Edward, thou art one among them all / Whose looseness hath betrayed thy land to spoil / And made the channels overflow with blood. (17.10-12). Consequently, Edward pushes Isabella in the arms of Mortimer Junior. However, Isabella is not merely an innocent woman desperately craving for love, for her adulterous behaviour is suggested from the start and her political ambition and sexual transgression grows more obvious when the play progresses (Stymeist, 246). She draws on recognizing and exploiting the power [she has] over Mortimer thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ will lead to adultery and murder. (Fuller, 84) She tra nsforms from being an obedient wife to an adulterous, manipulative, and murdering woman, for it is Isabella, together Mortimer Junior, who conspire to Edward and Kents execution. According to Stymeist, Isabella becomes a nightmarish emblem of adultery and unnatural motherhood, allowing her son to be forcefully taken away by her paramour (246-247). Her political ambitions and her emotional distress caused by her husband go hand in hand. Furthermore, Isabella transforms from being a scorned wife with feminine desires and passions to being a military leader showing masculine qualities. She is described by Edward as a warrior queen whose eyes, being turned to steel, / Will sooner sparkle fire than shed a tear.(20.104-105), and her union with Mortimer Junior offers her access to political power. In the end, both Edward and Isabella need to be eliminated to regain the natural order at court and in the realm, emphasized by Sara Munson Deats by stating that Marlowes radicalism is ultimately contained by a pervasive disciplinary and admonitory ideology: the roles that Edward and Isabella ultimately select deviate too markedly from societys authorized subject positions, and so they must be sacrificed as scapegoats of their inflexible culture. (qtd. in stymeist, 238) All in all, in the early-modern period, men were stereotypically perceived as being the head of the family, to provide for them, and they were expected to act according to reason. Women were stereotypically perceived as being prone to emotional outbursts and acting out of desire and passion. These feminine qualities, however, can also be seen in Christopher Marlowes play Edward the Second in the male character of King Edward II. He is unable to rule his country because he is unable to control his personal feelings, causing a rebellion among his peers because he does not listen to them with regard to his personal favourite Gaveston. Edwards political inabilities are inextricably connected with his sexuality -ambivalently portrayed by Marlowe- and his inability to govern himself for the sake of his country results to his death. In addition, his wife, after emotional and sexual neglect by Edward II, undergoes a radical transformation in the play, from being a humble, obedient, and rejec ted wife to being described as a warrior queen whose emotional distress and political ambition causes her downfall, restoring the order with Edward III on the throne.

Comparison Of Judaism And Christianity :: essays research papers

There are many substantial and vital distinctions between Judaism and Christianity. Of course there are many similarities, primarily because Christianity emerged from Judaism. However, the emergence was not a direct line. Christianity broke from Judaism, forming a new religion, so it is misleading, however comfortable the thought might be, to believe that the two religions are essentially the same, or to see Christianity as the natural continuation of Judaism. Judaism's central belief is that the people of all religions are children of God, and therefore equal before God. All people have God's love, mercy, and help. In particular, Judaism does not require that a person convert to Judaism in order to achieve salvation. The only requirement for that, as understood by Jewish people, is to be ethical. While Judaism accepts the worth of all people regardless of religion, it also allows people who are not Jewish but who voluntarily wish to join the Jewish people to do so. GodJudaism insists on a notion of monotheism, the idea that there is one God. As Judaism understands this idea, God cannot be made up of parts, even if those parts are mysteriously united. The Christian notion of trinitarianism is that God is made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Such a view, even if called monotheistic because the three parts are, by divine mystery, only one God, is incompatible with the Jewish view that such a division is not possible. The Jewish revolutionary idea is that God is one. This idea allows for God's unity and uniqueness as a creative force. Thus, for Jewish people, God is the creator of all that we like and all that we don't. There is no evil force with an ability to create equal to God's. Judaism sees Christianity's trinitarianism as a weakening of the idea of God's oneness. Jewish people don't have a set group of beliefs about the nature of God; therefore, there is considerable, and approved, debate within Judaism about God. However, all mainstream Jewish groups reject the idea of God's having three parts. Indeed, many Jewish people see an attempt to divide God as a partial throwback, or compromise with, the pagan conception of many gods. The Jewish View of JesusTo Christians, the central tenet of their religion is the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, part of the trinity, the savior of souls who is the messiah.

The Renaissance Man

In the film there was a group named the double ad's. They are called double ad's meaning, dumbest dog salt. The people from that group are chosen to be In that group because those students are the ones that do not comprehend the army duty. Mr.. Raga, the teacher from the group double ad's, was not as responsible. Facing some of his own consequences like, getting fired from his previous job, losing his relationship slowly with his only daughter, and not taking his new job as a teacher seriously. But during the film he went through some times where he changed.From he students touching him in an emotional level and being in an army base facility he changed. Three things that Mr.. Raga changed was his character attitude, and got some discipline. His character changed by not being mean and rude to people he found from his students that there is more to a person that what meets the eye. His attitude changed from how he acts with people to how he looked at his teaching Job. At first he TLD want the job but after time he found out how important changing and helping the kids life really ;s.He became more disciplined by the Army, getting to mime early or In time and getting himself straight with his priorities. I believe the most important change from the three, is his attitude. Because I think attitude says a lot about a person. How you are with people and it shows how your real character really is. By changing his own attitude he turned from being selfish and only caring about his own life to wanting to make somebody else's life better. At first Mr.. Raga was thinking of teaching comprehensive material to the students so they could be able to do and pass the requirements to graduate from the U.S. Army. However he thought hem something else from somewhere he never thought would capture they're attention. Mr.. Raga introduced hamlet by William Shakespeare to the double ad's. The students could relate the play to their lives; the play gave the students motivation, giving them something to look at in order to keep on going and pursuing their goals In life. Each of the double ad's had their own struggles and life, and their own destiny of making It to the Army, but there was this one specific double d. His name was Nathaniel Hobbs, he was a very smart student and the one that connected to Mr..Raga the most; he saw potential for the student and wanted to help him. There were consequences in that though, Mr.. Raga went to talk to the sergeant, they found out Nathaniel Joined the army to escape from hid felony of selling drugs, so he went to jail. I think it was Nathaniel own fault because it was his decision of selling drugs and even though it's in the past you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. Before Mr.. Raga changed his ways he faced an enemy on the way through his change. Mr.. Raga did not get along with sergeant Lou.Sergeant Lou thought Mr.. Raga was not disciplined enough and was not strict enough with his class. You would think It would end up In a feud but surprisingly Mr.. Raga got his own discipline from sergeant Lou, and changed of character. Even though things might not look as good as a situation something good always happens. Even though sergeant Lou thought Mr.. Raga was not as strict or as disciplined, the classmates got an effect on the class. I en class gave ten students motivation to change Ana It Improved tenet connecter.They were able to complete the tasks of their army duties and obstacles they had to overcome in order to graduate from the army. There was an original renaissance man that was mentioned in the movie. The Renaissance man was Alberta Leon Battista. He accomplished a lot of things, his mindset was there is not a limit of the goals you want to reach or what you want to become. That's something Mr.. Raga taught his class. Like I said before, Mr.. Raga was originally going to teach comprehensive but he taught something more important. He ended up teaching the student to reach for t he stars.That success starts from your mind, your way of hinging, you can become whatever you decide to be and what you pursue; however it's not Just pursuing it, but also completing it even though there might be obstacles in the way. The central lesson that can be learned from this movie is that the choices you make dictate the life we live. Any choice you make or action you take make you become the person you are. You can become whatever you want to become if you put your mind and heart into it. Or Just have to look within and take your determination to its fullest capability and reaching your goals.

