Effect of Cultural Shock and Cultural Adjustment on International Essay

Effect of Cultural Shock and Cultural Adjustment on International Mobility - Essay Example The movement of people between and within countries has been noted to be on the rise especially with the increased globalisation. In some countries, the number of foreigners could be exceptionally high such as in the Gulf countries where Furnham (2010) notes that foreign workers comprise about 75% of the total semi-permanent population. Business people, students, missionaries, volunteers and asylum seekers among other groups of people would become temporary or permanent sojourning expatriates in foreign countries more often. These people face a myriad of challenges when in a new environment. In the context of this paper, focus would be on the educational sector and how cultural shock affects international mobility. Most universities have more than a third of the students classified as foreign or international, an observation that continues to take prominence even in other lower institutions of learning (Akhtar & Bo 2010). Various push and pull factors inform on the increase in migrations: leisure, to proselytise or to trade, among others. Some move so as to escape the difficult conditions back in their homelands whereas others would be attracted to specific places. They could face persecution due to their political or religious stands and therefore seek asylum or refuge. Others would move due to employment opportunities as well paying jobs attract them or education, attracted by the superior education systems. Furnham (2010) observed that American universities, for instance, have over half a million of the international students. The US is said to offer the greatest opportunity for higher education for international students globally.... Cultural Shock With the world continuously shrinking due to globalisation, researchers have been keen to study the characteristics of expatriates who succeed in foreign countries. Analysing various research studies tackling this issue, Furnham found out that majority of the researchers concur on the importance of social skills and uses the term â€Å"cultural intelligence† to refer to the â€Å"blend of social and emotional intelligence, reflecting sensitivity to and ability to manage people’s beliefs, behaviours and motivation in culturally diverse settings† (2010, p. 28). The social identity theory explains one’s social self which borrows from being a member of a group. Further, the social identity concept argues on a combination of one’s knowledge of being a member of a social group and the associated value or emotional component (Terry et al. 2006). But it has been noted that most expatriates fail in their assignments in foreign countries becaus e of cultural differences (Yue & Le 2012). As such, those who develop the ability to quickly adjust and acquire intercultural competencies would have a competitive advantage. Those who take long in cultural shock could be greatly disadvantaged. Coined by the anthropologist Kalervo Oberg in 1960, the term cultural shock refers to an affective disturbance resulting from an interaction of one’s conceptualisations and realities. According to Miller, Matveeva and Nekrassova (2011), cultural shock results from an individual’s psychological expectations not conforming to the new cultural setting. Individual management in a foreign country could cause one frustration, depression and homesickness. Cultural shock

Elder Mistreatment Essay Example for Free

Elder Mistreatment Essay Old age is generally a time for great life changes, stresses, and multiple losses for a maturing adult. An individual’s capacity to manage stress fluctuates with age. There are optimism and positive energy in youth, along with physical stamina to meet demands of life and cope up with conflict. With advancing age, and consequent physical illness, bereavement and fears, people suffer a deterioration of their mental stamina in negotiating challenges of life (Gonzalez et al. , 1988, 15). With an increasing sense of loneliness and insecurity about life, aging adult face a completely different level of problems that relate more to continuity, meaning and purposefulness of life, rather than meeting its material accomplishments. Elder mistreatment: Definition Defining elder mistreatment requires due consideration of a number of factors that vary from victim profiles to type and degree of abuse. Therefore to standardize its definition, elder mistreatment has been described as a process that starts with being overwhelmed that leads to abuse, mistreatment and neglect that causes suffering and pain for the victim (Johnson, 1991). Elder mistreatment deals with such issues as maltreatment, neglect, abuse, domestic violence, conflict and lapse in care management and physical and financial exploitation (Elder Abuse). Despite all the health management plans the fact remains that elder people are very vulnerable when it comes to health care. They are easily susceptible to diseases, illness, injuries, and psychological traumas that are consequences of aging (Pillemer and Wolf, 1986). These circumstances lead to abuse owing to isolation of According to national surveys, more than 49 percent of elder population reports abuse that range from neglect in providing basic amenities such as food, water, medicines, shelter, clothing, and timely medical treatment to denial of emotional and psychological support (Elder Abuse) With significant increase in America’s elder population, providing adequate elder care at family, social, and institutional level has become a major issue. The public conscience level for the major problems facing old age people are neglect, mistreatment and mismanagement in care related aspects has seen greater academic research to find out the causative factors behind elder neglect and mistreatment. Precipitators in elder mistreatment Contrary to the general perception of American family as one that is caring, considerate and loving towards its elder members, researches in elder neglect and abuse have shown that most of the neglect and mistreatment is inflicted at the hands of close family members (Pillemer and Wolf, 1986). In a report by National Elder Abuse Incidence Study on elder abuse, it was shown that majority of abuse on people aged 60 or more takes place in domestic quarters at hands of family members (Bergeron and Gray, 2003). Close relatives such as siblings, children and in several cases even spouses have been found to be responsible for neglect and abuse. Earlier conceptions of families being a safe heaven for elderly population received setback as definition of neglect broadened to comprise sensitive issues of psychological support, emotional care, empathy and understanding (Douglass et al, 1984). An issue of grave concern is the findings pointing to elder abuse and mistreatment taking place at professional health care and nursing institutions by nursing staff that is specifically trained for taking adequate care of elderly people (Johnson, 1991) Types of mistreatment afflicting elders Elder population suffers a wide range of mistreatment and abuse. The major types of mistreatments as described at Elder Abuse Help Guide are 1. Physical abuse of Elders: It includes physically maltreating old people, assaulting, beating, pushing, using physical restraints and manhandling. Physical abuse is relatively a rare phenomenon.   2.  Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse of elders includes verbal or non verbal expression of disconcert, insult, blame, verbal harassment, ridicule, intimidation, and yelling on part of care takers. Emotional mistreatment is one of most frequent and commonly occurring abuse that elders suffer throughout the nation. 3. Neglect: Elder neglect involves ignorance of basic needs and requirements of aged people, lack of shelter, absence of supervision and monitoring, deliberate delay or denial in providing medical care and inadequate personal and hygienic care. 4. Emotional Neglect: Emotional neglect leads to severe stress among old people.  They are deliberately ignored, left to fend for themselves, not taken care of in such activities in which they require support and help of care-takers. 5. Financial Abuse: Elders are often abused financially by exploiting their financial resources and denying them the privileges of their own assets. Elders subjected to financial abuse are often deliberately isolated from rest of world by their caretakers to avoid exposure and detection of their fraud. Financial abuse of elders is a common occurrence when elders are not staying with their blood-relatives but with near relatives or friends. Reasons and warnings of abuse In the researches in elder abuse, a pertinent focus of researchers has been on the causes that lead people to inflict abuse and mistreatment on people that are vulnerable, dependent and in need of love, care and emotional and often material support (Johnson, 1991). Finding the reasons for abuse becomes critical as it also acts as pointer to possible cases of abuses and mistreatment in many social and community settings where cases of abuse are not reported out of their sensitive nature. In explaining the cause of abuse, Bonnie and Wallace (2002) have presented a detailed socio-cultural model that identifies underlying processes in abuse Overview of model of elder mistreatment Meanwhile extensive research by a number of academicians and scholars has further helped to create a structured profile of abuser. An elderly person may be undergoing abuse or is highly susceptible for it when the caretakers show psychopathological tendencies, trans-generational discrepancies, stressful life, economic hardships, burnout, drug-dependency, drinking problem, degree of dependence that is greater than care takers’ ability to handle, coercive and dominating nature of caretaker, inexperience, lack of sympathy and inability to feel empathy (Anetzberger , 1987; Anastasio , 1981;Johnson, 1991). Elders may also be suffering abuse if they show constant fear of their care-giver, if there is a confrontational atmosphere around, and if they are get suddenly isolated, uncommunicative and pensive. Preventing Elder Abuse It is a poignant fact that elders themselves can do little in preventing their abuse. In case of people who are completely dependent on care-givers, such as Alzheimer’s patients and terminally ill patients, their survival depends on the care-givers and hence they rarely report abuse incidents out of fear of antagonizing their care-givers. Therefore to prevent elder abuse requires a broad program that should focus on development of services for elderly care, training sessions for care givers, initiation and integration of family members in the elderly care programs. Moreover, it is vital to pass the message that adequate, compassionate and empathic care of elders is a holistic issue, one that has long term defining impact on social culture and ethics.

Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond :: Speare Witch Blackbird Pond Essays

Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond shows the maturation process of a young girl from Barbados. Kit’s life in Barbados is shattered when her grandfather dies. As a result of his death, Kit is forced to leave the island and her carefree lifestyle. She travels to Connecticut to find her only living relatives. Once she reaches Connecticut her persona evolves from an island girl, to hard worker, and finally to wife. Kit is a young island girl who is running away from her problems. She is escaping from the only home she has ever known and leaving behind her soon to be lover, Nat in order to get away from a man she does not wish to marry. Kit tells Mercy that she does not want to marry him because he is much older then she is, â€Å"He was fifty years old, and he had pudgy red fingers with too many rings on them. You see Mercy why I couldn’t write† (pg 47). She makes up her mind and runs to a family whom she has never met, without even writing to them. Once she reaches Connecticut, Kit is disappointed at the first sight of land, â€Å"The bleak line of shore surrounding the gray harbor was a disheartening contrast to the shimmering green and white that fringed the turquoise bay of Barbados which was her home.† (Pg 7) Once she reaches her aunt and uncle’s house it is a huge culture shock for her. In Connecticut everyone does his or her part and helps with the housework, where as in Barbados, there are people who do that for you. Kit must learn how to be of some use to the family. â€Å"By the end of the day the word useful had taken an alarming meaning.† (Pg 42) She also has to attend Puritan meetings regularly, something that she never had to do before. â€Å"The puritan service seems to her as plain and unlovely as the bare board walls of the meeting house† (pg 52). While at meeting she is called upon by a wealthy young man, William Ashby; once again in an attempt to fit in, she agrees to have him visit her in her uncle’s house. Although she is not interested in him, she continues seeing him because she knows that if they are married she will not have to do any chores at all.

