Case Study - A Question of Contamination Assignment

Case Study - A Question of Contamination - Assignment Example re to this, if he is a person that values integrity, he should ensure that the selfish preferences of the prominent individuals should not surpass the well-being of the society. He should be accountable to the public by solving the conflict, because keeping silent would mean the government is unresponsive to its people. Additionally, being a public representative requires him to be accountable to the community in terms of what he knows and says (Box, 2013, pp.111-112). Blowing the whistle in this case would mean advocating for the public good, hence not being part of the corrupt individuals. This can be done by holding those involved in the deal responsible for the loss suffered by the community. Since the issue is a public affair, and it affects the whole community, it would be morally wrong to conceal the issue. Continued use of the chemical leads to the loss of economic resources that could be used to improve the economic position of the entire nation, and rapid steps need to be taken to save the nation. According to Lee, Neeley, and Stewart (2011) Erickson should formulate a plan of ending the crisis caused by the dangerous fertilizer. This would include reporting the incident to the respective regulatory body for the product to be banned from the market. He should also formulate a response plan to the public that should help them learn the importance of discontinuing the product in their farms. These strategies would curb further loss of animals, leading to the betterment of society. On the evidence, he now has of the possible environmental dangers of the fertilizer, should he inform the public? If so, should he leak the information to the press or identify himself as the source? What would be the likely consequences of each action? Informing the public about the danger of the fertilizer would help the community to save their herds. They would stop using the fertilizers, thus promoting their interest, and that of the nation, as great savings on survival of

Is there a legitimacy of IMF duties and did IMF fulfill its promises Essay

Is there a legitimacy of IMF duties and did IMF fulfill its promises - Essay Example The fund was also charged with the responsibility of availing its resources to member states facing hardships in their balance of payments, and lessening as well as shortening the degree of imbalance in the global balance of payments to its member states (Soros, 2002: pp 116). The IMF has contributed to positive change in numerous member countries since its establishment. At its inception, it undertook the daunting task of restoring economic growth and stability, especially after the world war, and the aftermath of the great global depression. The IMF adopted a simple working principle that all countries share some fundamental economic goals; that include achievement of high income and employment levels, and that countries can achieve these goals by adopting solid macroeconomic policies, collaborating to make international monetary systems work efficiently and making their economies accessible to trade (Camdessus, 1998). It has not been easy for IMF since the global economy has had its successes and challenges, especially during the fund's initial years. For all the countries that adopted the IMF principles, their employment rates rose, their national incomes grew, and their trade expanded immensely, ushering in almost fifty years of global prosperity. The global economy is much more com... Also, there are now various exchange rate arrangements which have replaced the initial fixed exchange rate system, with IMF member states increasing from just forty in 1947 to 182 currently (Camdessus, 1998). During these developments, the fund has also had to change and develop itself in order to remain relevant and address the changing needs and demands. The fund now temporarily provides and advices members undergoing wide ranging circumstances and problems. The fund has also expanded its scope to incorporate other elements contributing to stability in the financial systems and economic growth. The fund now advocates for its members deregulating their domestic economies to boost private sector activities. Moreover, it has called for the member governments to reduce unfruitful government spending, spend more on basic human needs, ensure accountability in corporate and government affairs and a more efficient dialogue on economic policies with the civil society and labor (Camdessus, 1998). The IMF has helped its members in dealing with various problems and issues that were not anticipated at the institution's establishment. For instance, the fund helped in creating a mechanism to recycle the surpluses of oil exporters and helped in financing oil-related deficits in some countries during the 1970s energy crisis. In the 1980s, the fund helped the Latin American countries in overcoming a debt crisis (Camdessus, 1998). In 1989, IMF helped in designing and financing substantial global efforts required to help the 26 transition countries of Eastern Europe and the former USSR to abandon the legacy of centralized planning. Between 1994 and 1995, IMF helped Mexico out

Unemployment During The Recession Economics Essay

Unemployment During The Recession Economics Essay The unemployment rate is one of the key variables that policy makers are interested in. There are different causes of unemployment and it is very difficult for governments to determine which causes are most important and how to deal with them. The two main types of causes of unemployment can be split as demand-sided and supply-sided. The unemployment has both economic and noneconomic costs (McConnell and Brue, 2005). The economic costs of unemployment are; (i) decrease in income and output which is measured in terms of the GNP gap and, (ii) burden of unemployment is not distributed equally among employees especially during recession periods (Petroff, 2002). On the other hand, loss of self-confidence, social and political conflicts can be counted as some of the noneconomic costs of unemployment (McConnell and Brue, 2005). Thus, it is important to analyse causes and outcomes of unemployment especially during recession period. Unemployment during Recession Since Industrial Revolution, the entire world economy has gained a momentum. This momentum has led to economic expansion an increase in quality of life. However, this momentum hasnt shown continuity. Countries have experienced many ups and downs in their economic activities since they industrialized. These up and down movements in economic activities or in production level are known as business or economic cycle (Parkin, 2012; Abel et al., 2008). There are two main periods of the business cycle (Parkin, 2012); expansion and recession. An expansion is a period which represents an increase in the economic activities and production level of an economy/country (Burda and Wyplosz, 2001). Contrary, recession is an extended time period when the economic activities and gross domestic product (GDP) of a nation are slowing or falling down (Abel et al, 2008; Harris, 2002). These activities are including level of employment, investments, household income, business profits and inflation rate. In a business or economic cycle, recession occurs between peak and trough points. It is also known as a business cycle contraction. This is represented in the Figure 1. -Causes of Recession: Negative Demand and Supply Shocks According to Abel et al. (2008), two main causes of economic recession are negative aggregate demand shock (ADS) and negative aggregate supply shock (ASS). A negative ADS is a sudden event that decreases the aggregate demand in an economy (Burda and Wyplosz, 2001). There are several reasons for this type of negative shock. It generally occurs because of tight fiscal and monetary policies (Abel et al., 2008). Government sets high taxes and reduces government expenditures to decrease the inflationary pressures. On the other hand, these policies can causes a fall in the aggregate demand and as a result economic recession takes place. The recession that United Kingdom (UK) experienced during 1980-81 was caused by tight fiscal and monetary policies (Pettinger, 2012). There were high tax rates, low government expenditure, and high interest rates for reducing spending, consumption and investment. The UK government was applied these tight policies for reducing the inflationary pressures whic h was formed in the late of 1980s. Inflation had fallen but the cost of these policies was the economic recession. Classical economists suggest that the negative ADS do not cause continued fluctuations in output level (Burda and Wyplosz, 2001). However, they view that a negative ASS is a major reason behind the critical changes in output and employment level (Burda and Wyplosz, 2001). A negative supply shock or a negative production shock is an unexpected event that decreases the aggregate supply in an economy/country (Abel et al., 2008). A negative ASS causes an inward shift in the long run aggregate supply (LRAS) curve of an economy (Abel et al., 2008). In figure 2, there is an inward shift in the LRAS curve because of a negative supply shock. It is reducing full-employment output from Q1 to Q2 and increase the price level from P1 to P2. This change in the price level represents that a negative supply shock causes prices to rise during the recession. Some of the real world examples of negative supply shocks are; changes in weather, such as an unexpected cold weather; changes in the structure of industries, such as merging of two or more dominant companies (Abel et al., 2008). Sometimes, the dominant suppliers join together for increasing their market power. By this way, they can restrict supply and set higher prices for making more profit. The real world reflection of this happened in 1970s by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) where members were imposed an oil embargo and then increased oil prices. When the oil prices rise, firms began to produce less since the cost of production was increase independently fro m aggregate demand. During oil price shock, labour demand, employment and real wage rate had fallen (Carlstrom and Fuerst, 2006). A negative supply shock reduces the quantity of labour demanded at any given real wage rate and causes an inward shift in the labour demand curve (Abel et al., 2008). In figure 3, the negative supply shock causes a fall in the labour market equilibrium from point A to B. At the new equilibrium both real wage and employment level falls. This graph also reflects the effects of oil price shock on the labour market. -Supply Side Factors During recession both businesses and individuals tend to retrench their economic belts and this causes negative effects on the level of production and consequently demands for labour decrease. Thus, during recession unemployment turns out to be one of the major problems on both government and society. Some of the unemployment during recession base on supply-side factors like personal transferable skills, job-seeker research channel, occupational mobility (job skills), and geographical mobility (Adams et al., 2000). For example; in UK, economic structure is turning to service based from manufacturing based economy (Parkin, 2012). The main reason of this structural change is globalisation and international trade agreements. According to Parkin (2012), UK has completely lost its cost advantages in manufacturing goods since the cost of production is much cheaper in Eastern Europe countries. Structural changes lead primary and secondary sector workers lose their jobs and many of them cann ot find new jobs since they dont have necessary skills for working in service sectors such as financial service institutions and information technology. However, even when economy is operating at full capacity, there is some unemployment that causes by the supply side factors. This is generally known as the natural rate of unemployment or equilibrium unemployment (Blink and Dorton, 2007). The natural rate of unemployment exists when the labour market is in equilibrium (Abel et al., 2008). In figure 4, the total labour force (TLF) in an economy and aggregate supply of labour (ASL), which stands for the number of people who are willing to work at every given wage rate, are presented. The difference between points a and b is natural rate of unemployment. The natural rate of unemployment is the combination of frictional and structural unemployment (Abel et al., 2008). Frictional unemployment occurs when employees leave their jobs for finding more suitable job opportunities in order to satisfy their career and income expectations (Parkin, 2012). While employees are searching for new jobs, there is always some frictional unemployment in th e economy. The poor job information may lead this searching process to take longer than what the employees expected and consequently employees may lose their motivations for finding new jobs. Unemployment benefits are also a factor that affect the incentive to not to work. Also, structural unemployment occurs when the structure or production methods of an industry are changed in order to keep pace with changes in consumers tastes and new production techniques (Sloman, 2004). Structural unemployment is generally known as the long-term unemployment since workers must retrain or they may have to relocate for staying at their current jobs or finding new jobs (Parkin, 2012). On the other hand, the financial and mental costs of retraining and relocation lead structural unemployment that contains geographical and occupational immobility. Housing prices are one of the most important financial problems that cause geographical immobility. For example; in London, the active capital city life creates more job opportunities than in the North of England, but housing prices and rents are much more expensive than in the North of England. So, some workers may prefer to take unemployment benefits and staying at their neighbourhoods rather than paying high rents or buyin g expensive houses in London. This causes geographical immobility. An increase in unemployment rate also increases the burden of the government. High unemployment means an increase in the total amount of unemployment benefits that governments have to pay. As a result of an increase in unemployment rate, governments revenues fall. So, it causes budget deficits. In order to decrease the rate of unemployment, government may use both supply-side and demand-side policies. The main aim of the supply-side polices is to make labour force more responsive and flexible against the changes in job opportunities (Sloman, 2004). However, if there is lack of aggregate demand, supply-side policies can be ineffective. Thus, for achieving more effective results government can support supply-side policies by using demand-side policies as well as fiscal and monetary policies. Conclusion In recent years, recession become one of the major problems that the entire world economies encountered. It is inevitable for governments to take certain measures to determine the causes of economic downturn. It can be caused by demand side or supply side shocks. During the recession, unemployment becomes one of the serious problems because of low levels of consumption, demand and investment (Pettinger, 2011). However, unemployment exists even when economy is operating at full capacity. Unemployment never becomes zero because of supply-side factors, like; personal transferable skills, job-seeker research channel, occupational mobility (job skills), and geographical mobility (Adams et al., 2000). Structural and frictional unemployment are unemployment types that cause by supply side factors. There are massive research efforts to find out causes of unemployment and how to deal with it. The long lasting effects of unemployment make it an important problem for all economies and governmen ts that encourage governments to try to find solutions for it since it has economic, social and political consequences.