Field Observation Report

Field Observation Report of Introduction to Public Speaking On the basis of my ambition to one day become a political figure in the United States government, I was obliged to observe Introduction to Public Speaking, COM 110. Dr. Jason Ingram teaches Introduction to Public Speaking on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm in the College of Communications on North Campus.I conducted my observation of COM 110 on September 8 and 10. According to the course syllabus, the main goal of this class is to educate students on the fundamentals of public speaking in order to advance critical reasoning skills and gain the ability to present a well-constructed speech (Ingram, course syllabus). The main concept of my study was to learn how reading, writing, and speaking were entailed in this course’s curriculum.COM 110 dignifies the meaning of effectively communicating a message to a particular audience group as a purpose for creating various types of speeches and strategies. It is e mbedded in the field of communication and the discipline of the social sciences. This course incorporates applications of strategic planning and critical thinking for supporting arguments, the determinants of the rhetorical situation, and audience awareness used to enhance communications skills for use in any public environment.Through the practice of organizing the speech, reading and researching proven techniques and strategies for effectively communicating a message to the audience, and applying concepts in speeches and conducting peer reviews for future benefit, students are able to hone exceptional speaking techniques that they can later resort to in interviews, public forum, or any other oral aspect in their professional career. By taking advantage of the opportunity to observe Dr.Ingram’s class on two separate occasions, through interviewing a undergraduate and the professor himself, and by examining how public speaking impacts various careers, I came to grasp the noti on through an assortment of ways why this course is an exceptional representation of its field and discipline. After a short amount of time observing Dr. Ingram’s class, I came to comprehend how COM 110 helped students develop strong oral and critical thinking skills. This class can generally be classified as mainly a presentation-based class with some occasional lectures focusing on key concepts.The main educational purpose of lecture-based days was to reinforce the content involved in the chapters that were assigned for homework the previous class. Dr. Ingram carried out this theme by having open class discussions on specific material and generalized public speaking topics. He stated in his syllabus that every class was an opportunity for someone to voice their opinions, to actively participate in an effort to create an intellectually stimulating learning environment and to ask questions or request additional information on material that is unclear (Ingram, Course Syllabus) .The professor also encouraged small group work in order to learn the fundamental format of how speeches were traditionally conducted. The two class days that I attended however, focused primarily on presentations. Dr. Ingram commenced class by reviewing the rubric as criteria for which impromptu speeches were based off of. Prior to handing out topics to the students, he encouraged all of them to stand up and babble or recite mostly consonant-based phrases like sally sells sea shells down by the sea shore in an attempt to warm up their mouths for speaking.Once the students were fully capable of projecting their voices he assigned topics accordingly to the people who had signed up to present for that particular day. He allowed them to choose one topic out of three possible categories written on note cards. After the student chose the topic, he or she was given a maximum of eight minutes to prepare for the speech. During this time frame the professor strongly encouraged that the stude nts go into the hallway so that they could carefully formulate a plan to successfully present their impromptu speech to the class.Dr. Ingram also suggested reading the newspaper or other news-based text in order to have an additional source to relate the topic back to. Once the preparation time ceased, the students had three to four minutes to present their topic to the class referring to nothing but a few note cards. Each of the speeches were critiqued by two of their fellow classmates in an effort to relay to the student how they could effectively improve their presentation style for the future.This structure based upon which learning critical thinking and strategic skills are applied to presentations with the addition of receiving feedback from other students allows the presenter to truly build their communication skills. The class objectives of COM 110 are â€Å" to understand elements of the rhetorical situation characterizing public speaking; advance well-supported arguments using sound reasoning and evidence; craft messages for various types of audiences; construct effective feedback for peers and for self-improvement; and understanding some of the persuasive strategies at work in political messages,† (Ingram, Course Syllabus).Dr. Ingram addresses these course goals through an array of methods upon each class meeting. The best technique that he used for carrying out the course objectives was by having the students perform different types of speeches for the rhetorical situation and receiving feedback on their performance. Over the course of the semester the professor plans to have the students present a wide variety of topics through the use of impromptu, informative, persuasive, and call to action based speeches.He encourages that students dress accordingly for their speech so that they are able to place more emphasis on the specific message they are conveying to the audience. Since COM 110 is an introductory-based course, the 23 students in my session were comprised primarily of freshmen and sophomores. The small class size signifies that the learning environment is much more active and participation-based than traditional introductory courses. Most of the students that attended the class were seeking differing majors but needed a communications elective in order to fulfill the General Education Program (GEP) requirement.Since this course was an introductory class, the professor did not require the students to have any prerequisites or prior knowledge of public speaking. Aside from the students majoring in radically different subjects, they all had the common goal of wanting to develop exceptional public speaking skills for their future careers. In addition to conducting a comprehensive observation on COM 110, I had the opportunity to gain insight from a sophomores’ perspective of the class along with how the student planned on utilizing these skills in his future career.In addition to this, I also conducted an int erview with Dr. Jason Ingram to learn how his past experience helps to inform the students about all the intricacies of public speaking. I first interviewed Michael Esposito, who is currently a sophomore in computer programming. When asked about why he originally signed up to take COM 110 he bluntly stated that it was â€Å"a required course in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering,†(Esposito).After hearing this I was inclined to discover his initial impressions and experiences on the class. He enlightened me by explaining that â€Å"the class seems to be of appropriate difficulty for an introduction class, but is graded more on an artistic basis instead of the effectiveness of each speech,† (Esposito). Based on his personal experience, he felt that in order to meet these expectations a student must first master the task of feeling comfortable in front of the class while simultaneously conveying his or her thoughts in an appealing way.W hen asked what skills he deemed were required to be successful in the class he responded that â€Å"confidence and logical reasoning are the most important traits used in speaking in order to convince the audience that the speaker is not wasting their time,† (Esposito). He emphasized that if the speaker presented a flawless argument or appeared meek in any form that they were deemed unqualified for the speech and deserved to be tuned out by the audience. After hearing this, I was intrigued to find out how exactly he planned to benefit from taking COM 110.He reveled to me that he planned to use this class in order to â€Å"convey his engineering ideas to lawyers, politicians, and administrators without using so much jargon that only another engineer could understand,† (Esposito). He went on to inform me how everyone can benefit from taking COM 110 since the traits acquired from the class are universally sought after by a virtually every employer. Once I had an idea how the students in COM 110 planned to apply their communication skills for their future, I opted to find out how the lecturer honed his past experience to educate the undergraduates about public speaking. I interviewed Dr.Jason Ingram, the instructor of COM 110, who holds an MA and a PhD in communication and is an assistant professor in the College of Communication. In an effort to discover why Professor Ingram teaches his class slightly different from other COM 110 classes, I questioned him about his past experiences in communication. He inherently told me that he has â€Å"been the assistant director of debating and held several debate summer workshops in the past,† (Ingram). To my surprise the focus of his research was largely based off of rhetorical and cultural studies. He focused on how the application of political values affected ommunication through observing works in popular culture with a rhetorical point of view (Ingram). In addition to his past experience, I was inte rested to find out how Dr. Ingram incorporated reading and writing into a communication-based class. He informed me that the reading material assigned for homework built a strong foundation for being able to conduct a speech for the rhetorical situation. He also explained that the only writing assignment aside from constructing speech formats was a topic proposal paper where the student was to use their creativity and perform a speech on a topic that they deemed either interesting or educational.Even though COM 110 stresses the importance of developing critical thinking skills for communication, it is imperative to understand how it is applied to various careers. Any student at NC State can expect to benefit from the skills that one acquires in this class. Regardless of career, public speaking is viewed as a vital component of communication where interaction with the audience is used in order to create a connection (Zarefsky 7). Despite preconceived notions about public speaking bei ng a one way message system, it is quite the contrary.The speakers’ ideas are often tested by interacting with the audience, while the listeners’ knowledge and comprehension of the topic are refined through communication with the speaker (Zarefsky 7). As a result, public speaking is often viewed as a constant communication process where messages and gestures are often exchanged between the speaker and listeners (Zarefsky 7). Taking into account the importance of creating a connection with the audience in the rhetorical situation, one can say that public speaking has unparalleled value in every career.The preconceived notion of COM 110 by every student required to take it at NC State can be insignificant, however, it proves to have intrinsic value. This course not only teaches the fundamentals of public speaking but also represents the field of communication in a variety of manners. Through the use of developing critical thinking skills and applying them to the rhetoric al situation, increasing confidence in speaking in front of an audience, and creating a connection with the audience, students in COM 110 gain vital skills that aid in their quest to mastering all aspects of ommunication. Hence, COM 110 is a brilliant representation of the communication field that provides students with an extraordinary skill set for any career. â€Å"Cited References† Esposito, Michael. E-mail interview. 13 Sept. 2009. Ingram, Jason. Communications 110: Introduction to Public Speaking. Course Syllabus. Fall semester 2009. Ingram, Jason. Personal interview. 10 Sept. 2009. Zarefsky, David. Public Speaking: Strategies for Success. Boston: Pearson Education Inc, 2008.

