Poems Explore The Theme Of Death English Literature Essay Essay Example

Poems Explore The Theme Of Death English Literature Essay Essay How make the Writers of Remember , Crabbit Old Woman and Refugee Mother and Child use their verse forms to research the subject of decease? Christina Rossetti s Remember , Phyllis McCormack s Crabbit Old Woman and Chinua Achebe s Refugee Mother and Child all explore the effects of decease and the agony it causes for everyone straight involved. In Rossetti s Remember the poet shows us the hurting and desperation associated with decease. McCormack s Crabbit Old Woman is a supplication for people to see past the typical stereotype of old people as being hopeless and non deserving caring for, when they are approaching decease. Chinua Achebe s Refugee Mother and Child conveys to us the arrant devotedness a female parent feels for her kid whilst cognizing that her clip is limited, and is based on refugees in the Nigerian civil war in the 1960 s. We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Explore The Theme Of Death English Literature Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Explore The Theme Of Death English Literature Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Explore The Theme Of Death English Literature Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In Christina Rossetti s Remember a adult female is first inquiring her spouse to neer bury her even though she is close to decease, but so changes her head and realizes that it is rational for him to bury her and populate his ain life. The first stanza starts with her stating Remember me when I am gone off, in this the adult female addresses her loved one, and even though she uses the imperative it does non experience commanding at all. In making this Rossetti has efficaciously established a sense of understanding towards the adult female. The following line Gone far off into the soundless land ; uses Gone far awayaˆÂ ¦ as a euphemism of decease and with the usage of the word far the euphemism becopmes more powerful due to the fact that distance is added. The other half of the sentence soundless land nowadayss us with a placid image of the hereafter whilst still giving the reader a sense of isolation through the usage of the word soundless . Rossetti uses initial rh yme in keep me by the manus, to clearly demo us what their relationship used to be and to show us with a physical connexion that has been lost because of her decease. The 2nd stanza is similar to the first in the sense that she is seeking to convert her spouse neer to bury her. The concluding stanza gives us a dramatic alteration to the remainder of the verse form. She now tells her spouse that it would be all right to bury me for a piece . This shows us that she is really a caring individual and merely wants what is best for her spouse, and instead have him travel on than linger in hurting for the remainder of his life. As we are now given an image of her lovingness love the verse form ends optimistically. As this is a sonnet it should follow either the Petrachan construction or the Shakespearian construction, Remember does neither, although it is rather similar to the Petrarchan construction. A Petrarchan construction would typically follow the rhyming form of A-B-B-A/A-B-B-A/C-D-E-C-D-E ( the cuts stand foring the alteration in stanza ) , whereas Rossetti s sonnet follows the rhyming construction of A-B-B-A/A-B-B-A/C-D-D-E-C-E. I found that Rossetti normally changes the rhyming form in her sonnets[ 1 ]. This is done deliberately as the significance signifier the eight has now been changed in the six. At first it was a supplication for her spouse non to bury her, and so it changed to her desiring her spouse to bury. This makes the poem really fluid because non merely does the context of the lines alteration, the rhyming form has besides adapted to this alteration in context. The iambic pentameter adds a really smooth beat to the verse form, doing it look as though the adult female is unagitated and non angered, even in decease. Crabbit Old Woman and Remember are likewise in the sense that they both have a voice showing an statement which pleads for recollection. In Crabbit Old Woman we are presented with an old lady whose end is to seek and convert the nurses to see past the typical stereotype of old people as hopeless and non deserving caring for, as she is approaching decease and does non desire to be remembered as such. The rubric of this verse form instantly evokes a sense of decease as old age is frequently associated with it. The first 22 lines are a series of inquiries which are directed towards the nurses, and are seeking to uncover the typical beliefs that the nurses have when caring for the old adult female. The turning point of this verse form occurs at line 23-24 Then open your eyes/ you re non looking at me. This line is the old lady demanding to be acknowledged by the nurses. The original negative onslaught upon the nurses has now changed to positive, happy memories as we are led through her life. In this life narrative the linguistic communication has wholly changed from a colloquial manner to a more poetic manner. This alteration is shown by line 34 with wings on her pess, which is a metaphor for the freedom she one time had, whereas now her freedom is restricted as she can non go forth the infirmary. The remembrances of her life are highly accurate and since we are traveling through her life as she ages it feels as if we are turning the pages of a book At 40 , At 50 . One interesting thing that McCormack has done is that she has kept this portion all in present tense. Making this is a manner of demoing the reader that these memories are kept fresh in her head, and it shows us that she can retrieve it with easiness. The following turning point of the verse form once more induces a temper alteration except this clip it is from positive to negative. The really first line ( line 57 ) of this temper alter entirely sets the tone for the remainder of the verse form. Dark yearss are upon me, this line shows us merely what her life is like now, fearful and cold. The personification of nature in line 67/68 Tis her joke to make/ old age expression like a sap. shows us her ideas and feelings ; that she feels like an imbecile and is at that place to be laughed at. This last portion contains imagery associated with death- crumbles , old carcase and beat-up bosom . This imagination makes the reader recognize what is go oning to the adult female in her old age, and that her decease is inevitable. The concluding thing worth adverting about this verse form is that although the adult female does non desire to decease she accepts that her decease is a blunt fact and asks the nurses one more clip to see past her physical organic structure and look inside and see who she truly is. Similarly, Refugee Mother and Child besides presents a series of blunt fact [ s ] to show the horrors of decease for the refugees in Nigeria. In Chinua Achebe s Refugee Mother and Child we are shown what day-to-day life is like for refugees in the Nigerian civil war ; they are filled with decease and sorrow. This verse form is based on the refugees who were in the civil war in Nigeria in the 1960 s[ 2 ], and although he bases this verse form on merely one of the refugee households, in kernel this was what was go oning to all the refugees. This civil war created 1000000s of refugees which had to fly to the south-east of Nigeria to avoid being killed2. One of the first things Achebe does in this verse form is arousing a sense of spiritual images of fear by mentioning to Madonna and Child . These images suggest the sheer devotedness the refugee female parent feels for her deceasing kid, and it besides attaches non merely a physical love but a religious love every bit good. This fi rst stanza is in complete contrast the 2nd 1 in which we are presented with negative and coarse linguistic communication, which portrays the state of affairs of the refugees. Achebe has efficaciously appealed to three of our senses: touch, odor and sight with combed the rust-colored hair , smell of diarrhea and blown unfastened abdomens respectfully. Achebe uses these vulgar images to seek and do us understand the cruel world of the universe, which is, many guiltless people enduring due to the effects of war. Physical descriptions of the refugees such as exhausted ribs and dried-up undersides are used to once more seek and do us understand the horrors that these people face every twenty-four hours. Stanza 2 starts off with a reasonably long gap sentence which has few verbs. This is deserving adverting because since there are less verbs it implies the deficiency of energy these people have. The female parent is associated with a shade twice in this verse form. This pick of enunciation gives us the feeling that she is close to decease and that even her ain decease is inevitable, non merely her kid s. Last Achebe reminds us of the female parent and kid s old lives, which were normal ( this would hold been before the civil war in Nigeria ) . In making this we are brought closer to them. The concluding simile of the verse form now she did it like seting bantam flowers on a grave brings us back to world and makes us recognize that the kid will decease. All three verse forms deal with the subject of decease frequently in direct and clear ways. Although each of the poet s talk about different facets of decease, they all still complement each other in footings of the concluding results for the characters portrayed in the verse form. Achebe s verse form shows the results of wars and political battles whereas Rossetti s and McCormack s verse forms both trade with decease in a more controlled environment where the cause of decease is non due to the states struggles. The chief difference between all three verse forms is the manner decease is presented. In Remember , although decease is a critical portion of the verse form it besides revolves around emotions of the characters alternatively of merely the coarseness of decease. This is a contrast to Refugee Mother and Child where the coarseness of decease is the chief facet of the verse form. Crabbit Old Woman besides differs to the other verse form as age is an of import feature of the p iece. Refugee Mother and Child and Crabbit Old Woman likewise use physical imagination which Remember does non. This usage of physical imagination makes understanding the poet s message finally easier. In decision these verse forms have given me a greater grasp for the complexness of decease and how it can differ so abundantly from individual to individual.

Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay Example

Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay Example Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience Essay Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience When thinking about immigration, most individuals imagine all different types of ethnic groups traveling to a separate land away from their own. Most imagine America. Immigration, throughout history, has occurred within all types of ethnicities. When taking a closer look at the individuals living in America, it is apparent that everyone is not exactly like one another. Assimilation becomes a popular word used when discussing migration, and both positives and negatives come along with it. Two theorists that discuss the meaning of assimilation in their writings are Stephen Steinberg in his book, Ethnic Myth, and Milton Gordon in his book Assimilation in American Life. They discuss issues regarding assimilation and how they affect the nation as a whole. A novel written by Chang-Rae Lee titled, Native Speaker, gives specific examples as to how the assimilation process affects others and the migrants themselves, as also described in both Steinberg and Gordon’s books. In Steinberg’s book, Ethnic Myth, he discusses with his readers the issues regarding ethnic identity and assimilation. This is presented and explained in the chapter titled, The Atrophy of Ethnic Cultures. He first talks about the idea of the â€Å"melting pot† and how it should not be analyzed lightly. He gives a quote from John Higham that says, â€Å"Loud assertions of pluralism almost invariably betray fears of assimilation† (Steinberg, 59). This means that minority groups that try to maintain their cultural traditions may, in fact, risk assimilation by doing so. Another point he brings to the surface is that when looking back at second or third generations of a specific minority group, these people still can relate back to their original traditions and culture identity. He then says, â€Å"But can the same be said of the new generation which has known only the Americanized version of the original culture? † (Steinberg, 60). This is an obvious prevailing issue when it comes to preserving ones culture. An example within the novel, Native Speaker, would be when Henry, the main character described as a Korean immigrant, explains the history with his father. His father, living in America, would gather with friends and participate in ggeh’s, or â€Å"money clubs. † Here they would win money and eventually, that is all that mattered to the Korean group. The shift from typical Korean traditions to owning all this land and money in American became a vast transformation. Henry says about his father, â€Å"In America, he said, it’s even hard to stay Korean. These alterations from one ethnic experience and tradition to another can be lost very quickly and potentially never be replenished. Throughout both Steinberg and Gordon’s writing, they both have similarities and differences when regarding assimilation. Gordon talks about these â€Å"ethnic meetings† which refer to assimilation. Throughout Gordon’s chapter titled, The Nature of Assimilation, he gives a numerous amount of definitions from theorists and writers that differ in various ways. In an essay that Gordon leaves the author anonymous in this chapter defines assimilation as â€Å"the process by which different cultures, or individuals or groups representing different cultures, are merged into a homogenous unit. Here Gordon talks about assimilation as positive, whereas Steinberg takes a different approach. Steinberg suggests that assimilation is not always a positive aspect simply because it can result in the loss of a cultural identity. This is present in Native Speaker because Henry continuously tries indulging himself into American culture. He cannot fully accomplish this, which essentially results in his wife, Lelia, leaving him in the beginning of the novel. As there are differences within Steinberg and Gordon’s readings, they do agree upon their understanding of the nature within assimilation. Gordon says that cultural behavior changes â€Å"may take place in the cultures of either one of the two groups, or there may be a reciprocal influence whereby the cultures of both groups are modified† (Gordon, 62). Steinberg agrees with this statement because he suggests that the changing of one’s culture is at high risk when incorporated into a different culture. He says, â€Å"The ethnic crisis only begins with the fact that the core elements of traditional culture have been modified, diluted, compromised, and finally relinquished† (Steinberg, 62). Both writers describe this lack of identity in one way or another. Assimilation is apparent in any society, especially America. People of different backgrounds continuously trying to come together to create one nation is a crucial aspect in society today. Steinberg, Gordon, and Lee all discuss how assimilation has issues when it comes to preserving ones ethnic traditions and identity. What they all convey to readers however, is the fact that the merging of cultures will forever be essential and inevitable. Steinberg, Steven. The Ethnic Myth: Race, Ethnicity, and Class in America. Boston: Beacon Press, 1978. Print. Lee, Chang-Rae. Native Speaker. New York: Riverhead Books, 1995. Print. Gordon, Milton. The Nature of Assimilation. Oxford University Press, 1964. eBook.