The Effectiveness of the International Criminal Court Essay example --

There is a close relationship between human rights and criminal law. The scope of my paper will surround human rights and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in addition to human rights and international crimes. International criminal justice in this context speaks to those interested in prosecuting against the background of international human rights and humanitarian norms. The use of criminal law has many positive effects and pursues many goals that are worth considering. For example, deterrence, accountability and punishment are important principles that will be discussed in the context of human rights. Is the International Criminal Court an effective method to promote and protect human rights internationally? If so, why and how? My thesis is that the International Criminal Court is an effective mechanism for the promotion and protection of human rights internationally because, by embodying the principles of criminal responsibility, it brings forth the notion of the individual as an agent in human rights and, by doing so, upholds the progressive shift that human rights conventions have developed. Criminal responsibility for human rights violations is important given that, by categorizing certain human rights violations as such, it allows for a progressive move internationally against those violations. International criminal law is an important tool that those advocating for human rights can use. The continued use of criminal law internationally, including the adoption of the ICC in 2002, will allow for a shift in legal norms resulting an increase in human rights. In this way, criminal responsibility allows for the education of peoples around the world by making an example of certain cases and displays the im portance of ... ...l Criminal Justice, 3 (2005): 608-620. Lynn Sellers Bickley, â€Å"U.S. Resistance to the International Criminal Court: Is the Sword Mightier than the Law?† Emory International Law Review, 14 (2000): 214-276. International Criminal Court. 2013. Accessed online on November 5, 2013: http://www.icc-cpi.int/EN_Menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx. Payam Akhavan, â€Å"The Rise, and Fall, and Rise, of International Criminal Justice,† Journal of International Criminal Justice, 11:3 (2013): pp. 527-536. Rebecca Young, â€Å"Internationally Recognized Human Rights Before the International Criminal Court,† International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 60 (2011):189-208. Hans-Peter Gasser, â€Å"The Changing Relationship between International Criminal Law, Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law,† The Legal Regime of the ICC: Essays in Honour of Prof. I.P. Blishchenko (2009) pp. 1111-1117.

Probation officer Essay

Being a Probation Officer can be interesting and challenging at the same time. You can make a positive impact on one’s life. A Probation Officer’s main role is to make sure that those released into his care are properly rehabilitated and obey to the terms of their probation. The officer also educates those released on probation on what they can and can’t do during the probation period â€Å"Probation and parole can be very cost efficient. In 2010, Larry J. Siegel wrote a report stating that the U. S. spends about twenty five thousand dollars meanwhile probation only spends two thousand. The government saves twenty three thousand dollars by keeping inmates out of prison and keeps prisons from overcrowding. Dangerous criminals should be kept in prison instead of being let out and keeping minor offenders in. Probation helps offenders recover by allowing them to enter society with a different mindset. Probation helps offenders recover by allowing them to do such things as preserve employment, gain support and help from their loved ones and once again become a productive citizen. That can’t be done in jail. Most prisoners have drug addictions. Keeping them in doesn’t give them the help that they should be receiving. The offender being out and put on probation allows him to recover himself by taking part in a rehabilitation center. Cons: there is the issue of community safety. Many offenders present a risk to community safety, even if it’s because the person persists in the risky behaviors associated with alcohol or drug abuse. Setting any offender free poses somewhat of a risk, however slight. The courts, judges, defense and prosecuting attorneys and probation personnel weigh these risks and balance them with the best interests of the probationer and victim. Usually, probation personnel monitor high-risk offenders closely through home arrest or electronic monitoring. Then there is the problem of victim concerns. Victims vary widely as to their perspective and feelings regarding probation for their offenders. In some cases, they may quickly forgive the individual and even build a relationship with them. In other situations, they may petition the courts for harsh penalties. Probation allows the courts to monitor the defendant’s activities in the community while he works and repays any restitution that he or she owes his victims. Some victims, however, may care more about his punishment than reimbursement Many offenders need minimal rehabilitation in order to become productive members of society. Completing substance abuse treatment or community service hours can motivate offenders toward compliance with probation requirements. They can stay in the community; maintain family ties and work to contribute to their family. If these same offenders are sent to prison, they might become hardened and learn further criminal behavior, when they could have easily just remained supervised in society. Probation personnel can further monitor compliance with court terms and conditions. One of the primary reasons that traditional probation hasn’t been successful in rehabilitating offenders is much too often probationers are completely unsupervised. An offender on probation could simply fill out a one page report of their work activities and submit this to their probation officer by mail. Offenders that are part of traditional probation programs have a recidivism rate of 65%. That means only 35% of probationers don’t commit new offenses. Offenders are accommodated into halfway houses. This is where offenders have to follow strict rules like curfew. Counsellors and psychiatrists are on call 24 hours a day to help clients with adjusting to outside life and coping with problems if they occur. Probation officers have a large number of offenders and they have a difficult time supervising them closely. This is because there are not enough probation officers to supervise offenders properly. Probation officers have offenders mail in a form weekly or monthly and there is a checklist that an offender has to follow and answer, employment and any law infractions. Pros: Cons our stance we are on the pro side of both probation and parole, as we believe they can be greatly beneficial to both the community and the offenders whom are placed in these programs. Granted, not all cases are a success, but we believe that the criminal justice system would be a far worse place without probation and parole†. (Larry J. Siegel) A Probation Officer plays a key role in changing one’s ways that may not be suitable for the public’s view. The public sees these offenders as no good and thinks they should be removed from our communities and placed in confinement. Knowingly this may resolve the issue of one’s misbehavior for a short length of time but there are many more out their committing these same crimes. So what possibly should be done other than confining these offenders  for long or short periods of time, and in an eight by ten cell? Well, a rehabilitation program set up when the offenders is released. This rehabilitation program may also be enforced upon release from jail or prison depending on the offender’s circumstances. Rehabilitation comes in many different forms such as, drug and alcohol classes. A person committing a crime that involved the use of drugs and or alcohol would be required to attend these classes upon release from jail, for a period of thirty days, sessions or the judge’s discretion. There are such classes that revolve around anger management classes; this would assist an offender in learning how to deal with anger issues and present those ways to relieve one’s stress, anxiety, or just the urge to combat. Rehabilitation also involves community service. Such offenders would be required to sign up at a local agency (Caltrans), and on a daily basis be required to show up at a set time and clean-up the sides of freeways, underpasses, parks, and communities. This would be a way to assist an offender in being accepted back into his or her community. Becoming a Probation Officer, as of 1995 virtually every state has a Probation Officer program in place for young and old law offenders. The duties of Probation Officers vary from state to state. A Probation Officer will meet with the â€Å"offender† on a regular basis and will provide guidance to the offender that will help the offender make better decisions in life. In the hope the offender will conform to the laws. Other duties can include field work such as locating an offender who’s failed to report as agreed and also testifying in a court regarding the probation violation(s). A life as a Probation Officer will be interesting and challenging. Probation Officers must have a keen interest in both criminal justice enforcement and helping young and old law offenders. Being a Probation Officer requires performing several duties and putting in a great amount of time and energy. This career provides a unique opportunity to intervene in the lives of criminal offenders and provide an opportunity for reform. The career comes with safety risks, but many current officers relish the opportunity to make a difference in not only one’s life but a community as a whole. When it comes to the benefits of a Probation Officers career, one may think the benefits are gracious but in fact a probation officers pay can be quite low, about forty five thousand dollars a year on average. Not considerably bad for a starting salary and if just coming into the work force. These benefits may or may not increase over time but other benefits include medical, dental, vision and 401k plans. These other benefits can be seen as a great deal as well because one does need a career that will help them in a time of need. Other benefits one may see are the fact of being able to deal with various situations and scenarios on a day to day basis not to mention the thrill and risks waiting every day. Many want to know what it takes to become a probation officer. Well, you must be at least twenty years of age, have at least a bachelor’s degree on up to a master’s degree, depending on what probation role you are seeking. Some physical fitness also plays a role in this position; you want to be physically active with exercises, walking, jogging etc. This will assure the apprehension of an offender in the event he or she tries to run or fight. A background check will be conducted, you must pass. If all goes well and you are accepted for an interview, you will meet with the interviewing party and answer some question and also this is the time in which you also may ask questions that you seek answers to. You must pass the interview process sometimes more than one interview will be conducted. After acceptance you will have to drug test and pass. And on toward the career you have been seeking awaits you. Life as a probation officer can be stressful. This can affect a person’s life at work and home. The position requires dedication and time. You must be dedicated to the laws set forth by the people and willing to spend the time it takes to assure one’s attempt to being rehabilitated. A probation officer acts as a liaison between the courts orders to the offender and respond on the offenders behalf when the offender has either completed his or her court orders or the offender violates one or all the orders set forth by the court. These determinations will determine whether the offender is released from probation or determine that the offender cannot be rehabilitated at the time and needs to spend the rest of their time in incarceration. Anyone can become a probation officer so as long they want to help society’s not so best, become better and get rehabilitated. This position requires education, physical demand, and stress no doubt. There are some qualifications that must be met but the outcome is great. The benefits are awesome and most wouldn’t be disappointed. With this all being said you may now know whether or not a probation officer is the job for you. If Probation sounds like something you may be interested in, get information and ask questions. There is plenty more information to seek out. The career of a probation officer is not only rewarding and challenging, but comes with great benefits. If helping people is the answer to your future this position can be a great place to start. There are risks and opportunity that come with changing someone’s life whether they are young or old. Many probation officers relish the opportunity to change the lives of law offenders.