Bedford Hours essays

Bedford Hours essays Various medieval manuscripts are focus of interest for todays scholar, because of their intricate textual and pictorial context. Yet it is The Book of Hours that stands out the most for its diverse structural framework and the creative peculiarities. The irregularities within this brilliant manuscript make it unique in its own way. The unconventional order of the texts, iconographical peculiarities within a program, the abnormality of miniatures, the question of patronage, identity of the artist or the date of production are many reasons why we get captivated and choose to examine this type of manuscript more closely. There are many different Books of Hours. The Bedford Hours is one of the most intriguing ones. The book measures 260 x 180 mm (10 1/2 x 7 1/8 inches). It contains nearly 300 leaves, every one of which is illuminated. In addition to its 38 large miniatures, most of which complement conventional texts of a Book of Hours, it includes more than 1200 tiny marginal pictures, illustrating scenes from Old and New Testaments. The text of the manuscript is written in blue, red and gold ink. The body of work consists of six unequal sections, each of which includes a coherent sequence of devotions appropriate to inclusion in this type of book. The sections are as follows: Calendar; Gospel Lessons followed by Obsecro te and O intemerata; Hours of the Virgin; Penitential Psalms with special Hours assigned to the seven days of the week, and Office of the Dead; Hours of the Passion; Memorials of selected saints, and number of selected special devotions. Each section is composed of multiple gatherings of eight leaves. A gathering of twelve leaves, carrying the calendar precedes these sections. Each month occupying the recto and verso of a single leaf, is illustrated with appropriate iconography. The suitable labors of the month accompanied by zodiac signs are shown in the lower margin of the rec...

How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay Example

How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay Example How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay How Visual Aids Can Help When Teaching a Foreign Language. Essay are all easily accessible and can be used time and again, in different classrooms, at no extra cost. Their size and weight make them an ideal tool for the busy teacher. Magazines: Magazines have many different types of images to make into flashcards and small cards; they are full of advertisements which can be used in contrast with each other. Examples could be: an assortment of advertisements for holiday destinations, highlighting different cultures and weather patterns, or; two photographs of capital cities, each with contrasting lifestyles. Flashcards: 2 Inexpensive cards can be made by using some form of hardboard and by adding colour pictures either downloaded from the internet or bought at a local shop. The chalk tray of a blackboard is an adequate holder to keep the cards within easy reach. We can use them with whole classes or groups, or even with single students. They may display pictures, bits of language or a combination of both. The lettering should be large enough to be seen from the back of a classroom. When teaching a foreign language, teachers can try using pink for feminine nouns and blue for masculine, or they could use two different colours to show adjectives and verbs. This works especially well for visual learners. Here are some ideas on how to use flashcards: Get students in pairs to guess the words or phrases that the pictures represent. Make a team game. Partially cover each picture and challenge teams to guess the word. Further points can be added or gained by making a sentence about the picture or asking a question about it. You can use sets of pictures and ask what they have in common, e. g. all forms of nature; objects you might find in a classroom; fruits and vegetables; Asian countries; sporting activities, etc. You can use the flashcards as cues for substitution in dialogues, e. g. a lexical set of pictures of fruits on the board. Teacher holds up a card and asks students: ‘Do you like bananas? Students answer and continue practicing. The teacher then elicits questions from students using the cards and invites others to respond. The dialogue can be further refined until the flashcards serve as prompts for students working alone. If you or your students want to use flashcards repeatedly over the course of the school year then it is advisable to laminate the cards. They are a wonderful, cheap and easy resource and can be used by children of all ages. Charts and Posters: Charts and posters are additional ways to expose your students to print and word relationships. They can be as simple as a list of things to do, classroom rules, the daily schedule, or a diagram with labels. They can be shop-bought or classroom created. Some examples are colour words, number words, a food pyramid chart, parts of a body, things found in a supermarket, and types of letters and notes, with salutations and closings. Since all diagrams cannot be drawn, they need to be made on charts. Different colours should be used to bring in variety, decoration and effect. Charts are very useful for presenting and practicing structures, vocabulary items and compositions. Pictures: Picture cards or post cards are extremely helpful in language teaching. Wall pictures include maps, posters, photographs, etc. They may be used in place of things such as clouds, sea, mountain, sky, etc. , which cannot be brought into the classroom. They are excellent in practice for oral composition and question and answer drill. Realia: . A classroom by its very nature is an unnatural place to be, but by ringing in real objects or ‘realia’, the teacher can help students relate to what goes on inside to the outside world. Realia consists of actual objects or items which are used in the classroom to illustrate and teach vocabulary or to serve as an aid to facilitate language acquisition and production. It also allows language learners to see, hear, and in some cases touch the objects. Realia can include the learners themselves, the classroom, furniture, the schoo l, published material such as advertisements and menus, the contents of learners pockets and bags, and the view outside the window. They can be used like visuals to present and practice structures, and as props for role play and dramatic activities. When playing themselves they can feel shy and uneasy. Helping them into a different role or person can give them more confidence and relieve their reservations. Realia helps to create this atmosphere. Advantages of visual aids: 3 1 Visual aids promote remembering by involving the senses of the learners, by arousing their curiosity, by making use of pictorial content and by providing variety in teaching. Teaching is made more effective by creating situations for presentation and practice of language items and by reducing dependence on the mother tongue. 3 They help in formation of language habits by drill, repetition and constant practice. 4 Pupils experience of language is increased by providing rich variety and better quality. 5 They promote teachers efficiency by saving time and energy. Teachers should also ask themselves when choosing visual aids: Can this visual aid also be replaced with some of the students work? Can I prepare this visual aid on my own? Is this visual aid too expensive and thus unnecessary for my classroom learning needs? Is this visual aid user-friendly and motivating for learning? Visual aids are most effective when the information they contain are organized in a systematic manner. Present the most important key points during the first part of your lesson, when their attention is at full capacity. They should help not hinder learning. No matter what type of visual aid you choose to put together, make sure that all the information you include on it relates to the main concepts you want to teach your students.