Excellent paper writing is real with us!

Excellent paper writing is real with us! Writing an Excellent Paper – You Need a Blueprint Constructing a bridge without a blueprint would constitute stupidity, because it would result in a faulty structure that would probably fail. And making an attempt at writing a paper without a blueprint that outlines the steps is just as ridiculous. Just as a blueprint guides a construction crew through a step-by-step process, so does one for construction of a scholarly research paper. You can’t skip any of the steps and still expect an excellent result. Step One: Pick your topic. While this may seem like an easy step, you may actually end up feeling like Goldilocks in the home of the three bears. One will be too broad and another will be too narrow. You will have to find one that is â€Å"just fight† for the length parameters your instructor has given. One way to do this is to take a look at sample papers on the internet, in your broader content area, that meet the breadth and depth of what you need and that interests you. And do pick a topic you like – the entire production process will be drudgery if you don’t. Step Two: The research. Your search for appropriate resources can begin on the Internet, using specific keywords related to our topic.  Now here is the thing about resources. Your instructor or professor will want a variety – one or two books, two-three journal articles, and the perhaps one or two sources solely available on the Internet. You will not have a problem finding resource titles, but you do have to sort the â€Å"junk† from the respected sources. Check out the authors of any source you are considering, so that you know they have credentials to be considered authorities on the topic. Since most campus libraries are online, a lot of current resources are accessible from your home or dorm room, but you may have to actually enter the structure and check out a book or two! Be careful as you take notes, so that you have your resource information included for citation later on. And, if you have a good app for doing so, you can organize your notes by sub-topic, and the combining of different resources on one sub-topic is done for you. If you are unsure about sub-topics to include again, look at a sample paper or two online, and see what sub-topics others have used. Step Three: Get a thesis. What is the purpose for you writing this paper? If your writing paper assignment is to persuade, then you probably already have a thesis – your opinion. But, once the research is done, what do you see as important for a reader to learn about this topic? If you are writing about artificial intelligence, for example, what are the great benefits and what are the potential dangers? If you are writing about the Vietnam War, was it worth the cost in lives and money? You need to make a point with your paper, and your thesis statement comes from your response and your reaction to what you have researched. Step Four: Paper writing cannot begin until you have the most important part of your blueprint in place – your outline. Now, this does not have to be a formal one. In fact, remember how your organized those subtopics? They really are the basis for your organizational structure, so look at them and determine the sequence in which they should be presented. Now, take each sub-topic and read through the information and/or data from your research. Combine pieces of information that are related, and these â€Å"sub-sub topics† will be your paragraphs for that section of your paper. Step Five: The writing. You’re now ready to write the rough draft of the body of your paper. Be considerate of your reader, and use headings for each sub-topic – it keeps his/her thoughts organized (and your professor will be impressed). If you have not yet bought a style-check app, you should do so. It does much more than just a simple Word grammar check, and it will help you â€Å"clean-up† all those poorly structured sentences as you write. Here’s a few other tips for your writing: Don’t use a vocabulary that is â€Å"beyond your years,† and don’t try to impress with lengthy and highly complex sentences. Pretend that you are writing this paper for a fellow student. So, if there are terms that are not commonly known, define them. Don’t use slang and jargon unless it is in a quote. Don’t use contractions as I am using here! They are not appropriate in formal writing. Limit the direct quotes you use to those that are really impactful. Step Six: The Final Draft. Editing and proofreading is a task best accomplished in two ways. If you are doing your own proofreading, put the paper aside for at least 12 hours and do something else (like sleep). This will allow you to be more objective when you do review it. The other and better option is to have someone else review it – you can trade-off with another student and edit each other’s papers, if you are both pretty good writers. The paper has to flow logically, and someone else will pick up issues with coherence that you will not. Step Seven: The Style Format. Your in-text and end-of-text citations must be according to the required style, so do not get sloppy with this. And be certain that your title page, pagination, font, margins, etc. are in compliance. It’s those little things that keep a professor happy! A paper that is worthy of a good grade can only be produced by using all of these steps. You really cannot â€Å"cut corners,† and that is why paper writing consumes so much time. If you don’t have the time or if you really dislike your topic, you will not prepare a scholarly piece of writing. In these instances, you are probably better served contacting a custom paper writing service and getting some help.