The Impact of Railroads in America

Nineteenth century America was a time of rapid growth and expansion. The movement of settlers further and further west accompanied by technological advances led to the major growth of cities and industries across the American frontier. However, it was the major innovations of transportation that had the most significant impact on the expansion of Midwestern and western America. The construction of canals and roads led to the increase in the use of stagecoaches, steamboats, and ultimately railroads. Railroads became extremely popular in America in the 1800’s. The railroad industry itself began to boom; it was supported by its reputation for speed and efficiency. But, along with the booming industry of railroads came the strong debate that plagued Congress for years: should railroads be constructed as the major source of transportation over roads and canals? Although roads had become increasingly popular, the railroad industry was also viewed as being monopolistic, undemocratic, and unsafe. Despite the fact that railroads were sometimes monopolistic and undemocratic in that respect, railroads proved to be most vital in the expansion of the Midwest and western America. It was the use of railroads over all other methods of transportation that aided in communication, the transportation of goods, and ultimately decreased the costs of transportation, all of which contributed to the expansion of the American frontier. Before the rise of railroads, stagecoaches and steamboats dominated the transportation industry. Stagecoaches were an effective means of transportation, but in the early 1800’s they were accompanied by Robert Fulton’s invention–the steamboat. The steamboat was a â€Å"combined river and overland transport system† that proved to be effective in transporting goods and people. These locomotives were able to travel the rivers from the north and provide military posts and plantations with goods in the south while transporting passengers and immigrants. Prior to railroads, steamboats were the major and often only form of transporting settlers and maintaining communication between certain areas. Yet, the rise of railroads led to the inevitable fall of the steamboats, and the railroads took over as the major method of transportation. Although stagecoaches and steamboats were effective means of transportation, they were soon surpassed by railroads as the preferred method of travel. Railroads began blanketing America in the 1820’s and by the 1860’s over 30,626 miles where covered by the railroads. This rapid growth of railways was due to the fact that railroads offered better economy, speed, and reliability than other methods of transportation at that time. First, a cheaper alternative to traveling by stage or steamboat was to use the railways. Railroad companies offered low-fare excursion rates that made it more economical to travel. Overall, the cost of transportation was reduced by $150 million by 1859 due to the economic advantages of traveling by rail. Another advantage the railroads had over stages and steamboats was its high rate of speed. Railroads were two times as fast as stagecoaches and four times as fast as steamboats (Shi, 499). Also, the railroads were much more reliable than the roads or canals. Railroads had the ability to travel all year long with few limitations, while both stagecoaches and steamboats had difficulty traveling during the winter months, â€Å"at no time†¦ was stagecoach travel more trying and difficult than during cold, winter months† (Winther, 72). With that in mind, steamboats could not function or operate when the canals were frozen over. These difficulties were all contributing factors in the expansion of the railroad industry. With railroads quickly becoming the preferred method of travel, the demand began to rise and railroads were being built in high numbers in order to accommodate the increasing demand. The more railroads that were available meant more and more industries could use them to transport goods. There was better communication between the east and west, and people could also use the railroads to travel throughout the states. And it was there that railroads began to have a significant impact on the development and expansion of American society. At the peak of expansion in the 1800’s, communication between the east and west was at the forefront of importance. A document from the State of Pennsylvania regarding railways in 1825 remarked that there is extreme â€Å"importance and necessity of effecting a communication between the eastern and western divisions of the commonwealth† (Wade, 5). The appearance of the railroads in the early 19th century decreased and nearly diminished the communication gap as it provided a reliable and speedy method of communication. As the railroads became more prominent across the United States, the western states naturally became linked to the Midwestern and eastern states through the Union Pacific Railroad. This railroad running from the east coast to the west coast opened up new doors in trans-continental communication. Businesses between the east and the west were able to communicate more effectively, and thus, trans-continental trade became more defined throughout the United States. The mail services began using railroads as well, which was a large factor in improving communication across the US. Trans-continental communication was broadened simply by the increased number of people traveling across the country. And, even when the railroads seemed an impractical method of transportation, â€Å"they might make possible long lines of communication otherwise impracticable† (Haney, 183). So, railroads played an important role in broadening communication between the east and the west. Another factor that was directly benefited from the widespread use of railroads was the transportation of goods between the states. Before the rise of railroads, interstate trade was limited. Most goods were transported by way of boat, which was a slow, expensive transportation method limited to the water, or by wagons. Also, the types of goods that were transported were limited as well. Perishable items, which were potential victims to bacteria and spoilage, could not be preserved on boats, and therefore could not be traded throughout the states. These were inefficient methods of the transportation of goods. On the other hand, railroads allowed for better inter-continental trade. The rail cars themselves could carry heavier loads of goods at higher speeds than boats or wagons, which made them extremely efficient methods for trade. Furthermore, goods transported on railroads faced a lower risk of damage or breakage than by boats because land travel is much more uniform in motion than water travel. Oppositely, canals posed a high risk of damage to the transported goods: â€Å"much damage has been received by goods from the roughness of the water† (Wade, 41). With regards to perishable goods, the railroads offered safer traveling conditions by eliminating the bacteria produced by stagnant water as well as dust particles. Some rail cars even served as â€Å"refrigerators†, so meat could be transported across the country. Of course, the tremendous speed of the railroads contributed to their efficiency in the transportation of goods. Along with communication and trade, the railroads made a significant change in the overall cost of transportation. First, railroads could be constructed across the country at one-third of the expense to build a single canal. This was primarily due to the on land construction, which took one-third of the time to build than canals, so workers were not being paid for such an extended period of time (Wade, 6). The railroads offered greater promise in making more money because they could be used for every season, all year long. The costs decreased even after the construction of railroads. The tolls on canals were expensive while the tolls on railroads were only one-third the cost per ton of that of canals. Also, railroads were preserved and repaired more easily than canals. While the cost to repair canals was extremely expensive, railroads were repaired at one-third the cost. When repairs were needed there was no delay for the passengers or the goods because it was quite customary to transfer from one rail station to another (Wade, 35). The decreased costs to build and repair both contributed to the lower rates of travel for the passengers. Railroad rates were based on cost, determined by weight, distance, and grade, not on profit. These decreased costs were important in promoting the railway industry because they offered such affordable means of traveling for their passengers. Overall, the rise of railroads across the United States in the 1800’s led to great benefits in communication, the transport of goods, and the overall decrease in cost of transportation. These factors all played important roles in the expansion of America. Breakthroughs in communication and trade led to the rise of major cities and industries. The low rates offered by the railways allowed affordable means of transportation for all people, which brought more and more settlers westward. Oscar Winther relates that â€Å"the building of these western railroads had been in a very real sense frontier enterprises; they were, by and large, gigantic thrusts into and across the heretofore unsettled domain† (Winther 116). It was, in fact, the railroads that led to the ultimate expansion of the American frontier.