Two Girls with the Courage to Change their World

Although most humans are born free, they can live life bound by the barriers and expectations of society. The novels The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Sister Wife focus on female protagonists who break out of the moulds their societies place them in and form their own identities. In this essay, I will argue that these novels show how feminism has a positive impact on society and on the individuals who practise it. To do this, I will analyze how the cultures restricted females, how each protagonist resisted conformity, and the successful conclusion each character reached. In The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie, the main character, Flavia DeLuce, epitomizes the struggles women faced for equality in England during the 1950’s. In the aftermath of World War II, a new emphasis was placed on the nuclear family as the foundation of society. Although during the war many women worked outside the home and participated in the war effort, after its end they were encouraged to assume roles of wives and mothers as the government aimed to re-establish domesticity as women’s primary occupation. The fictional town of Bishops Lacey was no different. Women were expected to perform domestic work or jobs considered to be specific to their gender, such as a cook or librarian, and men were expected to perform the superior roles, such as detectives, professors or priests. The society Flavia was raised in expected females to be dependent and accepting of their male superiors. Flavia, the protagonist of the novel, can be described as an independent, self-reliant, and persistent eleven year old. Throughout the novel, her feminist qualities and resistance to the moulds of her culture are evident. Flavia verbally declares on several occasions that she is just as capable, if not more so, than her male counterparts: â€Å"Yes, I’d solve this case and present it to him wrapped up in gaily colored ribbons† (95). In this statement Flavia affirms her belief that she has the ability to solve the case just as effectively as the male detectives. Similarly, Sister Wife‘s main character, Celeste, questions the inferior place of women and their lack of rights in the context of a polygamous community. Celeste was born in Unity, home to The Movement, a conservative religious group that lives apart from mainstream, modern society. Unity is a society based on conformity and unwavering obedience, especially when it comes to women. Women in this society are not granted the option to choose; before they are born, their roles in society are already planned, â€Å"Fathers and mothers †¦ from the time your daughter can crawl, you must teach her that she does not belong to you but to the prophet and the man the prophet will assign her to in marriage. Only these men†¦ can take your daughters to the highest degree of the celestial kingdom† (33). This statement, spoken by the prophet, clearly shows the roles of women in Unity and their dependence on the male figures that dominate their society. Celeste, who can be described as an opinionated and individualistic young girl, has to hide aspects of her natural personality to find acceptance in Unity. Celeste begins to question the ways of The Movement as the day when she will be assigned to a husband draws near. She does not want to be married at 15; she seeks higher aspirations, such as â€Å"an education, a career, to fall in love and chose her own husband, to be independent and think for herself† (264). However, Unity would never permit Celeste to do any more than become a celestial wife. A celestial wife is a term commonly used in polygamous communities meaning heavenly or holy wife; a woman can be considered a celestial wife when their husband marries more than one women. This forces Celeste to decide whether to conform to the roles laid out for her, or to resist her male dominated society. In the novel The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia, contrary to Celeste, avidly verbally and physically, defies her male dominated society. Flavia hates being undermined and judged based on her gender instead of her abilities; â€Å"’why it’s only a girl,’ ‘I could’ve slapped his face,’† (242). These statements occur after Flavia is caught breaking into a boys boarding school. When a teacher notices her he calls the police, assuming that she was a boy and therefore a legitimate threat to security. However, when he discovers that she is a girl, he apologizes for alerting the cops and claims that if he knew, he could have easily dealt with the situation. In Bishops Lacey, many male figures decide the scope of Flavia’s abilities before they get to know her; as a result Flavia receives great joy in proving them wrong. In the beginning of the novel, Flavia discovers a dead body in her front yard. Instead of initiating the expected female response of running to get help, Flavia kneels over the body and exclaims, â€Å"I wish I could say I was scared, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life† (29). Although Flavia wakes Dogger, a maintenance worker in the De Luce home, she takes care of the dead body herself. Flavia calls the police, confirms that the victim is dead, and is the first to greet the detectives when they arrive. Her natural ability to remain calm and take control of the situation is very uncharacteristic of the females in Bishops Lacey. Ms. Mullet’s response to the situation is much less refined: â€Å"Oh, good Lord! † (14). Later, when Flavia’s father is charged with the murder, she cannot just watch as men try to wrongly convict him of the crime: â€Å"My duty was to my father and it had fallen upon my shoulders to help him† (152). Despite the detective’s setbacks, Flavia begins to unravel the mystery which will free her father and prove that she is just as capable of solving the case. During her journey to discover the truth, Flavia ignores the rules created by the men in her life, such as ignoring the detective’s obvious worry for her safety, her father’s pleas for her to â€Å"Go home,† and unlawfully breaking into a hotel room and a clock tower (173). Flavia’s determination and unwillingness to rely on men are admiral qualities; however, they do place her in serious danger. Near the end of the mystery Flavia is kidnapped by the murderer Frank Pemberton. Although this is the first time in the novel she shows fear, Flavia still refuses to submit to his demands. Despite the fact that she is physically bound and unable to resist, she believes she can still conquer Pemberton with her wit. Throughout the novel Sister Wife, Celeste also defies the male dominance in her society; however, she does this in a much subtler way. Through the majority of the novel, Celeste mentally resents the restrictions and roles of women in her society; however, physically, she seems to follow and obey the laws laid down by men. This is one of the major differences between the two characters, as Flavia could be characterized as a woman of action whereas Celeste could be described as a woman of thoughts. At the beginning of the novel, Celeste seems to be the perfect daughter: she is obedient and respectful of her culture. However as more of her character is revealed, the reader discovers that Celeste is consumed with thoughts of a life outside Unity. Within the community, Celeste’s lifestyle is so structured that â€Å"a person doesn’t really need to think at all† (11). Yet, Celeste still doubts the system and finds it impossible to accept the prophet’s laws without questioning them: â€Å"God is not in the religious ranting, he’s not in the rules or the sacred book. He is here in this beauty of this divine morning† (129). When Celeste meets a young, attractive boy named Jon, she begins to believe that she should have the right to fall in love with a boy her own age. Although Celeste and Jon’s relationship is banned in Unity and considered blasphemy, neither character can stop romantically seeing the other. Celeste wonders whether â€Å"it’s time for her to change things†¦. Refuse to be assigned to a husband† (49). This shows Celeste’s feminist tendencies and her subtle way of resisting her society. However, Celeste’s loyalty and love for her family prevents her from acting on her desires. When Celeste and Jon are caught, he begs her to leave with him: â€Å"’Celeste you know you don’t want this life’†; she responds: â€Å"‘But I also know that I cannot disgrace my family’† (142). After Jon’s departure, the whole community becomes aware of Celeste’s indiscretion and Celeste reaches a new level of despair. She laments that â€Å"What Daddy wants is right for him. Nobody asked me if being a celestial wife was right for me; if they had I would have said no† (148). Celeste begins to feel like a caged animal and every movement becomes an effort. This leads the reader to conclude that without the right to think independently and make decisions for oneself, people can lose the very essence of what makes them human. The days begin to blur for Celeste and soon she finds herself engaged to Jon’s father. It does not matter how much she is repulsed by the idea of her new husband; Celeste cannot leave Unity and in the end she chooses to marry the one the Lord reveals for her. In the end, Flavia’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes Bishops Lacey forever. When sitting in a room alone with a raging murderer, Flavia realizes that there are no miracles in Bishops Lacey. If she wants to live she â€Å"must make things happen for herself† (315). Flavia knows that â€Å"humans were incapable of accepting their own helplessness,† (316) and as a result they have become survivors. She was not giving up without a fight, and although she knew that she could not escape alone, she physically fought Pemberton with everything she had. Flavia proclaimed that â€Å"Napoleon had once called the English a nation of shopkeepers†¦ but we were a nation of survivors, and I, Flavia Sabina De Luce, could see it even in myself,† (331). Even as the strength leaves her body, Flavia stalls Pemberton using her knowledge of the murders he had committed, hopefully buying her rescuer the time he needs. In moments, Dogger arrives, freeing Flavia from Pemberton’s grasp. When Flavia is freed from the pit she had been concealed in, the residents of Bishops Lacey no longer view her as just a girl. They regard her as â€Å"somehow a different Flavia than the one†, they knew â€Å"only two days ago† (349). Flavia will forever be remembered as the girl with enough courage to defy all the odds and uncover the truth. The symbolism of her heroic journey is evident as Pemberton is arrested in complete darkness and her father is released in the light that followed. The idea of darkness becoming light also symbolized the rebirth of Bishops Lacey, as their previous view that â€Å"females were disadvantaged by nature† (275) had been proven false by Flavia’s actions. In the weeks that follow her kidnapping, Flavia comes to be perceived as an equal in her community, consulted by the detectives and police. As a result her independence flourishes. In contrast, Celeste’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes her life forever by providing her with enough strength to follow her dreams. Celeste does not find any more happiness in married life than in life with her biological family and feels as though she has â€Å"been sentenced to a life without hope. My heart feels as though it will never heal† (246). This statement reveals the psychological realities of many women trapped within the system of polygamy. To keep a level of sanity, Celeste creates Inukshuks; this allows her to regain some control in her life and feel connected to the earth. As male dominance leaves little room for female imagination, Celeste manages to express herself through her creations and this ends up saving her soul: â€Å"When I concentrate on rocks, I forget everything else, and for those short hours I experience peace† (246). The idea of using an element of creation to explain one’s society and her place in it is a common theme shared by both novels. In The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia uses chemistry to express her creativity and knowledge, using chemical analogies to explain her world. After only a few months of marriage, Celeste becomes pregnant, and as a result, her devastation increased because a child would forever bind her to Unity. But on the first day of spring her daughter, Hope, is born, and suddenly everything in Celeste’s world changes. She wants her daughter to have everything she did not have: â€Å"I may not have been strong enough to leave Unity for myself, but in this moment I know that I will find the strength to do it for her† (264). Celeste’s dream of escape become reality when she leaves Unity a few months after her daughter is born. The courage to believe that society should have a place where everyone is equal is the foundation of feminism in both the novels Sister Wife and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The two female protagonists defy the male dominance in their societies and discover who they truly are. Each character faces the obstacle of a very repressive culture and yet, are able to summon the courage of the feminists who lived before them to resolve the conflicts of their time. Though Flavia’s resolution had more of an immediate impact than Celeste’s, by leaving Unity, Celeste set a new precedent for girls in polygamous communities and helped others realize that there is a way out. Therefore, it is justified to claim that both girls resolved aspects of gender inequality in their societies. These unique women have positively impacted society and contributed to the rights and freedoms modern women enjoy.