Critique of a Qualitative Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Critique of a Qualitative Research Paper - Essay Example In addition, the researchers have particularly concentrated upon the social marketing, which looks for striving for the betterment of society at large. Social marketing, Andreasen (1995:31) submits, is the application of commercial marketing technologies to the analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation of programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences in order to improve their personal welfare and that of their society. In other words, the main objective of the social marketing is working voluntarily for the benefit and uplift of the individuals at large. Moreover, it is also a reality that the young people are the future builders of a society, proper education and training of which is one of the most formidable responsibilities of all members of asocial set up. If the youth is not discouraged and prohibited from participating into the social evils including drinking, smoking and gambling etc, the future prospects of the society would be in grave jeopar dy for the future years of come. In addition, it has aptly been observed that gambling leads the young people towards other nefarious activities including drinking and sex etc, which may challenge their health condition. Hence the social problem, selected by the researchers, is very important in its scope and exposure, and carries wide scope and depth in its nature. The researchers are quite justified in choosing the research problem related to social marketing, which looks to strive for the wellbeing and safety of the young people on the basis of the findings of the study, as well as the suggestions made on the foundations of the findings of the present research. Whether positively or negatively the gambling prevention campaigns, being launched by the government and non-governmental organizations at various media platforms, influence the minds of the young

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan - Essay Example   Lastly, the essay tells of how she got into many problems as a result of the way her mother spoke English.Lastly, the essay tells of how she got into many problems as a result of the way her mother spoke English. In my opinion, it is easy to use many different languages with different people without even realizing it (Tan 2). For example, it is easy to speak proper English with people who speak proper and correct English. The author has done a great a job at showing the readers this fact. This is through showing us that when she spoke with her mother, English language was usually broken and simpler. She could not even understand the difference herself until her friends told her how her mother spoke. This article is very useful in helping readers to correct the mistakes that they make when speaking English. This is because it can help readers to understand the differences of correct English and broken English as they use it over time, thus bettering themselves (Tan 4). This can he lp many people to overcome various hurdles they face in using the English language. Lastly, it is evident that having a background where people use broken and incorrect English can seriously affect the way one communicates in English. This is because one gets used to using broken, simple and incorrect English and may find it difficult to distinguish it from correct and proper English. It takes determination and mixing with people who use proper English to be able to succeed in using the English language the right way (Tan 5).

Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay Example for Free

Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay The role, treatment, disadvantages, and sacrifices of women in their societies are vital themes in both Federico LOrcas The House Of Bernarda Alba and Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House. In Federico LOrcas The House Of Bernarda Alba, to start with, all characters that appear on stage are females, and men are merely talked about. In Ibsens A Dolls House the protagonist is Nora, a woman who gets treated by her husband as though she were a little girl. At the time when Federico LOrca and Henrik Ibsen wrote their plays, it was normal for women to get treated as anything but equal to men. Women were expected by men and by their society to do nothing more than stay at home, cook for their family, get children, and then take care of their children as well. Although Ibsen and LOrca wrote these plays several decades apart, since Ibsen wrote his play at the turn of the century in Norway and LOrca wrote his in 1930s Spain, the expectations of women were pretty much the same. It was not normal for women to receive an education, let alone a good one, and women were not allowed to vote. In A Dolls House there are three female characters: Nora, Mrs. Linde, and the maid working for Nora. All of these women have to sacrifice something and have disadvantages, simply because they are women. Every character in The House Of Bernarda Alba has to suffer because they are women. Spanish tradition in the 1930s forces them all to isolate themselves from the outer world for eight years of their lives. In The House Of Bernarda Alba, Bernarda Alba and all of her daughters have to mourn the death of their father. This is Spanish tradition, and so they all have to live in their house for eight years, completely isolated from the rest of society. They may only wear black, even in the scorching heat of southern Spain. This already shows how harshly women were treated. Bernarda Alba and her daughters are forced to isolate themselves from the outside world completely, whether they want to or not, because of tradition. The eight women are forced to give up eight years of their lives in which they may do nothing but mourn. Also, the fact that a woman has to kill her own child when she gets pregnant, and is then hunted down by the whole town and killed herself, shows how women were viewed and treated. Also, a woman could often not decide who she wanted to marry, and when a women got married it was often just nothing more than a business deal, and the feelings of the woman were completely ignored.

Christianity, Reform and Freedom in Method Essay -- Religion History E

I feel like I need to begin my methodological introduction with graffiti. Graffiti that says: "Bercovitch Bites," or "Foster Rules," or even "Stop Elitist Historicists." Nothing particularly original -- just a few key phrases that capture the frustration I have felt while researching New Historicism and more particularly, its application to texts. Somehow, graffiti -- the unscholarly domain of angry teenagers armed with cans of spray paint -- echoes my reaction to the scholars in this field who seem to be writing only for other scholars, thus excluding those of us who, fascinated with the ideas expressed, would like to learn about the method and topic by simply picking up a book or article. As I understand it, the whole idea of New Historicist criticism is to enlighten the readers of a text further about that text. Enlighten, educate, teach or inform -- however you put it -- this kind of criticism should be inclusive, not exclusive. The heavy use of jargon and obscure references by t hese critics serves as a "locked gate" that only allows those with the proper credentials a "key" to get in. Within the context of the text I have chosen (A Narrative of the Life and Travels of Mrs. Nancy Prince, by Nancy Prince) this elitist approach seems incongruous simply because of the facts surrounding its author and publication. This is a text written by a primarily self-educated woman who felt very strongly about using her knowledge and abilities in a "hands-on" manner to help and "enlighten" others. Ultimately, she wrote about her experiences to put food on her table, not to impress her colleagues. In any case, for the purposes of this paper, I will attempt to explain what I think New Historicism is and how I intend to use the theories beh... ...iticism. Online. 5 April, 1998. Available: http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/hopkins_guide_to_literary_theory/entries/new_historicism.html Cogan, Frances. All-American Girl: The Ideal of Real Womanhood in Mid-Nineteenth Century America. Athens: U of Georgia P, 1989. Epstein, Leslie. The Politics of Domesticity: Women, Evangelism and Temperance in Nineteenth Century America. Middletown: Wesleyan UP, 1981. Howe, Daniel. "The Evangelical Movement and Political Culture in the North during the Second Party System." The Journal of American History 77 (March 1991): 1216-1239. Newton, Judith. "History as Usual? Feminism and the 'New Historicism.'" The New Historicism. Ed. H. Aram Veeser. New York: Routledge, 1989. 152. Prince, Nancy. A Black Woman's Odyssey through Russia and Jamaica: The Narrative of Nancy Prince. New York: Markus Wiener Publishing, 1990.