The German Lyrics for Edelweiss

The German Lyrics for 'Edelweiss' If youre a fan of the The Sound of Music, then you probably have the words to Edelweiss memorized. But if you only know the song in English, its time to learn how to sing it in  German. Edelweiss is more than just a sweet song from a classic musical. Its also a good  example of how songs are translated into different languages. Though it was written in English for a 1959 American musical set in Austria  that was adapted as a movie in 1965, German lyrics werent written until later. It might surprise you to learn that the translation isnt exact; in fact, its not even close, except in the general sentiment. Before we get into the translation, heres some background on the song. Edelweiss Isnt German or Austrian The first thing you should know about Edelweiss is that its not an Austrian or German song. The only thing German about it is its title and the alpine flower itself. The song was written and composed by two Americans:  Richard Rodgers  (music) and  Oscar Hammerstein II  (lyrics). Hammerstein had a German heritage- his grandfather, Oscar Hammerstein I, was born in what is now Poland to a German-speaking Jewish family- but the song is strictly American. In the film, Captain von Trapp (played by  Christopher Plummer) sings an emotional version of Edelweiss, a resounding, memorable rendition that may have contributed to the false idea that its the Austrian national anthem. The second thing  to know about  Edelweiss is that it, like The Sound of Music, is virtually unknown in Austria. Although Salzburg, Austria, bills itself as The Sound of Music City, customers for The Sound of Music tours include very few Austrians or Germans. Edelweiß der Liedtext (Edelweiss Lyrics) Music by Richard RogersEnglish Lyrics by  Oscar HammersteinDeutsch: UnknownMusical: The Sound of Music Edelweiss is a very simple song no matter which language you choose to sing it in. Its a great way to practice your German with a tune that you probably already know. Both the German and English lyrics are below. Notice how each language uses the songs rhythm and has  the same or nearly the same number of syllables per line. Both sets of lyrics have a romantic feel, not only in the meaning of the words  but also in how they sound. German Lyrics English Lyrics Direct Translation Edelweiß, Edelweiß, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss Du grà ¼ÃƒÅ¸t mich jeden Morgen, Every morning you greet me You greet me every morning, Sehe ich dich, Small and white, I see you, Freue ich mich, clean and bright I am looking, Und vergess' meine Sorgen. You look happy to meet me. And I forget my worries. Schmà ¼cke das Heimatland, Blossom of snow Decorate the home country, Schà ¶n und weiß, may you bloom and grow, Beautiful and white, Blà ¼hest wie die Sterne. Bloom and grow forever. Flourishing like the stars. Edelweiß, Edelweiß, Edelweiss, Edelweis, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Ach, ich hab dich so gerne. Bless my homeland forever. Oh, I love you so much. An  Example of How Songs Are Translated In translating songs, how they sound and flow with the music is more important than an exact transliteration of the words. Thats why the German translation is significantly different from  Hammersteins English lyrics. We dont know who wrote the German lyrics for Edelweiss, yet he or she did a good job of retaining the meaning of Hammersteins song. Its interesting to compare all three versions side by side so we can see how musical translations work.

Revising to Make Your Writing Precise

Revising to Make Your Writing Precise Finding the right word was a lifelong quest for French novelist Gustave Flaubert: Whatever you want to say, there is only one word that will express it, one verb to make it move, one adjective to qualify it. You must seek that word, that verb, that adjective, and never be satisfied with approximations, never resort to tricks, even clever ones, or to verbal pirouettes to escape the difficulty.(letter to Guy de Maupassant) A perfectionist (who happened to have an independent income), Flaubert would spend days worrying over a single sentence until he got the words just right. Most of us, I suspect, dont have that kind of time available. As a result, we often have to be satisfied with approximations when drafting. Near synonyms and almost-right words, like temporary bridges, let us move on to the next sentence before a deadline arrives. Nonetheless, converting inexact words to precise ones remains a critical part of revising our drafts - a process that cant be reduced to one simple method or clever trick. Here are 10 points worth considering the next time you find yourself in search of the right word. 1. Be Patient In revising, if the right word is not at hand, run a search, sort, select process through your mind to see if you can find it. (Even then, a word may be elusive, refusing to emerge from the mind one day only to arise from the subconscious the next.) Be prepared to rewrite today what you revised yesterday. Above all, be patient: take the time to select words that will transfer your exact thought to the mind of a reader. May Flewellen McMillan, The Shortest Way to the Essay: Rhetorical Strategies. Mercer University Press, 1984 2. Wear Out Your Dictionary Once you have a  dictionary, use it as much as possible.   When you sit down to write and need a particular word, pause to consider the key ideas you want to convey. Start with a word thats in the ballpark. Look it up and go from there, exploring synonyms, roots, and usage notes. Manys the time a usage note in the American Heritage Dictionary has led me to the word that fits, much as the right jigsaw puzzle piece slips into place. Jan Venolia, The Right Word!: How to Say What You Really Mean. Ten Speed Press, 2003 3. Recognize Connotations Do not be fooled into thinking you can substitute one word for another simply because a thesaurus groups them together under a single entry. The thesaurus will do you little good unless you are familiar with the connotations of possible synonyms for a given word. Portly, chubby, chunky, heavy, overweight, stocky, plump, and obese are all possible synonyms for fat, but they are not interchangeable. . . . Your task is to select the word that conveys most accurately the precise shade of meaning or feeling you intend. Peter G. Beidler, Writing Matters. Coffeetown Press, 2010 4. Put Away Your Thesaurus Using a thesaurus will not make you look smarter. It will only make you look like you are trying to look smarter. Adrienne Dowhan et al., Essays That Will Get You Into College, 3rd ed. Barrons, 2009 5. Listen [B]ear in mind, when youre choosing words and stringing them together, how they sound. This may seem absurd: readers read with their eyes. But in fact they hear what they are reading far more than you realize. Therefore such matters as rhythm and alliteration are vital to every sentence. William Zinsser, On Writing Well, 7th ed. HarperCollins, 2006 6. Beware of Fancy Language There is a difference between vivid language and unnecessarily fancy language. As you search for the particular, the colorful, and the unusual, be careful not to choose words merely for their sound or appearance rather than for their substance. When it comes to  word choice, longer is not always better. As a rule, prefer simple, plain language over fancy language . . . Avoid language that seems stilted or unnecessarily formal in favor of language that sounds natural and genuine to your ear. Trust the right word - whether fancy or plain - to do the job. Stephen Wilbers, Keys to Great Writing. Writers Digest Books, 2000 7. Delete Pet Words They may be more pests than pets. They are the words you overuse without even knowing it. My own problem words are very, just, and that. Delete them if theyre not essential. John Dufresne, The Lie That Tells a Truth. W.W. Norton, 2003 8. Eliminate the Wrong Words I do not choose the right word. I get rid of the wrong one. Period. A.E. Housman, quoted by Robert Penn Warren in An Interview in New Haven. Studies in the Novel, 1970 9. Be True How do I know, the sometimes despairing writer asks, which the right word is? The reply must be: only you can know. The right word is, simply, the wanted one; the wanted word is the one most nearly true. True to what? Your vision and your purpose. Elizabeth Bowen, Afterthought: Pieces About Writing, 1962 10. Enjoy the Process [P]eople often forget that the sheer joy of finding the right word which expresses a thought is extraordinary, an emotional rush of an intense kind. Playwright Michael Mackenzie, quoted by Eric Armstrong, 1994 Is the struggle to find the right word truly worth the effort? Mark Twain thought so. The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter, he once said. Its the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.

The Verbing of the English Language

The Verbing of the English Language The Verbing of the English Language The Verbing of the English Language By Mark Nichol One of the most inventive aspects of invention-friendly English is verbing, the denominalization of nouns into verbs. It’s nothing new verbs have been created from noun forms throughout the life span of Modern English and perhaps even before it evolved from Middle English; what’s been different during our lifetime, perhaps, is the rate at which it occurs. Denominalizations most of us have grown accustomed to because they’ve been around a while include pencil (â€Å"I’ll pencil you in for tomorrow at nine o’clock†), trend (â€Å"Stocks continue to trend downward†), and impact (â€Å"That’s going to significantly impact our plan†). If those usages aren’t annoying enough, you can make people cringe by using dialogue (â€Å"We’ll dialogue about this later†). Brand names even get denominalized, as was the case with Xerox and, more recently, Google. But verbing isn’t confined to the office. At home, mothers and fathers parent, and people host guests. Active folks ski and skate, while those out on the town get seated, sometimes only after they’re carded. The primary cause of the recent proliferation of verbing is technology: Before the average person had access to personal computers, programmers were accessing data online. When the Internet went mainstream, we began to bookmark our bookmarks. As many people began to favor text messaging, texting stood alongside phoning or calling. (By extension, overt flirting and text-based phone sex was dubbed sexting.) Social networking gave us the verb form â€Å"to friend† (and, inevitably, â€Å"to defriend†), as well as a new sense of â€Å"to like,† where liking is a deliberate action rather than simply a feeling. Denominalization is controversial and prompts much antipathy. But why? Some of the most basic words in English dress, dream, sleep, strike, talk are verbs identical in form to their parent nouns. The answer: English encourages neologisms, but many of its users are (often rightfully) averse to upstart words. Many of the denominalizations we take for granted may have struck listeners and readers as awkward and annoying when they first experienced them, but although many others no doubt fell by the wayside for that very reason, numerous ones have long since been granted status as standard English. There’s only so much you can do to champion denominalization or to choke it, but in the end, it’s a democratic process: If a neologism appeals to you, promote it by using it. If it appalls you, demote it by eschewing it. Not every grating verbification will last, and if one that particularly annoys you goes extinct, you can take partial credit because it has always been absent from your writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"Difference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