Abolition Movement Essay

Nineteenth century America bore a perplexing set of movements. Most of which aimed largely to reform American society. At this era, America is redefining her identity. Such was a significant time for reformation movement to peak. The Temperance Movement, religious â€Å"Second Great Awakening† and Women’s Rights Movement are along some of the major efforts attempted to improve the nation and its people. Most important of all, the Abolition Movement, which the very foundation of freedom in America was redefined. The American abolition movement emerged in the early 1830’s as the by-product of â€Å"Second Great Awakening.†[1] Revivalistic tenets led the abolitionist to view slavery as a product of personal sin. They demand emancipation as the price of repentance.[2] This religious revival resulted to thousands of conversions to evangelical religions.[3] Slavery was one of the issues in America which most people sought to end. As early as 1688, the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, took a public stand against slavery.[4] Even though most quakers own slaves when they first came to America. William Buriling, Ralph Sandiford, Benhamin Lay, John Woolman and Anthony Benezet were among the society’s members who largely determined their policy. These people were the salient figures who primarily opposed slavery within the society. By late 1700s and 1800s, the Society of Friends declared their protest against slavery. Quakers opposed it on religious grounds. Others contended that slave owners violated the very principles that the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence had established in 1776. Many religious figures had largely contributed to America’s history of slavery. One was Lyman Beecher, one of the country’s prominent nineteenth- century clergymen and a revivalist of Second Great Awakening.[5] Students of the school where Beecher became pastor, debated the issue on slavery and preferred to adopt abolitionism, which the board of the school opposed. In protest many students including Theodore Weld left the school.[6] Religion had intruded on slavery issues even during the establishment of Quakers. It is often said that this group have influence beyond their numbers. Through their social class and background, Quakers have shared an important role in forming America’s history as well as the society. In 1833, the American Anti-Slavery Society was established by William Lloyd Garisson[7] with fellow abolitionists Arthur Tappan, Lewis Tappan, and Theodore Dwight Weld. It attracted a crowd with lecturing agents, petition drives and a wide variety of printed materials, condemning slavery on moral grounds. The organization sent lecturers about the brutality of slavery across the North, including Ohio. Unfortunately, abolitionists’ appeal of emancipation were rejected by higher institutions as well as individual slave-owners. Some important figures in the emancipation in America were blacks, themselves. Most prominent black during the period started their journey from the oppression of slavery of the Southern states toward more desirable freedom enjoyed at Northern states. In this freedom, they did not grow complacent while their people and family still suffer from inflictions of the institution of slavery. The most famous of this divine ordeal was that of Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman[8] was a slave from Maryland. She suffered all her life from seizures, headaches and hypersomia having had knocked in the head with a heavy iron weight by a slave owner. In 1894 she escaped to Philadelphia where she met with William Still, the Philadelphia stationmaster on the underground railroad. Still, along with the Philadelphia Anti-slavery Society, enlightened Tubman of the workings of the underground railway. Eventually, she became a conductor for the underground railway. Dubbed as the â€Å"Moses of her people†, she helped provide safety and salvation to an approximately 300 slaves. She worked various jobs in order to finance her actives as a conductor. During the Civil War, she served as a soldier, spy and a nurse for the Union. Another women of considerable existence was Soujorner Truth. Truth had been born a slave from Ulster County, New York at a time wherein the state still permits slaves. The anti-slavery law of 1827 freed her from bondage. Her freedom prompt her to be an active abolitionist and a woman’s rights advocate. Truth became one of the most famous orator of her day. Her passion came from her desire to abolish slavery and help her fellow black. Her speeches against the evils of slavery â€Å"shamed many people who were apathetic and passive†. She also fights for women suffrage. Her speech, â€Å"Ain’t I, a Woman?†[9] was her legacy. The speech were made at 1851 Convention on Woman’s Rights after a clergyman remark women as â€Å"too weak and helpless†. Another individual of which probably had the greatest impact for the cause, was Frederick Douglass. Douglass was probably the most important black figure in the abolition of slavery. His accomplishment had impact America on a political scale. His reputation was in an international level. Douglass was born a slave in Maryland. He escaped from bondage and went to New Bedford with the help of a black navy named Ruggles. Although blacks are free in the city of New Bedford, it isn’t a paradise. Douglas observed the discrimination throughout the city.   He subscribed to an abolitionist paper the Liberator by William Lloyd Garrison. Through the Liberator, Douglass were introduced to abolitionist movements. Garrison eventually became his personal hero.   Later he became a member of American Anti-Slavery Society. On August of 1841, an abolitionist meeting took place at New Bedford. Garrison saw Douglass, and he eventually recognized the potential. Douglass became an agent for Garrison. He became a traveling lecturer â€Å"touring the Northern states to talk about his life and sell subscriptions to the Liberator†. The young Douglass â€Å"told stories of brutal beatings of slave owners to women, children and the elderly†. He told the story on how he broke the slave breaker Edward Covey[10]. He scorned clergyman â€Å"who warned slaves that they would be offending God if they disobeyed their masters†. He speaks of evil of masters breeding their female slaves. He grew in skill within his trade that people began doubting his credibility. â€Å"How can such a slave have such a commanding master of words?† they told themselves. This provoked Douglass into revealing his true identity through the disclosure of personal details. He published an autobiography entitled â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave† against the protest of his mentor Garisson and some co-abolitionists. The theme of the narrative is about moral force. â€Å"It is a story of triumph and dignity, courage and self-reliance over the evils of brutal, degrading slave system†. The narrative connotes the existing corruption in the human spirit that â€Å"robs both the master and slave of their freedom†. The book became popular in the North as well as in Europe. However, the Federal Law on fugitive slave threatened his freedom. The Law gave Thomas Auld the right to seize his property. The threat prompted his tour in London where he was later joined by Garisson and other abolitionist. August of 1846 at World Temperance Convention in London, Douglass attacked the American Temperance Movement. He felt that temperance activist were hostile to free blacks. Emancipation in Britain is still fresh among its people. In that regard Douglass felt little racial prejudice among the British. He carved connection among British and Europeans who were compassionate for the cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The tour â€Å"aroused goodwill for the abolitionist cause in the British Isle†. The success in Britain had propelled his reputation to an international level. Douglass established friends and supporters in Britain. In fact, it was his British friends who paid[11] the price of Douglass’ freedom in America. With his renewed freedom he went to Rochester, New York to settle. The town had reputation of being pro-abolition. The women were also active in fighting for their rights. In here, he established a new anti-slavery publication, named North Star, which was not supported by Garisson. With the North Star he no longer have to cling with white abolitionist group of   Garisson. The widening connection of Douglass open his mind to the political aspects of his cause. He began to question the Garissonian views. For Garisson, â€Å"abolishing slavery through violence is wrong†. Garisson believed he could convince the slave owners into giving up their slaves thus setting them free. A white militant named John Brown[12] helped convince Douglass that â€Å"pacifist means could not by themselves bring an end to slavery.† Douglass believed that the North would never abolish slavery if it could cause the break up of the Union and collapse of the Constitution. â€Å" He therefore decided that slavery would have to be ended through political reforms†. Tension began to rise when Douglass urged North Star reader to be politically active and be involved. The change in principle created factions within the abolitionist circle. He, however, did not allow such disputes to affect what he aspired to do. Douglass became one of the most prominent and respected black of his time. His actions and success boosted the confidence of the black abolitionist. He tried to establish a black vocational school. Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped to raise the fund. Furthermore, his Rochester home became the most important station on the underground railroad. He became the superintendent of the entire system in his area. The information regarding the evils of slavery are readily available due to hard work and perseverance of Frederick Douglas and William Lloyd Garrison[13]. However, the popularity of these informations are confined within the anti-slavery circle. In line with this, a fictional novel of abolitionist nature was published entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The author was Harriet Beecher Stowe, an alleged daughter of Lyman Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin had been published by weekly installment in the National Era from summer of 1851 to spring of 1852. Nevertheless, its popularity was still within the abolitionist circle. Its popularity gained when the novel was published in full in 1852. Uncle Tom’s Cabin became the best selling fiction of its time. It is considered by many, as one of the most influential American works of fiction ever published. The fiction had made an impact on America’s inner inquiry and realization of identity and of morality.[14] The success of the novel were founded on Stowe’s humanization of the slaves. The fiction places the reader in frontal view of the barbarity and â€Å"inhuman disintegration of families† which existed in the slavery system. Mothers were portrayed in their most desolate state when their masters sell their babies to a slave trader. The fiction appeal to the Christian soul as Stowe embodied Christ to Uncle Tom which is a black dutiful, loyal and a forgiving slave. The works of fiction â€Å"arouse the antislavery sentiment in the North and provoke angry rebuttals in the South†. Oppositions of views paved the way to devisions. Slavery was no longer a problem of the south and it concerns the whole nation as a whole. The culmination of all these events leads to a bloody battle between the Union and the Confederate slave states. The Union was fighting for a unified nation. The Confederates, on the other hand, wants to separate from the Union in order to secure their rights to own slaves. This disparity brought America to Civil War from 1861 to 1865. It was this reason why Abraham has been quoted saying to Stowe â€Å"So this is the little lady who started this war.† The status of the South as an agricultural states contributed much to their dependencies on slaves. Slaves were utilized for their manual work on the fields and plantations. In contrast, the North are already being industrialized. Their production was dependent on factories and machineries. It was the bloodiest battle that took place in American soil. The Confederate eventually succumb to the much equip forces of the Union. It was very devastating era that Americans have gone through in order to bring about change which redefined freedom in their constitution. Emancipation of all slaves was decreed to slaves states after the Civil War The abolitionists had their victory through information dissemination. Victory was achieved through rallying speeches that awakened compassion and goodwill of humanity. The rallying cries of the oppressed accused passivity a crime. They have pressured those who claimed to be free to guard and fight for freedom. On the night of the proclamation, Douglass was quoted as saying â€Å"We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky†¦we were watching†¦by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day†¦we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries.†[15] WORKS CITED Scott, Donald. â€Å" Evangelicalism, Revivalism and the Second Great Awakening.† TeacherServe from the National Humanities Center. October 2000. Queens College. 18 April 2009. McKivigan, John. â€Å"A Brief History of the American Abolitionist Movement.† American Abolitionism. n.d. Indianapolis. 18 April 2009. â€Å"The Second Great Awakening and the Age of Reform.† Teach US History. 19 April 2009. http://www.religioustolerance.org/quaker1.htm â€Å"William L. Garrison.† Ohio History Central. 1 July 2005. A product of the Ohio Historical Society. 18 April 2009 Robinson, B.A. â€Å"Religious Society of Friends (Quakers): Quaker History†. Religious Tolerance. 7 February 2006. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 19 April 2009. Woodson, C.G. â€Å"Anthony Benezet.† Classics on American Slavery. 25 March 2003. Dinsmore Documentation. 19 April 2009. â€Å"Abolitionist.† Ohio History Central. 1 July 2005. A product of the Ohio Historical Society. 19 April 2009 Sassi, Jonathan. â€Å"Great Questions of National Morality.† Common Place. 9. 1. ( October 2008): 19 pars. 19 April 2009. â€Å"Lyman Beecher.† Ohio History Central. 1 July 2005. A product of the Ohio Historical Society. 19 April 2009 â€Å"Theodore Dwight Weld (1803-1895).† Forever Free.The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. 19 April 2009. â€Å"The Effect of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.† 123HelpMe.com. 18 Apr 2009 Thomas, Sandra. â€Å"Frederick Douglass:Abolitionist/Editor† 19 April 2009. â€Å"The Life of Harriet Tubman.† New York History Net. 20 February 2008. 19 April 2009 .