Academic success

Also, being able to manage time and set financial goals also to complete school as well as afford it. Having a support system is also good if you have someone, but if know having great self- esteem and a positive attitude goes a long way. What concerns, if any, do you have with academic writing and reading? Have a concern with my writing and not so much with reading. Have always loved to read and have great comprehension skills. I am just new to all the next formats with technology and writing that didnt have when I was a high school student. Kook forward to improving my writing skill. Know that by starting school may have been a big Step but learning and improving is what I looking forward to. What two university resource races will you use to strengthen your writing and reading skills (refer to your Student Resources Worksheet)? I think will utilize the writing center and the library the most. Have not practice the correct structure of writing since high school and I know now I college I will really need it. I have a strong need to increase my skills in writing.I also know the library will give me more access to reading materials of all kinds. Am also a person who loves to read to in spare time I can take advantage to research things. What is your personal learning style (refer to the Chi. 1 Papilla homework)? Was to able to complete form. What are two obstacles you might need to overcome (refer to your Life Factors and personality assessments)? Was not able to complete form. What strategies can you use to overcome these obstacles and be successful? Was not able to complete form.How does knowing your personal learning style help you be successful? Knowing your own personal learning style is very helpful. It gives you the opportunity to excel. Know by knowing exactly what it needs for me to accomplish my goals. I feel invincible to my course work, know that though it all can do it. Know it makes it allot easier when trying to learn new things ND sometimes you want to retain information and dont know how. I can only image how much could have learned more easily in the past if I knew this information earlier.Do you feel you are ready for the academic and financial commitment of attending college? I know I am ready, because I want a better future for myself. I knew before I enrolled that It wouldnt be easy but have to accomplish this for myself. I dont know how many times have given up on things in life bit this isnt one. I am financially prepared and anticipating the new me once I receive a degree that have work so very hard to obtain. I cant tit until I done but I know I have a journey ahead and this is just the beginning.How can goal setting and time management help you reach your goals? Know goal setting can help me because that how I make it every day now. Have learned my self-worth and have to have a feel of working toward something. My goals help me not only in school but in life and being able to manage and reach them is what makes me feel good about myself. Also I have a full time job so time management is key because I also work long hours so even with the flexibility of an online school I still have to manage to not fall behind.

The 21 st Century Public Company Audit Summary Essay

The 21 st Century Public Company Audit Summary - Essay Example Thus the government authorities passed under the Bush administration to have a strict watch over all the companies and auditing firms formed new standards. These standards require all the auditing firms to abide by the standard procedures defined within their scriptures and have also expanded the horizon of the minimum requirement for an auditor about having the knowledge of operation of its clients and /or companies. These standards include ; The bill passed by president bush is known as the corporate and auditing accountability and transparency act of 2002 also known as Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) act. SOX is an effective measure taken towards restoring investors interest in the public limited companies. SOX also made another governing body known as public company accounting oversight board. Within two years this body PCAOB placed three major auditing standards. The question that how well these standards can clear the overall view is still unanswered. However, the introduction of these new standards and policies will surely increase the quality of auditing performed. The one additional thing that matters to the auditors now is the identification of the methodology of implementing these standards in their auditing practices in a foolproof and transparent manner. The introduction chapter gives a brief over view of the concerns of the government and its new policies regarding them. However, to what extent will the policies and standard be successful in making sure that every thing goes legal and legitimate is yet to be determined Chapter 2: Auditing standards have been facing many changes due to the changing business environment. Right from the time of simple book keeping till the time the financial statements are made, the techniques of auditing were being required to adapt to certain changes for the sake of such events. Companies had been growing large; large enough to stop any auditing firm from doing the detailed evaluation of the entire book keeping stuff. Thus, now the emphasis is on monitoring the internal controls of a company. As per the SOX section 404, internal auditing by public limited companies is a common standard procedure carried out by all within as well as outside U.S. The auditing now also includes checking on the inventories declared and the accounts receivables identified in the balance sheet(s). The most significant step was the introduction of audit risk model (ARM). The risk auditing includes completeness, obligations, correct valuation, presentation and disclosure of certain elements. If any de viation is found by the risk test, the internal auditor is supposed to take the required corrective action to bring the level of risk to the tolerable level or considerable range. While performing disclosure of certain events, a couple of evidences are acquired to support each n' every element. EBS is the minimum requirement set to act as a source of evidence. Auditors need to base their assessments on a couple of evidence and standards. Feedback: This chapter is about controlling the risk factor by internal auditing practices and controls. This requires a honest internal auditing department to implement policies avoiding any risks, as implied by regulations. Thus this is easier for the auditing firms to have a

How k-12 schools can benefit from growing their own fruits and Essay

How k-12 schools can benefit from growing their own fruits and vegetables - Essay Example l kids growing their own food). Unhealthy food habits observed among the students of K-12 schools seem to cause many serious issues to them and to the schools as well. These problems could be solved by promoting fruit and vegetable gardens in schools. K-12 schools can benefit from growing their own fruits and vegetables because it helps to keep their students healthy and fresh in order to produce better academic results and to inculcate social values in them. Health-related Benefits: Better nutritional food helps children to maintain good heath which is essential for their physical growth as well as to maintain mental readiness for the process of learning. An encouragement to healthy eating habits has been given by the Welch's Harvest Grand program which is a joint effort by the National Gardening Association and The Welch's magazine. They provide opportunities for students to learn the importance of a balanced diet, the role of vegetables and fruits in their food habits; the student s can also gain an understanding of what they eat and how the foods are cultivated. Fresh fruits and vegetables included in their diet made them healthy and brighter and as Holly Orians comments, "the food service only has to say 'This is from the garden' and the kids are lined up to get the veggies!† (Welch's Harvest Grants Help Children Enjoy Benefits of Growing Fruits and Vegetables and Reap Rewards in the Classroom) Welch's observed the participation of parents, teachers and even other members of the communities who worked on the gardens, and the students showed immense interest in the foods of which they grew and harvested. K-12 schools are thus benefited by providing opportunities to their students to have food which is made up of their own hands in keeping them under good physical condition. Academic benefits: The fruit and vegetable gardens of the school provide a 'learning by doing' experience to the children in the field of agriculture, which otherwise would have bee n only a verbal experience to them. The result of Welch’s program as Holly Orians states â€Å"we’ve seen improved science scores across the board and also students' reactions to the outdoors" (Welch's Harvest Grants Help Children Enjoy Benefits of Growing Fruits and Vegetables and Reap Rewards in the Classroom) was a great success and proved that the K-12 schools are benefited academically by the introduction of fruit and vegetable gardens in their premises. Seventeen percent of the participant schools of the program reported a remarkable improvement in the test results of their students. The successful story of The Welch's Harvest Grand program thus proves the relevance and importance of the necessity of such activities to be carried out in primary and secondary schools in order to bring about desirable changes in the eating habits of the children so as to make them ready to learn and to produce better academic outputs. The story of Martin Luther King Junior Middle School of