Affirmative Action: Preferential Treatment Essay

During the college process, students are advised in multiple ways on how to properly present themselves to draw the appeal of colleges. Whether it is by highlighting their awards, accomplishments or talents, students are constantly working on improving their resume. They were told that with good grades, extracurricular activities, and heart-warming essays that they would find success in being admitted into a prestigious university. However, there are various other factors that determine whether one is accepted or denied. An important and often scrutinized factor is the use of affirmative action in admissions. While affirmative action should not hold the weight it does in admissions currently, it seems that people are unaware of the other preferential treatments given to certain students. Afï ¬ rmative action in favor of underrepresented minorities has been a controversial topic debated and scrutinized by scholars, the media, and the public for many years. Two other preferential admissions programs have been less controversial but in widespread use; one involving giving an admissions boost to applicants with athletic skills and the other one to children of alumni, commonly known as â€Å"legacies†. As these various categories suggest, entry into selective institutions of higher education has never been decided purely on academic criteria—before or after minority afï ¬ rmative action came into effect. As the term â€Å"affirmative action† encompasses the ideal that institutions promote diversity and growth by including historically excluded groups in their admissions, legacy admissions and athletic admissions are considered â€Å"affirmative†. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) They do originate from very different motivations, but they bring non-academic criteria that impact the admissions process. Therefore, by attaching the label â€Å"afï ¬ rmative action† to legacy and athletic admissions, it is deliberately underscoring the fact that minorities are not the only social group to benefit from such a policy. Supporters of affirmative action claim that minority students, generally speaking, start out at a disadvantage in their college or job application process. They usually come from lower income families and, in turn, have fewer opportunities than those who go to private school. Some inner city youths had grown up in environments filled with crime, violence, and discouragement. Genuine, hard-working minority students are every bit as capable as white students, but because of these disadvantages, they may not have the same paper qualifications. Affirmative action evens the playing field a bit. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) Nonetheless, it was designed to end discrimination and unfair treatment of employees/students based on color, but it in effect does the opposite. Whites who work harder and/or are more qualified can be passed over strictly because they are white. Contrary to many stereotypes, many minorities fall into the middle or upper class, and many whites live in poverty. (Fletcher) Unfortunately, the way things are set up now, a poverty-stricken white student who uses discipline and hard work to become the best he can be can be passed over by a rich minority student who doesn’t put in much effort at all. Supporters also claim that some stereotypes may never be broken without affirmative action. For decades blacks were considered less capable than whites. It took affirmative action to give blacks the opportunity to show they are every bit as capable. However, if you were to ask Colin Powell, Barack Obama, or Oprah Winfrey how they got to where they today, I doubt they would respond with affirmative action. (Fletcher) It sets the idea that a minority cannot achieve full potential without the help of affirmative action and undermines their own abilities. Another claim supporters of affirmative use is that it draws people to places they would never have gone elsewise, bringing under-privileged students to Ivy League institution. But if a student is admitted on a lower basis, he will have less incentive to do well or have the inability to keep up with the work. Why work for that 4.0 GPA when he got in with sub-par grades? In this way, affirmative action is likened to students who are given a boost for being â€Å"legacies†, having a parent(s) attend the school previously. A survey conducted by H. M. Breland found that afï ¬ rmative action for children of alumni is practiced widely at both public and private institutions (Howell and Turner 325-351). A later survey conducted by Daniel Golden (2003) revealed that 23 percent of freshmen enrolled at Notre Dame were the children of alumni, with corresponding ï ¬ gures of 14 percent at Penn, 13 percent at Harvard, 11 percent at Princeton, and 11 percent at the University of Virgini a (Howell and Turner 325-351). These numbers seem to be relatively modest; however, they belie the relatively small amount of applicants legacies hold. When documenting the number of applicants, it is easily seen that children of alumni benefit from greater admissions rates. According to studies by William G. Bowen and Derek Bok (1998), legacies had a two to one admissions advantage over non-legacies. Likewise, Cameron Howell and Sarah E. Turner (2004) document a similar advantage at the University of Virginia, where only 32 percent of regular applicants were admitted compared with 57 percent of alumni children. As a result, the freshman class of 2002 was 7 percent legacy, compared with 3 percent African American, even though the state is 20 percent black. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) The unfairness that follows legacy admissions is what many feel towards affirmative action as well. By giving blacks/Hispanics an obvious advantage in the admissions process, it breeds resentment and underestimation of them. In the same way legacies are generalized as â€Å"dumb rich kids†, recipients of affirmative action are seen as undeserving. (Massey and Mooney 99-117) It seems to say that they wouldn’t have been able to be admitted into the school elsewise, thus increasing the pressure put onto these students. The consequences translate to students being unable to handle the workload. By turning away highly qualified Asian/white students in favor of less qualified black/Hispanic students, it is not fair for either race. According to Dr. Richard Sander, Professor of Law at UCLA, blacks are two and a half times more likely than whites not to graduate and are four times more likely to fail the bar exam on the first try. (Fletcher) To fulfill their thirst for diversity, colleges often recruit students from below the median. As a result, they are ill equipped to handle the pressures of such a rigorous school and have a smaller chance of graduating. It is not to say that affirmative action is not needed. A homogenous population would make for an unproductive and unmoving student body. Diversity is needed for growth and experiences that differ. In this way, you can see the clear advantage of affirmative action over legacy admissions. Despite affirmative action being flawed, the advantage is at least given to, who is supposed to be, the disadvantaged party. Legacy admissions should have no place in the college admissions world. It is giving an advantage to students who are probably are not in great need of it if their parents attended a prestigious university Supporters of legacy admissions claim that donations from alumni contribute to building renovations and technological upgrades, as well as supporting financial aid programs for many financially disadvantaged students. (Golden) Legacy students are also thought to better understand the sense of tradition of the university and embody the values that the university has traditiona lly supported. That sounds good, but how true is it? Three elite schools that are big on legacy preferences – Harvard, Princeton, and Yale – rank near the bottom when it comes to the percentage of students from poorer families they have, according to Professor Jerome Karabel in his book The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. (Steinberg) Good students from poor families are often deprived of admission because of the legacy tradition — they are less frequently helped by the additional funds that the legacy tradition brings to the school. Contrary to what legacy defenders argue, it is doubtful that dropping legacy preferences has any significant impact on donations to a university. Texas A&M and the University of Georgia are among the large universities that have abandoned legacy preferences and neither has suffered a detectable decline in support. (Howell and Turner 325-351) In addition, Massey and Mooney found that, â€Å"In schools with a stronger commitment to legacy