America's war on Terror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

America's war on Terror - Essay Example Speaking of the values that referred to by the proponents of America’s war on terror, it is extremely important to mention the following one. To begin with, terrorists are often thought to be enemies of the civilized world since they heavily rely on aggression and violence – something that is banned in a developed social environment. In addition to that, the war on terror allows other countries to redefine their position in many different aspects of foreign politics which ultimately leads towards creation of global community which is extremely beneficial to human beings. Nevertheless, there are numerous people who argue that war on terror is a rather negative phenomenon that should be put to an end. They provide the following arguments. First of all, war on terrorist involves killing people: whether they are armed terrorists or unarmed civilians who die as retaliation from the terrorists. Secondly, the opponents of war on terror point out that the United States of America tend to promote liberty and democracy in countries that have considerable amount of oil in possession (Rubin 183). In other words, the above mentioned war is nothing but a way to conceal the desire to acquire this scarce resource. The opponents of this aspect of foreign policy of America often involve different values to support their position. For example, these people ask why the government that kills other people is better than terrorists who kill other people. Although some reservations should be made, in the long run both parties are engaged in massive killing which is something that is opposite to peaceful nature of humans. In addition to that, the economic interest behind the war on terror is obvious. Thus, terroristic acts are performed not only by the Arab Muslims, but by Africans or Europeans as well. Nevertheless, the United States of America tend to fight terrorist in one part of the world only. There is no coincidence that it also

Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Art - Assignment Example Marilyn was an icon that won the hearts of many American G.I.s much to the dismay of Joe Di Maggio. Visually, half of the dyptich is expressed in bright colors while the other half is black and white to the point if being blurred. Many critics interpreted the dark diptych as the mortality of Marilyn Monroe. Also, the repetitive images represents the ability of technology to command attention or power. Contrastingly, the Mona Lisa is bereft of any technology. It is purely a work of art that depicts a woman who belonged to high-society. Her posture during the painting reflects a woman with breeding and gentle nature. Her face is given emphasis by the contrast of dark colors in the background. Her gaze silently communicates many messages to the viewer. Another comment by Farago ( 2009 ) interprets the placement of Lisa’s hands ( right resting on the left ) as Leonardo’s portrayal of Mona Lisa as woman of virtue and a loyal wife. Andy Warhol also created serigraph prints of Mona Lisa as a way of reducing her popularity and converting her to a popular icon such as Marilyn Monroe. Nevertheless, Mona Lisa cannot be reduced to a modern icon, her tasteful portrait and enigmatic smile has never failed to attract even the harshest critics. Besides, her true nature as Lisa del Giocondo, a wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant cannot be denied. However, no matter how differ ent the two artworks maybe, the appeal of the feminine is always used in expressing

In Defense of Masks by Kenneth Gergen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

In Defense of Masks by Kenneth Gergen - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that  it is impossible to live through life without putting on or developing masks. Masks are a vital part of human society. Masks act as a source of fostering relationships and understandability between various groups in society.  People portray different forms of their real selves. They adorn masks to masks to achieve various objectives in their lives, but it is a fake characterization of their true beliefs and attitudes of a person. Everybody has a motivation towards hiding their identities. Whether it is to get accepted, loved, ignored, inflict fear or hide from shame. This urge to wear masks is true to human form. The urge for survival in a tough and competitive world makes people act in a manner that is not true to self. For example, it is common for an employee to appear subtle in front of his/her boss just to appease them and look well-mannered or cultured. The employee may in the actual sense not be cultured or well-mannered. He or she may be a loudmouth or someone that ridicules fellow coworkers at the workplace. But because the employee is in the presence of their boss and he or she hopes to get noticed for a promotion or favor, they hide their true identity in front of the boss. The boss would thus pick up a fake attitude or behavior from the employee. The motivation to get promoted or noticed makes the employee wear a mask that hides their real identity.  Society has also forced human beings to wear masks. Societal pressures make people act in ways that are not true to their selves. In a world that is full of standards and demands, people act to please others and not themselves (Gergen 138). Friends, enemies, and relatives may force individuals to behave in certain ways.  

Thins Fall Apart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thins Fall Apart - Essay Example The level of detachment achieved by the author in describing the life before colonialism is commendable. The theme of the book and the author’s attitude towards the theme both evoke curiosity. Without giving too much room for sentimentalism, he details the state of affairs in the country, and is not interested in creating a rosy picture out of love for his country. He states the facts, and describes the shortcomings of his people, mentions about fierce tribal wars, day to day violence and the resultant suffering. He also mentions that the uniting factor amongst the people is social coherence, deep-rooted faith in ritualism and extraordinary traditions, the importance of which is difficult to quantify but highly respected and followed by the people. What is the importance of the customs and traditions of Igbo society and how they are reflected in the day to day life and dispositions of the Nigerian tribal community? The importance of various segments of culture has a deep impac t on the Nigerian society and their inner world responds to its richness and beauty. Referring to the role of music Chinua Achebe(1994, p.4) writes, â€Å"The total effect was gay and brisk, but if one picked out the flute as it went up and down and then broke up into short snatches, one saw that there was sorrow and grief there.†Through this observation, the author states in his own style and reveal about the societal conditions and its impact on the common man, meaningfully. How the traditional families functioned—study Okonkwo’s life for example! He was a self-made man, but he was unhappy affected much by the poor image his father had in the Igbo society. He tried to overcome that inferiority complex with great efforts, achieved matchless prosperity, and enjoyed great reputation in the village. His physical assets added to his popularity and the awe and esteem in which the people held him. About his physical prowess the author( p.3) writes, â€Å"â€Å"It w as this man Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights.† His anger seized his personality and he lost control over his normal speech and donned a violent mood. The role of the superstitions in the life of people touched great heights. Whether the personal traits dominated the superstitions, or the superstitions contributed to the formation of the personal traits was a difficult question to answer. Both co-existed and exerted mutual influence. As for Okonkwo, it was rooted in his ancestry. The author observes that he suffered from a sort of inferiority complex, about resemblance to his father, which he thought was a sign of backwardness. Each section of the society, men women and children had some superstition or the other to hang on, and their origin was difficult to trace. The basis of their continuance was faith, with no convincing logical explanations. The author cites one such example, amongst the womenfolk. Worshipping the trees was common with them and they believed that the tree was the abode of good children waiting to be born and they sat under the shades of the trees. Colonialism impacted the cultural traditions of Igbo tribe in a big way and it was a well-planned

Slavery a Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery a Comparative Analysis - Essay Example Stanley Elkin was born in the 1930s in New York, and later became a Jewish American writer and a short tale novelist. Stanley Elkin is the writer of Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life (1959), describing the narration of slavery in Americas work was described as the most controversial and faced a lot of criticism. His writings motivated mostly by Tannenbaum’s study of slavery in North America and Brazil, â€Å"Slave and Citizen (1948)†, compared his study with the modern world to establish why the American slavery was exclusive. He died in May 31, 1995 after suffering multiple sclerosis since 1960. James McPherson was born in October 11, 1936 in valley city, North Dakota. He is an American civil war historian and is the George Henry '86 Professor Emeritus of United States olden times at Princeton University where he has taught since1962. He placed an added fifty years into learning American Civil war, in 1982; he wrote the ordeal by fire d escribing the American civil war. ... rson’s ordeal by fire describes the societal, economic, political and ideological differences that led to a disastrous and intermediary event in American history. Modernization theme is carried out all through the book. McPherson explores the origin of war; slavery associated with war and at the start of war itself and later describes the consequences of the war. He disputes that the war and rebuilding were part of the stages in America’s modernization and that the Republican Party was the motivating force behind the idea of modernization. He proceeds to associate modernization with religion whereby Protestants were its main supporters while Catholics and southerners were against the idea of modernization, thus the vast difference between North and South America in terms of development. Stanley Elkin’s slavery book emphasized that there is a coercive nature in slavery and used the Nazi resemblance to make comparisons. Elkins focused on the effects because of slav ery and the effects the camps had on the slaves too, which made them become more resistant, hence the harsh treatment by the slaveholders. He compared the slavery in the south to Nazism and in many ways, the slaves in the North were far much better than those in the south (Elkins, 1959). The shared mechanism that he believed emerged in both institutions was â€Å"infantilizing trend of complete authority†. They were referred to as property of their slaveholders. Elkin suggested that a major part of North American slavery lacked traditional checks of religion and law on the power of slave owners. Elkin combined knowledge of the history of the holocaust and slavery, he compared the outcome of the holocaust with American slavery something the earlier historians had left untouched. The religious society also