The Lockwood Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Lockwood Group - Essay Example In the similar context, it can be stated that rather than paper and packing business, Lockwood had expanded its firm with the food industry. The company had gained long-term profitability in the market related to the food and packing industry. Further, they had expanded the business into other fields (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the major situation faced by the Lockwood Group. Though the company had faced certain problems in the competitive market, it is essential to analyze their marketing situation and provide appropriate recommendations for the company. Therefore, it can be stated that the main motive of the paper is to provide recommendation for future by analyzing the Lockwood Group’s present as well as past marketing scenario (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Major Situation Faced by the Lockwood Group Lockwood Group had faced major ch ange in the competitive market, as the company had initially started the business with packing and paper section. During the second part of the 20th century, Lockwood Group was engaged in producing auto parts, electrical equipments, metal alloys, electric motors, communication equipments, furniture, appliances, power equipment, specialty equipments and consumer products. However, Lockwood could not succeed in the above mentioned businesses. All the segments were sold or liquidated at losses (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Though the Lockwood was bearing a loss, the CEO of the company has taken various majors in the 21st century to set up long-term profitability in the competitive market. Their main business was financial services, energy, and packaging along with forest products. The company had reinvested the funds in vicinity promising the expansion of cost-effectiveness. In 2001, Lockwood had increased its sales from the four main bus inesses due to adoption of various strategies as it has been stated earlier that the company had expanded the business in the four sectors (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Financial Services Lockwood had started financial services in 2000s. The company had appointed the investment banker to trade the unwanted business and had invested the capital in financial business. Lockwood insurance sector had good profitability in the market. Visualizing the profitable financial scenario, the company had extended to insurance operation. In 2002, Lockwood financial services had three broad categories i.e. life insurance, real estate and causality insurance. Though the company was strongly positioned in the financial sector, its competitors were high, because Lockwood financial division was petite by the national standards (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Energy Lockwood had operated in the energy business since 2004. The company had entered into energy businesses through the acquisition of the EasyGas Energy. Previously, Lockwood had small businesses in the offshore and onshore oil industry but later on expanded the firm into Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi. Lockwood had gained long-term

Zoology article from NYT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zoology article from NYT - Essay Example Apparently, they can mate with a second female in case she is a virgin and heavy. Using the Argiope bruennichi species, the study found that 80% of the times, the females were successful in eating their mates after the initial copulation (Bhanoo). During the mating process, the pedipalp that transfers the sperm from the male is broken off while in the female to form a plug. Consequently, this prevents any subsequent fertilization of eggs by other males. The male has two pedipalps, thus can mate twice in their life. If the male does mate with a virgin, he secures all 100% paternity of all their eggs. However, if the female is not a virgin, the spider’s chance at paternity decreases by ninety percent. Additionally, the males can only mate early in the day with the same female. Later on in the day, the male spider seeks to mate with a second spider. This is a compare and contrast paper between a zoology related article from the New York Times and an original scientific article by the scientist Sindya Bhanoo. In the scientific article, Conditional monogyny: female quality predicts male faithfulness, Bhandoo and his colleagues found that this palp removal reduced the weight of the male orb-web spider, and thus, increasing its stamina significantly. This, in turn, enhances the spider’s endurance capacity.

Discuss the significance of the election of the 2008 in light of the Research Paper

Discuss the significance of the election of the 2008 in light of the 2010 elections (i.e. whether the election of 2008 represent - Research Paper Example This essay critically compares the 2008 elections with the 2010 elections and the changes witnessed thereof. The 2008 versus the 2010 US Elections The political realignment witnessed during the 2008 elections finds its roots in the momentum gained after the 2006 elections. The 2006 election saw a great level of success for the democrats as compared to other recent years. Around this time also, the Bush administration was starkly facing the economic recession and financial crisis hence it was loosing its fame. The main theme during the 2008 campaigns became the desire for reforms and change from Washington and the policies of George W. Bush, the outgoing republican president. Just before the end of the campaigns, other main issues that emerged included the economy and other domestic policies (Kenski et al 225). Due to the realignment, the 2008 election recorded a huge number of notable changes as compared to other recent elections. For example, since 1928, the 2008 election was the fi rst in which neither an incumbent president nor their vice participated in the presidential run. Jessee (198) states that it was also the first time since 1952 in which neither an incumbent vice or president was nominated as a candidate for the general national elections by his party. ... This means that despite the still existent preference for white candidates, the voters concentrated much more on other candidate features such as their manifestos. During the same year, the black vote for the president and other seats was also one of the highest in history and it amounted to 11%. As compared to all other elections held within the last 40 years, the voter turn out during the 2008 elections was the highest. This trend continued in 2010 giving an increased turn-over for mid-term elections. The elected president, president Obama, also received the highest votes ever to be cast for a president in history. Abramson et al (218) explains that four years before the 2008 elections, 9 US states had changed their alliance. In 2004, each one of them had voted for the republican nominee hence their political realignment in 2008 contributed greatly to Obama’s victory because their votes shifted to his favor. In the 2008 elections, all 435 the seats in the House were up for e lection. Out of these 435 seats, the democrats managed to gain a total of 21 seats hence stepping up their majority from 54.3-59.1%. After the election, the democrats controlled 27 of the states whereas the republicans controlled only 14 of such seats. For the first time since the Great Depression, the Governor’s mansion was controlled by the democrats. In terms of demographies, both the parties got at least 40% from all sizeable socio-economic classes except for the republican candidate who got 37%. They also received equal attention from college students but more of post graduate students sided with the republicans (Kenski et al 264). Obama got a greater percentage of urban votes in all towns as compared to

The Afterlife and Great Leaders of Great Civilizations Essay

The Afterlife and Great Leaders of Great Civilizations - Essay Example Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead go to an Afterlife, and that the latter could continue to affect the living’s fortunes. For example, in â€Å"Above the Entrance† it says that those who pass by his tomb and say â€Å"a thousand loaves and beer jugs / For the owners of this tomb† will get a loyal guard for life in form of Harkhuf’s spirit, while those who â€Å"[enter] the tomb unclean† would be seized â€Å"by the neck like a bird† and â€Å"be judged for it by the great God.†   The text suggests that respect for people in authority does not end with their death. It shows that the ancient Egyptians believed in the power of the dead in affecting their lives, so they found it essential to show proper respect to their tombs. In addition, ancient Egyptians appeared to believe that good deeds in real life resulted to good rewards in the Afterlife. The â€Å"Above the Entrance† talks about the good works of Harkhuf. In par ticular, it says that he gave â€Å"bread to the hungry,† â€Å"clothing to the naked,† and â€Å"brought the boatless to the land.†   In other words, he was a kind and helpful public servant. He was generous to all. His charity could be connected to him being an â€Å"excellent equipped spirit,†   because his goodness could be rewarded well in the Underworld. The text indicates that life after death reflects the goodness of one’s lived life. Moreover, the ancient Egyptians had a complex religious system.

Discuss the significance of the election of the 2008 in light of the Research Paper

Discuss the significance of the election of the 2008 in light of the 2010 elections (i.e. whether the election of 2008 represent - Research Paper Example This essay critically compares the 2008 elections with the 2010 elections and the changes witnessed thereof. The 2008 versus the 2010 US Elections The political realignment witnessed during the 2008 elections finds its roots in the momentum gained after the 2006 elections. The 2006 election saw a great level of success for the democrats as compared to other recent years. Around this time also, the Bush administration was starkly facing the economic recession and financial crisis hence it was loosing its fame. The main theme during the 2008 campaigns became the desire for reforms and change from Washington and the policies of George W. Bush, the outgoing republican president. Just before the end of the campaigns, other main issues that emerged included the economy and other domestic policies (Kenski et al 225). Due to the realignment, the 2008 election recorded a huge number of notable changes as compared to other recent elections. For example, since 1928, the 2008 election was the fi rst in which neither an incumbent president nor their vice participated in the presidential run. Jessee (198) states that it was also the first time since 1952 in which neither an incumbent vice or president was nominated as a candidate for the general national elections by his party. ... This means that despite the still existent preference for white candidates, the voters concentrated much more on other candidate features such as their manifestos. During the same year, the black vote for the president and other seats was also one of the highest in history and it amounted to 11%. As compared to all other elections held within the last 40 years, the voter turn out during the 2008 elections was the highest. This trend continued in 2010 giving an increased turn-over for mid-term elections. The elected president, president Obama, also received the highest votes ever to be cast for a president in history. Abramson et al (218) explains that four years before the 2008 elections, 9 US states had changed their alliance. In 2004, each one of them had voted for the republican nominee hence their political realignment in 2008 contributed greatly to Obama’s victory because their votes shifted to his favor. In the 2008 elections, all 435 the seats in the House were up for e lection. Out of these 435 seats, the democrats managed to gain a total of 21 seats hence stepping up their majority from 54.3-59.1%. After the election, the democrats controlled 27 of the states whereas the republicans controlled only 14 of such seats. For the first time since the Great Depression, the Governor’s mansion was controlled by the democrats. In terms of demographies, both the parties got at least 40% from all sizeable socio-economic classes except for the republican candidate who got 37%. They also received equal attention from college students but more of post graduate students sided with the republicans (Kenski et al 264). Obama got a greater percentage of urban votes in all towns as compared to