Colored Nails essays

Colored Nails essays Societies Reaction to Both Men and Women Our assignment was simple, paint another person of the opposite sexs fingernails and have them observe the reactions of people around them. There were two subjects in this assignment. Subject One: Female, average height, very outgoing and friendly, loves to have color on her nails. Subject Two: Male, taller than average (63) college student with a semi-pale complexion. Likes to wear t-shirts and jeans and has a very easygoing attitude. Upon completion of this assignment, it was required that we report on the reactions and attitudes of the people that observed the color on the subjects fingernails. The subjects were interviewed at the end of the assignment with the same set of questions. The following are the questions and answers given by each subject. An overall analysis of the assignment will follow the questions and answers given by each subject. Subject One: Female, average height, very outgoing and friendly, loves to have color on her nails. I chose the color purple because it is my favorite. The second time around, I chose burgundy simply because I didnt receive any comments the first time, so I went with something more noticeable. 2. Describe the painting of each others nails. It was strange feelings having a man paint my nails. It felt as if I had stepped out of the normal boundaries of society by having a man paint them. When I normally get them done, I am used to females with some skill and knowledge of the art painting them. With a male painting them, I was unsure what they were going to look like when he was done. I didnt know if there was going to be polish all over my fingers or not. 3. What did you think when you first finished painting and looked at your hands? Wow, for someone who has never done this before, he did a good job. I will actually be able to do everything like normal and not feel embarrassed about how my ...

Why Is the Story called Fanny and Annie Essay Example

Why Is the Story called Fanny and Annie Essay Example Why Is the Story called Fanny and Annie Paper Why Is the Story called Fanny and Annie Paper Essay Topic: Call of the Wild Literature For many people, the title of D. H Lawrences short story seems to be inappropriate in relation to the story, as the title seems to infer that the two main characters in the story are Fanny and Annie. However, this is exceptionally misleading, as Annie is not seen at all within the story. Fanny, is the main character in the story, together with her fiance, Harry. Perhaps, a more suitable title would be Fanny and Harry as the story chronicles their relationship. Much of the tale concerns Fanny and her feelings towards her return to Moresby and her impending marriage to Harry. The first scene is set in the local station where Harry is picking up Annie. The scene is hugely important to the book as it gives the reader certain assumptions about the two main characters, which the reader carries through throughout the story. Her entrance into the story tells the reader a great deal about her personality. Lawrence uses the colour of red and in particular the image of fire, to describe her fiery nature, in the light of the furnace together with, The pulse and darkness of the red fire from the furnace towers in the sky illustrates this point. However, when Fanny meets Harry, the author uses gloomy colours to describe the scene, The flames had sunk, there was a shadow. This image is reinforced by the colour of scarf Harry is wearing, his red-and-black scarf knotted round his neck, this could suggest the two personalities in the relationship, Harrys black drabness coupled with Fannys fiery nature. We later learn that Fanny was once a ladys maid but had rejected that lifestyle to come back to marry her first love, a foundry worker. However, we can see that Fanny is not entirely happy with the scenario she is in, this is best illustrated when she is comparing her arrival with her arrival at Gloucester, her previous dwellings, Compare this with the arrival at Gloucester, the carriage for her mistress, the dogcart for herself everybody so polite to her. This is followed by quotes such as She had come home -for good and more importantly What a comedown! Her relationship with Harry is one she feels committed to by obligation and does not seem to possess a true love for him. We can derive this from the passage from the opening scene when the sky turned dark when she met him. When she thought about Harry her thoughts were not exactly brimming with compliments, He had his attraction even for Fanny and she felt he was like a doom to her. At this stage the reader feels that the only reason that Fanny does not love him is due to his mannerisms, His way was common. An interesting way to look at Fanny is to see her relationships with both her aunt and Mrs. Goodall, Harrys mother. Her Aunt Lizzie seems to be very knowledgeable about Fannys situation The two women sat and talked far into the night. They understood each other. Lizzie seems to be against the marriage and believes Fanny is going into it for the wrong reasons, You cant wonder you know, child, if he doesnt seem so keen, its your own fault. Fannys answer typifies her feelings towards Harry, Oh aunt, I couldnt stand him when he was keen. I can do with him a lot better now The fact that Fanny can just do with him shows Fannys true feelings towards the relationship. Lizzy attitude toward her nieces predicament is displayed after Fanny has gone, Poor Aunt Lizzie, she cried woefully over her bright niece when she had gone to bed. Fannys relationship with her future mother-in-law, Mrs. Goodall is somewhat different, Between Fanny and Mrs. Goodall, his mother, there was naturally no love lost. Lawrence uses Mrs. Goodall as a direct contrast to Fanny, Mrs Goodall has a distinct hate of the upper class, She fairly hated the sound of correct English. This seems like a match made in hell, however we see that Mrs. Goodall does have a slight liking towards Fanny, For Mrs. Goodall was impressed by Fanny a woman of her own match or perhaps because she had been left two Hundred Pounds by her Aunt Kate. This shows the reader how Fanny is perceived by other people. What the reader can deduce from this is that Fanny seems to get on with people despite the fact that she seems to look down on the residents of Moresby. Annie has a more abstract role in the story. Annie has a very small part to play in the story. In fact, we do not see her at all. However, her impact on the story is unmistakable. Annie comes from a very poor family, shes a tanger-s We know her mother, Mrs Nixon is a rather evil woman, as we can see from the description that Harry is relating to Fanny, Shed half-kill if they made a mark on the floor. This apparently turned Annie into a bit of a wildchild, Ay, she is alright. But she is always in an out th pubs with th fellows. Mrs. Nixon berates Harry for causing Annie to get pregnant. She first reveals this in a church. This is very important, as the church has great meaning to the story. The church is the symbol of love in Fannys life. She first went their with her first fianci Luther, the true love of her life, her cousin Luther at her side, young, clever as well as where she had the most admiration for Harry, for he was a soloist in the choir where he had a certain winsomeness, the church itself had been vividly depicted by Lawrence, and again the little old chapel was a bower, this is all done to build up the moment on the unsuspecting reader. The author does this to make the reader feel the same sense of disbelief about the accusation as the rest of the congregation did, Fanny, startled like the rest. At this point the plot changes completely, no more is Harry the man who was not very marked and becomes this womaniser who has copulated with a young girl. In one moment, Fanny goes from aggressor to victim and Harry from victim to aggressor. However, in my opinion Fanny knows more about Mrs Nixon and her daughter Annie, for she has seen Mrs Nixon before, Fanny stared across the darkness, and saw a woman with a black bonnet what is interesting as black was the colour used to describe Harry in the first scene. Black symbolises mystery and seediness, which the story turned into after Mrs Nixons revelations. Fanny seems to have accepted Harrys past after Harry admitted sleeping with her, it is no more mine than any other chaps and her role as the victim is confirmed when she chooses to stay in Harrys house after he had admitted it, Ill stop with you tonight, mother. Calling Mrs. Goodall mother is telling the reader that she is still going to marry Harry, despite his past misdemeanours. Harrys behaviour is Lawrences message to society. The story written in 1921, the year women got the vote, hence, became emancipated. However, in most places, especially in the Industrial Midlands and the North, men still had a very low regard for women. Harry seems to treat women like sex objects. He is marrying Fanny despite the fact that she had already rejected him once. This means he must realise that fanny does not love him, but he still is going ahead with the wedding. This coupled with the fact that he slept with an underage girl, Thatll not get you out of it, in court shows us that he treats women with disdain and gives them little respect. Harry, though does not seem to be bothered with the outcome of his escapades and it seems that the local community seem to believe him rather than Mrs Nixon. Lawrence is trying to show the public that if a woman had done what Harry had done then she would be labelled a Whore or a strumpet and would be ex-communicated from the community. However, men represented by Harry seem to get away with this sort of behaviour. The author is also attacking the institution of marriage. Most of the marriages in the book were false. Fanny and Harrys relationship is also seemingly doomed. In the 1920s women started coming out of failed relationships. However, the culture beforehand was just to grin and bear it, which Lawrence is deploring.