Hypothetical Working Agreement Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hypothetical Working Agreement Paper - Essay Example After reading through the work, you are free to contact me through the message board for any clarifications and amendments and I shall be glad to assist you. Thank you. Hypothetical Working Agreement between Clinician and Sheila who wants her children back Introduction The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and heroine continue to be a critical issue in our contemporary world. The menace has no proved advantage but day in and out, people get themselves in it. According to the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy (2006), â€Å"The effects of marijuana and THC on several intellectual and cognitive abilities with drug doses commonly used in North America today.440 Short-term serial position memory was significantly impaired with the higher THC and marijuana doses, but not with lesser quantities.† The same is true for cocaine and other hard drugs. The cause of illegal drug usage results from false ideas peddled about them. In some circles, it is believed that the use of dr ugs can improve intellectual performance but people who follow these ‘doctrines’ only end up retarding their intellectual capabilities instead of improving it. It is a situation of this nature that Sheila currently find herself in; resulting in the adoption of her two children by the Child Protective Unit. But of course, there is hope for Sheila as long as she is willing to be helped. Assessment Sheila, who lives in Austin, Texas No.1 Westend Street, is a 27-year-old mother with two kids. The woman, a White American by descent is currently separated with her husband and lives with her cousin in Austin, Texas. The 27 year old lady is a Catholic and works with a local restaurant as waitress though she is a first degree holder in Education. Sheila has had four years previous working experience as a teacher; at which time she received as much as $1800 a month compared to the $900 she takes currently as a waitress. The lady, who justifiably deserves more than her current soc ial status has a problem of drug addiction. She has been using crack cocaine for four years. Meanwhile, â€Å"Existing law provides for services to abused and neglected children and their families† (Department of Social Service, 2007). Consequently, Sheila’s two children, ages 7 and 9 were removed from her care by Child Protective Services when her addiction because noticeably clear and she started losing control in bringing the kids up. Though Sheila admits the stand of the Child Protective Services is legal, she seriously feels that she needs her children back under her care. This is because the situation makes Sheila feel even more irresponsible, disrespected and guilty. Apart from drug addiction and the separation of her children from her, Sheila has also separated with her husband and this situation also causes her a lot of worry. Because of the separation of both husband and children, Sheila sees herself as an outcast and this demoralize her a lot. She feels reje cted and even cheated for losing her children. Sheila addiction has taken from her some degree of social recognition and respect. What worsens her situation are her biopsychosocial stressors which includes, peer pressure, poverty, depression, low self-esteem and lost of dignity. However, despite all her problems, Sheila possesses some excellent qualities. This is a confirmation of the saying that â€Å"nothing is all wrong: even a stopped clock is right twice a day†. Among other things, Sheila is courageous, loving,

Slavery a Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery a Comparative Analysis - Essay Example Stanley Elkin was born in the 1930s in New York, and later became a Jewish American writer and a short tale novelist. Stanley Elkin is the writer of Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life (1959), describing the narration of slavery in Americas work was described as the most controversial and faced a lot of criticism. His writings motivated mostly by Tannenbaum’s study of slavery in North America and Brazil, â€Å"Slave and Citizen (1948)†, compared his study with the modern world to establish why the American slavery was exclusive. He died in May 31, 1995 after suffering multiple sclerosis since 1960. James McPherson was born in October 11, 1936 in valley city, North Dakota. He is an American civil war historian and is the George Henry '86 Professor Emeritus of United States olden times at Princeton University where he has taught since1962. He placed an added fifty years into learning American Civil war, in 1982; he wrote the ordeal by fire d escribing the American civil war. ... rson’s ordeal by fire describes the societal, economic, political and ideological differences that led to a disastrous and intermediary event in American history. Modernization theme is carried out all through the book. McPherson explores the origin of war; slavery associated with war and at the start of war itself and later describes the consequences of the war. He disputes that the war and rebuilding were part of the stages in America’s modernization and that the Republican Party was the motivating force behind the idea of modernization. He proceeds to associate modernization with religion whereby Protestants were its main supporters while Catholics and southerners were against the idea of modernization, thus the vast difference between North and South America in terms of development. Stanley Elkin’s slavery book emphasized that there is a coercive nature in slavery and used the Nazi resemblance to make comparisons. Elkins focused on the effects because of slav ery and the effects the camps had on the slaves too, which made them become more resistant, hence the harsh treatment by the slaveholders. He compared the slavery in the south to Nazism and in many ways, the slaves in the North were far much better than those in the south (Elkins, 1959). The shared mechanism that he believed emerged in both institutions was â€Å"infantilizing trend of complete authority†. They were referred to as property of their slaveholders. Elkin suggested that a major part of North American slavery lacked traditional checks of religion and law on the power of slave owners. Elkin combined knowledge of the history of the holocaust and slavery, he compared the outcome of the holocaust with American slavery something the earlier historians had left untouched. The religious society also

The Taming of the Shrew Essay Example for Free

The Taming of the Shrew Essay William Shakespeare’s play, The Taming of the Shrew, is a controversial play that introduces a battle between a man and woman. The woman, whom is strong-willed, must show submission to her husband. As this play has been read by many people, there has been a wide range of different reactions about the play. Whether people agree with the morals of this play or disagree, it is based upon ones beliefs of what role women play in society. Petruccio, the man who is trying to tame Katherine, tries to â€Å"teach [her] that she must obey him [and he] acts the part of ‘shrew tamer’† (159). Katherine is quite reluctant to Petruccio trying to tame her, and she has the right to the anger she feels toward him. Katherine is a very strong woman who feels the need for independence in her life. Petruccio, however, would like to hold power over her so that he may tame her. Throughout the play the audience is guided along Katherine’s journey of complete submission to Petruccio, whom eventually becomes her husband. The end of the play marks the most important and significant part of the play. Katherine shows her submission to her husband, Petruccio. In Katherine’s speech at the end of the play she admits: â€Å"Such duty as the subject owes the prince, Even such a woman oweth to her husband, And when she is forward, peevish, sullen, sour, And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel, And graceless traitor to her loving lord?† (Lines 159-164) This part of her speech signifies that women are supposed to treat their husband as a servant would treat their royal prince. This is putting men in a higher reign of power and acknowledging them as rulers of their women. This is not agreeable by any means because women should have the right to equality in a marriage. In a sermon, titled ‘Of Domesticall Duties: Eight Treatises’ by William Gouge, it is noted that wives are to be â€Å"in subjection to obey [their] own husbands† (1). It is also said that if the â€Å"wives be stubborn, froward, and malapert, their husbands are compelled thereby to abhor and flee form their own houses even as they should have battle with their enemies† (1). This quotation is immoral because when a man and women are married, the man should not be allowed to flee at his own discretion. In those times, however, this unfortunately was permitted. After studying the play further and reading through relatable sermons, it is evident that womanly independence was highly discouraged. A woman having a man in her life, who gives her some direction, is not terrible. The ways that a man holds power over a woman and essentially becomes the boss of her however, is not right. There is a fine line between being a woman’s husband, and being a woman’s boss. A woman should be entitled to her own independence and sovereignty. Looking at the period where this play originated, it is common to discourage women from having equality to men. However, it still doesn’t make their views correct. It is encouraging to see our time period evolve since then, as it is less common to have a man trying to tame his wife. It is heartbreaking to see that some people still live by those same morals in our society. I believe that we as a generation have done a better job of trying to disregard the same views that were held during Shakespearea n times.

Impact Of Legislation On Early Years Practice Education Essay

Impact Of Legislation On Early Years Practice Education Essay The purpose of this paper is to discuss current relevant legislation and how the legislation impacts on an Early Years practice. The experiences and outcomes that children receive in their earliest years can lay the foundations for their journey into adult life and beyond. Legislation has been put in place to ensure that children are given the best possible start in life and that they are given the opportunities for them to reach their full potential. Regardless of their individual needs and backgrounds of race, disability or social status, legislation ensures that they all have the same opportunities in order for them to have a good quality of life in early childhood. In addition, children have a right to be part of their community setting and develop their own individual identity. A childs social class is a major factor in the life chances and the outcomes they are likely to receive in later life. The Equality Act 2010 aims to narrow the gap between social classes, tackles barriers that are holding children back and gives everyone the opportunity to achieve their full potential and contribute in their own way to society. Children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to suffer behaviour and language problems than those from more affluent areas. Furthermore, children from affluent areas are more academically ready to start early education by the age of three years old than those from poorer areas. (Source: Elizabeth Washbrook, Bristol University based on the Millennium Cohort Study) Millennium Cohort Study, Exploration of Some Distinctive Results for Scotland These statistics show the need for early years settings to provide efficient and adequate provision for all children. Child centred settings must ensure that they are fully aware of the content of relevant legislation regarding equality and inclusion that enables children to get the best possible start and get efficient learning that meets their needs in order for them to flourish. A nursery Admission policy ensures that the allocation of nursery places is fair and equal and that there is no discrimination in relation to a childs socio-economic background with regards of where they live or parents occupational backgrounds, stops discrimination against non-admittance of a child with any disabilities or additional needs and shows no favouritism towards admissions of children with high academic level and educational attainment. This policy ensures equality for all and that places are free to all children. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/equality-act-guidance-for-education-providers-schools/admissions/ Settings that promote equality and inclusion are stating that they recognise and uphold childrens rights and will actively contribute to the childrens quality of life. Equal opportunities ensure all children are treated according to their individual needs. We want an education system in Scotland that is inclusive of all pupils, encouraging young people to develop, no matter what additional needs they may have. Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/04/26163423 The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 2009 provides the framework of guidance for the support that all children should receive in order for them to make full use of their abilities within their education. Practitioners must ensure arrangements are in place to identify any additional needs and the learning required, and this can be done by getting to know the child and their background and put the child at the centre. Building good relationships with children and their families will encourage the child to feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. By getting to know as much as possible about the child, practitioners can plan experiences that suit the childs knowledge, experience, age and stage of development and build on these to extend the childs knowledge and learning. North Lanarkshire Councils Inclusive Policy suggests that Personal Learning Plans, Individual Education Programmes and Records of Needs are important for a childs effective learning and through assessment and planning, will provide the foundation to ensuring the individual needs of the child are recognised and met. However, when a support plan is considered necessary, settings must take account of views from other people like parents/carers and additional adults within the setting who assist with supporting inclusion and diversity. Some of these include head teachers, Speech and Language and behaviour therapists and Additional Support Needs Assistants. This partnership will ensure close links are maintained between multi-agencies, support services and the childs family and will help to provide opportunities to share information and make decisions about the best way to meet a childs individual needs. Good inclusive settings can ensure that a child is looked after, despite their individual needs and backgrounds, and enable them to get the best out of their education. http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5642 In addition, practitioners and educators should effectively practice equality for all and be aware of their own attitudes of stereotyping and discriminating against issues of race, disability, sex, social status, age and religion and be positive role models in their responsibilities to promoting equality and inclusion in their setting. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/equality-act-guidance-for-education-providers-schools/admissions/ http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5640 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/04/26163423 Every Child Matters Framework for Inclusion Gender equality a toolkit for education staff Malik, H. (2003) A Practical Guide to Equal Opportunities, Nelson Thorner Chapter 2 Millennium Cohort Study, Exploration of Some Distinctive Results for Scotland The Child at the Centre The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 2009