Christian Perspectives on Euthanasia Essay Example for Free

Christian Perspectives on Euthanasia Essay Christian Perspectives Roger Crook captures the Christian perspective on euthanasia by posing the question in terms of how we care for the dying. What do we do for the person who is comatose with no hope of recovery How do we care for the terminally ill person whose remaining days are increasingly agonisingly painful? The Human being is not simply a biological entity but a person, in the image of God and Christ. Death marks the end of a personhood in this life. Biblical teachings prohibit killing; the Sixth Commandment states ‘You shall not kill’ – both in terms of murder and involuntary manslaughter. Life should not be violated, while the prohibition of killing seems to be a moral absolute of Christianity there are exceptions for warfare and self-defence. There are examples in the Bible where the sacrifice of life is considered virtuous ‘Greater love has no man than this: That a man lay down his life for his friends’ The Bible does not prohibit all taking of life in all circumstances, although Christians have traditionally considered taking one’s own life to be wrong Roman Catholic Perspectives At the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, the Roman Catholic Church condemned crimes again life ‘such as any type of murder, genocide ,abortion, euthanasia or wilful suicide’ Life is sacred and a gift from God, ‘which they are called upon to preserve and make fruitful’ To take a life opposes God’s love for that person, and rejects the duty of a person to live life according to God’s plan. In the same declaration, the Roman Catholic Church made it clear that it was wrong to ask someone for an assisted death, and that an individual cannot consent to such a death: â€Å"For it is a question of the violation of the divine law, an offence against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity’ The kind of autonomy that John Stuart Mill argues for is rejected by the Roman Catholic Church. We simply don’t have that freedom, because we are made by God for the purpose of loving God. A distinct argument is made about suffering and its role in Christian theology. Jesus died in pain on the cross, and human suffering at the end of life connects us to the suffering that Jesus felt. This does not mean that Christians should refuse to take painkillers or should actively seek pain, but it does grant suffering the possibility of having a positive effect on the individual. It provides the change that he or she may grow closer to God. Thomas Wood writes that suffering can seem meaningless, is terrible and is never sought, it is not the worst evil – it can be an occasion for spiritual growth and it can have moral effects on those in attendance. It can have meaning in the context of a life lived in faith. Protestant Perspectives Liberal Joseph Fletcher is an active advocate of the patient’s ‘right to de’ on the basis that Christian faith emphasises love for one’s fellow human being, and that death is not the end for Christians. Acts of kindness may embrace euthanasia, for instance when a human being is dying in agony, as a response to human need. Fletcher’s argument for euthanasia is essentially based around four points: 1. The quality of life is to be valued over biological life 2. Death is a friend to someone with a debilitating illness 3. All medical interventions place human will against nature and extraordinary means 4. Special equipment and unnecessary surgery are not morally required for a person who is terminally ill People are prepared to ‘face death and accept death as preferable to continuous suffering for the patient and the family’ There is no distinction between our response to a suffering animal or human. There is no difference between passive and active euthanasia as the result is the same. Conservative Represented by Arthur Dyck – he thinks an act of kindness can result in withdrawing treatment but not doing something actively to bring about death. Permitting some acts of active euthanasia, such as in the case of severely disable children, seems to be creating a class of human beings who are treated as less valued. He argues that a mentally retarded child is not dying, is not in pain an cannot choose to die. â€Å"Since killing is generally wrong it should be kept to as narrow a range of exceptions as possible’ While mercy is a moral obligation, killing is never as mercy. The term mercy killing is a contradiction and when we use the term to justify the killing of the disabled or the mentally incompetent, we fail to care for the most needy in the community, which is a fundamental moral duty. Dyck’s view is in keeping with traditional Christian thought, and most Christian theologians, which holds that active, direct help in the taking of human life is prohibited. Whereas voluntary euthanasia, self-willed by a rational, legally competent person, has ben permitted by some theologians, active euthanasia in which the person plays no role, has been condemned by the majority of Christian thinkers. The ethical approaches to the problem taken by Christians sometimes reflect a move from general principles to specific applications (the sanctity of life to the prohibition of euthanasia) and also at times the concern about the sinful nature of human beings and their unreliability at making good decisions through the use of ‘right reason’