These Are -Some Adjectives

These Are -Some Adjectives These Are â€Å"-Some† Adjectives These Are â€Å"-Some† Adjectives By Mark Nichol The suffix -some has one of three functions. The most common function, the adjectival one, helps us enrich our vocabulary, and in some cases (especially when -some is attached to a heretofore unacquainted noun to create a nonce word) provides a whimsical or otherwise humorous tone. The adjectival use of -some (stemming ultimately from the Old English word for some) aids in characterizing something tangible or intangible. Some -some words are ubiquitous; others may be new to you. Here’s a nearly comprehensive list. 1. Awesome: This term, tragically weakened by hyperbolic usage, originally had the potent sense of â€Å"something inspiring awe.† (Awe, â€Å"a combination of wonder, dread, and profound respect,† came to us from the Old Norse word agi.) As a result, it is best avoided except in the most casual contexts. 2. Adventuresome: In Middle English, aventure meant â€Å"chance, risk† (ultimately from Latin adventus, â€Å"to arrive†). Adventuresome is a close synonym of adventurous, â€Å"inclined to undertake risks.† 3. Blithesome: Blithe, which comes down to us unchanged from Old English, means â€Å"happy† or â€Å"heedless†; blithesome refers to the former sense. 4. Bothersome: Bother’s etymology is unknown, but its meaning and that of bothersome is clear: A bother is a worry or an annoyance, and something bothersome arouses those feelings. 5. Burdensome: Burden (from the Middle English word byrthen, â€Å"something born, or carried†) is a load or a responsibility, and the connotation is usually negative, so a burdensome task or duty is an unpleasant one. 6. Chucklesome: This expression, based on the root word chuckle, â€Å"laugh† (itself derived from chuck, a variant of cluck, meaning â€Å"a click of the tongue†) means â€Å"inclined to laugh,† or â€Å"humorous.† 7. Cuddlesome: To cuddle (etymology unknown) is to hug, and something cuddlesome is worthy of such attention. 8. Cumbersome: The use of this term’s root word (â€Å"hinder, clutter,† from the Middle French word combre, â€Å"dam†) is rare, though encumber is more familiar. Cumbersome itself means â€Å"unwieldy† or â€Å"ponderous.† 9. Dolesome: This synonym for doleful is based on an archaic synonym for grief and means â€Å"sorrowful.† 10. Fearsome: Though this word can mean both â€Å"causing fear† and â€Å"feeling fear† (or, more accurately, â€Å"timid†), the former usage prevails. However, a third sense, also more common than the latter, is â€Å"extreme,† as in â€Å"fearsome ambition.† 11. Flavorsome: This synonym of flavorful is based on the term ultimately derived from the Latin word flatus, â€Å"breath† (which glad you asked is also the origin of flatulence). 12. Frolicsome: The root word, a borrowing from the Dutch word vroolijk, â€Å"happy,† means â€Å"playful† in English, so frolicsome refers to someone in such a mood. 13. Fulsome: This term, a combination of full and -some, is one of a class of words that have unfortunately acquired contradictory or confusing senses. Actually, fulsome started out that way, with the senses of â€Å"abundant, generous, well developed† competing with â€Å"offensive, overdone, effusive.† Although the negative senses long prevailed, they have been overtaken, though not thoroughly, by the positive ones. The result: Unless the context is clear, your readers may not know which sense you intend to convey. 14. Gladsome: This word, whose root is the word that means â€Å"expressing happiness or joy,† is a synonym for cheerful. 15. Gruesome: This word for something frightening or repulsive stems from the Middle English word gruen, â€Å"to shiver.† The root word is seldom used on its own, usually in horror fiction. 16. Handsome: Of all the some words, this one has perhaps the most interesting etymology. It originated in Middle English when hand, the word for the extension of the arm, was attached to -some to mean â€Å"easy to use.† The meaning was extended to â€Å"appropriate,† and from there is wasn’t too much of a leap to the sense of â€Å"attractive.† 17. Irksome: To irk is to weary or irritate, and something irksome arouses those feelings. 18. Lithesome: Lithesome and its variant, lissome, mean â€Å"nimble, flexible,† from an old English word for â€Å"slow.† 19. Loathsome: The root word now has a sense of â€Å"reluctant, unwilling,† but the Middle English word loth, from which it stems, means â€Å"evil,† and the modern definition of loathsome is â€Å"disgusting.† 20. Lonesome: This word means â€Å"feeling lonely.† 21. Lovesome: This term means â€Å"winsome† (see below) or â€Å"affectionate.† 22. Meddlesome: Meddle (from the Latin word miscere, â€Å"to mix†) means â€Å"to interfere,† and a meddlesome person, therefore, is a busybody. 23. Mettlesome: The previous term should not be confused with this word for â€Å"spirited,† from mettle, an alteration of metal with the connotation of â€Å"strength, stamina.† 24. Nettlesome: This synonym for irritating is based on nettle, the name for any of various plants that sting or have prickly parts. 25. Noisome: The root word for this synonym for harmful or objectionable is not noise but Middle English noy, â€Å"annoyance.† However, considering that noise ultimately stems from the Latin word nausea, which English borrowed directly, perhaps they’re related after all. 26. Quarrelsome: Quarrel (from the Latin word querela, â€Å"complaint† which is also the source of querulous but not of query) means â€Å"to struggle or dispute,† and a quarrelsome person is one inclined to fight or argue. 27. Tiresome: This word’s meaning stems from the senses of tire meaning â€Å"to fatigue or bore.† A tiresome person or situation is one that causes fatigue or boredom. 28. Toilsome: Toil means â€Å"strenuous labor,† and a toilsome task is an unusually laborious one. 29. Toothsome: This synonym for attractive or delicious, with a reference to the toothsome person or provender’s impact on the teeth as an extension of the sense of taste, may seem a fairly recent coinage, but it is in fact hundreds of years old. 30. Troublesome: Trouble (ultimately from the Latin word turbulentus, from which turbulent is also derived) is the root of this word meaning â€Å"difficult, causing trouble.† 31. Venturesome: The root word of this term is an alteration of adventure, and venturesome is a synonym of adventuresome (see above), but it has an distinct sense of â€Å"hazardous† as well. 32. Wearisome: This word’s root is a synonym for tired, and wearisome is, likewise, another word for tiresome (see above). 33. Wholesome: The root word is whole (from the Middle English word hool, â€Å"healthy, unhurt, entire,† ultimately from Old English hal, from which we also derive hale), but the word means not only â€Å"healthy† but also â€Å"proper, prudent, safe.† It is the only word on this list with an antonym formed simply by appending the prefix -un. 34. Winsome: The meanings of winsome are â€Å"charming† or â€Å"cheerful,† but the root is derived not from the Old English predecessor of win, as in â€Å"to achieve victory† (winnan, â€Å"struggle†) but from the same language’s term wynn, â€Å"joy.† (However, both winnan and wynn probably ultimately stem from the Latin word venus, â€Å"desire.†) 35. Worrisome: A worrisome thought or deed is simply one that provokes worry, or concern. The other, more pedestrian uses of the suffix -some are to attach it to one of several numbers to indicate a group of people, as in twosome, threesome, and foursome (fivesome and sixsome are also listed in at least one unabridged dictionary, but the suffix is not applied to larger numbers) or to convey an approximation, as in â€Å"Twenty-some people attended the meeting.† 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Homograph ExamplesHyper and Hypo50 Musical Terms Used in Nonmusical Senses