Witch of blackbird pond Essay -- essays research papers

The name of the book that I read was â€Å"The Witch of Blackbird Pond† By, Elizabeth George Speare. The book took place in the year of 1687. Some of the book takes place on a boat called the â€Å"Dolphin,† and then the rest of the book in Wethersfield, in the state of Connecticut. The main characters in the book are Katherine Tyler (her nickname was Kit), Nat Eaton, Uncle Matthew, Aunt Rachel, Hannah Tupper, Kit’s cousins Mercy, and Judith, Prudence, Hannah Tupper, John Holbrook, Goodwife Cruff and Goodman Cruff. One of the problems in the beginning of the book is when she goes to her cousin’s house and was adapting to their way of life; for instance when she got there, they all did not have good clothes and she had really fancy clothes that they would have never worn in their life because they were too expensive. Another problem that she encountered was that she met a lady named Hannah Tupper that lived near Blackbird Pond and she was a Quaker. That’s why she was forced to live there, because no one liked her and she was al so accused of being a witch. Kit made friends with her when she bumped into her in the meadow. This jeopardized her life and that was a problem. She helped Prudence read and write and that was a little risky too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I mostly identify with the main character kit. I mostly identify with her because she likes to try new things and I like to try new things also. I also identify with her because she likes to explore new places, for instan...

The Passing of the Crown by Shakespeares Henries Essay -- Henry IV He

The Passing of the Crown by Shakespeare's Henries      Ã‚  Ã‚   In his histories from Richard II through Henry V to Richard III, Shakespeare depicts the English monarchy as a game between family and friends of vying for a gold ring -- the crown. Shakespeare gives his reader a central metaphor through which to see this equation in King Henry IV part one. The prank Prince Hal, later King Henry V, and his friend, Poins, play on their friends, particularly Falstaff, parallels the plot's focal passing of the crown.    In the first act, Poins outlines his plan to play a prank on Falstaff and their other friends to Prince Hal, "They [Falstaff and others] will adventure upon the exploit [of stealing money from travelers] themselves, which they shall have no sooner achieved but we'll set upon them" (I.ii.169-71). This exactly represents the larger action that takes place in this same piece. King Henry IV, previously Bolingbroke, usurped the crown from King Richard II in Shakespeare's play of that title, and now, in this King Henry Hotspur is trying to take from "Bolingbroke," the name he contemptuously insists on using for the king, the crown which the king 'rightfully' stole already. Hal's prank can, in fact, be seen as the summarizing play within the play so popular in Elizabethan drama. Not only does Hal's light-hearted game sum up the events of this history, it also works as a microcosm of the events in King Richard III, a tragedy wherein Richard steals the throne from his brothers, Ed ward and George, who, in turn, stole it from Henry VI. The metaphor becomes even more obviously applicable when we hear Falstaff's self-defense for giving up the stolen money so easily, "Was it for me to kill the heir apparent?"... ...taining the position and participating in its ceremonies is a game. However, I don't think this means that the role is an impossible one to actually possess, that it's always simply an unreachable construct that everyone pretends at. I think it just means that Shakespeare sees the crown as not being as serious a thing to possess as is commonly thought. It's a joke, a gag, a prank, always a gold ring made of cardboard. Where there's "a kingdom for a stage," so too can there be 'a stage for a kingdom' (Henry V, prologue line 3). Being King means playing.    Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Henry IV: part one. Ed. P. H. Davison, New York: Penguin Books, 1996. Shakespeare, William. Henry IV: part two. Ed. P. H. Davison, New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Shakespeare, William. Henry V. Ed. A. R. Humphreys, New York: Penguin Books, 1996.   

The Technology’s Influence in Todays World

Every single day a new type of technology is being introduced to the world. Technology has improved a lot over years, and it is a great thing these days, because it can be very helpful, especially for people with disabilities. However people are taking advantage of it. I think life is impossible without cell phones and laptops! This phrase sounds shocking but reality is reality. Some people can’t live without modern technology like cell phones. Everybody knows what modern technology is. Modern technology is a technology created or invented to help us do works and make our life easier. i think we should perfectly understand that modern technology can make our life more convenient and safes a great deal of our time. We become lazy because of modern technologies like cell phones, washing machine, televisions, and others. People used to wash their dirty clothes using hands, but now they just have to put their dirty clothes into the washing machine and press some buttons. as we know. Modern technologies create financial problems, too. Because most of the modern technologies are too expensive to buy. People need to be active in order to be healthy. Walking to the store, riding a bike instead of a car, visiting a post office instead of sending an e-mail, all these things may or may not be more convenient, but they are a better alternative because it involves doing things physically. Being active means just a little more then the click of the mouse. Everyone loves the Internet. Suddenly everything just becomes so fast and easy. But easy does not necessarily mean better. Although being active enough is a major concern when it comes to modern technology, there are more things to worry about. Today’s technology can be as simple as the push of a button. Because everything is so easy, human’s brain is functioning as much as it should, and that is not a good thing. People need to develop their brain by reading, thinking in order to be smart, however its nearly impossible with the kind of technology we have these days.

Research Process and Terminology Essay

To be a qualified researcher, they must know different terminologies and the process to become one. There are many of terminologies that a researcher must know to do his/her job. Some of them are the steps in research, the Lucifer effect, informed consent, and shield laws. Knowing the proper terminologies and how they apply to the criminal justice field can help their research in the criminal justice field. Not knowing the proper terms can make their research invalid and produce incorrect information. It is best for researchers to take the proper steps when they conduct their study. The steps in research are problem formulation, research design, data collection methods, analysis and presentations of findings and conclusions. The problem formulation is the particular area that is going to be investigated. The research design is a type of experiment or studies of the group over a period. The data collections methods are the choice of methods that are going to used. The analysis is the summarizing and reporting of the findings. The last step is what the researcher believes the study has to say (Hagen, 2010). The steps in research already apply to the criminal justice field. For example, California wants to know what type of offender goes in and out of prison the most. They would study this over the next five to ten years and come up with robbery offenders tend to come in and out of prison. Not knowing the proper terminology can not only affect the results time wasted on researching the subject matter and taking the incorrect way of doing things. Understanding these terms will assist in analyzing research or data will help out a lot because I would know what each step the researchers did and how they came to his or her conclusion. I would not be lost in translation on what this means or even get confused on why they believe their study has to say. According to the book is a term coined by Zimbardo that refers to the transformation of a good person to engage with evil actions† (Hagen, 2010). Knowing wha t Lucifer effect is applies to the criminal justice field more with psychologist than anyone else. When they profile someone, for example, Ted Bundy, they wanted to know this good person all of a sudden turned evil and started killing women. Psychologists believe that Ted Bundy’s breaking point was when his first love dumped him he dropped out of school moved back home. He later found out that his so called sister was his mother, and his parents were actually his  grandparents; that is where psychologist think he snapped and started killing. Bundy could not accept the lies and was killing his first love because all the victims’ resemble her in a way. This is more of a Lucifer effect because it was not overnight that Bundy started killing, it was more each lie and the more he got hurt he began to transform into a serial killer (Montaldo, n.d.). Not knowing the proper terminology can affect the way a person conducts criminal justice research because not knowing what this term entirely means can make a wrong diagnosis. If a psychologist believed that that the criminal had the Lucifer effect and tried to lower the sentence with the help of the defense council, it can jeopardize the case. Because the Lucifer effect is not recognized as a proper diagnostic. Understanding this term can be an asset in some ways, but I do not think when conducting a study. Zimbardo had to stop his experiment because it became too dangerous (Zimbardo, 2006). To study Bundy’s’ and his actions and publish them they needed his families or his consent to publish their findings. When researching the sponsors require an informed consent from the subjects, so they are aware of the intentions and studies that is being done. An informed consent applies to the criminal justice field because when researching, they need consent from anyone who participates in the study, so the participants know what’s going on and so the researchers can publish their findings without a participant suing them. Not knowing what the term means can affect me in research because I just tell the subjects what I am doing without getting their signatures I can be sued of even worse lose my job. Understanding this term can help me conduct a safe research where the subjects know what is going on and why I am doing the study. By having their signatures saying that I can include them in my research is a benefit because that is just one more thing that is going to either approve or disapprove my hypothesis. When doing the research, researcher need to know that what they find can be protected under shield laws. The book states that shield laws â€Å"constitute a governmental immunity from prosecution and the right to confidentiality for researchers if they are subpoenaed† (Hagen, 2010). Shield laws apply to the criminal justice field because it protects respondents by ensuring that the data provided will not be used to invade their privacy. Not knowing the full terminology of shield law can affect my criminal justice research. For example, if I think that everything in my  research can be used against me I might leave out some information so it will not be used against me. Knowing this term can asset me when I am conducting research because I know that I cannot be prosecuted for my research and even if the courts subpoenaed me I was still protected from giving my field data up, etc. In conclusion, knowing the right meaning of these terminologies can help researcher conduct a more proficient study. That can help the criminal justice field in more in more than one way. Knowing the right process of these terms can help the researchers perform the proper steps to do the research. To make sure that they all have the informed consents from the subjects and to know that they are protected from giving up their data by the shield law. References Hagen, F. (2010). Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Zimbardo, P. (2006, January 1). The Lucifer Effect. Retrieved August 21, 2014. Montaldo, C. (n.d.). Ted Bundy: Profile of a Serial Killer. Retrieved August 21, 2014.