admissions, the children of alumni were more likely to drop out. Ironically, the only evidence we find of a skills mismatch is for the children of alumni. The greater the gap between a legacy student’s SAT and the institutional average SAT, the lower the grades he or she earned, though the effect size was modest. (99-117) They compared the number of hours studied per week, the â€Å"psychological performance burden† reported by students, grades earned by students through the end of their sophomore year, and the likelihood of students dropping out of school by spring of their junior year. The study concluded that legacies who were given a greater admissions bonus earned lower grades once admitted, a fact which surprised many, including some admissions officials. (99-117) However, although affirmative action and legacy treatment are both found to be large non-academic factors in the college admissions process, athletic skill is one often overlooked and not discussed. It is common knowledge that the number of students who excel in both academics and athletics is too small for schools to fill spots with only student athletes who meet usual admissions standards. Athletes were shown to have had a 48% better chance of admission than regular students with similar academic achievements in high school and similar standardized test score in studies done during 1999. In comparison, â€Å"legacies,† bore only a 25% better chance of admission and minorities stood only an 18% better chance of admission. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) The simplest method to view the different standards used for recruited athletes is to acknowledge the statistics of Division I athletes in â€Å"high profile† sports, such as football and basketball at public universities. These students have SAT scores that average almost 250 points than their non-athletic counterparts. While not as extreme, athletes participating in other sports such as golf, tennis, and swimming average about 100 points less than regular students on standardized test scores. (Dolinsky) The way that a majority of these student athletes gain admissions is through â€Å"special admit† programs designed by the school to accept a group of applicants who do not meet the standard criteria. From 2003 to 2006, more than half of the â€Å"special admits† scholarship athletes at San Diego State University had lower standardized test scores and high school GPAs than other admitted students. In the San Diego State admissions process, students with insufficient credentials may be accepted based on other factors such as socioeconomic background, local residency, and other special talents. However, between fall 2003 and spring 2006, of the 248 â€Å"special admit† students admitted by San Diego State, only 105 were given admission intentionally. The rest of the students granted admission had been the result of various processing errors and of those 105 that were given intentional admission, they were all athletes. (Ferris, Finster, and McDonald 555-575) If there is one thing that is clear, it is that the preferential treatment given to athletes in the admissions process does have its consequences. One potential consequence of admitting student athletes with academic credentials below their peers is the risk of academic underperformance by these athletes. (Dolinsky) Similar to those shown with students of affirmative action, statistics are clear in showcasing that athletes are underperforming once they arrive on college campuses. Recently, as more athletes got into schools through advantages in the admissions process, their collegiate GPAs began to suffer, with a majority of athletes placing in the bottom quarter of their classes. In contrast, only 9% of athletes finish in the top third of their class. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) To further exhibit the correlation between preferential treatment in the admissions process and academic underperformance, a study shows that student athletes generally choose so-called â€Å"easy† majors—such as social sciences—rather than the â€Å"harder† majors such as math, science, and engineering. One argument for explaining academic underperformance, other than the fact that athletes arrive at college with noticeably lower academic credentials, is that student athletes face the rigors and responsibilities of playing a sport, practicing, and trying to divide time between athletics and academics. However, this argument may have little merit as statistics show that an analogous group to student athletes—students who participate in several extracurricular activities—do not underperform at the level of student athletes. (Dolinsky) Although this analogy may not account for different types of students who are athletes as compared to those students who are heavily involved on campus, the comparison tends to show that the time that athletes spend with their respective sports does not prove, in itself, to be a clear reason for academic underperformance. Additionally student athletes already receive a multitude of benefits not given to normal students. Often times, they are given priority registration, extra tutoring, and even separate housing. With the benefit of these extra luxuries, athletes should be able to properly their manage their time to balance academics and their sport. It is not difficult to see the correlation between underperformance at the high school level and underperformance at the college level. Nor is it difficult to see the correlation between the admission of athletes having below-average test scores and high school GPAs and underperformance at the college level. Perhaps this is an unfair stereotype, but there is a reason that this stereotype exists and there is evidence to back it up. What is the price that is paid? One example is Dexter Manley, former professional football player for the Washington Redskins. Manley testified in front of the United States Senate that he could not read, despite being admitted and staying at Oklahoma State University for four years. (Espenshade, Chung, and Walling 1422–1446) By admitting students who are not qualified to handle the workload of an undergraduate institution, the ones that are hurt the most are some of the ones who â€Å"benefit.† Through each of these policies, certain students are given a â€Å"pull† in the college admissions office over other students. In comparison, these three programs are very similar in how they offer students an advantage in the system. Each program requires that you fulfill a certain requirement, which is the basis for their policy. They are all affirmative action policies that factor in something non-academic into your rejection or acceptance. With racial affirmative action being the most controversial and widely discussed, it has seemed that the other two have slipped underneath the radar. All three contribute to a discrepancy in the student body that will continue to grow unless awareness is created. Although in a perfect world, students wouldn’t have to worry about such factors, we live in a society where the slightest differences can make or break you. Whatever the effects of afï ¬ rmative action in raising or lowering the odds of academic success, the students should be aware and know exactly what they are going to get themselves into. Works Cited Dolinsky, Anna. â€Å"Affirmative Action for Athletes? Jan 12, 2001.† The Yale Herald. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Espenshade, Thomas J., Chung, Chang Y. and Walling, Joan L., Admission Preferences for Minority Students, Athletes, and Legacies at Elite Universities. Social Science Quarterly, No. 85 (2004): 1422–1446. Ferris, Eric, Finster, Mark and McDonald, David. â€Å"Academic Fit of Student-Athletes: An Analysis of Ncaa Division I-A Graduation Rates.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 6 (Sep., 2004): pp. 555-575. Fletcher, Michael A. â€Å"Washingtonpost.com: Affirmative Action Special Report.† Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. The Washington Post, 18 June 1998. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Golden, Daniel. â€Å"The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition.† CLassroomEdition.com. The Wall Street Journal, Apr. 2003. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . Howell, Cameron. and Turner, Sarah E. â€Å"Legacies in Black and White: The Racial Composition of the Legacy Pool.† Research in Higher Education Vol. 45. No. 4 (Jun., 2004): pp. 325-351 Massey, Douglas S., and Mooney, Margarita. â€Å"The Effects of America’s Three Affirmative Action Programs on Academic Performance.† Social Problems Vol. 54. No. 1 (February 2007): pp. 99-117 Steinberg, Jacques. â€Å"‘Affirmative Action for the Rich’ – NYTimes.com.† College Admissions Advice – The Choice Blog – NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. .