Seeking Acceptance to MBA Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Seeking Acceptance to MBA Program - Essay Example I come from an entrepreneurial family, in [city name goes here], India. My father owns and operates four manufacturing companies; I would like to use the skills I acquire through your MBA program to help my father compete globally and increase the success and scope of his businesses. My wife also has created and grown a number of businesses here in India, and I currently advise her on growth opportunities. An MBA education would allow me to further expand the types of expertise I give for her business endeavors. My own ventures have been filled with great accomplishment. Professionally, my current assignment involves creating a unified business process to consolidate 17 operating systems into one system for ASB Bank, one of the Australian region's largest financial institutions. This has been a gratifying undertaking, not only for the progress made under my tutelage but also for the exposure it has given me to the Kiwi culture in New Zealand. Additionally, I have established the Indian subsidiary and served as chief technology officer and director of operations for Spokane, Wash.-based Magnetic North. I made and executed strategic decisions for the company, developed and managed vendors, evaluated business plans, proposals and potential partners, among numerous other tasks. Before that, I was a consultant for Setu Software. This was an opportunity that brought me to Boston, Mass., and the chance to manage a staff of up to 18 workers, many of them older and more experienced than myself. After more than two years there, my entrepreneurial zeal drove me to start my own business, Amps Consulting, for technical consulting and projects. A recessionary economy and reduced capital spending, though, forced me to close the business after eight and a half months. Despite the setback with that particular business, I remain energetic, passionate, and motivated to set the world on fire with my next start-up. I have the ideas in particular that I wish to incubate into reality: 1. I want to develop a dynamic, open, wireless MICRO-NETS platform and the accompanying protocols, tools, and services. This ambition already is on solid footing; in 2004, I submitted a business plan for the venture to the Indian Institute of Technology, and advanced to that competition's final phase in the technology category. 2. I want to further develop my eDecisions/eStrategy/eManagement methodology, which is a framework for electronically making complex and far-ranging strategic decisions for large business enterprises. 3. I want to establish an online of business of producing specialized, customized T-shirts. Manufacturing would be done in China, while technology, operations, and customer support would be done in India. I foresee a global market for this product line. Although the T-shirt business may be considered overdone as a concept, I believe that I have developed a unique idea, and one that has incredible potential for growth and profit. As you can see, my experiences, my entrepreneurial spirit, my leadership potential, and the global perspective I possess position me perfectly as a successful participant in your MBA program. I have the ideas and the passion, but it is the experience I would gain through your program that will help

American muscle cars (supercharged are better than turbocharged) Thesis

American muscle cars (supercharged are better than turbocharged) - Thesis Example Evolution of American muscle cars began during the 1960s. According to Leffingwell and Holmstrom (2006), the development of V-8 engine technology played a substantial role in materializing the muscle car. The millions of baby boomers who entered the market during the middle of the 20th century were attracted toward V-8 engine. The American automobile customers behaved according as there curiosity and demand for the turbocharging and supercharging technologies of that time. They were not interested to create physical stereotypes for the car body. This is the reason behind the fact that diverse models of muscle cars were made available during the 1970s and 1980s. In this way, both the agile Camaro and powerful Roadrunner were accepted by the contemporary younger generations as muscle cars (Mueller, 2011). Contextually, an informative socio-technological analysis shows that muscle cars were no mere show items. Leffingwell and Holmstrom (2006) have explored the characteristics of social acceptance of the powerful turbocharged and supercharged engine techniques that culminated at the reinvention of automobile design and use with global implications. Although the different companies like Ford, General Motors, Chevrolet, etc. launched there own product categories and product line, the main objective of achieving more and more engine power remained in tact throughout the industry policy makers. And people were so obsessed with the different features of these cars that the companies continued to produce newer editions of the older models with certain new features. For example, some customers would love the sound of a turbocharged engine as it accelerated; while some other customers wished to have curves on the bonnet of the car they bought †¦ and so on! (Gunnell, 2005; McClurg, 2005). However, when the petroleum industry became turbulent due to certain international

Concept of Happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concept of Happiness - Essay Example The moral philosophies of J.S. Mill and Kant are structurally so different in as much as Mill puts a primary importance, and strictly, on empiricism, or natural experience as basis for morality, whereas Kant's basis for morality (the morality of metaphysics) stems from a priori knowledge or what he calls pure reason - laws which are evident in every rational being. Utilitarianism putting happiness as the supreme guide for spelling out what is good and right is quite clear on putting forward a means while Kant's insistence on intuitive derivation of what is moral, is quite unshakeable on what the end must be - which must be unconditional on any value or preference, happiness including. Utility is synonymous to pleasure or happiness for a Utilitarian moralist like J.S. Mill. He recognizes that all desirable things differs from one individual to another, and are desirable either for their own sake or as a means to the promotion of pleasure and the prevention of pain. However, J.S.

Targets operation in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Targets operation in Canada - Essay Example The retail store failed miserably in its market strategies such as pricing. This stands out as a major influence on customers. From the start, Canadian shoppers felt that the prices maintained by Target were too high while compared to other stores. It created a perception that it was the most expensive among its competitors. Targets management was not observant and reactive about pricing. They failed to see the power of low pricing in Wal-Mart Canada. Additionally, Target did not compensate for its higher pricing with better services. The customers’ experience at Target stores was not good and prices made it worse. It has been shown that some customers are willing to forego a slight increase in price provided the experience they receive is a stand-out feature from the rest of the competition. Other competitors had the edge in pricing as well as customer service. Only 18% of the respondents questioned by Forum Research said that they were very satisfied with Target. This percen tage was the lowest level of satisfaction among all the other competitors. This shows that   Target’s management did not prioritize customer satisfaction.The supply chain management also attributed to the failure of the business in Canada. Customers were not pleased by empty shelves in stores. However, stocks were piling up in Target’s warehouses at a faster rate they were being sold. There were delays that caused the goods from hitting the shelves on time. Target’s supply chain was marred by inconsistencies between the actual inventory level and the computer records. There were delays caused by verification of the inventory. The shipments needed to be verified manually. This is a time-consuming process that increased work for the store workers while also leaving the shelves empty.

About this star---Enif Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

About this star---Enif - Essay Example The star; enif has many other names attributed to it. It also goes by the names Os Pegasi, Enf, Al Anf , Enf, Enir or Fom. Enf, Al Anf, Enf and Enir are obtained from the Arabic word, Al Anf which means â€Å"The Nose of the horse. Os Pegasi also means the same only that it is a Latin translation. It is a supergiant that is cool and orange in color. It falls under the constellation named Pegasus. The estimated age of this star is 15 million years and is distanced at 673 light years. The spectral class and visual magnitude are K2 and 2.39 respectively. Absolute magnitude of the star is around -4.19. In relation to the sun, Enif exhibits 6700 times more luminosity, its mass is 10 times more than that of the sun and its diameter is 661 times more than that of the sun. It is the brightest star in its constellation. The orange colored giant changes its size gradually and unevenly. It is subject to ferocious eruptions at various times; a phenomenon that is yet to find a conclusive explanation. The constellation in which Enif falls under is called Pegasus. Pegasus is seventh inn size of all the constellations in the sky. It assumes a square shape often referred to as â€Å"the Great Square of Pegasus†. It has a total of 8 stars and occupies 1121 square degrees area. It falls under the location between -60 and +90 degrees latitudes. Enif is the brightest of the stars at 522 L/Y. Enif is not part of the square but it forms a winged horse structure midway from the square. The other dominant stars in the constellation are Scheat, Markab, Algenib, Homan, Matar, Baham and Salm. It is subject to myth that Pegasus was a winged horse who emanated from the neck of Medusa when she was being beheaded by Perseus. The horse obtained a hero status for helping Bellerophon to conquer Chimera (a fire spitting adversary). In the end, Pegasus was turned into a constellation that is visible during the beginning of the month of October. Pegasus was believed to be visible in the

Targets operation in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Targets operation in Canada - Essay Example The retail store failed miserably in its market strategies such as pricing. This stands out as a major influence on customers. From the start, Canadian shoppers felt that the prices maintained by Target were too high while compared to other stores. It created a perception that it was the most expensive among its competitors. Targets management was not observant and reactive about pricing. They failed to see the power of low pricing in Wal-Mart Canada. Additionally, Target did not compensate for its higher pricing with better services. The customers’ experience at Target stores was not good and prices made it worse. It has been shown that some customers are willing to forego a slight increase in price provided the experience they receive is a stand-out feature from the rest of the competition. Other competitors had the edge in pricing as well as customer service. Only 18% of the respondents questioned by Forum Research said that they were very satisfied with Target. This percen tage was the lowest level of satisfaction among all the other competitors. This shows that   Target’s management did not prioritize customer satisfaction.The supply chain management also attributed to the failure of the business in Canada. Customers were not pleased by empty shelves in stores. However, stocks were piling up in Target’s warehouses at a faster rate they were being sold. There were delays that caused the goods from hitting the shelves on time. Target’s supply chain was marred by inconsistencies between the actual inventory level and the computer records. There were delays caused by verification of the inventory. The shipments needed to be verified manually. This is a time-consuming process that increased work for the store workers while also leaving the shelves empty.