English literature controlled assessment Essay

Many plays and poems are concerned with the relationship between parents and their children. Choose a situation where this issue is considered in a Shakespeare play and link it with poetry where there is a similar situation. Refer closely to the texts in your answer to support your views. Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays. The sad tale of the two star-crossed lovers was written in Elizabethan times and because of this features families a lot different from that of today. Elizabethan families ran very differently from that that goes on in our own home sweet homes. Elizabethan children were considered their parents property and must obey whatever their parents said; this was usually the father as women in the past would also have to follow the strict rules of their husbands. As well as that, children, in rich families, were often forced to marry whom they were instructed to; primarily for money. The ideas of family feature heavily in Romeo and Juliet and in this assessment I will explore said ideas in depth. In Act One, Scene Two Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father, is consulting Paris after he asked for Juliet’s hand in marriage. Capulet believes that his daughter is too young to marry. Capulet says ‘An she agree, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice’ he is saying that Paris has his approval but it is up to Juliet to make the final decision. The way Capulet handles the situation with Paris shows the love and kindness he feels for his daughter. Capulet allows Juliet to decide if she wants to marry this man. This wouldn’t have happened very often in Elizabethan times as the richer families often married for wealth not love and here Capulet is asking, not telling, Juliet to marry this wealthy man. He doesn’t treat her as a piece of furniture and wants her to be happy with the person she marries, ‘She is the hopeful lady of my earth’ Capulet has lost his previous children and only wants the best for his only daughter. Then, in Act Three, Scene Four, Capulet arranges Juliet’s and Paris’ wedding saying ‘she shall be married to this noble earl’. Capulet arranges this marriage without his daughters consent because he believes it will help to bring his daughter out of her depressive state, which he thinks is caused by the death of her cousin Tybalt but in reality it’s because of Romeo being exiled from Verona. The sentence Capulet says shows how kind he is to his daughter; Capulet could have chosen the wealthiest man he could get his hands on, however he chooses a ‘noble’ suitor for his daughter to marry. This once again shows that Capulet doesn’t want to use his daughter for money and actually wants his daughter to be happy with the one she marries. So far Capulet has been presented as the figure head of the perfect father, given the Elizabethan era, however there is a moment when his attitude towards his daughter changes. In Act Three, Scene Five Capulet has just been informed by his wife that Juliet has refused to marry Paris. Capulet then responds with ‘Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest?’ Capulet then goes on to tell her that he will throw her out and never look upon her again. Now, Capulet’s exclamation could be seen by many to be harsh and unfair, however, given the era the play was written children did as their parents instructed and never had anything else to say on the matter. Capulet asks several questions one after another not waiting for an answer, this suggests that he is panicking and has no idea how he is meant to handle this; this could very well likely be the first time his daughter has defied him. So, given the plays era, Capulet’s outrage is completely understandable, he is shocked, panicked and appalled at Juliet’s behaviour as children never defied their parents, particularly their fathers. Now I shall move onto the topic of Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet. In Act One, Scene Three Lady Capulet opens the scene with ‘Nurse where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me’. The way Lady Capulet refers to Juliet as her daughter in this way almost sounds as if she is calling Juliet some sort of object; it’s almost like Lady Capulet is asking the Nurse to bring her a pair of shoes she misplaced. She doesn’t speak as if she loves her daughter at all, if she did she might have said something like â€Å"Nurse where is Juliet? Could you ask her to come to me?† The fact that she doesn’t speak to her in this way highlights further how the relationships between parent and child worked in Shakespearian times; parents did treat their children as objects. The third scene in Act One focuses heavily on Juliet’s relationship with both her mother and the Nurse. In this scene Lady Capulet refers to Juliet as ‘daughter’ and Juliet to her as ‘madam’. This does show how Elizabethan children had to talk to their parents but the strict formality of how they talk to one another suggests that there is no mother-daughter relationship. They don’t refer to each other as â€Å"mother† or â€Å"Juliet†. However, as I said before, this could be down to how children had to speak and act toward their parents in Shakespearian times, however I believe it comes down to the lack of relationship between the two and my next point elaborates this further. When Juliet arrives Lady Capulet instructs the Nurse to leave them alone allowing them to talk in privacy. Lady Capulet then suddenly asks for the Nurse to come back saying ‘I have remembered me. Thou’s hear our counsel’. When Lady Capulet is faced alone with her daughter she becomes apparent to the fact that she has no idea how to talk to her daughter and needs the Nurse to help her communicate with Juliet. The fact that Lady Capulet needed the Nurse to help her talk to her daughter this time suggests that this is something that could have occurred in the past meaning that Lady Capulet has never had a conversation with Juliet without an audience to help her, which is in no way a healthy relationship between mother and daughter. The reason Juliet finds it easier to talk to her Nurse is because she was the one that breastfed and raised Juliet as she was hired to be her wet nurse. Elizabethan women were often employed by richer families to raise and wean their babies for them, this profession was known as a wet nurse. In conclusion, Shakespeare used the topic of parent-child relationships heavily in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s goal that he set out to do was to educate the Elizabethan and modern eras that the way things were, were wrong. The star-crossed lovers were destined to die as a way to show that the way parents were treating their children as objects was ultimately going to end in despair; if not for their children then for themselves. The Montague’s and Capulet’s lost their children because of the way they had been treated and I believe Shakespeare wanted his audiences, then and into the far future, to reconsider how they are treating their own children. In this next part of the controlled assessment I will analyse and discuss different poems with the themes of parent-child relationships and then link certain points back to the themes present in Romeo and Juliet. The first poem we studied was ‘Catrin’ by Gillian Clarke; a poem dedicated to her own daughter Catrin. The poem shows the development of mother daughter relationships primarily at birth and during the teenage rebellious period of her life. A theme used throughout the poem is this theme of a ‘tight red rope of love’. This is mentioned or suggested at several points throughout the poem and refers to the umbilical cord. The rope reminds me of a game of ‘tug of war’ a game that crowns a winner, however I believe that this battle is continuing even into Catrin’s teenage years, she is still pushing away, the theme of conflict is present throughout. The first stanza also mentions an ‘environmental blank’ this suggests that the mother is blocking out everything around her and all of her attention is focused on the baby and getting it out; this could show that Catrin’s mother is trying her absolute hardest to get her baby out so that they can begin their lives separately. Clarke also writes ‘I wrote all over the walls with my words’, she isn’t physically getting up and painting the walls with a can of Dulex, she is instead splattering the walls with her own and the baby’s screams and shouts as they fight for freedom. ‘Clean squares’ could be the clean and sterile environment of the hospital or it could be a blank canvas ready to be painted with the memories and conflicts of their relationship to come. Clarke then goes on to write ‘tender circles’ which I believe is the mouths of the mother and child, sore and hoarse from all the screaming and crying both parties have suffered through. Throughout the poem, in between the whole conflict, words such as ‘tender’ and ‘love’ are thrown into the mix contradicting the theme of conflict which is to do with violence and anger. The loving and caring words that are used, I believe, is how Clarke is portraying parent-child relationships. I believe she is trying to say that it is a conflict and it is a struggle, but in between all of the fights and battles are the loving moments parents and children share and that these moments should be held dear. The next poem we studied was ‘Follower’ by Seamus Heaney. Unlike ‘Catrin’ this poem focuses on a father-son relationship. The poem is about a son who’s admiration and respect for his farm-working father runs deep, he aspires to one day be in his father’s position and be just as talented as him, however he always seams to fall behind and in the last stanza he does this and it is now his father following him. The first three stanza’s focus heavily on the father’s skill and expertise, the fact that it took three stanza’s shows just how much he admires his father, it’s almost as if he just can’t be keep quite until everyone knows how amazing his father is. In the second stanza Heaney writes ‘an expert’, this fully shows his admiration towards his father and anyone that doesn’t agree with him is wrong. ‘Single pluck’, ‘exactly’ and ‘polished’ are used and show that the son believes that his father is perfect and has no flaws. Heaney used the word ‘sod’ which is a part of a farmer’s lingo; using this shows that Heaney spent so much time around his father, following him, that he picked up his speech and understands fluently things that working-class people wouldn’t understand. He references boats when he writes ‘dipping and rising in his plod’, the boats could be referencing his fathers strength and determination to reach is goals. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=†Ã¢â‚¬ ,o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "studymoose.com"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e