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Thesis: Technology, such as texting, while driving is unsafe and can be a hazard to teen drivers and others. In the Knox News opinion column, there was an article found titled â€Å"Twits texting, tweeting behind the wheel.† The author of this article, Ina Hughs, is arguing that texting, MP3 players, and other electronic devices are unsafe to use when behind the wheel. She is writing to inform teenagers and other drivers about the dangers of driving while texting. Even though Hughes makes some excellent points in her column, she may not be the most qualified person to be writing about the dangers of texting and how tempting it may be. Hughes indeed has a cell phone, but she had the texting enabled on her phone so she does not text with it. The only information that she gets that makes her qualified to write this article would be the fact that her eleven-year-old grandson just got a cell phone. Even with this information, it still does not qualify her since her grandson cannot drive. She did though get facts from reliable magazines and researchers to back her up. Hughs’ format of her article shows a lot about whom she is and her qualifications. Just about every paragraph she either has some sort of statistical evidence or an example of why texting and driving is bad. She does not have any real connection to the audience she is trying to address. The author uses logos a lot in this text to support her many claims as to driving while texting. One thing she mentions is, â€Å"according to the New York Times, one in five drivers admits to texting while driving on a somewhat regular basis, and they say they won’t stop because they are ‘literally addicted.’† This claim reinforces her purpose of texting while driving by giving statistical evidence of why it is so dangerous. So many people do it. â€Å"According to research, every time you get a text, tweet, instant message, or call, ‘your brain squirts out a little dopamine- the pleasure chemical- and left to our own devices, we spin out of control.