Statement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statement Analysis - Assignment Example Taking reference of this concept, the present topic will focus towards the evaluation of the statements and answered questioners that have been provided by the two individuals who are charged with the allegation of stealing jewelry during their work hours. The details regarding this analysis have been provided below in an elaborated manner. As per general understanding, it can be stated that in the primitive section of the written statement the first convict elaborates a minute description about his identity and the organization for which he works. Subsequently, the convict also mentioned about the time he reached the Condominium building, which was pointed out to be 9:00AM. Till this part of his statement, no such evidence can be attained regarding him hiding any sort of information that finds alignment with the crime. Despite the refusal projected by the security guard in terms of opening more than one door at a time, the convict still went along in conversation with the other worker in order to convince the manager to permit the security guards to open more doors at a time so that the first worker can get the job done before. From a logical perspective, a doubt can be raised regarding the intention of the first convict in finishing the work before time irrespective of the fact that he could have worked in a steady p ace even if the security guard opened only one door at a time. This instance can be taken as a reference where the convict might have tried to conceive crucial information about the incident (Peterson et al., 2010). The later parts of the statements as provided by the convict appeared to be highly confusing. Within this section, the convict mentioned a chain of events that he did after his work such as having a meal, changing of clothes, going out to a mall for receiving a new ordered phone. In addition, he also stated that he was picked up by one of his friends who served in the army. At that very instance, he

Way in Which Piaget and Vygotsky Share Similar Ideas Essay Example for Free

Way in Which Piaget and Vygotsky Share Similar Ideas Essay While both Piaget and Vygotsky were similar in their views in certain ways. Most commonly shared were their views as constructivists (the idea of learning by doing) and believed that social forces set the limits of development. The most obvious difference is their view of cognitive development. Where Piaget felt that cognition develops in four discreet stages that are limited, Vygotsky believed the opposite, that there are no stages and development is continuous. Where there are a few areas that I relate with the theoretical views of John Piaget, I tend to relate more so with those of Vygotsky. Both were strong advocates for students having active participation in their learning. Like Vygotsky, I feel that learning and development are intertwined and in some cases learning can precede development. Vygotsky compared a learner’s actual development to their potential development; this potential area is called the â€Å"zone of proximal development†. When working with the children it is in this area that I observe any potential problem areas where a child might need help as well as recognize where I can push a child a little further in order to get them to reach their maximum potential. As far as instructional strategies, I tend to rely heavily on a Montessori style environment; where discovery, project based learning, and curiosity inducing strategies expands a child’s intellect. As a child care provider I often try to engage my pupil with activities and materials that challenge them. Most toys and instructional material I present to the children are usually slightly above their ages. Where Vygotsky felt that culture plays a large role in development, I too agree that development is improved when social interaction is guided by highly skilled people in the same culture.

Arguments Against Transformational Leadership Management Essay

Arguments Against Transformational Leadership Management Essay A person can have many distinctive qualities, leadership is among those qualities, not everyone possess such quality, which made this quality special and extraordinary. In the field of business, a decision often comes down to success and failure, leadership is one of the most important quality for a managerial person to have. As Thomas J. Watson, Jr. had put it: I believe the real difference between success and failure in a corporation can be very often traced to the question of how well the organization brings out the great energies and talents of its people. Leaders that can bring positive or beneficial effect to a group or enterprise are consider as a transformational leader, they are energetic, passionate, not only they focus on the systems and the structure of a business, they also focus on the individual employee to do well and to be successful as well. According to Cox (2001), leadership is divided into two categories: transactional leadership and transformational leadership. The distinction between the two, according to James McGregor Burns work on political leader (1978), are those ones who uses the policy of rewards to motive and earn his/her employees efficiency and loyalty, is called transactional leader; and those ones who gets involve with his/her employee, also possess determination and committed towards success as well as motivates its employees in exchange for their high performance, also their loyalty. However, in this ever changing world, business leaders needs improve his/her skill and ability in order to coordinate wit h the change. In this particular essay, the main focus will be on the transformational leadership and some of the arguments and criticisms against it, as well as some counter arguments in favor of the transformational leadership; along with supporting explanations, facts and various examples. Arguments against Transformational Leadership Theory: Study results shows that Transformational Leadership have its positive effect on organizations, improve its work productivity, performance and as well as the creativities, according to Bass and Avolio (1994), it can be found in every aspect of an enterprise, because sometimes transformational leaders are the type of leaders needed for an company to survive, according to Burn (1978): recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential followerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower. A transformational leader in an organization often break through its frame of organization culture and thrive, which made transformational leadership one of the most renewed and popular leadership theory in modern days, nevertheless, its resplendency is not without oppugns. There are many criticisms against the theory of transformational leadership, one of the criticism is transformational theory is very difficult to be trained or taught, because its components are too comprehensive; on the other hands, one of the argument against transformational leadership is that followers might be manipulated by leaders and there are chances that what they gain is so little compare to what they lost. Among them all, one of the important key criticisms against transformational theory is accusing it to be only for the selected individuals, which may lead to abusing of power. As Colonel Mark .A Homig (2001) have stated that: Transformational leadership is a double edged sword. Which means that, when a transformational leader over done his part in terms of leadership, his/her innate defect in personality or even later life experience can turn him/her into another type transformational leadership, the one on the opposite side-Pseudo transformation leadership. According t o Mark. A. Homig: has a potential immoral and unethical dimension that could be exploited by an unscrupulous leader inflicted on naive and unsuspecting followers. For example, Adolf Hitler was elected as the leader of Germany, he came into power during Germanys economic inflation and depression in 1920s, he did pull Germany out of its economic depression, however, after first couple of years honeymoon between him and the country, his follower later become so obsessed with him and followed him blindly into his conquest for his so called Lebensraum for Germany, which brought one of the worst disaster to Europe. Other example is Shoko Asahara, founder and leader of Aum Shinrikyo, also known as Aleph, a Japanese cult that is responsible for the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The second key argument against transformational leadership is the un-clarity of its definition and components, since the definitions of the four components (Inspirational, Intellectual, Idealized, and Individualized) associated with transformational leadership are overlapping each other. According to Brayman (1992), the transformational leadership looks more suited to be a set of personality characteristics rather than special requirements. There are other various arguments against transformational leadership as well, like the ones associated with ethics, according to Avolio and Howell (1992), qualities that makes a great leader can lead to unethical act, as the first key point in this section stated, such leader can make his/her follower to make unethical decisions and even commit crimes as well, according to Yukl.G. (1998). One example for this case is Hitler. Within this essay, the focus will be on the above arguments, in the following section, and in-depth analysis will be done. Supports for the Transformational Leadership theory: Two of the key arguments against transformational leadership theory primarily focus on the un-clarity of its concepts, and accusing it to be misleading. However, if we take a closer look at the details and examine the core components of the transformational leadership theory, one can easily notices the arguments against transformational leadership is losing its roots. Based on Benard. M, Bass (2006)s book on Transformational leadership, the qualification of transformational leaders are those who has great personality qualities and the ability to influence others in exchange for their loyalty, it focuses on the processes between the leader and followers. Therefore, those who uses negative examples of transformational leadership such as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini to fault the transformational leadership theorys core concept is false, because idea or the overall construction of the theory of the transformational leadership is solid, and does not varies when people interpolate it dif ferently. Arguments such as the requirements for transformational leadership are sets of personality traits, and it cannot be taught or learn, Oscar Arias have stated: More than knowledge, leaders need character. Values and ethics are vitally important. The basics of leadership can be taught. What is desperately needed is more responsible leadership a new ethic to confront the challenges of our day. Based on an interview and commentary essay done by Jonathan P. Doh (, many educators believes that transformational leadership can be taught, in fact all types of leadership can be taught and learned. Here are some of the quoted interviews from that report: Jay Conger (Professor of Organizational Behavior at the London Business School and Senior Research Scientist, Center for Organizations at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles) have :Yes, most definitely. Here work experiences, bosses, special projects, and role models, education all play a role in leadership development. Using an analogy with sports, not everyone can become an outstanding player despite coaching, yet most will benefit and improve their game. A few will go on to become stars or outstanding leaders given coaching, extensive experiences, and personal drive. Also from Kim S. Cameron (Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of Michigan Business School.) said that: Some people have an inclination to learn some competencies faster or better than others, of course, and some people reflect more charismatic or likable characteristics than others. But many great leaders are not those that appear on the covers of Time and Fortune. They have learned to achieve spectacular results in their own circumstances. Think of parents. Can people learn to become better parents, or are we just born either competent or not? Everyone would agree that effective parenting can be learned and improved. So can effective leadership. Leadership can also be taught, according to Jay Conger, Kim Cameron, and Steve Stumpf (cited in Jonathan P. Dohs interview essay), have all agreed that leadership can be taught, but only to a certain extent. The reason behind this is the three dimensions of leadership: skills, perspectives and dispositions. Just like in school, everything can be taught to students, but there are always some students do better than others, in terms of adapting knowledge, and the ability of applying the knowledge that they have learned. Skills can be taught, and perspectives can be trained, however, dispositions such as ambitions, mental capacity, etc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.is difficult to teach. Bottom line is, leadership can be taught and learned through education and training. There are a lot of examples of leaders that proved valuable to a company, just to name of few in this essay. Steve Jobs is one of the perfect example, he was fired from apple and later came back, and turned Apple into one of the most profitable technology company in the world. Another example is Gordon Bethune, CEO of Continental Airlines (merged with United in 2010), and he joined Continental Airlines during its bankruptcy, during that time, company was losing $55 million dollars per month, he, however, not only eliminated the debt they had at that not, but also increased Continental Airlines stock price from $2 a share to $50 a share. Conclusion: In conclusion, Transformational leadership theory have proved its value throughout the modern days, even if there are some criticisms, it still not enough to effect the core concept of transformational leadership theory. Counter arguments in support for the transformational leadership theory, have proved its aptitude in work performance, quality and earn their loyalty. Key arguments have been vindicated in this essay, even though, motive of a leader sometimes is questionable, but this does not change the core construction of the theory; transformational leadership theory or any leadership theory can be learned or taught, only difference is how well one can adapt and apply the knowledge of leadership. Transformational leadership is surely one of the most popular theory, and most likely will become the resolution for todays organization, as todays enterprises facing many tough challenges such as creativity, sustainability, and uniqueness.

Abandonment in Jamaica Kincaids Autobiography of My Mother Essay

Abandonment in Jamaica Kincaid's Autobiography of My Mother Xuela, the protagonist of Jamaica Kincaid's novel, The Autobiography of My Mother , comments, "I felt I did not want to belong to anyone, that since the one person I would have consented to own me had never lived to do so, I did not want anyone to belong to me" (112). The outward coldness of this statement is clearly observed, but it is the underlying statement Xuela is making that is truly a significant theme within the novel; Xuela's fear of abandonment. She aborts the child she is carrying, leaving her barren. She chooses not to be a mother herself. She refuses to form close relationships with men or women. She is terrified that, like her mother, everyone around her will desert her. Shortly after her mother's death, Xuela's father places her in the care of the the woman who does his laundry. Even as a child, Xuela understands that first her mother, and now her father, have abandoned her. She realizes, "My mother had died when I was born, unable to protect herself in a cruel world beyond ordinary imagining, unable...