Catcher In The Rye Essay English Literature Essay

Catcher In The Rye Essay English Literature Essay People  who  shut their eyes  to  reality simply invite their own destruction, and anyone  who  insists  on  remaining  in a  state  of  innocence long after  that  innocence is  dead turns himself into  a  monster (James Baldwin). One cannot hold onto their innocence forever, the longer he or she holds onto it, the more one can lose sight of their selves. In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield struggles in accepting his loss of innocence which leads towards his downfall. Holden is a struggling 16 year-old boy, trying to find his place in the world, a world in which allows him to retain his innocence and as he begins to move towards the adult world, he clings to his innocence in a more urgent desperation. Over the course of three days, the novel follows Holden where he eventually accepts his loss of innocence, but not without going through many struggles along the way first. Through Salingers use of symbols, the reader is able to clearly identify Holdens resistance towards becoming an adult and releasing his innocence. In The Catcher in the Rye, the author uses the Museum of Natural History, the erasing of profanity, and the carousel to reveal that a person cannot avoid his or her loss of innocence and it is difficult to accept that once it is gone, it never comes back. Holden visits his childhood spot, Museum of Natural History, symbolizing a world in which nothing has to change which in turn, Holden wishes could apply to life. While reflecting on his memories from the museum he realizes that the reason he loved it so much was because the way he could count on everything staying the same, The best thing though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobodyd moveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the only thing that would be different is you (Salinger 121). Just like the thought of preserving innocence, Holden revels in the thought of everything staying exactly the same, forever. However, Holden knows he has become different, he acknowledges this in the quote. He realizes that he possesses less innocence than he did the last time he visited the museum. The concept of stability that this quote provides makes it evident that Holden is afraid of becoming different, evolving into an adult with different views than he once held. Deep down, he a dmits that even though certain things can remain the same, he will not. He is slowly beginning to recognize the fact he has lost his innocence for good, but it comes down to his admittance of this. Although, he thinks he can protect himself, the loss of his innocence is inevitable. Holden reflects on the museums consistency and he believes a world where everything could be preserved (even though it would be impossible) would solve many problems that he holds, Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know thats impossible, but its too bad anyways (Salinger 122). Holden longs for a world in which everything can stay the same. Holden wouldnt have to enter the adult world and he would never have to lose his innocence and accept his growing responsibilities in his ideal world. It is implied that some of the certain things Holden might want to preserve is Allie, his deceased brother. I f Allie was put into one of the glass cases, he would never be exposed to his death, he wouldnt have to lose his innocence. Holden recognizes the fact though that this thought is impossible. He knows there is never a way in order to protect the ones he cares about and their innocence. He knows that there is no avoidance in the loss of innocence, but he is only scared to see it will never come back. Holden arrives at the museum, only to be consumed by a feeling that changes his wanting to visit the museum, When I got to the museum, all of a sudden I wouldnt have gone inside for a million bucks (Salinger 122). Holden realizes that if he steps into the museum he will acknowledge the fact he has changed, become different. Holden sees that he has lost his innocence, but he isnt ready to admit that he has lost it for good. Holden chooses to not go into the museum in order to try and avoid his recognition of his loss of innocence. However, eventually, if not the museum something will cause Holden to see reality for what it really is. As a child, Holden held on to the fond, innocent memories of the museum. Now, grown up, he is afraid that if he sees the museum now, his innocent perspective will change forcing him to accept the fact that he has lost his innocence for good. The Museum helps Holden realize the fact that as much as he wishes things could stay the same; he knows life does not work that way. Holdens erasing of the profanity symbolized the corruption of innocence and Holdens strong sense of duty towards the children who would see it, thinking it is his responsibility to be able to preserve all of their innocence, but knowing it is impossible. While visiting Phoebes elementary school, he observes the profanity that is written on the schools wall and is taken aback, Somebodyd written Fuck you on the wall. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦If you had a million years to do it in, you couldnt rub out even half the Fuck you signs in the world (Salinger 201). Holden feels that children should not be exposed to anything that has a chance of corrupting their innocence. In this incident, the exposure to the phrase Fuck you creates Holden to believe it is his duty to be the savior to all the children. Although he wants to believe that by erasing all of the Fuck you signs could save childrens innocence, he knows that it is impossible to be able to save every single child. He cannot accept the fact that these children cannot avoid their loss of innocence, just like Holden cant as well. He is worried that if these children see the phrase, they will have no way of retaining their innocence which is already impossible. Again, he comes across another profane expression carved into the schools wall, I saw another Fuck you on the wall. I tried to rub it off with my hand again, but this one was scratched on, with a knife or something. It wouldnt come off (Salinger 202). Holden is beginning to witness that some things, like innocence, cannot be avoided. Some things are unavoidable. Even though he knows that phrase is permanently etched into the wall, he still desperately tries to erase it. This is symbolic of how he desperately tries to preserve his innocence even though he is already becoming different, something that cannot be changed. While the phrase symbolizes another way to corrupt ones innocence, it becomes evident that like the etching, innocence cannot be protected forever. When Holden is at the museum, in the tomb exhibit he sees yet more profanity on the walls, only this time it is written in crayola, Youd never guess what I saw on the wall. Another Fuck you. It was written with red crayon or something, right under the glass part of the window, under the stones (Salinger 204). While Holden is beginning to realize that the Fuck you signs are everywhere, providing many opportunities for the corruption of ones innocence. It is apparent this is symbolically showing that nothing can stop the process of losing ones innocence, it is only natural. The fact that this time, the phrase was written in crayon, it is a hint that this was most likely the work of a child. Holden has been working so hard in order to save these children, he didnt consider that unlike him, they are more willing to lose their innocence and accept the fact that it is gone for good. He is finally becoming aware of the fact that chi ldren are letting go of their innocence and making that transition into adulthood, and he isnt able to control this. At one point, Holden takes Phoebe to a carousel which is symbolic of Holdens new found acceptance towards his loss of innocence and realization that he is not able to save all children from losing their innocence as well. Holden takes Phoebe to a carousel where he encourages her to ride it, without him, Maybe I will next time. Ill watch ya. I went over and sat down on the bench, and she went and got on the carousel (Salinger 211). Holden rejects Phoebes invitation to join her on the carousel, marking Holdens developing maturity. It is becoming noticeable that Holden is slowly starting to show evidence that he is accepting the fact that he knows he has lost his innocence for good. Therefore, he feels it is not necessary to partake in childish activities such as the carousel. He sees Phoebe as the one who is her innocent stage. He has already passed that stage in his life and transition into the adult world, which doesnt include riding on the carousel. Seeing Phoebe reach for the gold ring while on the carousel he begins to realize that he cannot protect children from their growing up, The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but its bad if you say anything to them (Salinger 211). The gold ring is what children would literally reach for once their horse passed under it on the carousel. Symbolically, Holden is accepting that growing up is a part of life, something that cannot be avoided. He is admitting that losing ones innocence is a part of growing up and a child cannot be protected from it forever. He realizes that adults must let children reach for their own gold rings; their dreams, hopes, and wants. Holden is acknowledging that he has to be the adult; he cannot be that child forever. Holden continues to watch Phoebe ride the carousel and is overwhelmed with happiness seeing her enjoy herself in her youth, It was just she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around, in her blue coat and all (Salinger 213). Holden is seeing innocence incarnated, through Phoebe. Phoebes circling on the carousel represents seeing her innocence circling. Holden is accepting his loss of innocence and transitioning into the adult world. Watching Phoebe was almost a moment of truth for him, he realizes that one cannot avoid the loss of sense forever. He knows that eventually Phoebe will have to lose her innocence eventually but she doesnt have to yet. Holden thinks it is nice seeing Phoebe not worrying about her loss of innocence and he accepts the adult world for himself in this moment. Seeing and experiencing Phoebe on the carousel and seeing her in her innocence, Holden knows it is his time to move on, his innocence and innocent stage has come and gone and it will never come back. Learning to accept the loss of ones innocence is and to face the reality of it can be difficult for some. Through Holdens story, Salinger reveals that although it is understandable to try to protect ones innocence, it is only a foolish notion. Even in todays world, some struggle with accepting their loss of innocence. The loss of innocence can be related to taking that first sip of alcohol, or taking that first hit of marijuana. For young girls and boys, losing their virginity is an example of them giving away their innocence in an intimate act. Once some takes a drink, a smoke, or has sex, there is no going back, just like there is one cannot regain their innocence. Although these are examples of ways one can lose their innocence, it is much more complex than this. The losing of innocence marks the gradual change into the adult world where one is unable to access their childhood memories and youth. It is when one becomes an adult and fully matures that one loses his or her innocence . When one learns to accept the loss of innocence, it is then that they mark the turning point in their lives. Innocence is usually associated with ignorance and youth, so by losing this, one is accepting wisdom and adulthood. One is able to transition into the next part of their lives without the extra baggage of trying to retain their childhood. Although yearning for innocence is natural even in some ways perhaps good at some point, everyone has to face the realm of adulthood and venture into it, without the aid of their innocence to accompany them any longer.

Jim Essay -- essays research papers fc

†He is sometimes slave who should be master; and sometimes master who should be slave.† [Lat., Fit in dominatu servitus, in servitute dominatus.] Oratio Pro Rege Deiotaro (XI) by Marcus Tullius Cicero Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered to be possibly the Great American Novel by many scholars and is certainly the best known of Mark Twain’s works. These scholars both powerfully praise and powerfully depreciate Twain’s artistic judgment in relation to Huck’s character, themes, and political statements, but Jim’s place is often ignored or overlooked. Jim’s character is very important in his roles in supporting Huck as a father figure, his example for Twain’s portrayal of slavery and racism, and in his own right as a multifaceted, moving, and developing individual. Jim plays the role of the father by providing for Huck's physical, personal, emotional, and moral well-being. He begins by simply supplying necessary food and shelter for the â€Å"dead† boy. Jim continues in this role throughout the novel. He seems to always be out hooking fish or cooking make-shift meals for Huck. He takes it upon himself to build "a snug wigwam [on their raft] to get under in blazing weather and rainy, and to keep things dry." (48). On the other hand, when Huck is at his real father's (Pap’s) cabin, he has to stop up the holes "to keep the wind from blowing through the chinks and putting the candle out" (18-19). Jim also advises Huck about his personal life. From the very beginning of the novel when he sees his father's boot prints, Huck establishes a precedent of going to Jim for advice. Despite the slave's fearful superstitions, his advice is mostly sound, as seen when he advises against boarding the Walter Scott and against loo king at â€Å"Pap’s† face. Huck's physical well-being is consistently under Jim’s protection. He passively protects Huck from the villains and nice old ladies of civilization and town meetings by keeping the raft always ready to dash back to the protection and solitude of the might Mississippi river. By lying to the King and Duke for him after they catch up with Huck on the river and threaten him, Jim actively risks himself to physically protect Huck. Where Huck had no one to shield him before, now he has big Jim to advocate him against people that are like Pap or the King and Duke, as a father should. Although Jim'... ...significance of the role Tom Sawyer plays in the novel. Cox analyzes Huck's initiation into society, comparing and contrasting it to Tom's initiation into society in Twain's previous novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Cox finishes the essay by discussing the role of Jim in relation to Huck's moral values and emotions. This source offers valuable insights into the role of Jim as "the central figure of the book" (73). Marks, Barry A. Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Boston: D.C. Heath, 1959. Marx, Leo. "Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Finn." Marks 53-64. Trilling, Lionel. "The Greatness of Huckleberry Finn." Marks 44-52. Trilling discusses the greatness of the novel in its "truth of moral passion" (45). He places a great deal of importance on the river as a god. He also emphasizes Huck's moral virtues. The only negative comment is about the length of the ending, but other than that, Trilling gives a whole-hearted endorsement of Huckleberry Finn. This essay provides a few good observations regarding Huck and Jim, but on the whole, it lacks a critical edge. Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Dover, 1994