Unique Quotes for Birthday Cake Messages

Unique Quotes for Birthday Cake Messages So you’re in charge of the birthday cake, and you need a short, sweet sentiment that befits the occasion and personality of your guest of honor. But before you get frustrated trying to come up with something unique, here’s a quick slice of history to go with a helpful sampling of birthday messages to follow. According to historians, the very first mention of a birthday celebration is in reference to the day of the coronation of a new Egyptian pharaoh, who was believed to be reborn that day as a god. That tradition made its way to the Greeks who baked special moon-shaped cakes and adorned them with candles that would glow like the moon in honor of the lunar goddess Artemis. And the smoke from the candle would act as the vehicle carrying their (make a wish) and prayers to their gods in the sky. Most likely inspired by the Greeks, the ancient Romans were baking birthday cakes to celebrate famous public figures and to honor the 50th birthdays of friends and family. By the 1400s, German bakeries were offering birthday cakes, and by the 1700s, they were celebrating Kinderfesten, annual birthdays for children with a candle added for each year of life. Birthday cakes were too expensive for most people until the early 1800s. Then, new leavening agents became available, such as baking soda and bak ing powder, which made baking affordable and easier than ever before. So whether you are baking a cake from scratch or a box, or you’re getting one from a bakery, here are some quotes for the icing on the top. They’re from a general (George Patton); statesman (Benjamin Disraeli); businessmen (Bernard M. Baruch, Henry Ford), media executive (Oprah Winfrey); philosopher (Richard Cumberland); painter (Pablo Picasso), singers/musicians (Cora Harvey Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon); actors (Clint Eastwood, Frances McDormand); filmmaker (Lula Buà ±uel), cartoonist (Charles Schulz), humorist/comedians (Art Buchwald, Groucho Marx); poets (Emily Dickinson, Alexander Pope, William Shakespeare); and many writers (Betty Friedan, Franz Kafka, George Meredith, W.B. Pitkin, Jean-Paul Richter, Anthony Robbins, George Sand, Dr. Seuss, Gertrude Stein, Jonathan Swift, Booth Tarkington). Copy these quotes with attribution, or use them as a starting point to help inspire a genius â€Å"happy birthday† message of your own. Anonymous Turning 30 is a piece of cake. Cora Harvey Armstrong Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the hell happened.​ Bernard M. Baruch Old age is 15 years older than I am. Art Buchwald The best things in life arent things. Luis Buà ±uel Age is something that doesnt matter, unless you are a cheese. Richard Cumberland It is better to wear out than to rust out. Emily Dickinson We turn not older with years, but newer every day. Benjamin Disraeli Life is too short to be small. Clint Eastwood Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it. Henry Ford Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Aretha Franklin Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift. Betty Friedan Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength. Franz Kafka Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. Irish Proverb The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune. John Lennon Count your age by friends, not years. Groucho Marx Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough. Frances McDormand With aging, you earn the right to be loyal to yourself. George Meredith Dont just count your years, make your years count. George Patton Live for something rather than die for nothing. Pablo Picasso Youth has no age. W.B. Pitkin Life begins at 40. Alexander Pope Count each birthday with a grateful mind. Jean Paul Richter Birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. Anthony Robbins Live with passion. George Sand Try to keep your soul young and quivering right up to old age. Charles Schulz Once youre over the hill, you begin to pick up speed. Dr. Seuss aka Theodor Seuss Geisel There is no one alive who is you-er than you! William Shakespeare With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come. Gertrude Stein We are always the same age inside. Jonathan Swift May you live all the days of your life. Booth Tarkington Cherish all your happy moments; they make a fine cushion for old age. Oprah Winfrey The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

Books About African American Women and Feminist Theory

Books About African American Women and Feminist Theory Feminism in the 1960s and 1970s made a difference in the life of women in the United States, but the womens movement is often remembered as being too white. Many black feminists responded to the womens liberation movement and the cries of sisterhood with writings that critically analyzed the second wave of feminism or provided missing pieces of the puzzle. Here is a list of five important books about African-American feminism: Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks (1981)The important feminist writer bell hooks responds to racism in the second-wave feminist movement and sexism in the Civil Rights movement. All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave edited by Gloria T. Hull, Patricia Bell Scott and Barbara Smith   (1982)Racism, the feminist â€Å"sisterhood,† myths about women, Black consciousness, history, literature and theory combine in this interdisciplinary anthology. In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker (1983)A collection of nearly 20 years of Alice Walkers writing about the civil rights and peace movements, feminist theory, families, white society, black writers and the â€Å"womanist† tradition. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde (1984)An eye-opening collection about feminism, transformation, anger, sexism and identity from the marvelous poet Audre Lorde. Words of Fire: An Ant hology of African-American Feminist Thought edited by Beverly Guy-Sheftall   (1995)This collection includes the philosophies of black women from the 1830s through the turn of the 21st century. Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells-Barnett, Angela Davis, Pauli Murray and Alice Walker are just a few of the writers included.

Internet Companies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Internet Companies - Case Study Example It has accorded both parties with increased cost-efficiency and has allowed greater expansion of business scope (PC Week, 1999). By means of more dovetailed customer centric approaches, competitive advantage has been redefined. For instance, data from consumers are being garnered by online vendors to be able to more effectively cater to their needs. The substantial information permits these entities to design high impact promotional strategies. E-trading has been effectual in leveraging on price (Munk, 1999). The notable availability and the ease of e-trading have been the features that lead to its acceptance and increasing popularity. Moreover, this suggests being very cost-efficient, obviating the need for overhead attributed to rent and labor. Cutthroat competition in brick and mortar businesses and the big fixed expenses have welcomed online trading (PC Week, 1999). The wide range of offerings in both products and service are welcomed and has won the loyalty of customers. The information that they have garnered from consumers online have also allowed sellers to optimize on cost. Another benefit has been the fact that it permits them to save much time (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). It is for these reasons that sellers have seriously considered setting up online stores, resulting in the establishment of cybershops and many more of this kind (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). ... These entities are involved with software, printed news, magazines, music, and film. Varied industries have also gone into the online retailing bandwagon in lieu of these benefits (Leong, 1999). The current study aims to describe the promotion and marketing differentiators of online companies that are utilized by online vendors which the consumers patronize. The following sub problems shall be addressed in the research: 1) What are the drivers of carrying out an online purchase' 2) How do consumers assess online sellers with which they have dealt with in terms of the following strategies: a) Ease of clicking a button rather than dialing a website number b) Varied products c) Wide market networks and synergistic partnerships d) Selling more digital instead of physical offerings e) Projecting oneself to be a well-renowned global brand f) Maintaining a good, long-term relationship with its on-line clients g) Having attractive promotional offers 3) Among these promotion strategies, which will garner significant correlations with consumer satisfaction in general' Review of Related Literature Online Strategies and Competitive Advantage Strategic frameworks have been integrated of late, especially those focusing on crises or situations with markedly high uncertainty. The ultimate goal was to avoid impending failure in such difficult circumstances (Urban, Carter, Gaskin, & Mucha, 1986). Conventionally, those who have become successful early on allow their long-term survival; in contrast, those who have failed in the beginning are likely to close shop early on. Such victory causes organization to uphold strategic HR practices (of