All of Childhood is Essentially Preparation for Adulthood

It is said that all of childhood is essentially preparation for adulthood. Children, during the precious few years they spend without the responsibility, awareness and experience to be considered adults, watch and mimic the world around them, for it is by mimicking that they learn to become adults themselves. Both â€Å"Werewolves in Their Youth†, by Michael Chabon and â€Å"The Man in the Well†, by Ira Sher, promote the supposition that all of childhood is preparation for adulthood, by revealing characteristics and attitudes in young children that show glimpses of the world and environment in which they were raised and by which they were shaped.Both stories, additionally, give insight as to what it is that separates adults from children, both by contrasting adult and child characters and by leading the reader to a directed realization of what characteristics of behavior define adulthood. In â€Å"The Man in the Well†, Sher begins by having the nine year old chil d, whose name is the only one among all of the children that we never learn, state that although he remembered that the children had made the decision not to help the man stuck in the well, he didn’t remember if they’d given themselves a reason for not helping.(Sher, 1) The act of making a decision without giving a reason is both very childlike and very adult-like. Children, without the ability to make critical decision and employ as rational thought as adults, often make decisions without reasons, functioning mainly on impulse. Will I swing on the swings or ride the slide? Slide it is – but why? But failing to give a reason for a decision can also be a very adult-like quality. After all, hasn’t everyone heard their mother voice the statement â€Å"I don’t need a reason, I’m your mother†?Adults and especially parents will often make a decision without giving a reason to enforce that they are beyond needing to give a reason and should not be questioned by virtue of their status as adults. So while the children’s decision not to help the man in the well was not supported by a reason, and while that may have only been a sign of childhood impetuousness, it can also be a sign of imitating the adults that have provided the examples to follow in their lives.The next sign in â€Å"The Man in the Well† the childhood is essentially preparation for adulthood is in the children’s unwillingness to give their names to the man in the well, exhibited by the careful way in which they talk and the embarrassment felt when one child’s name is accidentally revealed. (Sher, 3) This, like making decisions without giving reasons, can also be seen as both an adultlike and a childlike trait, bridging the behaviors of one generation to the next. Remaining nameless is a way to hide, and in a situation where the children are already a bit fearful and unsure of their own actions, hiding is natural instinct.Indeed, when the boy whose name has been revealed decides to reveal the names of all of his friends who have also ignored the plight of the man in the well, the protagonist compares the faces of the children clustered around the well as their names are announced to the faces of â€Å"spectators in the freak tent when the circus† comes to town. (Sher 5) This comparison shows an awareness of behavior that is startling adult in nature. As Aaron brings everyone out of hiding by announcing names, they begin to see themselves as if watching a carny at the fair. Without the cloak of anonymity to hide behind, awareness is built.This is a very adult-like reaction, in that roles are often carried out anonymously in the adult world, to protect at times and to cloak in others. How many accused criminals know the names of the jurors in whose hands their fate is held? How many American citizens know the names of the cabinet members and advisors that the president uses to make decisions that will impact both the country and the world? There is safety in anonymity. Similarly, in â€Å"Werewolves in Their Youth†, the children, Timothy and Paul, find safety in creating roles and identities for themselves beyond those by which their parents, teachers and friends know them.Both children have suffered difficulties at home and at school. Timothy seems to have lost a father to Vietnam and Paul’s own father seems to be on his way out of his life, the result of an imminent divorce. (Chabon 2, 4) Both mothers are depicted as frazzled women trying to do their best. And both Timothy and Paul have attended the same doctor, implied to be a psychiatrist, perhaps as a result of their home lives or perhaps a result of the teasing they face in school and the perception that they are each other’s only friend.(Chabon, 8) Therefore, it is in the roles that they create for themselves, similar to the anonymity in â€Å"The Man in the Well†, that they find safety. This, a t first, can seem to be a very childlike reaction – two children entering into a land of make believe in order to shelter themselves from the outside world. However, it is a very psychologically profound reaction that shows their tendencies toward adulthood. We see in Paul’s behavior his imitation of his mother, even in his role as â€Å"Ant-Man†. His mom, apparently a realtor, is his basis for the behavior he exhibits when showing ants around in the village he has created for them.(Chabon, 1) He perceives his mother’s role as a realtor as a powerful one, apparently, because in transforming into his role as Ant-Man, he exhibits power over the ants. One of the clearest examples of childhood as preparation for adulthood occurs towards the end of â€Å"Werewolves in Their Youth†. Paul has been extremely reluctant to be lumped in with Timothy and exhibits defiant behavior when they are in the office together, turning his back on what he has already ack nowledged is his only friend. Mrs.Gladfelter, the children’s teacher, has tried valiantly to convince Paul to help Timothy come out of the character he has assumed and used to terrorize girls on the playground: that of a werewolf. Paul, caught in the trap of childhood, tries to convince himself that he sees signs that Timothy is actually a werewolf, seeing a â€Å"werewolf glint† (Chabon, 7) in his eyes and the â€Å"thin, dark down of wolfish hair† upon his cheek (Chabon, 9). He struggles to make adult sense of this, however, and is torn by his desire to distance himself from this friend and the desire to help.He finally makes his decision: he will help. Donning the persona of the professor that Timothy has repeatedly referred to him as, he plays into Timothy’s fantasy that he’s not yet found an antidote for his werewolfism. As he’s being lead out of the office and back to class, he stops, turns around and with his imaginary gun, takes care ful aim at Timothy, telling him that he’s going to shoot him with a dart filled with antidote and tranquilizer. He then pretends to shoot at Timothy, and Timothy, well within this fantasy world himself, proclaims himself cured.(Chabon, 10) To the bystander, it might appear that these are simply two kids playing a game, but Paul has the adult awareness to see that his teacher is looking at him approvingly for his actions. This is not different from how many parents cope with the ills their children suffer – engaging in fantasy to heal wounds and distract from pain. Both Chabon and Sher clearly show in the characters they have created that the actions and reactions children work through during childhood is an imitation of the adult world in which they live.Because of that imitation, the children are forming their future selves for the adults that they will someday become – preparing for adulthood starts young. By looking at the short stories by these authors, trai ts are shown that differentiate children from adults. The key trait, beyond age and experience, that separates adults from children is awareness. In the Chabon story, Paul becomes aware at the end that he must take actions to help his friend Timothy, and that without those actions, Timothy might not be able to battle his own demons and get back to acting in a normal fashion.This awareness is a giant leap for Paul towards the responsible adult that he will become. In the Sher story, we leave off with the adult feeling of guilt – the nameless protagonist leaves the well for the final time and vows never to return. (Sher, 6) The child has become aware that his actions have been shameful – he and his friends have left a man in the well to die, instead of obtaining help that is so readily available. He is also aware that all of the children feel equally guilty, as upon their last trip from the well, they could not look into each other’s lives. This character has also taken a giant leap towards adulthood.Many children mess up while young and commit deeds for which they later feel sorry, but few contribute to a man’s pain and suffering and assumed death in such a way that it will haunt the rest of their lives. This situation will either impact the child to lead a respectable life later on, to make up for his actions, or will go on to commit later actions in a similar vain, having rationalized his childhood experience. Either way, he has begun his preparation for adulthood. References Chabon, Michael. â€Å"Werewolves in Their Youth†. Random House: 1999. pp. 1-10. Sher, Ira. â€Å"The Man in the Well. † Chicago R

Genetic Diversity

Mutations are various forms of changes in ones DNA’s structure or makeup. This abnormality can happen for various reasons such as chemical misuse, harmful viruses or environment factors. When a mutation occurs in ones genetic structure, there is often a push to find out what went wrong and if it was a onetime occurrence or a genetic abnormality that no one in the family knew about until the recent discovery. This genetic abnormality occurs when there is a dominant gene which comes from a parent.This dominant gene attaches itself to a recessive gene and sparks a change in the genetic sequence of the offspring. This is most relevant as I was observing my nephew last weekend. My brother is â€Å"dark skinned†, tall and slim. My sister-in law is of French decent and full bodied while looking at my nephew, I ascertained that he is heading towards his mother’s side of the family he has the â€Å"fair skin, â€Å"finer grain of hair†, and the full body of his mo ther, thus his physical appearance is a mixture of both his mother’s and father’s genes along with a mutation of their DNA.Sexual Reproduction ensures life will continue no matter what happens. As genes are exchanged between two potential parents, the resulting offspring ends up with a combination of genes from both parents which then in turn gives them their own genetic makeup. This can lead to an expansion in various parts of the world where there is a diverse genetic makeup of people. This is due to various factors such as economics, upward mobility and educational opportunities.When this occurs new communities develop, form and branch out spawning a growth in population and migration. As the various traits from one’s genetic makeup mixes with others of another makeup, this helps to further expand the world’s unique makeup among its various populations and cultures. As these factors come into play over and over again, this helps to ensure the possibili ty of cloning one’s self or someone else will never happen.This also ensures the population will continue to grow change and the diversity of it all helps to make the world we live in today all the more unique and complicated. As I reflect on my nephew’s own unique genetic makeup, I can’t help but wonder what his future will hold in regards to his own children, where he will migrate to and what he will contribute to leave his mark on the world. One can only hope that the traits and genes he has inherited from his mother and father will help him to reach his full potential.