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book of much symbolism. Set in 16th century New England, the book starts with the public punishment of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Hester’s illegitimate daughter, Pearl. Throughout the story, she develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. Pearl represents her mother’s punishment, a rose, and the scarlet letter. In The Scarlet Letter, the Puritans forced Hester to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† across for her chest, for the crime of adultery. The punishment continued as Hester was treated as outcast and mocked by the town. â€Å"Tomorrow would bring its own trial with it; so would the next day, so would the next,† the narrator explained. On the other hand, God’s treatment of Hester for her sin was quite different than just a physical token: he gave Hester a very unique child which she named Pearl. The child was a constant mental and physical reminder to Hester of what she had done wrong and how she could not escape it. In this aspect, Pearl symbolized God’s way of punishing Hester for adultery. â€Å"She named the infant Pearl as of being of great price-purchased with all her mother had,† the narrator says. Pearl grew to be a very passionate and lively young girl. She becomes a contradicting factor in her mother’s life. To her mother, Pearl symbolized the rosebush outside of the jail, because at some times she could be bright and vibrant. However at other times, she could be wilting. It was at these times when she was â€Å"wilting† that brought Hester the most grief. One final way in which Pearl symbolized something in the novel was her association with the scarlet letter. Hester began to think of the letter and her daughter as both â€Å"the object of her affection and the emblem of her guilt and torture.† Hester clothed the child in bright crimson dressed. That, combined with a vivid complexion, gave Pearl the appearance of the scarlet letter. The townspeople began to notice the similarities, also.

My Father in heaven is Reading out loud Essay

Faith gives us the strength to pursue what we have in our lives. What we perceive in our lives should give us the drive to carry on things which will have an effect in our lifetime in the long run. Essence of love and its intensity would transpire a huge sense of longing at times most especially if we loose a person so dear to us, then the saying which goes like we will just contemplate the importance of a person when he’s gone would truly give weight on this. The poem â€Å"My Father in heaven is Reading out loud† connotes the central theme of death. The realization of a person who is far away circling in the poem, however, being gone does not mean that the love’s gone as well. In view of the poem, it has been epitomize how love can move things and awaken a person to do things efficiently. Though the sad part of the thing called death is at hand, the positive side which would be the element of hope which enable a person to pursue things given the inspiration of his loved one. The character in the poem is simply a loving father who’s gone but his love remains. There is also the child who misses things around as his father’s already gone. A strong character is present in this poem which gives a manly vibe through out the entire deliverance of the poem. The word Father per se exemplifies a huge sincerity of weight to a strong personality. This figurative word that has been used in the entire poem leave a remarkable air of an almighty figure, one which possess strength of power and a role model to everyone. Moreover, this also connote a certain level of consistency of decision – and in this case, a decision to stay around regardless of what faith could give us, â€Å"My Father in Heaven is Reading out loud to himself Psalms or news† (stanza 1, line 1-2, p. 257). The father still makes his role seemingly possible even if he’s away from home and can never have a grip on him in this lifetime. Perhaps, the character has a deep sense of protection power and his views on things contribute a lot to the people sop dear to him. Upon visualizing the varieties of the poem â€Å"My Father in Heaven is Reading out loud†, the setting of a peaceful place is present. A sacred place like that of heaven would be a possible setting for this poem. Heaven which is a good place to oversee things down the earth and monitor what is happening to his loved one, if he is doing the right things in life. Perhaps, this peaceful environment is beneficial in making available the air of tranquillity and peaceful arena. Scrutinizing some main points of the poem will give us a huge sense of understanding towards life and what it entails to realize a lost loved one, or for that matter, a father. â€Å"Now he ponders what he’s read, No. he is listening for the sound of children in the yard. Was that laughing or crying? So much depends upon the answer, for either he will go on reading, or he’ll run to save a child’s day from grief. As it is in heaven, so it was on earth† (stanza 1, line 2-8, p. 257), this goes to say that the father might have some news at hand as he manage to protect his child albeit the fact that he’s gone and so much away. His spirit is still present as he monitors what is happening with his child and maybe he felt the longingness of his child now that he’s gone. Furthermore, he still feels the caress of his child as he plays around. As the father, he enjoys the scenery of his child innocently roaming around tackling his own life. Perhaps, he’s still bothered during those times which he knows that his child misses him and that at the back of what seems to be laughter lays a tears which is continuously flowing. He might have the feeling of longing and parallel to this, there might be some sorrows within as the child looks for a father at a moment. The father was a bit afraid as well because he may no longer give the protection which his child needed since he’s too far to reach and the only thing which he can do is to make his spirit always available showered with love. By means of his affection, heaven could possibly put on earth. Looking at his child feels like heaven to him and all he wants is to make his child happy even if it takes him to just stare at his child and be that far from him. In view of the child’s perspective, his father does a lot of remarkable things for him that he should be proud of for the rest of his life, â€Å"Because my father walked the earth with a grave, determined rhythm, my shoulders ached from his gaze, because my father’s shoulders ached from pulling of oars, my life now moves with a powerful back-and-forth rhythm† (stanza 2, line 1-5, p. 257). At some point the child’s not as good before neglecting the things which his father did to him and now he regrets the past circumstances in his life and wondering if he could turn back those times that he can be at his best – a good son to his good father who truly loves him, â€Å"A remarkable disappointment to him, I am like anyone who arrives late in the millennium and is unable to stay to the end of days† (stanza 3, line 1-4, p. 257). In consonance to this, the child has become confused at some point towards what life is giving him, the challenges that he has as he starts questioning, is it too late for him to change for the reason that he can no longer grab his father. Now that everything is too late for him and his dad, he wants to go back and show how he loves his father and that he can be a better person most especially to his father, â€Å"the world’s beginnings are obscure to me, its outcomes inaccessible, I don’t understand the source of starlight or starlight’s destination† (stanza 3, line 4-7, p. 257). A two way of presentation has been present in this poem, the father figure and a child who looks at things differently based on his father’s showered love. Clearly, the spirit of hope resembles at the end of the poem as the child aspire to get better grasping what his father has taught him. Life mat give us a certain role in this world and albeit with that role lays a challenge which we can surely surpass at a given time. Reference: My Father, in Heaven, Is Reading out loud, Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers, Fourth Edition page 257